My 28 Thankful Days Up To Thanksgiving

So the countdown begins.

I am thankful for.......

28. God. No more words need to be said than, "how cool is He?!". Yes. I went there.
27. Schooling. Most days seem long, boring, and useless, but it will pay off in the long run.
26. Jobs. Without jobs, life would be much more stressful.
25. Birthdays and special holidays. This may seem funny, I know, but I love having a reason to go out and buy someone a gift or to get together as a family. It's so much fun.
24. Snow. Everything looks so pretty outside now and it keeps dirt from being tracked in now. :) I'll take water clean-up over dirt any day!
23. Health. With so much loss during this month, it is hard to forget how important good health is. Often, we take it for granted and think little of it, but it is so important. Take care of yourself!!
22. My grandma. She is the best. Seriously though, how many grandmas do you know that can shoot 11 point bucks, bake buns and bread, fry lefse, drive grandpa's yacht, and catch massive fish? Yeah, that's what I thought. :)
21. My aunts and uncles. They're hilarious. Sometimes I feel like I couldn't take them anywhere without being embarrassed, and other times I can't help but laugh. They sure are some special people.
20. My dog. She's so sweet and precious. I'm pretty sure she misses me when I'm gone, because as soon as I turn into the driveway, she takes off running for the house and meets me at my door. Gully, I miss her.
19. My family in Illinois. We made a quick trip down to Rockford a couple weeks ago to see Frank and Lois, Harriet and Kent, Helen, Denise and Dale, and Andrea, Heath, and Trent. After some hustle and bustle, it was a lot of fun and I'm glad that I could make it.
18. Friends. Even though I might not get to seem them as much as I would like to, I love my friends. They're always great to help whenever they're needed or to just sit and visit for awhile. I got lucky with the ones I chose.
17. Housing and food. I've been thinking lately that it isn't always how much you have, but rather how you utilize what you have. I don't need the most. I don't need the biggest. I certainly don't need the best. All that I need is a roof over my head and something in my tummy and I'm golden.
16. My great-grandma Gerane. She is always quick to sit and talk on the phone with my for minutes on end, and she never fails to have some good stories for me. She's pretty fun.
15. Christmas letters. As some of you may already know, I love writing Christmas letters for my family. It gives me time to use what little creativity God granted me and make our story from the year interesting for all of you to read.
14. Music. I love, love, love, love music. Without it, where would we all be? Okay, maybe I shouldn't go quite to that extreme, but I really do love it.
13. This gem. Mark gave me this for my birthday. (Ok, I accidentally found it, and he gave it to me early.) I absolutely LOVE it, and yes, that IS a diamond! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! :) If any of you had any doubt of how perfect he is, I'm sure it is all gone now. I'm so stinkin' blessed that I can hardly stand it. Thanks, God. :)

12. Gardens. Yes, I know that we are now out of season, but how cool is it that we can keep most of the veggies throughout the winter to eat?! I'm a nerd, and I know it, don't worry

11. Church. It gives me those much needed couple of hours every week to just sit and reflect. I can go there with my chest full of burdens and leave with absolutely nothing left on it. Pretty neat if you ask me.

10. Kids. They make me giggle, laugh, happy, sappy, emotional, etc. You get it. They are just so fun. Seriously, I held Cliff the whole time during the auction at church on Sunday, and I loved every single bit of it. Maybe one day I will be that lucky.

9. Blogs. It gives me a time where I can just sit and type whatever is on my heart. Often, I use it to relax or calm myself when I feel overloaded or stressed. Thank God I discovered it!

8. Sports. My brothers were lucky enough to make it to the state semi-final football game this fall. How many of you can say that you went that far? I don't think that they understand how lucky they are, or how many awesome memories they made during the process. It gave them the opportunity to play in the FargoDome and the Metrodome, to bond with their teammates even more, and play the game that they love the most. How lucky!

7. My brothers. We fight. We yell. We send sappy texts to each other. We hug. We cry. We do it all together. Whether they admit to it or not, they do love me. ;) They're pretty special men in my life, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. They're awesome!

6. Vehicles. Sometimes a girl just needs to make it home for a little while! The city can get a little overwhelming, so I am very thankful to be able to go home whenever needed.

5. Family. Whether it be my own, or Mark's, they are all so quick to offer a helping hand or words of encouragement whenever I may need it. I don't think that I can truly put into words how much they all mean to me.

4. My faith. Without my faith, I would be nothing. You may be sick of me always talking about God or church, but it's a huge part of my life, and I am so thankful that it was instilled in me when I was younger. SUPER THANKFUL!

