A CREATIVE MESS

The many faces of Lillia Grace

2010-11-16T17:18:00.000-08:00

Lilli's first Halloween. She was a duck. She was not amused.

The Bear suit. Also not amused. But so stinking cute!

3 months old! She found her fingers and puts everything in her mouth.

"Hey- what's this? Can I eat this?"

Lilli's nap time. I don't think she knew she was supposed to sleep.

Love the bunny- eat the bunny!

Grandma B came to play!

Happy Baby

2010-10-02T19:12:00.000-07:00

This is Lilli at 1 month, just starting to focus well and follow the sound of my voice.

This is Lilli one month later, following the my voice and laughing at my sounds. I just can't get enough of that smile...

In fact, here it is again.

What we've been up to...

2010-09-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

PINE TREE APPLE ORCHARD

It's Honey Crisp season! We went to the orchard with Grandma Lynne, Nico and Aimee. There were Apple donuts, Cider, a Corn Maze and Lots of people!

FUNNY FACES

Every morning right after breakfast we play for a few hours and she explores our apartment. Every once in a while, instead of smiling like usual, she makes funny faces for me. (Then smiles really big like she's really proud that she made me laugh)

BATH TIME

Our Lilli LOVES bath time. If she's fussy and isn't hungry or wet, chances are she just wants a bath. Works every time. (I thought it was cute that Daddy and Lilli are making the same face)

TWINS GAME

Grandpa B, Daddy, Grandpa Denny and Baby Lilli at her very first baseball game at the new Twins stadium!

2010-09-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to DnKPhotography!

Will she know her name?

2010-08-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

Our baby's name is Lillia Grace. But will she really know that with all the nicknames she sports? Here's the short list of what comes naturally out of my mouth when I talk to her... (this is by no way a comprehensive list... no daddy nick names or nicknames from grandmas or uncles) Here we go.

- Little Lilli
- Lady Lilli
- Lilli Lani
- Baby Girl
- Sweet Girl
- Sweetie Pea* Most common
- Ms. Prez
- Princess poopy pants (She doesn't like this one. I apologize every time.)
- Shmo (I don't know why.)
- Little Pretty
- Little One
- Mi Amor

... and I'm sure there's more.

4 Weeks tomorrow!

2010-08-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

1st. Thank you mona for your comment. I didn't want to point out the spaghetti straps- Uncle Adam pointed out that they weren't "age appropriate". But again, don't judge.

So. Aunty Shmem came to visit and take care of us for almost a week. It was incredible having her here, home always feels more complete when I can live life next to her. (Thanks for being here Rooms!) I felt very taken care of, my apartment has never been cleaner (even though I don't know where anything is...) and I have never had homemade curry like hers- yummmm. I miss life next to her and it was refreshing and so fun to share Lilli with her for a while.

and Then...

Last weekend we went on our first road trip as a family. We packed up Betty (my 97 Lumina) and headed east for Whit's wedding in Fort Wayne, IN. Whit married a fantastic man named Ryan Herrmann and I have to say, I've never been so moved by vows in my lifetime. Congratulations friends, you're marriage is already a great example of a beautiful, intentional love. Thank you for letting us share in your dedication to each other.

On a side note, these families REALLY know how to party! There was a live band- and they were AMAZING! Ryan and I wanted to be on the dance floor so we entrusted Mamma Moen's best friend with Lilli and she was passed around like a little hot potato during the reception. (Don't worry those of you who worry, I took it really easy during the weekend as to not over do it myself.)

No suprise, Lilli traveled really well in the car and slept like a champ just like a Bergman. However, I think we'll take a week or two and give her a break from her car seat as much as possible.

We went in for a check up today to get Lillia weighed to make sure she's eating enough and all that jazz. Turns out she weighs 9lbs 9oz! So she's eating pretty well... goodbye newborn clothes!

The faux hawk is cute. Don't judge us.

2010-08-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

This past week

2010-08-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

This past week has been a blessing. Lillia is home again and looking well. Her Bilirueben levels dropped thursday morning from 19.9 when we got to the hospital down to 9.7 and we got to bring her home that afternoon. Praise the Lord.

We have been blessed to have family and friends bring us good meals and great company through the week. We appreciate all the support pouring out from everyone and the prayers for her last week. She's been through a lot for such a new person.

On a lighter side, we've had the pleasure of experiencing her first "blow out", seeing her sneeze with her whole body and coo during night time feedings. I couldn't be more over joyed about our time together as a family. Ryan has been able to stay home from work and focus on enjoying little Lillia for the past week and has been blessed to take a few more days this week after our 2nd trip to the hospital. It's a beautiful thing to see her dark curious eyes look up at him and latch onto his gaze. He passed his 1st CFA exam so he's been studying for the 2nd test (to be taken June 2011). He reads his economic books out loud to her while he's studying. She's learning her daddy's voice and about GDP and economic growth theories. What a lucky girl. (She slept through the whole thing... just like her mommy. Wink Wink.) She's smitten with him... and he with her... as it should be.

As far as the first week of her life, I can't wait to wake up and feed her at night. I know that most moms are exhausted and are quite put off with their lack of sleep, but fortunately I had already established the bad habit of not really sleeping a ton so it hasn't been too bad yet. She's a good sleeper... just like her daddy so it's been great. We've had good bonding time and it gives me so much joy to be the one who can meet her needs. What a special privilege.

Again... thanks for all your prayers. And a special thanks to Aunty Mona for the Alpaca hat!

Our Sweet Girl...

2010-08-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Lillia Grace Bergman is here!!! (We call her Lilli for short) She was born July 31st, 2010 at 3:33pm and weighed 8lbs 6oz!!!
We are beyond amazement at how much we love her. She is strong and beautiful... just as expected. It's incredible to see her movements and finally know what she was doing inside me all that time. This has been a wonderful journey and every minute gets better and better. She has totally captured my heart. I could look into her eyes for hours and I actually miss her when she's asleep. She's so curious already and it floors me how much she's learned in the past 5 days. She's learned to breathe, eat, and how to match us to our voices- I am so proud of her. Her first few days of life were surrounded by people who loved her before she even took her first breath. It was so special to us to have so many people love us so well. Thank you everyone who was praying for a safe delivery, everyone is safe and happy. Ryan was a wonderful support and I am continually impressed with him. While I was resting in bed, Ryan took the responsibility of learning all he could from the nurses on bathing, diapering, sleeping and general tips and tricks. He was the one who showed me how to swaddle her for bed time and how to change a diaper more efficiently... there is no one Lilli is safer with than him- and that makes a mom really proud. Adding Lilli to our family created a whole new wonderful dimension to our family- and we are coming through it closer than ever.

A glimpse into our new life:

Little Lilli and Mom

Little Lilli and Dad

Lilli had a little run in with Jaundice. We had to readmit her to the hospital so she could spend some time in the NICU spa. (note the fashionable eye wear.) She is still in there today and over night tonight but her counts are going down (*good) and we should be able to bring her home again tomorrow.

