Christmas '10

I picked up my camera this past week and found Christmas pictures I had forgotten were taken. The holidays were a whirlwind, then I left for a week early in January to head to my mom's with one of my daughters. And I've had no desire to take any pictures of our winter. My guess is that you have seen our 113 inches of snow, TEN FEET of snow on the news, and winter still has two months at least! Although this morning it is sunny with the snow glistening like white glitter on the ground. Better late than never in sharing holiday pics!

Justin REALLY getting into a Wii game. Lauren finally got one for Christmas

Justin still playing with Lauren trying to join in

Kelsey and Matt doing some Christmas Eve reading

One of these days I will be the shortest one of the bunch

My favorite females!!!

Christmas Eve after our Candlelight Service, before all wrapping paper took over the living room

Celebrate

Yesterday, December 26, was a glorious day at Lafayette Alliance. We sang joy filled songs of worship, had a baptism, a God-filled message from our pastor and received new members into our fellowship. What a great way to end 2010.

Pastor Rob had the special privilege of baptizing Lauren (his) our daughter yesterday,

PRICELESS!!

Here are all the Baptism Service pictures.

Volleyball Player Named All American | Herkimer County Community College

Volleyball Player Named All American Herkimer County Community College

A very proud mother!

Holiday Pictures

Daughters and Baby K snapping fresh green beans for my Green Bean Casserole

Someone trying to be in every picture!!

Scalloped corn and green bean casserole without the peace sign

Dinner table set by my own decorator, Kelsey

Our first holiday with everyone home safe and sound, our cat Ginger who came to our family this year, and Justin's dog Buck

PRICELESS!

Hannah, who is a senior in college, had some pictures taken by a friend of hers this fall.

God's Abundant Grace

Thankful today for God's grace upon grace, John 1:16, and that Christ died for my sins in accordance with the scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3.
I am also thankful for

*college age daugthers jumping on the bed while I try to write this post
*a frig full of ingredients vying for my attention
*my son home safe from Iraq, who will be at our Thanksgiving table this year rather than on skype thousands of miles away
*a husband who not only preaches the gospel to his flock but lives it out in front of his family
*my mom who continues to love and support me and calls to see how my day went
*sisters, even though they are a thousand miles away, when we visit we just pick up where we left off
*friends near and far that God has given me every time I move to another place of ministry, don't worry Lafayette friends, no move in the picture!!
*Situations and circumstances that have come into my life that have been used to make me more like Jesus
Happy Thanksgiving! Come back for pictures of my holiday celebrations.

25 Years

Twenty-five years ago today I said "I do" to a preacherman. Today he is so much more than that as God brought us together to have four great kids and serve Him together. It seems like yesterday my dad walked me down the aisle and gave me to Rob. Through sickness and health, good times and bad, we have stayed where God put us 25 years ago, together. It has not been smooth sailing. That story is for another day.

I cannot imagine, nor do I want to, my life without him. I did write a tribute(p. 6, The Rest of The Story), to him in our last month's church newsletter which says what I'm saying today.

We took the day off from our daily work to spend the day together using the several gift cards given to us by our loving church family and friends. We will also be celebrating in a month with my mother-in-law who will be married again and Rob will do the ceremony.

Happy Anniversary to my best friend and the husband God knew I needed.

More Volleyball Pictures

Right after the regional win over Onondaga County Community College, a

#7 seed beat a #3, earlier in the day, they beat #1 seed.

Most Valuable Player, although the entire team did an outstanding job.

An article about the regional win and the upcoming national tournament.

On To Volleyball Nationals(Let a mother brag) :)

Herkimer County Community College volleyball team won their regional tournament this past weekend and they are on to nationals in Minnesota in a couple of weeks. Kelsey was most valuable player. It was an exciting set of games, nail biters. She has matured from her awkward, seventh grade days where she was the tallest girl in the school and had no idea what to do with that height. She does now. Not only is she a great volleyball player, but is an example of sportsmanship and a leader on her team. We are so proud of her and the example she is setting for those around her. More pictures later of the team and their awards.

Tribute to My Mom

This is a post I wrote almost two years ago. I have just returned from another visit, thinking about my mom a lot. She has persevered the past 2 1/2 years, making decisions and making a "new normal" life. It has not been easy and you never get over the passing away of a spouse or loved one, but she presses on modeling kindness and patience for her daughters and those around her.

