The Kinnan Chronicles

We are Still Here!

2009-09-17T21:55:00.001-05:00

What a whirlwind it has been ... we're still here, and will be posting soon! :)

To the Most Incredible Man In the World ...

2009-06-21T16:29:00.002-05:00

Hands

Strong and steady.

You are a true man of God.

Shook my hand and held my heart from that moment on.

It was love at first sight.

Cupping my face for a kiss.

My heart still skips a beat.

Wipe away tears.

Your tenderness reassures.

Write words that leave me speechless.

How can I ever express how deeply I love you?

Three-pointers.

My basketball stud.

Hold our beautiful children.

They could not love you more.

Pray.

You are shaping generations to come through your faith.

Scoop up sleeping babies to put into bed.

They know they are safe in your arms.

Wrestle with your son.

You give him your time, and that gives him the world.

Hold me tightly. Never let go.

before and after

2009-06-01T19:39:00.008-05:00

david and i (or at least i) had believed that we could certainly get our yard completed in a weekend ... we've been working on it as often as we could during our first year here. last weekend, however, church family surprised us with news that they were going to give us a fully landscaped yard ... and it was quite an undertaking! dozens of very hard workers and many hours later, we have a yard more beautiful than i could have ever imagined!

we are continually reminded of God's love through the kindness and support of our church family, and are so thankful ... each and every day and we are so blessed!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

FRONT FLOWER BED: Minus some annuals.

SOUTH SIDE OF HOUSE: BEFORE

SOUTH SIDE OF HOUSE: AFTER

Hayden was such a helper!

yay for sunshine!

2009-05-28T23:04:00.004-05:00

on a saturday morning ...

no ... she's not drinking coffee ... yet. just practicing! :-D

we woke up very early last saturday, which is kind of silly because it was one of the first "lazy days" we've had in nearly a year ... it was such a fun morning of relaxing! hayden is definitely a morning person!
sweet ellie gets herself caught between this plant and the couch, and though my mommy instincts want to immediately rescue her, it's been very helpful for me to see her think through getting herself out. i'm a work in progress.

storybook island

ellie made it very clear that the stroller was her favorite place ... she was absolutely unwilling to even go down the slide with mommy. it's my fault ... i'm kind of a wimp, too.

hayden was very excited to ride in the train ... and saw that there was a new caboose and begged to ride in it, but was turned down, so he jumped into a red little train car. right before the train pulled out, three kiddos came to ride, and wanted to be in the little cars, so hayden offered to give up his seat for one of them ... the "conductor" was very impressed, and let hayden ride in the "best seat" afterall. hayden told me later ... "it's so fun to do the right thing!" i'm hoping that lasts. ;-D

hayden called it the coolest thing in the world!

we went on the yellow brick road. hayden hasn't seen the movie and didn't get it, but i convinced him that the nice girl in the blue dress was from kansas, and that the guys around her weren't strange ... i don't think he believed me.

noah's ark ... we spent some time looking for noah (hayden didn't understand why he'd be in the boat, because animals smell so bad!)! haha!
rrrrrr ...

Polished.

2009-05-23T23:33:00.003-05:00

Although I do not enjoy getting my nails done at a salon, I do love to paint my nails. I often find that when my nails are "done," even by my simple standards, it is a reflection of how my day ... or my week has gone; if it has been busy, taking time to polish, or even to touch up goes to the bottom and often undone.

Today was an absolutely wonderful day, the likes of which we've not seen for some time. It was literally a "do whatever" day. We slept in ... relaxed ... went to Karina's graduation party ... to the church for some early-Sunday prep ... then for a long drive through the beautiful South Dakota scenery (Keystone, Custer, Hill City). It was while we were at the church, however, that something happened that I believe will forever mark my life.

We are often at the church on Saturday's ... setting up, double checking things, etc. It's not unusual, but it was certainly not in our plans to stay as long as we did. While I was organizing the nursery, David and Hayden headed over to the office for just "one last" thing. We just kept finding a few more things to do here and there. While they were at the office, a young woman who attends came to the steps, nearly speechless as David opened the door. "I need help" was all that she could get out. David sent Hayden over to get me, and as I approached, I saw this beautiful young lady that I have had the privilege of getting to know for the last few months absolutely overwhelmed with sadness, tears just pouring down her face. Life is falling apart at the seams for her, and there are so many things that are happening in her that just don't seem to be fair or make since ... and through similar experiences she's lost her way, wondering if God really was who He said He was for her. Today was different. Driving on the interstate that goes right by the church, she was overcome with a need to get off. She's never been here any other day but Sunday, but did it any way ... and we were there. How perfect is God to put us all in the place He wanted us at the perfect time!?

God will give this incredible young lady hope ... He will sustain her through this ... He didn't have to bring us together to listen and to share and to pray and to just be there for her at that time, but what an privilege He gives us to serve and love others. He gave her the faith and vulnerability to share with people she is only getting to know.

One of my greatest fears is buying into the idea that perfection is attainable. To, in a sense, polish the rough edges only so that others will not see the scars ... the mistakes ... the weaknesses. My nails are such a visual for this, as I am often pressuring myself into touching up in a rush to avoid the mere possibility that someone may notice that the cherry red has chipped and lost its shine. I have been trying to break out of my "people-pleaser" mold for years, not because I don't like making people happy, but because in my very attempt to please, I am actually robbing people of the opportunity to see what God has done through my scars, mistakes, and weaknesses.

I will not walk around with a sign that lists my shortcomings ... it's too long, and I am really not that certain too many would even stop to read ... but I will begin to allow myself the freedom to share my struggles without fear of judgment ... to pray for opportunities to care for those who are in need of encouragement or even just a listening ear. Just as this young lady did today ... not knowing where to turn in her time of absolute emptiness, she quieted her humanness that screamed to go home and cry and "deal" behind closed doors enough to hear God whispering that He has put people in her life to be there for her.

Nail polishing is not something that I will be giving up anytime soon, but just as with life, I will be doing it for the right reasons, and praying that in the midst of life's struggles (and joys!), that we will be willing to share that with those around us.

KK

Lately

2009-05-05T22:39:00.003-05:00

We're still here ... we're loving life and keeping busy, and thought we'd give you a brief update ...

1. David GRADUATED from Indiana Wesleyan University with his Master's Degree on April 25th!

2. Hayden is loving soccer and about to start baseball ... and learning that his toys are becoming Ellie's toys ... we're helping him to set boundaries ... either putting "non-Ellie" toys away, or closing our bedroom doors and keeping them in there. Ha!

3. Ellie is obsessed with "talking" on the phone ... and pushing the buttons. I am very certain that her first word will be "HELLO!"

4. I turned in my final paper for my last Master's class last Saturday, and am happy to report that I only have one year of practicums before I am free!

WE have been so blessed in ministry, and have been keeping busy and enjoying every moment; from Clergy on the Catwalk to raise money for a local charity to visiting the Badlands (below) to evenings at the golf course with friends, life is good and God is GREAT!

We are so thankful to be here!

Ellie's favorite "look."

Catch-Up Part I

2009-04-14T23:50:00.003-05:00

Hello! Long time no see! Time is flying and we are having so much fun ... and obviously not keeping up with our blog!

Here are a few pictures ... Ellie can't change her clothes yet, so we have a picture of her in her Easter outfit ... Hayden, however, changed immediately ... we left the house just after 6am and returned just after 6pm ... but had an incredible day of celebrating what Jesus did for us.

Today (Tuesday) the weather was fantastic, and we spent nearly all day outside ... I realized that I really, really, really, really love sunshine. :)

Chef Hayden

2009-03-12T15:00:00.002-05:00

Ellie loves to feed herself, and we love to save money by mashing up fruits and veggies from home ... Hayden decided to make his own concoction today ... mashed lunch meat (turkey), bananas, and peaches. He even fed it to her!

That, my friends, is a great big brother, and this mommy is going to cherish the memory of watching it, especially on those days where hair is being pulled and toys are flying.

Goodbye, Old Friend

2009-03-11T23:39:00.003-05:00

Our beloved coffee maker (deliverer of FABULOUS mornings) was laid to rest today ... after years of bringing us such caffeine-filled goodness. Though we've replaced you with the newer, "sleeker" model, we will never ever forget you.

books, kites, and cowboys

2009-03-07T09:59:00.004-06:00

::March 7::

Ellie really likes books ... mostly to chew on and talk to. Hayden gets her "toy basket" from her room each morning and just dumps it out in front of her ... he said that babies like to have lots and lots of toys. She actually prefers books right now ... mostly to chew on and talk to. He told his teacher that Ellie will not be able to come to school until she'll stop chewing on things ...

We got Hayden's kite out this week ... and spent so much time outside flying it ... he even realized that he could get it in the air by himself, so I was relocated to the porch to watch and ponder the joys and sadness that overcome me when I think about his growing independence.

In other news ... he thinks he is a cowboy ... hence the hat. It rarely comes off. Story below.

Daddy and Hayden confirmed their TOUGH GUY COWBOY status this week with some good old fashion gun decorating and cowboy talk. They had a great time having "shoot-outs," and mommy ended up spending lots of time in the "jail", which was the pantry ... so it was a win-win because I got lots of organizing done!

the beach.

2009-03-05T22:24:00.001-06:00

Hayden just said these things before I even had a chance to respond ...

I want to go to the beach.
Can we go there right now?
If there are other kids there, I will be so nice to them.
Please just let me go.
How long will it take to get there?
Can we go right now?
I'll get my flip flops ...

mommy, when will it be warm?

2009-02-28T21:39:00.005-06:00

::February 28::

Ahhh, the first snow fall. we were so excited ... now, months later, we are more than ready for spring and the promises of consistent warm weather. One of the many wonderful things about where we live is that though yesterday was 5-degrees and snowing, it will be in the 50's this next week.

We've manage to pass the time of frigid days with lots of different things ...

We went to Mt. Rushmore this past week when it was still "kind of" warm ... Hayden was very certain they hibernated during the winter, and was afraid they wouldn't be there ... half-way up the steps, he saw them, and said "Ok, mommy ... they're still up there ... it's windy ... we can go home now." :-) He managed to make it all the way, and we had a great time!

We planted our own "greenhouse" ...

We let Hayden choose what we should have for dinner ... on this night, he chose Pumpkin Pancakes after watching Rachael Ray make something not even remotely close to pancakes ... but she used pumpkins. He told us that we HAD to have scrambled eggs ("They go together like peanut butter and jelly, mommy!").

We work on our ZOOLANDER faces ... and NO ... Hayden has not seen the movie, but has become obsessed with the word "dude!" (thanks, Reid), and I caught him in the middle of one of the many times he sputtered it out the other day while getting the water ready for Ellie's bath ... he was saying something like "Dude ... I want to take a bath first!" Seriously ...

We introduce ourselves to "sippy cups" and fall in love with them ... Ellie started her mix of apple juice and water sitting up ...

and soon after was on the floor talking gibberish ... she cuddled with this cup ... she was very, very happy to have something different, for sure! It was hilarious, and she loves it like one of her stuffed animals ... they're pals, she and random sippy cup.

We found a very favorite spot in the house ... Ellie adores this rug ... she is constantly staring at it and trying to get words out ... and in her attempts to crawl, this is always the place she works towards ... Hayden carries her over to it because he wants nothing more than to see her happy, but mommy and daddy are not thrilled that it is so very close to the stairs!

