Thanksgiving 2019

Oh fall how I love thee but as Thanksgiving arrives I am ready to turn the page from fall decor to the lights, ribbons, bulbs, greenery and outdated ornaments. Outdated ornaments...that's another subject all together. My girls love to bring up my ugly rubber chicken ornaments. 

THEY AREN'T CHICKENS...THEY ARE STARS. 

Nothing makes my heart swell like having my family all together. Tree decorating didn't take place until Emma (and Joe) came home the Wednesday before thanksgiving. I keep forgetting, year after year to buy a new start for the top of the tree. Again this year I have a santa hat up there. Disappointing, I know. :)

Thanksgiving day Reagan flew out to California with her club soccer team for a pointless tournament. They did well but we missed having our girl with us. The rest of the family spent the day at Helen and Lynn's again this year. Due to a snow storm Angie and John missed the big meal. We didn't get to see Stephen and Holly either, as he has been battling cancer. It's been rough, chemo is a butt kicker! We look forward to seeing everyone at Christmas.

This time of year I start seeing "What are you thankful for" posts on social media. A couple years ago I started a gratitude journal which has been great. I don't want to be thankful one month a year. Even in the hard times, there is something to be thankful for. Writing these things out turns my frown upside down. I am thankful for dinner and decorating with all my kids!

National Letter of Intent Signing Day 2019

The day is finally here, she is officially a Husker!

Almost three and a half years ago Reagan went on her first college soccer recruiting trip. During those 40 months she has started high school, attended 10 high school dances, taken 9 (or 10) AP classes, gone on TEN unofficial recruiting visits, learned to drive, traveled the United States from Minnesota to Florida over to Arizona and up to Washington to play soccer, had 3 different jobs, taken 3 art classes, volunteered with school and church, gone "creekin'", had shingles, recovered from ACL surgery, represented her school and school district city wide, won multiple soccer and academic awards, laughed with friends, cried with mom, visited family, gone on her first date, acted silly and made us proud. (she may have gotten in trouble a couple times too but we won't talk about that) She loves soccer and spends countless hours training to improve her skills but she's so much more than a soccer player. We know you have limitless opportunities ahead of you. The future is vastly unknown and while it can be scary it is also wildly exciting. I believe in you!

God made you for such a time as this. 

2020 Husker Soccer Recruiting Class

Support System

Public Speaking

Friends and Husker Teammates

Papa is wearing Grandpa Warren Raabe's sweatshirt. He
would be so excited to have a Husker Athlete in the family

COMETS

I love this picture. We remind our kids, "Remember where you came from!" Reagan joined the Comets team as a 1st grader. Coach Mike shared his love of sports with the girls and now look at these 3 MWHS Wildcats headed to college to play soccer.

These girls are Elite Girls Academy club teammates and Millard West high school teammates headed for the next level...NCAA Division 1 college soccer. 

Loyola Chicago, U of Nebraska-Lincoln x2, U of Nebraska-Omaha and Loyola Chicago.

This senior year has been a series of check marks...
apply for college...check
official visit...check
signing day...check
graduation party up next

"For I know the plans I have for you (Reagan)," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   Jeremiah 29:11

Birthday Love

Birthdays are the best, especially my own!

It wasn't a birthday month but it was still pretty good.

Chris left me notes through out the house

The girls filled my tiny car with balloons

My bosses and coworkers made my day special

Sushi for lunch at work

HaPPy 75th BiRThDaY DaD!

♫ Happy Birthday to You ♫

♫ Happy Birthday to You ♫

♫ Happy Birthday Dad ♫

♫ Happy Birthday to You ♫

Dad has always really loved to eat and his favorite food is anything containing copious amounts of sugar. I remember as a young girl growing up at home dad would make a run to Boogaarts to buy a brownie mix and then after dinner ask me to make them. Sometimes he would buy vanilla ice cream to go on it too. We all would eat one piece, maybe two but the next morning when we woke up the pan would be empty. Dad just couldn't stop eating until he hit the bottom of the pan. Another typical dessert occurrence from my youth would happen when we were eating out. Our dad was a very frugal man, he worked super hard to provide for our family of five and didn't want to waste funds. We didn't eat out often but when we did we didn't get to order drinks and we had to order meals that were on the cheaper side of the menu but dessert...that was another story. Everyone could order a piece of pie.  Dad's birthday this year gave him just what he loves best...peanut butter pie AND chocolate cake. 

We had some laughs. He enjoyed his cake. Unfortunately, Dad never knows who I am during my visits and on this particular day he didn't know who mom was either. These visits are hard! There is no way to sugar coat it...they aren't what I would like them to be. As I have said before, I don't know if he gets anything out of our time together other than some nice lady coming to visit. (yes, I am said "nice lady")  However, every once in a while I see my real dad shine through those brown eyes or in the raw moments of a hardy laugh I hear dad's voice. I miss you dad.  

Happy Birthday!

I love you!

The Royals . The Adults . The Huskers

What a weekend of celebrations!

The fun began Thursday evening with Reagan representing her senior class on the homecoming royalty court. She was super excited to get a free ticket to the dance. I guess it's the small things. 

Friday was Reagan's 18th birthday. Here are a few of my favorite pictures of my girl over the years. Happy Birthday Sweet Girl! You are an adult in some states but not yet in Nebraska! :)

18 YEARS OLD!!

Friday night after realizing her driver's license was expiring we headed to Lincoln for Reagan's Official Visit to the University of Nebraska. Wow! This is really happening!

