So.Proud.
Monday, March 15, 2010 0 comments
Update...update...update
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 0 comments
Geez. Blogging must not be my thing.
All is well in the Fantasma family. Keeping busy with our little business, little church, and little girl. Not much going on besides all that!
Our biggest thing right now is plugging through photography and design work. It has been such a blessing that things have picked up. It has really helped our family financially to have a bit more steady income. If anyone needs Christmas cards, let us know!! We are excited to offer custom cards again this year. Postcards are a great way to save money on postage and still have an awesome greeting for your friends and family! If you want to keep up to date with our most recent stuff check us out on the Fantasma Imagery fan page or visit our website at www.fantasmaimagery.com
Our church, the Avenue, has been going through a sermon series lately called "When Life Dumps On You". It has been amazing going through the life of Job and how his sufferings relate to ours...and even more how his reactions and attitudes to suffering relate to ours. You should check it out at www.walktheavenue.com.
Sweet little Elliana is awesome too. She is now almost 14 months old and I can't believe it. I keep having these flashback moments where I see her sleeping in her little swing or laying propped up on pillows smiling at her Daddy. Now she's just walking around telling us all about everything she sees. I'm amazed at how many words she says...and how well I can understand her. She has developed this gentle, quiet personality, loving to just sit on the couch and read quietly with her stuffed animals even if a big ruckus is going on around her. She's just a little tiny thing too, at only the 10th percentile for height and weight at her age. I think that just adds to her dainty cuteness. I think she's the cutest thing to ever grace this earth, but I'm not biased at all.
All is well in the Fantasma family. Keeping busy with our little business, little church, and little girl. Not much going on besides all that!
Our biggest thing right now is plugging through photography and design work. It has been such a blessing that things have picked up. It has really helped our family financially to have a bit more steady income. If anyone needs Christmas cards, let us know!! We are excited to offer custom cards again this year. Postcards are a great way to save money on postage and still have an awesome greeting for your friends and family! If you want to keep up to date with our most recent stuff check us out on the Fantasma Imagery fan page or visit our website at www.fantasmaimagery.com
Our church, the Avenue, has been going through a sermon series lately called "When Life Dumps On You". It has been amazing going through the life of Job and how his sufferings relate to ours...and even more how his reactions and attitudes to suffering relate to ours. You should check it out at www.walktheavenue.com.
Sweet little Elliana is awesome too. She is now almost 14 months old and I can't believe it. I keep having these flashback moments where I see her sleeping in her little swing or laying propped up on pillows smiling at her Daddy. Now she's just walking around telling us all about everything she sees. I'm amazed at how many words she says...and how well I can understand her. She has developed this gentle, quiet personality, loving to just sit on the couch and read quietly with her stuffed animals even if a big ruckus is going on around her. She's just a little tiny thing too, at only the 10th percentile for height and weight at her age. I think that just adds to her dainty cuteness. I think she's the cutest thing to ever grace this earth, but I'm not biased at all.
Life is good.
Blessed to be a Burtasma
Sunday, March 29, 2009 0 comments
Yesterday Brian and I returned from a whirlwind trip to St. Louis with a bunch of friends for a benefit run/walk for colon cancer...which was super fun despite the horrible cold wind and rain...which turned to snow on the way home of course. For those of you who don't know our awesome friends Mike and Danielle Burgess, whom I have mentioned many times in this blog, Danielle was diagnosed with colon cancer when she was 17 and has since triumphed over it and is now a survivor of over 8 years. We are not big into athletics so when we decided to do this thing it was totally in support of Danielle, and for a fun relaxing weekend away. God likes to surprise you with new outlooks on things though when you are not expecting it.
One of the major things that I got out of this trip is how truly incredible Mike and Danielle are. For starters, Danielle is quite possibly the strongest woman I know. She has been through so much in her lifetime and to have the amazing personality and outlook on life that she has is inspiring. She is that gal who, even though she is going through a tough time herself, asks how your day is going and how she can pray for you. During the walk I saw many people who were walking in memory of someone who had passed away from colon cancer. Since we weren't around when she was actually sick, it's easy to take advantage of the fact that she is a miracle. If it hadn't been for God's sovereignty and creating her for the purpose of..how do you say...awesomeness!...we wouldn't have had the opportunity to be blessed by her. It is overwhelming. At one point after the race when we were all standing around in the pouring rain I had to go give her a huge hug just out of pure joy that I have gotten to know her and be her friend. I'm proud of who she is, that I can be her friend, and that she is handling the crazy life that has been handed to her with such grace. I couldn't imagine life without her.