We get teeth! Ellie has two pearly whites and is so silly about them ... she'll smile like crazy, but I cannot seem to get a picture of it ... so I had to take matters into my own hands ... she wasn't thrilled! :-)

as days go by

2009-02-12T21:15:00.005-06:00

Hayden and Ellie have both been growing so fast! They certainly are the happiest when they are together!

A favorite thing to do is to play in Ellie's room ... and stack these wooden boxes. Hayden likes to help "sister" stack them, but she likes to have them knocked down so she can chew on them. Do you see the sad face she's giving as Hayden is trying to be a helper by fixing them?

Hayden and Daddy went to the Rapid City Stock Show/Rodeo the other day, and Hayden has decided that he wants to combine all of his very favorite things, and be a Cowboy Preacher that drives a race car. He was practicing the other day with a water gun complete with a pen and flashlight on the end ... because cowboy's are like police men and they have to help people with flashlights ... you know ... when the lights go out.

Sunday afternoons are officially "veg" times. Reading the paper is a very popular event. Our little guy has a bald spot because while fixing his hair for school one day (he insists on doing this), he thought that he should just cut off the pieces of hair that were not going where they should.

We've been pretty crafty lately ... lots of "school" time at home, because he's been obsessed with homework. This nightlight was a fun painting activity, and is the brightest night light on the planet.

Ellie's personality continues to just blossom, and these are some very common expressions that randomly appear. It's so much fun, and big brother is constantly trying to figure out what she's thinking!

Papa! Papa! Papa!

2009-01-27T10:06:00.002-06:00

Papa Kinnan came this way for his sermon retreat last week, and we were very thankful to get see him! Hayden (Boomer) was at his side as much as possible, and Ellie (Peaches) loved smiling at him and talking to him!

Hayden's New President

2009-01-27T09:59:00.004-06:00

I am quite captivated by the political process, and being a history teacher, have passed that to my son. We review the globe and talk about different countries and cultures ... we thoroughly enjoy discussing the different states our family members live in and even how far it takes to get there from here. We're not quite ready for latitude and longitude, and have had countless discussions about who is the president and how he or she gets elected ... what he or she does, etc.

Hayden knows who George W. Bush is, and now is quite familiar with his new President.

The other morning he was playing with his train set, and came out screaming "Barack Obama!, Barack Obama!"

One of the townspeople from his set looks like this ...

For Hayden, who had just spent an entire morning watching him on TV, it made perfect sense ... the President is so important, he comes with train sets.

The Journey

2009-01-19T19:44:00.005-06:00

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:19-20

These months of ministry here at FSCC have been some of the most incredible of my life ... I have been stretched, I have learned and grown so much than I ever imagined I could ... and for each and every one of us, this is to be our life's work. As we teach, as we sweep, as we drive buses or drive cattle, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

God is blessing the ministry of our church beyond our own understanding ... this weekend's worship gatherings were full of WOW moments, with several people accepting Christ into their hearts and lives for the very first time. This is how we are to live each and every day ... filled with an unexplainable urgency to share Him with others. I am praying that each and every day I grow more in my trust and love for my creator ... I'm praying that very same prayer for you. Though I will have rough days, easy days, and everything in between, He is constant and never, ever am I without Him.

K

Candy and Commercials

2009-01-18T12:49:00.004-06:00

::January 18::

A very special lady with a big heart at our church brings Hayden a little bag of candy each Sunday morning ... since we're there for all three services, he usually goes to class the first two (by his request!) and the third he'll sit in the service with me. Karey, having had little ones of her own and now grandchildren, loves to help in any way, and is always so generous!

Hayden found his beloved "Air Heads" candy this morning and put it on his nose, and told me that this is what you do when you want to go to sleep and breathe the right way. Either too many Breathe Right commercials in the thirty minutes of Lazy Town he watches each morning, or someone has a great memory. Seriously! :-)

Growing Pains

2009-01-16T23:13:00.003-06:00

::January 16::

Our little Ellie is most definitely a morning person ... she wakes up at the same time each and every day, and is so giddy and playful ... after eating, this was what she did. Too tired from a night of fighting the teeth that insist on coming in, she rested on Mr. Cow and tried in vain to open her handbag from Mrs. Karey (thank you!) while laying down.

Bobby Kitty and Bambi

2009-01-16T22:48:00.004-06:00

::January 16::

To continue with the randomness of this week ...

A few days ago we noticed a flyer taped to the door ... we normally go in and out through the garage since it's been frigid and there's no grass in our yard - just mud and snow. It was a MISSING poster with a picture of a cat (Bobby Kitty) and some phone numbers ... I read over it and trusting that since we're at the less-developed/populated side of the neighborhood, any missing kitty wouldn't head this way, I could trash it.

This morning David and Hayden were playing baseball in our (unfinished) basement and David saw ears behind the curtain in the window well. He went over and looked, and there was Bobby Kitty - freezing, scared, and not the best thing for my man, who is very allergic to cats! He called for me and showed me the cat, and asked me to get the flyer we'd seen earlier in the week. Oops. I ran to our neighbors and got the paper from Kelly (she's so good about keeping things - seriously! The one time I throw something away!) and started calling numbers. We wooed Bobby in with some tuna fish and put him in our carrier from pets past (which Hayden had ironically gotten out of the garage this morning to put his stuffed animal puppies in) and dropped him off at his house. What a morning!

In other animal news ...

Today was absolutely gorgeous! Nearly 50-degrees and minimal wind, and so after school Hayden was desperate to go outside and attempt to slide around on the rapidly melting snow. He opened the back doors to find these ...

Sled Boy

He cautiously went ahead and insisted on hanging out in his sled ... he didn't want anyone to pull him, but instead just slowly crawled around, trying to woo the deer over, copying what we used to get his cat friend in earlier (here, deer deer deer; here, deer deer deer). It didn't work, but he had fun.

Piano Girl
My Aunt Janet gave us a little piano for Hayden, and now Ellie is enjoying it. This is one of her very favorite things, and she and brother sing and sing. It's precious!

Snow Daze

2009-01-15T16:41:00.003-06:00

::January 15::

It's been a lot of fun to relax and enjoy the snow ... we're thankful that if it's going to be freezing (though some days this week have been in the 40's) it may as well be snowing!

Hayden said his snow angel was "one of God's angels."

Ellie loves hanging out and jumping.

Kisses!

Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This ...

2009-01-15T15:11:00.004-06:00

::January 15::

Have you ever had one of those days that everything is a little out of the ordinary? Most days I have are just that, which I count as fantastic learning opportunities and reminders that there is perfection in the imperfections. Some days, though, are just a little tough. From melting the sink to realizing more than ever that my babies are growing up, it was a tough day!

I had the best intentions of making a healthy dinner ... sweet and sour chicken with David's favorite salad. Because I always burn the almonds for this particular salad (I actually burn things quite often), I gave extra attention to get them just right. Unfortunately, I failed to think before I put the very hot pan into the sink ... my bad. :-)

Next Up:

Hayden wants to be just like daddy. He absolutely loves to dress like him, and now has a fascination with his glasses. He asked me if pastors can be race car drivers too. I told him that they absolutely can. :-)

Finally:

I love the different stages of growing up - the excitement of little ones learning new things, but I am not ready for my baby girl to be sitting up ... and cutting teeth! One is already through! Notice that she always has "baby food stains" around her mouth and nose - I can't keep up! Ha!

Sunday Evening Conversations with Hayden and Ellie

2009-01-11T21:42:00.005-06:00

::January 11::

A fun video or random kid-speak ... please excuse the quality of our camera (and my lack of skills)! :-)

We Are Lego Masters!

2009-01-08T11:59:00.002-06:00

Hayden really, really, really likes his Legos, and we always have fun building things with him. Today, we made a garage for his SUPER FAST CARS, complete with a picket fence, flowers, and a mailbox! Being that he is a guy, he found some satellites from the space ship Legos and "put them up for the tv" because every garage has a tv, right? :-)

Ellie was enamored by the building process, and had a great time watching and talking as we put it together ... in just a few short months, it may not be as civil of a building process with little sis wanting to take part!

cup of joe

2009-01-06T20:00:00.003-06:00

::January 6th::

I really, really enjoy meeting with people. I love building relationships, encouraging others, listening, definitely talking, and always supporting. As I sit here at a very wonderful local coffee shop, after three hours and two "meetings," I have been doing my second favorite hobby of observing people ... not stalking, just paying attention to interactions, expressions, etc. People that come in looking absolutely worn from a hard day come alive with friends ... or even because of a homeschool chess tournament that I have been so fortunate to experience (seriously, it's actually fun ... and they're here every Tuesday night!)! That's not the point ... sorry.

Coffee shops have become such a trend ... it's the place people always go to or always talk about going to. It's a place where relationships are deepened through time spent sharing and listening and living ... over coffee.

As we constantly go from one activity or rush through our to do list, our world is becoming increasingly disconnected ... people are becoming increasingly disconnected, but I am happy to say, that at coffee shops here in beautiful Rapid City, and certainly other parts of our nation and world, wonderful (sometimes hated) coffee shops are doing their best to reconnect people, one venti non-fat light-whip mocha sugar-free cup of pure goodness at a time. I'm proud to be a part of the team! :-)

Really? Will It Be Like This Forever?

2009-01-04T20:18:00.003-06:00

So ... we've had the great blessing of wonderful friends, and have been spending a lot of time with many of them lately.

Hayden is at an age that is so much fun, but can also bring some feelings that can only be communicated through simple expressions ... "aaahhh" and "yikes," "gggrrrr" and so on. Bumping a wall and a plate falling off, bathroom catastrophes, loudly singing and playing crayon warriors at Olive Garden and so much more!

As such fabulous memories are being made through hours of meals and conversations and times together, we are also gathering some memories that cannot fit into a scrapbook, but will instead go down in blogger world and elsewhere only to be used for those very special times, like when he brings a girlfriend home from college (no girlfriends before, right!?) or when he has kiddos of his own.

Because one of my goals for the new year and forever is to focus more on helping my kiddos know what they CAN do rather than what they cannot, I am working hard to not be a "hover-er" and spend more time correcting when necessary, and laughing hysterically the rest of the time as I get to watch my favorite little guy experience the world in his own special way!

PRAY FOR ME!! :-)

Ellie Grace

2009-01-04T20:08:00.003-06:00

Ellie wore an outfit today that has been my favorite since Grandma Kerby got it for her before she was born ... she looked like a winter princess!

At six months, each day is so much fun as our dear little girl continues to grow and show us such personality!

She is absolutely, 100% infatuated by football ... whether it's the constant movement or coloring or both, but she and daddy spend a lot of time with football while Hayden and mommy are driving cars around the house! We think she gets that from my mom ... both are avid football fans! Ha!

No More Resolutions

2009-01-01T10:47:00.004-06:00

::January 01::

This year I have decided to end my very troubled relationship with New Year's resolutions, and will instead remind myself of things I want to do ... perhaps looking at them as goals rather than my doomed-from-the-start commitments! :-)

So ... here is my personal "Top 10 Wish List" for 2009 ...

10. i want to simply. less "stuff" really means more.
09. i want to be truly ok with a house that is not spotless in exchange for good memories.
08. i want to stop worrying about what people think and do what i know is best.
07. i want to take time to rest ... really, really rest.
06. i want to make every thought in my head and words from my mouth full of love and grace.
05. i want to spend more time at the gym and less time wishing i was there.
04. i want to have more patience. i want to have more patience. i want to have more patience.
03. i want to have more date nights with my fantastic husband.
02. i want to teach my children more of what they CAN do and less of what they can't.
01. i want to ALWAYS love without end and make my time more about serving & less about me.

