Blessed Beyond Mesure!!

My children (& their cousins-all of them) have grandparents that LOVE spending time w/ their grandkids!  Papa took them on a walk yesterday......

 And Grammie read them stories......

And kept them enterained all day....w/ art projects, & games as well. 

Merry Christmas-from our family to yours!

 Please tell me that *at least one* of your pics turned out as goofy as this one of the cousins eating Christmas Dinner together!

The first fancy dinner in our new home-last night!

Well, here I am-apologizing yet again.

I can't believe, w/ how much I love to blog-how terrible I have been about keeping up w/ it lately!  Anyone else feel as swamped as I do?



Our two ballerinas......

A chef in the making.....

⁴ But when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

~Galatians 4:4 & 5

I am so thankful for God....ordering all time (including these busy days leading up to the celebration of the birth of His Son!)

Spent some time w/ a friend that lost her baby......

& it was ok. 
You know, sometimes it's nice the Lord allows glimpses of "why."

Why did He allow such suffering in our lives? 

At my friend's house on Sunday afternoon, I finally got a glimpse of what it means to "weep with those who weep."  My friend & her husband lost their baby girl last month.  She had horrible birth defects, & was stillborn after 3 days of labor at 7 months gestational age.

I was invited to a jewelry party at her house, & realized about 1/2 way through the party that she had pics of the baby-w/ their family & their older two girls waiting to be put up on the wall.

& I wanted to see them.  "How strange", you might think.  (I know I did).

But, in that moment, I knew that I could see the pics, & that she would have few people that would *want* to see them.

I have learned a few things from my pain:
1.  Each life (no matter how short) is precious in the eyes of God.
2.  Other peoples' pain is not something to shy away from.  They need the comfort of friends who have BEEN THERE.
3.  God really is able to take my pain & use it for good-in so many ways, but in this case....I saw the practical workings out of this verse: 

^"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.

When they are troubled,

we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT



Lord, may You continue to use my/our pain to be an encouragement/comfort to others.

One of my favorites so far this Christmas Season

Christmas Program at Church......

 Yes, Nat was *supposed* to be singing "Away in a Manger."

 Ruthie, waiting her turn to sing.

Ana (on right) was an angel-dancing to "Angels We Have Heard on High."

A little picture time in front of the tree this morning......

Finally Taking a Breath!!

The baby of our family got married two weeks ago!  Many congratulations to Matthew & his new bride-Cece!  We had so much fun at the wedding.....& even enjoyed our drive there & back (25 hours each way!)

(Above-all of us, in birth order-Me, Jeremiah, Shannon, Rebekah & Matthew)

Matthew.....w/ the flower girls

All the "Harvey" clan, except Jeremiah's wife & 5 kids, who couldn't make it to the wedding.

The girls w/ their new Aunt Cece!

P.S. I plan on updating more later this week!

Bad, busy blogger lately!

My baby brother is getting married on Saturday, & we are super busy getting ready for that......sorry I haven't been blogging well! (& probably won't be until next week sometime!)

Sorry....I know I've been a bad blogger this week!

But, we are preparing for our OPEN HOUSE!!!  Yippee!  (& we are all hard at work-hense the picture of my hand.....not my attire, hair or face.  Ha!  Ha!)

After waiting since August, a few weeks ago, we FINALLY aquired furniture!  (Many thanks to Granddad & Grandma Pat!)  So, Friday night is the BIG night, & so far, we have 30 adults & 30 kids coming!  Yeah! 

We are having a hymn-sing, too, which brings back many fond memories for me of hymn-sings at my parents house when I was growing up!  Fun times!

If you can, come join us!

"It was only a *small* fire, Mom."

Yes, that IS what Ana said to me this afternoon when I got back from the store. 

For real.

I left she & her best friend to take the last batch of cookies out of the oven.  (Yes, Dave was home-thank goodness!)

Imagine my horror to get this text: 
"Kitchen fire, but everyone & most everything is OK." 

WHAT?!   (That was my response text to Dave-& he didn't answer me!!  I had to call home & find out that a hot pad had accidently fallen on the oven coil when they were removing the cookies.)

The cookies were a hit, & the girls made some memories (some better than others, lol) this afternoon!

11-11-11

How cool is today's date?!?  We made shirts to celebrate!  What do you think?

Score!

Carpet on discount because it was out of the wrapper!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Let the Decorating Begin in Earnest! (Part 2.....of hopefully many more posts!)

Inspired by this blog, & her famous "Window Mis-Treatments," I hung sheets in Ana's room today.  I folded over the top 14 inches of each sheet & hung them w/ ring clips!

And as The Nester always says, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!"

Frollicking Through Fall....

I'm Out Grocery Shopping!

In an attempt to frugally use the resources given us, my friend & I are tryting to be more disciplined at the grocery store.  The best part is, we decided in order to accomplish this, we will trade turns watching eachother's kids.  I had my turn watching hers this morning......& now it's my turn to go!

"See" you later!

P.S.  Remembering my mother-in-law who left her earthly home-& saw Jesus face to face-one year ago today. 

Let the Decorating Begin in Earnest!

What do you think of this wall?  It's on our stairs landing.  I think I will add 2 more strips of pics under this one. 

I  like it because I can add/take off pics as I want to.  They are laminated, & clipped on to the ribbon.

Snow Day!

The view from where I sit.......

Busy making maple sugar candy.....