3. My great-grandma Gloria and Betty Steen. It's right around that time of year again when my mind drifts back to last year and the year before. I can honestly say that Betty Steen was one of the greatest women that I have ever known. She babysat me for years and was my confirmation mentor for two years. She helped instill so many qualities in me that I will forever cherish. My Grandma was also one of these people. She always helped when we needed it, baked a pizza quick before we had to leave for games, cheered us on while listening to our games being broadcasted over the internet, "tried" to help us with our homework, and made sure to call the house and let the boys know that the twins were playing that night. Not long before she passed, I had a basketball game in a holiday tournament in Thief River Falls. Of course, they had the radio on so Grandma could listen to it, and I was named the player of the game that night. Grandma couldn't talk, but when Aunt Holly told her that I did so good and received that honor, she squeezed her hand tight and cracked a smile. She was always so proud of us. A couple days later, she told our pastor that she didn't know if she was "good enough" to make it to Heaven. Well guess what Grandma, you were way better than just "good enough". You were an angel on Earth just waiting to make your next move. :)

2. My parents. They make life so easy for me, and they always are there to lend a helping hand or advice when I need it. Often, I take them for granted, but they deserve so much praise for all of the stuff that I have put them through. Yet, they still love me. Now that my friends, is true love.

1. Mark, of course. I don't think that I can even put into words just how thankful I truly am for this man. He never ceases to amaze me or make me smile when I need it the most. I mean that necklace???! Come on! I cried for at least 15 minutes! haha I'm so lucky, and I hope that he doesn't change his mind. He deserves the best, and I  hope that I can give him that.  I don't know what else I can even say to get my point across of how great he is....Wow. That's saying alot if I can't find the words for something! ;)

Hunting with Dad

It's a tradition. We do it every year.

This is one way that Dad and I bond with each other. The boys aren't overly thrilled about the thought of going out to sit in a cold stand with the possibility of not seeing a deer. We love it though. I don't know how many of you watch hunting shows on television, but you know how the guys on there whisper back and forth to each other about what is happening in front of them? Well, Dad and I do that to each other, too, but we don't video tape ourselves. It's quite comical, if I must say so myself. What would I do without him?

Sunday evening we went and sat in the stand together. I tend to constantly look back and forth, checking to see if anything is creeping its way out of the woods, while Dad likes to fall asleep and take a nice little snooze. Here are some of his favorite sleeping positions.

The last picture shows his favorite pose. This makes him look like he's semi-hunting at least. ;)

No, we didn't shoot anything. No, I haven't even seen a deer yet. No, it has not been very nice weather so far, but we have had a great time together the last two days. I hope that I can have many more years left of these special moments! Love you Dad!

Today is a good day

Today is a good day.

• Last night I was able to make it to the pep-fest for the football team in Lancaster. The surprise guest, Dany Corey from WDAZ, made the trip from Grand Forks to film a portion of the festivities. Oh, and Dad got interviewed last night as well, so look for him on WDAZ news tonight at 6 and 10! There will be a segment on the football team, again. It was so fun. :)
• This morning I was forced to leave early in order to make it for my 8 AM class, but the hour and a half drive by myself was perfect. I love that time of the day where I can just sit there without any worries and relax. It's absolutely awesome.
• I made it through my first two classes flawlessly, and finished my test in my third class with ease. I love how confident I feel taking a test when I can easily hop from question to question because I know the answer right off the top of my head. It makes everything go so much nicer.
• Right now, I am looking forward to supper tonight at my grandparents house. I love spending time with them and it has been quite some time since we did it last. Lots of family and friends will join us too, I'm sure, as tomorrow is a big day for many!
• Tomorrow marks the beginning of deer season! Yay. I'm weird, I know. I like God, sports, hunting, baking, cooking, exercising, reading, blogging, small towns, etc. Whatever. ;) However, it will probably need to get pushed back a day as we will be spending the day in Bemidji cheering on my brothers in the state quarter final game. I LOVE hunting, but to be quite honest, I had forgotten about it because of all the excitement happening with football. (Just to clarify, I don't mean the Vikings.) The boys are so excited and it makes me happy seeing them that way. Here's to a BIG win tomorrow!
• Soon, I get to go home for the long weekend. There's no better place to spend three days off from college is there?
• Which brings me to another thing....Veteran's Day is on Monday, so that means no college! Yay! More time for me to do other, more fun things. :)

Oh, and one more thing. It has absolutely nothing to do with my day going well, or even today in general, but I know he will be disappointed if I do not mention it. Last Thursday, Mark bought another gun. (What can I say? He loves them.) It is a black powder pistol so it takes a little extra TLC. He thought it would be fun if we shot a couple of the hand guns together to see how good of an aim we were. However, he forced me to load the black powder by myself. I guess he helped some. It was a struggle at first, but I was able to catch on after a little while. Like everything else we do, our "fun shooting" quickly turned into a contest. Neither one of us was able to hit the target, but I think that my bullet came closer than his. ;) It was fun, though.

Here's to hoping that you all have a simply marvelous day as well! 

Always Movin'

Okay, I'm going to get straight to the point. I cannot wait until this big shop project of Mark's is over. Granted, I do find if fun when I can help him for the day driving the telehandler, stacking bricks, cleaning, sweeping, etc., and we have made many new friends during the process, but it is starting to take over both of our lives. Saturday we spent all day putting tin on the ceiling of the shop, but we were only able to get half of it done. I will admit that the half that is up does look very nice, though. That evening, we ventured out to help cheer on both of my brothers football team to another victory. It was so much fun, but a little bit too exciting!