Reactions to the end.

2010-07-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

1. I was just directed to this great new blog for new moms- Project Mom: Tips, Tricks & Truths for First Time Moms. (Thanks Lily!) I know a ton of upcoming new moms so check it out friends- she has some good stuff in there.

2. This is a good site for DIY projects. PrudentBaby.com Easy, straightforward and cute.

3. The end of pregnancy questions are more trying than the mid pregnancy comments. This is obviously just my take- some women get really offended by those mid pregnancy comments such as: WOW, when are you due? How many babies are in there? You look really uncomfortable. Are you sure that baby is going to fit? How are you going to get that baby out? blah blah blah. I think they're kind of funny- it's hilarious what people think is appropriate small talk- they know the final exam to these 9 months isn't going to be pleasant... yet they make comments like "I knew this girl once and her baby got stuck half way down and they had to push her back in just to cut her out." (I'm not upset at this comment, so friend who said this, you know who you are, please don't take it personally that I used this ONE comment as my example. It wasn't the worst.) But more tense people than I might be terrified at stories like these. I can even take the ribbing from family- even though my patience has been tried once or twice and my sensitivity has been very delicate these past 9 months- I know they love this new baby so I can deal with it.

4. The end of pregnancy questions:

The first one I have trouble with is "What's her name?" To save everyone some time, we don't know yet. My experience with choosing names has been limited to pets, stuffed animals and paintings. With paintings, I've been in the habit of not naming them until the creation is complete and I can get a good look at what it should be called. Even then it's hard to choose a name, I've poured myself into it, I've worked so hard to complete it, what name would do it justice? It's infinitely harder to name our child. So we'll be waiting until we meet her and see what name could possibly do her justice.

The second question I have trouble with is "Are you ready to get that baby out?" The answer is NO. First- I've really enjoyed this whole pregnancy thing... it's SUPER interesting. Second, It's easier to take care of her when she's inside. I've been able to be relatively in control of her for the past 9 months. I can keep her safe by keeping myself safe, I can keep her healthy by keeping myself healthy... I know this isn't always the case, but I have been very fortunate with her. I'm not saying this because I'm a control freak and once she's out- I'm going to have to give up some control. It's not like that. Once she's out, I'm forced to take the first step in letting her go. After all, she's not really mine to start with, she belongs to the Lord and He will direct her path. It's hard to think about how to raise her in this world to know courage and justice and honesty... to be a woman of integrity and to know the Lord. Then to let her go someday knowing that He can take care of her far better than we ever could and trust that she's gotten to know Him enough to walk in the right direction. It's one big snowball... I can't wait to see her and watch her react to Ryan- (who she's been snuggling up to for months now) and to hear her laugh for the first time and hear her sweet voice someday... but it's hard knowing that this is the first step toward her life as an independent person. She'll be able to breathe on her own, sleep on her own and eat on her own and soon enough we'll be sending her to school and to college, she'll get married and have children of her own. (Lord willing and if she chooses it.) She will have her own path and her own purpose, her own personality... and we'll be proud. But every parent I talk to says it goes by so fast... so if you keep asking me now if I'm ready to have her out... please know that these are the thoughts that flash through my head. I love every minute I spend with her and I'm not ready to rush anything.

All that said, it's close to the end of this season. Our due date is Aug. 2nd... so anytime in the next few weeks we'll be welcoming this little one into the world and we can't wait for you all to meet her! We'll try to post the announcement as soon as we can.

Whit's beautiful family

2010-06-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

oil on canvas 24" x 36"

This is the Moen family... Papa Moen, Whitney, Mandy and Mamma Moen. I would like to point out how joyful this family is when they're together. I was honored to be commissioned for this painting- Thanks for letting me be a part of this!

Old and New Projects

2010-04-19T11:36:00.001-07:00

Yellow Bird.

Fun mixed media alphabet.

I really like doing small projects on the side of the larger and longer projects. They keep my creativity going and my mind loose.

Our Baby Girl

2010-04-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is the baby girl that's been living inside me for 5 months. It's been a pretty amazing journey so far. It's one thing to have the knowledge that there is a person in there, it's another to hear, see and feel her. She's already taking after her dad... he taps her and she taps back- it's her favorite game. She also responds to music in a big way- dancing up a storm in there. We can't wait to meet her!

Oh happy day!

2010-02-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

I had a great experience today.

It's Monday in MN and we're in the middle of a pretty nice snow storm. It's beautiful. I had a few errands to run, 1st stop- bank. Thank you icy roads for the short lines at the bank. 2nd stop, blockbuster for a few free movies. I was greeted as I walked in the door... they're very good about that. I was asked if I needed help... that was nice. When I got to the counter to check out, the guy helping me said, "You have a nice energy- you seem very happy, what's your secret?" I took a second to reflect while he was looking up my account... I got to say, "God didn't create life to be unhappy, I guess I'm happy because I'm grateful." He smiled and told me that was a very good reason. And it is.

Dreams

2010-01-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

My favorite pregnancy symptom so far are the ultra vivid dreams. I had heard about these dreams and a lot of women said they had scary dreams about murderers or giving birth to a 19lb baby... not me. So far my dreams are somewhat realistic and definitely linked to what I've been thinking about over the past few days. I've been having a lot of dreams about friends that I've lost touch with- friends that I don't even know how to find. It's been really nice to reconnect with these people- even if it wasn't real. I woke up feeling so happy every time. Thank you hormones or whatever chemical is making my dreams so real. I have a hard time sleeping through the night lately so sometimes I get to have a few of these dreams each night because of the interruptions.

Cool.

Heartbeats Rule- week 11

2010-01-13T07:40:00.000-08:00

I'm sure everyone that reads my blog, all 8 of you already know what I'm referring to.

On Monday Ryan and I went to see our midwife and heard the super fast thumping heartbeat of our baby for the first time! I didn't gush like some women, I didn't even tear up but it was beautiful and I am amazed at this biological marvel that God letting us share.

When I have more time and energy I'll be able to get out my actual thoughts and feelings about this incredible- spiritual- overwhelmingly beautiful new stage of life- but for now- we're going with the play by play approach.

Ode to Betty

2010-01-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

There is a new sweetheart in my life. Her name is Betty. She is a 97 Maroon Chevy Lumina and she's so sweet (and safe). It's hard to say good bye to the old saturn, but it's time. My family found this car for me and I was hesitant at first but as soon as I sat in there and saw that I could adjust all my mirrors from the driver seat I was smitten. All my wheels are the same size, the windows don't leak, the seat belt doesn't choke me every time I get in, there are cup holders (not one but two!) AND there is a front bench seat! She's not flashy and she's not without quirks, but she has character and I like her a lot.

memories

2009-12-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

I've been reading the recent flows of "I'm back" blogging and thought I would jump on board.

I don't have a lot to say right now... so whenever that happens I'm just going default to telling you a cherished memory or two of mine.

