Website for Anah Chabot

Because this is my own personal family blog, I created a blog especially dedicated to the memory of Anah Chabot. Please visit www.anahchabot.wordpress.com I already posted funeral and obituary information on the site, as well as a link to the obituary guest book. Please take a moment to go to this website. You can add Comments to share any thoughts or stories about Anah! If you have pictures you would like to add to the site, please email them to me at rebeccamccoy@mac.com and Iwill be sure to add them. I hope the site will be a place that Darin can visit, and eventually share with Bella as she gets older.

Anah Chabot - Our friend, Rest in Peace

Please visit: www.anahchabot.wordpress.com

We found out Monday that our friend, Anah Chabot, passed away. Her husband, Darin, is one of Marcus' best friends, and they also have a daughter, Bella, that is the same age as Madelyn. We have been caught so off guard, which I'm sure is how everyone feels that knows the Chabot family. I pray for peace during this time of awful loss and pain. Please say a prayer for Darin and Bella, that they might feel God's power and love through this horrible situation.


Since I have had several "hits" on this blog by people trying to find information about Anah, I thought I would post info about the upcoming memorial service.

It has been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, March 3rd, at 1pm. It will take place at Dudley Hoffman funeral home in Santa Maria. If the time/date changes, I will be sure to update them on my blog.

My husband, Marcus, spent some time with Darin the other day, so be rest assured that he is with good people and he is doing quite well, considering. And I know that Bella is doing fine, as well. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers, along with the members of their extended families. I know this has been a difficult time for all of them, as it will continue to be. I have received several comments from people who knew Anah. I wasn't extremely close to her, but I thought she was so sweet and kind, and she was a GREAT mommy to that little girl. She and I found out we were pregnant on the same day, and she and Darin got married within a few months of Marcus and I. Are lives seemed to be running parallel! It is so sad to know that she is gone.

For those of you that wish to, leave a comment and I will let Darin know to get on this blog and read them as well so that he may know that you are all thinking of him and Bella right now.

I am so humbled to be a part of remembering Anah. My original post was merely for me to mourn her, but I am glad that you all have found this as well.

The Shack - What a great read...

I finished this book moments ago.  What an incredible story of pain, grief, relationship, and redemption.  I know that there have been a lot of comments, both good and bad, about this book.  But I think it is definitely worth the read.  I listened to Mark Driscoll's thoughts on the book (I'm not sure where the video is - linked to it from another blog) and I don't think he was quite right in his analysis of the book.  I read somewhere that it seems like he read the book jacket and then made his judgement without really reading the entire thing.  I think that you must read it with a heart of discernment, but give it a chance to change the way we, as humans, have limited God into a little box that we can understand.

WE CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND His power, forgiveness, holiness, love, relationship, good, etc., etc., etc.  This is a life changing book.  It has changed the way I view my relationship with my God, the creator of the universe.  He wants relationship with me.  Unbelievable.  He wants everything from me.  Amazing.  I don't get it. But, somehow, I don't think I am supposed to really "get it."

This book has also changed my view on relationships with others in my life.  Especially regarding the difference between Expectancy and Expectations.  Expectancy is such a great word and idea!  Expectations seem to create a negative vibe because they allow for disappointment, frustration, and ultimately resentment in all relationships.  It was great for me to read this book and see the difference.

I know some of you may have extremely different positions on this book.  A lot of people have seemed to have a problem with the way that God shows himself in this book.  But I think the author, William P. Young, explained very well why he chose the persons he chose to write about in this book.  I don't really care what they look/sound like - the actions of the three "persons" of God seem exactly like I always thought they would be.

I would definitely recommend this book.

blog.andymerrick.com

If you get a chance, check out this site:  

blog.andymerrick.com

It's great!

