Fathers be good to your daughters...daughters will love like you do.

So awhile back I had a message from Gregory E. Lang about his upcoming book about fathers and daughters. He's collecting stories from both fathers and daughters about their relationships, and so I sent him a small story about my dad and me. I won't share the entire thing here (as it's 3 pages long...I suppose it's not such a "small" story after all, but I'm long-winded and have plenty of memories to share about my dad!), but if you'd like to see the small part of it that Gregory Lang shared on his blog you can click here. He shares a daily diary from each story he receives. Some of what I wrote may or may not appear in his book when it comes out this fall. Either way, I'm glad to have great memories to share of my dad!

I hope with Father's Day coming up that everyone is able to show appreciation for their dads. I know that parenting is tough...not because I am a parent myself (somedays I wonder if I ever will be one...), but because I know how much of a bratty child I was! So many people have different relationships with their dads...some are close with their dads, some dads are never around, some parents are divorced, some dads are abusive, some dads are super-dads, some dads push their children too much, and so on... No matter what kind of dad you have, I hope there is pride and love and honor in your relationship.

For some who have a broken relationship with a father, it's encouraging to know a God who presents Himself in scripture as a Father. It's such great imagery for how He rears us as His children. He loves us but He has to punish us for that reason. He may be disappointed in us at times, but He won't disown us. He gives and takes away as necessary and knows what's best for us. He pushes us to do things like learn how to ride a bike without training wheels...knowing that we might fall off, but we will learn with His guiding hand. He teaches us and shows us different things about the world and life when He knows we're ready to hear it. Dads fix our cars when they're broken, and God fixes our hearts when they're broken.

There are countless parallels between earthly fathers and our Father in heaven. It might sound cliche, and it might not seem relative to those who hardly know their earthly fathers or who have one that may be an alcoholic or abusive or absent, but that's why I love the Father. He'll never fail. He'll never hurt us. He'll never leave. I'm thankful to have had two amazing Fathers.

things & stuff

So I have a new nephew!!! Evan Richard Kreitzer was born on Tuesday morning, and I'm proud to have the cutest niece and nephew ever! You can see a few more pictures on my sister's blog, but here are a few others:

Isn't he such a doll? My sister told David the other day in the hospital, "We make cute kids." I agree. You should tell her good job... ;)

I was looking at my fridge last night @ little Cameron David Raymer's birth announcement (which has been up for awhile now...), and I started thinking about how weird we are in American culture. (stick with me for a second...) I think it's funny that we always ask the length and weight of babies when they're born. Of course when they come out we're wondering how huge they are or how tiny they are, but it's just a funny thing that we always ask. (By the way, Evan was 7 lbs., 10 oz. and 21 inches long.) I'm wondering if we should start asking each other our height and weight on birthdays? I don't think that would go over very well...

In other news... the best show EVER started last night: So You Think You Can Dance. I am already amazed and inspired. I wish I was still a good dancer. I was never that good, but I could dance. I just need an outlet for it these days...

And another exciting piece of information is this: John Mayer's playing FOR FREE @ the Taste of Chicago this summer on the 4th of July. I'm so there. For once I shall have an exciting 4th of July! woo-hoo!

And on that note, I'm going home because our office is empty and it's Friday of a 3-day weekend.

Heider wedding...

This weekend was the long-awaited Heider wedding. My best friend from high school, Kristy Kerestes, married her high school sweetheart Craig Heider. They've been dating for 10 years now, so this marriage has been a long time coming! It was a gorgeous day for a wedding, and Kristy was a beautiful bride! I must say...the bridal party was pretty good looking too, if I can say so myself... =) It was somewhat like a high school class reunion, which can be both good and bad, but it was fun!

Here are some pictures!

me & Kristy @ the rehearsal dinnerthe bridesmaids @ the rehearsal dinner

me & my pretty momma @ the church

our pretty flowersKristy & Craig in front of the Hummer Limo we anxiously awaited...Kristy & Craig's reflection I caught in the limo...so cool!The girls...The boys...haven't changed since high school!The party in the limo...once again, these guys haven't changed...the cute bride & groom...while the ringbearer Trevor witnesses a lot more than he should have seen!Kristy & her adorable cake!!!The girls...we were having some fun!Kristy & Craig...the cute couple!

Reality TV time...

Mmmk...I have to write about reality TV just for this one moment.

Let's chat, just for a sec...mmk?

#1: The Bachelor. I confess. I am emotionally attached to the idea of Andy & Tessa. Bevin is completely annoying, and I can't even figure out why. Also, she never thinks twice about anything but says exactly what she knows Andy wants to hear. Folks, this is a problem with the beginning stages of relationships (and I know this as a SINGLE person...), and it has got to stop. Tessa, on the other hand, has been playing it wisely by not putting herself out there completely emotionally. If it makes ME smile watching the two of them together, and I don't even know them personally, it just has to be her. If he chooses Bevin over her in the end, I nominate him for the award of "Hottest but Dumbest Man Alive." On a different note, I'm completely jealous of their amazing dates. I'd certainly love to go on an all day date in Hawaii...but for now, I'd be fine w/ just any kind of date...this warm weather's making me want some summer love!

#2: American Idol: It really doesn't matter right now who wins. They're all going to have record deals, and I'll want all of their albums. Though Melinda went home tonight (and it probably should have been Blake...), she'll have a million labels calling her as soon as her contract is up for the Idol tour. If Blake makes an album with the funky style of Maroon 5, I'm so in. I love his style and can't wait to see something of his own. Jordin is just amazing. That girl can saaang. Sidenote: Adam Levine is hott. But his vocals didn't sound all that great live.

#3: Tori & Dean: Inn Love: My sister and I might be the only ones who have watched and loved this show. I've gained a completely new respect for Tori Spelling since the days of Donna Martin. Shocker of the century: she's a real person! As are all celebrities, but she is really funny and doesn't hide anything like most celebrities do! Her husband Dean McDermott has such a great personality and is just as funny as she is. I'm anxious to see how their B&B is going and how the new baby Liam is getting along next fall when Season 2 returns.

#4: So You Think You Can Dance; It's coming, people...the return of the best show ever! I cannot wait until it starts! All I have to say is that Dan Karaty better still be choreographing and judging! And Mary Murphy better settle herself down for this season.

#5: National Bingo Night: Are game shows considered reality TV? I think so. I'm not gonna lie...I think I'm turning into a senile old woman who sits at home on Friday nights and does puzzles while drinking a glass of wine and watching Bingo on TV. You can bet I'll be watching and printing out my Bingo cards to play along with this one. Not so much to win, but because the host is Ed Sanders--my favorite carpenter ever from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition! He is adorable. That's all I need to convince me to play Bingo on a friday night.

this is kinda cool...

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good things

I almost posted a list of things that drive me insane lately (i.e. the trains that so loudly blow their whistles constantly by my apartment or the idiot drivers in this town...), but I thought I should focus on the things that are good instead.


Here are some random things that make me happy these days:
*warm weather and sunshine

*the smell of outside in the mornings and evenings

*the smell of freshly cut grass

*the refund check for $51 I got in the mail yesterday from the $1000 I paid the dentist for my crowns...

*all my favorite shows on TV: The Bachelor, Tori & Dean: Inn Love, The Office, Grey's Anatomy...

*hearing a great song on the radio like "More than a Feeling" by Boston and blaring it with the windows down

*the fact that my baby nephew Evan is about to arrive any day now!!!

*fun memories that pop into my head out of nowhere and remind me of my dad

*looking fwd to seeing good friends like heidi and amanda this weekend at graduation! (not their graduations, but their younger sisters...which makes me feel so old!!!)