When I was a kid, (<grade school) my mom used to make t-bone steaks and rice every Sunday for dinner. We would sit in front of the TV and watch America's funniest home videos. For dessert, there was always vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce while we watched star trek (the original series with James T. Kirk) while my dad would put the golden pillows on the couch (golden pillows = large gold floor pillows that I thought every household had) and give me a back rub.

My first job ever was working at the Shorview Community Center as a gymnastics coach with my best friend and 3 boys that all eventually broke my heart. It was amazing.

The end.

College Mode

2009-10-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

My new years resolution for 2009 was to treat my body better. I wanted to eat healthier food (at regular hours), drink more water (and less sunkist), and to try to get enough sleep (at least 7 hours a night). I was doing pretty well for a while... until I took on an artsy project that was bigger than I anticipated.

I've slipped back into college mode. (Those of you who knew me in college can guess what that means. ) I'm having a great time doing this project and it's for someone I've wanted to work with for a while... but I got a little too excited and bit off more than I could chew. To start with, it turns out that I SUCK at color theory, especially compared to this woman. (not to mention her whole family) So it takes me a while to put everything together. (and I don't like taking a 'while' for anything.) Also, I'm working extra hours at my regular job during this time frame and I'm taking an advanced quilting class. (Oh Kim, you quilt?- No. No I don't. Again, too excited. Where is Cathy Kreis when you need her!? (C or K? )) Anyways, in order to make all my deadlines and fulfill all my allotted time commitments in my two week time frame, I should be able to get my 7 hours of sleep every night. I just have to forfeit commute, eating, bathing, and cleaning. 4 hours it is!

So, this is my excuse and quite whiny complaint that I don't have enough time to call, write, or text back. I'm sorry, but I will be rejoining the normal world soon I think.

Thank you to my husband who is taking very good care of me in my quite crazy state.

CAUTION!!!

2009-09-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

This post is PAINFULLY CLICHE!!!

Last Sunday, this is what I learned from our little group.

4 Effective steps to finding God's will, whether it's how to spend your bonus or what direction you move your family.

1. Make a list. ( I like to make mine pretty so I don't mind looking at them)

2. Weigh your options. (I like to use food for this, gummy bears, popcorn, milk duds... they aid in your decision making AND you get to reward yourself for making your decision in the end!)

3. Pray about it. This is KEY. If you leave this out, there's no one to steer which could = disaster!!!

4. If you still don't have a crystal clear answer (which is most likely the conclusion to bigger decisions) Do what you want & Relax. God is ultimately in control. Your decision will be blessed, shut down or redirected. Put yourself in neutral and let the tires roll, you're not steering anyways, so enjoy the scenery.

Simple right?

Tsai-Bergman Vacation 2009!!!

2009-08-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

This summer we went to The Bergman Cabin in Motley, MN as our summer vacation with the Tsai's. It was great. There was sun, rain, grilled beer can chicken, fun games, pig races (really. real pigs that drank orange Gatorade), ice cream and lots-o-baby tornado's! Thanks guys for a great vacation and a peek into parenthood! You are rock star parents, Chase is a lucky little boy!

Here are some pics from the weekend

Attack of the hugging baby!!!!!!!!!!

This is my favorite pic of the weekend! I have no idea what they're smiling at.

On the boat.

Oooooo!!!! Shadows!!!

Chase dressed as Super Baby Speedo Burrito!!!

Mel, Jeff & Chase Tsai

Places I like to go in my living room.

2009-08-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

www.xkcd.com
www.designspongeonline.com
www.pandora.com
www.designsbyhumans.com
www.lowescreativeideas.com
www.blurb.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUSBAND!!!

2009-07-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to the most amazing friend and lover of my life. I love you, I respect you, I'm challenged by you and I wish I had the servant heart that you have. I am so proud to be your wife. I can't wait to see where this year takes you. Our God did such a great job making you. I am one lucky girl!

Lessons in Communication

2009-06-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

Ryan: "Kim, you're thinking really quiet..."

Thank you Captain Obvious. But really- this phrase has merit worth discussing.

Ryan is a verbal processor. I am not. Ryan is a big picture kind of guy, I am not. Ryan has it all figured out. I do not. ( Just kidding about that last one.)

Due to our unique personality traits, Ryan and I have an interesting way of communicating. I mentioned a long time ago that we stand firmly on the same ground where it counts, but the paths we take to arrive there run no where near parallel. It's been fun trying to figure this out... so far. The wisdom I have to pass on (after my 1 year and almost 10 months of marriage) is to be slow to react and direct with your words. For instance, I know that we miscommunicate often because we are so different, so if I just wait a second until he's done processing, he might use the words and tones that will ACCURATELY portray what his point is. He knows that if I'm silent during a fight, it might not be that I'm festering on the inside with contempt... I just don't have a very large vocabulary so I need to make sure the words I use are correct and efficient to make my point. (I'm sure he struggles to wait for me to say something in those silences. He usually asks where I'm at if it's been a really long pause. Which is helpful if I've forgotten what I'm supposed to be thinking about.) We've learned to be direct with each other. I love him and he loves me and God put us together to duke it out. (enter smiley face) I wouldn't want it any other way. It's refining and dignifying to have someone you respect so much- love you enough to make you a better version of yourself.

Here are some bullet point lessons I've learned about communication:

Defensiveness kills communication.
React with humor and patience
LISTEN first
Never use sarcasm (It's hard to stop- I know.)
Be direct. Passive aggressiveness is lame. Knock it off.
Be Respectful

I'm sure I left a lot out, I just have one more point to make. If the issue is between you and a loved one, please remember that you are on the same team. It's you against the problem. If there is no problem and you're just picking on each other- what's the point?

I guess one of my upcoming posts should be about Strengths Finder 2.0 and why my first reaction is to challenge.

da Vinci vs. Duchamp

2009-06-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I don’t want to fight. I just want to say my piece. And, I am in fact very fond of Duchamp’s “Nude descending staircase.” Also, I am not saying, brother, that Marcel Duchamp was not a pioneer; he deserves recognition for the questions he provoked as a part of the Dada movement. I am saying that some current artists take his ‘style’ and try to turn them into meaningful art. My argument is that Dada was a cultural anti-art movement. The art produced was supposed to break all the formal rules of art, defying all reason and logic. Today, we are no longer fighting the proponents of WWI or an intolerant culture; you are now just making crap out of crap for no purpose at all because you saw someone else do it. (If you are the exception, I would love to see it.)

I’ve always believed art to be a great form of expression, a way to relate to the world with an entire language of symbols. How fun! Circles, diagonal lines, evergreen… they all represent something. We see things and automatically understand them; we link them together in our critiques with the formal rules of art to make sense the piece at hand. So my question is why is the line between traditional and contemporary drawn and recognized beyond the distinction between skillful and amateur? It’s almost as if to say quality doesn’t matter as long as it fits into one of these two categories. Which do you associate with skillful mastery and which with amateur attempts? Hmmm…

I mean really. Picasso is a great example of how to blur the lines and break the rules. You may only remember disfigured silhouettes and the contrasted scene of Guernica, but Picasso demonstrated the mastery of his craft… he knew the rules, followed them, then blew them out of the water. He earned his stripes. (Not that I’m his biggest fan) He was a skilled painter but ended up with work that could seem amateurish.

