Happy Birthday Momma

   April 16th is the birthday of my favorite woman in the whole world: my mom. I love when anyone meets her because I feel so proud that Terri Schenzel is my mom. The woman is ridiculous. SHE DOES NOT AGE! I swear people don't believe anyone in our family when we tell them how old she is. She is full of youth and joy. Her zeal for life, food, people, the Lord, and shopping (not necessarily in that order) is like an inner fountain of youth.

   My mom is an incredible wife. She has loved my dad so selflessly and with great tenderness for almost 25 years. Many women seek her advice on marriage because she truly portrays being a godly wife. She respects and cares for my dad, while at the same time challenging and encouraging him. Her support for him starting the Hope Center is a beautiful example of selflessness and courage. My family always says she is the most humble person we knows because my mom is so quick to admit her mistakes and ask for forgiveness.

   The best thing about my mom is just that: she is a mom. She loves being a mom. And she is my mom. When my siblings and I were growing up, my dad would share stories about their dating years and how she would 'steal' babies out of their strollers because she couldn't help herself. That was one of the things my dad loved most about her: she was made to be a mom. All of my childhood memories are full of her loving me and nurturing me. I feel emotional thinking about all the time she invested in us kids- reading countless books, watching our skits/dances, cooking us dinners, rocking us to sleep singing "Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name." My three siblings and I will forever be grounded and secure because of the unconditional love  my mom has provided. To this day, she has a stash of fruit roll-ups hidden in her kitchen to give little kids that stop over. (My family is perfectly comfortable with love through bribery ;) 

  One of the hardest things about being a full-time mom is that your role changes. I'm told it goes too fast. One minute us kids were playing house and then next minute we are grown up and living house. My parents are about to watch their baby graduate from high school and move away. The role of mothering will look vastly different and I know my mom is grappling with the change of not being needed as much. But that is where she is wrong: Mom, I need you now more than ever. I need you to continue to show me what it means to be an excellent wife. I need your advice about friendships and relationships. Annie, Tyler, and Turner are going to need you to help plan their weddings someday (like you did mine). In the future, I will need you to be available when I have a baby of my own and have a million questions. I need you to be the grandmother of my future children. I need you in a different way: to be my friend, my mentor and my role model. Even though things have changed, you should feel proud- because you did your job so well. I guarantee when you stand before the Lord someday He will comment on the kind of mother you are.

  So happy birthday mom. There is no one whose life I would rather celebrate than yours (except for Paul's in a few weeks ;)). You have always been my mother, but you have grown to be my best friend. I respect you and the way to pour your life out for others. You continue to invest time and energy in young people. You are just 'enlarging your tent' and mothering with a greater capacity than before. You now nurture dozens of kids instead of four. The whole family will continue to cheer you on.  I love you and can't wait to see what the future holds for you. Happy birthday!

Travels, April 2011: San Francisco

   And back to blogging I go! I am just got back from San Francisco this afternoon from visiting Paul. He is on his 5-week long trip around Alaska and California running health clinics with his buddy Keith. Our friend Sean Campbell came out over the weekend too and we all had a blast seeing the sights and soaking up the San Francisco sun. I figured I should blog while everything is fresh in my mind...

This shirt was died with actual wine! But it's not true.. I would never sell Paul-at least not for wine ;)

3 amigos (actually 1, Keith is the only one who speaks Spanish)

Besties- at the Pier.

Paul being expressive.

Beautiful Golden Gate Bridge.

Another view of San Fran.

China town.

Me being expressive. I was trying to teach the guys how to appreciate art ;)

Boarding to take a day cruise to the famous Alcatraz Prison.

Yea- it's probably a little insensitive to be smiling in a jail cell...

The Prision.

A view from Alcatraz looking out.

     The trip was really good, but short. Another highlight (which we thankfully didn't photo document) was the 11 mile run on Saturday morning. We ran along the coastline and then all the way across Golden Gate Bridge and back. By 'we' I mean myself, Sean, and Paul. Sean and I ended up walking part of the way back because he had such huge blisters on his feel (TMI- I know). He pretended- err, I mean- was barely able to walk the rest of the day ;). Like a good friend, I stayed with him pushing him to complete the run (but really what other option did he have?). Meanwhile, ultra athletic Paul finishes the entire run! I was a little peeved that I have actually been training and he ran it cold turkey.

   We also had an interesting cab ride where the cabbie took us through a 'short-cut' that actually took FOR-EV-ER and cost like 20 bucks :( He dropped us off in a ghetto area where we ate larger than Chipotle sized burritos at a authentic Mexican restaurant and then all felt very, very sick (I'll spare you the details). 

