Isn’t the news depressing? It makes me long for Jesus and Home. I know the end of my story and it’s worth living in this wretched world for…..as a person who determines to look for beauty, it hurts to write “wretched” but what other word is there when you hear of all the terrible things happening in our country and around the world?
In the meantime, I’m determined to live my own ordinary, quiet, blessed life to the FULLEST. I’m going to say yes as much as possible, go to bed early and SLEEP the glorious sleep, read the books, dress the children, cook the food, laugh the laughs, light the candles, take pictures of the sunrise, help as many people as I can, smile the smiles, say NO to anything or anyone that drains the energy from me that I need for my family, hug the hugs, pet the cats, make the sacrifices……you get the idea. All the things that I like, that I need to do and want to do. I’m so thankful that I have the power and determination to live the life I want to live, regardless of outside circumstances. We all have that freedom to some extent.
I truly think it pleases and glorifies God when we know who we are and live the way He made us to live, according to each unique person’s story and personality. Praising, dancing, and yes, even mourning and crying in those times, too. Feeling all the emotions He made us to feel. Do you like to cook? Then COOK with abandon. Do you like nature? Then get outside! Do you like people? Then get out there BE WITH THEM. Do you like solitude? Then stay home and LET THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE COME TO YOU. Everyone is different and everyone has value. There is no shame.
My mom said this weekend, “I LOVE MY LIFE.” She read a story about a woman in her 90’s who still walks to work every day. She wants to be like that woman. Relishing her life and her work and never wanting it to end……..to keep going.
Ethan, Mitch, and Jacob went to the homecoming football game, and so did Caleb, who wanted to go so very much that the boys took him along.
The dog was at their feet in the photo….Parker the dog loves his boys. In his eyes, they can do no wrong and totally deserve 115% loyalty and love.
He’s RIGHT!
Grace was invited to the homecoming dance….and after I asked the brothers if he was a nice boy I said….”If you want to go, then I want you to go. Experience High School…all of it…and enjoy it!” And she was happy to say “yes” and go dress shopping.
We had a hallelujah fit in the mall when we got the text telling us the parade was cancelled that morning…..because we needed more time. This girl hardly has any free time and we shopped for her dress the morning of the dance!!!! It had to be purple, too. Thankfully, we had success at Macy’s. The dress fit her like it was made for her. Which is was. 🙂
We went from shopping to lunch with Grandma, Grandpa, and Abbie.
cousins!
Then we walked to the bookstore.
My dad with Caleb. And a lego mini figure that I bought for my boy.
My mom who loves life even though it’s very hard at times!
I fixed her hair, painted her nails, bought her dress, shoes, and necklace, let her borrow my earrings and dress coat (not pictured) and I was happy to do it all for my girl. It was exhausting, in a good way. That feeling when a plan comes together.
Aren’t they sharp? They had made a plan to dress alike, and they had success! Grace told me the next morning that she had a lot more fun than she thought she would. (She was a little nervous).
I wish I had a better photo of Jacob and Emily but I was so focused on Grace and these two LEFT the house in Jacob’s car before I could even think of getting a picture of them. Rich and I drove Grace and her date to the school and happened to see Jacob and Emily walking on the sidewalk. I took the picture out the truck window. It was freezing cold (in the 40s) so poor Emily was suffering. Jacob didn’t ask to be taken shopping….he simply raided his Dad’s closet.
Oh and in case you’re wondering…Ethan and his girlfriend didn’t go to the dance. They stayed at her house with her family and watched four Harry Potter movies.
The purpose of this photo is to show you my morning glories. They have vigorously produced more vine and leaf than flower. I’m enjoying each remaining day with them because when we have frost they will die. I loved watching them grow all summer long, waiting and waiting for the flowers to appear.
Yesterday evening we cleaned the chicken coop and put fresh new wood shavings down.
We found our first white egg ever!!