Now, in the contemporary art scene there is an abundance of content, but a lull in craftsmanship and technique. The visual arts seem to have suffered the loss of impact in using carefully crafted images alone, resulting in crude attempts at ‘shock art’ and lengthy commentaries. We are slapped in the face with more literature in artist statements and titles on each piece that focus less on visual formality and more on rationalizing the meaning and purpose of the artists intent.
Lame. (If I wanted to read about your ideas, I’d buy your book.)

My whole point is, if you’re going to break the rules and be boisterous about it, learn them first so that you don’t look like a fool. I’ve run into many artists who have work that is less than ideal when it comes to pleasing aesthetics but would be offended if anyone offered an honest critique of his/her craft. Can you tell that I’m kind of sick of the whole “Art is subjective” crap? People have taken this way too far. While it is true that parts of art are subjective, there are some basics that are objective. (Enter the 7 pearls of painting by Larry, anyone?) These guidelines are a great start to making something you can be proud of. If you aren’t great at painting but want to say something, try writing. Our culture implies that anyone can be an artist as long as you have something to say… well I have good news for you, art is not limited to painting, so if you suck, move on to something more productive instead of paddling a sinking boat.

Thank you.

Exciting Things

2009-06-16T21:06:00.001-07:00

1. Linds blogging every day for 30 days. Loving it and your lifelines.

2. I possibly get to see my dad this Father's Day weekend.

3. Heavey + Wong = High quality of excitement, LOVE the pictures!

4. Today's dramatic down pour on the cities.

5. Homemade caramels. They worked this time brother, come and get em!

6. Voicemails from Mona... it would be even more exciting if I could answer the calls!

7. Harry Potter in 1 month.

8. Baby Wickstra and Baby Hood (Both soon to be born!)

9. Our up coming summer vacation with the Tsai's.

10. Vanilla Ice Cream with real vanilla bean.

(not necessarily in that order)

Where the trees stand... No Chance

2009-06-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

Craig (Brother in law #2) is a lazy blogger already so I feel the need to explain. We were enjoying a nice night of mocking blog names, starting with mine, A Creative Mess and A sliding glass door (Something about running into a glass door)... when it occurred that "Where the Trees Stand Still' was a bit too profound for the likes of our maturity that night. Craig had coincidentally been throwing daggers at a tree earlier that day, training for no doubt many battles to come (hence the picture). We were giving him a hard time because trees don't move, making them easy targets so reading about trees standing still felt a bit poetic. He meant no harm, just thought it all fell together beautifully and wanted to enter the blog world with jest. So Rooms, do not let your heart be sad, be encouraged that he chose you.

Tying Memories to Music

2009-06-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

Which sense triggers the strongest memories and emotions in you? I would usually say scents for myself, but today I'm leaning toward sound. When I get a waft of a particular cologne I have a vague remembrance of a time in my life, or when I smell specific flowers, I remember my summer vacations to Hawaii. However, sometimes I can't quite assign the scent to a specific person, place or memory.

When it comes to sound though, specifically through music and lyrics... I can remember quite vividly what experience it was tied to. For instance, the first time I heard 'Strawberry Wine' by Deanna Carter, I was at a high school dance on a Friday after a football game in 11th grade. When the first twangs of the song came on, my friend Jenny Coffee clapped pretty excitedly and said, "I love this song!" I even remember the look on her face. When I hear the song "Latter Days" by Over the Rhine I'm transported back to college theater, sitting in the empty audience looking over the Christmas decorations strewn about on our beautiful castle set from the fall production of Hamlet. When I hear the song "All I Need" by Shawn McDonald, I remember a warm breeze, sitting in a Chicago suburb in roommates parents' back yard with my attention fixed on Erik Heavey as he strummed his guitar with a group of us singing along. (Wearing his White Hoodie with yellow Numbers- weird that I remember, I know.) I know this isn't unusual... to tie memories to music- I just really appreciate that God created us to be this way.

I've noticed that I've inadvertently fixed specific music to most of the people in my life. It might not even be music that they enjoy or that we've listened to together, but it reminds me of those relationships. For example, I associate Roommate with Dave Barnes, Monica with Bebo Norman (one specific song), Whit with Tracy Chapman, Maggie with Rascal Flatts and Callie with Keith Urban. Ryan is a whole different story, but he pops right into my mind any time Brad Paisley comes through a speaker. I know everyone likes music, but I think I appreciate it that much more because it reminds me of my friends- and I like to remember my friends.

In good fun.

2009-06-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

It has begun. Craig has a blog.

B2 vs RM

I would like put a disclaimer on this that Craig (brother #2) loves nature and would never hurt anything on purpose. And this is in no way a personal attack, it's all in good fun.

Newtons 1st law

2009-06-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

I feel the need to follow up my post from yesterday with an apology. I was ranting like a frustrated whiner. I could have made my point with much more grace. I'm sorry. This topic just happens to be close to me right now -for me and for the people I love.

It seems that motion is perpetual. Who knew? Newton. He's a reliable source, he was a smart cookie and he chose this as his FIRST law! So that would imply that the first step to anything is THE FIRST STEP. Motion will continue to stay in motion. (meaning "get off your lazy a** and do something- anything, and it will pay off by taking you to your next adventure.") Whether it's a baby "bite size" step or a giant "wookie" sized step- just GO! (I'm stretching this beyond physics but I don't think he'd mind because it makes him relevant in a whole different realm.)

The reason I had this thought in the first place came to me from blogging to you (or not blogging to you) and talking to my dad. The only way to have something to blog about or to have something to update your daughter (or anyone) about, is to do something. Wouldn't it be great if every time someone asked you what you've been up to lately, you could say something unexpected and new EVERY TIME?!? That way, they're not bored with you and you're not searching for something to assign meaning to. I mean really, the most interesting people I know have had real life adventures... or maybe just know how to make corn cob pipes straight from a field... or could teach me all the differetnt kinds of knots and their purposes that they learned in boy scouts. I think we all respond to learning something new and it's just as important to teach as it is to learn. I know this is a huge challenge, and that it can't be expected to have some amazing story in your back pocket all the time... but wouldn't it be great if you did?

To my brother in law Karl- you are on my list of interesting people and I appreciate your experiences.

Amusement & Adventure

2009-06-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

I mean this as a challenge. I got peeved and this is the result.

