A Room at the "Inn"...a recent story in the newspaper caught my attention as I read about the Sioux Falls businessman and owner of the Holiday Inn City Centre downtown that invited 420 "needy" people to a free room in his hotel on Christmas Eve. He also provided the catered meal from the banquet to 800 guests. Then on Christmas morning they were served a warm breakfast and treated to the Christmas message to boot...wow! Imagine how these guests may have felt as some of them had never stayed in a Holiday Inn. Most of these guests live in poverty searching for food and clothing on a daily basis. The goal of their day is survival...pay the bills, feed their children and try to stay warm. What an awesome gift this was to give to these people who must have felt like "queens and kings for a day". What a blessing this must have been and God is still working miracles on Christmas Eve as He did so many years ago...all they needed was a room in the Inn!

Christmas Blessings from our family to yours!

The decorating is finished, as is the shopping for gifts, wrapping the presents, and baking the goodies. The Christmas cards have been sent...and we can relax and enjoy our families. Making memories together is what I enjoy about this week while Celebrating Christ's birth!

I hope this season of Christmas is a very special one for you...making time to share with our families is so important! Enjoy the gifts, the goodies and celebrate this special Season with those you love!

Twas The Night Before Christ...the birth of our Savior Jesus born in a manger sent to die for our sins. The only gift we need to remember this season is the greatest gift of all...Jesus, Lord Emmanuel...God with us!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas Season! May the spirit of the Christ child be with you always! Blessings to our friends and family!

You are a gift to us! Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Winter Wonderland in Iowa...when the snow and cold keep us indoors for some family bonding.

This weekend's weather meant we had to clear our schedules and just stay home...it gave us a chance to really share some family time together. Making coffee and cocoa, the fireplace glows, the kids are settled in playing board games and video games. We watch a few movies and laugh together...make some homemade pizza and Christmas goodies...mmm!

A good ole fashioned "snow day" forces us to stay home and relax when we are used to packed schedules and running here and there. Maybe it's time to appreciate our gift of family and cherish these snow days together! Time to pop some popcorn and settle in to watch another movie! Ahhh...snowed in and lovin' it!

Footprints in the sand...sometimes when we go through a difficult time we feel as if we are going through it alone. I have recently spent time with my dear cousins as they watched their mother suffer with cancer. She was freed from her suffering last week and now she has a new home in heaven. We will miss my aunt Ruth but are relieved to know she is no longer in pain. While the family hurts with this loss of dear aunt Ruth...we know she is in a better place where there is no more tears, suffering and sorrow. We know that when we are hurting the most...that is when God carries us...and these footprints in the sand remind us that we'll never walk alone!

Family ties that bind...time to reconnect with my cousins from Illinois. So many great memories of our vacations to Peoria to see our cousins, aunts and uncles. We'd load up the family stationwagon and tavel 560 miles to the east. This was something we always looked forward to as little kids. We'd get to pack our comic books and snacks for the long car ride. We would count down the days until we could pack for the trip out east...it was a week in the summer and a few winter trips for Christmas...and it was always a great time. Family ties...that bind our hearts in love...we are so fortunate to have these memories!

Counting my blessings, name them one by one!
The old hymn reminds us to be grateful for what we sometimes take for granted.

What are you feeling most thankful for today? I reflect on so many good memories and some difficult times over the years...the gift of health, family, friends, freedom, my faith in a loving Savior...so many gifts to cherish...I am blessed!

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we have been given..."Count your blessings...name them one by one...count your many blessings see what God has done! Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Thanks for the memories...as another football season draws to a close. We reflect on the good times we've shared at the games and are thankful for this opportunity to enjoy the ISU game day! We will miss the football tailgate times...cheering for the Cyclones on Saturdays is a great experience!!! We wait all year for "next season" as we anticipate what the new season may hold...so until next season...GO CYCLONES!!

Ben Wigton starring as Ticklish in The LAMB Children's Theatre production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!

He is just 9 years old and remembers his lines to say while singing and dancing with the cast of Snow White. The singing and acting were exceptional...a very entertaining show! Keep up the great work Ben! You have lots of talent that is for sure! Ben with sister Molly and pictured with his costar...Enchanted Vixen.

