Model ~ Size 8

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I’m not a model…
But that doesn’t matter…
My hubby thinks I am the most beautiful woman in the world.



Most of the time, I wear a size 8. 

Sometimes, I can wear a size 6.
I’m only 5’3″, so I’ll never be a model.
You’ll never see my face on the cover of People, Cover Girl or Vogue magazine.
Oh, and add the fact that I’ll most likely never wear a size 2 again either.

Usually, Models are super skinny… super tall…and for some reason they always look super sulky, serious or sad.
These things I am not.
However, I am perfectly comfortable in my size 8 jeans.
And… my hubby thinks I am the most beautiful woman in the world.

When we went on our 15th Anniversary trip to the coast a few weeks ago, we were goofing around with Adam’s camera on his new phone which does rapid shooting.
I absolutely LOVE laughing, making silly faces and having fun.
This is our photo shoot 🙂

Adam and I have known each other for 17 years…
In that time, we haven’t changed that much. 
We have a few more wrinkles and silver lining in our hair.
There are times when we feel strong and times we feel more like jello.
We’ve had times when we both put on weight and lost it.
There are times when we feel comfortable in our own skin and times when we don’t.
Now we make it a priority to work out, eat healthy and take care of ourselves…
For ourselves, for each other and for our family.
I think Adam is the most handsome and amazing man in the world.
Here is a little photo shoot I took with his camera when we went to Smith Rock in Oregon.
He wasn’t a fan of my taking his picture with his rapid shoot camera phone, but I did it anyway 🙂
I LOVE THIS MAN!


Take time to take pictures.
Take time to take care of yourself.
Thankfully, we are all unique.
I know that God sees me as His beautiful child.
I know that God loves me more than Adam does!
Take time to Know God’s love for you.
Take time to Know how God sees you.
He sees you as beautiful!


Celebrating 15 years of Marriage!

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8.9.97 ~ 8.9.12

*We have been Married for 15 Years*

If you are just getting to know us / our blog ~ you can read here about how we met and fell in love, and read here about how our friendship with each other and our relationships with God are the foundation of our marriage.

We had a wonderful date on our anniversary, eating at one of our favorite restaurants (Northstar Cafe), drinking our favorite beverages (mochas) and walking thru a beautiful metro park (Inniswood Metro Gardens).  We were caught in the rain, but that didn’t stop our fun.  By the evenings’ end, we were completely soaked with rain ~ fully enjoying our life, laughter together and love for each other.

To celebrate our Anniversary early, we took a lil trip to the Pacific Coast and left the wee Babs with the Grand Babs, while we were visiting Adam’s family there a few weeks ago…

The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport, OR

Of course, there’s nothing like hiking rocks in skinny jeans and converse 🙂

Adam at the edge of the rocks – such a daredevil 🙂

The “Devil’s Punchbowl”

Exploring Tide Pools

The next morning, we went running 4 miles along the coast.  We ended up with blisters and completely soaked, but it was SO FUN!  In case you don’t already know this about the Pacific Northwest… the weather can be unpredictable. The Oregon coast leans more on the side of being a sweatshirt beach, not a swimsuit beach. It was cloudy and rainy most of the time we were there, but we didn’t care.  We simply enjoyed God’s beautiful creation and each others’ company.  

We can’t wait to see what the next 15 years together holds ~ with God and each other…
We praise God for each day, for the opportunity to love each other, love others and fully live the life He has called us to. 
Thankful. 
There’s nothing better.

Smith Rock Gold for the Olympics

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This week we’ve been watching The Olympics.

It is inspiring to watch other people achieve their goals.
It is exciting to think of accomplishing our own goals.
It is an amazing gift to live out our goals, dreams, desires, plans, hopes, purposes, pursuits…

Tho I would love to consider myself an Olympian hopeful, I am admittedly past my prime, and the closest I could come to a possible medal would be in Racewalking.  
I’m a pretty fast walker.

There are no Olympic medals given for hiking, but I’ve been in training… well if you can consider racewalking on my treadmill with the incline set on 7.5, training…

It’s always been a goal of ours to hike the Misery Ridge Trail at Smith Rock in central Oregon.  Smith Rock is considered a rock climbing mecca, famous for thousands of climbs. Adam’s sister and her family live 5 minutes from this beautiful piece of the planet.  So one morning we took the opportunity to accomplish one of our goals – while Auntie Amber watched the kiddos – and hiked the Misery Ridge Trail.
In spite of the name, it was super fun 🙂

We awarded ourselves a Gold medal.

