Legally Blonde Musical

Olivia started off the school year with hours and hours of rehearsals for the HS musical “Legally Blonde”

This production did not disappoint!!! 

Four days of performances and so many supporters

Mom . Liv . Em

Joe’s not a fan of musicals but he is a fan of Olivia 

Crystal . Holly . Nana . Papa

Rodger . Laura . Oma . Reagan . Riss

Olivia spent many days at school from 7:30am - 7:30 pm. I have no idea how she did it. AP classes, show choir and school musical is a lot! This kid is smart, talented and has all the feels. ;)  Love you bunches Liv! 

 

#7 turns 21

Happy Birthday Reagan

Finally celebrating Regs

Finding a good time to celebrate this girl’s birthday has always been a bit of a challenge. This year she was on the road with her soccer team in Michigan 2 days before and in Indiana 2 days after. Those few days in between were filled with nonsense activities such as college classes, tests and studying. Who has time for a 21st birthday celebration? 

A great birthday win! 

Brave . Determined . Loyal . Fierce . Strong . Smart . Joyful  Friend . Daredevil . Faithful . Caring . Adventurous . Observant   Leader . Tidy . Driven . Funny . Christ Follower Gorgeous . Tough . Courageous 

We love you babe! 

 

Happy Birthday Joseph

I have prayed for this young man since 1998 and then in 2018 he was introduced to our family. Long before Emma was born, I started praying for the man she would marry.

  Oh how my God is faithful!

Joe has the coolest story of protection and divine purpose. As a new born, 26 years ago today he was abandoned by his birth mother on the steps of a local church. I praise God that she chose life! His story continues with an amazing family, life threatening illnesses, finding Jesus in college, completing his ministry degree and eventually marrying our girl. Joe and Emma share a passion to walk through life with college students, show the life-giving faith of Christ and love the people around them all while drinking coffee. :)

Today we celebrate Joe!

Joe doesn't like attention on his birthday. That's funny, he married into the wrong family...we celebrate birthdays around here. Unfortunately, the party has been delayed due to family illness. We'll go to Copps Pizza and eat pie another day. Last night Olivia and I put up a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" sign in their yard and today I dropped off a cherry pie. More to come...

Joe's mom and dad on moving day

Some of my favorite pictures of Joe

 

We love you Joe!!

Happy Birthday!

 

What I Learned Calling 37 local High Schools

I replied to a request from Olivia's HS youth pastor. Who wouldn't offer to make a few phone calls? We belong to a church of several thousand people, of course there will multiple people offer to help. RIGHT??? To be honest, I didn't even entertain the thought I would be THE ONLY volunteer.

Well, I was!

Omaha isn't that big. How many high schools could we really have? We have 37. Ok, so that won't take too long to make 37 phone calls, right? This week I called all the high schools to obtain permission to use their school logo and request a vector file of that logo. This is all about helping kids find other students from their school at this event. That's it, nothing more.

I did what any rational person would do...I started with a spreadsheet. I love spreadsheets! They make me happy. They are orderly. It's a tidy list with space to make notes, check off items, highlight items and easily editable. Spreadsheets are my friend! :)

So here's the deal. You have to...

- look up the number and call each school

- look up the AD (activities director) and their email

- hopefully talk to the AD but probably leave a voice mail or message with the administrative assistant

- send an email to the AD (usually the AD, maybe the comm team or administration office)

- wait for a response

- download the file, half of them are not the format I asked for but I will take them anyway

- contact the church comm team. "what do I do with these vector files?"

- realize I use to have Dropbox and now how do I find that username and password

- upload to Dropbox

- figure out how to use dropbox

- keep track who I called and emailed, who gave permission, who sent the file

This took exceptionally longer than I anticipated. As of tonight, I still have 8 more schools to contact. Of the 28 schools I have reached, only 17 have sent files. 

These high schools are all so different. 

SIZE: The big public schools are about 2500 students. The small public schools are about 700-800. And the parochial schools range from class A 2500 students down to class C 300 students. 

AUTHORITY: Some secretaries have the authority to send what I need. Some ADs have the authority. And then some of the schools I had to speak with someone at the district office. Some acted like they had no idea where to even find a file of the school logo while others offered 3 different versions. 

WEBSITES: And then there's the websites. Holy Buckets! Some schools have a horrific web presence. Finding information on staff was like pulling teeth while others I could simply google school name and athletic director and everything I ever needed was right in there in black and white.

PERMISSION: Almost every person I have spoken to has been super helpful and excited that our church is doing a citywide gathering for youth. Only Bell East, so far, was concerned about the unintended endorsement they would be giving by allowing us to use their logo. Funny thing is the other school in that district, Bell West, had no problem giving us permission. And our largest district in town, Omaha Public Schools just doesn't have the time to respond to me. 

This has been interesting, kind of fun but much more involved than I expected. 

One more side note: several ADs asked me if I was related to Chris Raabe. Gosh, my husband is famous. 