Some other things I'm looking forward to in 2009 ...

1. Hayden will undoubtedly get taller, which will only remind me of the inevitable fact that he will soon be taller than me ... and eventually much taller.

2. Ellie will begin to crawl ... and walk ... and talk ... wow! That's a lot in one year!

Bring on 2009!

C-e-L-e-B-r-A-t-E-!

2008-12-26T12:16:00.006-06:00

::December 26::

We had a wonderful day of celebrating Jesus' birth ... we woke up early and had a great breakfast, then talked about all that Christmas really means. Later, we opened presents and spent the day relaxing together. We hope you had a very special day too!

Hayden got Legos and a Djembe drum from mommy and daddy ...

Ellie got to know an "old friend" that Pastor Eric and Robin gave to her before she was born ... and found a zebra from Noah's Ark.

One thing we didn't plan for was David and Ellie being sick ... both spent a lot of time in bed, and we're praying that they feel better fast!

Merry Christmas Eve!

2008-12-24T23:21:00.004-06:00

::December 24::

After yummy "heavy h'ordurves" with the Slack's, we went to our Christmas Eve service. It was wonderful to see so many people celebrating the birth of Jesus!

We spent much of the late evening getting breakfast ready for tomorrow morning, and also continued a family tradition of opening one gift; pajamas! Hayden loved his guitar pj pants, and Ellie was enamored by her stripes!

Merry Christmas!

MONSTER TRUCK!

2008-12-22T15:21:00.002-06:00

::December 22::

Uncle Pete officially made Hayden's year this morning ... I've never, ever seen a box this big come in the mail!

Hayden wanted us to take a picture as soon as we could so that Pete could see it!

THANK YOU, UNCLE PETE!

where has time gone?

2008-12-22T00:30:00.002-06:00

:: December 21::

Our precious little Ellie is six months and one week tomorrow ... unbelievable! We are savoring each and every moment with our little blessings and wanting time to slow down ... seriously!

Then

Now

Our Wise (Little) Man

2008-12-22T00:09:00.005-06:00

::December 21::

What a great day we've had! Today after our worship gatherings, we celebrated the season with our staff Christmas party ... it was a blast, and there was great food and fun with a white-elephant gift exchange and lots of laughter; there is never a time when we are together that we don't laugh hysterically ... we are so thankful for the incredible people we serve with!

After an hour-and a half pause, we returned to the church to get ready for our Christmas program, "While Bethlehem Slept" and it was such a great program with the kiddos making it interesting and hilarious ... from camels running all over to a shepherd standing on his head, they were adorable!

Hayden played a wise man with buddies Jakoby and Christian. He was so excited that he was given lines because he's a "big guy," and practiced them all week ... "We've traveled from the West, through the desert wild, we bring our very best, for the baby child."

the JOY and the CHEER

2008-12-20T16:01:00.008-06:00

::December 20::

This Christmas season has been such a wonderful time for us! This is Ellie's first and Hayden's fifth holiday season, and he has begun to grasp the true meaning and really gets excited about celebrating that!

During this first Christmas "on our own," hours away from family, we've also started to create some of our own family traditions ... things that we will commit to for years and years and years to come to help us all focus on why we really make a big deal out of this time of year - the birth of Christ. We are committing to sharing His love with others rather than focusing on ourselves. Although not terribly easy with a five year-old who, for the first year ever, has an actual "wish list," we are going full steam ahead, and he'll certainly get some gifts ... we just don't want that to be his only view of this season. From Charity Water and "random acts of CHRISTmas," hopefully the cheesy "tis better to give than to receive" is resonating with our little guy!

Hayden had his FIRST EVER Christmas Program this year at school ... though I brought the camera bag, there was no camera in it, and the camcorder battery died minutes before the starting time. While I wait for pictures from a fellow mom, I'll post this one ... they did an encore presentation during chapel on Friday!

Our Children's Ministry, KID'S ROCK had a Birthday Party for Jesus last night! It was a blast, and "Dr. Juggles" even made an appearance! Hayden was enamored by the fire-sticks, knives, and even basketballs (his personal favorite) that were juggled!

A special moment today ... what a sweet pair! Ellie is growing so fast - she loves her feet and just had her six month check-up, and according to her doctor (AND US!) she is perfect! She really likes to eat, chew on anything, and snuggle! She's also started sleeping on her tummy!

We're gearing up for the Christmas Program at our church, which is tomorrow night! We've been going over our lines and cannot wait!

We're the Kinnan's, What's Your Name?

2008-12-13T00:06:00.009-06:00

Time has been moving faster than Hayden through the toy aisles at Target. :-0

We have had a busy month ... happy, sad, mad, excited, thankful, silly, quiet, loud ... we've enjoyed (or at least lived through) all of those emotions and more and continue to praise God each and every day for it all! We continue to be blessed with new friendships and opportunities to serve Him, and our church family has become just that ... it's hard to believe that we have been here for six months and it feels like it's always been home. Our hearts and days are full of learning and spending time with others, and watching in awe as God moves. I am humbled by the gifts that my husband has been blessed with, and so thankful that he uses them with such obedience and humility. I'm head over heels and constantly scratching my head about how in the world I ended up with such a great guy!

Hayden absolutely loves his school and teachers ... it's been so great to watch him grow before our very eyes. He's learning so much and even asks for homework at home to practice letters! He loves to drive cars on the kitchen counter and enjoys building garages for them out of Lego's and Lincoln logs (uncle Kurt came to visit and gave mommy a break from all of the driving). He's also quite the musician, and uses everything from pots and pans to empty formula containers for drums, but is asking for a Djembe drum for Christmas so he can play on the worship team at church on Saturday evenings with his buddy Maurine.

Ellie continues to grow and change every day. Her current favorite things are her feet, anything that can be chewed, and music ... and of course, her big brother. She will be mute until he's around, and will talk and talk to him; it's adorable and I hope that this doesn't fade when the junior high years come knocking! She will be six months old on Monday and although growing, still seems so much more light and petite compared to big brother when he was her age. It's amazing the differences between boys and girls! She loves bananas and sweet peas and can nearly eat an entire jar of baby food at one sitting - her newest "toy" is her jumper, though she focuses more on chewing it than jumping in it. :-0

Reason #10 Billion that we love this place: Storybook Island at Christmas! We had 56-degree weather last weekend and went with some friends to this beautiful park that is elaborately decorated during the Christmas season for the young and young at heart ... it was amazing, and a very special time!

Dearest Sarah ... do you remember our first Beth Moore study summer's ago at Real Life? It was the week before we headed to New Orleans, and you brought the most delicious biscotti ... I was inspired then to make some and finally got around to it today, with the other Christmas baking, and I think I'd make you proud. I'm hoping that it's supposed to be as hard as a rock, and cannot wait to enjoy it with a cup of coffee tomorrow morning ... or maybe cups of coffee! :-0

My pillow is calling me ... it's late ... I'll write more later!

I USED to be a Neat Freak!

2008-11-13T16:26:00.004-06:00

Winter is definitely here, and I have decided that playing in the snow and getting all muddy is much more fun than cleaning it up! I have thought about what I could do to keep the floor clean after we've frozen to the point of losing limbs ... leaving shoes at the door, etc ... but am now determined to not be a mommy that screams "NOOOOOO" at the sight of mud hitting floor. We can clean it up together at the end of the day or let it wait ... there'll be more fun to be had outside tomorrow, why not leave it until then?

Don't get me wrong, I'll make sure shoes are off at other's houses, but we're (I'm) going to step away from the Lysol wipes and enjoy it all, even the mud!

YOU should read this ...

2008-11-04T21:22:00.003-06:00

Today I drove the very less-than interesting journey from beautiful Rapid City to Sioux Falls ... I listened to the book on cd ... it's so interesting and made me think a lot, and I think that no matter who you are or what you believe, this is a book that will encourage thoughts that need to be pondered and dialogue that needs to be spooken ... here is an excerpt from the introduction ...

"God's politics is never ideological, but always intends to benefit human well-being. In particular, God reminds us of our obligations to the persons we often neglect: the poor, the vulnerable, and those otherwise on the margins. God's politics challenges both the political Left and the political Right to offer a new vision of faith and politics, a vision more in line with God's intentions and the common good."

ScRaBbLe

2008-11-01T00:56:00.004-05:00

Hayden has become obsessed recently with how to spell nearly every word in his vocabulary ... so the other evening we played a little scrabble, and after "car" and "cat" and "dog" and "house" and "policeman" we ended up with those he called "his favorite words" ...

Book 'em, Danno!

2008-11-01T00:04:00.007-05:00

Our little man wanted nothing more than to be a policeman like Uncle Pete! He had a great time at our Reverse Trick-or-Treat event at church, especially with his best pals!

We had a great dinner, a visit with the residents at the nearby nursing home, a hayrack ride, and lots of fun activities like the bounce house, pumpkin carving, and even bobbing for apples! The candy was definitely the winner of the night, though!

Our little bunny was not thrilled with her outfit but was a good sport! She was passed around and snuggled most of the evening and was very excited to have the attention! Mommy was the scariest one there ... I attempted to have my hair standing up to be me before coffee, but since my hair wouldn't stick up I went for the velcro rollers ... obviously not a great deal of thought, but that's ok.

Some other fun and exciting people we got to share the fun with ...

L is for the way you LOOK at me ...

2008-10-31T22:49:00.006-05:00

I am mushy ... cheesy ... the kind of person who secretly loves Valentine's Day and probably hugs people too much. I love, love ... I like to let people know how much they're loved. I'm probably pretty annoying for this (and other things too) but do it any way! I rarely speak to groups, but at a women's brunch in February I rambled on about the word ... how a word that represents so many deep emotions and actions is used so flippantly. "I LOVE that song." "I LOVE that top." "I LOVE that team." "I LOVE my family." "I LOVE the Lord." I know it's just a way to say that we really like something ... I do it all the time, but to use it so much about things of least importance takes so much away from the power of those that are the most important.

I LOVE my husband! He is such an incredible guy ... not just because of these lovely flowers that he brought home for no reason ... from the moment I met him my life changed, and daily I am reminded of how much he means to me ... I have learned from him, I laugh with him, I've been frustrated with him, and go to bed and wake up thanking God for him. He is one of those people that is totally annoying because when life throws him something terrible he makes the most of it ... looking for the good and always ... ALWAYS determines to be open to what the Lord will teach him. I love him because I know that we can be anywhere at any time and when our eyes meet he knows exactly what I am thinking. l love that he doesn't get completely terrified when I drive even though I'm terrible. I love that he is silly and lets me be too. I love that he is the kind of father that is a part of his kids' daily lives and sacrifices so much for his family. I love my husband for all of that and endless more.

I LOVE my babies! I have thanked God for them ... prayed for them ... loved them with a love I cannot understand since before they were born. I love that they are each so different but so much of the same ... Hayden's favorite things are fast cars, playing his music "super loud" and "jamming" with his guitar, and talking to his sister while Ellie prefers to be cuddled, likes to talk, and is always happier when big brother is around. I love that we have the privilege of teaching them about the Lord and how even though mommy and daddy love them SO MUCH, God loves them EVEN MORE! My precious little guy and my sweet baby girl ...

Here's Me. What About You?

2008-10-26T23:15:00.003-05:00

I ... got this from my friend Sarah's blog.

