Mom's 75th

Happy 75th Birthday, Mom!

We love you.

Tears of Joy

This, my friends, is one happy family!

I was overwhelmed with emotion as I read my baby sister's blog this evening. My smile was Grinch big as I viewed these pictures. Bitter sweet though as "E" gets so big so FAST!! I am so thankful for the weekend we spent with her...way back when...but am so sad that she is growing up not really knowing Aunt Kimmy & Uncle Mike and pfaff cousins.

How I wish 1100 miles did not seperate us!

Counting the days until we see you this fall, E!!

Until then, store up on some hugs and kisses for us!

Bonhoeffer

I just read a book about this incredible man. German theologian in the 1930's and 40's. Ended up being executed by Hitler. This is part of a sermon he preached. Oh, to have this faith...


No one has yet believed in God and the kingdom of God, no one has yet heard about the realm of the resurrected, and not been homesick from that hour, waiting and looking forward joyfully to being released from bodily existence.

Whether we are young or old makes no difference. What are twenty or thirty or fifty years in the sight of God? And which of us knows how near he or she may already be to the goal? That life only really begins when it ends here on earth, that all that is here is only the prologue before the curtain goes up-that is for young and old alike to think about. Why are we so afraid when we think about death?

Death is only dreadful for those who live in dread and fear of it. Death is not wild and terrible, if only we can be still and hold fast to God’s Word. Death is not bitter, if we have not become bitter ourselves. Death is grace, the greatest gift of grace that God gives to people who believe in Him. Death is mild, death is sweet and gentle; it beckons to us with heavenly power, if only we realize that it is the gateway to our homeland, the tabernacle of joy, the everlasting kingdom of peace.

How do we know that dying is so dreadful? Who knows whether, in our human fear and anguish we are only shivering and shuddering at the most glorious, heavenly, blessed event in the world?

Death is hell and night and cold, if it is not transformed by our faith. But that is just what is so marvelous, that we can transform death.

Happy Fathers Day

I was listening to sports talk radio the other day after Jim Tressel resigned (Ohio State football coach who knew about various wrongdoing by his players yet kept quiet). The caller said, “What kind of parent turns in his own kids” (referring to Tressel’s relationship to his players). The host said, “What kind of parent doesn’t!” That is a perfect precursor to my Father’s Day blog (which could also be a Mother’s Day blog).

I remember to this day when my mom found out I had taken a candy bar from Smith’s Food King in Los Alamitos while I was shopping with her. I was ashamed, it was wrong. But that wasn’t enough, my mom took me back up to the store to pay for the candy bar and apologize to the manager. This was no easy feat when you consider I was one of 5 kids who had to be lugged back up there. Obviously, this made a huge impression on me. She didn’t do it because she wanted me to get into trouble, I was already there; she did it to show me the consequence of my action, the way to do the right thing and the power of forgiveness. My folks were very good at that.

The best words of advice my dad ever gave me were, “Don’t be stupid”. Sounds kind of odd, but it was perfect. After all the time he spent showing us how to do the right thing and how to make good decisions, when we would go out with friends in high school or college or out on a date, those were his words. He knew he had instilled in us the ability to tell right from wrong, good decisions from bad, smart from stupid. A two hour fire and brimstone speech could not have been any more effective because those three words were backed up by a lifetime of hard work, Indian Guide campouts, family vacations, baseball coaching, church involvement and dedication to family that were the culmination of doing the right thing, making good decisions and being smart. Putting family first. He never said, “Be like me”, he is much too humble for that, but that is what I heard every time he said, “Don’t be stupid”.

I love you Dad, Happy Fathers Day!!

"Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall revew the face of the Earth."

Happy Pentecost

SWEET 16!

Photo by: David Leaser

Kindergarten Graduation



First Grader!

Sixteen years ago today Mike and I became two for two in God's gift of creating boys! The joy that entered our lives on this day can not effectively be put into words. By far it will go down as one of Tod's proudest days. He so lovingly took baby brother, Craig..named chosen by HIM, into his arms minutes after delivery...and has cherished his brotherhood/friendship ever since. For us, Craig was such reward. Just using the word "reward" seems strange in context...but if you know Mike and I well, you get it. Much time.....five long years to be exact.....were spent attempting to figure this balance of marriage and parenting out after Tod's birth. We still don't have that down but God gave us Craig at such a perfect time! Happy baby...a little older and wiser parents...and a big brother who had prayed and prayed for a baby brother!! How blessed we are!

