Come What May

Today is the first of May and I forgot to leave a basket of flowers on someone's door, ring the bell, and run away to hide and watch them find it. Oh, how sad and dissappointing. Now I will have to wait another whole year. Sniff, sniff... I remember how we used to do that very thing as children. We would make a little bouquet of flowers and put them in a paper cone basket with a handle. Then we would hang the basket on someone's door, usually an elderly neighbor lady, knock on the door and run to hide behind a bush. She would come out the door, look around and then find a beautiful bunch of flowers waiting for her. I recall one woman in particular who lived over by the playground. When she spied us, she invited us in and showed us her miniature dollhouse collection which was all set up in an old bookcase. Ah yes, it is such a disappointment to have missed this truly special occasion.

Takin' a Ride

This afternoon we went out for a ride. James wanted to take a look at a sawmill in Waterloo, and so we also went to the Mennonite store in Seneca Falls. Sauder's is a great place to buy spices because they cost so much less than in the grocery store. Of course we also bought a few other items, how could we resist? It's hard to pass up fresh baked rolls and bread. And... I did buy a small container of maple syrup, not from a Mennonite farm (I can tell because it says "Everson's" on the sticker and he is my friend Sheri's dad) but still just as yummy. I like maple syrup on my oatmeal in the morning. Nate decided to amuse himself by taking pictures while James wandered about the sawmill place. (This is me peeking into the back seat.) Unfortunately the owner of the place was not to be found. Anyway, it was a nice afternoon to take a ride.

No Subject

Tulips

It has been a busy day so far. I went to the grocery store this morning and picked up some items to make dinner tonight. Kathy and Mike are coming over and so are the rest of our kids. It's another family dinner. This will be two in one week! I bought some chicken to cook on the grill and some salad fixin's too. Maybe we'll heat up some baked beans if we feel like it. The sun is shining as though it were picnic weather but I'm afraid it's still a little bit cool to eat outside. Kathy will soon be leaving us to live in New Mexico. She has been here for the past two years, giving us a chance to get to know each other. It will be sad to see her go but also good that she will be with friends and very near to her son, William. So tonight we will have a dinner to celebrate her being here and to tell her how much we love her.

The Good Old Days

Wouldn't it be fun to be a kid again? I think I would like to go back in time and go down to Uncle Joe's farm again. Oh to be a little girl exploring the barn, watching the cows and smelling all those strange farm smells. I still don't mind the smell of cows, in fact there is someting nostalgic about it. I love an old hay mow. How fun to go up in the loft and hide in the hay or search for kittens born up there in the privacy of the barn. How about those chickens that come running when someone cries out, "Here, chick, chick!" as they scatter grain on the ground, or the ducks waddling across the yard? And then the corn on the cob boiling in a pot on the kitchen stove. We'd eat it with fresh butter and salt and pepper. Mmmmm... We could watch the tractors drive past down the road and wave to the farmer or even drive one ourselves. We could sing loud, silly songs mistakenly thinking that no one could hear. We could play in the woods, jumping the creek and climbing trees with no fear of strangers being out there, our imaginations running wild. Those of childhood must be the most vivid of all memories. I often wonder what it will be like in heaven. Will we be like children again?

My Oreo Cookie

No Inspiration

I am not feeling very inspired to write lately. Today was another "Cat In the Hat" day, "...too cold to go out and too wet to play ball, so we stayed in the house, we did nothing at all..." That's not entirely true, I did go out to lunch with James, which was very nice. I always enjoy that. I also cleaned the house, an everyday task but one that must be done none the less. I did some more laundry, of course, and... my goodness! I don't know what else... I just feel very unproductive lately. Somehow those sunny days always feel more motivating. I need to plan some rainy day tasks so that I don't feel so down and out when it's raining. Any good ideas?

A Little Bit O' Lovin"

Well, I can't help but smile at the affection this silly cat gives my husband. James seems to enjoy it almost as much as Oreo does. Now how could anybody not like cats?

It's a gray and rainy day, a good day to sit here and read blogs but there are other things to be done too. Maybe I'll think about doing the laundry or baking some more chocolate chip cookies. (They turned out really yummy last night at church.) Maybe I'll play with my clay or pull out my paints. Maybe I'll take a nap later. Dark rainy days are good for naps... I am glad to see that the weather in Dallas is supposed to be hot and sunny. It's a wonderful day for my niece's Texas wedding.

It May Be April, But It Feels Like May

This has been a beautiful week for spring break, lots and lots of sunshine and warm temperatures. Yesterday I finally finished my little garden plot out in the backyard. I planted peas and radishes and hopefully this afternoon I will get to planting some spinach or leaf lettuce, maybe both. We are planning to have another garden down around the barn when we get a little bit more into May. Then we'll plant the peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and ... oh, who knows what all. I am looking forward to a great garden! Tomorrow it is supposed to rain so I want to enjoy the sun today.

