Mom's Best Friend

The post I'm about to create will probably have some of you saying, "oh, brother!", but those of you with any kind of pet will understand completely. I am dedicating this part of my blog to my faithful companion, Savannah. Some of you met her in one of my earlier posts. She's the big, black lump of fur playing with Austin or waiting for scraps from his highchair. I've already told the story of how she came to be a part of our family so I won't go into that here. This time I'd like to discuss her lovable personality and some of my favorite memories of her. No, she didn't die. I'm just finding myself especially grateful for her and the fun she contributes to our family.



Anyone that has met Savannah knows that she has a personality all her own. From day 1 we could tell that God was going to show us His sense of humor in the form of our new dog. Her first nickname quickly became, Houdini. "Why?" you ask. Well, maybe it was the fact that she climbed the walls of her makeshift cage one day only to lay right beside it because apparently she hadn't mastered the talent of climbing back INTO her temporary house. Or it could be that she immediately discovered the best way out of the backyard and sat howling by Luke's truck at the end of the driveway until our neighbors took pity on her and babysat until we came home from church. Either way, she has caused us to get creative and constantly try to stay one step ahead of our four-legged friend.



After "Houdini" wore off, Luke was more than happy to come up with other alternate names for Savannah. Don't worry, none of them were of the four letter nature. Despite her best efforts of peeing on the carpet and chewing up his treasured possessions, nothing could pull any of those words from my sweet husband! Thank goodness! Instead, Luke thought her new name should be Shadow since she was very intent in following us around, which included bumping her nose up against the back of your leg to let you know she was still there. But my absolute favorite was when he called her Nutso. No other word could describe our Savannah so completely. She is definitely one crazy dog. So I guess you could say that our dog has a super long name...Savannah Houdini Shadow Nutso Keiffer. And yes, I did just combine all her names as if she was a human.



It's true when they say dogs are the first step to having children. I am now convinced that each dog has it's own personality. Savannah's happens to be onery, playful, and shy with a little high maintenance in the mix. On our first attempt to take her on a walk she absolutely refused to walk on anyone's driveway. In fact, the only reason we got 3 houses down from ours was because we bribed her with dog treats. Sadly, we were forced to carry her back home. Next to her house, her bed is where she spends a great deal of time and not by choice at first. Luke would command her to get on her bed and she would respond by testing every last ounce of patience he had. She would wait until he was coming over to MAKE her get on her bed before she would run and leap onto her bed as if to say, "BASE!!" Once his back was turned she would quietly but quickly stretch her entire body off of her bed until only one paw was touching.

She is still very much the same these days. The only difference is that she's mellowed quite a bit. She's still onery although not as often and while she's gotten more comfortable around new people she still likes the introduction stage to be on her own terms. Luke has yet another nickname for her and it just happens to be princess. By far the most complimentary one he's come up with so far. This is a result of the attitude she's had lately about eating her food outside. Since it's been unbearably hot, she prefers to eat in the comfort of the air conditioning. Of course, I'm the one that indulges her while Luke only gives her tough love. And speaking of Luke, the two of them have ventured out on a number of walks together lately. She's starts out strong but quickly fades to dragging behind Luke until he's pulling her rather than it being the other way around. I love that she will now "put herself to bed" which entails going into our bedroom all by herself and laying on her bed. What a difference from when she was a puppy!

As silly as it sounds sometimes my prayer is "Thank you Jesus for a dog that makes life a little more fun and forces us to work on our patience." Now don't misunderstand. I defnitely love Luke and Austin more than Savannah, but she has been a great companion before Austin while Luke was at class at night and gone for a week working the big "Ice Storm of '07!" Whether or Luke likes it or not, she's an official part of the Keiffer family.

Time Flies...

... when you're having fun! This last month has been a crazy one. I'm sure you can tell by the lack of posting and updating on my part. We've celebrated birthdays, weddings, and most importantly fathers! So I wanted to take a little time to celebrate a new father who just happens to be my husband. :) I can't tell you how thankful I am for Luke and the joy and happiness he brings to my life. Our first 3 years of marriage were wonderful. We made so many great memories and learned so many valuable lessons as a married couple. And then God sent Austin. I guess you could say that the fun REALLY began on July 17, 2007. From the very first moments of Austin's life, I was amazed at what an awesome father Luke already was. If I was going to be honest (and we all know I can't lie) I would have to admit that he was even more comfortable with Austin than I was at first. Since then I have watched the 2 of them bond and grow closer together as a father and son. And what a BLESSING it has been!