Craig, you have given more to us than we could ever thank you for. Your tenderness, compassion, empathy, and determination are qualities that will enable you to SOAR through this gifted life. To say we are proud of the man you are becoming is such an UNDERSTATEMENT. From your academic successes at Jesuit, your determination to achieve EAGLE, your loyalty to friends, your determination to make the basketball team, and your unconditional love towards ALL of God's creations....put that together with all of the character traits you have... and WOW, what a winning combination. We pray, son, that you continue to give God the glory for all of these gifts, and always reach out for His hand to guide you as you become a Man for Others.

We love you, Craig-o, more than you know!

Happy 16th Birthday!

You + Tod + AAC + Dallas Mavericks in Finals =

F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S way to spend your birthday night!

Baseball

I love baseball. Been coaching it for about 15 years at various youth levels and always love it. We've got the 2 youngest still playing, both are very good and hopefully will keep playing and having fun for years. An added bonus this year is that I am able to coach T-ball with 2 of my brothers. Reed is playing with Ian (John's son) and Christian and Patrick (Steve's sons). It has been a great experience to have them all on the same team (Our folks love it because they can see about 9 grandkids at 1 T-ball game). Cole is on the Lugnuts and continues to amaze. Diving from his shortstop position to his left, fielding the ground ball from is knees, rolling over, popping up and throwing a dart to first for the out. Immediately after letting a slow roller go right through his legs. (ed. note: In case he reads this I don't want him to get a big head.)

Our T-ball team, the Dodgers, is pretty good. We hit well and field pretty well and have a record of 7-1-2, but the best part is that every player (14 kids) has played every position. Our coaches are proud of that because we keep all of the kids engaged. Which leads to the reason for this post.... This week I had to attend a T-Ball coaches meeting to discuss rules and player rotation. T-BALL!!

Apparently some of the coaches were leaving the same kids in the infield for the entire game and some others did not play infield at all! Some coaches were changing the rules in the middle of the game or adding things to give their team an advantage. Makes me scratch my head. Personally, being the manager of a 1st place T-ball team is not on my bucket list. It's much nicer to have a kid run up to you in a restaurant 2 years after you coached him, give you a big hug and say "Hi Coach!". Those little guys don't remember who won or lost, they remember that they had fun and got a game ball for making a great catch. I'm not the greatest coach in the world, and I make plenty of mistakes, but at least I remember that T-ball is for the kids. Doesn't seem like a hard concept to grasp.

Good Friday

photo by krj

"Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam Inque Hominum Salutem"

for the greater glory of God and the salvation of humanity

May we all wash one another's feet...not only with our words, but most especially through our deeds.

~Happy Holy Thursday

COLE JACKSON

...real men wear pink! aunt ann would be proud!

whether it's a stick, glove, or ball in his possession... his motives are crystal clear...

BACK OFF, HE'LL TAKE YOU ON!

Cole, watching you play is one of our greatest joys.

We pray you continue to give all the glory and praise to God for His blessings.

twenty-one!

one....

+ twenty =

twenty one!

some of the

BEST OF TOD

• sing yourself silly and barney videos
• singing "Friends in "SO" Places" at two
• watching the Ba-link-its drinking a Coke-a-lella
• your nickname...Tod-o...which Scot-o started
• "thank you much"
• "i love you 40-100, my karen"
• your love of movies, music, & clothes
• ring master: "Ladies & Gentlemen represent"
• power rangers
• your anxiety over storms
• Rene cutting your hair...you crying it "hurt"...but LOVING the LOOK afterwards
• i-tunes
• you and Craig crooning "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
• Catholic
• guitar playing
• "where in the world is carmen sandiego?"
• your goldfish Samey, Clark, and Effercet
• Jesuit soccer's ranger heart 2 years in a row
• laughing with aunt krissy about the private purple circle
• kicker
• mother-son brunch
• miles
• LA Tech & UTA
• michael bolton's "tine" & tenderness
• you telling your kindergarten teacher, mrs. sharp, to "shut up" on the first day
• Go Dog Go
• you called aunt ann..."auntie em"
• "Dorphee" in the Wizard of Oz
• Winnie the Pooh & the Honey Tree
• ultimate frisbee
• being the gander and SCOOP in plays
• the RISE school
• gemina
• the "castle"
• F.I.S.H. & NCYC
• being a partner in crime at the PINES
• busted for beer pong
• sig ep tristate
• UCLA weekends
• your love of family
• your near death experience on I-20
• coming clean in your sophomore year
• you telling grandma she was your hero
• george strait's "run"
• mustangs, patriots, marlins, warthogs, lions, saints, raiders

