Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Giving Thanks

In a few minutes, we will be off to DE for a Thanksgiving visit with my parents. It will be a short one, as I have the privilege (?) of working the midnight shift at the store on Friday...I'm sure I'll have a post about that at a later date! I want to wish all of my friends and family a wonderful Happy Thanksgiving, and leave you with the things I am really thankful for this year...

My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
My supportive and loving husband, Dave
My handsome sons...all four of them!
My daughter-to-be in China
My wonderful parents and parents-in-law
My sisters and bros-in-law and all my nieces and nephews
All of our extended family hither and yon
All of my dear friends, both far and near, new and old
All of our needs being met to overflowing...
Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Baking Pies

Benjamin loves to help me in the kitchen. Last night I had to bake pumpkin pies for a potluck lunch at Dave's workplace, so Benjamin pulled up his stool and jumped right in to help. The pies turned out great!
Dumping in the spices

Mixing the dry ingredients

Pouring in the condensed milk...yum!



Monday, November 24, 2008

A Favorite Blog

One of the blogs I love to check on a regular basis is Second Sister Suaviloquy. I found this blog through the Etsy shop Second Sister Jewelry, when I was searching for jewelry related to adoption. As it turns out, this family is waiting to adopt a daughter from China, too! Second Sister Suaviloquy is hosting a ten-day giveaway that you might want to check out. The fun starts on December 5...and check out the Etsy shop, too, for great jewelry at reasonable prices!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Winter Wonderland

Look what we woke up to this morning! This was the view from our back door...

...and our front door...



I guess winter has arrived early in our neck of the woods! This week Jonathan brought home a little piece of winter from his Home Ec class, too. I was so impressed...people pay good money for items like this fellow!




Great job, Jonathan! Keep up the good work!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The Stranger

I got this in my inbox today. Perhaps you have already read this, but it is worth rereading...
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A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Texas town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger...he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.

Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home...not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished.

He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.

I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked...and NEVER asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name?

We just call him 'TV.'

He has a wife now....we call her 'Computer.'

Monday, November 17, 2008

Another Busy Week!

Last week zoomed by with no posts...sorry! This week might likely do the same, although I do want to post about the Bible study I'm teaching this week, as I've learned a lot from preparing it. I'm teaching our two ladies' Bible studies at our church this week, one tonight for working women, and one on Wednesday morning for moms and other ladies who choose to come then. I'm teaching on the promise of God to guide and direct our lives. Look for more on that later!

I worked a lot this past weekend again, and my dear husband is nursing yet another cold, so hopefully the rest of us won't get it! Nathaniel is just getting over his second ear infection, which seem to be brought on by colds, so we don't want any more! I'm ready to spray down the whole house with bleach at this point! Tomorrow morning I'm hosting our play group at our house for the first time, so that ought to be interesting, too...another reason for no colds!

A busy week lies ahead for me, but I'm up for the challenge! Hope your week is fun and productive, whatever it has in store for you!

Friday, November 7, 2008

Working Weekend

I will be working my two jobs this weekend...teaching my grad course, and waiting on customers at The Children's Place. In this season of life, weekends have become my work days instead of the week days, so I can't complain. I'm thankful for the extra income, and for my wonderful husband who is so supportive of it all. For those of you with fun plans this weekend, enjoy...

Sunday, November 2, 2008

To Mommy, With Love

Benjamin is a very loving, caring child. He loves to give hugs and kisses, and receive hugs and kisses. He still asks to be held on occasion, and he often says, "I wuvs you, Mommy" which melts my heart. I just had to take this photo when he brought me, yet again, a flower from his "garden" picked especially for me. He wanted it put in water, so we did. I know this stage won't last forever, but I intend to treasure it as long as I can!




Saturday, November 1, 2008

Fabulous Fall Fun!

The following photos were taken by my son Sabastian a week or so ago (before the weather turned cooler as evidenced by Benjamin's shorts!). He voluntarily raked a pile of leaves in our backyard and then allowed Benjamin to jump in them. I thought Sabastian did a pretty good job with the photography, don't you? Oh to be young again and not have to worry about hurting my knees or twisting my ankles (that's a story for another day!) Happy fall, ya'll!


Ready, set, jump! Great action shot!

This one looks more like he's falling...

Look at me, Mom!

My favorite photo of all! Just having fun and being a kid!