This morning we went to the grocery store and also to Walmart. I was beginning to feel a little like Old Mother Hubbard there for a while. We even ran out of dog food! Well, we're all set now for a while... Sara and Alysa will be here for a few hours this afternoon as their mom has to work at 4 o'clock. I'll take them to Kid's Club with us later on. Tonight is our last Kids Club night and we are going to be making cookies. Jan and I decided to do something a little different with the girls than we usually do and thought that maybe baking would be fun. I hope the girls like it. I know they all love cookies. May 5th is a picnic and then we will be finished for the year. After that I have to pray about next year and whether I will be a leader again or not. I'm not sure...

An Orchard Walk

Yesterday Rachel came over with the boys and we took a walk in the orchard. So in honor of Thursday Thirteen, here are thirteen things about living in an apple orchard.

1. When surrounded by orchard, you get a totally different view of life in a farm town. Living in the town just doesn't have the same effect.

2. You will hear tractors going up and down the road from early in the morning until late at night and find that most farmers are actually pretty friendly and wave to you as they drive by.

3. When living in the orchards you get the benefit of seeing the apple blossoms in bloom. They're so pretty!

4. You will always have plenty of places to take walks with friends and your kids will have a great place to ride their bicycles off the main road.

5. You get a little different view of the illegal immigrant issue. It's tough to know how to handle that one as these are the guys who probably do most of the work out there in the fruit trees.

6. You can pick a snack on a long walk in the fall.

7. You know that there are countless varieties of apples and are certain that red deliciuos is not near as delicious as most of the others.

8. Your dogs have a great place to run off to when they slip out the door.

9. There are plenty of ponds back in the orchard and that makes wonderful opportunity to listen to the "peepers" every night at the end of April.

10. When the farmers spray the orchards with insecticides, it kills off most of the mosquitoes making summer evenings much more comfortable.

11. You' probably have an apple tree or two on your own property but if you don't your neighbor will probably give you some or sell you a bushel at a very reasonable cost.

12. Oh yes, you do need to be careful which direction the wind is blowing if you leave your windows open on a summer night. You never know when they might be spraying the trees.

13. If the Mott's factory isn't too far away, you might know someone who works there and they can buy apple sauce and juice for wonderful discount prices, even if Motts doesn't "sell to the public".


I love living in the orchards. We should have moved out of town years ago!

Feet!

How Random...

Arbitrary statements and random thoughts... Who said that anyway?

1. The sun shines when there's not a cloud in the sky.
2. Information is not knowledge.
3. I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.
4. Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.
5. Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.
6. It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.
7. It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely.
8. It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.
9. Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile
10. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
11. The faster you go, the shorter you are.
12. The hardest thing to understand in the world is the income tax.
13. The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.
14. The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.
15. The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.
16. The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.
17. Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler.
18. Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
19. We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality.

One of these statements is mine. Any guesses as to which one?

An Easter Miracle

This little guy is nearly two months old! He is a miracle baby!

Momma's Lap

I'm thinking that I really need to drag my clay out to the table and work with it a little more. I have the clay and the kiln so why not make use of them? Somewhere along the line I lost my motivation but I think I can get it going again if I put my mind to it. "An endless possibility" will never become a reality unless I make it happen... Julia's blog on keeping life simple has been getting me thinking again.

Are You Listening?

The other day I was reading Luke 8 and one particular verse jumped out at me. I have been pondering this verse for the past several days. It isn't difficult to understand, I think what amazes me is that it never struck me this way before. Jesus had just told the parable of the sower and the seed. You probably know the story; as the sower threw the seed, some fell by the wayside and was trampled down or devoured by birds, some fell on rock, grew up and then withered because of lack of water, some fell among thorns and the thorns spang up and choked it, and finally, some fell on good soil, sprang up and yielded a crop. Jesus explained the the seed was the word of God. Our hearts are the ground on which the seed fell. Those by the wayside but then the devil comes and steals the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock hear and believe for a time but when temptation comes they fall away. Those among thorns hear but when they go out are choked by the cares, riches and pleasures of this world. Those that fell on good ground keep the word with a noble and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. Then in verse 18 Jesus says, "Therefore take heed how you hear." I began to think about when I sit in church and listen to the message. Am I really paying attention? Am I looking and listening for what God is teaching me, or am I thinking about what we are having for lunch or who I need to talk to after service? Am I looking around at other people or cleaning my fingernails? Am I wondering what time it is? Am I falling asleep or wishing I had served in the nursery this morning? Am I disregarding what the Lord is speaking to me or am I taking heed how I hear?

The Bigger the Better

I decided to add a link or two to my profile this morning and then checked out a few other people with large families. I find it fascinating that I am not the only "woman in the shoe" out there. I used to dream about large family get togethers but never quite had the gumption to get a group started. I'm not sure my poor husband would have known how to handle it. Anyway (there's that word again), as it is Thursday, I thought maybe today would be a great time to list 13 Things About Large Families.