Rich took a couple pictures with me in them. And that’s Caleb helping, too.
Wooly Aphids are AMAZING gray bugs that have white wispy stuff (called honeydew) coming out of them. Blogged about last year.
I was standing on the side of the road on Sunday when I took this picture. ^^ This morning I heard the dog barking and looked outside to see a car parked and running in the same spot. I put on my boots to run down and see if they were okay. And GUESS WHAT? This is so exiting. It was a lady trying to take pictures (with a Cannon SLR) of an Osprey sitting in our dead tree!!!!! (the dead tree pictured above). She and I visited on the side of the road, talking of nature and photography, and became friends this morning at 8am!!!!!!!!!!! That’s a God-moment for sure!
This morning’s sunrise. Sarah said, “Mom, come look at the sky!”
Happy is the Mom whose children show her sunrises.
Please please pray that Sarah’s UTI has cleared up. I have to take her tomorrow at 8:45 for a re-check. She’s certainly acting better, and had a great time eating chocolate covered strawberries yesterday after church.
Happy Monday, friends!
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6, 7 (I read this verse this morning and absolutely LOVED it. Amen!)
Good to be Home 
Beautiful, sweet children. Isn’t it crazy how fast they grow up?? Your Grace looked absolutely STUNNING in that pretty purple dress! I only have one left at home…and we, too, had homecoming last weekend. Your chicken coop is lovely. I have a question…do you clip your chicken’s wings? or do they just naturally stay inside the fence? Mine always fly over if I don’t keep them clipped. I guess it is the old “grass-is-always-greener-on-the-other-side thing.” We have three labradors who don’t understand that i would prefer they didn’t “retrieve” my sweet chickens…so i must keep them “inside” the fence.😊 Have a blessed week!
That’s hilarious about your dogs retrieving your poor chickens. The answer to your question is “yes” I do clip their wings (one wing on each hen gets clipped). I just haven’t done it yet with this new group of hens. They have learned to fly over the fence. However, to make it more confusing, I actually do let them roam around sometimes, too, so they can get at all the nice berries that are ripe now and look for ticks to eat. Parker the dog doesn’t bother them.
Yes it is crazy how fast the children grow up. It didn’t seem so about 10 years ago, but now it’s faster than I ever dreamed!
Hope you have a good week, too, Dana! xo
Love your pictures! Grace looks so pretty! You are right about living life. I couldn’t agree more!:) many blessings on your week! Christina
Looks like a fun filled weekend and good times.:).
Grace looked beautiful!! They do grow up fast. I enjoyed your scenery photos, the fall colors are so pretty.
Grace is simply gorgeous. I hope she had a great time!! Thank you for sharing your beautiful family with us. I think back over the years I’ve been reading your blog and watching the children grow and become teens and now young adults. It is amazing how time flies! You are truly blessed!
Thank you Suzanne! She did have a great time! It was fun for her and a “mom-moment” for me seeing her go to her first dance. 🙂 You are right about time flying by. The blog shows an accurate picture of how fast!! hugs! and thank you for following along and leaving comments. bless you!
Everyone looked great all dressed up! I hope they all had fun. Did Sarah get the all clear? I kept meaning to write…when my oldest had a UTI, I got told that they are very rare in children and no one knows the cause and blah blah. It was frustrating, especially when it came back a few months later. Through some research of my own, I learned that constipation can cause them. I had no idea! So we concentrated on making sure this would not be a problem and, thank God, she hasn’t had one since.
Thia, I just got home a little while ago from her appt and she was fine. I’m so relieved. But, like you, I also did my own research. I’m not sure what caused Sarah’s. Perhaps so much swimming in the pond and on vacation. I also know that she tends to “hold it” as long as she possibly can, especially at school, and that can cause them as well. I’ve been making her drink a lot, plus drink cranberry juice. I’ve learned through the years that doctors are great, but a mother’s instincts and knowledge can be amazing!!