Bittersweet Birthday Week

Last week Sunday, July 18, I turned 46 years old! Yikes. That means I am rounding the corner to 50. BUT, as I reflect on my life, where I have been, where I am now, and what matters most......."It's Not About Me".

It's not about how much money we make, what we do for a profession, what size house we live in, what kind of cars we drive, what brand clothes or jewlery we sport, or the size of our bank accounts and financial portfolios. Living for Jesus Christ is the ultimate purpose in this temporary life and I can say that with 100% confidence and blessed assurance. The legacy we leave to our children and their children is the most important gift "we humans" can leave behind. But nothing compares to the ultimate gift we have already received just by believing in our Savior. That's definitely worth celebrating.

So, this last week I celebrated 46 years of "this life" with my very best friend (Dave), our sweet children, our genuinely amazing friends and their beautiful children. The following slideshow captures some of my favorite moments from this past week that I was priveleged to share with some of the most important people in my life. The Best is yet to Come!

Schwartzenberger Reunion

What do you get when you combine a smorgasbord of german food, children laughing and partaking in outdoor games and baseball, a family auction where Dave picked up his new "one man band" contraption, 60th birthday celebration for Aunt Mac, an outdoor picnic at Sertoma Park, volleyball, 50th wedding celebration for Uncle Jerome and Aunt Christine complete with a dinner and dance with a polka band, Grandma Good playing her accordian and singing with her brother and sister, children and adults alike doing the Chicken Dance and Holky Polky..........................................................

The Schwartzenber Family Reunion!!!

Here are just a few photos. Like in our last post, feel free to check out lots more in our KodakGallery link or on Facebook.

Ya Oughta Go Ta North Dakota!

As the song goes..........

"Ya oughta go ta....North Dakota......see the cattle and the wheat and the folks that can't be beat! Ya say hello ta....North Dakota.....and you just can't say goodbye!"

SO true. We are back in Minnesota after a 2-week trip home to Bismarck to see family and friends. We had an absolute blast and were so sad to have to say goodbye. Nothing beats sharing time with high school friends and family from across the country (for two family reunions), Grandma Good's 69th birthday celebration, Mandan parade, fireworks displays, enjoying a bonfire and sleepover at Uncle Ken's gorgeous new home, listening to Dave sing karoake outdoors at Tom's party, playing volleyball with family, fishing with Papa and Grandma Clark, swimming, walking with friends, playing ball with Papa Kemmet, bike riding to the park, polka dancing, eating TONS of german food, picnics, savoring pizza burgers flying style from the Big Boy, sipping Clam Diggers on the deck at the Broken Oar on the river, golfing the junior links with Papa Clark, ETC ETC ETC. Seriously, the list could go on and on.

To all our friends and family we shared time with, THANK YOU SO MUCH, for the fond memories, laughter, cheer, tears and helping make this one of our best vacations ever. To those who couldn't make it back, we sincerely missed you.

Here are just a FEW photos. Please feel free to check out lots more by clicking on our KodakGallery link on the right hand side of this blog OR by checking us out on Facebook. We only wished we would have taken more.