Celebrating life! Let me introduce you to our aunt Kim Feller. Twenty years ago this month she was given a new lease on life...with a history of renal failure due to her lupus and years of kidney dialysis she was on a waiting list for a kidney transplant. That day in November when she received the news that a donor had been located and she had to prepare for surgery! SUCCESS! A new kidney...a life free from a dialysis machine...she can peeeee! What we take for granted each day with our health. She has taught me this lesson of appreciating our health and living each day...as she has been there on the other side...where there are many who can't experience the little joys of life...so now we say Happy Anniversary Kim...we are thankful for you!! (Kim is in the green scarf in the middle)

Go rest high on that mountain...now your work on earth is done...go to heaven a shouting...
I am remembering my dear mother and father in law. Two very special people that I grew to love and was very blessed to be a part of their lives. In the short time I knew them they taught me some very important lessons. They showed me what unconditional love and support looked like. Through their strong faith and love of their family they nurtured us while they took in the lonely and helped those who were hurting. Howard the hard working father and farmer...Glenda the sweet mother and loving nurse. They were the soft place to land...the strong working hands...the safe house to go home to...the caring arms to hold you. Forever to be missed and forever to be cherished...blessed be their memory...til that day we will see you again!

Veterans Day...a day to remember those who have given their lives and service for our freedoms. Today Joel and I visited with a veteran who served in WWII and he told us about storming the beach at Normandy...how he remembered it like it was yesterday. Wouldn't it to have been meaningful to visit with Joel's grandpa Shafer about his service in WWII? He never made it home that year in 1944...leaving a widow and a two year old daughter, Glenda to go on without him...what do we owe these brave men and women? It's hard to imagine sacrifice at that level! Like that man that died on the cross for our sins or the servicemen and women who gave their lives for our freedoms that we enjoy each day! Unselfish Love in it's purest form...today we remember those who gave it all...thank a veteran today! Thanks be to God for giving His son for our hope of eternal life with him!

It's Nat'l Radiology Professionals Week! This is one of the early radiographs taken in Germany by Wilhelm Roentgen in November 1895! He was a German scientist that x rayed his wife's hand and the rest is history.
With this discovery we now have a "window" into our human anatomy. This was a landmark discovery that has shaped our modern medical profession. We are able to diagnose early stage disease, fractures and the like while helping physicians practice medicine with better accuracy! If you have had an x ray or medical imaging at one time you may appreciate this medical miracle of Radiology! I can't imagine how different health care would be if we didn't have this ability to see what the human eye can't see without these little "magic" rays of radiation..."x" rays!

Neighbor Helping Neighbor! A few weeks ago when we heard that a young neighborhood farmer had died of a heart attack leaving a wife and four children...it was a little too familiar with what we had experienced just over a decade ago.

Monday was the day that several farmers with combines, tractors and wagons came with a mission in mind...some of them still weren't quite finished with their own harvesting but were able to take a few hours and complete the task of helping a family who was hurting. The weather cooperated and in a few short hours what may have taken days to finish was completed much sooner...I think I saw God smile that day!

Election Day 2008!

Who will be our nation's next President? While touring in DC this summer I was moved at the prayers and petitions that were etched in the marble memorials and government buildings by our founding fathers so many years ago. Let us never forget that our Nation was built by God fearing men and women with a purpose of preserving freedom and prosperity for all!

No matter the outcome of this election may God continue to bless this great nation and grant us peace, prosperity and freedom!God Bless America! Go out and VOTE!

(Take a minute to vote at the bottom of this page!)

Here's to Harvest Helpers!

A few weeks ago Joel's brother Nate was kind enough to help with harvest and take care of feeding our cattle while we were gone. Little Katelyn was along for the ride to help her dad while riding in the combine...as you can see the job gets a little monotonous! Time to catch a few zzzz! Isn't she sweet?! Thanks so much for helping with harvest, Nate and Katelyn!

Happy Halloween!

Looking for "Mr Perfect"? If you look between these two headstones in the forefront of the picture and zoom in close you'll see it...he has been located...and guess what???? Yep!
No disrespect is meant here but when touring at Arlington Nat'l Cemetery in DC this summer Aunt Shauna noticed this headstone and said smugly...I think I have finally found "Mr Perfect"! So she snapped this picture and I thought in the "spirit of Halloween"I would post this little reminder that if we are still searching for him or her...well...sorry!

Hope you have a spooktacular Halloween! ( Click on picture above to zoom in!)

The Alvord Meteorite! Yes it is true! From the farm fields of Lyon County to the Smithsonian Institute! We got a closer look at it this summer while visiting Washington DC. This "rock"was found in a farmer's field near Alvord in 1976!