Top of Smith Rock

“Monkey Face” rock in the background

clicking a pic over one of the cliffs we hiked around – ahhh! and one of the trails below in the background

Taking a break in the cleft of a rock…

Hiking with Hobbits…

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A few weeks ago I went hiking… 
with Frodo Baggins…I mean, Adam Babcock…
but I’m sure that Frodo was around somewhere, lurking in the woods… 
possibly behind us??? the picture is kinda fuzzy… can you see him in the background???
We weren’t in New Zealand, on the set of The Lord of the Rings, but it felt like it.
We were hiking the Soda Falls at Cascadia State Park in Oregon.
The hike was… ‘So Frodo’!


We LOVE hiking.
I’ve hiked in many beautiful places, throughout California, around the Grand Canyon, and part of the Continental Divide in Colorado. Mountains are breathtaking.
Since we don’t have any mountains in Ohio, we boast of a place called The Hocking Hills.  
It’s beautiful place and we love going there… 
but… Hocking Hills ain’t got nothin’ on Soda Falls.
Hiking is rewarding in so many ways. 
We love to go as a family ~ our kids love hiking (almost) as much as we do.
I was so thankful to go on this beautiful hike with my best friend. 
Here are more pictures from our amazing journey a few weeks ago…

Any chance you get, no matter where you live, I hope you get a chance to hike somewhere beautiful.
So get off your butt, get into nature, and
Take a Hike.
Who knows… you might run into Frodo Baggins?!

The Chicken vs. Sexuality War

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Unless you are worm living in the dirt under a rock or you are too enthralled with The Olympics to pay attention to anything else, you’ve probably heard of or read about the recent “support that chicken place vs. the rights to our sexuality” debate.

As much as I’d love to list my own wonderful opinions on either side of the matter…
I’m going to engage in the story by sharing my own hearts cry…

My love for Jesus, for chicken and for all people.

Jesus wants all of us. He desires a relationship with every person on this earth.

Jesus wants every part of us.  He wants every part of our whole being ~ body, mind and soul ~ from our sexuality to the food we put in our mouths, whether it be chicken from a certain restaurant or not.

Jesus wants every part of us fully surrendered unto Him. Any part that we don’t fully surrender to Jesus – whether it be what we eat, our sexuality or anything else – can become an idol. Idols are anything we Worship, or have excessive devotion to, within a society or culture. Our golden calf. Our cross to bear. Our favorite American Idol. Our modus operandi. Our ______ (you fill in the blank).

Culture wars and cultural norms can easily become idols.

It used to be a cultural norm to own slaves. It used to be a cultural norm for only men to vote. It used to be a cultural norm to smoke anywhere. It used to be a cultural norm for everyone to wear bell bottoms. It used to be a cultural norm for everyone to use an entire can of hairspray on their bangs in one day… or at least that’s what I was doing in the 7th grade…

The chicken vs. sexuality war raging now is a Culture War fighting for New Cultural Norms. Jesus is not surprised by any of this. Idols have been around since day #1. To America and beyond: we have a lot of idols, that are of a sexual nature and beyond.  And throughout the years of history, some of our idols have changed and some have stayed the same. Humor me and read 2 Timothy 3:1-7.  Sound familiar?

Jesus calls us into the Worship of Himself more than anything. He is more important than our sexuality or what/where we eat.  Worship of Jesus moves us from places of brokenness and bondage and brings us into Freedom. True freedom, for every part of us ~ body, mind and soul ~ can only be found by abiding in Jesus (John 8:31-36).

We shouldn’t get our panties in a wad to defend our sexual rights or what and where we eat… Culture wars are typically dripping with offense, unforgiveness, hurt, bitterness and hate. If we are drowning ourselves and our focus on the culture wars, we won’t be prepared for the spiritual battle that is raging. Ephesians 6:10-20. We must speak in truth and in love, without compromise.  The war we should be fighting is for what and for whom we Worship.


The Worship of Jesus will change, transform, justify and renew us. Titus 3:1-11.  

Let us fully surrender every part of our lives ~ body, mind and soul ~ to Him and keep our focus on Him.  Let us not boast in our sexuality or where we eat chicken.  Let us boast in the Worship of Jesus, knowing His Love and His Glory!