Graduations & Weddings Oh My!

   This last week has been busy, but fun!  The girls and I traveled to my hometown to celebrate with my niece Heidi.  After four years of hard work and nights spent studying instead of sleeping, she has graduated from college!  She is a full fledged elementary teacher!  So proud of that girl!

The beautiful graduate!

My Kiddo just liked the hat.  And the tassel.

   She will be a wonderful teacher!  She has the patience of Job and kindness is woven into her DNA.  She loves little people and has an unusual knack for entertaining while slipping in educational tidbits here and there!  The school that hires her will definitely have one of the best teachers anywhere!

   So, we traveled out for her graduation, and then stayed at Grandma's for a few days before loading up and making the trek to Indiana for Victor's (Heidi's brother) wedding.  

   Heidi rode with me in my van and very skillfully entertained my two little squirts while I desperately tried to keep up with Charity in the lead car.  That girl... she drives like it's the Indy 500!  I admire her driving capabilities, but it's not a gift I possess.  Apparently.  

   Anyway, we arrived in one piece and got to help with the reception preparations.  It was so much fun!  The bride is a super organized woman and had stuff well prepared.  We swooped in and got to help with putting some of the last minute details together. 

   While being really organized, Chantelle (the bride) has a knack for decorating and making ordinary things elegant.  She has an eye for beauty.

   The reception was held in an old glass factory.  The brick walls added character and charm.  It really was beautiful.

Because I have absolutely no abilities with a camera,
I wasn't able to capture just how neat it really was.  They hung
chandeliers from the ceiling all over the large room.
Over the wedding party table, they hung lights and greenery with
branches.  It looked super neat.

My sister grew about a hundred or so baby tears plants.
She found old glass ware at garage sales and second hand stores
and they grew them in pretty pots.
Meanwhile, Chantelle planted "grass" in similar pretty pots.
While we were there, one of our jobs was to "mow" the grass.
Loved her table decorations!

The factory had big windows and this is one of the ledges
that was decorated.

And one more reason that we love Chantelle, she made a special
place for the kiddies to hang out.  I've heard that a lot of people
are starting to have weddings that ban the children.  I think it's a shame.
Children are a part of us.  They are the future brides and grooms.
We need to include them.  Yes, they can sometimes ruin a special
moment, but it's memories.  It's all good memories.  That's one thing that I
appreciate about the bride, she realizes this and makes a point to let
the littles know that they are important to her.

   And my girls were privileged to be flower girls in the wedding.

Talking about little people ruining a special moment, my
little J.J. absolutely refused to look at the camera for
pictures and wouldn't even look at Victor or Chantelle both
of whom she absolutely adores.  (Sigh) The stinker.

My handsome Farmer and the reluctant girl herself.  

The beautiful Cherry Berry!

The delightful Miss Emilee.  I must say,
I have some of the sweetest and nicest nieces and nephews!

Sister lovin's!  They were so cute, but also very
tired.  Which is why the reluctance to smile or even
look in the general direction of the photographer.

   We were all lined up and ready to go down the aisle when I was told that if J.J. wouldn't go on her own that I would have to lead her down the aisle.  I began to pray fervently that the little pipsqueak would go on her own!  I didn't really want to have to escort them down the aisle.  But at the last minute J.J. balked and I had to take her hand and walk them down the aisle.  Oh, well, memories!

   Their wedding was truly unique!  They wanted to portray the picture of Christ coming for His bride one day.  So instead of the groom waiting at the front, the bride went down the aisle first and waited for her groom.  The music swelled and Victor's twin announced, "Behold the bridegroom cometh!".  It was really neat.  They are a couple who are seeking to follow Christ with their everything.  Jesus was the center of the day.  Pretty neat. 

This is the beautiful bride and her handsome hubby!  

   I must say that it is kind of strange to think that my nephew is married.  I mean wasn't it just a few days ago that they were born?  I remember it well.  I was SO excited to have twin nephews!  I could not wait to get to the hospital to see them.  They were so cute!

   Heidi and I used to do tricks with them.  Flipping them over our arms and swinging them around.  We used to dress them up like little girls (This was when they were small and defenseless.  Poor guys.)  We used to mess with their minds and try to get them to believe outrageous things. 

   I distinctly remember the day that I realized that it probably wasn't a good idea to pick on them anymore.  They were about 10 and I challenged them.  Bad idea.  They took me down and sat on me.  In less than it took for me to write that sentence.  