As I've been visiting my mom here on the farm I grew up on, I've had opportunity to go through my dad's well-worn Bible. It is also high-lighted in various colors, but one that caught my undivided attention was in Proverbs.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies,..."

and

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." 31:10, 27, 28

I've watched my mom for more years than I'm going to tell on a blog! but she definitely is the Proverbs 31 woman and much more. I know she will blush at the thought of me talking about her here, but she is the example I have followed in being the woman God wants me to be. So I come to see her as much as I can.

You Need A Mother Very Badly

I'm Back

To my loyal readers and new friends I am back to blogging. I needed a break from the computer, which I can always get at my mom's because she still has dial-up! And break I did get. I did log onto my sister's computers only twice to check email and look at pictures a classmate had taken from my  30 year class reunion.
Age has never bothered me and still doesn't, but when I got the invitation in the mail to this reunion I had to look twice and said, out loud I'm sure, 'how did that happen?' I had a great time visiting with people I had not seen since our senior class trip. I spent the week having coffee, lunch, and visits with relatives and life long friends on my mom's porch. We got ready for a farm equipment sale which was last Saturday. It was an emotional day, but ended good with Zeno's Pizza, a local favorite.
Today we braved the weather, no it isn't snowing yet! We made our way to the New York State Fair, and after a few hours headed home because of 90 degree weather.
Check back soon for pictures of my end of the summer of 2010 fun.

2010 Summer Chronicles

We picked up Kelsey from JFK yesterday after a long trip over the ocean from Italy. She had a 12 hour layover in Germany. I snapped a few pictures on our way home and more this morning of the "goodies" she brought me.

The sun was shining right behind us, but wanted to take a picture before we got home.

Coffee/coffee pot used in Italy, drank three times a day. It is STRONG!

I don't  normally use sugar in my coffee, but this is definitely a must.

Very small cups, not much is needed, my heart is racing as I write this post.

She discovered this in Italy, I won't tell her you can buy it at the grocery store!

She brought me nic-nacs, a beautiful rose colored scarf, a green ring and

turquoise bracelet hanging on the little box.

And this candy-coated almonds, flavored with strawberry. I'm not much of a sweets person, but these are some of the best candy I've ever had.

Thanks Kelsey for everything, so glad you are home.

Wedding Bells

Here in the East a famous wedding is supposedly taking place this weekend. Speculation has it that Chelsea Clinton is getting married tomorrow in Rhinebeck, NY not far from where we used to live downstate. Rhinebeck is a beautiful little village with many mansions surrounding it not far from the breathtaking views of the Hudson River. I don't follow the celebrities too closely, but did see this on the news today, which got me thinking about another wedding that took place fifty years ago today.

July 30, 1960 a farm boy and his high school sweetheart tied the knot. Obviously I wasn't there, I'm not fifty, YET! But I came along two years later. Today my parents would have celebrated fifty years of marriage had not God taken my dad home. But I'm still remembering because of their example of what it means to be married to one person for so long. They loved and lived and raised a family 'until death do us part.' I'm sure they had their problems and hardships, but they stayed true to their wedding vows and kept their promise before God.
Being married has been one of the hardest things I've ever done. We are two sinners who sin against each, who sin to get our own way, who sin just because...
I have to remind myself on a daily basis that I am being conformed to the image of Jesus and my marriage needs to be conformed in the image of Christ also.
Marriage may be hard, but I know I would not want it any other way. Looking forward to our own celebration later this year.

Home Again

A week has passed since Justin has been home. There just are not words to express the relief that God has brought him back to us safe. To have him around for breakfast, drinking coffee...well for me it just doesn't get any better than that. He was home in time to celebrate Father's Day with us. Not that great of a picture because it was a bright and sunny day with everyone squinting as they looked into the sun, but the moment was captured.
This afternoon I couldn't resist giving him another hug and kiss as I said I'm so glad you're home.
Thank you Lord.
Kelsey will be joining us for another celebration when she makes her way home early August, then we will take a family picture of all of us.