1. Your kids will never have to sit alone in church even if Dad had to stay home and Mom is in the nursery. (All 7 of my kids sat together last night.)
2. Babysitters are not easy to find. People just don't know what to do if there are more than 3 kids in one family, besides it's hard to afford an outside sitter when they charge per child. If you wait until a few of your own are old enough (say 15 or 16) they can share the job of looking after the younger ones.
3. Large families need large vehicles, mostly to carry them back and forth to church and homeschooling field trips. They rarely go anywhere else. (I personally think this new carseat law is a vendetta against us.)
4. A large family can be very happy living in a house with only 3 bedrooms. You buy second hand bunk beds and if need be Mom and Dad can always sleep on a futon in the living room for a few years. (Been there, done that.)
5. There will be enough food to go around if you cook up plenty of rice, pasta, or potatoes, grow a huge vegetable garden, or own a grocery store. PS.- Kids only need one hot dog each.
6. Nobody really knows what belongs to who and mom can't remember either.
7. Everybody pitches in to help because otherwise Mom really would be crazy.
8. There is always someone to play with.
9. It is rarely quiet unless we are all sleeping.
10. There are always way too many shoes sitting by the door. (If I have 7 kids and they each have 2 pairs of shoes and 1 pair of boots, plus my own shoes and my husband's, and then there are a few unclaimed sets,... Well, you get the picture.)
11. You get to know the pediatrician on a first name basis (and the OB/GYN too). At least you aren't a total stranger...
12. People recognize you by, "you know, the people with all the kids."
13. There will always be plenty of family to come back home for the holidays (and hopefully they will bring all the food!)

Honestly, I loved having a large family. I am starting to miss having little people around but I am so glad that even my "grown up" kids still like to come home once in a while.

Give Me A Break!

Sometimes I feel like a meteorologist reporting the weather day after day. Maybe that comes from all those years of sitting on the front porch (see Priscilla's blog). They say that's what old people do, sit on the porch and talk about the weather... Anyway (that's my favorite word), it's looking rather gray outside today, not too cold, but not as inviting as when the sun is shining either. I'm staying inside today just because I want to.

Next week is spring break. That's when all the kids who go to public school get to sleep in, stay home from school, and torment their mothers who are not used to them being home all the time. For me it is a time to find some poor public school mother whose dear child is looking for a friend who can stay overnight and provide some company and entertainment. Then I get a break, maybe... Actually, we are planning to have a couple of friends over ourselves on Monday night. These are also homeschooled friends whose father will be having surgery Tuesday morning. I will get a break because Ben and Hannah will each have a friend to kep them occupied. We look forward to spring break when we get a chance to see some friends who are normally at school or home doing school. Hey Priscilla and Rachel, what are you guys gonna be doing for the break?

Catching Some Rays

A beautiful sunny day. Good for taking pictures but still a little cool here by the lake. Summer is just around the corner (I hope!). I'm ready to sit outside on my back porch and drink a tall glass of iced tea. Mmmm...

Put A Lid On It

Yesterday I took a ride out to Webster to do a few errands. Amazingly, I was able to escape the house without any children in tow. First stop was the bank to make a deposit, then to Goodwill to drop off some items, and finally to Walmart where I bought some rather large storage tubs. The first tub was so big that I had to fit it over the front of the cart resting on the bottom rack and the lid I slid down between the handle and the front of the cart. Inside the cart I put 3 other tubs which were a bit smaller and nestled together. Any other items (like yogurt and a lunchable, I was hungry) would fit nicely inside the smaller tubs. I got home and took the tubs up to the boys room. The thought here is to clean out the room and still have their "precious" belongings safe and on the premises. We can take the filled tubs out to one of the barns. The extra large tub was perfect for all the camping supplies we gave the boys for Christmas and each had a smaller tub to himself. Unfortunately, I neglected to pick up lids for the smaller tubs and had to stop at Walmart again a few hours later (while James ran his errands) to pick those up. Nothing like wasting a little time.

Last night I had an awful headache and fell alseep on the couch. James left me there, sleeping peacefully, and went upstairs without me. I finally hauled myself up to bed at about 3:30 am but was very uncomfortable with my aching head, eye, and neck. James got up early, as usual, at about 5 o'clock, and since I couldn't sleep and only wanted to cry, I decided that I would crawl into the bathtub for a nice hot soak. After getting dressed I took 2 Benadyl, got my pillow and went back downstairs to the couch where I could go to sleep sitting up. I could feel the Benadryl working its magic as my body began to relax. Sleep was immanent. The kids woke me up in the morning with just about enough time to get to Ladies' prayer. My headache is basiclly gone now. I figured it would be as it is always most intense just before it goes away. I am left tired from the experience but at least I'm not in pain.

Nothin' Doin" (or Doing Nothing)

Wow, what a day! I feel as though I have accomplished absolutely nothing, probably because that is basically true. James cooked breakfast for us this morning, a wonderful Saturday routine, and then we headed off to clean the Sunday school rooms at church. While that may sound like an accomplishment, let me remind you that Joe and Nate do the vacuuming and I wash table and other surfaces and take out the trash. No big thing there. From church we went to visit my mom and dad. This can be considered doing something because I rarely get a chance to stop there for a Visit. Then Nate and I went over to Walmart and back to the church to clean the sanctuary which was previously occupied by a group of ladies from church. (This was no big accomplishment either.) And then we headed back to Mom's to pick up Hannah and visited for a little while longer. When I finally returned home it was 6 o'clock so I threw in a load of laundry and made my bed. What to do now? Can I accomplish anything meaningful before I fall into bed tonight? We shall see...