Sunday was the ever famous lutefisk dinner at church. It was absolutely crazy in there, but let me start at the beginning of the day. I was supposed to help my mother usher in church. Church is at 9:45. I looked at my phone at 9 thinking, I'll sleep five more minutes and then I'll get up and get ready. Next thing I know, it's 9:22. It takes 11 minutes to get to town. I still need to get ready so I look half decent. I was supposed to be there now! Poor mother... I literally rolled out of bed, threw on what I thought was "acceptable" looking clothes and took off. Pssst, you can get to town in less than 11 minutes by the way. I got there, Mom proceeded to tell me that I couldn't help do offering because my hair didn't look nice enough. IT WAS IN A BRAID! haha After church, I taught Sunday School to the Kindergarten and First grade classes. They were all so sweet and fun. Thank you parents for sending your children! They are truly a blessing. As soon as I got upstairs, people were already lined up and ready to eat the ever delicious lutefisk. (I'll stick with meatballs, please.) It remained crazy until 3, but they served 426 people, so that part was awesome! I did manage to sneak an awesome trail ride in with Stephanie and Trisha, though. I miss that so much. I think I might as Mark for a horse for Christmas, or just buy one myself and not tell him. We'll see. ;)

Monday I only had one class, so I came back to help some more. Before I left Grand Forks, I grabbed Mark's favorite at Qdoba to surprise him and then hustled home. (Notice the heavy emphasis on hustled? I had to make sure that he got it in time for lunch!) We were able to finish most of the brick work, and I got everything nice and tidy looking for him. (So sweet of me, I know. Just kidding.) This was all after I finished doing my homework, though, of course. Man, I love college. :) It was Grandma Candy's dark bread and leftovers from the lutefisk dinner at church for supper that night. YUMMO!

Tuesday I was able to help again, as my teacher was sick. Can I get a "whoop, whoop"?! I started out the morning running Mark's errands: groceries, picking up hamburger, getting gun oil. You ladies know how it it! I love it, though. It makes me feel like I am actually being helpful and taking a burden off of his shoulders. Maybe I'll make it my full-time job. ;) One can only wish!! I hurriedly whipped up one of Mark's favorites, burritos, just in time for him to eat at dinner. (Heavy emphasis on hurriedly, too. I'm learning that life moves at a much faster pace with Mark.) I was just about to start studying for a test, when we asked me to come help some more. So, off I went like a whipped puppy. The rest of the afternoon was spent driving telehandler and lifting the guys up and down, so that they could finish up the trim work along the roof. We were just about ready to call it a day, when he decided that he wanted to try finish getting all of the house wrapping done. Keep in mind that it is almost dark and we have a good hour and a half worth of work to get done. I started them off on the east side of the building and as soon as they finished that section, they quickly decided to call it quits for the night. (Extra emphasis on quickly, also. SO FAST!) I should maybe try to get some pictures put up sometime soon, huh? I always have these great intentions that go nowhere. Oh, and I burnt the pizza for supper, too. Sorry, Hunny. Time just flies too fast!!

Today, he is hoping to make another go at getting more tin on the ceiling of the shop. I hope that everything works out, so that he isn't so stressed out. It's back to school for me today. Only one class stopping me from the end of the day, now. Have a great day, everyone!

OH, and if you find yourself with nothing to do tomorrow afternoon at 3, head down to the Fargo Dome to help cheer on the KCC Bearcat football team to another Section 8A title! If you can't make it, don't worry! Tune into 99.3 FM or trfradio.com to listen in on all of the action. I can't wait. It's going to be a blast! GO BEARCATS!!

Give me a B-E-A-R-C-A-T-S

It has been a while, friends! School was simply chaotic last week, as I had two major tests that I needed to study for. (I only have one grade back-90%. It will have to do...this time. ;) ) Right now, I am fully devoted to creating a marvelous blog for all of you to read; I drank my cup of tea, ate my snack, and am now curled up in my bed with my blankie wrapped around my neck. 

Yes, I still have a blanket from when I was little, and I do call it my blankie.

Don't judge.

Thursday of last week, marked the end of the regular season for my brother's football team. Crazy, huh? In case you didn't know, it is almost the end of OCTOBER, people! Time flies by so fast. The first round of playoffs began last night. They were fortunate enough to receive a number 2 seed (still bummed that they couldn't snag the number 1 seed, but I think this might have been God's plan all along!) and played Climax/Fisher in Hallock in the chilly temperatures. 

After they kicked it into gear, the boys were able to pull off a 53-6 victory over the number 7 seed. Thank God. One more game that both of my brothers can play together in. 

Throughout the game, our wonderful announcer, Jim Petersburg, provided us with scores from other games that were taking place in our section. Remember how I said in a previous blog that I was sure that we would see Grygla/Goodridge, again? Well, I was wrong. They played Clearbrook/Gonvik in Grygla last night, but unfortunately lost. I kind of thought that would have been a fun match-up to watch again, but I'm ok without the stress of it because they were an awesome team! :)

The boys will now play C/G in Hallock at 7 on Saturday evening (October 26th). The forecast shows a high of 39 and a low of 28, so it will be wonderful fall weather to take in another Bearcat football game! Come on out and show your support for our boys as they battle it out in an effort to move one step closer towards the section championship game! 