Coming Home

Praising God this evening as we received word from Justin that he is in Maine flying to Fort Hood, Texas for out processing. He may be back to New York by the weekend. Thank you to all those who have prayed for him while he served his country in Iraq. Your care and concern for our family means more than you will ever know. Thank you Lord.

Home Again

Safely home for a few weeks, then off to the midwest for my nephew's high school graduation. Lauren and I enjoyed travelling to Virginia with friends to visit our former church secretary and her husband. They moved last fall, so it was fun to stay with them and catch up. Virginia is beautiful in the spring. Enjoy the pictures. Back to regular postings next week.

Travelling companions with a stop on the way home at an out of the way Cheese Shop. They had more than cheese.
Kudos to my husband who has been on the road the past two weeks, travelling to two different conferences. He had arrived home a few hours before me. The dishwasher was going and the laundry basket was empty. So we were able to enjoy the evening together since we had not seen each other for those two weeks except for a few hours. Thanks honey it's good to be home.

Welcome to the Zoo

Life is about to get...what's the word I'm looking for.....?HECTIC

animated, boisterous, burning, chaotic, confused, disordered, excited, exciting, fervid, fevered, feverish, flurrying, flustering, frenetic, frenzied,furious, hassle, heated, jungle*, madhouse, nutsy, restless, riotous, rip-roaring,tumultuous, unsettled, wild, woolly, zoolike (www.dictionary.com)  My district women's ministries annual conference is this weekend. Not only am I assistant director for our district, I am also on the committee for the conference and speaking at one of the Friday afternoon seminars. Then off for a few days...I'm going south. May will bring a visit from my favorite mother-in-law...I only have one, in case you were wondering! One of our daughters will leave for Europe to be a nanny...I will take off to the midwest for a nephew's graduation, another daughter will not be home for the summer. No wonder when I told my mom in a recent phone call what my life for the next month was going to look like, there was only...silence on the other end. So, yes, all the above synonyms for HECTIC will apply, but I am not complaining. Life is full and God is good all the time...all the time God is good. I think I need a nap.

Easter Sunday

At Christmas and Easter we buy flowers in memory or in honor of someone to place in the front of the church. I buy a poinsettia at Christmas, this is what we bought this Easter in memory of our fathers and in honor of Justin as he serves his country, coming home by mid summer, Lord willing.

Sanctification and Painting??

Lauren and I are on Winter Break this week. She has been asking(nagging) me to paint her room, because...
it needs it.

Bought the paint, prepared the room yesterday morning, she finally rolled out of bed to help, about 10 minutes into the project I remembered why I hate to paint.

A half hour later one ten year old is say, "I'm quitting, I hate to paint." Remember this was her idea and I told her it was hard work. We were tripping over one another, stepping on paper that had paint on it, then it would stick to our feet...

Of course I had to go into "mother mode" saying, you're not quitting because I'm not painting alone. We finally got our 'groove on'(what generation am I from?), found a way to work together after lunch and another cup of coffee and found our smiles. Mind you while we're painting I hear in the background,"Lord make me like you." I had music playing.

Five hours, two coats of paint, clothes I have to throw out(mine), we were saying job well done, Lauren was quite a trooper. After pictures coming soon.

We are pet owners. Lauren picked out her first pet, a yellow tabby cat that is full of personality and spent her first evening with us hopping from one person to the next getting to know all three of us. She finally decided on the foot rest of the recliner. Cats are easy, I don't see a dog in our future.

January

It happened many years ago...
We had moved to northern Indiana, not far from Lake Michigan. It was the early '90's, in the dead of winter, sometime after the brown Christmas tree had been thrown out and New Year's resolutions broken.
Thirty days straight of NO sunshine. Thirty days straight of clouds, snow and dreariness. It was then I decided January was my least favorite month.
To this day I want to hibernate like the bears when the calendar turns to January. And especially this week.
Admist tears, hugs and solemn faces we said good-bye, again, to Justin. His leave is over, he's heading back to the Middle East this morning.
We would appreciate your prayers this week, not only for his parents and siblings, but for him, he was not ready to go back.
Yes, Paul in Philippians tells us to rejoice in the Lord always, still doing that, it wasn't like I didn't know this day was coming.
Just sad that we had to say good-bye again, and waiting for the sun to peak out of the clouds.