Dana, Mandy & Family

Fun with Dogs

2012-01-19T09:47:00.001-06:00

I am posting this for my kids mostly. They will love this. Even little Z, after a few minutes of listening got what the dogs were barking. Great commercial, cute idea!

Attaining Beauty

2012-01-13T16:38:00.004-06:00

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

I thought that this was brilliantly done. It is also pretty funny. It reminded me somewhat of a video I posted here by the Dove company.

Which, like the Dove video did so many years ago, reminds me of this verse:

"The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7b

and this one from the 1 Peter 3: 3 -- 4

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

By the Chimney With Care

2011-12-28T14:35:00.000-06:00

Christmas time at Nene's and Poppa's:

We had such a fun Christmas: great memories, abundant laughter, precious moments.

Dressed in Holiday Style

2011-12-13T12:20:00.005-06:00

We got all the lights up and most of Christmas decorations out sometime the last week of November. Dana, as always, worked so hard to accomplish all the lights before Thanksgiving break was over. We had quite a time getting the lights up on the highest peak....(please note, I say "we" loosely....and too often, I might add. I watched in fear and trembling while HE put up the lights). And no matter how much he stretched himself and the ladder, it still would not reach that peak. My brilliant husband figured out a way to "prop" the lights so that it appeared they were attached to the roof line.

You can't really see that bamboo stick, can you? :o)

Especially at night::

I worked on things inside, which took me much longer.

I wish I could throw it all out there at a faster (and less grumpy) rate.

And,

then....

I attempted pictures. My camera took very, very blurry ones, but I think it adds to the dreaminess and magical part of the memories of Christmas, don't you? At least, that is what I am telling myself so I won't kick myself for not taking better photos.

Or for forgetting to take some with the stockings hung (kick, kick, kick)

Not Yet!

2011-12-03T10:21:00.003-06:00

I saw this card and thought it was so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so funny.

Isn't it funny? Don't you just get a quick chuckle from it? I'm not

sure if I said this or not, but::

I think this is sooooooooooooo FUNny!!!!

I know that they set this up (at least I hope they did) and they were very clever with this photo, but how typical is this of many Americans today? Only Dana and I have a cell phone, and rarely do our kids get to use it (sadly, I do not think they even know how to answer a phone since our phones are always in our pockets). So, we are not here as a family....not yet anyway! But what a funny, clever way to say Merry Christmas! Kudos to the sense of humor of this family!

Praise in Alaska

2011-12-02T10:26:00.003-06:00

I just viewed this by suggestion of a friend and loved the video and the effort that went into it. These kids did a marvelous job! My favorite is near the end when the chorus sings, "Forever and ever, forever and ever"

Warm Welcome

2011-11-03T08:32:00.004-05:00

Well....I tried for a warm welcome, anyway. I love all the colors of the mums and the different colors and textures of the pumpkins. Also, see the chair? I got it for $5 at a resale store. Dana sanded the chair, gave it a coat of primer, then he and I took turns giving the chair its coats of red paint. The only photo I have of the chair before the painting is this one:

It is really not a very good photo, but..... You can see how the chair sort of fades away in all of its light brown glory. As you can probably also figure, this is the day I bought the mums and many of them had not fully bloomed. I really enjoy getting blooms in all different times so color lasts all through the fall and into the Christmas month.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And, these pumpkins!!!! They are so perfect!

Greenish-Gray (or is it grayish-green?)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I love the bumpy melt-ish look on the bigger pumpkin, the paleness of the littlest one, and the star like points near the base of the green one.

Also....did you check out the twisty-curvaceousness of the stems? Fabulous! It amazes me how God puts beauty and enchantment in even the shape of a pumpkin stem!

He puts such care into the details of so many things....how much more care He must have for (and put into) each one of us!!?!!

Catching Gold

2011-11-03T08:04:00.004-05:00

Autumn.

I love these days when the light seems so tangible and the plants borrow their gold and brightness and colors from the sun.

Celebrating MG

2011-10-19T13:13:00.007-05:00

Next in the birthday line is the sweet and unforgettable MG.

She turned

!!!!~~eleven~~!!!!!

this year. AND, as she grows more lovely every day, her sweetness and patience grows, too. I can see God has some wonderful plans for her. She is so gracious (REALLY!!~~she does have to put up with 3

siblings and, quite often, some very difficult-to-please, demanding parents),,helpful and very, very creative. She wants

to please, and she also wants the freedom to stand her ground. This last part will be our hardest challenge as parents, for though we want her to stand her ground, too, our stubbornness has already clouded our eyes to those golden moments where her standing was truly good, noble,

right and pure...it was just not timed quite right! :o) But, back to the main point....

Celebrating MG!!!!

We made cake pops for her to share with her classmates at school:

And on her birthday night

we had our own "quiet" family celebration

with cake

and presents.

Then a few days later we hosted a Crafting Birthday Party.

Since I knew it would just be me with a group of girls, I had to limit the amount of friends to come over. There were so many little girls that we could have included in

the party, but with the ones that did actually come, plus all of my own children, and THEN the

added fun of paints and glue and frosting and sprinkles and scissors and pens, etc, etc, etc... the small number was more than enough!!!

Momma-made cupcakes

~~~~~~~

~~~~

Cupcake decorating 5th grade style

~~~~~~~

~~~~

First craft

With this craft

the girls "drew" pictures with Elmer's glue

After it dried completely,

they painted over the

canvas and the dried glue with a solid color.

The idea was for it to turn out like the photo on the left. Since the

glue was not completely dry, the girls took home their own brush and bottle of paint. I figured this would happen, though.

~~~~~~

~~~~

Second craft

I showed each girl what we were doing, step by step, and it was such fun to see them take the steps and make the designs their very own.

Same idea?

Yes.

Unique to each girl?

Definitely!!!

~~~~~~

~~~~

Third Craft

Each girl picked out her own branch and her own vase,

and while they were writing on their "leaves" something they like about the other girls at the party, each vase was filled with stones and sand so hold the branch would stay in place.

Once the girls were finished writing the notes were tied to the girls' respective trees. Because we were running out of time, each girl received a baggie full of pre-cut

flowers/leaves they and their families could use to add more to their

Thankful Trees.

Too-whit, Too-whoooo

2011-10-19T13:10:00.002-05:00

Dana=Ageless!

2011-10-14T12:23:00.001-05:00

Next in line for October celebrations was Big Daddy Dana! I know, I know....from year to year his cakes never change. Not really. Only the amount of candles and the number written on the cake.

Since he always rags his lovely, beautiful, young-at-heart, sweet, adorable, precious wife about being a year (plus a few more months) older than himself, he was graciously treated to a candle for every year of his life. You may think that the lights were on in these pictures....but you may be wrong, too! ;)

There were so many candles that he could not blow them out fast enough...much of the wax melted onto his "cake". :o) (insert gleeful cackling from the above mentioned sweet, young-at-heart and more mature (wink, wink) wife!!!)::

Here he is opening presents from his lovely, beautiful, young-at-heart, sweet, adorable, precious wife and his oh-so-darling, quiet, loving, delightful children.