Ryan and I have been talking a lot lately about pass times. Amusement vs. Adventure. I would say that in my teen years I spent most of my time being amused. (and usually for most people it had been restricted to teen years... I'm now observing that it's seeped into 20's and even 30's!) I sat and waited for something entertaining to spark my interest. I watched tv, listened to the radio, played video games, and went to movies. I was happy. There was no oppressing force telling me that I screwed up a task, because how do you screw up if you an observer? I felt like I was learning things, being swept up in new emotional spectrum's from tv and movies, gaining hand eye coordination from video games and knowing worldly gossip from the radio. (Mind you I listened to KDWB- not NPR) I felt like I was totally on top of my game and doing just what I was supposed to do. I knew how to live my life well because I was really good at these things, watching movies that were thought provoking and playing puzzling games as if it were making my brain grow. How naive. I wasted an entire chunk of my life by simply watching. I told myself that I was learning, that I was the quiet casual observer. I told myself that this was my role. I was a child at heart. What I've learned from that is that being a child at heart doesn't mean I could get away with a child's lifestyle or point of view. I could have been participating in my thick emotional plots with REAL relationships, I could have been making movies, I could have done something amazing to make the people on the radio want to talk about me! Being a child at heart is living with a child's Zest for life! Learning everything new, seeking out things that make your heart skip and getting excited about new things! Adventure is the key. It implies motion, ACTION! The difference between being a kid and being grown up is all about range of motion. Being older affords more options, TAKE THEM!!! This is important. I can't sit and wait any longer to start living a life of action. I want to be someone who inspires others to try something new, to go some place different and to dig deep into their relationships. Wasting the only life that we're given is not an option. Ryan and I (I'm pretty sure) are on the same page.

Maggie Walsh

2009-06-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take a minute to say Happy Birthday to someone I hold deep respect for, Roommates Best Friend, Mags. She is wise beyond her quarter of a century status and more gracious than most. She's amazing because she does life intentionally, taking in every good thing and learning from all the twists in her path. She does these things out loud- which is where my respect for her takes root. I have laughed out loud, been moved to tears and fallen more deeply in love with my Jesus by reading the words on her blog, Always Never the Same. Mags, I value you and the role you play in the lives of the people I hold so close to my heart! Have a great year and have fun discovering what's instore! I can't wait to hear all about it! And let me know when you're book comes out- I'm ready!

A long time coming.

2009-06-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a while. I haven't had time in the past month or two to formulate thoughts- let alone document them for you. Today is really no different...

8am- Wake up
9am- Work
1:30pm- Leave work- Run errands
3pm- Lunch
4pm- Work on preliminaries for my newest paintings and children's book (more to come later)
6pm- Jump Rope contest with my manager and the kids in our community.
7pm- Go to accountability
8pm- Leave early to go to Ryan's softball game
10pm- Parking lot beer time
11pm- Dinner
11:45pm- Check email before bed

The moral of my itinerary is that I got to participate in a JUMP ROPE contest at age 27, FOR WORK! I haven't jumped rope in a good 12 years! True - I lost to a little girl named Elaina - but I put up a good fight. So congratulations to her!

This will probably be the most I ever write about work on my blog... until the hula hoop contest during our summer ice cream social.

drawing and painting

2009-03-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

"Kenya"
36 x 48

This painting is an addition to my Africa Series. This is another moment that Ryan captured with his camera. This little girl was pretending she was shy but kept slowly moving closer to Ryan, posing as she crept down the hill. The other child in the picture saw Ryan's camera and made his way down as well. This particular moment was in the beginning of a series of pictures, by the end there were 3 children up close and personal peering into the lens. So much of our interaction was like this, shy and cautious at first but friendly and energetic soon after. I named this painting Kenya and put the flag across the image because it seemed so true to my experience there.

This is a drawing I did in Illustrator from a sketch. This is my new favorite thing to do. If you know of anyone who needs illustrations, send them my way!

"Wild and Free"
36 x 48

This is an oil painting that I worked on for 2 days. I don't know if I'm finished with it yet. Erik W. Heavey, this painting makes me think of you.

Nemesis

2009-03-06T20:44:00.000-08:00

Ryan got in a knife fight with a bagel yesterday... the bagel won. How did this come about? I'm sure you can guess, it's the familiar bagel cut injury, but from his reaction there was no way to tell how bad it was. All I heard was, "Oh shoot." He wasn't panicked, he was annoyed. I thought he dropped his food in dishwater or something. I was curious, "What happened?" to which he responded, "I cut myself, kind of bad." Always an adventure that husband of mine.

We made the familiar drive to Urgent Care in Arden Hills where they gave him 5 stitches in his left hand. Ouch. There are a few lessons here. First, no matter how many harmless times you've used the palm of your hand as a cutting board, it's NEVER a good idea. Second, if you don't want to drive yourself to urgent care, I suggest not showing me your 1.5 "long - profusely bloody wound. This time it wasn't even that I don't know how to drive a stick, it would have been irresponsible for me to get behind the wheel in such a woozy state.

That's right, he was a man and drove himself... with a bloody hand, in a manual car, with a woozy wife all the way there. The funniest thing was, before we left the only concern and panic he expressed was for the bagel and whether or not it was going to be edible by the time we made it home. It was not.

As for now, he's doing fine, all stitched up, they come out in 9 days. He's bummed about missing basketball for the next 2 weeks, which may be what really made him learn the proper bagel cutting lesson. (p.s. he has an extremely high pain tolerance. It's amazing really.)

Demetri Martin

2009-03-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

I was listening to clip from one of Demetri Martin's stand up routines and I heard something that really made sense to me.

"Swimming is a confusing sport to me, because sometimes you do it for fun... but other times you do it to NOT DIE."

I mean really.

I'm stubborn, who knew?

2009-01-29T21:40:00.001-08:00

Last night Ryan and I joined our small group with Hope CC at 'Feed My Starving Children.' If you've never heard of it, please look it up. It is a wonderful Christian organization that works hard to feed starving children all over the world. They have groups of volunteers come in and package food to send over seas to countries like Haiti, El Salvador, Kenya, Peru etc. Each meal costs 17 cents to make and we packaged over 9,000 meals in under an hour. They are run by donations... how amazing is that!

Anyways... I didn't want to go. I NEVER want to go. Here's the thing, in order to make this well oiled machine to work everyone works in groups... GROUPS! I don't like groups, I don't like crowds... it puts me in a funk just to think about it. I am a SEVERE introvert, even thinking about public interaction zaps my energy. You would think that I would suck it up and go because I LOVE this mission. Instead, I pouted like a 5 year old and whined to my husband. (that's right, whined, I'm grown up enough to have a husband but not grown up enough not to whine.) I'm talking all the way there. What made it worse is that every time prior to this time, I've had the same feeling before and the Holy Spirit made my heart do a 180 by the time I was standing in that assembly line. It makes me increasingly more mad that I can't fight the integrity of this cause, I cave every time. I mean really, what happened to my will power? When I was a kid I could sit though my punishment on the end of my bed for hours-- praising my parents names as they walked by ; "I loved this! I love my room! I love sitting on my bed! Thank you mom!" Try to understand that I'm not a bad person, I'm just stubborn. Ryan paraphrased my thoughts perfectly,

Me: "C'mon Lord, you created this rock, you just go ahead and TRY to move me!"