GO BEARCATS!!

P.S.-Here are some fun pictures from throughout the season! 

 This is how close these two are. 

-Both are quarterbacks

-Always together on the sidelines

-Each others best critic and support

-Have the same "accessories"

Parents Night 

From left to right: Mom, Dylan, Drew, Dad

 Are they not the cutest? Seriously, Dylan will be lost without

Drew next year. It's kind of sad to think about, actually.

We all love our grandma. :) She's seriously the best.

Not only does she come to almost every game, but she is also our biggest fans

in this huge game we call life.

It is very safe to say that I am extremely proud of these two. I'm blessed!

Pinterest-Giver of quotes!

As many of you may know, (some of you may have the same addiction!) I simply LOVE pinterest. My favorite part is the many different and fun recipes that people post on there. The more new and yummy recipes I can find to try out, the better! :) I also enjoy looking at all of the quotes and bible verses that others share. Whenever I'm having a crappy day, there always seems to be something that stands out as if God is saying, "MEGAN, THIS IS MEANT FOR YOUR EYE BALLS!" So here are a few of my favorites that I thought you might enjoy, also.

I pinned this one a long time ago, hoping (but praying even more so) that someday I would be blessed with this type of man. Mark tries hard to be at church just about every Sunday, and I know that he understands how important faith is in our everyday lives.

This is one that I try to live by every day. When I'm having a bad day, it always makes me smile when I see others (even people that I do not know) walking around with a smile on their face. If it works for them, heck, why can't it work for me too?!

I love, love, love this verse. It's one of those "special ones" that I cling to. Over time, I have always hung in there with God, through the good times and the bad, and now I seem to have come out on the winning end. I am truly BLESSED beyond belief.

After a lot of thought, many telephone conversations, and hundreds of tears shed I can honestly say that I am so happy that I switched majors. Everything is coming much easier to me and I feel like I am really happy with how life and homework seems to be working out for me know. I decided on something that makes me HAPPY!

I know I'm not the only one...When I have a bad day, I tend to think worst case scenario for almost everything else that happens until the day ends. What occurs during your day, does not define you or your life. HE has a plan that far exceeds your poor grade, broken down car, or bad decision. How refreshing is that?!

This is one that my momma likes to tell me often when I start complaining about whatever I think is burdening me for that day. OPTIMISM is key people! Sometimes, all it takes is talking about the good in your life, to make you forget that something was even bothering you!

This might be one of my all-time favorites, though. :) When we seek God, what could possibly go wrong then?! I tell ya what, I never feel more refreshed or at ease than I do after some good bible or prayer time. Ahhhhhhhhh, how lucky are we to be blessed with such a great Father!

Hopefully these made your day better, continued your good day, or even just made you think a little bit. (I am in college, it's my job to make you think! haha) Have a great night....Make it awesome! :)

Catching Up

I must apologize for not being very good about blogging lately. Either school is busy, I can't think of a single fun thing to write about, or I'm hopelessly caught up in the love of my life. :) So here's my little "catch up"!

Two weeks ago, I started taking my first tests of the semester. Some went extraordinarily well, while others were just "ok" according to my standards. For once in my life, I can honestly say that I am not worried about things right now. Everything will come around and my grades will be just fine in the end. One test or homework assignment doesn't define you!! It has been a bit challenging getting back into the "swing of things" after being off all summer. I'm thankful for the many breaks during college, but it also is a challenge getting all of my ducks in a row after so much time off. I guess it's hard to please everyone, huh? ;)

That weekend my brothers had a football game against Grygla/Goodridge in Grygla. It was cold, windy, and rainy. As soon as I jumped in the car to ride with my parents to the game, I thought to myself, "Why am I even going to this? It's crappy out and I'm really not in the mood to get rained on and then sit in wet clothes for an hour ride home." Boy, am I happy that I went though! It was a matchup between the then #3 and #4 state seeds. So many emotions rushed through me during those two hours: frustration, joy, panic, anxiety, excitement, anger, happiness, etc. It came down to the final play (which had to be played twice!), and we came out on top....this time. I'm sure they will see them again down the road, though!

 The boys and I after all of the excitement

G/G had the traveling trophy, and since they beat them, they now have it! YAY!

Last week went pretty quick for me, I guess. Monday night was homecoming coronation in Lancaster, where my brother Drew was a candidate. I went home for the evening to take part in the festivities and it was well worth my time (and gas). As there is only one girl in their class, the four students elected to the homecoming court, were escorted by their parents. It was a fun sight to see and will probably go down in history as the only one of its kind. Fun stuff!

 All of the Lancaster candidates and their moms or dad

 Mom and Drew walking up

A typical family picture for us.