While opening said gifts, he re-discovers that his children (especially his oldest son) are not only darling, quiet (only when sleeping), loving and delightful, but that they are also filled with a CRAZY sense of humor.

~~~~~~

I love that Dana finally notices what E is doing and that I actually caught his reaction on camera! Makes me "ba-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" right out loud!!!!

After being goofy-sweet with the gift ribbons:

"E" shows us his tough side:

Watch out....or else!!!!! eeeeerrrrrrrrgggggrrrrr!!!!!

D-D's big days

2011-10-11T14:16:00.006-05:00

When October comes, it seems like it is busier than Christmas time. D-D starts out this month's run-like-crazy-so-much-fun-stuff-to-do with her birthday.

This year, she turned

~7~

And she wanted, once again, Hello Kitty for all things birthday! She honestly believes that she is the biggest Hello Kitty fan "in the WHOLE world" (or, in her accent, The whoooooole wallld!")

So, we went big with the Kitty.

"Pin the bow on the Kitty" with Hello, Kitty! eye mask.

I made pennants

and a cupcake garland,

cupcakes,

cake,

cake pops,

and had a very hard time not buying everything that had that cute little white cat on it.

What She Wants

2011-10-10T16:12:00.002-05:00

It's all about the Kitty. It's what she wants!

What a happy, happy birthday girl!!!

AAAAANNNNNDDDDD....

Nene and Poppa got to come celebrate her day!

Now, that was the best gift of all!

Sitting in Grace

2011-10-10T08:31:00.003-05:00

There are ~~some~~ many things where finding a heart of gratefulness seems almost impossible. God knows that. Still, He reminds us that in all things, in every circumstance, we need to come and sit in His grace. He reminds us to be ever thankful. I hope that in every circumstance I can find the strength and courage to speak thanksgiving.

Ephesians 5: 19b-20 "...Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Philippians 4: 5-7 "⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Colossians 3: 16-18 "¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 "¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

Slipping

2011-09-22T19:38:00.007-05:00

These last days of this summer are slipping by.

We hold on tight to them

as the days slide

from

one season into another.

Then, our

eyes are drawn to the flaming colors

and the green seeming to stand out in relief

So, we take a deep breath

and

let go

to swing into the next season

Our tummies tickled, our senses

shouting out in glee

at the colors, the feel of the cool breezes,

making pictures from the clouds that sail

across a brilliant sky

sharing moments of joy

and laughter

and

embracing memories with friends.

Acts 14:17
"Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

Galatians 4:10
You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!

Full of Light

2011-09-21T12:55:00.003-05:00

It is just starting:

this change of season.

But already the leaves of the trees are pulling themselves tight,

cupping their hands to hold

on to the light.

Drinking,

soaking it in

so that, very soon,

they will delight in a new way

of reflecting that light

the glory of God

and the

amazement of man.

~mj

How beautifully leaves grow old.

How full of light and color are their last days.

~John Burroughs

Autumnal Ideas

2011-09-21T08:15:00.005-05:00

It certainly is fun to go through other blogs and see what extremely creative people are doing in their homes to celebrate a new season given us. Here are some of the things I like so far:

Falling into comfort with these cute pillows(above)!

And what a nice idea to tone down those too bright, too fake

looking orange pumpkins (below)!

Both from Little Big Nest

~~~~~

Under The Table and Dreaming is

going a little creepy

without the bloody horror.

Abundance!

By the Brooks design

Loving this (of course!).

WHOOOO wouldn't, though? :o)

from Lulu and Junebug...and Carter, too.

from blog Hello Cupcakes!

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

Aren't these adorable?!!?

The Sugar Turntable

Candy Corn

JELLO!

HELLLLOOOOO!!!!!!

Honor

2011-09-19T08:43:00.007-05:00

Romans 12:10

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another

above yourselves.

remembering back to the days I was a teacher, there were times when I could not see the positive in the students with whom I was in contact day after day. Really, there were some of the students who did indeed make it hard to see the good and lovely. I worked with a great team of teachers, in a fabulous top-notch school. Even so, we all had our moments of complaint. Moments where it was hard to find ways to honor the kids who struggled so much to figure out how special they were (and are). I am sure that the teachers at my children's school have their moments, too, but I must commend them for their deliberate attempt to focus on honoring and encouraging their students.

This past Friday was the first Mail-call of the 2011-2012 school year. MG was called on this day. It was a treat to see her getting an encouraging word from her teacher.

It certainly reminds me that I might need to do my own mail-call at home. Too often I am correcting (which, sadly, involves pointing out the negative) rather than bringing encouragement.

drinking in the words from her teacher

with other students honored on this day

Brother Z was so happy for MG

This was such a good day for my sweet girl!

Making changes

2011-09-19T08:28:00.008-05:00

E wanted his hair cut "like daddy's."

Daddy obliged (sigh! I loved the little boy look!):

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MG wanted her hair straightened.

Mom obliged (sigh....I love her curly hair):

Breathing Deep

2011-09-16T13:39:00.012-05:00

I read a quote today. It spoke of living and questioned how much living is being done. All said in a few simple and short words (easy words for this blonde to understand!).

‎"Listen,

are you breathing just a little

and calling it a life?"

~Mary Oliver

So often I find myself holding my breath, taking in and exhaling the air in short gasps. I want to hold onto the moments I am witnessing,

or suffocate the moments I wish never were.

All these moments:

They can make us!!

Let us hope:

Better.

Stronger.

More Grateful.

Lovelier.

Living moments,

a living people,

Living by

the grace and mercy of God.

In reading a word from the Lord today, I sat amazed at the beauty of His gifts:

"The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of the Almighty

gives me life."

~Job 33:4

I am living with the breath of God! The breath of God in me!!!! How fabulous is that?!!? So now, I hope I remember to breathe in the moments. All of them. Because, to drink fully of the air and the moments is to breathe in the promises of a LORD who keeps His word, the hope of His promises, the certainty of what we do not see, the blessings and comfort of what we do see.

Yes.

It is time

to breathe deep.

Whooooooo?!!!

2011-09-15T11:53:00.012-05:00

A few months ago I discussed my desire to make owls. I saw many online and loved what I saw. You can see my first attempt here (you will have to scroll past all the words---sorry!).

So, though these are not all of the ones I have made, these are some of them. I know they are not great. There are many flaws. Though I try to make them symmetrical, I always have something off on one side compared to the other. One eye is higher, one wing is lower, one "horn" is more pointed than the other, and so on and so on and so on....

The owls of my niece and nephew:

D-D's and E's owls:

E wants me to make a hat and pirate patch for his owl. Not sure how I will do this, but I will try it ~~~eventually.

MG has asked for a new "fat" owl as well....and I must make one for Z, too.

Soon....soon!

I hope. :o)

Jubilee!!!!!

2011-09-14T12:50:00.000-05:00

The Greatest of These

2011-09-06T20:30:00.003-05:00

Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires.

But on what did we rest the creations of our genius?

Upon force.

Jesus Christ founded his empire

upon love;

and

at this hour

millions of men

would die for him.

~Napoleon Bonaparte

Believing

2011-09-04T13:41:00.000-05:00

Bugged Out~!!!

2011-08-26T10:27:00.008-05:00

We have seen some interesting little bugs here lately.

Some nice:

can you see the grasshopper above?!!?

And some not so nice:

This first one is a scorpion.....yuck! He is stuck on a bag trap. Thanking God for bug traps!