I am: blogging and looking at usatoday and weather.com to wind down after a long evening of homework
I want: to be a good mommy, a good wife, a principal (?) and several pounds lighter
I have: so many blessings that I thank God for every day!
I wish: there were no people in need ...
I hate: laundry ... specifically rolling socks
I fear: that I am running too fast and missing out ...
I hear: IRONMAN ... David is watching it
I search: for quiet places and my cell phone - I always lose it!
I wonder: what my children will grow up to be
I always: tell my David and babies how much I love them
I usually: sneeze like an old man
I am not: taller than 5'4", though I had been holding out hope for a long time
I dance: each and every day with Hayden to his favorite songs
I sing: loudly and often ... and with a little guy asking me to stop so he can hear the song :-)
I never: have been able to keep plants alive!
I rarely: spend time with girlfriends ... I'm getting better, though!
I cry: the most when I am tired or worn out ... or when I watch a sappy movie ...
I am not always: patient
I lose: my mind in Wal-Mart
I’m confused: about the chaos of the world/how people can be so divided and hateful but calling for peace
I need: sandy beaches
I should: get up earlier
I dream: about spending the rest of my life with my handsome husband and sweet kiddos

whew ...

2008-10-26T14:06:00.012-05:00

What do S'Mores ... Floating Floors ... Hurricane Winds ... Pirates and Rolling Babies have in common? They were all a part of our very eventful weekend!

Friday:
We had fun with friends at the Kid's Connection S'More's party. We kept warm by the fire and roasted marshmallows ... Hayden ran around with Josiah, Aley, and Wilson ... Ellie and Lars snuggled with mommies, and we all went home smelling of smoke with thoughts of s'mores dancing in our heads. A delicious idea from our dear Christine ... try strawberry marshmallows ... it's like having chocolate covered strawberries over the campfire! Yum!

The Fire-Man

Hayden Proudly showing his S'More

Saturday: Saturday we were back at the church, only this time at the office for a work day. The flood in May that ruined the basement carpeting/office space right before we came was ready to be made new again, with beautiful wood flooring and furniture!

Basement Before (South Wall)

Basement After (Northwest Wall)

Sunday:
I have never been through a hurricane, but the winds in Rapid City today must be close. Our neighbors metal-frame canoe was in the pasture behind our houses with the cows this morning, and our rocking chairs were clinging to life hanging over our front porch.

The GREAT NEWS is that the sun is still shining in the midst of the chaos and 39-degree temps.

You know that you're supposed to be somewhere when your 5-year old is in tears on the way to the car after church because he thinks he'll fly away, but he gets into the car and says "Mommy, this place is super cool!" God is so good to remind us through our little guy that through every storm (even wind storm) and sunny day He is with us and is taking care of us. You know you love a place when despite it literally knocking you over, you're excited to call it home! David actually went golfing in the windy mess with his pal Dale ... it's a Sunday afternoon tradition, and apparently no wind can come in between a man and his golf game! :-)

Also ... there's tumbleweed here - lots of it ... it's not just in Kansas ... another fun treat for us.

Hayden went to the movies today with his buddy Kayla. They watched the Veggie Tales PIRATE movie at a theater downtown that has older movies for very cheap. It's great for them because they're both quite independent and seem to suit one another well. He has been talking about it for weeks and when I went to pick him up from their house, I had fun talking to her mommy and the kiddos had a hoot running all over playing - no screaming, no arguing, nothing but squeals of fun and the noise of the "bbq grill" where Hayden was making everyone bacon. Yummy! Haha!

In other exciting news ... our little girl has now been dubbed "rolley-polley!" She's going back and forth and clinging to teething toys like her mommy to coffee! :-) She'll be 18 weeks tomorrow and what a fast four and a half months it's been!

mmmm ...

Ellie LOVES to sit up and talk to her big brother!

That's about it. Whew! We need a nap!

Congratulations!

2008-10-23T21:17:00.002-05:00

Our dear friends Jody and Steph just had their third little one ... a baby girl named Lily! We weren't there for most of the pregnancy, but have been praying earnestly.

We love you guys and will continue praying for health and rest for your family and cannot wait to see her!

Love,
David, Katy, Hayden, and Ellie

numbers

2008-10-21T23:52:00.003-05:00

hayden was born on august 26, 2003.
082603

ellie was born on june 23, 2008.
062308

we realized that their bday's share the same "numbers."

another random, useless bit of info. we think it's kind of cool.

remedy drive

2008-10-20T09:31:00.005-05:00

remedy drive came to fountain springs community church this saturday night for a concert after our COLLIDE service, and they led worship at all three services. they are best known right now for their song "daylight" but have so many incredible songs and a very exciting future for sure!

A very gifted friend, Jamie created this for the event ... wow!

find them on youtube ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTK0la4jyXg

so, in an unrelated story ... christine might have bought a mullet wig that todd might use for announcements from time to time, and hayden may have put it on to see what all the fuss was about. nashville, here we come!

Spearfish Canyon

2008-10-19T18:49:00.004-05:00

This beautiful place is just a short drive from our house ... we took advantage of the GORGEOUS weather yesterday morning for a visit!

Wow.

2008-10-12T18:22:00.003-05:00

We could not be more thankful for the beauty that surrounds us ... every time we look out onto our backyard we see this gorgeous hill and are reminded of how perfect our God is!

I always "assumed" that being in ministry would not be very easy in terms of location ... that truly serving involved being absolutely without comfort ... what an enormous blessing it is for Him to put us in a place with such incredible people and unmatched beauty!

hello ... i'm random ... what's your name?

2008-10-12T17:19:00.003-05:00

one of my graduate classes this semester was only a month long ... and it was great because it was all about everything ... from technology to interpersonal communication. it's funny because since i'm taking classes online, there is no face-to-face interaction, so we must rely on initial "sharing" and online discussions throughout the class to get to know each other.

this semester there were a lot of "ice-breaker" type activities that made me reminisce to my college days in leadership studies, when we would have all types of pow-wows full of them. the "share things about you that no one else will know" seems quite popular.

i'm not always so good at this ... although i'm a talker, i'm not much of a writer or "thoughtful" with words. in manhattan, a very dear friend of mine, sarah, was and still is such an inspiration to me - her writing is always very genuine, seemingly effortless, and always touching. here in rapid city, i have been blessed to befriend another incredible writer, natalie ... her words are like the words to your favorite song - each line is oozing with meaning and depth ... so, i am happy to be insipired by them and leave the simple things like this to me!

i thought it'd be fun, and random to share some of my recent answers to the ice-breakers ...

SOME THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME ...

10. I asked for a cash register every year for Christmas. I don't know why, but I was a girl obsessed!

9. I always have chapped lips ... but I'm also obsessed with chapstick - do you think it could be the chapstick making my lips chapped? Maybe some crazy scheme by the chapstick makers to keep me coming back?

8. I had a pet cow ... his name was Mr. Cow ... I'm sure he eventually tasted great on someone's sandwich, but for me he was a great pet!

7. My ideal job would be working in a museum ... I'm that boring and that obsessed with history!

6. The first time I rode on a plane was for my honeymoon ... and we got moved to 1st class ... that's not happened again, though!

5. I have always wanted to be artistic in some way ... singing, painting, writing ... my niche' may be organizing, though ...

4. I was baptized twice in the same week ... once in the lake at church camp, and that following Sunday at church - I wanted my parents to be a part of the decision ... the lake was much more warmer!

3. I don't like feet ... mine look weird, yours look weird ... flip-flops are fine, but don't put them anywhere near me! :-)

2. I would be great at any of the "song lyrics" shows ... I grew up listening to all kinds of music and mixed with my ocd, i remember lyrics like a maniac.

1. As a driver, I have never hit a person on a bicycle, but I have been hit by a person on a bicycle while driving in a car - my friend Becky and I were stopped at a stop sign and a guy on a bicycle hit my car ... then started yelling ... then got back on his bike and continued going. It wasn't good for my little Corolla, and nearly gave me a heart attack! Becky was especially scared because he hit us on her side, and I rolled down her window to ask if he was ok - it was the strangest thing that has ever happened to me!

Amazing

2008-10-12T09:03:00.004-05:00

Two little pairs of eyes ... both beautiful ... both full of life ... how thankful we are for them, and how excited we are about who they are and who they will be ...

Our little soccer guy had his party yesterday but no game - too much raining and snow!

I tried to copy a picture that we had of Hayden; Ellie wouldn't stop chewing on her little hand! Ha!

Love...

2008-10-11T10:48:00.000-05:00

I have no words...just watch:

Mommy, I Don't Feel So Good ...

2008-10-08T09:32:00.003-05:00

We have been anything but healthy this week ... there have been some very eventful days at the Kinnan home ... though we've been passing it back and forth we think we might be on the upswing (hopefully!).

CONGRATULATIONS GUYS!

2008-10-03T23:34:00.004-05:00

Some of our very dear friends (including Lance, the worship leader at our previous church, Real Life) have been very busy lately, and Lance was the featured artist at this website ...

http://www.embassymusic.com/em_artists.htm

Keep your radios on and stay tuned ... there are some very exciting things in store for these very talented guys!

For the Grandmas and the Grandpas ...

2008-10-02T22:13:00.002-05:00

Hayden's shirt of choice is none at all these days ... Ellie, however, prefers to be bundled up all the time.

We borrowed a friend's Bobcat in a sad attempt to work on our sad yard ourselves ... didn't work out so well, but we had a blast! Hayden didn't get to drive it, but would have sat in it all day if we would have let him!

Ellie officially has some favorite things ... aside from eating and pooping, she likes big brother, laughing (more like a giggle), talking, and sitting up, here with the help of daddy.

Joe Dirt

2008-10-02T21:49:00.005-05:00

Move over bottled water ... there's a new natural resource that's being sold for way too much ... today we actually had to pay someone to come fill our yard with more dirt and then move it around until it was flat, and as "pretty" as dirt can be. We'll hold off on the rest until the checkbook cools off ...

This made me think about ridiculous things that I could get paid for ...

1. Removing the filling from Oreos so that people don't have to mess with undoing the cookies themselves.

2. Gum chewer ... helping the jaws of people everywhere (that was just for you, Laughlin)

I'm officially out of ideas ... it's been a long day, so I cheated and looked up the craziest jobs ever!

Pet Food Taster Not only do these people eat dog food all the time, some actually enjoy it! It's kind of like wine connoisseurs enjoying a new wine, except its stuff your dog or cat eats. To each their own...

Gross stunt producer If you've ever seen a show where people have to do disgusting things for money (like wade through rat-infested sewers or eat living bugs), rest assured it's because someone's job is to come up with such twisted concepts. A surprising amount of research is necessary to make sure that your ideas are not only gross, but also safe.

Bad Breath Smeller How else would you figure out if your company's chewing gum is getting the job done? This also implies there are people whose job it is to chew gum and breathe in people's faces.

Ufologist As the name implies, ufologists are all about the study of UFO's. History, recent reports, government conspiracies, it's all included, so if the unknown is your passion this might not be a bad start.

Cryptozoologist These are the people you see on television explaining so convincingly why Big Foot or the Loch Ness monster are real. It's all about using your science skills in less conventional ways.

Pathoecologist You'd be surprised how much you can learn from...poo. Pathoecologists study feces from thousands of years ago, learning much about the lifestyles and diets of our ancestors.

I think I'll just stick to being a mommy and teacher ...

Whew!

2008-09-13T23:27:00.002-05:00

This has been a great and busy week, and we've been enjoying every moment of the weather! From dinner with good friends and fellow Jayhawks (YES - there are Jayhawkers in Rapid City!) to a very windy soccer game, we've enjoyed all of the excitement and chaos that the fall brings!

