The snow started coming down as I was driving home from Bible Study yesterday.  Seth saw it out the windows and said, “It’s snow?  It’s Christmas now!”

I kept glancing at the temperature; 35 degrees -and such a cold wind, making it seem even colder.  I was thankful that I had gotten Seth and Sarah their winter coats just a week ago.

When I stopped the car in the driveway, we hopped out to see the snow.  I was curious to see the expressions of my two youngest ones who don’t remember much of last year’s snow.  It was so cold we didn’t stay out for long.

Can you see the wonder in their faces?

Hours later, the snow was still coming down.

I took this picture through the living room window.

I assured Ethan that there would still be school the next day, but sure enough, we both got up at 5:30 a.m. only to discover that our school was CLOSED.

IT’s THE FIRST SNOW DAY OF THE YEAR.

I had to go take care of my chickens and ended up wandering around to see the unbelievable sights (wasn’t it JUST summer?)

The ponds were so pretty.  It’s not cold enough for them to freeze and they are still dark, soft, glowing liquid.

Like giant, rippling mirrors.

This is the stream which borders our property; another place of wonder and magic.

Parker, our dog, couldn’t follow me because of his hidden fence, so he just stood and looked longingly at me, letting out a few excited barks now and then.

By the time I had meandered to the edge of the woods, two of my boys had come outside to enjoy the snow.

Caleb (7 years) and Davy (10 years).  They both got up after I took the picture and requested their own personal copies. 

I handed the camera to Davy and he took a picture of me in my snow clothes.

Honking geese flew overhead and he aimed the camera right up to the sky and took this picture;

They found ice hanging off the dock and ate it. A simple, delicious treat.

David threw this poor hen out the coop window and she was so afraid of landing in the snow that she hung off the fence for a minute before dropping down.  She went straight back home to the coop.

When I came back to the house Sarah got right up to my face with her big eyes and said, “YOU CAME BACK!”

It’s 8:09 a.m. and the boys are getting ready to make snow men.

My little seventh baby is almost two-and-a-half.  She looked so bright and cheerful this morning that I got the camera out.

This morning, I woke up thinking about my daughter Grace.  She turned thirteen today. 

However, Grace isn’t home and I can’t sing Happy Birthday to her.  Her room is empty and my heart aches today, missing her.  Guess where she is? 

JAMAICA.

She is in Jamaica, experiencing her first missions trip with a group of other people from our church.  They left yesterday morning and will be back next Saturday.  They had a lot of gospel-work/preaching/teaching/children’s activities planned but I heard this morning that the area they are visiting was hit hard by hurricane Sandy and they may be doing more “hands on” work than originally planned.  If you think of her, maybe you could pray for the team, that they would be safe and involved in lots of meaningful work.  I know it will be life changing for her.

Since she is not home on her birthday, I took a few pictures of some little things that remind me of sweet Grace.

I spent some time looking at her special Winnie the Pooh baby book.  Little Sarah saw Pooh’s picture and excitedly said, “SHAMPOO!” 

I can’t believe Grace was this tiny.  She was our smallest baby, born at 5 pounds and 13 ounces.

In her bedroom, I noticed that she found and framed this snapshot of her and Jacob, her oldest brother whom she admires and respects very much.  I look at this picture and smile at their baby faces.

When Grace goes to thrift stores and antique shops with me, she is always drawn to the little things; like this dog figurine, tiny basket, and sea shells.

And this bird.

I found this book on her bed.  This is one of her favorite authors.

She collects snow globes and yes, she has her own fiesta tea set (just like mama).

When we named her Grace, we hardly had any knowledge of what God’s grace meant to us in our lives.  Even now, thirteen years later, I wonder if I really grasp the boundless beauty of life with Christ.  But I do know this, every day I am thankful for HIS GRACE, and so glad we named our daughter after one of the most lovely spiritual gifts from God. 

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.”

 A daughter is a day brightener and a heart
warmer.
— Author Unknown

A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by soulemama

Having a time out for almost accidently defacing his mama with a flying tennis racket. 

These are the golden days of learning, and providing the family with lots of stories to remember.

I love you, precious boy of mine.