Last night, we were all wanting to go on a walk, the evening being perfect for a trek up and down the hills. E took a shortcut through the yard and walked too close to an underground hive. He was stung several times, the little bugs also crawling inside my capri pants as well as into my shirt. Though the moments of the stings were scary and painful, I can laugh at my reaction quite easily.

I cannot laugh at all (yet) about them attacking and stinging E ... poor little guy.

So after we all took off our loose clothes, showered and washed away all signs of the bees (or yellow jackets, hornets, sweat bees....whatever they are!), we made sure we were all tucked in and tight. Esp since the little stingers chased and followed my little stinker into the house.

We sure looked silly...

but we wanted no more under the clothes stings----yowch!!!!!!

Little Hearts

2011-08-22T13:39:00.006-05:00

Sometimes I am fearful of opening the door and allowing our children to step outside of our protective arms and home.

This world is big.

The hearts entrusted to us are little in size and very tender.

But, as I found out the other day, those very small hearts are large and strong in love and sincerity...

and faith.

"Mommy," said D-D, our 6 year old, with a catch in her voice, "I don't have anyone to tell about Jesus!"

~Then she began to cry.~

"All my friends already know!!!!" she sobs. "I have no one to tell. No one!"

She brings me such joy in our Lord....and because of that joy, I am also shamed. She is embracing Hope within her and is living out my desire....that our Hope will never be hidden.

Possibly without fully realizing it, she has taken Jesus' words of grace into her young heart and is desperate to share that grace and salvation to those around her. Though it hurts my heart, I love that God sometimes speaks to us through the innocence and faith of our children, that through the Spirit working in their hearts, HE pulls at mine and makes me once again desperate to please Him and love those around me.

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation…

Mark 16:15

Forced Changes

2011-08-19T17:32:00.004-05:00

When we moved into our new house, the precious owner left behind a few things. All of which we have been thankful for:: terracotta flowerpots, work-benches in the shop, cans of Benjamin Moore paint, other odds and ends in the shop, a beautiful LIVING ficus tree in the house, and a Glade plug-in.

I have never had a Glade plugin before, but we have enjoyed the faint scent of freshness it puts in the air---that is, if you get the right scent. And, as we have now found out, if you have the plug-in turned in the right direction. For some reason, the last time I put the oil into the plugin, I turned it sideways. I noticed that the aroma was a bit too much, but could not figure out why. Dana, however, did. The oil was leaking out of its container. So, I took it out of the outlet, laid it on our beautiful bathroom countertop, and wiped up the oil.

Now, if you have been around me much lately, you will know how quickly I am forgetting things. Like the tea kettle on the stove, the laundry in the wash (gag!), the laundry in the dryer (and I do not like ironing), breakfast for myself, sometimes lunch, returning phone calls, appointments, setting my alarm, and even what the day is when my alarm DOES wake me up. But this day, I forgot about the plug-in.

Sitting on top of the wood countertop in the bathroom.

On that beautiful piece of furniture that helped me love the house just that smidgen more.

A few days later, I noticed the plugin on its side and thought, "I need to put that away!"...when I picked it up, there was a pool of oil underneath. With a bit of a growl at the extra work I made for myself, I went and got paper towels and pledge to clean up the mess.

What I cleaned off was the entire finish and the paint job of the piece.

AND the oil! I did get the oil!

All this time, I thought this bit of furniture was beautifully stained wood with an interesting and lovely wood-grain. Boy, was I wrong!!!!!

So now, we have this awful mess on a lovely piece of furniture:

what to do??....what to do??

Well, Dana remembered that one of the numerous things left in the shop were sheets of slate. THREE SHEETS OF SLATE!!!!!!! We will see what we can find out about how to use that slate as a countertop ("we" meaning "HE", with me cheering in the background!). I hope "we" can fix this mess and make this a lovely piece of furniture once again.

And, I will never, never, never, never, NE.VER. lay a Glade plug-in on a wooden counter-top again!!!!

Sweet Shortcake!

2011-08-18T21:06:00.006-05:00

Our Z-boy has lots of curls. I love them. I have loved the idea of those curls years before he was born.

What? How on earth? Well...take a look at Dana when he was a little blond-headed tyke:

I am so thankful that our bookend children both have beautiful curls like their daddy did (and, I imagine, still does...if he'd grow his hair out). One child can grow out their hair and look like a girl and it is all good. But we figured it was time for the youngest to stop being mistaken for a girl. We thought it might do a bit of "damage" to his esteem or image or...to his parents' sensibilities! :o)

So, this past Sunday night, we got out the scissors and then began the ~~sniffles~~ snipping.

Before:

After:

I DO miss those curls, but brushing his hair is now much, much easier.

In Concert

2011-08-16T09:21:00.003-05:00

Allison Krauss will be here soon to perform on our campus. I am not sure which I am more excited to hear....her voice, or her instruments/band. I am sure their will be some great blue grass and fabulous folksy music. Toooooo much fun. I also hope that she will sing her A capella version of this song. It is quite lovely!

Holding Me

2011-08-16T06:46:00.006-05:00

One of my favorites for quite a while.

And I just heard another song that she sings. Parts of the song remind me of the story "The Runaway Bunny" by Margaret Wise Brown (who also wrote "Goodnight Moon"):

Sunshiney Day

2011-08-13T12:49:00.005-05:00

It is definitely a bright and sunshiney day around this man's house! ::

Jim's Pancakes

Don't you think it would be so easy to have a bright smile on your face if these sorts of creations greeted you for breakfast every morning?!!?

Jim's Pancakes Jim's Pancakes

Jim's Pancakes

SUPER BASH!

2011-08-12T20:21:00.013-05:00

We had a great time celebrating Z's birthday. We also got a few photos of E opening a gift that just arrived. So, tonight, we DID get a few shots of E doing a birthday thing of his own!

Z is getting the hang of opening presents

and loved his final gift from us:~: Then he opened his gifts from the grandparents. He really got tickled with the card, which sang to him, and then carried around his Iron Man robot.

Yes, it was on this SUPER day
we discovered (all over again) that we have a house
full of Avengers and Super Heroes !!!!

Soooo,
with the gifts opened,

it was then time for the birthday cake.

