well, a long time ago...

...I had a baby. He was very very small, compared to the first two. Yes, baby #3 was born a week early, and he was a little peanut, 6#3ounces. I was a bit worried, but the pediatrician said, "He'll grow."

And he did. He grew into a three year old who loved to vacuum. He could pick up the toys and vacuum the living room all by himself. He was obsessed with the violin, so I bought him a toy one. He was friendly and energetic and when we built this house, he liked coming here to the building site to help his daddy. We celebrated his fourth birthday here in this living room, when the walls were still plywood shells and the table we used was a stack of boards.

He grew more, and his extra energy did him well, he played basketball and football in high school...but he did get in with some bad influences, and that is a whole 'nother story, which we will skip over. But I will say this: when this boy hit rock bottom, this mama prayed and sobbed and entreated God for help, and God answered. He said, "If you don't believe he can be help, how can you be of any help? You need to believe." So I told God that I believed.

Anyway. Benjamin had God's hand on him, he went off to the Army, he was a medic in Afghanistan, he had some rough times, and trials galore, but he has done well, and is in a good place. I am extremely proud of him, and love spending time with him and his family. He lives ten minutes away, in a big house, a big open home, friendly and warm. What more could a mama want?


Benjamin with Ashley and Anya and little Elise...and with Elise.

He is thirty one years old today, which cannot be possible, I was 23 years old when he was born. He was actually #4, I had a 12 week miscarriage exactly a year before his due date. He was our little baby boy, we had Emily and Abigail and little Benjamin Bunny.

There are days and days in raising children, days that add up to years...and in those days, we have opportunities to turn to God, to pray for wisdom, to acknowledge how little we know! Looking back, I see how I could have been on my knees so much more! But I am thankful for Benjamin, my Veterans' Day baby!

Yesterday, we had a surprise baby shower for Mali and Josh, Lydia is going to be a big sister! Mali was pretty surprised.


We had pulled pork nachos with tomatoes, peppers, black olives, sour cream, shredded cheese and melty cheese (queso). Ashley brought broccoli cheddar soup and Emily brought the best meatballs ever. We had cookies and cupcakes (Suzanne made chocolate cupcakes, and strawberry cupcakes, which I frosted...some with homemade pink buttercream, some with canned chocolate). There were other chips and candy and snacks too...

I do wish I took more pics!

Today, Paul is going to Nevada. Today, Sonja has to go to the orthopedic doctor because her knee is swelling again. Her knee and our minivan seem like kindred spirits, going in to the shop and costing all the money ha. (The van is leaking power steering fluid...)

Today, snow is coming. Lots of snow here in the northeast. We are due south of Lake Ontario, which is still warm, and when cold air comes over that lake, the lake effect snow just hammers us. Those to the direct east of the lake get more, but we are also in a "snow belt".

It's going to be bitterly cold this week too. I plan to stop at the store for milk and bread this afternoon when I'm in the small city, then stay huddled at home until it's all over. I must be getting old, so daunted by snowy roads!

Friday night, Margaret and I, and my sister Cheryl, drove up to Ottawa. We didn't go into the city, a small town on the outskirts, to a baby shower for Cheryl's youngest daughter Audrey. It was SO nice to see old friends and have such a warm encouraging time!

Of course our visit included a trip to the grocery store, so we could get some good breakfast things for Saturday morning.

This was a small expensive store, but still: the prices are so much higher in Canada!

And...this, because it's cute...