A Birthday Bash

There was no birthday celebration planned for our birthday boy last night, but we ended up partying anyway. Bethany just couldn't stay away on her favorite father's big day, so we bought some Italian sausages and fired up the grill for the first time this year! Beth made some macaroni salad and I had a tossed salad in the fridge. Voila! A birthday dinner. Dave was already here working on his stuff outside and Bethany gave Jim a call. He said he would be around after dinner. I felt really bad about telling Kathy that we weren't celebrating until Sunday afternoon. James was supposed to have had an appointment yesterday evening at 7 pm but he went Wednesday afternoon instead. So anyway, we had dinner together for the second time this week (Tuesday was our family dinner). Adam, our favorite son-in-law, brought a yummy chocolate chip cookie cake and we had ice cream to go along with it. Too bad I can't share the birthday song with you. But there is an almost exact replication of it on my answering machine thanks to Grandmanita and Auntie Lee Anne (good job, guys!). Come on over and take a listen. For entertainment last night, Jim read some wonderful library books, Once Upon a Time, Good Night and The Younger Brother's Survival Guide, both wonderfully entertaining.

Getting Old

Another day older... each day a little closer to gray hair and wrinkles. Ahh, it will catch up with all of us eventually. It's one of the blessings of being alive.

Anyway, today I want to wish a Happy Birthday to one of my very favorite little boys. He's not old yet (He can't be if I'm not!), just a little more "mature". Where does the time go? I married a boy and now he can grow a mustache and beard without any problem. I suppose that means he grew up somewhere along the way. Maybe someday I'll grow up too... maybe.

Spring Vacation

For those of you who are unaware, spring has decided to take a vacation. It was here when I left for the Buffalo airport yesterday but had departed before my return several hours later. It looks rather nice outside at the moment but it is actually deceptively cold. Just listen to that wind! Brrrr... Well, we may have lost our spring-like weather for a bit but at least we aren't dealing with tornadoes.

We took a ride out to Lollypop Farm on Sunday afternoon (just looking for something nice to do on a sunny Sunday afternoon). Lots of other people had decided to do the same thing so it was rather crowded. We didn't see too many dogs or cats that looked interesting but I really liked the goats. One of them decided it would be a great idea to chew on my shirt. It was an old worn out shirt anyway so it didn't matter. He didn't put any new holes in it, just left a trace amount of goat slobber. No big deal. He also decided to take a taste of a lady's skirt and she was not impressed. Maybe some day I'll go back to Lollypop and adopt him.

No Foolin'

Did you think that summer had arrived? Well, April Fools! We still have to do April before we can really count on it being warm and sunny for any extended length of time. It was beautiful though and I was foolish enough to hope it would last. We are back to gray skies and not so hot weather but we have the sunshine of the past week to carry us though.

I did some running around yesterday, took Ben and Hannah to the dentist, the van up to King's, did some laundry, and still had a chance to be outside in the warm weather for a while. I raked some leaves out of the flower gardens. While the van was at the garage, Hannah and I walked down to visit with Shelly and Jessi for a little bit. It was nice just to sit out on the front porch and visit while the girls played. Sometimes I miss that. There should have been piano lessons mid-afternoon but Leslie had to cancel so the kids got a break. Around 5 o'clock I took Hannah up to the Reinhardt's for an overnight. James and I had the house to ourselves again in the evening as the boys were all at church with the teens. We had soup and grilled cheese sandwiches and played a couple games of cards. (No Shelly, it wasn't the game you suggested, we played Rummy instead. Any guesses on Shelly's suggestion?)

I can't believe the day is half over already. I haven't done anything special, but today has been pretty busy too. I saw Adam and Louis at church after we cleaned the Sunday school rooms. Adam was washing windows and Louis was trying to explore with a leash on his neck. Adam thinks his kitten is a puppy. Good thing Louis isn't a scaredy cat, just curious. He didn't seem to mind being at church, but then he didn't look thrilled either.

Believe It or Not

Well, here it is almost 2:30 am, April Fool's Day, and I am up out of bed looking at the computer. I went to bed totally exhausted but woke up because my brain won't rest. I have learned over the years that sometimes I can shut out all those things that are causing me stress, but tonight (or is it this morning?) it isn't working very well. My mind is troubled and looking for solutions but there are none to be found, at least none that I can achieve. Deep down inside I know I need to give it all back to the Lord and trust that He has a plan, but I have not been reading my Bible or praying like I should for the past few days, and so that is hard to do. Anyway, I don't plan on being down here for long and I left my large print Bible upstairs by my bed. I'm afraid of waking James up if I go back up to get it.(Nice excuses, huh?) Well, I guess that's all for now...

Everything Coming Up... Crocuses!

Well this has been a week of absolutely splendid weather. The skies have been blue, the sun has been shining, and soon the grass will be fresh and green. The sunshine makes me want to take the camera outside and get some pictures but as of yet they turn out mostly brown. No wonder God gave us the green grass and leaves on the trees, bright blue skies, and all those beautiful flowers for our fields and gardens. I am amazed anew every spring as the shoots and leaves push their way up through the ground. I love the little crocus flowers that brighten up our gardens this time of year. They put a smile on my face with their pretty colors and happy look.