Lessons I learned? A) Don't challenge your Maker, He will put you in your place. B) It's okay to temporarily embrace your flaws as long as you leave room for your heart to change. C) Ryan is REALLY patient. D) I don't know how to be anyone but me.

And that's okay.

Psalm 62

2009-01-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

"Which comes easier to you, being hopeful or being humble?"

Of course if you say "being humble" that's hilarious. But then again, being hopeful is really hard to claim as being 'easy'. So what would I choose? Many of you know that I am somewhat of a pessimist. Better to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed right? I know that my point of view is in sharp contrast to many of you. (Which probably resulted in some cringing.) That's okay- I'm an Eeyore and claim my rain cloud.

As so, you'd think that I would say it's easier to be humble... but it's actually the opposite. Being humble is on a fine line for me. God gave everyone gifts, mine happens to be visual and easy to recognize. I'm not trying to brag, I just want to acknowledge and embrace what I was given. Marketing my paintings in a competitive world is hard... I have to overstep my skewed perception of humility. My natural feeble attempt at being humble tends to cut me off at the knees. Whether it's giving credit to someone else, taking less money than I maybe deserve, or giving away something I want to keep... I more often than not fail at doing "humility" well. I know there is a way to keep humble and not be taken advantage of... but I will definitely say- I haven't found out how- it's NOT easy.

Which leaves me as being hopeful as a pessimist. What does it mean to be hopeful anyways? Ryan made great point that Hope is not purely optimism. --Hope means to trust that our God, our loving Father will fulfill his promises. Placing your trust and hope in the Maker of all things is not just leaving your luck up to the cosmos, but believing in the promises that He is in control. He has a plan.

In my life I always prepare for the worst... but it does not break me, not any more. I know that because I can trust the foundation in front of me, my walk is safe and I can hum joyfully at the stars. (otr) I rest easy knowing that the trials I'm given can be overcome with hope in the valley's and trust on the mountains.

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation... Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." -Psalm 62:5-9

Let's Recap

2009-01-09T14:43:00.001-08:00

I understand that it has been a good month since the last time we had one of our delightful one way conversations. It has been brought to my attention that I have not been very entertaining as of late. Thank you brother.

Here is the condensed version of the last few weeks. We experienced:

- Christmas Eve with the Bergmans, Christmas Morning just us, Christmas Day @ My moms, Christmas Evening with Mom & Bergmans

- The unwelcome premature death of our beloved Trissmas Tree (Refer to "We Got Married" #6.)

- A road trip to Chicago for New Years/ Titus Family Christmas (which was a blast!!!)... husband made the same trip condensed into an over night version (Refer to the same link #3)

- Meeting brand new babies (Who are WAY COOLER than iPhones!)

- A flat tire in Wisconsin, I'm glad Bergman's Travel a lot

- A sad/stressful job situation, sad to see good friends go

- An intense motivation to participate in a few art shows in North East

- Our first home made caramel making endeavor

I think that about covers it. Oh- My New Year's Resolution. I'm going to drink more water. I know that could mean a cup or so once every two weeks, but I'm talking serious hydration people... Lot's - O - Water. Maybe I should make an art project about this... because then I'm committed.

Trissmas Tree!

2008-12-12T16:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our living room. This was the product of date night. We went to a local flower shop called Hermes and bought our Christmas tree. We decided to get a narrow average height tree to fit our apartment this year. Last year we had to lop off the top and a bit of the bottom to get her to fit. This year he's just the right size. We spent the night watching 'White Christmas' (which is my favorite holiday movie) and decorating our tree. So gold and pretty. Yay.

2008-12-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

My name is Kimberlyn.
And I just like this picture.

Good times

2008-11-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

So, I'm an excitable person. Who knew? Disney was awesome.

We just got back ... yes, I begrudgingly got on the plane back to MN. We decided not to move into the castle. There were too many princesses and not enough bathrooms. I could babble on an on about what we liked about Disney, my favorite parts, Ryan's favorite parts... what rides and attractions we liked (Space Mountain & Tower of Terror) and disliked (Stitches Great Escape & the last 3 hours of the "It's A Small World" ride) but I will spare you. Just let it be known that Disney World is a Magical Place.

For those of you who were wondering,

1. We did indeed loose Craig a time or two.
2. Bergmans are WAY faster walkers than Luras. I'm working on it.
3. Hands down the company was the best part.
4. Karl can fit into small spaces- roughly the size of a coffee table.
5. Meal plans are NOT for amateurs.

Bergman Family Fun!!!

2008-11-14T15:18:00.000-08:00

Do you remember when I made a list of a few things I've learned since Ryan and I got married? If I recall correctly, #3 was "Bergmans travel, A Lot." Well, This year is my very first year to have the privilege of going on a family vacation Bergman style! Ryan's parents organized a trip for the whole family to go to Disney World!!! YAY!!! (I know, lots of exclamation points, but I'm really that excited!!!) Those of you who know me, you know that I heart Disney more than all the salt in the sea. I believe with my whole heart in the Magic that Disney creates and I can't wait to see all the little kids in awe of their favorite characters, pulling their parents from one place to the next. (I imagine that's what I'll be doing with Ryan)

Speaking of Disney- here is a flash from my past.

When I was in high school physics, our teachers name was Mr. Cava. (Who was a wonderfully squirrely little man of the asian persuasion.) He LOVED planning games for us to teach us about the wonderful world of sciences and his favorite was Jeopardy. He would come up with categories and answers, we would have to answer in the form of a question, and buzz in faster than the other team, all those good things. My problem was having the pressure of my teams pride and the beloved candy bowl prize resting on my very slow nervous reflexes. For this reason alone, my team usually nominated me to be the one to finish the game in Final Jeopardy. Weren't they sweet? The trick is that the Final Jeopardy question tended to be completely random- including pop culture and they gave me 45 whole seconds. I won a very unexpected victory for our team by naming all 7 dwarfs from Snow White.

The moral of this story is: If you spend 6 years (in collective hours) of your childhood solely on watching Disney movies, you will win Jeopardy. Ahhh... time well spent.

All this to say I'm FREAKING EXCITED!!! If I decide to move into the palace, and dress Ryan up as Eric from 'The Little Mermaid' I will attach our forwarding address on my next post.

Horses

2008-10-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

"Horses"
2- 4" x 4"
Oil on canvas

I love horses and for some reason I've been dreaming about them lately. I woke up this morning and wanted to get this painting out of my brain and onto a canvas.

The Pickle Painting.

2008-10-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

This week Ryan and I were invited to an event dedicated to raising money for the Art Institute of Minnesota. Of course I couldn't say no- Support the ARTS!!! Well, this particular event was standing proudly on the foundation of Fine Arts and Antiques. There were two floors of framed artwork, woodwork, sculpture and cases of antique trinkets. It was actually pretty cool, there were original works by Gustav Klimt- and beautiful hand drawn maps from all over the world! The first piece that caught my eye however was an oil painted pickle from "A 19th century painter". Now, I heart pickles as much as the next guy, but why would you want a dramatically lit rendering of a pickle in your home? (With a horrid gold frame) Also, what was it that moved the artist to spend his time and energy on painting (with rather fine quality might I add) a pickle? I don't know but what surprised me even MORE was the price tag. This particular 8 x 10 pickle painted by a 19th century unnamed painter, was priced at $4,800. Let that sink in.

