Robert and Makayla's Video

Here is Robert and Makayla's Wedding Highlights by Netmonk Photography. I couldn't figure out to make it larger without getting it too blurry. So just don't enlarge it.

Family and Friends

Here are some photos more photos courtesy of Netmonk Photography.

Pictures

Here are some of our wedding pictures courtesy of Netmonk Photography. They really were great especially to help drive to Niagara Falls. We definitely would have been lost without him.

Save A Life

 Our family is kicking off the new year with a fundraiser! The proceeds from the jewelry orders as well as any donations (money, pet food, blankets, cleaning supplies, etc) will be donated to Stray Rescue of St. Louis Stracks Fund. A fund designated for animals living on the streets of St. Louis and are in need of medical attention. We are hoping to sell 100 pieces of jewelry. However, with only a few weeks left we have only sold 8. If you would like to purchase, donate or learn more about the fundraiser contact me.

Make A Difference

There is a story that reads: 

"Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean. He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?" The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean." "I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man. To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die." Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!" At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."" 

Moral of the story is one by one people will and can make a difference in the lives of God's precious creatures. Please do your part to make a difference in their lives.

Love Notes

Here is a couple pictures of the little notes that have been left around the house for Christmas.

Buffalo Tears

I saw this circulate on facebook. Not sure if this is true because I did not get the chance to look into it.

"According to the news release from China’s People’s News, whether people believe it or not, this incident actually happened in Hong Kong. The Weekly World News reported that a group of workers were bringing a water buffalo into a packaging factory, ready to slaughter it to make steak and beef stew.
When they approached the front door of the slaughterhouse, the sorrowful buffalo suddenly stood still, refusing to move forward, kneeling on its two front knees, and with tears streaming from its eyes.
How could the buffalo have already been aware that it was going to be slaughtered, before entering the slaughterhouse? This shows that it was even more alert than many a person. "When I saw what is believed to be a stupid animal actually crying, and when I noticed that its eyes were full of fear and sadness, I could not help but shiver."
 

Extremely shocked by this, butcher Shiu Tat-Nin recalled: "I quickly called other people to come see, and they were as surprised as I was! We pushed and pulled the water buffalo, but it would not move; it just sat there crying constantly."
 
Billy Fong, the boss of the Hong Kong packaging plant said, "Mankind has always thought that animals are not like people who can cry, but this buffalo is really sobbing like a baby!"
 
At that time there were at least a dozen strong, burly men present, but their hearts were softened by the buffalo's crying, and those who were responsible for killing water buffaloes were even more touched by this, tears welling out of their eyes.

When workers from other slaughterhouses heard the news, they also ran to the crying and kneeling buffalo, and the site was soon crowded with people who were astonished at what they saw. Three of them were so shocked that they said that from now on, even when they slaughter other kinds of animals, they will never forget that buffalo tears.
 
At the point when a buffalo is crying and people are crying as well, we can all be sure that none of them will kill the buffalo now. Then the question was how to take care of this matter. Finally, they decided to buy the water buffalo with cash, and then they sent it to a Buddhist temple, for the monastic to take good care of it, so that it could be assured of living out its life peacefully.
 
When this decision was made, an amazing thing happened again: "When there was an assurance that the buffalo would not be killed, it finally agreed to move, got up, and it is here with us." How could a water buffalo understand human words?
 
Shiu said: "Whether you believe it or not, this is really true, although it sounds really incredible." Undoubtedly, this buffalo has changed the lives of these butchers"