I had a chance yesterday afternoon to stop up in the village and see Bethany before she went home from work. She ran up to me, gave me a big hug, and said, "I love you, Mom." I watched an elderly woman in smile and then say to me, "She's a wonderful daughter." I am so thankful for my kids. God has blessed me more than I could ever imagine. So anyway, Beth got me a glass of water with lemon and we sat and talked for a few minutes before I went back home. I miss having her here but I'm glad that she isn't too far away (and I love reading her blog too).

Well, it is another gorgeous day so I guess I had better go and enjoy it while I can. I hear that we may get some thunderstorms later this evening. Better pick up those leaves I raked out of the garden yesterday. This weekend we change our clocks for daylight savings time. It doesn't seem possible that it's time to change the clocks already, I'm having a hard enough time getting up in the morning.

Plenty of Sunshine

(Zippity Doo Dah!)

There is plenty of sunshine to go around today. Mmmmmm! Jasmine is laying out in the back yard just soaking up all that yummy vitamin D. It would be a great day to go for a drive but there are other things to attend to like finishing up that cleaning that I started the other day. I did get back to it after my rest but there is always more to be done. My own bedroom could use a good dusting. James wrote me a whole love note on the top of his dresser this morning! "Dear Darling, Dust thou love me?..." So, I must dust.

I made a scrumptious batch of strawberry jam this morning. The house smells like a jam factory now and it's making me long for a good old peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Besides, it's lunchtime. Having berries ready in the freezer is nice because I can make jam at any time of the year. Maybe next time I'll make blueberry, I sure have plenty of those!

Well, enough being distracted from real life by this funny little machine. I must get to work before work is over and the guys come home to find the house a disaster and me sitting here tapping the keyboard. Oooo, that would not be pretty!

Little Sprouts Reaching Up

Just Can't Stay Inside

Okay, my picture taking is over for today. I feel like "Snap Happy"; I run outside, take a few pictures, run in the house to look at them, and then run back out to take a few more. In the meantime, I did go to prayer this morning, take Ben to get his new glasses frames and stop at the library this afternoon, and... I managed to make supper too, just gotta get those biscuits into the oven. Our kids should be here after dinner as that is what we have been doing on Tuesday nights. Next week is our family dinner, I think. Well, it has been a beautiful day. I am tired but before you know it, it'll be tomorrow and I'll be out there taking some more pictures. Maybe someday I'll go out snapping with Shelly...

Little Flowers

Another gorgeous day! Had to get a shot of these little guys. They don't stay around for long and they're so pretty!

Feels Like Spring!

Another sunny day, bright and beautiful but still a little chilly, especially down here by the lake. The sunshine makes me feel like I need to get something accomplished so I started to clean my living room, dusting, vacuuming, straightening things up, but the room is so big that, as I am still fighting this cough, I am exhausted before I am near finished. So I took a little rest on the couch, had some lunch and will be back to cleaning as soon as I am finished here. I also hopped outside to take a spring photo, crocuses!

Joe and Dave returned last night from the deep south, sunburned and smiling. They have plenty of stories but I think I'll leave those up to them to tell... suffice it to say they are blessed and had a great time.

On Saturday evening we had a wonderful dinner with Beth and Adam. Such a fancy dinner! Adam is a great cook and Beth made a wonderful blueberry cheesecake for my birthday. Yum yum. We played a game of Apple to Apples and had some fun playing with Louis too. He is a wild one, but that's what makes him so much fun. Yesterday I stayed home from church with Ben and Hannah as they cooked fevers and layed on the couch. They are much better today and each have a cough just like me.

Well, enough boring stuff for now. Maybe while I clean I'll think of something more interesting to write about.

Another Day!

Today is another day! I am feeling much better although I am still coughing a bunch. No fever, so that is good. Last night, after the kids went to church, James brought pizza for him and me. Oreo thought it looked and smelled really good. He was watching James eat and then decided to come over and sit behind me on the back of the couch. I was taking a bite of pizza when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black and white paw reach out and touch my pizza! "Hey!" I yelled, "Get your paws off of my pizza!" He just looked at me and smiled. He really wanted a taste, but I didn't give him any. Cats don't eat pizza, that's what I say.

One Flu Into the Cuckoo's Nest

This me today, with the exception of the bucket. I am feeling quite yucky and this is the most time I have spent off the couch today, about 20 minutes. My tummy is okay, but I am hurting all over and have a fever. I am also coughing my fool head off! Good thing my kids are no longer tiny and are willing to do things like make me tea or bring me some toast. Too bad they ate up all my cough drops before I had a chance to get sick. Oh well, I get sick so seldom that I really can't complain (or at least I shouldn't complain). Tomorrow is another day...