I bet that guy didn't make enough to buy bread when he was alive. But how great is it that he finally made it after all these years?

Curious little guy

2008-10-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

I love it when people ask me about my paintings. I like to tell the stories behind each piece. I want people to understand why this image, this memory, this emotion was important enough for me to pour my time and energy into.

This image was captured by my husband. Wonderful things wander into his viewfinder when ever he holds his camera. I love it. This little boy was a curious little guy who wanted to know what we were all doing on his school grounds and in his church in Kibera. He spent his free time running back and forth past the windows and doors to the church. He wore the same tasseled fleece sweatshirt both days we were there in 78 degree weather. Too short to see, he pulled himself up and peeked into the cut out window of the church. When he saw Ryan with a camera his eyes started to beam. I wanted to relive that smile in his eyes, experience again the way it feels to have a child respond to you with both joy and laughter. That's why this painting is important. And I wanted to share it.

The Chase

2008-09-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

"The Chase"
Oil on Canvas
11 x 14

Hello again. This morning I was looking though some of my older paintings to see if I had any used canvas that wanted a new face. I came across this one. This is a painting I titled 'The Chase' in 2006. I was revisiting an oil painting exercise from college. Painting with a pallet knife. (Thanks Larry) I can't say that I've every really enjoyed it. It is really hard to control and as someone who likes to mix paint on the canvas- it was really frustrating. It does however offer some interesting techniques. It's much easier to build layers and texture, it's easier to cut a straight line, and it's kind of nice to let up the need to control detail. So I said why not? Might as well challenge myself a bit and do some more pallet knife paintings. I found once again, I'm not a huge fan. This one painting out of the bunch though stuck out to me. I really liked this one but for the most part I've received negative feed back. That's okay, we artists can handle that- once in a while. My question now is, I haven't sold this painting in two years, should I just paint over it and maybe discover something someone will want? Or do I let it sit in my studio closet with many other undiscovered gems?

Doodles

2008-09-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

I like to doodle. Here's what a lot of my spare paper looks like these days.

We got married

2008-09-18T13:36:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I have been married for just over a year and this is what we've learned:

1. Neither of us are mind readers
2. Wii- Lego StarWars is a really good team work building experience
3. Bergmans travel. A Lot.
4. It's fun to wake up next to your best friend
5. Clothes don't wash themselves
6. Plants die if you don't water them.
7. Mac and cheese with hot dogs is for adults too!
8. The 'future' comes faster than you might think
9. Some of the best dates cost under $20
10. 'My side of the bed' is relative

Of course this is not a comprehensive list, but it gives you a taste. It's been a good year. We've been learning a lot about working together, learning about what makes each other tick, and figuring out how to make two lives one. I recommend it.

Pillars

2008-08-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

Oil on wood.
$75.00

Sorry about the fuzzy picture.

(For purchase details, email me)

My Little Friend

2008-08-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since the last post, but I've been thinking about which situations in my life really warrant a blog entry. This is what I came up with:

It was a Friday like any normal Friday. I was working at my assistant manager gig (try not to swoon) checking out all of our vacant apartments. I was on second floor looking out at our courtyard facing south. It was a pretty nice day, no clouds- pretty warm. (This is important because there was very little wind.) Anyhow, I was looking out at the courtyard and this blue, orange and white beach ball came rolling around the corner from no where. I didn't think much of it. Our courtyard is enclosed by 4 foot cement walls so it had to belong to one of the kids in our community. I went about my day. About 20 minutes later I was on the opposite side of the building, this apartment had all its windows facing north out onto the courtyard. As I was inspecting, out of the corner of my eye, I see the little beach ball making its way across the courtyard straight toward me! This time it was a bit deja vu-ish. It skirted around the pool to end up the in the corner of the building where I was standing! I kinda joked to myself ... that the beach ball was my little lost friend following me around to keep me company. Nice- laugh it up- Kim's crazy- working too many hours by herself... fair enough. (Actually- I was an only child with a wild imagination whose toys each had their own personality. Also crazy but much more endearing as a child) Moving on- that was my last check of the day so I laughed it off, and went back down to the rental office. After a few quite long hours, 5pm came and I shut down the office, turned the alarm on and locked the door. As I was about to head outside to walk back to our apartment, that same frickin' beach ball was sitting very calmly outside the door. Like it was waiting for me. Creepy. It was a bit- "the call is coming from inside the house..." Yeah, "My little friend" was actually an inanimate object stalking me. I'll admit, I have some irrational fears- but that little ball crossed the line... it came around a corner, then around the fenced pool, then over a 4 foot wall to rest under an overhang outside my office door. (With relatively no wind to speak of!) Needless to say, I went through the garage to avoid having to look over my shoulder to see if it was following me home. Next time you know it- it would be following me up the stairs or somehow freakishly figuring out how to press the 12 button in the elevator... I wasn't about to have that. It was a shockingly disturbing afternoon.

A close second to this unnerving event was the naming of our family car- "Thunderbelt!!!" She purrs like a kitten and squeaks like a mouse! Beep! Beep! (For those of you who don't know, Thunderbelt is Ryan's black vibe. If you've never seen a vibe, look it up. 4 cylinders of pure Thunder baby! (Disclaimer: Vibes are awesome and we love ours!)

Thanks for wasting your time on my non insightful post. PEACE!

Another memory

2008-06-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

I was standing next to this little girl who had one bare foot and one pink flip flop. (We were watching the other girls kick our teams butt in soccer.) Anyhow, I asked her where her other shoe was... she looked at me a little blankly then walked away. I figured I either scared her or bored her... but she came back a minute later with one of the older girls blue flip flops to finish watching the game with me. It made me happy so I painted her.

Asante Sana Africa

2008-06-04T18:33:00.000-07:00

I heard something in Kenya that I loved! Pastor Imbumi Makuku said, "Hospitality is the one thing we don't need to import." It's true. From the moment we arrived, we were treated as if we had just come home. They give southern hospitality a run for it's money.

In a daze

2008-06-02T22:12:00.001-07:00

It has officially been a month so here is our update. Since our last post, Ryan and I have traveled to and returned from Kenya, we've caught colds that won't quit, we attended a Michigan wedding where two of our good friends Callie and Jon got married, we attended the IJM banquet, I (kim) reconnected with a dear friend from freshman year at Taylor, we found out that baby Tsai & baby Meyers are bth boys, AND we are celebrating the births of our cousins son Justin Eaton and our friend Claire's son Jonas Olson. PHHEEWW!

That was the short version, if you want more detail on our trip, read on-

Between the two of us, Ryan and I haven't fully articulated our reactions from our trip to Kenya. I think the process will be slow with a growing love and appreciation for the people we met and the relationships we built. From here on, I won't be speaking for Ryan- even though we're 'one flesh', our reactions aren't always the same.

