LOOK WHAT WE GOT IN OUR EASTER BASKET THIS YEAR!

This year when the Easter Bunny (Sam and Lindsay) came from Bismarck this is what we opened up in our basket!  The excitement just keeps happening in the Risbrudt family.  We are so excited to be grandparents.  Pending arrival of Baby Gietzen is December 3rd!  We are so thankful for this little blessing and praying for a safe arrival!

THE JEWELRY BOX

                                        THE JEWELRY BOX

This past month we have truly experienced April Showers!  We have had wonderful spring rains that have brought us spring flowers and we have also experienced many bridal showers that have blessed Jeff and Kaylie over and over again.  A few weeks ago there was a bridal shower at our church.  It was a humbling experience to sit beside your future daughter in law and look around the room to see the many women whom you know touched your son’s life.  Women who taught him in Sunday School, prayed for him through out his life, sent him a box of home made cookies during finals week, sent him an encouraging note to lift his spirits, prayed for his mother, and the list goes on! 

As part of the bridal shower program Jeff’s first grade teacher was asked to share a few thoughts.  Our children have had the privilege of having Diane Selvig be their first grade teacher.  That was a wonderful experience!  That night she came to the microphone to share a story and tell it like only a first grade teacher could.  

She told about her first grade student Jeffrey Risbrudt who came to her one day and asked her if she had a jewelry box.  Jeff struggled with those “r”s back then so it probably sounded like “jewelwy” box.  Mrs. Selvig being an experienced teacher wondered where this question was coming from and knows to answer very carefully because one never knows what is going on in a first grade boy’s little mind.  So she told Jeffrey that she had a little jewelry box.  To which he responded “You have a little jewelwy box?  Would you like a big jewelwy box?”  She wasn’t quite sure what his plans were but she responded that a big jewelry box would be very nice. 

A few weeks passed and then one day in walked Jeffrey with a package, all wrapped like only a first grader could wrap.  It was a rather big package.  To her dismay when she opened it up there was a very large jewelry box.  It was made with beautiful :) particle board and shiny silver hinges.  Jeffrey had built his first grade teacher a big jewelry box.  He was so proud and she made him feel like it was the best gift ever.

Well years have passed and we all know that teachers cannot keep every gift they get from their students.  Except there is this one teacher named Mrs. Selvig who cherished this jewelry box all these years with a secret plan in mind to pass it on to Jeffrey’s wife some day.  Despite her many, many moves to different homes she told me how she made sure she carried this jewelry box to the car herself and did not pack it away so she always knew where it was.  So at this shower she shared the jewelry box story and as tears filled eyes at the gentleness of this teacher loving her student she passed on the jewelry box to Kaylie.  

The bible talks about jewels in heaven, but Mrs. Selvig is like a most rare jewel here on earth.  Thank you for teaching our children and many others over the years and touching their lives in your own special way.  We were so blessed to have you share that evening and to see you pass on the jewelry box.  Now some young man has a very big “jewelwy” box to begin to fill!

A BRIDAL GALA!

This afternoon Jeff and Kaylie drove down to Fergus Falls to attend the Bridal Gala at the Bigwood Event Center. It was a beautiful day for a drive. They arrived at the Bridal Gala, took in the booths and signed up for the prizes to be given away. I ran over to watch the first bridal style show with them and then because of growling stomachs we came back to the house for a late lunch. Jeff and his dad were busy talking football (of course) as Jeff had just attended a conference in Minneapolis and had lots of things to share. Kaylie and I ran back to catch the second bridal style show followed by the drawings. There were many prizes to be given out representing various venders and the grand prize was $500 cash! After the event we went back to the house to tell the men about all that they missed. :)
Kaylie was excited to show Jeff the cookie bouquet that she won! Well.....it was nice but Jeff wasn't real impressed and was thinking just what does one do with this cookie bouquet??
Then Kaylie indicated that there was one more prize that she forgot to mention she had won and pulled something out of her pocket.
I just happened to have the camera out and captured this fun response when Jeff realized that Kaylie had indeed won the GRAND PRIZE of $500!! How fun to see their excitement!
Congratulations you two !! What a blessing you received today! Thanks for letting us be a part of it! We are so excited for more fun days to come!

Happy 3rd Anniversary Sam and Lindsay!

Happy Anniversary to YOU! Here is wishing you have many more fun adventures and memories to make together in the years to come! We love you!

It's no secret.....

that these two are celebrating their birthdays this week-end. Kaylie was born on December 10 and Jeff on December 11th!
So, Happy Birthday you two! We hope that you are having a great week-end and we look forward to celebrating with you next Sunday!! We love you!!

A FAIRY TALE ENDING!

Once upon a time this student attended high school at the "castle on the hill" in Fergus Falls, MN. She was a student in an Earth science class taught by.......
this teacher, "Mr. Risbrudt."
Now fast forward many years when the student (Jolene Kavlie) married Dan Kowalski and they had three beautiful children. One of their children was this cheerleader who grew up to be a lovely princess!
The teacher also married and he and his wife were blessed with three wonderful children, one of whom is this football player who grew to be a handsome prince!
These two found themselves working together at Inspiration Point Bible Camp where they became very good friends
........................and fell in love.
Soon they will be married and they will live happily ever after! Jeff and Kaylie, we are so excited for you! We are very thankful the Lord brought the two of you together for this fairy tale ending!

Happy Birthday Coach!

Glad to see you are still flying high! Nice jump!