God is in CONTROL

Monday, December 30, 2013

Holidays

I love the warmth of the room when everyone is there . . . together .

I love the smells in the house --

I love the excitement and anticipation of children (tiny tots and old g'mas and g'pas) -- at Christmas we're all kids!!!

I love those yummy  foods that we don't dare eat any other time of the year --

I love the sacrifices people make to be together -- 





I love starting new traditions:








I love the time preparing and 
anticipating the time approaching ---


 


I love the effort that goes into to buying just the right gift -- and the meaning behind it-- hoping the other person will catch the significance of it.
Marshall shopped for C & S by buying them his favorite toys at their age
Yay Hungry Hippos -- Uncle Marshall and Glo worm -- did good!
























We MISSED our CO kids like crazy and was so sorry they couldn't be with us -- but we enjoyed hearing about the traditions they have started of their own this year as husband and wife --  I love all the phone calls with them in preparation for the big day -- and the ones for days after -- followed by texts -- and pictures -- we just can't seem to let go of the holiday

 
Marshall horsing around with Katie's Green Bay duct tape (stocking stuffer)



We enjoyed the pics of them celebrating Grandma Jeanette's 90th birthday.One of the things they were able to do was each write 90 blessings for her -


It's been a wonderful year -- a great holiday --I'm feeling very happy -- brimming over!

Whether Christmas is celebrated at Thanksgiving, on the actual day or New Years  or even 4th of July-- whenever you can have your people -- under one roof together-- sharing love-- it's CHRIST-MAS!

Saturday, December 21, 2013

LOST




The end of my school semesters always bring a sigh of relief and a surge of cleaning to get the house back up to at least minimal standards in order to keep the Board of Health from shutting us down.   Yesterday I got up early and became a whirlwind -- cleaning carpets and washing bed linens -- scouring bathrooms and sanitizing the whole house.  (I even thought about sorting the garage -- but gave up on it)

IT was a day of highs and lows --About 10:00 I found out we'd won the Outdoor Christmas light decoration contest for our neighborhood -- I'm big on twinkling lights --I'd like to think they can see us from Heaven.

 About noon I looked down and saw that my diamond had fallen out of my engagement ring!!! EVERYTHING came to a screeching halt and I became like that woman in the Bible who was sweeping her whole house looking for the lost coin--  Same whirlwind I was earlier in the morning -- only this time --I was picking through trash -- sifting through the lint in the vacuum cleaner bag -- and searching through the washing machine's filter-Terry stopped everything and took over the vacuum bag -- while I retraced my steps through the house over and over. 

Twenty years ago -- I lost another diamond -- and since that time have checked mine periodically and even had the prongs examined by a jeweler. 
Forty years of marriage -- two diamonds lost -- but I still have my MAN!!.
That woman long ago in the parable -- I'm pretty sure she was destitute -- her life DEPENDED upon finding that coin!!!

 I'm sad -- and find myself preoccupied with looking for anything that glistens--do you know how much sparkly there is on the floor at Christmas???

Throughout the day I remembered that there have been other losses this week-- so much worse than mine . . .

A KU intern lost her mother in a tragic way

Another friend was given a timeline of his days left on this earth

 . . . I do have to admit that when I look at my ring -- it makes me  sad.  

It dawned on me while I was working frantically --caught up in cleaning -- this had gone on and I was totally oblivious to it.  It got me to thinking -- how many other -- hidden happenings are all around me that I'm not noticing because of being so caught up in my activity of the moment? 

When we prayed last night, I said -- Lord you know that people are lost and you know where lost things are -- LORD, please help me keep it all in the right perspective.



Friday, December 20, 2013

Sleepovers

Sleepovers are as much fun for T & me as they seem to be for the girls.  Campbell will often come up to me at Church and ask to have a sleepover -- of course I have to say not tonight -- since I'm in school the next day.
We sort of pull out all the stops and spend 24 hours in their world -- It's so much easier since Bethany and Mat keep them to a pretty regular schedule.

Often these sleepovers are on a Saturday night -- so it takes advanced planning for our Sunday responsibilities  to come off smoothly--  We're finding that getting two little girls ready on Sunday morning and Papa finishing his powerpoints can be a bit tedious. Nana resorts to bribing -- (the girls that is-- "Campbell you can have one more Joshua Fought the Battle Song and then you HAVE to get your clothes on." and "No we can't go out and play in your sand castle this morning."

Lots of great memories

Last Sunday morning -- waking up we heard Campbell singing "Frosty the Snowman" at the top of her lungs outside our door and Sydney Kate answering her from her bed in the next room with "EEE - I--EEE -I - OOOO".

Tonight  Papa built a fire and it was S'mores and watching "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas" -- a sweet little movie I used to love to watch with our kids.


The girls go to bed so easily -- S loves to cuddle and then almost lunges for her bed eager to get to sleep.
C on the other hand, has to have 49 books read and 2-3 songs sung while you stand in a certain place beside her bed.  Right now we know we have to hurry to bed because morning with these two comes EARLY -- first wake-up call is about 4:30 and the second is usually by 5:30.  We are so blessed to see these two in action - growing, learning and becoming all they are destined to be!

Blog Archive

Followers