My love :)

And now, for what you all have been waiting for I'm sure-Mark's column. :) I will fully admit it to the world, I am absolutely smitten by and in love with this man. There's something about the way that he can make me laugh when I'm upset, the subtle compliments and hints that he drops and the sparkle in his eyes after I come home from a long week of being gone, how he makes a point to tell me that he loves me every time I walk out the door, and his drive to excel in life and optimism that keeps me pushing forward with all of this college fun (sarcasm on the fun part of that) that keeps me falling for him more and more each day. He always tells me, "We've got forever. Why rush?" Most of the time I take it in a different direction, but today, right this very second, I can't help but smile and shed a tear or two, because I know that he is right. Yes, I said it. He's right more than I am I'm sure! ha He's so perfect that I can hardly stand it.

I am the luckiest woman in the entire world that's for sure. Saturday night we went to the lake and spent all of Sunday there. After a little tinkering and playing around, we got the boat in the water and ready to go. We left from Mom and Dad's (Zippel Bay) and went all the way around to Rocky Point to run an errand and visit with some friends. As always, it went a little longer than I expected, but the fun visits, good food, and Vikings WINNING made it completely worth it. We thought we would try fishing a little bit, but three foot waves are a little too large to be considered a good Walleye chop, so we took off for Zippel again and made it about 2 miles from shore when the boat died. I looked at Mark and thought "Oh he must just be stopping to fish or something." Nope, we had run out of gas! Thankfully we had a full gas can with us, so we put some in and kept going. THEN, we made it to the outer edge of the bay when the boat died, again. I thought we just put gas in!?!? Evidently, the boat burns more fuel than I thought. Mark filled it up once again and we did make it all the way back, this time. 

I think he was being sarcastic, but when we were almost back, Mark asked if I could back up the trailer so that he could just stay in the boat and drive it right on. OF COURSE, I had to prove myself to him and make sure he knew that I could do it! So, I hopped out, jumped in the pick-up, and went to town backing the trailer into the water. It took a little bit longer than I had hoped, and I needed some direction, but I did it! He drove it on and then I hooked it up and pulled it all the way up onto the trailer. What would he do without me, huh? ;) Just kidding! Then, our Sundays just aren't complete anymore without making a stop or trip in Roseau to see Bob, Carmen, and Mary. What was supposed to be a quick drop off turned into a couple hour visit and a nap-fest for Mark. We both enjoyed it I think, though. :) 

This morning it was back to school for me, bright and early! The alarm went off at 5:21, and I was on the road by 6:20. With one class left, I cannot wait to get back to the apartment to lay down for a little snooze. All of this college information has my brain fried by the end of the day! I hope you all have a great day! Make it wonderful!

P.S.-The shop is coming along well! Mark got it all sheeted up last week and they were going to start putting steel on the roof today. Praise God for the nice weather they have to work in today!

Is there ever enough time?

This weekend went by so fast....too fast. Isn't that how everything seems to go in today's world, though? We never have enough time or it isn't the right time. It's time to do this or it's about time that you did that.

Why does everything need to revolve around time? 

I know that I get caught up on time just as much as everyone else. Often, I wish that my time at college was over and that I could spend my days working in the yard, cleaning the house, thinking of creative ideas, etc. Yes, I know, I am very weird. I actually enjoy doing all of those things. (Maybe I am a little Type A) Would I fast forward time if I could? I can now honestly say, no. I think these are the minutes, days, months, and years that are going to make me tough, strong, thankful, humble, and knowledgable to an even greater extent.

I think as humans, we tend to focus on tomorrow rather than today. I'll admit, I DO! Mark will be the first to tell you that I already have places and events that we need to be at for the weekend before I even get home on Friday afternoon. He actually just told me this weekend that sometimes we wishes that people didn't like us as much so that we didn't get invited to so many events, so that we had more time to relax and enjoy each other. He was just kidding, though! We love that so many of you invite us to fun occasions and wish for us to share in that time with you! :) (We really do love just taking the time to relax and lay around all day though, too. We can still do that, right? ;) haha)

Speaking of Mark, time has been of the essence for him to finish the slightly large (ok, ABSOLUTELY GINORMOUS) shop that he started building at the beginning of August. It is 120'x60' with a 40'x40' section off of the main shop. (I could very well be wrong about these measurements, by the way.) There doesn't seem to be enough time in the day for him to get everything done that he hopes for, so the days have been long. He normally starts at 7 AM and goes until dark. So, around 8:30ish? I cannot imagine how grueling that must be. I think that I have it rough starting classes at 8 and going until 2? Good joke, Megan, good joke. Last night we spent three to four hours prepping for the rafters to go up today. He marked out where all of the rafters would go on the walls, while I cut boards to 20'. I only had a couple that were too long, but they were all easy fixes and I didn't get fired so it was ok. :)

He works so hard, and I know that he doesn't mind doing carpentry now, but I hope that someday he will take the time to begin machining, instead. It is his first love, and it won't be as hard on his body. Trust me, it's not fun getting phone calls while I'm away at school telling me that Mark is in the emergency room or Mark got hurt today at work. Ahhhhhh! Will the madness ever end? haha ;)

Someday, the time will come when I can be at home doing what I love, with my love, and looking back it won't seem like it took that much time. Now, we will begin taking the time to do things that we enjoy and break away from the chains that sometimes hold us to something. Time is of the essence people, and unfortunately, we don't have alot of it. Take the time to live, laugh, and love with those near and dear to you, because I guarantee you will not regret your time well spent. :)

Drew: My Inspiration

My inspiration for today comes from my younger brother Drew. For those of you that do not know him well, at first glance he may come off as shy, quiet, and boring. Although, one will still find him very handsome! :) Unfortunately (I say unfortunately, because sometimes I wish that were all true), he is not even one of those things. He is: sarcastic, hilarious, witty, smart, talkative, outgoing, charismatic, hard working, and HUMBLE.