I love that he is always encouraging me to take a break at the end of the day. No matter how long his day has been he is quick to make sure I get some down time.

I love watching him play with Austin. He gets down on the floor and lets Austin crawl all over him...and I mean ALL OVER him! :) Of course, our son LOVES this and can't get enough of "playtime with Dad"

I love that he makes his family a priority. One of the things I have loved and continue to love best about Luke is how important family is. Not only does he make Austin and I top priority but he is also sensitive to the needs of his own family as well as his in-laws.

I could go on but I'll stop here since I'm a mom and my time is no longer limitless. I've posted a few of my favorite pictures of Luke and Austin. Of course, these are just a few but priceless nonetheless. I pray that all of you had a wonderful day celebrating the fathers in your lives and that you were blessed by your Heavenly Father as well!

It's Not a Sprint, It's a Marathon

I saw this quote on one of my friends' myspace pages and thought it very appropriate when applied to life in general, but especially life with a baby! Sometimes it would be nice if it were just a sprint. One fast, hard run and you're done. However, that's not the case or the way God intended it to be. Life is a marathon. At times you're running the race and giving it your all. Other times it's necessary to take it a little slow and catch your breath...maybe even stop for a water break! :) I don't know about you but these are the times that seem to be the most memorable. It's the moments when life slows down just long enough to savor all the blessings God has put in my path. Heart to heart talks with my family and husband. Playing with Austin. Laughing with friends. Being still long enough to hear God speak to my heart.

But sometimes the race is hard and long. The finish line can't come soon enough. It's difficult to stay disciplined and remember that God will complete the job He started. It would be so easy to give up and throw in the towel, but then we'd miss out on the growth God has planned for us. Looking back in my life, it's the challenges and obstacles that God has used to continue to refine me. The process is painful, but once I'm on the other side, I realize that I'm a step closer to becoming more like Him. One step closer to the finish line where hopefully I'll hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

Life isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. A race with obstacles, challenges, and moments of blessings.

Hebrews 12:1 (The Message)
Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

A Blast from the Past

The family (minus Jon and Luke) at Claire's Junior/Senior banquet. Don't we clean up nice?

My date for the evening AND one of the best sisters in the whole world!

Missing Jon and Luke!

My parents. Aren't they such a cute couple?!

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I can't believe my littlest sister Claire is a junior...about to be a senior! This weekend I went to her Junior/Senior Banquet..."A Night With The Stars". Claire was in charge of the committee that did the table decorations, and may I just say they looked amazing! We even got to sit with one of my favorite high school teachers and catch up. It was a blast! Anyways, as I sat and watched all the seniors escorted to their seats I couldn't help but remember MY senior banquet. Luke and I were dating at the time and I was THRILLED to be his date. It was a bittersweet time for me. I was finally dating the guy I'd waited to date the whole year, and it was about to be over. (At least I thought it was!) I was nervous about going to college but excited at the same time. My senior year was not the easiest, and I was definitely ready to start a new chapter with new adventures and friends.

Looking back I realize how far God has brought me from the person I used to be. I was not the most confident person, and I had a tendency to let people take advantage of me. I was a little on the sensitive side, which was both good and bad! Since then there have been many situations that God has used to grow me and my confidence. He has always been molding me into the woman He wants me to become, but I think learning to value and respect myself as well as my personal boundaries has been the biggest lesson in my life so far. I was encouraged the other night when Luke told me I was much more confident and not afraid to speak my mind. Once it was brought to my attention, I had to agree, but this has been something I've worked on for a long time. I still feel like I have a long way to go too.

However, there are some things that have remained the same. I'm still a people pleaser and don't like the feeling or the thought of someone not liking me. I can still be a little sensitive but with more confidence comes the ability to shrug some stuff off. But the most important thing that has stayed the same is my love for Luke. Well actually I would have to say that it grows everyday. He is truly my best friend and I feel like he has played a big part in my being more confident. He is the first to tell me that I can do anything I set my mind too. Even when others express their doubt. I have to be honest. Sometimes he believes I can do things that even I doubt! When I look back to the beginning of our relationship, I remember the summer after our senior year. It was such a special time, and with every passing day I grew more and more sad that it would eventually come to an end. I was so happy when it was clear that we would continue dating, and even happier when we knew we would get married after graduating from college!

God is good! He refuses to leave us where we are even if it means pushing us out of our comfort zone. He never stops believing in us and what we have the potential to become. I am so thankful that He has shown me how valuable I am in His eyes.