we have so much we could lift our glass to, tod. twenty-one years ago you opened our eyes and hearts to a love that was unknown until you. proud is truly an understatment when we reflect on the man you have become. we know God's plans for you are amazing and perfect. we pray you continue to rely on Him, always.

happy 21st, our 1st baby boy.

we love you, son.

Lent

The best way out is always through.

~Robert Frost

LAX

Growing up in northeast, I was introduced to Lacrosse early. Back when I was in elementary school, Kar's first love, Mike, played Lacrosse. Karen also kept stats for Arundel High School and Western Maryland's Lacrosse teams. None of us played formally, but Kar's Mike taught us how to catch, throw, and cradle. Thankfully, Lacrosse has made it south! Mike bought sticks for Tod when he was little hoping he would pick it up...which he did, but only to throw against our garage door! Craig, too, caught and threw around...but hoops are his love.

And then came Cole....who was playing around with those same two sticks bought for little Tod...and Cole decided he was going to ask Santa for all the pads. Well, knowing that Cole had been a good boy that year...and we figured Santa would deliver the goods, we thought we would search for a team. Dallas Dueces. They are basically a farm lacrosse program for Jesuit and ESD. Perfect.

All of our boys are sport loving. And, all are talented in very different ways. Cole, uniquely however, is our player. He has the perfect combination of Tod's humbleness, Craig's love and dedication for the game, Mike's talent, and my attitude. We have had the best time watching him move up in this sport. 1st and 2nd grade teams literally learn the sport without the physical contact. 3rd and 4th grade boys work on skills while adding the physical component. I never knew how true the quote was on a t-shirt Aunt Karen bought Cole..."Give Blood...Play Lacrosse"

Cole's team this year is made up of all the best 4th graders, and 5 (I think) 3rd graders.

Yesterday was his first goalie experience. Nerve racking for parent...and player!

We hope he sticks it out with this sport!

Goalie!

Cole and his #1 fan...

Cole playing center middie

my toes are froze, my feet are froze, ....

My attempt of nature shots like Kricky....

Our street south

North view

home sweet home

crp & me

Lady's attention is on the huge amount of snow falling from the trees while I'm taking this...most of which fell on my head.

Lady & the boys

Georgia and Trapper sure made some beautiful pups.

Although this "SHREK-LIKE" girl darts any given chance, she is the sweetest of dogs...

....not to mention,

beautiful,

just like the snow.

Brrrrrrr.......

You would think that since school has been cancelled for 4 days here in Irving that Kim would have a minute or two to keep our friends updated on what is going on in our lives.... Unfortunately, she has New Moon keeping her busy.

Spring is just around the corner so soccer, scouts, baseball, drivers ed and lacrosse are what will occupy our evenings and weekends until summer. Let the games begin!!

Big E

Future Firefighter

Ethan

Together with God, my brother, Brad, and his wife, Dawn, make the most beautiful babies! In fact, I need to post in the future with all of their pictures...all blonde headed-huge blue-eyed kids! All of my nieces and nephews are special, and occupy a unique place in my heart. Ethan, the babiest of the Jackson clan, came with a double portion of special! First, he's the baby. And, "the baby" at the Jackson home growing up occupied a distinguished place in the household and momma's heart, much like the oldest. After all, he was the only boy, and the baby. Unlike his father, E is the fourth, and last, boy of five children ...making him...the baby...and trust me, he is holding up the distinguished place in the home quite well! Second, he looks like Mom. He looked so much like mom, in fact, that it took my breath away the first time I laid eyes on him. God is so good! Mom left us in 2006, and Ethan was born exactly 1 year and 11 days after...looking so much like her. I ache when I think about him not ever having met TaTa personally...but then marvel at how God gifted us with a bit of her... in him.