Joel remembers our classmate bringing this little "rock" to school in gradeschool for "show and tell"...and now it is securely housed in the Smithosian Institute of Natural History!

Makes you wonder how many treasures we miss each day...we may see those around us as insignificant "rocks" and we don't grasp how important family and friends are...hopefully we can realize to appreciate them each day and remember to never overlook those treasures surrounding us! I treasure you!

West Lyon Volleyball 2008! Tonight we had the volleyball banquet for our WL girls! The Freshman team had a great season 13 wins and only 4 losses total. They have played together for many years now and it has been fun to watch them progress as a team! GO WILDCATS!

Keep up the great work! We are proud of you!

Come & Experience ISU Homecoming Weekend!

Taking in the sights and sounds of the ISU Homecoming football game...sunny, cool and full of anticipation. Like the farmers that wait for the rains during a drought...the faithful ISU fans are patiently waiting for a long overdue WIN! It is exciting for our son, Seth as he is suiting up for the game (ISU vs Texas A&M) and he textes me from the locker room..."mom, what is grandma Glenda's middle name?" He wanted to put her initials and grandpa Howard's initials on his arm bands before the game as a way of having them there in spirit with him...as we know how proud they would be to have seen him there suited up and part of the Cyclone football team...as we are ready for the game to start...yelling with the other 49,000 fans in the crowd...CYCLONE POWER!! Here the team comes running through the tunnel...the band is playing the ISU fight song and we are ready to go...it only lasts a few hours...so cheer loud and take it in...whether we win or lose...we are CYCLONE fans now and for a long time to come!! GO CYCLONES!!

Survivors! I am surrounded by so many wonderful, curagous women who have battled breast cancer! My friend & coworker Pam Hanson (pictured far right)...my own dear mother (10 years ago since her diagnosis), so many friends that have dealt with this disease. My own grandmother that I didn't get the chance to meet before she lost her battle to breast cancer...an aunt that is still fighting this diesease. How many curagous women do you know that have been down this road? October is breast cancer awareness month. So many have detected their cancer in the early stages with a yearly mammograms...early detection is the key to increased survival rates. Did you know that with digital mammography and CAD (computer aided detection) your mammograms are not only read by a radiologist but assisted with computer detection software which increases detecting early cancers? Kind of like two radiologists reading your images...digital mammography is also lower dose radiation than conventional analog mammography...lots of reasons to seek digital/CAD for your mammograms. To all of you who have dealt with breast cancer... I am honored to know you and know that you see life differently now...each day is a gift...celebrate life!

Cyclone mom

Hello and welcome to my blog!
My name is Marilyn Moser and I live on a farm near a small town (Alvord) in the northwest corner of Iowa! I am blessed to be a wife and mother of two wonderful children. My husband, Joel is a hardworking farmer/plumber (yes a REAL live Joe the Plumber!) He also raises stock cows, grows soybeans, corn and hay...owns his own small plumbing business (Moser Plumbing) and I must say a Master Plumber is handy to have around the house!

Our oldest son, Seth is 20 yrs old and a sophomore in college at Iowa State University in Ames...hence the name "Cyclone mom"...our favorite college football team! Seth is working on his Ag business major and also a member of the Cyclone football team! We enjoy traveling down to watch the games on Saturdays to cheer them on! GO Cyclones!

Our daughter,Mariah is a freshman at West Lyon High School! She is a typical teenager with her busy schedule of sports and social outings that makes for a crazy schedule. She is involved in our church youth group, volleyball, track, and softball. She is a talented girl and a special gift to us!

Life is busy as I work full time as a Mammography Coordinator at McGreevy Clinic in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It's hard to believe but I have been there for 13 years now! I guess you get comfortable in a spot and well why not stay? I am a registered Radiologic Technologist and enjoy the interesting job of "seeing" through people! Healthcare and technology is an amazing field of practice and it is gratifying to help people at that level...being that missing link to the physician as they try to figure out the medical mysteries they encounter! Remember that October is breast cancer awareness month so go and get your mammograms ladies! We offer Digital mammography at McGreevy...so if your 40 yrs young you need to get a baseline mammogram!

I was introduced to this little blog idea from my dear neighbor and friend Carol Childress so check out her blog site...Choose Joy! She is an amazing woman and I am thankful for her friendship!

Look forward to hearing from you!
Hugs~
Marilyn