Hayden continues to enjoy his school, and is becoming quite excited about soccer, though cars and trucks will probably always be at the top of his list! We've been playing frisbee like maniacs and going on very long walks daily so that he can ride his dirt bike around the neighborhood. He has recently volunteered to be the "trash guy" and loves to empty all of the trash cans in the house and even bring the big one up the driveway after it's emptied ... he says that it's because he's a "big guy" and loves to be a helper ... how sweet!

Ellie will be three months old on Monday, and grows every day ... she spends most of her time smiling, talking, and looking around, though she enjoys nothing more than being with her big brother! There is a marked difference in her when he is nearby! Her eyes are still blue, and hair is sandy blonde with RED! RED!? She really likes to sit up, and be sung to, but mostly, she likes to talk ... that's mommy's girl! :-)

We hope you have a GREAT week!

Hayden's Big Day!

2008-09-06T21:23:00.004-05:00

Last night we started making soccer cookies for Hayden's birthday party ... with a soccer theme! Mommy quickly realized that she has not become a better artist since her middle school teacher told her that "not everyone has this gift," and we quickly switched to making a soccer cake. We did, however, enjoy a flour fight and time rolling out the sugar cookie dough that made cookies to be used some other time!

We woke up early this morning (Saturday) to get ready for Hayden's FIRST soccer game! Practice was at 9am and the game was at 9:30am ... he had a great time during practice and took to this new experience quite well, and did great during the game ... but was definitely a bit overwhelmed! I told David we've created quite a conundrum for our little guy ... telling him for the last five years not to push or kick at kids ... he a bit confused with all the running and kicking and stuff as eight little guys rushed for one little soccer ball, but was thrilled about it all and cannot wait until next week! We'll see! His coaches and the other parents are really fun and it'll be a good experience for Hayden ... and us too!

We celebrated Hayden's birthday party with our Rapid City family this afternoon! We had a picnic in the park with our soccer ball cake, balloons, a playground, and lots and lots of good friends! Hayden and Selah took some time to snap pics of everyone ... and of the park too!

School Note: We had the OPEN HOUSE for Hayden's school, and we are just as much in love with it as our little guy is! He is so excited to go to school, then even more excited afterwards to tell us all that he's learning ... this evening when we were getting ready for dinner and talking about who was going to pray, he said ... "God can hear you ... you can pray quietly or loudly and He will still hear you." We feel so blessed that he is going to a Christian school and have been so thrilled with all that He's learning ... it's great to have more than just home and church - to be learning ABC's and creation each day from another place is good!

Thank You Tom.

2008-09-04T10:01:00.003-05:00

Hayden has what I would call a "beginners" understanding of heaven. When his puppy Abby was gravely ill, we worked to help him understand, through all the sadness, why she went away. We talked to him about heaven, and why God sometimes takes people (and pets, in this case) when they are hurting or when it's just their time to go with him to make it all better. He loves us so much, that at times He chooses to bring us home to be with Him when He's ready for us.

When "Big Papa" Wolf went to be with the Lord last August, Hayden experienced a cemetery for the first time. Now every time we drive by one, he points to it and says "Look ... there's heaven ... and Abby and Big Papa are there with God!"

This morning after daddy went to the church I talked to Hayden about Uncle Tom, and how he went to be with God too. Our conversation led to some monumental discussion, and what an incredible God we have that could bring it through such a time of grief ...

Hayden: "Is Uncle Tom with Big Papa and Abby and Jesus now?"

Mommy: "Yes, Bubba, he is."

Hayden: "I miss Abby ... but they'll feed her and she'll be super happy. Is she in the garage in heaven? I want her right now.

Mommy: " No Bubba, she's not in the garage."

Hayden: "But where is heaven? I want to go there."

Mommy: "I always thought Heaven was way up high, past the stars and the sun and the moon, but you know what ... God is everywhere ... when you are sad, He is right there, and when you're really happy, He's there too. You can ask Him to be by you all of the time and He will be right there!"

Hayden: "Oh."

Mommy: "If you believe in God and Jesus and be the great big boy that they ask you to be, then you'll go there too someday, honey. Do you?"

Hayden: "Yes. They love me lots. I want to be in heaven some day when I am super old, with Abby and Big Papa, and Uncle Tom."

Hayden: "Can I take my cool cars and dirt bike with me? Does God drive cool cars?"

Mommy: "I'm not sure, Bubba ... we'll talk about that later." "Do you know what we can do right now?"

Hayden: "What?"

Mommy: "We can lots of people about God and Jesus and ask if they want to go to heaven too."

Hayden: "With my Abby!"

Mommy: "Yes, bubba!"

Home.

2008-09-04T09:57:00.003-05:00

We heard early this morning that uncle Tom went to be with the Lord. There are so many emotions to grapple with when this happens ... praise that He is home, away from the pain and sin of the world ... sadness because he was such a thrilling, life-loving man that brought such happiness to so many.

My first meeting with Tom was very unique! He and aunt Lois met David and I at the Tampa airport when we arrived for our honeymoon ... they were kind enough to let us borrow their car while we were there. Lois met us at the gate, and Tom was waiting outside with the car. When we exited the doors, I heard someone loudly singing my name ... it sounded good, too! It was Tom.

Every Thanksgiving before we would eat, he would say excitedly, I bet President ______ (whomever it was) isn't eating this good today!

We will miss him, but rest in knowing that we will see him again.

Our Big Guy!

2008-09-03T23:06:00.004-05:00

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:: Hayden started his first day at Calvary Christian School today ... he had the best day ever! He woke up very excited ... ate a special first day of school breakfast (waffles and mommy's scrambled eggs with cheese - he and daddy's favorite!), and got to use his new back pack!

WATCH OUT MACK:: After school, Hayden spent time playing his guitar and singing through his new microphone that he and mommy made out in the garage with Daddy's radio. (Notice he attached it to his bike ... his third arm at the moment!

REUNITED:: This sounds so funny, but I'm not kidding ... Ellie did not really talk at all today; usually Hayden and I read, sing, or talk to her during her "wake time," but today it was just me ... and she was pretty mum. When she was reunited with her big brother, however, she immediately smiled and began flapping her arms and legs ... and JABBERING away!

READING!:: Then he read his favorite book to his "baby sis" ... it's called "Love Bug," and that's what he calls Ellie, in addition to "baby sis" and "sweetie."

Where Do We Start!?

2008-08-31T16:56:00.013-05:00

We have had some incredible things happen in the last few weeks ...

Home, Sweet Home::
We are thankful that our transition has been such a smooth one; we know that the Lord has made it that way, and we continue to be amazed at the relationships that are being built, and the comfort we are feeling in this area! Manhattan will always hold a special place in our hearts ... and our friends there will continue to be our friends ... more like family, and although we are becoming more enveloped each day in our new home, we know that He is making room enough in our hearts to love them all, and to focus on what He has called us here to do! It is so beautiful, so full of kind people, and with so many opportunities to share Jesus with others. God is SO GOOD!

Todd and Tina::
We recently welcomed our Student Ministries Pastor and his wife to the Black Hills this month, and it has been such a blessing getting to know them!

Summertime Fun::
With school starting this Wednesday, we have been enjoying every free moment that we have to play! Mommy, Hayden, and Ellie have been enjoying an early morning walk (usually around 6:30am) and then heading to the park before the day begins.

Hayden especially loves the firetruck and "monkey swing" at Storybook Island in RC::

He got a new watch for his birthday ... he is excited about learning to tell time all by himself! (and mommy and daddy are too!)::

Ellie continues to grow, and daddy caught a not-so-rare moment of smiles. Ellie loves to smile, and brother is the one that gets the most!::

Brother and sister spend so much time talking and smiling ... Hayden even sings to her (usually songs from VBS, or ones that he makes up about cars and trucks!)::

Kisses ...
"It's ok, sweetie ... "

All smiles!
KANSAS::
We recently took a "holiday" to Kansas ... we left one Sunday after the second service and returned home that following Saturday. It was a great time of introducing Ellie ... and a "big boy Hayden" to family and friends that hadn't met Ellie, and hadn't seen Hayden for awhile! We had an event filled, family fun, relaxing time and were so thankful for the safe travel, as well as the fact that our kids are great car riders!

T-REX Restaurant at THE LEGENDS::
We enjoyed a day of shopping and lunch at the T-REX restaurant!

Lake of the Ozarks::
We spent time with my great-grandma, great-aunt, grandma, and parents at the Lake of the Ozarks. We even had a picture of the five generations of women! (that I cannot get to post.)

We went to the Truman Dam Observatory ...

We smiled for pictures (or remained in deep thought) ...Two Birthday Parties for Hayden's Big #5!::
Complete with cakes and ice cream with Nana and Papa Kinnan at their house, and Grandma and Grandpa Kerby at Great-Grandpa's house!

Birthday at Home::
Though his birthday party with buddies won't be until this week, we spent Hayden's birth day dinner at Churk E Cheese's! It was a blast! After dinner we went to the store to get something Hayden has been waiting for since he was nearly three ... his very own "dirt bike" bicycle (we had to wait until his other was too small!) !

Time with Friends::
We have been so blessed to have so many amazing people around us, and we are so thankful that the Lord has surrounded us with such wonderful friends ... He knows how important it is to us! We have had fun spending time with people and really getting to know everyone ... eating ... golfing ... drinking coffee ... game nights ... what fun!

College, Here We Come::
Although David's classes are ongoing, Katy's semester just started, and wasted no time getting right to work! It'll be a very full semester, for sure! Supervision and Evaulation, and Technologies for Leadership are going to be interesting to say the least, but only a few more semesters (aaahhh) until she has her Master's!

Go Lynn!

2008-08-06T16:42:00.003-05:00

Lynn Jenkins won over Jim Ryun for the Republican nomination in Kansas' 2nd Congressional District, and will face Democrat Nancy Boyda for the seat.

You're the Cheese to my Macaroni

2008-07-30T17:07:00.005-05:00

Hayden and Ellie are becoming great friends ... Hayden is incredibly gentle and thoughtful, and each time she is done eating, we have "wake time." Our new favorite thing to do is sit her in the boppy (she LOVES it!) and sit beside her and chat. She is especially thrilled when big brother Hayden talks to her (mostly about cool cars), sings to her, and makes silly noises.

Today was a big day of chatter ...

Hayden shared the theme song from VBS, singing about God's "Big Backyard" and took time to teach Ellie the motions!

Ellie gets really excited when Hayden sings to her, and starts jabbering away with arms flailing!

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet - Life

2008-07-25T23:53:00.006-05:00

Brother Hayden is so sweet with his little sister!

Ellie loves to relax, look around, and ponder deep thoughts about things like world peace and taking a nap.

Hayden adores Grandpa and Grandma, and especially seems to enjoy the presents that sneak there way up here when they visit!
"Sis," as Hayden has nicknamed her, is in her swing, which I've nicknamed her happy place!

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit this week, and though Ellie didn't seem thrilled by Hayden's presents, she did love the extra arms to hold her!

We visited Mount Rushmore one evening and got to see the ceremony and lights, and to Dinosaur Park too!

Bear Country was a lot of fun, and mommy and daddy got a chance to get pics taken with the little ones - usually we're chasing or feeding and never on this side of the camera!

Hi There!

2008-07-22T00:19:00.001-05:00

Hayden, Ellie and I went to Dinosaur Park last week - it was a lot of fun, and though Ellie wasn't very impressed, Hayden really enjoyed it!