Our Z-boy loved it!
~~~
!!!Yay!!!!

The Great 4 Year Old

2011-08-12T16:06:00.005-05:00

(if you want the photo larger, click on the image)

Wait For It.....Wait For It....

2011-08-12T12:14:00.002-05:00

I began the cake for Z on Thursday evening. Having the M&Ms separated early certainly helped!

The cake in progress:

Ring The Bell

2011-08-11T22:29:00.007-05:00

School is now in session. The kids did great getting up and getting ready for their first day back to school.Summer certainly flew by and though the kids were ready for school, I was not.

I could have had another week or two with the them, playing, visiting, watching movies, staying up and sleeping in.

But those good things must make way for some other good things.

And at the end of the day, we all had some stories to tell...

Preparing

2011-08-11T22:16:00.010-05:00

E just had his 9th birthday. I am super sad to say that the battery in our camera was D.E.A.D. and the charger was nowhere to be found.

At least by me!

So his birthday came and went with hoopla, but without photos. He had cake pops and he and his friends decorated their own cupcakes.

Ye-haw.

After the friends left and the mess was cleaned up (mostly), Dana found the battery charger.

At his office.

Just in time for the first day of school (pictures to come) AND the preparations for Z's FOURTH birthday cake!

Can you guess what it will be?

The Last One

2011-07-08T14:57:00.005-05:00

A few months ago we began praying for our little friend ND, who began his battle with cancer. Here is the amazing testimony from his mother as they leave the hospital:::

Yesterday ND completed his last round of Chemo! We have three weeks of quarantine and then it's back to "normal" life. :) We left the HemOc unit of [the] Childrens Hospital with grateful hearts and tearful eyes. I was told during the early days of our stay there that "Jesus lives here" and if you pay attention, you will pass HIM in the hallways. I certainly found that to be true. As I was going to get the car to take ND home, I paused just a moment and stared at the room where we were told he had pancreatic cancer. As emotions came rushing, I was reminded that while there have been many amazing angels who have walked us through this journey, the main character of ND's story has always been and will always be his merciful, redemptive, and Sovereign Lord. In life and in death, in joy and in pain, in sickness and in health, in the temporal and in the eternal, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is our Sovereign Lord.

Sand Creations

2011-06-14T13:47:00.001-05:00

We were at the beach at the beginning of June. Every new day had a new creation.

Time spent together, making memories

Some sand structures were note worthy for us,

others were destroyed (with fast little feet accompanied by cute giggles)
as soon as they were built.

None of them are prize material. We know that Discovery or Travel channel will NOT come looking for us to compete in any sand structure competition. But, we had lots of fun!

Yet, after seeing a fabulous castle down-beach of us, ...I felt a bit silly being excited about our mounds of sand.

Then, I quickly found great joy in the silliness.
We all make memories in our own way.
We determined to make them beautiful.

What I needed...from one mommy to another:

2011-05-16T12:40:00.007-05:00

I got an email today with this story by Sharon Jaynes. Exactly what I needed...and I thought I would share it in case anyone else needs it today as well:

A few years ago, I fell in love with a beach cottage named "Barb's Folly." I adored the designer beach décor of periwinkle blue, yellow stripes and floral patterns, the screened in porch that hugged the back of the house, the inviting dark green rocking chairs, and the weatherworn dock jutting out over the lazy canal. As if imported from England, a six-foot square of grass was nestled in one corner of the yard framed by a white picket fence. The secret garden was complete with fuchsia myrtle bushes in full bloom, a beckoning weathered bench, and a cozy bird house with a half dozen portals. Seemingly out of place, owners had transplanted a palm tree just inches from the second story screened in porch and encircled by the wooden steps that led to the dock.

On our first night at "Barb's Folly" we rocked on the porch and watched fire flies dance on the moonlit canal. As if to light a lone actor on a stage, a moonbeam fell across the palm tree and revealed a gentle stirring in its plume. When I moved closer, I discovered a turtledove had built her nest at the top of the thatched tree trunk, where the palm branches sprouted upward. Because we were on the second story, we were at eye level with Mrs. Turtle Dove. As I moved closer to her, she didn't budge, but sat steadfast in her perch.

Two Turtle Doves,: Jason Rainer

Early the next morning, before the rest of the house guests stirred, I went on the porch to spend some time with God. Mrs. Turtle Dove was there to greet me. I watched her. She watched me. Our eyes locked. We both blinked. A few moments later, Mr. Turtle Dove flew in and perched on the nearby railing. The couple exchanged coos and then he flew over to his beloved. When she stood up to welcome him, I noticed two tiny eggs peeking out from under the stubble. It seems this was Mother's Morning Out and Daddy bird was here to watch over the soon to be little ones. The momma bird flew away and daddy took over the incubation and protection of their eggs. After a brief time, the momma bird returned and daddy bird went off to work for the rest of the day.

Two Turtle Doves from blog: Good Books For Young Souls

During our entire vacation, this momma bird did one thing and one thing only, she rested in the palm, warming and protecting her two tiny charges. On the afternoon when a violent storm blew through with loud claps of thunder, crackling flashes of lightening, and pelting sheets of rain, she sat undaunted by the storm and unmoved as the trees bent in the nautical winds. When the children ran up and down the stairs inches from her nest and leaned over the railing to get a better took, she appeared unalarmed by the stir of activity. While other birds such as cranes, pelicans and seagulls performed great feats, swooped gracefully into the water, and strutted about parading their showy display, her feathers were not ruffled but continued undeterred in her calling.

On the last morning of our vacation, I was enjoying a final cup of coffee on the back porch and once again relishing in quiet time with God and His creation. Of course, Mrs. Turtle Dove was there to join me.

"God," I asked, "I know You put this bird here for a reason. What do you want me to learn from watching her this week? I don't want to miss it."

Then God spoke to my heart. It was contentment. I was watching a picture of contentment in fulfilling God's call. She was doing what God had made her to do for this season of her life, and she was intent and content in doing it. Regardless of the storms, regardless of what seemingly showy birds were doing, regardless of the endless stream of activity passing by her nest, regardless of the stares or others, she was unmoved from her task at hand.

"Is that it, Lord? Is that what You want me to see?"

Just as I prayed those words, Mr. Turtle Dove flew in for his daily visit. When his lady dove stood up to greet him, I noticed a piece of eggshell attached to her leg. She flew away with much excitement, and then I noticed a change in her nest. There lay two tiny downy hatchlings. The eggs had hatched and it was as if God was saying to me, Yes, Sharon. That's it. This has been my gift to you this week. Through my creation, you have seen a contented mother and the results of her commitment. You do what I've called you to do. Rest in the palm - of My hand. Don't get distracted by the world around you: the storms of life, the endless stream of activity, other seemingly more glamorous "birds." Be relentless in your call. In due time, I will cause your "eggs to hatch" and all too soon they will leave the nest.

About that time, my six-foot-one teenage son sleepily stumbled out onto the porch. I'm not sure if he saw the tears in my eyes as I looked at his ruffled hair, sleepy eyes, and face that needed a shave.

"Hey Buddy," I said. "Look. The eggs hatched today."

hatched Turtle Doves from Trek Nature

Favorite meal of the day?:: Snacktime!!!!

2011-04-29T20:55:00.005-05:00

One of my kids' (as well as their parents') favorite movies is "The Princess Bride". Their favorite banter to repeat is the rhyming part of the movie:

Z, our 3 year old, also loves to repeat these lines with his big brother. One day, as they were saying the phrases, it went something like this:

E said, “No more rhymes and I MEAN IT!”

Z replied, “Eviee-bondy wanna peanut . . . hmmm . . . or how ‘bout

a cookie!?!