Team dinner and a night at the Basketball Red-White scrimmage followed by a Rick Ross concert. Who is that you ask? I asked too and when the extremely loud nasty "music" began most of the adults in the building flooded the exits. 

The recruits have known each other for a couple years, playing together twice a year at camps and keeping in contact via social media. But the parents all met this weekend. Chris and I are looking forward to doing soccer life with these people over the next 4-5 years.

2020 Recruiting Class

Saturday was filled with tours, meetings, uniform sizing, team meals and lots of fun.

Saturday evening's itinerary included an all sport UNL recruit/parent dinner and then the Husker Football game vs Ohio State. Instead of the game Reagan squeezed in homecoming dinner, pictures and the dance back in Omaha.

pinning on a flower isn't so easy

Colton & Reagan

Colton and Reagan have known each other for years, growing up in our church youth group. Two kids in different high schools playing sports at a very high level keeps them busy. I love the friendship they have and the understanding of commitments to school, sports and friends. They had a funny disagreement about flower color...blue for Creighton Baseball or red for Husker Soccer.

MW Soccer Besties
They sure do clean up well!

The Gang

Sunday morning we were up bright and early, back to Lincoln for breakfast with the team, pre-game workout and meeting.

Recruits on Hibbner Soccer Field

And our final celebration was on Monday night. Family steak dinner at Texas Roadhouse means the birthday girl gets to sit on the horse saddle and yell "Yee Haw"

Texas Roadhouse Celebration

Reagan's birthday gift is coming later this month...pictures to come!

God Protects

Oh how I love this precious girl! I don't know if it's straight up protect or a sign that we need to slow down a bit but a couple weeks ago we had a scare that could have been a real nightmare! Saturday evening on the way home from work, Em found herself in the middle of an intersection with a smashed up car, pounding head and filled with anxiety. Oh that feeling of a car accident is terrible!
.
Been there!
.
Done that!
.
We are now almost a month out. Kevin (the car) has probably been torn apart and sold for parts while Emma is recovering from a concussion and whiplash. Praying for this girl to heal quickly and learn a whole host of life lessons in the meantime.

Today I write this as I remember my friend, Loni. September 5th was the 4 year anniversary of the tragic death of her precious 15 year old son in a relatively minor car accident. Why? Why would Nick die? Praise Jesus that Emma is ok but why? Why did this accident happen and why was her life spared? I won't ever know these answers but I trust our Lord God to be sovereign and just. It's like a kindergartner asking a neuro surgeon to explain the functions of the brain and nervous system. The doc might spell it our but the child will never comprehend the words. That is me asking God to lay out the plan of who lives and who dies. I can't see what he sees, I don't know what he knows and never will. Praise be the one who created us, loved us first and will be there with us until the end.

20th Annual Raabe (Ray.be) Reunion

Summer post July 2019...not September

MEET THE LEADERS OF THE FAMILY

Siblings Helen, Dean and Lois

First, I have to give a huge shout out to my hubby for finding an amazing reunion location! If I am going to be honest, I was worried that MAYBE Chris found a place that fit all his requirements but maybe not those of some of the pickier people (I am one of those pickier people). I didn't want to hear complaints. However, over 30 people together and no one complained...not even me. That's what you call a miracle! Thanks Chris, you did a fantatsic job finding our family reunion spot.

This crew comes from DesMoines IA, Omaha NE, Kearney NE and Kansas City MO. It's tough but we try to find a location that is a reasonable drive for everyone without breaking the bank. Tucked away in small town Iowa there is a fantastic B&B that sleeps over 30 people. We had a big house and guest house, lots of green space, pool tables, ping pong, a huge fire pit, 2 small lakes for fishing, swimming and kayaking and a homemade breakfast each day. It was nearly PERFECT! 

 The whole crew. Both Lisa and Emma came late.

Lou & Lois plus their crew of 10

Dean & Linda plus their crew of 9

Lynn & Helen plus their crew of 6

The Dean Raabe Family

THE  BOCCE TOURNAMENT

It's all fun and games...well sort of. We had all kinds of measuring devices out to check and recheck who had the closest bocce toss. And in the end it was a team of in-laws who won it all!!!

Paul you were a great partner!

C H A M P I O N S

The kids had a blast in the water. I just couldn't bring myself to get in there. 

snapping turtles . slimy moss . snakes . who knows what else

Late Night Pool

Big UNO tournament

Girl cousins catching frogs

Arm Workout

Giant Slip N Slide

After 20 consecutive years of reunions with the whole crew, I understood this one to be the last. My family LOVES our long weekends with family so in no way were we ready to let it go. Don't get me wrong, it has been a challenge some years. We have active kids and busy schedules but Chris and I made this a priority for our family. There are some branches of the family who are in those tough years of youth sports and vacations. Every family chooses where their priorities are and we move on. I am thrilled that we have a deposit down for one more year!

This place was great but had it's problems, we are off to southeast Iowa next year. It's going to be a longer drive for us and much longer for Emma. (insert sad face) Here's the issue...what seemed to be a friendly visit by the neighbor turned into a weird interaction with a felon who was most likely high and capable of being dangerous. Geepers, you never know what or who you will run into.

I know not every family is so lucky.
We love each other. We love the Lord. And we know how to have a good time.