Happy Hollillween!

(Caleb’s original spelling)

Yesterday afternoon, while the storm blew around us and the children ran around in the house, I mixed up some homemade bread.  The recipe is HERE.  I doubled it.  There are two loaves left today and it’s still fresh and soft. 

We got through hurricane Sandy just fine.  Our power flickered on and off all afternoon but we never were without electricity.  We did lose cable/Internet but that was kinda nice.  The games came out; Apples to Apples, and Monopoly.

Rich was able to go to work today, and the children had another day off from school so I also ventured out.  The eight of us went to Savers and then to the mall.  I wanted to get Ethan and Jacob’s hair cut but the mall was closed; only Barnes and Noble and the children’s play area was open. 

I scored this pair of clippety-clop clogs at Savers, Hannah Anderson, for only 8 dollars. They fit perfectly, too. 

Sarah and Seth scored some “vintage” Fisher Price toys.  Now all they need are some of those nice plastic people, the ones with the round ball for the head.

Baby Gap canvas sneakers; 1.99.

But, we really went for the books.  I was especially pleased with the Eloise Wilkin illustrated Birds book, and the Garth Williams illustrated Chicken book.

When we got back home, I hung clothes out on the line.  The sun came out ever so briefly but for the most part it’s been a very colorless day outside.

The wind still gusts now and then.  The clothes were flapping on the line and took no time to dry.

It’s been so wonderful having the children home.  Caleb caught me walking around the pond and ran down to join me.  HE WANTED to be with his mama.

To our surprise, Grace heard us talking and came out of the chicken coop.  It was a regular good ol’ time.

We didn’t lose any trees in this storm, but a few branches came down and the pond rose up to new heights; almost reaching the top of the dock.

The dryer is humming, Grace is singing, Ethan is playing the guitar, Seth is crying, a door just opened and shut, and Sarah is pattering around in her new little shoes.

The sounds of home.

Hope you’re having a lovely day, friends.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving
and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting;
and His truth endures to all generations.  Psalm 100:4-5

I almost feeling like I should apologize for “more fall pictures” but I won’t.  I know some of my lovely friends&sisters like to enjoy this time of year through the camera lens because they are in other places (for instance, deserts or the deep South), and do not get to experience first hand the autumn colors.  So, I keep blogging these (this is quite possibly the last) fall pictures because I can’t help myself; it is my favorite time of year, and because I do want to share my little bit of God’s beautiful world, with you. 

In these harvest days, the leaves on the trees turn different colors, fall to the ground, and after a while they get gloriously crunchy.  Seth and I walked on the edge of the road today so we could hear the crispiness.  The smell that comes up from these dry leaves is sweet and earthy, a distinct smell all it’s own.

I do enjoy the color combinations that God Himself designed into nature.

Brown and deep Yellow

I looked for a long time at the tree (in the left-hand background) and the pink of these leaves. 

Beige, Gray, and Dusky Pink

Pink and Green

This next sight was fun.  It stopped me in my tracks again (the children are SO patient!)……

A single red leaf surrounded by pinks and greens.  All arranged and designed, seemingly just for me!   

One of our neighbor’s artful front stoop:  six potted mums, a birdbath, and a bright blue milk jug

(sitting here, wondering if I should anonymously print this out and pop it into their mailbox? with a note saying their decorations were appreciated?)  would that be weird?

street curb

street curb plus a cute boy

On our way home we found our cat.  He is a prowler…….we find him all over.  The other day he was in the neighbor’s cabbage patch watching birds on the other end of the road. His territory is the whole neighborhood, apparently.

His name is Spot.  My grandpa gave him to me when he was still alive and living in the old farmhouse.

Seth got all tired out on the walk, though you wouldn’t think it possible.  He said, “MOM.  When we get home I AM GOING TO NEED A BREAK.” 

(I might add, “to tire him out” is one of the purposes of these almost-daily walks). 

Sarah Joy was along, but she was in her stroller until we got home.   I unbuckled her and then she got to play in the leaves, too.

“Then lift up the head with a song!

And lift up the hand with a gift!

To the ancient Giver of all

The spirit in gratitude lift!”

Amelia A Barr