My Story - for those of you with whom I have lost touch

Whoa.  I am still in a state of shock, I think.  I just found out that I got accepted to California Polytechnic University.  It's an excellent architecture and engineering school.  Ten years ago I graduated high school one semester early.  I took a semester off and then entered Iowa State with everyone else my age.  I thought I knew then what I was meant to do.  I found a great college ministry.  Praise God for Salt Company.  I thought I knew about God before that, but I got my real foundation from the ministry of Cornerstone Church and the college group The Salt Company.  

I didn't realize that when my parents chose to get divorced right before my sophomore year of college that it would drastically change the direction I was headed.  Who knew that their divorce would wreak such havoc in my life.  Anyone who says that divorce of a couple with older children is much easier on the kids is absolutely insane.  I think I would have handled it much better as a young child because I know that children are resilient.  Anyway, I couldn't hang with the school thing, my grandpa had just died and my parents had separated.  Needless to say, I isolated pretty hardcore.  And I felt like I had no one.  I turned to the only thing I could think of that would ease the hurt and the pain.  This is a pretty intensely honest post here.  If you don't know me all that well, this may surprise you.  I got stuck in the world of daily pot smoking and alcohol binging thinking it would end the sufferring.  Boy was I wrong.  I gave in to the pressures of young adulthood and lost miserably.

Right after I turned 21, while living with my mom and her boyfriend at the time, I decided to start dating this guy who was soooo cute.  ugh. the thought makes we want to yak all over my computer.  Anyway, 3 months later I ended up pregnant and realized I had made a huge mistake by dating this guy.  He was not someone I wanted to raise my child with.  After much prayer - since God was the only place left for me to turn at this point - I decided to move to California and start fresh.  Leaving the old me behind.  Chase was 6 months old when we made the three day trip out here.  It was quite exciting!  But I moved here with me, which means that my weakness for substances followed me.   After about 4 months of complete delusion and selfishness I realized I had a real problem and put myself in a detox center.  Best decision of my life!  I have been clean and sober for 5 years this March 2.  I can't believe it.  And my life is amazing.  I will never go down that path again.  That is true misery.  

I don't really know what possessed me to post this, but I felt the need to share some honesty with you all.  I hope that maybe my story can help someone else some day.  God doesn't allow for things to happen for no reason.  I know that none of that was His plan for me.  But I also know that it was only 50% for me to learn something and 50% to teach others.  God uses every story to His glory.  That is the coolest part about the whole thing!  

He was the only one who could really make me whole.  I am truly blessed in this life, but I know that the future life I will have will be eternally wonderful!

Tinkey Bew (you may know her as Tinkerbell)

About a month ago, I decided that I was going to bake a cake for Madelyn's birthday, instead of spending $40 on a store bought version that isn't all that great.  Wow, was I in for it!!!  It didn't look that hard.  I went to Michael's and bought the Tinkerbell Face Character cake pan.  It had step by step instructions on how to do everything.  Easy enough!  And by the way, Tinkerbell is Madelyn's favorite - but she calls her "Tinkey Bew" since she can't quite say Tinkerbell.

About a week later, I went back to Michael's and bought all of the cake decorating equipment that I was going to need to complete this project.  It cost a little more than I had anticipated, but I figured it was worth it.  My mom was actually a big support at this point.  I was lucky though, Marcus' birthday came before Madelyn, so I decided to practice on him.  I didn't make the Tinkerbell for him, but I did decorate a cake!  It wasn't great, but it gave me some confidence.  I was ready.

So Friday night, I baked the cake.  See it below:

The cake part turned out pretty good!  I was excited to do the decorating.  

Saturday was family party day, so I colored the icing and got ready to decorate!  Here is the final product:

I'd say it turned out pretty good for my very first character cake!!!

Let me know what you think!!!!!!

Oh, here's a few pictures from eating the cake and the presents:

There's one more baby bear to add to her ever growing collection!

She is just the cutest little girl.  Look at that face!

My Little Rockstar!  It's a plug 'n play video game!

I love my little ones.  Oh my gosh, they are my life!!!!