An Update From the Gulf Coast

Dave called from Mississippi yesterday afternoon. He has a sunburn. There is a sense of awe in his voice when he speaks of the devestation. "It's been eight months, Mom, and you wouldn't believe it down here." The woman whose house they are working on says "it's like waking up to a nightmare every morning." The blessing is in having these groups of guys come down and offer their time and effort to help clean up and rebuild. It must be scary and unsettling to think of another hurricane season just around the corner. Yesterday I read of a relief worker in New Orleans who found a wad of hundred dollar bills hidden in the wall of a flooded out house. Even the woman who owned the house was in shock. They figure her father must have stashed the money there years ago, thirty thousand dollars! It is the only thing that survived the floodwaters. Awesome how God takes care of us in so many different ways. I'm sure this woman's father never imagined his family finding the money this way. Sometimes it is hard to trust the Lord to provide for my needs but deep down inside I know He is able.

A Time to be Born and a Time for a Birthday

It's hard to believe that forty years have passed since this birthday. So many years and yet such a short time. I can't remember turning two but I can remember bits and pieces of my third birthday and other subsequent celebrations. Now days a birthday just means I am another year older, well into my journey through life. It's kind of funny how our perspective gradually changes as the years go by. Any of us who are paying attention know that life doesn't last forever. I used to wonder at King David saying in Psalm 39 that our lives are as a vapor. As a child that is difficult to understand but there comes a day when all of us can relate to the brevity of life. Praise God there is more to life than what we have here on earth and with that perspective it is a little easier to remember that no matter what the world says, it really isn't about me, I'm not really "number one", and I don't necessarily "deserve it". The world is full of people who need to know that Jesus loves them, that He died for them, and that is really what matters.

An Old Friend

Today I dedicate my blog to an old friend. This is Katherine Von Bora, affectionately known as Katie, a good friend for many years.

Blogging has been rather lonely lately as most of you have been either busy or disinterested in writing. Maybe you have been distracted by all the wonderful weather we have been experiencing or are away on vacation. A vacation sounds rather nice actually, someplace warm and sunny with a beach maybe. Truthfully, I don't mind just staying here at my own house but I would prefer more springlike temperatures. I am anxiously awaiting seventy degree weather so that Hannah and I can go out and sit together on the tire swing after supper. Ahh, summer is really my favorite season! I can hardly wait...

Marching into Spring

Today is the first day of spring 2006! Hooray for spring. Now that the season has arrived we can only hope that we will soon have the weather to go along with it. We have been thinking for the past couple of months that spring and warm weather are right around the corner, but surprise! it's really still winter. A good joke on all of you (I won't be mentioning any names, Shelly) who thought that maybe spring had arrived early in January. Well, not to worry, it will soon be April and summer isn't too far off.

I was out to the store this morning and decided it would be a good idea to take an up-to-date picture of Grandma's house. Fast forward to 2006 and this is what we have. (Does anyone out there have a picture from all those years when it was stained brown?)

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it. Psalm 127:1

Mississippi Calling

Both Joe and Dave called this evening from Mississippi. All is well so far and they are currently at the base church in Jackson. I think they will be attending services there tomorrow and then heading out for Biloxi. They are excited and glad to be there to help. Joe says they have the only van without "Jesus" bumper stickers all over it. (They took James' work van down there.)

The House

Just a little house, not too fancy, not too big.
The first picture is taken in 1960 and the second in 1969.
A little house full of happy memories.

A Life Worth Living

O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
Now also when I am old and gray-headed,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come.
Psalm 71:17-18

Last night I was again looking at old slides, this time pictures taken in the six years before I was born. My parents were young, in their mid-twenties. They had just purchased their first house, one they would own for at least the next fifty years, a place where all of their children would grow up. My older brothers were just babies and then little boys. They went camping with Mom and Dad, just like my sisters and I did later. Mom and Dad took pictures of their friends and their friends children, my aunts and uncles and cousins, and other relatives too. Some pictures made me laugh or smile, some made me a little bit sad, and some amazed me by how different things look now. Our house grew from a little box with hardly any trees or bushes and a dirt driveway to a beautiful home with trees, bushes, flowers, and a paved driveway. Dad added a back porch, which later turned into our dining room, built a garage, an upstairs attic bedroom, and plenty of woodsheds to store the wood for our "new" old woodstove. Sometimes it's hard to believe its the same house! The neighborhood is changed too, of course. Children grew up, people moved away, and new neighbors arrived. It's all kind of bittersweet for me now. I look back and remember good times and happy days that are long past, part of what makes my mom and dad who they are today. There were sad and heartbreaking times too, of course, but they don't show up so much in the photographs, my grandfather's passing, an illness that almost took my father's life, my uncle's fight with cancer, and my brother's struggle with severe autism. Through it all Mom and Dad held on to Jesus, who was the only one who could carry them though. Looking at the pictures made me realize again, how brief life is and how much we should treasure all of the blessings God pours into our lives and how greatful we can be that there is more to living than what we see here on this earth. Thank God for the love of Jesus and His sacrifice for us! We can look forward to a better life in eternity with Him.

Thursday Thirteen!!!