Happy 4th Birthday Ethan!

my favorite cowboy....

Down, Set, Hut....

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, SOCCER, ...

The obvious answer to that question, at least in this house, is YES.

Despite Dallas' sorry season, this family remains

GAME ON.

We are ready each and every week. Just look at the t.v.

Months ago, while cleaning, I stopped dead in my tracks because of this site! Helmet to helmet match up for the upcoming week's game. Had to take a picture.

Thanks to Aunt Karen's best-gift-ever, Reed has a collection of all NFL miniture football helmets. Each and every week, no fail, they are arranged according to WHO is playing WHO. Currently on the t.v. are the Jets/Steelers and Packers/Bears helmets. I love it!

Tod took care of arranging the MLB match ups...well, the ones he had HATS for!

And, Tod has gotten us all into the English Premier League Soccer...Tod follows Liverpool, Craig and Cole follow Tottenham....

Number one for my boys are, of course, the Cowboys and Rangers but there are some other favorites:

Redskins, Ravens, Patriots, Colts, Dodgers, Phillies...

I'm thankful for my love-of-sport upbringing...and that God has surrounded me with

SPORT-LOVING MEN.

99 more days until MLB opening day

70 more days until JBA-Jesuit basketball

63 more days until Dodger/Lugnut baseball

30 days until Lacrosse

15 more days until Superbowl 45

Gail

...she knew me better than i knew myself...she softened my heart...wiped my tears...listened to every detail i was willing to share...accepted me always where i was...was my number one fan at all sporting events...made me laugh harder than anyone...was one of the silliest people i knew...she instilled confidence...taught me to love ALL no matter the baggage...read every single novel aloud to me in high school...played endlessly with all of us...typed every paper i was ever assigned...was the softest place to land...forgave every wrong i ever did or said...rubbed my forehead as i went to sleep...held my hand when i needed it the most...celebrated all holidays to the fullest...her tolerance goes unmatched...she loved my mike like me...she sang...she danced...she prayed...her unconditional love for my father still occupies #1 on my most admirable list...she taught me to forgive and worry...cleaned every dirty anything the best...laughed so hard she wet her pants...she had at least 100 phrases that are still being used and credited as "Mom's" today...she was so proud of her children...absolutely loved being a grandmother...and my list goes on. most of all though, there was not a single moment of my life that i did not know of her love for me.

"So faith, hope, love abide, these three:

but the greatest of these is love."

~Corinthians 13:13

i miss you, mom.

january 17, 2006

NINE years ago today...

Photo by: David Leaser

Happy 9th Birdthday Cole!

You know what they say about the 3rd time, right?
Third time is a CHARM.
If you look up the meaning of the word charm, you will find this:
"the power of pleasing or attracting, as through personality or beauty"
Without a doubt this absolutely describes Cole to a T.

We are so thankful first and foremost to God for the gift of his life. We thank God, family, friends, and even so many we never met for sustaining us during his beginning days. Without the power of their prayers and a God who answers them, we know that Cole would not be with us today. And, we also know, especially now, that our lives would be "zest-less" without him...for in this boyhouse...

Cole IS the exclamation mark!

six years ago today....