   Now they are 6'4" and extremely handsome.  I love them both dearly.  They are awesome men of God and diligently seek to honor Him.  I pray that God blesses them abundantly!  I pray that someday my children will have the same desire to live for Christ that I see in my nieces and nephews.  My sister and brother-in-law did an excellent job of raising their arrows.  They're not perfect any of them, but they are all diligent Christ followers.

I caught my two little people holding hands on
the way home.  It warms my heart to see them love each
other without being prompted or coerced.  They are the
closest of sisters and I love it!

   After 11 days of living out of a suitcase, I'm grateful to be home.  We had a lot of fun, but home is always a welcome sight.  God was good to us.  We didn't have car trouble, no accidents, and no sickness.  May God be praised!

Happy Mother's Day

   Guess what?  I learned how to use our scanner!  (I'm not particularly tech savvy.)  This knowledge will make some smile, some howl, and others wish for my extermination.  But because I'm the author of this blog, I get to do what I wanna do! 

   Since it's almost Mother's day, I wanted to write a tribute of sorts to my mom and mother-in-law.  Because they are just the best!

   I was a surprise to my family.  When my sister was 20 and my brother 15, my mom started to feel really yucky.  Finally she decided to go to the doctor to see what the problem was.  After running a few tests, the doctor came back to the exam room with a huge grin.  Mom was a bit miffed at his bright smile because after all, she felt rotten.  

   Dr. Beckman put his hand on her knee and gave it a pat.  Then he told her the good news!  You can actually read about it in, Chicken Soup for the Soul, From Lemons to Lemonade.  Because yes, she is a published author!  But trust me, her story is the only good one in the whole book.  And no, I am not a lemon.  If I am, I'm the sweetest one God ever made. 

Me at 2 months old with Mom.  I know, I know,
I'm just a doll! ;)

   I was never any trouble at all!

   Okay, so that's not quite true.  The above picture is of me playing in the puddle left after someone had showered.  If I remember correctly, I was dressed and ready to go to church.  Ain't I cute! 

   Maybe that's why when I tell Mom all the antics that my girls pull, she just laughs.  She tells me that I deserve it.  I think that's kind of mean of her myself.  

   I'd like to thank my mom for keeping me alive.  No!  Really!  I never realized just how much of a challenge that can be until I had children of my own.  The first year of life is intense!  I remember hitting the first birthday of each of my girls and giving a sigh of relief from my toes.  We had made it!  They were healthy, strong, and happy and I was extremely relived.  

   So thanks Mom for walking the floor for hours with a colicky baby.  Thanks for taking care of diaper rash and not killing me when I was teething and grumpy.  Thanks for being my stability when I learned to walk.  Thanks for teaching me how to praise.  My mom always had a song on her lips.  She still does!

   I remember her playing endless games of slapjack with me.  I loved the game and couldn't understand why she wasn't enjoying herself.  Thanks for sewing me dresses for school.  Thanks for making me bean bags so that I could imagine new games and then make you play them with me!  

   Thanks for teaching me about Jesus.  Thank you for being a good example of Christs' love.  Thanks for sending me to a Christian School.  Thanks for not forcing me to make Valentine's boxes year after year.  (You can read about that here.)  Thanks for teaching me about responsibility and how to not shirk my duties.  Thanks for teaching me the importance of keeping my word.

  Oh yeah, and thanks for all those wonderful "Momisms" that I find myself repeating to the girls.  I hear myself telling the girls, "Look at the room.  What's out of place?  Let's put it all back where it needs to be."  If I've heard that once from you, I've heard it a thousand times since.  It's like a broken record in my head.

   Thanks too for teaching me how to be a supportive wife.  I can remember riding on the hayrack as you drove the tractor and baled hay while Dad stacked it.  I recall how you worked right alongside Dad everyday whether it was in the field or keeping house, you did what had to be done and you did it well.  Now I realize just how great it is to work beside my farmer and help with what I can.  You taught me that. 

   

This is the inner tube from a combine or tractor tire.
They are extremely fun to bounce on.  Mom even got in on the fun
sometimes.  She could make me fly!

She always used to make me take a nap with her in her
chair.  Somehow she'd get up while I was still sleeping
and leave.  It always used to make me mad to wake up
and not have her there.  How she ever got up without waking me up
I'll never know.

Birthday no.6.  Mom made the dress that I'm wearing.
Note to my family: do you see the hamburgers?
(Mom, I may never forgive you for my awful bangs.)

Mom with one of her favorite Grandsons!

Tea party at Grandma's house!  

   We love you Mom!

   And when one is paying tribute, one must always remember the blessing of a mother-in-law!