This morning, I received text messages from both of my parents telling me to look at an article in the sports section of the Grand Forks Herald. Dad said, "I think it will be worth your time." I quickly went to read it and they wrote heavily about my brother and his team. They explained how they have outscored their opponents 91-0, been able to choose from a wide variety of players, and the struggle it may be to stop them.

As I read it, I couldn't help but visualize the ear-to-ear grin that must have been on Drew's face as the reporter was interviewing him. He's never been one that's good at hiding his excitement from others. If he's happy about something, you'll know by the large smile on his face and the twinkling of his bright blue eyes.

But why did I put extra emphasis on the word HUMBLE in the first paragraph? Drew is quite possibly the most humble person that I have ever met. He will never come home and say, " wow, did you see that awesome play when I threw the ball 50 yards to Nick?" "I had such a good run. Nobody could touch me out there tonight!" Rather he will walk in the front door and say, "did you see that awesome catch that Fernando made right over top of that guy?! That was so cool!" or "The line sure did good tonight. They were giving me a lot of time back there."

This morning (as I'm told), he subtly set his iPod in front of my dad at the kitchen counter with the article already pulled up for him to read. He quickly said, "you might want to read this" and walked away not waiting around so that he could get praise. If he hadn't done this, they probably wouldn't have even known about it!

I wish that I could be more like him in that aspect. Always looking to build someone else up before yourself or being ok without receiving praise for all of the good things that you do in life. I try so hard to always find the good in people, give others the credit when you were just as much a part of it, and be a leader when it isn't always the easiest to do. I'm not at the level that he is at though. Maybe I need to take the time to stand back and watch his actions more and let everything soak in that he does. Maybe I need to actually sit down with him and ask him how he does it.

He's one in a million and I don't know what we would all do without him. He's the "good child" in our family, never getting in trouble from Mom or Dad because he actually listens all of the time, but he is also my inspiration not just for today, but for life. :)

I believe..

Ok, this is just a quick one! (mainly for my grandma, because I know that she is going to be looking for a blog from me today haha)

I am absolutely DETERMINED to get done with school as quickly as possible! I have spent the last hour (I have a two hour break until my last class for the day) going back and forth, trying to figure out if it is even possible that I can finish a little bit early. Guess what?! I think it is possible!!! I am going to talk with my advisor soon to see what her thoughts are on the subject, but I am very optimistic for now.

I miss Kittson County. More specifically, I miss my little towns of Orleans and Lancaster. I know everyone says that I need to cherish these years and appreciate what I have now, but to be quite frank, I'm ready to be a full blown grown-up now. I'm ready to have a job that I am responsible for, money to keep track of, bills that need to be paid, and for what little college debt (I am so thankful for this!) I have to be paid off.

Some will think that I am crazy, but I just like to think that I am ready for what the world has to throw my way. High school was the time of my life. College in the city where I'm a complete stranger to nearly everyone is not the lifestyle I enjoy. Will I put up with it for now? Heck yes! Without my education, I am not as useful as someone with a degree to businesses or employers. I am fully aware of this fact. Although, it does sadden me though that so much of our lives revolve around money. Either receiving, spending, or saving it, too much emphasis is placed upon it in my eyes.

I think that there are more important things in life. Call me old fashioned, but I believe in raising your own children, rather than sending them to a daycare for 9 out of 24 hours each day. I believe in children attending school with their friends and building relationships that will last a lifetime. I believe in husbands and wives working together to make things work even better when times get tough. I believe in work, whether it be house work, homework, outside work, etc. It builds character. I believe in small towns and the camaraderie and spirit that lives within each one. I believe in life out in the country, the sound of quiet, and the stars shining brightly at night. I believe that God has a plan for each and every one of us and that my plan isn't the one that so many wanted for me. "Get out of here!" "Go do something with your life!" "You can always come back years down the road. Kittson County isn't going anywhere." "There is nothing here for you."

My thought on the last couple phrases is, if Kittson County is so bad, why do you live here still? Maybe YOU want to advance your life or come back years down the road, but that has never been my dream. My dream is to raise a family someday the same way that I was raised. I knew that I could come back whenever I wanted to and not be judged. My family actually encouraged it and I will be forever grateful of that. Kittson County is my home.....and I don't just believe that, I know. :)

Bountiful Blessings

It's been a long, long, long, stressful day today. Between Mark's hand still being sore, swollen, and utterly useless, and Matt trying to get all of his hay and straw up and back home, we have made many trips to and from. Today was one of those days when I needed to just sit back and think about all of the good things that I have in my life and count my many blessings, instead of dwelling on the stressful and worrisome things that were beyond my control. 