Thirteen things about being a mom...
1. You learn how much your own mother really loved you.
2. You can stare at a sleeping baby for hours and never get over the wonder of it all.
3. The state of the world suddenly takes on a very new significance.
4. You always have someone to entertain you and make you smile.
5. You are finally proud of the accomplishments of someone else.
6. Your heart breaks when your children are hurting.
7. You find out that that you can be incredibly furious at someone and love them unconditionally at the same time.
8. No matter how many children you have, there is enough love to go around.
9. You can make a kid eat but you can't stop him from throwing up afterward..
10. You learn that changing diapers and wiping runny noses only make you love the children more.
11. The doctor's office can be like a home away from home.
12. Even though your kids grow up, deep inside your heart they're always your little ones.
13. Even though it seems as though those little people will never grow up, they really do, and then you wish you could go back to when they were little again, even if just for an hour or two.

A Reason to Smile

I laugh when I look at this picture of myself. I must have been about 3 years old; a truly delightful child, as you can see. I really don't know what I was so mad about, my mom doesn't remember either, but I can almost actually remember being mad. Maybe I had just gotten up or something and wasn't quite ready to smile for the camera. At any rate, I certainly don't look very happy, or very lovable either. I guess we all have our days. It's a good thing most moms and dads have loved us inspite of our unwillingness to always be loving and cooperative. Mom and Dad may have gotten angry, but I always knew they loved me.

I'm so glad that God is that way with us too. He loves me no matter what because I belong to Him. His desire, of course, is that I live for and follow His will for my life. It's not always easy to know exactly what that is from day to day, but if I trust in Him, He will lead my steps. If I decide to turn away from Him and do my own thing, He will let me, but He will chasten me and draw me back too. He is alway ready and willing to accept me back when I am truly sorry for rejecting Him and His love for me. I pray that I would be more willing to follow Him and not put on the grumpy face when things aren't going my way.

The Sun Did Not Shine

It is a typical March morning; grey skies, drizzling rain, and impending cold weather. We had an absolutely beautiful weekend though; blue skies, sunshine, and warm temperatures. I guess if the good weather falls on a weekend, we can be especially thankful because we have a better chance to enjoy it. Dave spent so much time outside on Saturday that he actually got a sunburn on his face and neck!

We had a blessed weekend. God is good. On Saturday evening we got together with my favorite sisters, their husbands, and all the kids for pizza and games, laughed way too hard, stayed up way too late, and ended up going to second service at church yesterday morning. Since we weren't going to church until the 11 o'clock service, James was able to call an old friend who we haven't seen in a while, and invite him to go to church with us and spend the afternoon afterward. "R" seemed happy to go and actually said it was a good message. We are praying hard for his salvation and enjoyed spending the time with him. Last night we all prayed for Josiah and his work situation. He is planning to go to the gulf coast with a group of guys, including Dave, to help with hurricane Katrina clean up and rebuilding, but the restaurant doesn't want to give him the time off work. So we prayed for changed hearts there and that Joe will be able to go without anyone giving him a hassle. I really think it will be a great experience. Besides, it will be a great opportunity to experience a week of uninterrupted sunshine!

A Spring in My Step

What a beautiful morning! The birds are chirping, the geese are honking (and actually flying somewhat north), and the sun is shining furiously. I love it. Today I am actually feeling awake. Soon the boys and I will be off to clean the Sunday school rooms at church. Hannah stayed overnight with Dave and Leta and I'm sure she will show up here eventually. I am atually feeling ready to do something (Can you tell I am amazed?) Jasmine is excited about spring too. She is spending more and more time outside soaking up the sunshine. Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful day!

(See, Shelly! I really am okay!!!)

I Don't Want to Wake Up!

Well, this has been a very tired week. I have a slight cold which is giving me a very dull headache and a stuffy face. I don't feel all that bad, I just can't seem to stay awake. Last night I finally took some cough medicine to hopefully help clear my sinuses. It did take the headache away but I still had to lay down for quite a while this afternoon. My poor house is feeling (and looking) neglected. It just needs a mother's touch, I think, and Mom hasn't been touching too many things that will actually get it clean. Today was much better than yesterday, so I'm looking forward to a good day tomorrow!

The Not-So-Sunshiney Day

This morning I woke up to sunshine and the seeming promise of a beautiful day, but surprise! the wind is blowing in some dark cluods and I think it's going to rain too. Such is the marvelous month of March. It is full of surprises.

This morning Ben and I will be headed out to the eye doctor in Sodus to have our glasses fixed. He needs a new stem and I lost the teeny, tiny screw that holds the lense in for my left eye. I am currently typing with one eye closed as my vision is thrown off by only having a glass for my right eye, This is how I used to read all the time before I got glasses. It wasn't much fun and it gave me a headache.

Bethany's and Shelly's blogs have inspired me to add a warm weather photo, a flower playing Peek-a-Boo! Have you ever seen such a thing?