Yeah! I LIKE cookies!!! Mmmmmmm . . .”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And then.......today......Z and I went to chapel at the kids' school. For the past month or so, while in chapel, the kids have been singing the song, "Because He first Loved me". For those of you who may not know how it goes, it is a song where two groups sing to each other. The words go something like this:

Boys: Oh, girls, do you love Jesus?

Girls: Oh, Yes we love Jesus!

Boys: Are you sure you love Jesus?

Girls: Yes, we’re sure we love Jesus!

Boys: Tell us why you love Jesus.

Girls: This is why we love Jesus…

Everyone: …because He first loved me!

Well, today was the first day for Z to hear this song and he was enjoying the back and forth of the singing. When it came time for the girls to ask the boys the first part of the song, Z sang the answer along with the other boys in chapel, except for him the song went something like this:

Girls: Oh, Boys, do you love Jesus?

Boys: Oh, Yes we love ~~ Popsicles!!

Girls: Are you sure you love Jesus?

Boys: Yes, we’re sure we love~~POPsicles!

Girls: Tell us why you love Jesus.

Boys: This is why we love~~POPsicles…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am a little afraid he likes to snack too much....and it is affecting everything he does!I wonder what his favorite meal of the day is?!!?

Alabama, Sweet home

2011-04-28T12:53:00.006-05:00

I cannot believe that in the course of 10 minutes or less this much destruction can occur, leaving behind such overwhelming sadness and devastation. It has not even been a year since we moved from Tuscaloosa. Our hearts ache for the hurt and worry and anxiety of our friends and neighbors. Our hearts also rejoice for their safety and are thankful for so many little things we are hearing.

Though there is much hurt and harm and uncertainty about the whereabouts of friends and family, there is still great hope:

Quote from the photographer of the above photo
Jason Clark of Tuscaloosa, AL,:
"...Trees down all over, cars thrown here and there
...but this cross stood and kept its linen...
seemed to be a bit of a calming site on my way back to the truck."

I ask you to continue praying for our old home. Thank you!

Little Chicks

2011-04-26T21:53:00.003-05:00

Some of our little chick-a-dees got together for a small egg hunt. They had a good time, finding almost 50 eggs...

....and a frog!

D-D and Pals

2011-04-25T11:40:00.005-05:00

I love you, too, but…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
…I’m done with the hugs, friend,

I’m done with the hugs.

Easter Celebrations

2011-04-25T10:12:00.003-05:00

The kids are waiting to see
what was left for them Easter morning.

Their baskets

Outside for pictures

They HAVE to be silly

The best part of the day:

Our little friend faced west to denounce evil and sin and death and faced east to confess his faith in, belief of and allegiance to Jesus Christ. It was a beautiful moment!

The Baptism!!!! A beautiful new soul in Christ!! Another warrior for His Kingdom!!!

ND's Bulletin Board

2011-04-21T07:35:00.010-05:00

I will use this post as a bulletin board to keep you updated on ND for the rest of April. If you are just now reading and want to know what specifically to pray for, click on these links:

Our Little Friend
A Word from ND's Momma
Roller Coaster
Strength

A beautiful and interesting note: ND's African name means, "As God Wishes"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

From ND’s momma:

ND has Chemo tomorrow through Sunday. He and I prepared for it by eating continuously from 9 am to 6:45pm today. ha Though his tumors are gone, he will follow an intense 6 month protocol to help him stay cancer free for the rest of his God given (and regiven :) life.
Words cannot express how grateful we are for your prayers.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

A quote from ND's scans today: "The previously noted masses in the pancreas have been resolved. The stomach and intestinal masses have been resolved. The renal masses are reduced or resolved." Or, as ND's doc said, "The bumps in your tummy that were making you sick are gone." :)

Easter's Monday, April 25, 2011

Easter weekend: ND and his

Family celebrate life and are feeling

a deepening sense of gratefulness

and HIS graciousness

as they continue to battle this

sickness with the healing power

of God and His love.

Friday, April 22, 2011

ND's chemo went well... He seems to feel better already. In fact, as he was busy coloring about 5 oclock [last] evening, he looked up and said, "Well, I'm about ready to go home." :) As God Wishes!

Thursday, APRIL 21, 2011
Yesterday I posted that ND's mom said the doctors would check his bone marrow and spinal fluid. We are praising God that both are disease free!!!!!

He got his first chemo treatment last night. The latest word from his mother says:

“The tumors that are threatening his life will disintegrate in a few days.
Please pray for him as his body filters and disposes of the debris from the tumors as well as the Chemo.
Praising God for bringing ND to a country
where these meds are available!”

Gettin' creative

2011-04-20T13:05:00.003-05:00

I was online the other day, and I saw this:

I am not sure WHY, but I am loving these little owls. Apparently they are becoming quite the thing. So it is really strange that I still like them, but I do, I DO, I DO!!!!!!

And because I like them so, I thought, “I have some extra material…I can make an owl of my own!!!”

I went to my box of left over material, opened it, and discovered that I had forgotten how I have let my daughter raid and use the materials. Of course, she got the more fun prints and colors of what I had and has made some “interesting” things of her own with those scraps. She did, fortunately, leave me some material…my more drab upholstery material. :o) You know the kind: thick, durable, not slide-across-your-face-soft, easily-unravelled-if-cut-on-(or is it against?)-the bias…

But, “Hey!” I thought, “How hard could it be?”

Well, pretty hard when your sewing machine is broken: the foot will not lift, and the thread from the little bobbin lets out long loops on the backstitch almost as long as my own hair. It’s been over three years since I have sewed anything. Probably because of the above mentioned problems, which I had forgotten existed in those 3+ years.

Introducing:

Which means:

But, I DID make:

I will rework the beak. I do not like it at all…and it is definitely not as cute as those in the collage above, but I am mostly satisfied. So, I went and bought all of this:Now I have to figure out how to put it together so it looks fun. Any suggestions?

Strength

2011-04-20T07:43:00.003-05:00

Little ND is close to my heart. I love that kid! He is precious. I have also always loved his momma since I first met her not even a year ago. The strength of the LORD in her and her husband is increasing my love for them quickly. Read of their faith below::

[Today] ND has a couple of procedures to see if the lymphoma has spread to his bone marrow and spinal fluid. Then he will start Chemo.

The doctor said today: "The Chemo will cure ND's cancer. He just has to

survive the Chemo."

Our heart says:

God will cure ND's cancer and help him survive the Chemo. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Roller Coaster

2011-04-19T07:29:00.007-05:00

Thank you all for praying for our friends! I know that when you do not have that close connection or know the person very well, it can be hard to remember to pray. I thank you for remembering.

Though the 48 hours has not passed since ND had his biopsy, the surgeon approached the family yesterday with this news, as shared by ND's mom:

''Today we experienced the immeasurable mercy of our God. After [ND]'s surgery, we were told by the surgeon that he has a rare and deadly form of pancreatic cancer. We mourned, worshiped, and began preparing ourselves for the coming journey...''

Your heart is sinking, right? Tummy is coming up to the back of your mouth, isn't it? You feel the downward pull of this roller coaster, and though you are screaming the whole way down, you raise your hands to the air, quite possibly because it is all you can do, all you know to do: Scream and praise at the same time. But this hill, though steep and the speed of its decent terrifying, did not last too long (though quite long enough, I think!) for ND's family. His mother also shared this news:

"Two hours later, we were told that a mis-communication had occurred. He actually has lymphoma, a cancer with a 90% cure rate in children!"

Now you're breathless aren't you? Just for a second, anyway? Are you looking at your prayer partners on this roller coaster ride and smiling now, catching your breath enough to let out a great big

Wa-Hoooooooooo!!!! Whoop-whoop-WHOOOOOOOPIEEE!!!!!!!!

We know that there will be some more quick drops on this ride to healing, but doesn't it seem that those drops are little compared to what was initially thought? I never knew I would be thankful for a MIScommunication.

So, keep praying that this prognosis stands...or really, if I am fully honest with myself, keep praying that the news gets

even better

in these 48 hours following ND's biopsy.
~~~~~