Then there is Mikey. Anyone can look at him and see that he is a fun guy. He's enthusiastic about life and always the life of the party. There is so much more behind that. Yesterday, Mike finished the run before Danielle did. He ran across the finish line soaking wet and freezing cold, put his arms up in victory, and then immediately turned back into the crowd to finish the race with his beautiful bride. He could have stood with us to be shielded from the wind by an umbrella and rested after that long run..but no..he wanted to offer her encouragement, push her to be the best she could be, and be by her side when she finished. When I think about the strength that he has had to have it amazes me. He sat by her side watching her recover from this horrible sickness, but I have never heard him utter a word of complaint. Just imagine being a young man in his late teens whose girlfriend was just diagnosed with cancer. There are a lot of boys that would have run away at the prospect of having to deal with that at such a young age. Not Mike. Any bystander can tell that he loves that woman beyond what he can even know. If she is uncomfortable or in pain he is always always immediately trying to make her more comfortable, putting his own needs on the back burner until she is taken care of. What a guy.
Brian and I have been blessed beyond measure to be friends with two such incredible people. Their love for each other and zeal to live life to the fullest has not only made our life more exciting but more rewarding. Over the past couple years we have enjoyed being involved in the Avenue with them, partying, playing fun games, going on mini-trips, and just hanging out with them and chatting the night away. This year won't be all fun and games, with Danielle needing to have more of her colon removed due to more polyps developing, but we'll be right by their side. They are as good as a part of our family and I wouldn't have it any other way.
One of the major things that I got out of this trip is how truly incredible Mike and Danielle are. For starters, Danielle is quite possibly the strongest woman I know. She has been through so much in her lifetime and to have the amazing personality and outlook on life that she has is inspiring. She is that gal who, even though she is going through a tough time herself, asks how your day is going and how she can pray for you. During the walk I saw many people who were walking in memory of someone who had passed away from colon cancer. Since we weren't around when she was actually sick, it's easy to take advantage of the fact that she is a miracle. If it hadn't been for God's sovereignty and creating her for the purpose of..how do you say...awesomeness!...we wouldn't have had the opportunity to be blessed by her. It is overwhelming. At one point after the race when we were all standing around in the pouring rain I had to go give her a huge hug just out of pure joy that I have gotten to know her and be her friend. I'm proud of who she is, that I can be her friend, and that she is handling the crazy life that has been handed to her with such grace. I couldn't imagine life without her.
Then there is Mikey. Anyone can look at him and see that he is a fun guy. He's enthusiastic about life and always the life of the party. There is so much more behind that. Yesterday, Mike finished the run before Danielle did. He ran across the finish line soaking wet and freezing cold, put his arms up in victory, and then immediately turned back into the crowd to finish the race with his beautiful bride. He could have stood with us to be shielded from the wind by an umbrella and rested after that long run..but no..he wanted to offer her encouragement, push her to be the best she could be, and be by her side when she finished. When I think about the strength that he has had to have it amazes me. He sat by her side watching her recover from this horrible sickness, but I have never heard him utter a word of complaint. Just imagine being a young man in his late teens whose girlfriend was just diagnosed with cancer. There are a lot of boys that would have run away at the prospect of having to deal with that at such a young age. Not Mike. Any bystander can tell that he loves that woman beyond what he can even know. If she is uncomfortable or in pain he is always always immediately trying to make her more comfortable, putting his own needs on the back burner until she is taken care of. What a guy.
Brian and I have been blessed beyond measure to be friends with two such incredible people. Their love for each other and zeal to live life to the fullest has not only made our life more exciting but more rewarding. Over the past couple years we have enjoyed being involved in the Avenue with them, partying, playing fun games, going on mini-trips, and just hanging out with them and chatting the night away. This year won't be all fun and games, with Danielle needing to have more of her colon removed due to more polyps developing, but we'll be right by their side. They are as good as a part of our family and I wouldn't have it any other way.
It's the little things...
Thursday, March 12, 2009 1 commentsLately I have been noticing the lovely little things that God does to make our days a little brighter.
As many of you know, I am a die hard coffee drinker. I have gotten myself down to drinking only a cup or two a day, but that cup or two
is one of the things that gets me through the day. Most people dread rolling out of bed to start another day, but when I wake up I actually smile to myself as I think about playing with my baby girl and sipping that warm tasty treat. It became even more special a few weeks ago when I realized that my coffee stock was starting to dwindle. I brewed more sparingly and tried to stretch it out as much as I could but couldn't avoid the inevitable. I am going to run out of coffee. Me being me, could not rationalize spending $9 on one pound of coffee that wouldn't last me that long when that money could just as easily go towards the actual necessities. I made a deal with myself that I could not buy any more until I made some extra photography income that wasn't already allotted to something else. The next morning I got up and in my quiet time and asked God to just let some coffee show up at my doorstep. I then finished getting ready for the day and went out to run errands. When I got home I saw a small box on the doorstep. I excused that it was probably the replacement part for something in the basement and quickly forgot that it was there. Brian brought it inside when he went to get the mail and said..."it's from your grandparents." I wasn't expecting anything from them so I opened it excitedly. As soon as I broke the tape across the top of the box I could smell a familiar fresh roasted aroma. Inside was a sweet note from my Grandparents along with a check for birthday money and three boxes of Gevalia whole bean coffee. I was blown away. There it was. Coffee at my doorstep. Just like I had asked.
