Not really.  It’s not an ode.  More of a very sad farewell post.

I’ll be honest and say that I was extremely disappointed when I first saw the announcement that Google Reader was going to be disbanding.  I have used my reader for years and it’s been a great way to sort through blogs and keep track of what I’ve read.

Well…I finally asked my Mom and sisters what they were switching to and they all recommended Feedly.  I finally decided to give it a try.  If you switch over before July 1 (when Google Reader shuts down) you can easily import all your blog feeds over to Feedly.

So far Feedly seems much the same as Google Reader, although obviously the presentation and aesthetics are different.  I wish I didn’t have to get to know a new program, but since I needed to switch…Feedly seems like a good option.  You can still have your blogs categorized and it will show the new posts.  (Note: When you first import your feed, there will be no unread posts, even if you had unread ones on Google Reader.)

One thing that (so far) I think I actually like better than Google Reader is that when you click a blog category on Feedly a list of all the blog names and post titles comes up.  I can easily go through and see which posts interest me.  If you want to read a specific post, you just have to click it and it will fill the Feedly screen.  If you’re not interested in a post, on the right-hand side you can “mark as read and hide.”

So…as much as I wish that things in my internet world could stay the same…..Feedly does seem like a great option for blog reading.  I’m sure I will acclimate to it quickly!

-Bonnie

18 Reasons why Doctors and Lawyers Homeschool Their Children – While I do not think that homeschooling is at all biblically mandated, this blogger has some great points about the benefits of homeschooling!

Why the Arguments for Gay Marriage are Persuasive – Some great thoughts on the Christian’s response to gay marriage.

Your Bag of Sin – Jesus takes every aspect of our putrid, stinking bag of sin.  We do not need to hold onto it at all.  (Note: This post does contain some language that many do not find appropriate, although the author uses them to help make her point.)

What We Must Do Before Abortion is Illegal – Some interesting thoughts connecting feminism, the early sexualization of America’s youth, and abortion.

Teach Them Diligently – A great post about surrounding your young children with Scripture!

Welcome!!!

This is our second time participating in the Ultimate
Blog Party from this blog.  We blog on a range of topics,
from daily life, things we are learning, books we’ve read, etc.

This is us, the Pilot and Bonnie, at a photoshoot for our
1st Anniversary last December!

It’s still my husband’s posts that get quite a bit of our visitors from
Google.  The Pilot is in the Air Force and we are currently in
Del Rio, TX for pilot training!  Here he has blogged some about
what this experience has been like.  In writing this Party post, I discovered
that I have only posted once on our new life here.  Maybe it’s time for an update?

This post is also another reader favorite apparently.  It’s amazing how
God was able to use our story when I was willing to become
vulnerable and share what God was doing in our lives.

The biggest changes since the Party last year are, obviously,
moving to a new state…and becoming parents!!  This incredible
answer to prayer has been baking for almost 25 weeks.  Sometime around
July 22 we look forward to welcoming our son!  This baby will have no idea
what hit him when he realizes how LOVED he is.  I try to post monthly
updates on the pregnancy.  Stay tuned…name reveal
is coming up in a few weeks!  😀

Thanks again for stopping by!  We hope you enjoy our blog
for as long as you stay!

-Bonnie

Prepare for Gay Marriage – Great article on how, as Christians, to prepare for gay marriage.  “Prepare our children, prepare to love, prepare for jail, prepare for betrayal, prepare a refuge?, prepare for eternity.”

A Healthy Baby Isn’t All That Matters – Why the phrase “At least s/he’s healthy” after a birth is actually destructive.

My Train Wreck Conversion – “As a leftist lesbian professor, I despised Christians.  Then I somehow became one.”  Praise the Lord!

After Steubenville: 25 Things Our Sons Need to Know about Manhood – As a mother of a son now, I really appreciated this post.

-Bonnie

More Than Able – Mary shares how, ultimately, it is not friends or activities that strengthen us in times of trial.  It is God alone Who is more than able!

Lean Into Yet – So encouraging to my heart!  “Life is filled with ‘even thoughs.’  The only way we can remain steadfast is to lean into ‘yet.'”

Emotions – Good, Bad, or Neutral – Three ways of dealing with emotions.  Stuffing and storing….the two I am most apt to choose!  So thankful that our emotions can be transformed by God so that they do not drive us!

Does God make us suffer?  – My sister, Melinda, talks about God and the role He has in suffering.

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones but Words Will Never Hurt Me – Much-needed reminder on how powerful our words can be.

10 Things to Enjoy Before Kids – Hmm….good points on here.  🙂

Making Your Home a Haven Week 1 – Enjoy the best with your family.  Light a candle.  Pray for peace in your home.

Why My Kids Might Go Trick-or-Treating & Why They Might Not – Not a purity issue or a liberty issue – it’s an issue of being a missionary.

Can Christians Vote for Mormons – I remember this issue being a big one in the ’08 election.  Here are some good points to ponder…

-Bonnie

I was so excited to receive our first blog award!  The Koala Bear Writer (also named Bonnie!) awarded us the Liebster Blog Award.  Thank you so much, Bonnie!!

The rules are:

1. Thank and link back to the person who presented you with the award. Add the award logo to your blog.
2. Answer the eleven questions posted for the nominees.
3. Share eleven random facts about yourself.
4. Write eleven questions for your nominees and then…
5. Nominate eleven worthy blogs and contact those bloggers so they know about it! (No tag backs.)