There are a few things that really spoke to my heart when we were there. This country has severe poverty, hunger and illness, but this country also has overwhelming joy, hospitality and hope. The first day working at our make shift clinic, I had a short conversation with a 15 year old girl. I asked her to tell me about herself... she replied "I love my country, Kenya is a beautiful place, we are friendly people." From my experience, I would agree with her. We met patients that had sore throats, dog bites, HIV, open wounds from accidents, bad eye sight, various infections etc. and the majority had it in them to smile, shake our hands and thank us for our help and prayers. We were greeted with kind smiles and hand shakes wherever we went.

Our trip was organized by Mission to the world, our team leader was Tom Edwards, and Pastor Imbumi Makuku was our main contact and leader during the week we were there. Pastor Imbumi started a church in Kibera (if you haven't heard of Kibera, google it), and since it's beginning there has been a school built around it. This is a place where children can be safe, where they can learn, and where they can experience the love of our Lord. Their Motto is 'Education for Exaltation,' and let me tell you,these children are wonderful. They are learning to be disciplined, they are learning to hope outside their everyday life, but when they are out of class, they are allowed to be children, allowed to smile and laugh and play... and they do!

It was so fun for me to see a mob of children run to Ryan and jump up on him. It was so fun to see the joy in these children as the guys on our trip took turns just loving them and playing with them. Most of the children in these villages don't have male figures present in their lives, so it was really something to see our team relate to them in the little time we had. It's really hard not to get attached. But it's amazing what these pastors accomplish by just being present. Pastor Imbumi, Pastor Wycliffe, Pastor James, Pastor Patrick, Pastor Imekki, Pastor Dan... all these people have a visible impact on their community... they provide a positive role model... and they are all really fun to hang out with!

There is rare beauty in Kenya- It would be a lie to say I didn't leave a part of me there.

We have tons of stories, about the girls home, the different sites, and crazy games of uno, petting a cheetah, making out with giraffes etc. and we would love to share them if you're interested... just email us or give us a call--

We are glad to be getting well... and we can't wait for our next trip. Any suggestions?

Africa

2008-05-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

Well... Ryan and I are officially off to Kenya may 10th -18th. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and prayed us through these past few weeks. It's been a bit of a scramble to get things in order but it's all coming together.

We continue to hear questions that closely resemble, 'what are you guys going to do on a medical mission trip?' (Referring to our lack of medical background.) Basically we have no concrete expectations. We are going to help... and you don't need to be a doctor to help. We are staying in a convent and working only in Nairobi. We have very limited information on what this trip will look like, and I think I prefer it that way. Who doesn't like surprises? Truth is, we are the first team going back with MTW since a lot of unrest has occurred, so the set up will be quite different.

It's a scary thing though. All the anticipation, the hesitance, the nagging thoughts... 'Is this going to kill me?' - 'Is this really going to make a difference in the long run?' - 'I guess it'll make me stronger...' (You all know I'm talking about the shots, right? ) I mean really... 6 shots in one day? I know, I know, there are worse things.

Anyhow, we could really use some persistent prayer. This experience is more than likely going to break us in half... the hard way... but the good way. And we can't wait.

God Bless

Trying something new

2008-04-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

I thought I would try something new... using bright colors. I recently discovered why I always end up with muted dark colors. Whenever I create a painting with pure colors straight out of the tube, it looks really amateur. So I thought I would try to *NOT* muddy up all my colors but still try to make enough contrast to make it interesting.

Acrylic Painting
18" x 24"
$250

Africa

2008-04-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, our good friend Mike presented us with an opportunity to go to Kenya with a team he's involved with for a medical mission trip. We just about immediately put it on the back burner (not completely out of our minds, just in the back somewhere). There was no sense in hoping- we had so many obligations/ commitments that we'd already made for the year and getting time off of work was already really tight. But then, last week we were watching a video of the National Prayer breakfast... a man named Ward Brehm spoke on his spiritual journey in Africa. His words of experience paired with our dads- oh so familiar words- "What are you waiting for?" made us suddenly inspired to pursue this trip.

This trip is taking place from May 10th- 18th. It's coming up fast! We are still working out technicalities... so we are not 100% sure this trip is on, but things are looking positive. Ryan is pretty much set, we just need to raise a bit of support and book his tickets and he's on his way. As for me, my situation is a bit complicated. My passport is in my maiden name, which could be a problem because all of my legal documents have been changed to ' Bergman'. I just don't want to be stuck in Kenya. So, to all of you that read about our lives, we would really love for this opportunity to work out that we can both go, your prayers that what should be done, will be done are very much appreciated.

Here's to Hoping!

Map Painting

2008-04-10T17:40:00.000-07:00

Acrylic Painting
16" x 20"

Frogs.

2008-04-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I like Frogs.

Oil Paintings
6" x 6"

My Last Class

2008-03-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is an example from a printmaking class- teaching kids ages 5-7.

I'm officially done teaching at the Eagan Art House. Originally I took this position to get a taste of how my gifts line up with a teaching environment. I can see where Moscioni gets all of her stories. As much as I enjoyed these children, and the occasional adult students, I found that teaching one on one is more my niche. I would really like to teach private lessons where the structure is a bit more flexible to the individuals wants and needs. One thing I found difficult with teaching basic art was finding projects that could be worked on with a large variety of skill sets. I would suggest to parents, if you want your child to get the most out of an art class, to expand creativity and skill, enroll them in private lessons. In a few cases I found the environment I taught in to be more of a day camp for parents who want "Me" time at the salon. (Which really turns me off)

In any case, it was a wonderful learning experience for me, which is what I wanted in the first place. Don't get me wrong about the Art House, there are wonderful teachers there and a large variety of classes. I would recommend it to any one looking for a introduction to a medium- they would be able to do wonderful things if the class sets were longer. If you are looking for a talented painting teacher for a short term class, check out painting classes with Eric at the Art House.

Welp, I guess I'm on to bigger and better things. Any suggestions?

Something Pretty to Look at

2008-03-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

Well, we don't have anything important to say, so I'm just going to post two more of my paintings. Enjoy.

Oil Paintings in the 'Winter Series'

20" x 20" - Price: $500

New Painting

2008-03-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my newest paintings in my series of 'Winter Beauty'. I've been working on oil paintings of frozen flowers and plants. I know, sounds strange but I was really attracted to how warm they felt in the midst of the MN winter.

36" x 36"

Circles

2008-03-13T13:50:00.001-07:00

I (kim) have been in serious need of some simple creative exercises to stimulate my brain. I don't really believe in creative blocks, I believe in indecision. There is always a something to work on, mostly just lack of direction. So here is the last 'mini' project I worked on. It's a good way to explore and discover interesting things in your own living space while making something interesting to look at.
I'll probably be posting each new 'mini' I work on. So if you have feed back or ideas for new projects for me to try-- please let me know!