Captain Marvel and the Not-So-Great Escape

What is it that makes boys want to accomplish the impractical, the improbable, and the impossible? Is it their sense of adventure? A test of skill and ability? Or just plain failure to consider the consequences? I laughed when I heard of how "Max", a very bright eleven-year-old, came to his mother with a shoelace one day and asked her to tie his wrists together. "It's for a game we're playing" he insisted. Very reluctantly she obliged his request. Not long after she heard a terrible crash, feared the worst, and wondered how on earth she could have done what he asked. She found him in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, banged, bruised, and presumably humiliated, but thankfully not broken. Not only were his wrists bound together, but his ankles were wrapped with duct tape. His explaination...He just wanted to see if he could get down the stairs that way. I guess he found out he could! He evidently never considered the possibility of broken bones or a trip to the emergency room, not to mention how his mom would ever explain to the doctors why she had tied his wrists together. I laugh because I have five boys who have also tried plenty of silly stunts, some with not so wonderful results. How do you explain why your son had a razor blade under his pillow, or how your son got that gash in his head just "throwing rocks in the lake"? Such are the escapades of boyhood! My father still laughs at his own stunts 65 years later. He says it was a wonder he and his brother weren't killed, but he's smiling as he says it. There is something absolutely intriguing about a boy. I love them in spite of the fact that so often I walk away shaking my head in disbelief. They bring an excitement and sense of wonder into the world. Thank you, Lord, for boys. Hmmmm....I wonder who it was that held the duct tape?

"Caution: Cape does not enable user to fly."-Batman costume warning label

March of the Birthdays

March of the birthdays? Hey, why not? Here they come, one after the other. This is me on my first birthday. I sure look like a sober-faced baby! I couldn't have been all that unhappy, after all, that is cake in front of me. I obviously don't remember this birthday, but I do remember turning three and having Hey Diddle Diddle on my cake, or was it Humpty Dumpty? Oh my! My memory fails me! Anyway, back to the March... What a great month to be born in. You get a little bit of winter (maybe a blizzard), a little bit of spring (maybe an ice storm), some sunshine and some rain. I alway loved having a birthday on the second day of spring. Some March people get a special celebration every year; people wear green, have parades, and change their last names to things like O'Mrugalski or McBeaujon. How fun! Then there are those of us who were born on a truly special holiday, like Palm Sunday or Easter. Yes, they actually used to show up in March on occasion. So... if you are thinking of changing your birthday, consider March. It's a great month.

Ladybug, Ladybug

Spring is in the air. The sun is shining and it sure LOOKS like it should be warm outside. (I don't think it is but it sure looks nice.) Yesterday I saw a ladybug crawling up my bedroom window, a sure sign of spring, right? In March it is okay to look forward to lots of sunshine, warm weather, and ladybugs. I'm so glad that God promised to keep sending the seasons in their order. Even though we may see unusual patterns and ask, "What's going on with the weather?" the seasons will continue to follow one another. Awesome! I can't wait until I can walk outside without my winter jacket. (See, Shelly, I'm not totally off my rocker.)

This morning I am off to Ladies' Prayer again, and also to the grocery store, it's family dinner night. (Stress, stress!) I am more and more amazed at how God answers my prayers, even when I wasn't necessarily looking for an answer. I like to picture Him smiling down at me as I stand in awe, kind of like we look at our own children. Anyway, I am encouraged today, even if pulling off dinner for twelve people is a little overwhelming.

Curious, George?

You may have noticed that my blog has undergone a few changes today. At the advice of someone dearly loved, I will be deleting some entries that may give away a little bit too much information. As much as I would like to think that no one with bad intentions would ever be interesting in looking at my blog, or even worse, trying to find me or someone I love, I suppose I need to be more careful. At times it is difficult to remember that there is actually a very wicked world out there. I have always wanted to believe that the world is a nice place and that those who wish harm are far away from me and my family, but that isn't necessarily true. I love blogging and really would like to continue, so I will try to be a little more careful with my information and, in the meanwhile, I have printed out those deleted entries to keep in a book. They still make me smile, especially all the comments from people I love. So,.... keep checking back, I haven't disappeared quite yet!

Don't Look Back

This afternoon, I am looking forward, forward to spring and all the wonderful things it brings. (Hey that rhymed so much it's almost scary.) I am looking forward to ...
1. the peepers and their wonderful night time song
2. fresh green grass
3. flowers, especially those salmon colored tulips
4. laundry hanging on the line
5. lots of warmer days
6. birds singing in the morning when I wake up
7. eating on the back porch
8. no winter jackets
9. rain, into every life some rain must fall (or spring)
10. tractors in the orchard
11. mowing the lawn
12. planting the vegetable garden
13. Mr. Conner coming home from Florida

(and Easter candy too)

Time Marches On

Well, February 2006 is now history. March is here and with it come new possiblities. I have a new project I am working on. At the inspiration of my sisters' excitement over Saturday's "Looking Backward" blog entry, I have decided to sort through the slides our parents collected over the years. They bring back so many great memories and make me smile and laugh out loud. We were truly blessed to grow up in that home with two wonderful parents who loved Jesus and shared His love with us. As I began looking through the pictures last night Hannah's comment was, "You went camping a lot." (No wonder half of Rachel's memories were of camping. I think she camped over half of her childhood days.) It seems that the camera came out most at Christmas and when we went camping, although there are plenty of other photos too. So much fun! I'm sure I am going to need some help to decide what pictures we want to save onto CD's and what to leave in the box. Any volunteers to come watch a slide show?