A Special Mother's Day

Yesterday marked my first Mother's Day in which my son was actually present at the celebrations. I fully believe that if you are pregnant on Mother's Day then you are ABSOLUTELY entitled to celebrate! However, it is so special to have your little one participate in making the day memorable.

Luke and Austin woke me up with their present and cards. Luke told me that in order for Austin to truly pick out the card he wanted, his daddy held up various cards and bought the one that made Austin laugh the most. I love it!!! I can just see the two of them on the card aisle picking out the best one for me. Then it was off to breakfast with my boys followed by lunch later with my whole family. I also got to take a nap later that afternoon before we had steak for dinner. It was a wonderful day and I'm so thankful that I get to be the mom to the best little boy in the whole world! :)

Where Does the Time Go

We've all heard the saying "Seize the Day", but what happens when that's exactly what you're trying to do and time keeps flying past before you can "seize" every moment? Last night we had a family dinner in honor of my brother-in-law to be. Most of you know that he came to live with my family for the semester while he did his internship, and it was a blast! It was such a blessing to have some extra time with the engaged couple and to be able to enjoy multiple double dates with my sister. Jon is a wonderful guy and adds yet another special layer to our family. As you can imagine, it was a little bittersweet saying goodbye yesterday. I can't believe it's already been 5 months since he came to live at my parents' house. It got me thinking about how fast time flies. So if you don't mind, I'd like to take a little trip down a lane littered with some of my most favorite memories.



Family vacations. It seems that almost everyone takes one but not every family has the amount of fun that we do! Whether it's Disney World, Canada, or just a trip up to the lake, we always come back with more family jokes, souveniers, and pictures galore. The first vacation Luke took with us turned out to be quite a surprise for him. He had no idea that a family of girls would do as many activities as we did. I'm pretty sure this was one of the more pleasant surprises in our marriage! :)



College. There will never be a more stressful, carefree time in your life. But when it's all said and done, you won't remember the "honest D" in your hardest class, the group project in which you did all the work, or the professor that could never be pleased. You remember late nights with friends, intermural sports, and the glorious freedom of sleeping past 8 in the morning because you don't have a class until 12. That was one chapter in my life that I didn't realize I'd be so sad to close.



My wedding day. This is probably my most special memory, and being a part of the wedding planning for Britt has allowed me the pleasure of remembering every moment and emotion leading up to the big day. I waited and waited for May 22, 2004 to come, and once it did, it seemed like it was over in a flash! While most of it is a blur, there are some things that are not. Luke's face when I walked down the aisle. Celebrating a special day with friends and family. Losing Luke's ring right before the ceremony. (This is now a tradition that has continued...let's see if we can put a stop to it on August 9th!) Brittany singing our first dance with the band. And finally, leaving the reception as Mrs. Benjamin Luke Keiffer. How blessed I am to be spending the rest of my life with my best friend!



July 17th, 2007. This is the day that Austin made his big debut. At the end of a very long 9 months and 9 hours of labor, Luke and I were looking at a perfect combination of the 2 of us. Suddenly we weren't just a newly married couple, but we were officially a family. And it's gotten better everyday. He is such a blessing, and we've enjoyed every moment of his little life so far.

These are just a few of some of my treasured memories. There's a verse in the Bible that talks about Mary pondering things in her heart. It's referring to the time after Jesus was born. I've decided that this will be my goal. To savor every moment and "ponder them in my heart" as well. :)

Beans, Beans the Musical Fruit :)

Last night Luke and I had chalupas for dinner and they were excellent if I do say so myself! One of the main ingredients is refried beans. I thought, "Hey! This might actually be something Austin could eat and enjoy." So out came one of his little tupperware bowls and the tasting began. What followed was a hilarious sight of a little boy covered in beans. Luke and I now refer to him as "bean boy" :) He had a blast and my husband and I had a good laugh. Poor Savannah, though. She really wanted to taste the bean goodness and Austin was more than willing to share. However, Luke and I nixed that idea...much to the disappointment of both of them. Needless to say, it was bathtime after dinner but was totally worth it for the pictures and fun family time. :) I wouldn't want anyone to miss out so I've posted the pictures below for your viewing pleasure. Hope it brings a smile to your face like it did mine last night!


"Hey mom! These beans are really good!"

"Let's see...is there any more left in here?"


"Why yes there is and it is still SO good!"

"What's that you say? A bath?"

"Oh no, mom! Not a bath!!"