Random December pictures....

I've just picked some random pictures from the month of December to share - it was just such a busy busy and unusual month. I won't go into a lot of details but there were so many good parts to the month that I had to share!

First - Ryan Patrick turned 10 years old! He wanted a Transformer cake and the local Krogers made this for me - it looks like a cake but...it's cupcakes put together with icing over top decorated like a cake! So - no knives to carry and forks to forget..... just pull it apart! :)
For Christmas at our home - Santa surprised Patrick with a real bow and arrow set with target! He had a blast - we've been shooting bows and arrows with scouts for two years now and he's pretty good! :)
He HITS the target! I do NOT as much as I try and try! I try to not say too much except practice practice practice - and the dog is not allowed outside while he's shooting! :)
One of Rachel's new dresses - I knew she would love - and cute little knit hat - she loves hats!
While in Florida - you can pick just about any fruit from a tree you want - star fruit, grapefruit, oranges and we found this great tree of tangerines! They looked and smelled wonderful so Patrick went to take a bite and.....................................
NOT SO SWEET.............Probably the most sour piece of fruit he's ever had ...... doesn't even look like my boy!
Rachel sat in Uncle Bobby's 1941 Chevy Truck for a picture! She's a natural isn't she?
Children and I loved the porch swing at Uncle Bobby's and Aunt Sharon's house!

Rachel making her first gingerbread house!

Later that night - still working on it........... :)
Her very first - and I hope the first of many !
Rachel and Grammy singing and dancing on a big tree - I think they were singing "Has Anybody Seen My Gal"or something - Uncle Bobby teased about putting it on You tube!!! LOL
My Uncle Bobby and Aunt Sharon with the my two precious kiddos.
Grammy and Grandchildren riding down the Suwannee River
One of my new favorite pictures of me and my girl............ :)
We went looking for manatee - Aunt Sharon saw one the week before right by their dock!!
Patrick and Lucy - nothing like a boy and his dog...
Our first snow on December 2nd. Goldie loves the snow!
Patrick and Goldie - before school
It was so cold I just drove them to school but the bell was getting ready to ring so instead of waiting in carpool line they walked the last bit to school! That's Rachel in pink! Yes - I carry my camera pretty much everywhere! :)
While the kids were at school the dogs kept warm on the couch! What a pair!
That's it - cannot believe 2009 is almost over - where has the time gone. In a year that has been one of the toughest in my life and could have been one of the worst - the Lord has blessed me with so much. My friends are amazing be it - just checking on me , helping me pack for our move, bringing me hot food when needed, just letting me cry or encouraging me. The Lord has provided me with family near and far that love me and pray for me. The Lord provided me with a house when with 5 days to move we didn't know where we were going! The street we moved to has been a true blessing - my neighbors are wonderful and so friendly - and lots of children who are always knocking on the door for my two! The Lord has provided me a church family that is gracious and kind. I would be lost with Him and those He has provided for me. God is good and His mercies are new every morning.

I do need to find a job and that is my next focus. I'll keep you posted - and if you think about me please say a prayer that it will be clear what direction the Lord wants me to head.... I want to work in the school system so I can be on the same schedule as the children - but have put applications in at a local grocery store, insurance company and now Frito Lay - so I'll keep you posted. :)

The One Year Book of Hymns

Georgia Settle gave me this book - it seems ages ago - and in it she wrote, "May the songs of our Savior fill your heart to His Glory" Christmas 1997

I love this book and music has always had a way of moving my heart. This last weekend was so tough on me and I found myself crying more than naught. Speaking words I would normally never speak. I found myself so angry - angrier than I have ever been and moments later sadder than I have ever known. In the few days since the move - I've realized I am not being who I want to be - I'm not responding in a manner reflecting Gods love for me or even as a woman that I WANT to be.

In the middle of this heartbreak and loss and unpacking my room - trying to make order in the chaos I found my book - and when leafing through it I found several hymns that bring balm to my crushed soul.

I thought I'd share one of the hymns with you from time to time - today's being:

There is a Wideness in Gods Mercy

There is a wideness in God's mercy,

Like the wideness in the sea;

There is a kindness in His justice,

Which is more than Liberty.

There is welcome for the sinner,

And more graces for the good,

There is mercy with the Savior;

There is healing in His blood.

For the love of God is broader

Than the measure of man's mind;

And the heart of the Eternal

Is most wonderfully kind.

If our love were but more simple,

We should take Him at His word;

And our lives would be all sunshine

In the sweetness of our Lord.

Frederick William Faber ( 1814-1863)

Change does not come easy for anyone and christian growth is not instantaneous but gradual. Thomas Kempis writes, "One thing that draws one back from spiritual progress is the fear of the difficulty of the labor and combat. Don't give up what you have started" I feel lately I'm in the thick of it and do not want to give up! So in this time after the move - I want my heart in the RIGHT place. With hymns and songs as well as scripture - these bring my focus away from me and the sadness and lift me to a place where I can be WHO I want to be and maybe others can see Christ also. That is all anyone can ask really. The songs stay with me throughout the day and remind me of the promises of God so that they are brought back to me again and again.

Almost time to go and pick up children - can't wait to see them today! Its rainy and cold and can't wait to have some hot chocolate cookies for them fresh from the oven. :)

Oh - and I unpacked 4 boxes today in my closet/bedroom/bathroom area!

WV Fun Part 3

I love kitchen windows - and I have to tell you Anne and Max's one of my favorites to look out -

Rachel and that bubble blower; she loved it and it drove me crazy all summer long - kept getting spilled everywhere we went.. but she loved it.

Comparing muscles.... (so funny and cute - considering they have no muscles.)

Cousins - Patrick loved meeting all the 'new' cousins for him - it's so hard to live so far away.

Early game of baseball before breakfast.

Rachel caught a frog - and loved it - had trouble getting her to let it go.

More baseball....

Most of us that day...

Grace didn't know what to think about that 'other' baby on her momma's hip!

Before breakfast - Rachel sitting on the porch swing. :) She loved the porch swing- might have to get one at our new house. :)

Early morning looking towards the barn.

Morning dew on the blueberry fencing with a cool spider web - :)

I think this little blue flower is chicory - not sure will need to read up but it was everywhere and so pretty.

Rachel and Courage kept eating red raspberries from the bushes - it's a wonder they had any left to sell! :)

Looking from over the garden towards the barn... I might have to make a calendar!

Faith and Grace on porch - love this picture.

Mark playing piano - Grace checking out PawPaw's belongings - Max and PawPaw were singing

Ben flying down slide with 'towel cape' - they had so much fun playing down by the Greenbriar River - lovely park.

Mercy - swinging high!

Back at the farm after swimming.....

Cousins riding in the back of the truck to the river... PawPaw and I didn't fit so we followed in the van - and took pictures..

Swimming in the Greenbriar River - we had had so much rain - the river was up 4-5 feet.

PawPaw waving - I brought a chair so he could sit up off the ground.

That cute Katie Dee Robinson - they grow them pretty in West Virginia.

Patience, Ben and Patrick - trying to dunk each other...

Rachel asked me the other day "Mom can we go back to Uncle Max's Farm?" So it's been almost two months and she is still talking about the farm. :) I realized I had not posted pictures of the farm yet. I keep trying to explain to her that he is our cousin but she keeps calling him Uncle Max. :)

I have triple the amount of pictures that are posted - and you probably think we were there for days and days... no ~ just 24 hours! It was just so much fun and so many things to take pictures of - we loved it. There will be one more blog posting of West Virginia pictures and I'll try to get those done before we move.

Gotta run and eat - and then friends are popping in this evening to help pack dishes! yea! I'll update you later.