summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

31 degrees and sunny?!!

We'll take it! Just a tad under 0 c, it's all good, feels like spring.


Camille, me, Charlotte Claire, all comfy in my chair, doing our research on one of the very best things one can research, besides maybe getting a new puppy or baby names, anyway, we were looking up: theme parks in Florida. Yes, we are hoping to go to either Universal, or Magic Kingdom again, or maybe Busch Gardens again. Universal is winning, we're just not sure about the long lines, as we're going on a regularly scheduled winter break instead of going a week early, ha. Honestly though, the girls are THRILLED and are talking non-stop about this upcoming trip. They aren't thinking of the looong tiring drive, the traffic, the possibility of bad roads and stormy weather through the Pennsylvania mountains. No, they are thinking ROADTRIP! Sunshine! Camille said yesterday, "One of the very best parts of the trip is getting there, getting out of the van, and seeing Grandma. And hugs, definitely hugs."

We already reserved a hotel for one night in Amelia Island, Georgia, a hop, skip, and a jump from the ocean. It is about four hours from our destination of Zephyr Hills, Fla. It gives us a nice rest for the last leg of the journey, and hey, it's the Atlantic Ocean, wow.:) I am almost considering reserving a second night so we can have an entire day there...

Speaking of happy exciting things, yesterday a huge box came in the mail. The delivery guy honked, and Sonja was voted to go out and get the package, as we grumbled that we never get anything in the mail, it's always nutritional supplements and vitamins for Paul and Joe and Kathryn. But the box came in, and it was for me! It was from Margaret! She had told me something was coming for me, and not to get too excited, but who can not get to excited when a huge box comes in the mail?


It was a dustpan on a stick! It's shiny and new, and the handle doesn't come unscrewed and fall off. The handle on the old one came off for good, so we put a wood broomstick/paint roller extender thing on it that's way too heavy for the dustpan, so if one leaves it standing by itself, it tips over, scattering the mess. Anyway, it was a very welcome surprise, but ha, such a huge-0 box for it!!!


Camille has the box now, she spent an amazing amount of time in there last night with her flashlight. I'm not sure if she was playing office during a power outage, or practicing being homeless, or what, but she had that box covered in blankets and here it is in the middle of the living room, she wants to keep it.

This fine morning, Kathryn took Charlotte Claire and Camille out and about, she took them to Target and to TJMaxx, and spoiled them, each a new shirt, and new neck-pillows for our Florida trip, which Cam so nicely said I can borrow if I get a chance to sleep. They are home now, and will do some school. I don't worry too much if our hours are random, last evening we did lots of science, geography, and vocabulary. They're learning.:)

Anne is taking her nap, so we're having Quiet Time. Jonathan is doing his own school work. He and I, and Anne, had a nice breakfast together. He made bacon and scrambled eggs. He says he is trying to eat healthier, cut the carbs. It's nice to see, and nice that he came to that decision by himself. He said some of the boys are going to start some sort of martial arts...they're always doing something fun.

Tomorrow we are having a fun field trip, to the big mall in the city, to one of those indoor play places. I will have Anne and Lydia, and yay for going bye-bye with a one year old and a two year old! It makes it tricky, but also makes it so much fun. The little ones are such blessings, despite diaper changes and melt-downs. Watching them keeps me on my toes.

Ah well, there is laundry to do and kids to teach and so so so many little projects to tackle. I like the keep the stovetop cleaned off, and the microwave wiped out, and the front of the refrigerator shiny, the tile on the back of the stove clean, and and and. I swept and mopped this morning, and washed all the couch covers, and and and. But, it never ends. Until some day it does, ha. I read an article on yahoo, which someone also posted on Facebook, that a 27 year old girl wrote before she died of cancer. Oh the things we waste time fretting over, as if we had our lives stretched out before us with no end. She wrote about using your money to bless, and not measuring your worth in "likes", or letting social media influence your self-image, letting go of caring about a flabby tummy, and being thankful for your days. She said she would desperately love to grow old with her partner and raise a family, and that she loved her life and didn't want to die, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. I did cry when I read it. Our days ARE numbered, and the fact that I have already lived twice as long as this lovely young lady, what do I have to complain about, ever?

And you know, in God's eyes, it's a level playing field. We might always think others have it easier, or better. But when it concerns grace from God, help from Him, He is no respecter of persons. Anyone who prays for help, who wants to put their life in order and start listening and being obedient to what God speaks to him, has the opportunity to be blessed by God. He resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. It is never too late to turn to Him, nor is one ever put to shame, who puts his trust in Him.

And that is my sermon for today, :)













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