This is the top ten list that I came up with:

10. I am thankful that I have a wonderful set of parents that are willing to help me out and step up whenever I need them. Last night Dad helped with Clifford while I made supper, and today Mom visited with Adina for a long time. They will make awesome grandparents. (someday, but not TODAY! ;) ) haha

9. I am thankful for the nice weather we have had lately. It has been nice enough for the guys to continue working in the fields, so that they can get things done quicker, and it has allowed Mark to put in even longer than usual hours on the shop he is building.

8. I am thankful for vegetables from the garden. (way off topic, I know.) They make every snack, meal, day just a little bit brighter. :)

7. I am thankful for new friends and old friends. Without them, today would have been a complete whirlwind!

6. I am thankful for a vehicle that gets good gas mileage. We put many miles on today, and I didn't even need to fill my tank up! 1/4 of a tank left still! woohoo!!!

5. I am thankful for the gorgeous scenery in Kittson County. To take a break from all of the chaos, Mark took me up on top of a pile of straw bales at Matt's tonight to just relax for a moment. The combination of trees and cows, with frogs croaking in the background was absolutely perfect. I couldn't have asked for a sweeter moment. He's perfect, I know. :)

4. I am thankful for a good set of jumper cables. In the last two months, I think that I have had to use them about ten times to get either a vehicle or lawn mower started. See, I'm smarter than you guys think!

3. I am thankful that we live in a town where people are willing to help each other get their work done. Sometimes, it is just too much for one person to handle, and it is so nice to know that there are still people willing to help a neighbor in need.

2. I am thankful for Mark. (Again? Yeah, I know. He's special though.) Even though we both get a little frustrated sometimes, he always knows when to pull back on the reigns and take time for just ourselves. Referring back to number 5, is that not seriously one of the sweetest things ever? I'll admit, I was a little scared at first, but it was totally worth it. He's just so cool. :)

1. I am thankful for a God that loves me even at my weakest point. More than once today, I had to stop and take a little break to lift a prayer up or ask for strength to carry on with what was happening at that given point in time. And guess what? It worked every time. :)

So, that's what I am thankful for today. It's been a long day. I'm hitting the hay folks. (not literally, though!)

P.S. I found this quote just a little while ago. This definitely rang true today for me. Maybe one of you can relate to it also. :)

If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. – Mary Engelbreit

BFF...F!

Today, as I sat in my American Government class, my professor ranted and raved on topics ranging from Miley Cyrus twerking, to Jenny McCarthy convincing parents not to vaccinate their children for fear that they will potentially become mentally handicapped. In between these blows, multiple profanities were dropped and used in association with this topics.

Now, I know that I am not perfect by any means and I do curse here and there, but was this really necessary? In today's world, we complain that children and students are lame, inconsiderate, rude, etc.. If we have leaders that speak in such vulgar terms towards us, what can we expect though?

Granted, I think that I was raised differently than (most) others nowadays; lots of this has to do with my parents. They always got after us when we told each other to "shut up" when we were little and were good role models of how we should act in private and in public. I know of many other parents that were also like this, and I am proud to say that it is their children that I can now call my friends today.

In order to stay out of trouble and bad things, we need to surround ourselves with good people that strive for the same things that we do. I am lucky to say that I have had a great friend base since I was born, practically. Our idea of fun back in the day, was sitting around a bonfire, while Nature Boy told us hilarious stories or watching movies in Diamond's basement and trying to drink a case of Mountain Dew in one sitting. (Jacki (Mark's sister-in-law) and I have discussed how thankful we were to have friends like this that were on the same page as us on more than one occasion!)

Have I strayed from this path a little bit? Yes. I will admit it, I am by no means perfect. I have made my fair share of mistakes and done wrong, BUT it is through those occurrences that I have learned lessons that I would not have understood before. My friends have stood by me through it all and I am very lucky to have been blessed with such understanding, loving, kind-hearted people in my life. They are the ones that have truly made a difference. This type of friend is the one that will make the biggest impact on you during your lifetime and they will be the one that you can call your BFF (best friend forever).

These are just a few of the people that have been my true friends along the way...They are all AWESOME!

And that's how you find good friends in life folks. :)

Thoughts on Thoughts on Thoughts

Today marks the day of new beginnings for some, but many lasts for others. It's the first day of school in Minnesota! For me, it is just another day in my boring collegiate life, but scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, I've seen many, many pictures of little tikes, elementary students, and teens expressing their excitement for the beginning of a new school year. I hadn't put too much thought into it, until I realized that it was my brother Drew's last first day. How could he be that old already? How could I be at this stage in my life already?