   My mother-in-law is the best!  She is a retired nurse (which often comes in really handy) and an extremely good cook.  She is creative and loves to make the girls things and do projects with them!  She is the main babysitter and I love how the girls just adore her.  I hope that they can pick up and emulate her kindness, her giving spirit, and the quiet calm that she exudes.  She's a hard worker and loyal friend.

   

She will sit for hours and read to the girls.
They love it!

   She did an excellent job of raising my farmer.  He's a really good guy and I'm sure that a lot of it is her doing.  

I believe that my hubby was 4 days old in this picture.
I was as yet a twinkle in God's eye. 

My hubby is the baby, his big brother, and Mama.

Isn't he just adollable!  I so want to pinch his cheeks!

   From baking and decorating birthday cakes to making meals and delivering them to the field, she's pretty much awesome.  I don't like to cook.  So, she very sweetly takes over and works her tail off making food for her family.

  So, thank you for being so willing to babysit at a moments notice.  Thank you for loving our girls and taking time for them.  Thank you for making many, many delicious meals for our family.  Thank you for all the work you do for us.  Making applesauce, nightgowns, pillows, and jam.  For helping me can chicken, green beans, and put up sweet corn.  For rounding up strawberries every year and helping us with them.  For helping me with the garden work.  And so, so much more.  We appreciate you.  A lot!  I could not make it without you.  

The girls in their new pajama's that Grandma made!
Complete with morning hair.

   Thank you for raising your son to be a man of God.  For teaching him how to love.  For teaching him how to put others first.  For being a Godly example.  For praying for us.  We love you! 

  And best of all, because of you two, we get this...

   I agree, it doesn't get much better than that! 

Happy Mother's Day!

  

 

    

 

Prayer Needed

   Friends, I am in need.  Do you remember back in April I wrote about a terrible tummy ache I had?  Well, it went away, but it's back.  Not as bad as it was, but I really don't feel well at all.

   After two months of waiting it out and praying for it to go away, today I am going to the doctor.  Please pray that God would give him wisdom and insight to make a correct diagnosis.  Pray for my peace of mind.  I'm not scared right now, but fear is something that I battle regularly.  If it were something serious, I'd be a lot worse off right now, but I'm slowly, oh so slowly getting better.  But because the girls and I will be traveling next week, I want to feel like a human again.  NOW!  I know that's not a guarantee, but I also know that God can work miracles!  He is good!

   Pray that it will be easily detected and easily fixed.  We don't want to spend mega bucks on figuring this out.  

   I'm swallowing my dratted pride and asking you for your prayers.  I NEED prayer warriors today!  Please, please pray for me!  Thanks friends!  I am grateful!

Update:

   All the tests that the doctors did came back telling me that I am a healthy woman.  I am very grateful to God for this!

   I don't have to go gluten free which is something they were looking into.  I am extremely grateful about that.  I tried going gluten free for 5 days and was feeling a bit sad about all that I thought I might have to give up.

   The doctor believes that I have something like acid reflux.  My mom suffers from this.  I am now taking some lovely, wonderful antacids.  I had tried taking antacids, but the ones that I was taking were just not strong enough.  Thankfully I am finding relief!  Praise The Lord!

   And God did do a miracle!  While I was away last week, I felt normal.  Very little stomach discomfort!  Very much an answer to prayer!

   I am slowly, slowly getting better.  The pills that I'm on are supposed to quench the acid fountain and help my stomach to heal.  I still have times where I don't feel very good, but it's not nearly as intense as it was and I now have pills to take if it gets too bad.

   Thanks to all who prayed for me and who continue to pray.  That's one thing that God is teaching me through all of this, prayer is extremely powerful!  So, thanks and keep praying!

He Giveth More Grace

   When I was in high school I hated poetry.  I was sure that it was something that God could have never created.  That left just one other being who could have pulled such a low trick on humanity.

   WHO cares whether it's iambic pentameter or dactylic pentameter?  And prose?  What's up with that? If you are going to call it poetry, it should at least rhyme!  The only good poems (in my opinion) were the ones telling a story.  If the author was able to use halfway understandable words, I didn't mind reading it.  An example would be "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere".  I actually enjoyed that one!

   The other day I was having a rough day.  Really, really rough.  I remembered seeing this poem posted on a friends wall on Facebook.  I went and looked it up.  I'm glad I did!

He Giveth More Grace

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;

To added affliction He addeth His mercy;

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father's full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,

Our God ever yearns His resources to share;

Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;

The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limit; His grace no measure,

His pow'r has no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,

He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!

Annie Johnson Flint

   I hope that it ministered to you the way that it did me.  In spite of the fact that it's poetry, I truly enjoyed it.  Just please don't tell me what meter it's in.  That will totally ruin it for me.  I don't want to know.