I read not too long ago that so many times we have an attitude of prayer that goes something like this, both ends punctuated with weary sighs and a shaking head:

"Well....all we can do now is pray."

This should not be our response to these dreadful stumbles in the path, should it?? This thought seems to stop that roller coaster on its descent, keeping us looking down, down, down that steep decline, ever wondering if we will fit through that tunnel at the very very end, much less get through it to the other side. It gives too much room to wondering if this cart we are in will loose its grip and just fall forever. That attitude does not leave much room for the praise: it leaves us paralyzed, holding on tight to ourselves, possibly looking over the sides to see how exactly we can climb ourselves out of this sudden stop. It certainly does not lend much thought for the exhilaration of being brought out on the other side in awe, in anticipation for being amazed by the hand of God again and again. What I read "not too long ago" suggested that an attitude change will also change our response, the intent of our prayers, and the faith we use to pray them. Instead of saying, " <*sigh*>--all we can do now...." we should say, as we approach our gracious Father:

Now...NOW!... we. can. do. ALL

Thank you for joining us in DOING ALL! I love you!

A Word from ND's Momma

2011-04-18T13:04:00.003-05:00

Today, in a post on facebook, ND's momma told of his biopsy to come and that:

"48 hrs later we should know the specific type of disease we are fighting and treatment options. His pain is controlled by morphine but seems to be harder to control each day. His Spirit is strong, his smile is beautiful, his kisses are priceless. I love him with all my heart and God loves him even more than I do. Praising God for [ND's] life."

Prayers Needed

2011-04-18T08:57:00.003-05:00

I am asking you to lift our friend's little 4 year old boy up in prayer today.

He is very sick and his family and friends are desperate for your prayers. To know who you are praying for (and why), click here.

Our sweet little friend needs healing, his family needs peace and comfort. Thank you so much for your prayers. Please continue them!

Our Little Friend

2011-04-18T08:29:00.006-05:00

This is our little friend N-D. He is 4 years old, full of light and love
and bringer of such joy to whomever he meets.

About a year and a half ago, ND's daddy went to get him from Ethiopia...

and brought him home to a house with a mom, dad, and three older brothers. He has been thriving and growing, learning about the Lord, falling
in love with Jesus and
loving (and being loved BY) his family.

Around April 7, 2011, he was feeling unwell, having caught a nasty tummy virus. By Monday he was still not doing well and complaining of aches and abdominal pain.

And then he began to vomit blood.

He was rushed to Children's Hospital where it was soon discovered that he had tumors in his stomach.

And his liver.

AND

his pancreas.

The doctors have ran a plethora of tests and are ruling out one thing after another. Today's testing is a biopsy to determine if the tumors are malignant or benign. I am asking you---well, I am begging you on my knees (like I am pleading with our Father)---that you lift ND up in your prayers, asking for God's healing, for ND's health to return, for his mom, his dad, and his three older brothers as they wait, fighting for him with every breath they breathe, every moment sending prayers for their precious little guy. They cover him with their love, cover him with their prayers, and are firmly placing him in the Father's care, knowing He is covered by our Father's wing, held tightly in His hand.

HIS care and love is evident in this family, HIS strength is lovely to behold as ND's parents and brothers hold tight to the promises of Jesus and make their requests to God with such beautiful thanksgiving.

That ND has a mom and dad to fight for him, pray for him, take care of him and love, love, love him is not a coincidence. I am thankful that God provided such a terrific family, full of His grace, mercy, power and might. I am in awe of His provision and planning and am waiting to be amazed again. Please join us in prayer for healing and peace.

Thank you!

Dancing, Commercials and Floodgates

2011-04-14T20:44:00.017-05:00

I remember being a big crybaby when I was little. My heart was on my sleeve: my feelings would get hurt over the littlest of things, my conscience was easily pricked, I moralized everything, was very intent on showing fairness and sharing (really....I still catch myself dividing the M&Ms evenly in my mouth), I hated saying goodbye and would nearly make myself sick with crying, or others sick with my clinging to them!! Then, one day, a friend told me how it hurt to see me cry so much. So...because I liked this friend mostly for friendship's sake (plus--I won't lie to you--I was about 13 years old and this friend was a REALLY cute 12 year old boy), I promised I would practice some self control and cut out the crying.

And
for a good 20 years or so I have not been too very weepy.

But then,
I had my fourth child.
And through him, God opened the floodgates of my heart once again.
Welllllllll...to be fair,
He re-opened the floodgates of my tear ducts.
Now.
I.
gush.:

I cry when I hear of someone going to Jerusalem, the Jordan, Gethsemane, Ephesus.
I cry when I watch Barbie movies with the girls (those sweet boys of mine usually suffer through it, bless them).
I cry when someone goes forward in church for prayer.
I cry when someone is baptized.
I cry when I see abounding joy!
I cry at Disney commercials.

I do!!!
And I know that
if I ever meet Cinderella, I will probably sit down and bawl!

Songs...commercials...laughter...jokes...family trips (ANYbody's family
trips)...family get-togethers(see previous parenthesis)...graveyards...green
fields...mists dancing with the wind...the intricacies
of snowflakes...baby cows standing beside their mommas...a fog
rolling in...the glow of morning sunlight in my living room...
those unconquerable piles of laundry...
a single line
of cars on a sunny day all with their headlights on...the
wail of a siren...the good news of a healing...the tears of my children...the pure
and beautiful laughter of their joy...
I.
CRY.

I know that God says that there will be no tears in Heaven. I am thinking that those tears must mean tears of sorrow, because if the open flow of my heart is any indication, there will most certainly be tears from me in Heaven. More times than not, my tears are from delight; from the inability to voice the joy and complete happiness that comes from the Spirit of God moving through the rooms of my heart, stirring up visions of Home, of being a part of Abraham, of Israel, a fulfillment to the promise of His salvation. I see it in this world where He speaks of His love to us through the beautiful and sad, the exciting and mundane, in His word and His people, in nature and in the cosmos.

His joy. His love. His faithfulness.
It makes me want to sing!
to laugh
and
dance!

But usually, when my spirit meets His,
it weeps with thankfulness,
inexpressible jubilation and
contentment.

Maybe, after a few thousand years have passed, once my awe and gratefulness have allowed me to move off of my face, and then off of my knees, and my eyes have cleared themselves of the tears so I can see enough not to step on His toes, I will be able to dance with Him!!! I look forward to all of it:

...and to sharing it with so many others whose bliss and elation have kept them pressing on toward the Savior:

Kimyal New Testament launch in Indonesia from United Bible Societies on Vimeo.

A capella Jam

2011-04-14T14:32:00.003-05:00

I really like this group from Indiana. I love their sound. This song makes me smile every time I hear it on my playlist of songs...as well as tear up a bit (weird, huh?). They do a great job (the song begins at about 7 seconds into the video)::

It's SPRING!!!!!!!!

2011-04-12T21:55:00.004-05:00

“And the day came when the wish to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” — Anais Nin

Once again, we are enjoying the beauty of springtime and what is blooming in our new yard!!!