I think it has finally hit me that I am an adult now too. Paying bills, choosing which path I want to take in life, and not being surrounded by the constant chaos of my two younger brothers has done me in I believe. No, this is not my first year away, but I think it took a solid year for it to all sink in for me. Yes, I still go home very frequently. Am I ashamed of it though? ABSOLUTELY NOT! There is no place in the entire world like Kittson County, and their is surely not better people elsewhere either. Some say that I am not willing to step outside of my comfort zone to experience something different elsewhere, but I have tried going other places and taking in what they have to offer, and I can tell that I'm not meant to be there. It's so comforting finally understanding what you are meant to do with your life and where you are meant to be. (A special thanks to the Man upstairs for helping me out with the last statement.:) ) 

Time has flown by so quickly in the last five years. Where has it all gone? I know, people tell you all the time to appreciate it and enjoy it while you can, but do we listen? Most of the time, no. I, for one, admit that I have not always taken the time necessary to stop and appreciate the important things in life. I remember as a high schooler going to make pizzas before many games at my Great-Grandma Gloria's and always being in a huge rush to get back to the school so that I could hang out with my friends. I would give anything to go back to those days just to be able to sit at her small dining room table eating while, she sat in her chair with her feet up listening to Willie's Roadhouse on the radio. Those were truly "the days"!These memories come flooding back to me and I can't help but smile and replay some of them in my mind. 

So, here's to a good year for all, good ol' Kittson County, and taking the time to appreciate what we have! Praise be!!

Marky Mark Mark

"Take it one day at a time, Megan. You will be just fine. Baby steps, girlfriend, baby steps."

This thought runs through my head multiple times a day, now that school has begun. I find myself getting overwhelmed and stressed out over the silliest of things! (I am my mother's daughter after all!)

The hardest part of this entire week, though, was leaving Mark on Tuesday morning. Will it ever get any easier? For me, probably not. He is the epitome of the perfect guy in my eyes, and I thank God every day for placing him in my life. Every time that I hear my phone buzzing, I secretly hope that it's a phone call or text from him. (Sorry to disappoint anyone..I love hearing from all of you too I promise!!!)

This has been an excellent opportunity for me to toughen up this week. Mark tells me quite frequently (as I seem to get a little excited sometimes), "Megan, just sit back and enjoy everything. It isn't always going to be like this." OH HOW RIGHT HE IS! So often, myself and many others get caught up in this whirlwind that we call life and forget to live in the moment. So, this weekend, I vow to take the time to: stop and visit, play catch with my brothers, go fishing with my parents, and soak up everything my grandparents say.

At 3:00 this afternoon, all of my patience that I had built up during the week, paid off. I finally got to see my hunny. :) Granted, he was working so I didn't get to spend much time with him, and he was super dirty and sweaty, but it didn't bother me one stinkin' bit. :) The joy of seeing him greatly outweighed the cons, no matter the circumstances. The distance makes me appreciate him that much more I think. He's perfect.

As I was leaving his work site today, I asked if he had laundry for me to do. This is how the rest of the conversation went...

Mark: Yeah, I do.

Me: Is there a lot?

Mark: Well, kind of. Oh, and you might find something there that you might not like. (laughs)

Me: Ummm, ok? Is it bad? Should I be concerned?

Mark: I don't know. We will just see how smart you are. (laughs again)

("I don't know" followed by laughter is a classic Przekwas reply might I add!!)
Well guess what? I must be EXTREMELY smart, because I spotted this "object" right away. Lately, he has had a fettish with buying guns. Am I upset about it though? Of course not! For the most part, he makes good use of them, and we have fun holding competitions between each other to see who has the best shot. It's all good, clean fun. :)

I'm off to put clothes in the dryer now.
(It wasn't nearly as much as he described by the way.)

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I'm HOME and I wouldn't trade this place for the world!



This is Mark, by the way.

This picture was just taken this past weekend, when he and a couple friends went cat fishing on the Red River by Hallock.

We love spending time at the lake and doing fun things on the water. This was over the Fourth of July.

Another day this summer when Mark was the only one to catch a fish. What a pro!

Big Moves

Well, I guess you could say that I am joining the band wagon folks! I have many friends that share blogs on Facebook, and I simply LOVE reading every single one. Now that I'm at school, why not polish my writing skills a little too? ;)

This week has been a series of three BIG MOVES for me.

1. I returned to school on Tuesday morning for my second year of classes at the University of North Dakota. (For those of you that know me well, you know how excited I was for this move! Not.)

2. A couple girlfriends and I moved into our first apartment together. It is McEnroe Place IV, located across the street from the Alerus Center. It is a little over one mile for me to walk to school, so it forces me to leave EXTRA early in an effort to be on time.

3. My third and final big move occurred less than one hour ago; I switched my major from Communication and Science Disorders to Managerial Finance and Accounting. I know, from one extreme to the other, huh? This summer forced me to do a lot of thinking and I decided that this would be a better fit for me. I have always been in love with numbers and managing accounts, and I am super excited to see where this will take me.

Well, I guess that's all of the big news that I have for now! Wish me luck and a prayer or two would not hurt either. ;)

Oh, and a big shout out to my little bro Drew for his last first football game tonight! GO BEARCATS!!!