Liebster is a German word meaning sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

1. Where do you blog–where is your computer right now?
Bonnie: In my lap on my bed.
The Pilot – My computer at my desk in my bedroom.

2. Where do you get your ideas for your posts? 
Bonnie: My experiences.  My thoughts.  Things I’m pondering, learning, or enjoying.  Random events going on in life.
The Pilot – From my head.

3. If you could bring a fictional character to life, who would it be?
Bonnie:  Batman!!  (The Dark Knight Rises made me a super fan of Batman.)
The Pilot – Jack Bauer.

4. What’s your favorite snack food?
Bonnie: Depends on the day.  Sometimes carrots, sometimes Chex mix, sometimes chocolate.  🙂
The Pilot – Oats.

5. What is your ideal job?
Bonnie: Being a mother.  Writing would be second.  I used to want to write for a newspaper.  Not sure if that desire is as strong now…but it would still be an amazing job!  Blogging works out well, though.  🙂
The Pilot – Air Force pilot.

6. What is your favorite TV show?
Bonnie: I really like White Collar.  (Seriously, Peter and Elizabeth are the most amazing couple!!  I have thought several times that they deserve their own blog post.)  Ooh, and Top Shot is seriously addicting.
The Pilot – Stargate.

7. Drama or Comedy?
Bonnie: Hmm.  Perhaps a combination?  🙂  It depends on how you define both.  I generally don’t like dark or depressing drama….but I also do not like the vulgarity and crass humor that is often in today’s comedy.  So I guess I would say….drama but with enough lightness and clean comedy to make it more enjoyable for me.
The Pilot – Comedy, i.e. Hogan’s Heroes.

8. If you could be rich and famous, would you do it?
Bonnie: It depends on just how rich and famous.  🙂
The Pilot – No.

9. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes split—good or bad?
Bonnie: I think it is bad…and extremely sad.  Marriage is not a trivial matter where you can come and go.  Marriage is designed to be a deep, lifelong comitment.
The Pilot – I don’t follow their lives, but the split is bad.

10. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Bonnie: To be pregnant.  Other than that, I haven’t even thought about a “wish list” yet!  lol  I usually don’t really have a wish list.  I guess some of the books, music, and movies on my amazon list.
The Pilot – Bonnie to be pregnant.

11. What was the happiest day of your life (besides marriage or childbirth)?
Bonnie: Can I cheat a little and say the day that The Pilot and I started courting?  🙂
The Pilot – Can’t think of a happier day than our wedding day.

Eleven random fact about us:
1.  We were both homeschooled through high school.
2.  We’ve known each other almost our entire lives.
3.  Our typical date spot is Del Taco.  The food isn’t bad and it’s cheap!
4.  In fact, we went to Del Taco on our wedding night.  It was 11:00 at night, we hadn’t had any cake or food at our reception, and not much was open!
5.  Between the two of us, we have five computers (all in a 12 x 12 apartment).  Three of them are The Pilot’s, one is shared, and one is Bonnie’s.
6.  Apparently we have a tradition of seeing a movie on Valentine’s Day.  Our first Valentine’s Day we saw Tangled…and this year we saw The Vow.
7.  We are planning a cross-country road trip.  5 weeks!!!
8.  Before our marriage, we both had only lived in one house our entire lives with our respective families.
9.  We love Disneyland!  For two years, we had annual passes.
10.  The Pilot is a cat person and Bonnie is a dog person.  We’re at a stale mate as to which we will get after we move.
11.  We both like warm weather.  Anything under 85 is cold.

Okay!!!  Your turn.  I’m awarding the Liebster Award to the following blogs.  Unfortunately, coming up with those 11 facts drained my creativity, so I’m going to say go ahead and answer the same questions we did!

1. Wholesome Womanhood

2. God’s Faithfulness Through Infertility

3. Theresa’s Tapestry 

4. My Life as Mommy Glover 

We don’t really follow a lot of personal blogs, so I don’t have 11 to tag.  But here are four that I (Bonnie) have enjoyed and that have been a blessing to me!

-The Pilot and Bonnie

Welcome to everyone stopping by from the Ultimate Blog Party!  I am excited to be participating for the first time on this blog…and I look forward to visiting your blogs as well!

My husband and I started this blog about nine months ago.  We batted around ideas for a name but our favorite option was “Life With You” which is the title of Our Song.  We were able to hear it performed live by Celtic Thunder….it was amazing!  The 1222 in our url is our wedding date.  The Pilot and I got married last December!

Although I do most of the blogging, it is one of the Pilot’s posts that generates the most traffic.  It was this post that was the first to skyrocket our daily hits…and we still get people arriving because of google searches to that post.

Which brings us to the next thing about us….we are an Air Force couple.  🙂  The Pilot is in his final year of ROTC and he will commission in June as a 2nd Lieutenant.  Next February, Lord willing, we will be moving to Texas to begin pilot training.  So excited for that chapter of our lives and we can’t wait to see what God has for us in Texas!  One of the reasons we first started our blog was to better keep in touch with friends and family back home after we move.

As of yet, we do not have any children.  Interestingly enough, it was a post on that topic that has made our Top Posts.  (See that post here.)  But being parents is definitely a chapter of our lives that we await with much excitement!

On our blog, you will find a rather eclectic range of topics.  In addition to the more serious topics, such as the ones above, I enjoy blogging about books.  One of my favorite posts on that topic is about fictional characters.  We also blog about music, health, various life occurrences..and basically anything that interests us.  Enjoy your look around our blog!

-Bonnie