"Our Lord has written the promise of the
resurrection,
not in books alone,
but in every leaf in spring-time."
~Martin Luther~

Opened Eyes

2011-04-04T12:15:00.004-05:00

Here are a few videos that have touched my heart. This first one makes me think of the old law, there for all to see and to know. You can give to it and be blessed or you can walk away, but the law is there. What the man with sight and heart does for the man who is blind is, to me, a picture of Jesus.

Jesus did not really change the law. We were blinded by our own effort in the steps we had to follow. No, He did not abolish what God had set up since the beginning....He fulfilled it. Christ showed what the heart of God's instructions really was, it showed in how He came to save us with His sacrifice, His resurrection and the giving of words of truth. Though this blind man still could not see how beautiful the day was with the sun reflecting off the water, the smiles of the children around him, the joy of those giving, their hearts touched and compelled to help and to share, his eyes, in a way were opened. They were opened to grace. They were opened to hope. They were opened to words that gave him a new life and outlook that day.

Praise the Lord that Jesus does more than that for us. Not only does he open our hearts, He heals us through and through. And it does not just end when the sun sets for the day, but His grace and mercy follows us day by day, moment by moment, breath by breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Does this song really need my commentary? :o) I love it! Love it, love it love it!

The Call

2011-03-31T11:18:00.005-05:00

E finally got it! He got the call!

Bless his little heart...

He was so afraid that they had forgotten him.

No matter how old you are,

being chosen last (or close to it)

is always hard.

But knowing you are NOT

forgotten

is something to which you hold tight.

Sisters

2011-03-23T10:25:00.004-05:00

~-~>Silliness<~-~

~~~~Sweetness~~~~

Revisitng Fun Times

2011-03-23T10:06:00.002-05:00

We went back to Alabama a few weekends ago to visit friends, and revisit the places the kids romped and played and laughed and imagined. We did not get to see ALL of those places, but we enjoyed what we did get to do. The kids especially loved seeing their friends from the "old" neighborhood!

Above are pictures taken while the kids were playing on the church's playground.

Humble Pie

2010-12-01T21:03:00.000-06:00

Back in October I was making pies for our family reunion. I thoroughly enjoy making the crust for pies, seeing it take shape and working with the dough. It is times like these when I feel close to my mom, my grandmothers, and their mothers, and their mothers before. I love the kin-ship that comes from working with pastry (or bread)dough, knowing that the women who came before me made treats for their families just like I do now. That is the sweet side of making pies. There is another side, though.

It feels good to accomplish the task of pie-crust perfection. It is a pat-yourself-on-the-back-kind-of-good. I look at my pie plates and see the crimped edges, the pretty cutouts. I have my butter out, ready to help the crust get that pretty golden color after baking. Then there is the cinnamon or sugar used to sprinkle on the buttered crust in hopes that every single bite will have a sweetness to it. In secret? There are high hopes that I will get oohs and aahs from the crust alone.

Now, that is just the pie crust! Which is enough to be ashamed of:: for finding pride in pastry AND for my self-seeking recognition of culinary perfection. But, no....I have to go one more step in the pride ride: the filling!!!!

I won't go into the Fudge Pecan pie...God has mostly kept me humble with that: Pecan pie can be challenging in and of itself.

Let's dive straight to the apple.

I do not have an apple peeler outside of my own hands and the paring knife I use to cut the apples. Yet, I have found great pleasure in the challenge of peeling an apple without the peel breaking. On this day, I had 8 apples, more than half peeled in one long strip. I was SOOOOOOO excited. Super-duper-ridiculously excited. So excited I wanted to call my friends and tell them about it. And, since no one was answering their phone, I decided to take a PICTURE (or 12) of my great accomplishment!

Look what I did!! Look at what I can do!! I am apple peeler extraordinaire!!!! I am Super Apple Peeler Woman!!!! snap the photo! snap the photo! Ha!!! I am sooo gooooood! I am giddy with my own self-importance! I take some more pictures: snap. snap. snap!

And then, I hear it.

Barely, but I hear it just the same.

Laughter...

...but, sweet, gentle laughter.

It was probably my imagination, but I felt like I was hearing laughter from God.

And then the humbling began. In a great and gentle whoosh I am brought back to recognizing the powerful One, the great One, the true "I AM." And the whispering to my heart said, "You may be able to peel those apples in one long strip, but can you put the peel ON an apple? And do it whole?"

ahhhh---no.
Huh-uh.
Nnnnope!
Not at all!
Aaaaannnnnnd...there goes my pride (thank the Lord!)!!!

The mercies, provisions, graciousness, and wisdom of the Lord swam before my eyes and filled the corners of my heart. I do not think that it was any accident that my Bible studies a few days later focused on the things God revealed about Himself (and man) when speaking to Job (Job 38-39).

I think I will still struggle with finding satisfaction in my own self-importance, with taking pride in places where none should be, and in being all-to-often self-righteousness and judgmental. I am grateful to know, though, that in the midst of those times, I have a gracious Father who will show me my errors and, sometimes with laughter, sometimes with seriousness, He will guide me to His better place.

I erased a lot of the pictures of those apples, keeping just a few to remind myself where my pride should be placed (in God) and how easy it is to misplace it(in my abilities). Humble pie is not always easy to eat, but it is what my apple pie turned into that weekend. There were so many desserts at the Family banquet table that no one ate any of my pies. I had to bring them home...and eat them myself...fortunately with the help of a few children and my sweet husband. :o)

Anticipation Builds

2010-11-30T10:42:00.001-06:00

After the feasting of Thanksgiving, our 4 kids and 2 of their cousins, full of Christmas anticipation, began building their own little Christmas village. Here is a slide show of the process and the town that rose from the labor of their hands:

> >

Thanksgiving

2010-11-30T09:38:00.003-06:00

We were all able to go to Nene and Poppa's house for Thanksgiving

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It snowed just after dinner Thanksgiving day. What a neat treat!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Family Photo time!

And time for more goofiness!!!

Dressing Up

2010-11-19T08:40:00.001-06:00

The kids, mostly D-D and E, are still at the age when they dress up for fun things at school. D-D, being in Kindergarten, gets the most "dress-up days"

D-D had "Cowboy Days" back in October. Funny story about that. Tuesday night, we got a letter coming home saying that she had to dress up for the next day (Wednesday). I frantically began looking around for cowboy garb, traveling to a friends house a few miles away to borrow a hat and a shirt. I sent D-D to school all decked out...only to find out that she accidentally got the note that was supposed to be sent home Thursday night! She was the only one dressed up. Suffice it to say, she was a bit embarrassed that morning, but fortunately, she had a change of clothes in her backpack. On Friday, though, she was ready!!!! She enjoyed the day with a hayride and being pampered by her "Big Buddy" (a 6th grader who hangs out with D-D several times a month)!!

~~~~~~~~~~

The next dress-up day both E and D-D got to participate. THANKSGIVING at school!! They each had to dress as pilgrims. We borrowed a dress for D-D and she looked sooooo adorable!Unfortunately, she was upset about the shoes she had to wear. This is her looking pitiful as she laments wearing her shoes.

A picture is worth a 1000 words.Here are my words for this picture:
"I have to do WHAT with that turkey?!!?"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This child in D-D's class wore his hat backwards. Cracked me up!