almost seven years ago mike and i learned i was NOT in menopause. way to much information already i know, but truly an amusing, typical pfaff story. you see, i'd never had a hot flash in my LIFE. and, my mother went through "the change" in her forties...so naturally (thinking that must be hereditary), when my first ever hot flash flushed through my body...i knew. i knew several things actually. one: i was done. two: i was willing to do anything to be done with hot flashes. in one of my trillion "medical" calls to kar, she advised me perfectly. she doubted my own diagnosis ever so slightly because of my age, but honestly, was with me. before we hung up, she flippantly added, "hey kim, the first thing they will ask is if you have done a test." i cut her off adamantly telling her that there was no way i was pregnant. as always she listened, and then finished...do one first so you can say, "i've done a test and it was negative." i complied. plus, kim doesn't turn tests positive. with tod we spent a weeks worth of groceries on those tests...negative. same with craig, and cole. so that morning, i did what i had done so many times before, knowing the results already. all i can say is IF my reaction could have been caught on camera, mike and i would have won funniest home videos...except it would have been in a really sad kinda way. you see, that little test was GLOWING...like lights on a Christmas tree. a first. i knew something else that morning. God was laughing his butt off! He was cracking Himself right up while crumbling my OCD, well thought out, well organized, "plans" for the way our lives were gonna go. i was on my own road...and He threw me right back to Him. it was the only place for me..in those next seconds as i tried to find air...and it was the only place for us in the next 8 weeks of almost silence disbelief...as we tried to make sense of it all. shock is really an understatement. tod almost fell off the chair at the dinner table when we told him...and if we had THAT reaction on video we would be another 10K richer. His disgusted response was: "Do you have ANY idea how OLD I AM?" i still laugh...at 15 you DO think it's all about you...and he was a little slow with his math. He hadn't calculated that his parents would be almost SIXTY when the little tyke graduated from high school!

God had plans for us...this we knew because the Bible tells us so...but we didn't know, if you know what i mean. our fourth blessing would change all of us. first, telling family and friends. amazing response. perhaps because they felt such sympathy for my crying self...OR they were truly afraid of my mental state and went the LIVE STRONG route. either way, it worked. the support and prayers we received from family and friends was absolutely essential and life changing. dr. neal was next. without a doubt he would laugh right along with God. dr. neal loved, and continues to love, giving us a hard time. i started off our appointment with refusals. old age requires certain things that i refused to do...like stick needles through belly buttons...no, no, no. not then, not ever. thankfully, preganancies were all easy for the most part. i always had too much fluid and measured like i was having triplets but other than that they were, thank you God, easy. mike decided early on that he would have his way, finally, in not finding out the sex of the baby. so at each sonogram, which were plentiful due to the fluid issue, we had to explain that we did NOT want to know a thing. dr. neal did write what sex he thought i was carrying on a sheet of paper that he kept in my file...later gave to us...and we kept it hid in the drawer of our bedroom. if i remember correctly, i believe my sister-in-laws looked and knew but that's it. every single delivery nurse on the floor was in our room that morning as we got close to delivery...all because we were OLD, having our FOURTH, and didn't know the sex...

reed and dr. neal

it was the 4th of january, 4th induction, 4th birth...and our 4th son!

birth is one of the holiest of events...a time we truly felt God's powerful presence. the hospital stay was one of the best. the bonding between tod, craig, cole, and baby reed is a memory forever etched on this momma's heart. i remember tod begging us to call him in sick to Jesuit so he could stay with me at the hospital while mike was at work. All three of the boys were such a big help when we came home.

six years later...

Happy 6th Birthday Reeder Joe!

January

Happy New Year!

So much has occurred since the last post, and I, as always, did a horrible job of catching those moments on camera. Partly because the flash on the wonderful camera that was gifted to us a few years back by Dad decided to not work! Lame excuse, I know. Christmas vacation, for the Mustangs in the family, was fast and way too short...8 days! It was, however, a great time with family. We worshipped, baked, sang, ate, opened gifts, and slept in! Our Christmas Eve service was absolutely PERFECT. Cole played the part of Joseph, and Reed played the part of the angel Gabriel. They both were perfectly cast. During rehersal, Reed did, though, give us a little scare...while taking a quick restroom break he told Dad he had to hurry back to the manger scene. When Mike asked why, he told him, "I've got to tell Mary, "You're CUUUUTTTEE."" Yikes. Thankfully he chose not to share. :) We do have it on video...and I will get that loaded sometime. I just need to learn how.

January is filled with celebration for the Pfaff pfamily. We have 10 birthdays (+ 4 friends birthdays), 2 Happy Heaven Days, and one anniversary! Milestones this year...Tod will turn 21 in March, and Craig-o will be SWEET 16!! We have so much to be thankful for.

I vow to be better in 2011...with everything.