Ellie continues to grow every day - she's getting stronger and more aware of surroundings! She loves kisses and baths, and especially her big brother!

A Love Bug & A Mustang

2008-07-09T15:21:00.003-05:00

Each and every day our little girl gets more expressive, and lately has been sharing with us some little noises ... the usual squawk's, but new ones too. Hayden says that she sounds like an "old car," and since he loves Volkswagen Bugs, we've nicknamed her "LOVE BUG."

Hayden continues to hone his photography skills!

Hayden got a Remote Control MUSTANG in the mail today from uncle Pete, and hasn't stopped driving it since! THANK YOU UNCLE PETE!!!!

Sunshine Day!

2008-07-09T14:33:00.005-05:00

Last Saturday we took advantage of the sunshine and went on a morning trip to nearby Reptile Gardens, and in addition to having a ton of fun, we were once again reminded of how little fear our four-year old has! AAAHHH!

After hanging out with giant tortoises and watching the snake show, we hung out with some prairie dogs before going to a crocodile show - Hayden actually got to touch one!!!

Baby Land

2008-06-27T23:30:00.005-05:00

What a week it has been! I think that most parents would probably agree that the first week ... or two or three weeks with a new baby is like living in a different world - we're totally there! We've been enjoying our time with our kidS (yeah for the plural!) and Mom and Dad Kinnan. Lacking in the sleep department hasn't slowed us too much, but we've been spending time at home working on getting a schedule down.

Ellie (or "Sissy" to Hayden), has made it known that she prefers (and sometimes demands) to be in the company of others ... she loves to be talked to ... she loves when Hayden gives her kisses, and she definitely enjoys her favorite fuzzy blanket. It's been fun to see the two of them interact and already begin to bond ... and also to see how quickly she has made her preferences known! Hayden continues to thrill us with his gentleness, love, and nurturing ... a GREAT big brother!

Hayden and Daddy have a new tradition of going golfing on Friday (Daddy's day off). They shared this tradition with Papa, and Papa got Hayden a new set of golf clubs to make him really feel a part of the experience. Hayden will go from being Daddy's caddy to the king of the course soon, we're sure!

Here She Is!

2008-06-24T10:04:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we welcomed our second little blessing ... Ellie Grace was born at 2:58pm (SD time) and is doing spectacular!

Hayden is in love, and cannot wait to teach his "baby sissy" all about cars and trucks and other important things in life! :-)

Ellie is still getting used to daylight and has enjoyed her normal schedule of being awake at night ... we're working on that! She's very quiet and easy going, only "squacking" (literally) when she wants something, sleeping most of the day. We are all doing well and will get to head home this afternoon!

We'll keep you updated!
David, Katy, Hayden, and Ellie

Greetings from Rapid City, South Dakota!

2008-06-16T13:24:00.004-05:00

We should apologize for our lack of posting ... we are very sorry! Moving to a new place and acclimating to new jobs have taken their toll on our time, but we are thoroughly enjoying ourselves and so thankful for what the Lord is doing!

Manhattan, Kansas
We were blessed with an incredible final service with our Real Life Church family ... it was a celebration of what the Lord has done and continues to do in all of our lives, and we said good-bye (or see you soon) to our friends and family there. On Monday the 26th we pulled out of Manhattan ... between our tears and the rain, we were soaked, but the Lord gave us safe travel and we arrived at our new home on Tuesday afternoon to an army of helpers to get our truck/cars unloaded.

Our New Church
Fountain Springs Community Church holds an incredible body of believers and we have been so thankful for their kindness and generosity as we get settled ... we have had opportunities to serve alongside, as well as share and listen and are blessed to be here! God is moving and working in and through, and we are thankful to be a part of it ... and excited for what is to come!

Our New Home
We have unpacked most everything and the house is really feeling like home! We have enjoyed being right in front of some beautiful hills, and even get to watch deer from our kitchen table while we eat ... it's been so great! We've also had the honor of hosting a number of people from our new church family and have enjoyed the time to get to know them!

Our New Town
This place is absolutely "Pleasantville"! People are so kind, and between that and the incredible amounts of activities for families, we have been thoroughly enjoying our time here!

Old McDonald's Farm: A petting zoo with a lawnmower train that Hayden won't stop talking about.
Pottery-2-Paint: We had a great family time there choosing then painting pottery - Hayden painted a puppy dog, David got a coffee mug, and I chose a plate. Although I realized that I am very low on the "artistic scale," we had a blast!
Mt. Rushmore and Keystone: Definitely a family favorite!
Storybook Island: A free park with dozens and dozens of toys and special things for kids, including a little theater with daily shows. Hayden was stuck on the big train and fire truck that he could play on!

Baby:
We are still waiting on baby - June 20 is the big day, but the doctor said today (and last Monday) that it could be ANY MINUTE! I am hoping for that, but am trusting that she will come when it is time! :-) My lower back says the time is now, but I'll be patient!

Hayden:
Our big guy is having a ball, and though random questions have come up, from "Why did God bring us here?" to "Why did Adam name the Octopus, Octopus?," he has been enjoying time with mommy and daddy and his new pals! We're working on getting him into the soccer league, and have found a great preschool for the fall (Praise the Lord!)!

Hayden had fun on a recent Saturday afternoon trip to Mt. Rushmore, and won't stop talking about a visit to Ellsworth Air Force Base with the B-1 Bombers with daddy and his buddies Josiah and Christian, and their daddies!

We love you and will post again as soon as we can!

Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk...Go KU!

2008-04-07T09:58:00.001-05:00

I've received several e-mails and Facebook messages inquiring about the KU chant known as the "Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk" chant. Please visit this link to learn more: KU CHANT.

Transition Update

2008-03-31T09:52:00.003-05:00

I thought many of you might wish to have an update on our transition from Manhattan, Kansas to Rapid City, South Dakota:

SOLD!
We put our house on the market on March 13th...showed it on March 14th...received an offer on March 15th...sold it on March 15th. You have to believe that God had His mighty hand in this detail of life. We will be closing on the sale of our home on May 30th.

REAL LIFE CHURCH (Manhattan)
I will be done "pastoring" Real Life Church on April 30th...they have given me the month of May to concentrate on packing and moving to our new assignment. This was an incredibly generous gift from our church...they are wonderful people who passionately love God.

KATY
We have decided that Katy will "stay at home" for the next 1-2 years as she concentrates on helping our family transition into a new home. With our baby girl entering the world around June 20th, we both believe this to be the direction we ought to go. Katy will serve as the "Office Assistant" for our new church which will require 15 hours of her week...must better than 50 hours a week of teaching :)

HAYDEN
It has been recommended to us that we put Hayden in Kindergarten this coming Fall...he'll turn 5 on August 26...we feel like this is early. He's academically capable, but we are concerned how his behavior would be affected. So, we're praying and researching. We'll know more once we get more information from the school in Rapid City...any comments on this one?

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS COMMUNITY CHURCH (Rapid City)
I am leaving for a quick trip to Rapid City on April 9th...I'll spend a few days trying to find a house for us. We've done a lot of preliminary searching while visiting RC and also on the internet. I think I'm prepared to buy a home without Katy "actually seeing it". Pray about this for us.

I've had some conversations and passed back-and-forth some e-mails with some folks as I look for a "teammate" at Fountain Springs Community Church. The church has a newly established Student Ministry and I'm looking to bring someone on who can firmly establish a thriving Student Ministry who minsters to Generation Y while also helping in other areas. This is a new experience for me (hiring staff) and it's extremely fun hearing the dreams and goals of other people as they seek God's will.

ISRAEL
I am leaving, again, for a tour of Israel on April 28th...I'll spend 10 days in Israel and it is dominating my mind right now with extreme excitement!

THE WELL
Our new worship gathering is only two months old and it is going really, really well! We are starting a new series for the month of April which will deal with self-image, lust, and marriage...it's called Dirty Little Secrets. We'll discuss what Scripture talks about in regards to self-hatred, porn, sex, and marriage affairs. We will have folks giving real testimony each week in relation to the topic at hand. We will hear how God has restored those who have abused their bodies...those who have conquered sexual addictions...those who have sought and accepted forgiveness for an abortion. I believe some big stuff is gonna happen. Please pray for us during this time.

BABY KINNAN
Our little baby girl (yet to be born) is very healthy. She is making herself known more and more each day as she kicks and pushes. We are truly blessed by our Creator.

We'll keep you filled in on how life evolves for us. It's an exciting for the Kinnan family!

- David

It's a sweet, sweet day.

2008-03-31T09:40:00.006-05:00

Some folks have hobbies...sewing...hiking...scrap booking...picking their nose...

Me...I have a few hobbies, but very few recreational activities bring me joy like that of watching my Kansas Jayhawks fight their way to the Final Four. I know...many of you wonder what I'm talking about...that's because you follow teams like Michigan, Ohio State, and Kansas State. You see, the Final Four is the the best event in all of sports...it sits just above The Masters and College Football BCS Bowls. It would classically be defined as the "pinnacle" of all sports.

This Saturday brings about a match-up that all KU fans have anxiously awaited. It proposes to be a time of sports redemption when our former coach (Roy Williams...of whom I named my dog after and then that dog, fittingly, ran away) and Roy's former team...my team...the Kansas Jayhawks, engage in a basketball battle. Please do not be mistaken...this is not a game between UNC and KU...it's is simply a battle between two former family members who were forced to part ways.

Saturday is a big day...Monday will be even better...be watching and waiting...be ready for KU to Rock, Chalk up another National Championship! Go KU!

(I appologize for you those of you who are not sports-enthusiasts...just know, I'm having a good time.)

Moving to the Black Hills

2008-03-02T23:18:00.019-06:00

We have news for you. With a tentative date set for June 1st, we are moving to Rapid City, South Dakota where David will be the Lead Pastor of Fountain Springs Community Church. We have visited the area twice and we literally fell in love with the community and the people we were able to meet. It's so exciting to dream about this new chapter in our life, but we've also done a lot of reflecting on the chapter which is about to close. We have so many friends here in Manhattan and it's gonna be a tough transition as we leave the city we fell in love in and with. We'll be leaving Real Life Church, the church we helped plant over 3 years ago and the church who is made up of friends we consider to be family. A "roller coaster of emotions" is certainly a fitting expression.

So...that's what we've been wanting to tell you and now you know :)

What is Going On!?

2008-01-29T21:25:00.000-06:00

"Happy Face: We LOVE the warm weather!"

"Mad Face: I don't want it to get cold again!"

"Surprised Face: If it snows I can play on my sled; bonus!"

"Strong Man: I can help daddy shovel the snow; extra bonus!"

Yesterday it was 62 degrees outside ... today it was 18 degrees. Kansas = Krazy! While the "heat wave" lasted we spent some time playing outside and having a barbecue!

Yummy, Yummy in My Tummy!

2008-01-29T20:52:00.001-06:00

Hayden chose chocolate pudding for a dessert last week, and even helped make it!

Mommy was teaching about Ancient China at school, and brought home some extra chopsticks for our family night - Hayden did an INCREDIBLE job and didn't want to eat with his fork anymore. We had spaghetti the next night and he decided chopsticks weren't always the best option.

It's A ...

2008-01-21T14:24:00.000-06:00

All is healthy and well ... she's quite the mover and shaker, but we managed to get a DEFINITIVE answer from the doctor!

Hayden thinks that Hannah Montana would be the best name ... we're just thankful we have a few more months before we have to decide!