First was the obvious. My grandparents are the best. Their phone calls just for the heck of it and thoughtful care packages make me wish that they lived closer so I could hug them every time I think of them. Second was the more obvious. God answers prayers. Even the smallest request. He delights in delighting us.
Now every time I brew a pot of deliciousness I thank God for the love he lavishes on us and for my amazing grandparents who, even though they don't live in town, take time to bless me with the little things.
Elliana Joy Fantasma
Friday, October 17, 2008 1 comments
Once again...I'm horrible at updating this thing!
After 15 hours of labor we had our sweet baby girl three weeks ago today on September 26th at 11:22am. She was 7lbs 13oz...19 1/2 inches long and had a full head of hair!!!
Life has been great since bringing our Elliana home. She sleeps SO well and eats like a little piggie...it is amazing how quickly she has grown!! She has blessed us with little smiles in her sleep since day one...each smile simply melts our hearts!
I will update with some more pictures of our princess soon but I just really wanted to share with you all the lovely note that my best friend wrote for Ella. We were priviledged to have her in the delivery room with us when we welcomed our baby into the world and in response this is what she wrote for her:
To Ella,
Dear baby girl,
I was honored to see you born the other day. To see you enter the world, hear you take your first breaths and watch you become more loved in your first minutes than you'll probably ever realize.You were prayed for way before any of us ever knew you were on the way. Your mom and dad were faithful to seek God's face every night because they desired you so much. Your aunts, uncles, grandparents and other friends pleaded with God to bring you here. Even when we thought there was a chance we might not ever meet you, we had faith and God answered our prayers and the desires of your mom and dad's hearts. Your name carries that legacy.As your Aunt B, there are so many things that I want to teach you. As a little person, I wish there was a way to give you a crash course on life right now, before the world comes in and tries to convince you otherwise. And while I know that's unrealistic, here are a couple of the most important things I want you to know:
You're beautiful and you have been from the very second you were born. Your skin tone, hair, eyes, mouth and nose are absolutely perfect. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. Don't compare yourself to the other girls on the billboards or TV. They're not you, they looked differently when they were born, and you're absolutely the way God intended you to be.
Your mom and dad love you so much. I know that as you get older, you might not believe it all of the time, but it's true. Your dad locks the doors not to prison you in, but to protect you (he was doing it before you got here.) Their rules and guidelines are there to help you grow, even though they might not feel like it.
Your mom and dad love you so much. I know that as you get older, you might not believe it all of the time, but it's true. Your dad locks the doors not to prison you in, but to protect you (he was doing it before you got here.) Their rules and guidelines are there to help you grow, even though they might not feel like it.
Live for your passions. Find out what you're good at and what you love - and focus on that. Don't let the world tell you you're not good enough. Just keep going. If you love to sing, sing your heart out with your mom. If you're into sports, play with Uncle Mikey. If you love to bake, go to Aunt Heather's. If you want to kickbox, come with Aunt B. If you draw, paint, learn karate, love pottery, go fishing, play soccer, or whatever it is - do it with all your might. Don't give up when it seems hard. It will set you back years that you can't get back.
Love Jesus. Little girl, you were born in 2008 for a specific reason. You're here because throughout your lifetime, you will meet so many other people and your job is to keep telling others about Jesus. Know that He loves you. He died for you. And the only thing to make sense of world that gets crazier by the minute is to cling to your relationship with Him. Put effort into knowing him. Be still and let Him talk to you.
Know that everything happens for a reason. Life is hard, and it's easy to see all of the bad and none of the good when you're in pain. But remember that God works for the good of all things, and right around the corner will be a blessing in disguise. Keep the faith. When I got sick and found out I couldn't have my own kids, I could have been really sad and mad at God. But He had blessings in store for me that will far outweigh any loss I feel. Your mom and dad have become lifelong friends who gave me an opportunity that only David and Jonathan-like friends do, I watched you come into the world. To become family with someone who's not your blood-family is a supernatural experience I hope you have one day. I don't wish pain, sickness, grief or anything bad ever happens to you. But know that when it comes (because it will) - that you can make it through and there is a bag of blessings beyond your belief on the other side.
I love you and I will always fight for you. You're precious and I'm so glad you're here,
Love,
Aunt B
Brian, Elliana, and I are so blessed to have Mike and Danielle in our lives and are looking forward to sharing our family with them in the future. We couldn't ask for better friends!!!
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