D-D, the backwards-hat boy, and D-D's big buddy.
~~~~~~~~~~

E wore tapered pants and a white shirt. He got his Pilgrim collar and hat once he got to school.

Does the size of the hat show

how pious a pilgrim is?Or is he just a Texas Pilgrim?

At Home

2010-11-18T21:45:00.003-06:00

There was a really great place for purchasing mums at a fabulously low price. Usually when I find places like that, the mums are in sad shape...
...but not with The Mum Man!!!
~~~~~~~~~~

Fog moving in one morning.
I loved how the side of our hill looked as the fog rolled through.
~~~~~~~~~~

Thanksgiving Decoration. Remembering Squanto and his people.
~~~~~~~~~~

Z and his cars.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Z's newest way of showing his displeasure.
Some days I
wish you could also see the beautiful sight of his foot
stomp and hear that lovely sound of
his ire. Our work is certainly cut out for us, isn't it?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love it when D-D poses!

Humpty Dumpty x 3

2010-11-18T21:19:00.003-06:00

We have loads of trees, which means a huge abundance of leaves during the fall. Dana and E worked on raking and gathering the leaves all on one side of our yard...just below our retaining wall. The kids quickly discovered the fun of jumping off the wall into the leaves. D-D enjoyed watching, but she would not jump. I also loved seeing MG and E helping Z-boy enjoy the fun of autumn leaves.

Sock It To 'Em

2010-11-18T20:52:00.003-06:00

Laundry. Really, I do not like to do it. It piles up quickly and there is almost always one load I forget. And, please remember, even when you think you have done it all, there really is always more to do. But of all the laundry that must be done at our house, the part that I detest the most is socks.

Maybe it is because there are 6 people who have lots of different kinds of socks.

Maybe it is because so many of them are wrong side out, or folded and balled into a cotton or polyester-blend origami.

Maybe I am just too particular.

DEFINITELY sock-OCD. Which makes the matching very difficult.

So I thought I would try an experiment to hopefully get the family in on the sorting and matching of their own socks. I decided to just skip the socks and put all of the clean ones in a separate basket...and I found that when I just threw all the socks in that basket, the folding of the other things was not so bad (it was even somewhat enjoyable!)! However, it did not take long before the kids began complaining that they were out of socks. I would point to the basket and they would sigh and go digging until they found a match. This was working rather well until Dana ran out of socks. When he told me he had no clean socks, and I pointed to the basket, I got the nicely put, but no nonsense request of, "Can you match these today, please?"

So....
I matched 'em...
I did!!!
But...with attitude:

I think my attitude needs some working on! Pray for me.

MisPrints

2010-11-17T09:48:00.003-06:00

I was looking for some prizes the other day for our Chili Cook-off, and I saw these decorative wall hangings at Fred's. Once I really began to look at them, I had a hard time controlling my mirth!

~~~~~~~~~~

A missing letter makes a big difference!!!:::

~~~~~~~~~~
Two Mistakes:
needs an apostrophe...and...

...a letter change:

~~~~~~~~~~
Psalm 119: 165a
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ps%20119:165&version=NIV

OOOOOOOOPS!!!!!!

Breath of Heaven

2010-10-20T13:42:00.002-05:00

"Breath of Heaven" That is one of my favorite songs about Mary and her journey to bring Christ to his birthplace. We all have our times where we feel God's breath blowing over us, sometimes as a gentle breeze, and sometimes as a life changing wind. It draws us nearer to Him, holds us together, and though we may not always realize it, it is always and forever with us. Those moments of recognition are so very precious.

This fall, I experienced one of those breathing moments. A dear friend of mine died in the Spring...a friend I had not visited with in about 3 years...and the absence of those 3 years was felt deeply. After we moved out of state and then had a new baby, her new address got lost in the shuffle and readjustments that life brought to us. Anytime I remembered to ask about her new address, I would forget what I was going to ask as soon as I got to the computer or found the phone.

So.

This spring she died.

Not knowing I ever thought of her those three years.

Not knowing I missed her so much.

Not knowing the things I was storing up to tell her.

Not knowing how much I loved her.

regret. Painful regret on my part. Regret for my neglect of our friendship. Regret over the silence from me. My heart could hardly pray about this for the pain that was there. Victor Hugo spoke about such moments, "Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees."

And, indeed, my soul was on its knees for God answered to the pain in my heart. He gave me a gift in response to those prayers so painful...a response to pleadings I never realized I uttered until they were answered so sweetly.

When my friend Martha was a little girl, there was a print hanging in her home that was part of defining who she became. She showed me this print years ago and told me the story of how this print would occupy her childhood imaginings for hours, of how she dreamed she was the same little girl, how of all creatures God made, it would be birds she loved most and enjoyed watching for. She even designed her garden toward attracting different types of these birds. She loved their songs, their flight, their very natures. That print reminded her of the mother she missed so very much, and the provisions that God would provide for her because she knew He loved her more than these little creatures.

In life, through the grace of our Savior, she had given me so much. After her death when guilt and regret weighed heavy on my soul, she gave me a final word from her heart riding on the breath of Heaven, on the wings of His dove:

I miss you Miss Martha! I am so Thankful to her for loving me beyond the grave....and thanks be to the God of a great heart, full of mercy and grace, who allowed me to hear from her in this way. How awesome is HE?!!!?

p.s. Dear God, please let her be on my welcoming committee when You call me home!!!

Sidewalk art

2010-10-20T12:14:00.000-05:00

The kids are breaking in the new driveway. I think the house NOW feels like home. :o)

Hiking Gear: 3 year old Style

2010-10-20T11:34:00.004-05:00

Z, after a few tumbles hiking up to the tree house, has figured out how to outfit himself for the steep trek to and fro. I love the walking stick he found!

Grandparent's Day

2010-10-20T11:14:00.001-05:00

The new school where the kids attend this year has a fabulous program for Grandparent's Day. Really, they go all out. Children singing, playing instruments, activities, games, book sales, bar-b-que lunch, etc, etc, etc. Really, they go all out. It was an enjoyable day for the grandparents, and such a joyous one for our kids. They loved showing off their school and classrooms to some of their favorite people ever (2/4 of them, that is!)!E and Z waiting for the grandparents to finish in MG's class...~~~~~~~~
Bookmark made by D-D: Where the light is shining so brightly, it says
"I taste 'pis-ketti' with
cheese on it' "
and
"I hear the city bell"

Double Digits!

2010-10-18T20:47:00.004-05:00

MG is now 10 years old! Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

Birthday Celebration with just the family.
MG wanted just a Chocolate Cake...she got it!
Four layers of it--yum!!!!

A necklace from one of her friends.
Mg with a few of her friends. She wanted them to decorate their own cupcake.

A cake made for later when we celebrated with some
of our friends who had soccer during the birthday party.

Best gift: Birthday Plane Ride

Dancing With The STAR WARS

2010-10-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

To go along with D-D's birthday theme, I thought you might enjoy some fun with these characters:

Dana's birthday

2010-10-07T10:17:00.002-05:00

The girls wanted to decorate their daddy's cake. They did a great job! :o)

D-D had a hard time waiting for her turn with the icing and sprinkles.

We got Dana a gag-gift. He was thankful that it wasn't really his to keep, but he was quite a good sport about it. This month was packed with emergency needs...the septic tank, the air conditioner, the freezer, the washing machine, the stove-top...so, sadly, Dana's birthday gifts were home improvements. :o( Hoping to do better for him at Christmas!