2007-12-24T11:44:00.000-06:00

Between the darkness of the ice storm and the holiday season we neglected to share some pictures with you!

Decorating for Christmas ...

Uncle Kurt Graduates from the University of Kansas (Go JAYHAWKS!)

Hayden Practiced His Photography Skills at the Reception!

We also had a fun evening watching the Green Bay Packers on TV - we're not really big fans, but Laughlin is a cheese-head and shared it with Hayden!

Powerless...NO MORE!

2007-12-17T16:21:00.000-06:00

We have power! It's so wonderful!

Powerless

2007-12-14T15:00:00.000-06:00

We just had a major ice storm swoop in on Monday evening leaving us without any electricity for almost a week now. We're warming up at David's parent's house in KC over the weekend with hope our power is restored when we return Sunday afternoon.

Click HERE for pictures.

First Snow

2007-12-06T15:53:00.000-06:00

We just had a our first snow last night and through this morning. Hayden has some new snowpants he's been "super excited" to wear. So, this afternoon (after his Dentist appt.), we played in the snow:

Thanksgiving Trip

2007-11-20T08:39:00.000-06:00

We're off to Marion, Indiana for the Kinnan Family Reunion. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

Lenny's Truck

2007-11-16T19:27:00.000-06:00

Lenny, a friend from church, works for the railroad. Occasionally, he stop by the office in his work truck. Hayden was with me and he was invited to take a "tour" of Lenny's official "Train Truck". To say the least, Hayden had a blast!

Episcopal Wedding

2007-11-06T09:29:00.000-06:00

Caleb and Morgan are good friends and a part of our church body (when not at school). They were married this past weekend and I was able to participate in the wedding by leading a few readings, giving the homily (short sermon), and introducing them as Mr. and Mrs. Caleb and Morgan Enoch.

It was a great experience as I'd never participated in an Episcopal wedding. Father Tom is the priest of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. We had some great discussions about his tradition and mine...I really enjoyed meeting him.

It took some adjustments to get used to the formality of certain traditions, but you can't help but value the reverence the Episcopal Church gives to a wedding ceremony. I'd much rather this sacrament be taken too seriously than too lightly.

Congratulations Caleb and Morgan Enoch!!!

Pray for Bailian

2007-11-03T11:43:00.000-05:00

A precious little guy from our church is currently at Children's Mercy in KC - he's got asthma and a recent bout has resulted in pneumonia. His daddy is in the military and currently in Iraq, so please be in prayer for his mommy as she carries this on her shoulders.

Pray for strength, healing, and peace - we hope Bailian's dad will be coming home soon for R&R to see them.

We Can't Wait Until June ...

2007-11-02T12:41:00.000-05:00

Seriously!

2007-10-31T21:17:00.000-05:00

Where has time gone?! We have been having such an incredible time ... it feels like we just got back from New Orleans and still have summer left - each wonderful day has flown by, and we are praising God for all that we have and all that we are learning about Him. We know for sure that our precious little boy gets sweeter with each passing day and we are so thankful for the gift of him!

Here's where we have been, starting with our most recent activities ...

Halloween: Hayden was an "engine guy" because he "likes to fix cars" ...

We went to our church's AWANA Harvest Party this evening and had a blast! We decorated pumpkins, made silly-putty, went "fishing" for candy, and got loads of treats! Instead of the normal "Trick or Treat" during the candy collection, he insisted on telling people that "I'm an engine guy ... can I fix your car?"

Playing with Uncle Pete ...

These two have so much fun together! They even made up their own game of baseball with a stick and a soccer ball!

Pumpkins and Train Rides with Papa ...

We could not forget our yearly tradition ( 4 years strong) of going to Eastside Market to find the PERFECT pumpkins! Later that week Hayden and Daddy went back with Papa Kerby to ride a train while mommy and Grandma Kerby were shopping!

University of Kansas: Late Night in the PHOG
We made another yearly tradition happen ... our annual pilgrammage to Lawrence for LATE NIGHT IN THE PHOG! It makes for a great date night since we're both fans of KU and basketball, and it's always so much fun! We seem to manage to get some great pictures with players and coaches and meet a lot of great fellow fans!

Birthday #4: Trains, Race Cars, and DRUMS!

Hayden hit his fourth year on the ground running, and we had a blast! He seemed to enoy the thought of moving from 3 to 4, and loved having so many people there to celebrate him ... but the cake and presents seemed to be the ultimate confirmation that birthday's definitely ROCK!

Catalyst

2007-10-09T13:43:00.000-05:00

Last week was a very refreshing week for me. I, along with 3 other buddies on our church staff, traveled to Atlanta for a leadership conference. Over 11,000 other people joined us for an incredible event. As an exercise for me, I reviewed the key pieces I brought home with me. Maybe they'll speak to your heart just as they did mine:

Andy Stanley:
Q - What do you do when it dawns on you that you're the leader?
A - Take the position of servant...just as Christ did (washing his disciples feet)

If we don't take the position of servant, we declare that we are greater than our Master because He chose to leverage His power.

Q - Who benefits from your leadership power?
Q - How can I leverage my power for the benefit of others?

Patrick Lencioni:
"People need to be reminded more than they need instructed"

Signs of Being in a Bad Job -
- Anonymity...Nobody acts like they care about you.
- Irrelevance...What you do has very little value or influence.
- Immeasurement...You have no idea where you stand or how well you're doing

"The impact you have on the people you manage is much greater than the impact you'll have on volunteers."

Panel Speaking About the Word's Perspective of Christians:
91% see Christians as "Anti-homesexual"
87% see Christians as "Judgemental"
78% see Christians as "Sheltered"

"We're not hated for righteousness; we're hated for self-righteousness."

"People must have a way to act on what they know."

Rick Warren:
Moses' staff represented his...
- Identity (Shepherd)
- Income (That of a shepherd)
- Influence (Moves sheep from A to B)

God asked Moses to lay down his staff and God did the impossible by changing it into a snake. Once Moses picked it back up, it changed back to a stick.

"What is in your hand?"
"What needs to be laid down?"

John Maxwell:
"Intentionally add value to the people around you."
"Don't worry about the reaping...just sow."

To add value to people, you must...
- Value people
- Make yourself more valuable
- Know and relate to what others value
- Do what God values (See and Touch as God would)

Craig Groeschel (MY FAVORITE):
Practical Atheist - "Someone who believes God exists but does ministry/life as if He does not exist."

"Our lips sometimes stay close to God, but our heart is elsewhere."

"The way you're doing the work of God can destroy the work of God in you."

Practical Atheism...
- We believe our effort is better than God's power.
- We believe our private life doesn't affect our ministry.
- We believe we must please people more than we please God.

Dave Ramsey:
How to create waves...
- Have a written financial plan.
- Get out of debt.
- Act your wage.
- Save and invest.
- Give (Invest in Heaven)

Erwin McManus:
Even when Adam had a perfect relationship with God and he lived in a perfect place, he still needed.
- God understood Adam's needs more than Adam understood them.
- God intends His creation to be creative.

Andy Stanley (2nd Message):
"There are organizational systems that are conducive to ministry and organizational systems that impede ministry."

"There are organizational systems that free leaders to lead and organizational systems that obstruct leaders."

"System = Your organization's approach to getting things done"

"Systems create behaviors."

Components of a system...
- Expectations/Rules
- Rewards (or lack of)
- Consequences (or lack of)
- Communication (content and style)
- Behavior (of those in charge)

"Systems have a greater impact on organizational culture than do mission statements."

System Imperatives...
- Your system should allow you (lead pastor) to involve and hire the BEST person for the job.
- Your system should provide you with the flexibility to get the right people to the table.
- Your system should allow you to make complex decisions within the context of a small group of empowered individuals
- Your system should ensure that only one person answers to "THEY".

"If you go into an exisiting system w/out knowing there is a system issue, you will spin your wheels."

"Talks don't create behaviors...systems do."

"The CONGREGATIONAL VIEW is not found in the Bible."

Steps to creating a system...
- Get a group of no more than 5-6 people.
- List 3 behaviors you wished characterized your church.
- List 1 thing that you're to encourage for each of the 3 behaviors you listed.
- List the things you're doing to encourage any wrong behaviors.

I highly recommend this conference. We also met with Kevin Myers who pastors the largest Wesleyan Church in the world. That meeting was probably the most valuable experience, but I don't have my notes with me. I'll share them later.

It's Fall?

2007-09-21T22:44:00.000-05:00

Seriously...it's Fall?

We're here. I promise.

Summer Update

2007-07-08T20:38:00.000-05:00

4 Degrees...
Two of us have finished and two of us have practically just begun our degrees. Heather (David's sister) completed her M.A. in Christian Education and Tom (David's dad) completed his Doctorate in Ministry...both from Nazarene Theological Seminary. Graduation was a blast!

We, Katy and I, are at the beginning of our graduate work. Katy (M.A. in Educational Leadership) has finished up two classes while I'm just beginning my second class (M.A. in Ministry). We're both learning a ton and enjoying it despite the reorganization of our lives so homework could be given quality time. I'm scheduled to finish in April, 2009 and Katy should finish up soon after.

New Orleans...
At the very beginning of June, our church took 23 hard-working people to provide aid to Hurricane Katrina victims through World Hope. It was a special trip where we all bonded and the obvious need was seen by all. Parts of the area look like a ghost town, while others are filled with people grasping for hope as they begin the rebuilding process (if they can afford it).

It was a great trip...one that we'll probably do again next summer. Pray for the people in New Orleans...they are incredibly open to hearing just how much God cares for them.

Vacation...
It was only 5 days. Every year we do our best to make it down to Florida to enjoy the beach. We are going back to normal life tomorrow which proves we should have taken a longer vacation. Last year, we enjoyed the Florida sun for 8 days...this year, it amazing how much of a different three days can make. Along with my parents and the Semple Family (David's sister's family), we went down to the Clearwater Beach, Florida for some great family time.

We had a blast and we are currently going through withdraw although we're
excited to reconnect with our friends in Manhattan.

Vacation daily schedule:
1. Get up (doesn't matter when)
2. Drink coffee and have breakfast
3. Face toughest decision of the day (Beach or Pool?)
4. Swim or Layout
5. Eat
6. Swim or Layout
7. Take a nap (because of the extremely difficult day)
8. Eat
9. Lounge around the big screen HDTV
10. Sleep

(The nap was sometimes substituted for a time of shopping or movie watching. Please note the gigantic prime rib dinner I am giving my approval of...this is the restaurant that Katy and I ate at on the first night of our honeymoon.)

We finished up our vacation with a visit to see Katy's parents and her grandpa...they're always a ton of fun!

Coming up...
Katy has about a month left in her summer vacation before she reports back to her school. She'll also be starting her third graduate course pretty soon which I know she's really excited about.

Hayden is in vacation mode...I think he's long-forgotten any memory of preschool. He'll be at a different school this year but he'll have the same teacher. She moved to a different school, so we moved with her because she's that good!

As I said earlier, I'm preparing for some messages I'll be presenting in the next four weeks. God has blessed me with several opportunities lately to speak at other churches which is something I really enjoy while I also am privileged to preach in our home church.

We've got our church's "Family Camp" and our District's "Family Reunion" coming up during this month...so, Good-bye Vacation!

We love you all!