(a post that is of very little significance to anyone but what I have been up to this week)

Twenty-Third Annual Raabe Reunion

 

Here's the group, missing Ang & John

The Chris Raabe looks forward to this time of summer every year. We are blessed to have a family who we not only love but enjoy. 23 years ago when this all began, none of Chris' cousins were married and Emma was the only great grandchild of Warren Raabe, there were 15 of us. Our group has grown to 31 fun loving, loud, generous, some times controversial, game playing, pizza eating, story telling, Husker loving (except the Iowa bunch) family members. It's awesome!

 

"Like branches on a tree, our lives may grow in different directions yet our roots remain one"

Our weekend began at our house with cornhole, firepit and smores.

Joe wowed us all with his chalk art

See...we like to eat. :)

HyVee breakfast is about the only place all 30+ of us can sit together.

My favorite people!!!

After breakfast we headed north of town about 30 miles to a beautiful little farm with a barn built just for gatherings, space for bocce, a gorgeous pool, fire pit and lots of seating. Tom and Patty who don't even know most of us were fantastic hosts. 

The cousins

missing Angie and Lisa

These 7 cousins grew up together. The stories they tell about sleepovers at "The Place", taking baths together, going to church, grandma cooking whatever they killed on the farm and fishing with grandpa are the best!

This family takes bocce pretty serious

A couple years ago Paul and I won. I thought I had a good chance at a run for gold because I was matched up with Paul's son. We should have won but didn't even come close. HA  In 2022 Emma and Amy take home prize of "Bragging rights for a year"

Nat, Liv and Taylor

Our youngest with Kelly's youngest

Olivia and Selah

Our family reunions have taken us to KC, Lewis & Clark State Park,  Platt River State Park, Honey Creek Resort, Some farm in Iowa, Ponca State Park and now Omaha for the second year. With growing families and lives getting busier it's been a greater challenge to find a time when everyone can attend. I love these people and hope we can keep it going for years to come.

Colorado with The Best

Last year around this time of year we were in Cancun with 2 other couples who have been our "through thick and thin" friends for the last 20 years. We all had such a great time, we had to do it again. Who can afford an all-inclusive resort year after year? This year we landed right outside of Breckenridge in a great VRBO for 5 glorious days. 

Our week consisted of hiking, cooking, outdoor concerts, white water rafting, naps, shopping, laughing, coffee on the deck, hot tubbing, reminiscing and planning the next trip.

Celebrating year 26 with my favorite human!

          COLORADO              Yep just like last year             MEXICO

As strange as it may sound I was most excited to sit outside in the morning with a cup of joe and take in God's beauty. It did not disappoint!

Our hike to Lily Pad Lake

WHITE WATER RAFTING

We had the sweetest guide, Elsie an architecture major from Utah.  Yep, this 20 year old was strong, knowledgeable and able to keep the 6 of us in line. Well Done Elsie!

For me...rafting almost didn't happen. We were all dressed in the wetsuit, lifejacket, rain jacket, wet shoes and helmets and dropped off about 30 minutes from where we left our vehicles, that's when I was moments away from a full fledged anxiety attack. We were all sitting in the boat on dry land getting rowing instructions and honestly I have no idea what else because I couldn't hear one single thing Elsie said. I was pretty sure I was going to stop breathing. Chris turned towards me and saw the terror in my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin this amazing trip for my friends. The short version is I took off part of the wet suit and loosened my life jacket (even though they said it had to stay tight). UGH!! Claustrophobia sucks! It has hit me only a couple times and even though I tell myself "This is irrational!" I still need an intervention to move on. The good news is, I was able to get in the boat and I had a blast! God is Good! (One of my coping skills is reciting the names of God.) Three (yes, 3) hours down the 42 degree river, in a downpour, and I can still say I loved it. Next time I need the sun and no wet suit.

Too pretty to not share

I love these people. We met at Third City Christian Church 20+ years ago. We have raised kids together, painted houses, blown up lots of fireworks, prayed together, buried parents, cried together, fished together, scrapbooked together, held our marriages together, pulled off graduations and weddings for each other and vacationed together. There's no one better. 

Kudos to our two injured hikers. Susan: 6 months post knee surgery. Rod: 1 month away from knee surgery. They didn't complain but I think the hot tub made everything a little better.

Until Next Time 

Mom's Day 2022

 

Oh how these 3 young women have my heart! God’s gracious gift of motherhood is more than I deserve. Exactly twenty four years ago a new life was formed and she changed my life forever…for the better. 

Funny story about the flowers Reagan brought home. 

I’ll just say the roses were purchased at a store, the white tulips were acquired 

“Quality Time” and “Gifts” (in that order) are my love languages. Chris claims it’s actually QUANTITY time, he probably isn’t wrong. This Mother’s Day I was honored with both time and gifts. I’m a lucky mama! 

What a great day!