  I have to take the opportunity to say that I was thoroughly impressed with the Starbucks in San Fran. I mean- they were everywhere! In one part of the city, there are 3 Starbucks within 2 blocks! So we took advantage and Paul and I went to coffee yesterday (Sunday morning) just the two of us, We had a really good time and enjoyed talking about our move to Redding in 2 short months.

  To be honest, Sunday night was a little rough and I was feeling emotional (surprise, surprise) about being apart for 2 more weeks and feeling sick (from my 'burrito incident'). My husband is not perfect (darn near close-jk!), but one thing he does excel at is helping me process my heart and emotions. So we powered through and had a great night. Sean, Keith, Paul and I went and saw a movie that night too. It was a good end to great weekend.
  Finally, I got home around 3 pm and my parents picked me up from the airport. I was feeling sad again and missing Paul. I got home and my dad had stacked the mail on my bed. There on the top was a letter from Paul that he had written almost a week ago and it arrived while I was gone. Talk about perfect timing! I read the letter and put it beside my bed to get me through the last 2 weeks apart. 
   Come home Paul. Come home.

COME HOME PAUL

   I miss Paul. I may try and put a brave front on, but I seriously cry myself to sleep everynight, I've quit eating and I have written about 20 love poems to him.. and it's only day 11! Ok-JK! but I seriously miss him.    

   He and Keith have left Alaska and are in San Francisco. He calls me two times a day and texts me all the time so at least I feel connected. It's HARD but hey at least we like each other :)

   What am I doing in the mean time?: Spending time with my momma, watching movies with the family, getting together with friends, enjoying meeting with various WAG girls, hanging out with my sis-in-law Sarah and my nieces Delaney and Aves, running, reading, and working.

   We'll keep this post short and sweet. I'll write more later- Over and OUT!

Busy Busy

  EEEK! I have neglected this blog for a month! I feel bad, but we have been so busy! Paul is currently in Alaska and then will be traveling to California to run some clinics. I reallllly miss him, but am flying out to San Francisco in 2 weeks to visit. I will be honest and say that I probably think about Pablo 3 times an hour. We do everything together so it's hard to be apart for so long. The good news is we will have all summer in California not knowing hardly anyone which means LOTS of quality bonding time.

   Life is speeding by as we gear up to leave for Bethel. We have decided that we are selling most of our possessions so as not to pay for a storage unit. Couch, bed, table and chairs from World Market... all must go :( As sad as I am to sell my stuff (I'm nostalgic about all the furniture we bought together as newlyweds), it is very liberating! We are literally driving out with whatever our little Honda CRV can hold.

   We are planning on leaving for Cali the second week of June. We will take about 6 days to drive out and we are going to make a vacation out of it. I've always wanted to see Yellowstone National Park so we will work that into our plans. We are probably going to camp a lot of the way. When we get to Redding, we will drop off our small supply of stuff and drive 3 hours to Sacramento. From Sacramento we are flying to LA for a week of vacation with my boss and her family. Paul and I pretty much get to tag along and then will be watching the kids in the evenings if the adults want to go out. This will be the best job ever- if sitting by the pool at a resort is work sign me up!!! Then it's back to Redding to start jobs and transition for Ministry School. Can't wait!

   So I have been trying to take advantage of this time before we leave. I am also trying to make the most of the time apart from Paul. Last weekend I had a girls night with some good friends. The last few days I have enjoyed cooking healthy with my mom. We watch movies together a lot of nights (cousin Joy joined us on Tuesday night!). I have spent lost of time with family and friend- I know it's important to embrace these memories! Another good way to stay occupied has been training for my half marathon. I am training 5 days a week with my long runs on Saturdays. Last Saturday was 7 miles- this Saturday is 8. I'll try and update again soon...

Life Update: California here we come!

So a LOT had been happening the last few weeks, but I’ll cut to the chase: this summer Pablo and I are moving to Redding, California to attend Bethel’s School of Supernatural Ministry. Did I know 6 months ago we would be going?: no. Did I know 6 weeks ago we would be going?: NO! Life is crazy, but God is good!