- The Kinnans

Greensburg, Kansas

2007-05-21T15:09:00.000-05:00

Here is a note I sent out to our church body and others who support us. A town in our state was obliterated by a tornado and this is an account of a team we sent (me included) to the town:

This past weekend, 18 members of the RLC community drove down to devastated Greensburg, Kansas. Our purpose was to represent Christ to whomever we encountered as we helped complete whatever tasks they needed accomplished. As we drove into the town, it seemed as though a major windstorm has wiped out the supporting beams of several structures. It didn’t look as bad as expected. We stopped at a volunteer tent where various agencies were helping facilitate incoming volunteers. Sadly, it didn’t take us long to check-in as few people were coming into the city. After we broke up into teams and received our assignments…some were going to patch a roof and others went to sort debris. We got into our cars and drove to the sites.

As I said earlier, it didn’t look as bad as I’d pictured…until we drove deeper into the town. At what you would see as a definitive line, the tornado made its presence known. As we drove further into the town, it looked as though a bomb had exploded and completely erased any remnant of organized life. Greensburg, Kansas literally looked like Bosnia during its wars. We saw piles of debris, brick buildings completely toppled over. Cars, trucks and trailers were thrown around like they weighed 10 pounds. One phrase seemed to come out of everyone’s mouth in unison: This is shocking. Nobody could describe what we were seeing. Nothing seemed adequate to explain our emotions. It looked like everything has been run through a mulcher.

Our work was simple…go to a pile (formally known as a house) and begin to sort through the debris. Metal would go in one pile and everything else in another pile. Eventually, everything will be carted out in dump trucks to be burned. The memories of each household will be soon be physically erased with only the homeowner knowing how special these places really are. In talking with the residents, we learned that most had little desire to keep what the storm had destroyed.

Every one of our 18 member crew members worked with incredible tenacity and energy. I never heard a complaint. We had one injury involving a nail’s desire to enter someone’s foot. God really protected us in the midst of pretty dangerous situations. We debriefed later that evening and it was humbling to hear about the emotions others were feeling as we dug through personal belongings.

I tell you all of this for the purpose of asking you to pray. Real Life Church is a group of people who pray and believe in prayer. The people of Greensburg need us to ask God to intervene in their lives. I believe they’re searching for hope and understanding and I’m 100% confident they can find both in our Creator. Below, you will see a couple of pictures taken by our own Layne Stafford. The purpose of these pictures is not to shock you, but rather, encourage you to pray. Pray as though you needed the prayers.

We're Back!

2007-04-09T18:10:00.000-05:00

So much has gone on in the last several months, and we have finally sat down long enough to post some pictures! Sorry for the delay! :-) We'll start from the most recent and work our way back!

Easter: We had an incredible Easter, spending time at church and with family! As Hayden grows it is such an amazing experience to have the privilege of sharing the story of God's love for us!The pictures include Hayden's happy face after Great-Grandma Bush sent him a new stuffed pal ... then decorating eggs ... and the hunt for goodies!

Family Time: We've had a blast at home (before the recent freeze!) practicing our tee-ball skills, riding our bike, and even sliding at the park with cousin Ailee!

Bass Pro Shop: There's a new Bass Pro Shop in Olathe, so during our last visit we spent quite awhile there - it was such fun, and we have some beautiful boats on our wish list now! :-)

KEEN Conference: This was by far one of the most memorable moments in my very short professional career! It was two days of meeting and sharing with educators from across the state, and I even got to meet the Lt. Governor!

Graduate School Update!: David has thrown his hat in the ring of graduate school students, so we have been hanging out on the couch with laptops after our little guy goes to bed. By the time we're through, I think both of us should earn two degrees, as we look to one another to "spark" ideas when we're having writers block! It's going to be exciting to go through the experience together, going to two schools in two different states from our own home! We LOVE online classes!

Wow!

2007-03-30T09:53:00.000-05:00

The past few months have flown by, and we have so much to share! We promise to post new pictures and stories soon! :-)

We pray that today and always you are resting in God's presence and blessed by His peace in your life!

Happy Friday!
Kate

How Sweet It Is!

2007-03-05T14:26:00.000-06:00

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, KU!

Life Update.

2007-02-27T12:41:00.000-06:00

Our winter has been very full, and we're anticipating more exciting and busy times as we rapidly approach the spring (we are SO READY for sunshine and warm temperatures!). Thank you for your prayers ... not only for us, but for mom and dad Kinnan as well. It is amazing the healing and peace that come from the Lord, and we are so thankful for such faithful friends and family!

RLC is going great ... God continues to bless us with people willing to serve, and it is such an enormous blessing for us to be a part of this incredible body of believers! David is enjoying his full-time office hours, and has been taking turns with Pastor Eric preaching at a nearby church while they search for a pastor. That's been a lot of fun, too!

Hayden is talking and talking and talking, and growing and growing and growing! His favorite word now is "Why." We'll say something like, "Hayden, let's pick up your toys and get ready for bed." He'll say "Why?" This starts a whole process that's fun and exhausting at the same time. If you've ever read the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" book, you know what we're talking about. His Matchbox collection grows all the time ... we find some under the couch or in the pantry, and now that it's been warm we discovered that many have been hibernating in the backyard over the winter. Ha!

I love school more than anyone I know, both teaching and being a student myself. I had the privilege of going to the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network Conference last week to accept my HORIZON award, and really had a great time of discussion and networking with the incredible educators and leaders of Kansas education. It was so much fun, and I even got to meet the Lt. Governor!

As alway this time of year, we're closely watching both KU and KSU, and will be glued to the TV during games for the next month or so. KU is taking it to the top this year, we can feel it!

Have a BLESSED Day!

Please pray ...

2007-01-30T10:19:00.000-06:00

These last few months have been filled with tremendous joy ... and quite a lot of pain. It's only through God's grace that we are able to get through this beautiful and painful journey of life, and we are experiencing that full well right now.

We have prayed for and sought to have another child for quite some time now, and due to medical reasons had to go through a little more than with Hayden. About 5 weeks ago we found out that our second baby was on the way. As of Friday, we were just under 2 months into the pregnancy. On Saturday, I began to feel cramps and other symptoms characteristic of a miscarriage. Yesterday, the thought of a miscarriage became a reality. I know miscarriage is a part of life...I know God is completely in control and His sovereignty is far superior than I can imagine. We know our little baby is in a better place and will have a life more perfect than we could ever dream of with his/her Heavenly Father ... and we will meet our little one someday.

We ask for your prayers as we grieve this event. We have never felt such extreme emotions; from the thrill of a new life and planning and discussing and dreaming of this little person every moment of the day ... and then it's just gone. It will take time and God's grace to help us heal. I'm sure many of you who read this have probably experienced the same thing, and I do know we will look back at this and value how God was moving in this situation, and what an incredible ministry opportunity we are so privileged to share.

God Bless You,
Kate

If you wonder...

2007-01-25T09:50:00.000-06:00

Does God care about our individual lives...meaning, does God really listen to our prayers? I have recently been reminded how easy it can be for my mind to become trapped in "life" as I put the essence of my faith way back in my thoughts and then move only my current circumstances to the front...allowing them to dominate all that I do.

Most of you are now well aware of the battle Josh Buck is waging right now. Actually, I need to word that differently. I wonder if Josh is simply the center of the battle while we're seeing what seems to be the nation coming together in prayer and fasting on Josh's behalf...almost as if we're declaring a spiritual war on his ailments and fighting this in some united way.

My faith in my Lord has been increased today as I learned of Josh's physical developements. I wonder if this is how the disciples felt after Christ had been crucified and they went off to hide...then they encounter him 3 days later...I feel empowered by what I have read, yet I also see how weak my faith had become.

If your faith is weak, and you really do wonder if the God of the universe would care about the desires of your heart. And, if you wonder if prayer has any power...please read the post here: www.greenhouseministries.org

Living with increased faith,
DK

Please pray

2007-01-18T22:55:00.000-06:00

Josh Buck, the Best Man in our wedding and one of my very best friends, had an incredibly serious diving injury involving his vertebrae (his C5). I don't know many details, but I do know the seriousness of this goes without saying. He is currently in a drug-induced coma.

For additional information: www.greenhouseministries.org

If you pray, please pray to God that He would intervene.

07' Update

2007-01-16T16:23:00.000-06:00

07’ Update

It’s been awhile, so here’s the latest:

Katy – She’s back into the swing of things in managing her classroom of what seems to be an abnormally well-behaved group of sixth-grade students. Just this past week, Katy started in on two of her first online Masters classes through Emporia State University. She was born to be a student, so her excitement is hard to miss. It’s fun to see how giddy she gets as she organizes her assignments and responds to her classmates.

Hayden – He jumped right back into school without a hitch. Actually, his teachers were amazed at his speech progress over the 2 week vacation time. He came back saying so many new words in complete sentences…he still jabbers a lot in some alien language, but he’s finally showing a desire to talk which is exciting for us.

David – I don’t go to bed with a weight of stress consuming my mind. I’ve been done working at Big Brothers Big Sister for about a month…I have yet to entertain a single thought of regret. I bring Hayden out to our church office during his naptime which gives me a good amount of time to accomplish things.

The semester is really on the move…our nights without meetings or events have seemed to dwindle down each week, but in some sick way…we enjoy it.

We’ve got some good pics that we have yet to put up here…hopefully we get’em to you soon.

It's over

2006-12-23T21:06:00.000-06:00

For almost 3 years I've wanted to type: "I'm done working at Big Brothers Big Sisters". Well, I'm done working at Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Man of the Month: Bing Crosby

2006-12-09T21:50:00.000-06:00

Road Trip...
It's almost been a month since we last posted...it seems like a lot of blogs are struggling to update more than once a month. With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the travelling in-between...life enters warp speed.

Since our last post, we travelled to Marion, Indiana to celebrate Thanksgiving with both sets of my grandparents and extended family. We look forward to this trip every year...our family is fun.

Last Month...
When December 1st came, that meant I was officially in my last month at Big Brothers Big Sisters...no words explain the good emotions we're all feeling about this.

Unexpected News...
Many of you know this, but a couple of weeks ago my mom was diagnosed with cancer. Shocked...stunned...scared...sad...shocked again....all emotions we've felt. Now, we know that cancer is unfortunately a part of life for a large majority of people. We also have a peace that our Lord is a part of these circumstances and He'll definitely take care of my mom, but that doesn't erase the natural emotions of fear and shock that anyone would feel.

We're in the "waiting period"...wondering what is next in regards to appointments, treaments an solutions. Many of you have e-mailed and called...some calls I haven't returned just yet...give me some time :)

So...please pray for my mom.

Horizon Award...
The Kansas Department of Education has an award given to a first year teacher who has shown outstanding perfermance. My wife just received unofficial news that she will be one of the recipients of the award. In February, she'll travel to Topeka so she can recognized for being the best teacher in the entire world...yeah...the entire world. (To me, anyway!). If you look at the numbers, Katy has been deemed one of the best new teachers out a pool of thousands of teachers!

Parties...
I believe we have 5 or 6 Christmas parties...is that weird?

I hope you're enjoying the season...if you're like me, you've got the "All Christmas Music" station programed in your car...you've doctored up your MySpace to reflect snowflakes...and you've already had more Christmas cookies and candies than you'd care to admit.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
DK

Wow!

2006-11-17T22:33:00.000-06:00

Time cherishing every minute of it! Hayden has continued to amaze us with his countless words and neverending chatter that makes our hearts leap with excitement, and he is (finally) out of the pull-ups (during the day, anyway), and loving his THOMAS the TRAIN undies! His favorite things right now (other than preschool and his new movie CARS) include lining his cars up on the fireplace, riding the Gazelle, being a handyman and jumping in leaves! He's also very proud of his new big boy bed! :-)