   Basically, we have been sensing that the Lord has something for us this next season of life, but we just were not sure what. We teetered on the edge of putting down roots in Omaha (buying a house, Paul accepting a commercial real estate job, etc.), but didn’t feel peace. Some of my parents’ friends (the Franks) are out at Bethel and have loved it. My parents went out and visited last year and had nothing but amazing things to say about the school and everyone they encountered. Paul and I really didn’t think much of it when we heard about their trip, but everything happens for a reason. A few weeks ago Paul (in the midst of job interviews and entrepreneurship ideas) told me that he felt like we should pray about committing a year of our life to just developing ourselves and our relationships with the Lord. We decided to at least apply to Bethel and see if we got accepted. Two applications, multiple references, and a phone interview later and we were in! Turns out the school has limited openings so we are especially thrilled to have spots.

   The school is from September to May, Tuesday through Friday, 12:30-5:30 pm. Every student is also in a small group and attends service on Sundays. We will be moving out sometime this summer to find jobs and housing. The program includes Bible study, teaching on gifts of the Spirit, praise and worship, missions, the prophetic, signs and wonders, and hands on ministry. There are also guest speakers and teaching from head pastor Bill Johnson. Around 1,000 students attend each year and come from all over the world. This will defiantly be a stretching experience, but we cannot wait to see everything God has for us. We also are looking forward to meeting all our fellow classmates. Want to check out more info on Bethel? Their website is www.ibethel.org. You can go to “Schools” on the top tab and click on School of Ministry tab to learn more about what we will be doing.

CLEAN: Another Perspective (Melinda)

   So I got a lot of questions and feel-back from the 3 week cleanse I did in the month of February. My friend Melinda is in the middle of doing Clean herself and anyone who would like another perspective should check out her blog. She is doing more of the recipes from the book than I did and even posts pictures of several of the meals she makes. Go MELINDA! YOU CAN DO IT :) Plus, she has a really cute blog and is crafy and creative. :)

www.rufflesandstring.blogspot.com

Memories 6: Eleanor and Theodore

   I grew up an AVID dog lover. My bible was "The World Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds Book." I put my poor family through 6, yes! count them: SIX! dogs during my childhood. I was incredibly passionate about training and raising Samantha, Nellie, Daisy, Buster, Max, and Toby and would compete in dog shows. Truth be told: I loved animals more than humans. The problem? I lacked commitment. I gave away every one of my six dogs (for various reasons... In my defense, my family is a little overwhelming for small dogs. Our Maltese, Daisy started loosing her hair she was so stressed.)

   My love for pets and animals was strictly limited to dogs until Paul and I had been married 4 months and our apartment would only allow cats. One date night, I innocently suggested we stop by PetSmart on our way to a movie. Paul (poor guy) and I went in and got completely manipulated by system. "Buy one kitten, get one free". Seriously?! I mean wouldn't any decent human being want to save a poor, helpless kitten from potential euthanasia? I looked at Paul and that's all it took. His famous last words? "Fine, but you CAN NOT give these pets away. These are ours for life." And that's how Eleanor and Theodore became Lanphiers.

      

   Oh life, it's a funny thing and about two years after rescuing Eleanor and Theodore we discovered we were probably going to be moving to Denver (more on our future plans in another post). Even though we loved our kitties, it was evident that our lives are not stable enough to care for any living creature. We are wild and free newlyweds! We cannot be tied down to the state of Nebraska by a pair of cats. I explained this to Paul... how we can not move accross the country with cats who act more like dogs. They are incredibly neurotic and do not respond well to change.

   Maybe the reason I'm blogging this is I need to get it off my chest: It was at that moment I realized I have morphed into my mother. Like her, animals are more a nuisance than a blessing. Like her, I hated having to clean up after their fur and poop. I didn't care about them. My mom has MANY MANY amazing qualities, but being a pet lover is just not one of them. I feel like I should confess to the world: I am no longer an animal lover. This is HORRIBLE! Isn't there some study out about how people who don't love animals are more likely to commit acts of violence and are generally less caring, committed members of society?! THAT'S NOW ME! It didn't used to be, but now it is. 

   So I found Eleanor and Theodore a new home. Don't judge me. I found them such a phenomenal new mother to adopt them that you would probably even consider sending your children to live with this lady.. jk. But seriously, she is a retiree who is home all day long and loves cats as much as I used to love dogs in my childhood. She surely isn't as materialistic as I am and will not mind Eleanor and Theodore knocking hundreds of dollars in home decor items off her mantel... but then again she didn't seem like the kind of lady who is into home decor. Yes, the cats are in a better place... a virtual cat heaven. 

   The pictures below are the last pictures we have with our cats. So long guys. Sorry you are just a statistic, a mere number in my long list of pets.