Lazy Days of Summer!

This is where we have been hanging out these days. It is
so hot, we're really enjoying the water!



Our garden is doing Ok, it is so dry, we have to water it
more than usual...rain would help.




This flower garden with the rooster in the middle is usually
huge, and filled  in by now, it is just so hot that nothing is
really growing except...


Our herb garden is doing wonderful!


The lambs are growing and gaining weight! We are having
to suppliment their diet with hay because the grass is
not growing in this heat!



Granddaughters Alli and Sophia got to stay overnight (their
brothers too) for a whole week, while their mom and dad
went to Philidelphia. We had a lot of fun.


We let these ladies out of their coop and run free through
the woods to cool off from the heat.


We celebrated Grandaughter Gia's 1st Birthday and...


Grandson Grant's 1st Birthday!

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Today...

Today...Caleb made the juice

while the bread was rising.
Yummm...

Some green, reminding us that summer will come again!

Woodpecker

Have an absolutely wonderful rest of today!!

Today...

It snowed!

I love the white, quiet, peaceful, calming effect

of snow. I like the way the house feels with the snow blowing

all around outside, and we are nice and warm inside. Opening

all the curtains wide and watching it gently falling to the ground.

Ahhh...love it.

Grandaughter Allison and Daughter Stephanie,

Niece and Auntie!

Allie has been spending a few days at our house,

and we have loved it!

Jake doing schoolwork.




Ben finishing up his work too!




The woodstove doing it's job and keeping us warm.

Ben (with the help of Caitlin) made this dishtowel for me for Christmas.

Isn't it adorable! The best presents are homemade.

Ben bringing in wood for the stove.

View from the front porch.

Hope you had a wonderful Friday!!

This Is My Father's World

"This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears,

all nature sings, and 'round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father's world, I rest me in the thought

of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought."

This is one of my favorite hymns. When I look around my immediate

surroundings, I see God's hand everywhere. His creation

blesses us everyday.

Ben and Caleb

Caleb

View out my living room window

Creek behind our house

Have a very "blessed" day!

This day last year...

January 4th of last year, Caleb had brain surgery. When he was 18 months old, he had a 99.6 degree temperature, he seemed to have a small cold. He started having a seizure, we had never seen one before and 99 degrees is a low temp to have a seizure. We called for an ambulance which took a long time to arrive because we live so far out of town. The doctors said that because he was in the seizure for such a long time it caused scar tissue in his left temporal lobe. We cried out to God, we prayed for a cure and for wisdom to know what to do. We tried everything we could to find a natural way to stop or control the seizures. I smile at what a trooper Caleb was to eat, drink, and put up with all the things we had him try. We ended up putting him on strong medication, but even that didn't work, he was still having seizures. Caleb's seizures were getting worse. And at 11 yrs. old, his memory was starting to fail...quickly. He couldn't remember his math facts, and he would pause before he could answer you. He seemed to be in a fog. The surgery is very risky, but at that point the seizures were more of a risk than the surgery. The doctors had to do surgery to get rid of the scar tissue, and hopefully that would stop the seizures. You can imagine with your (mother) heart, how I was feeling at this time :( . The surgery went well (praise God), and he didn't have another seizure until July, and the seizures he now has are very mild and infrequent. Although we would love to say he is seizure free, we are so thankful for where we are right now, compared to a year ago. God is faithful and maybe one day Caleb will be seizure free.

Caleb a few hours after surgery.

This picture was actually taken before surgery, when he was still undergoing some testing.

Talking to Ben ( his brother) on the phone.

Before the surgery. Caleb is always so easy going.

My two youngest Ben and Caleb.

Anyone who has a child experiencing seizures, feel free to message me if you would like to talk.

I know how scary and frustrating this can be.

"Winter Wonderland"

Woke up Sunday Morning to this "Winter Wonderland".

A tree next to the house.

It was so beautiful, what a gift from God!

Just takes your breath away doesn't it?

Amazing!

Thank You God.

Preparing...

Getting ready for Christmas is so fun! We celebrate Christmas on Christmas Day, but it actually starts much sooner than that. Putting up the tree, decorating the house, daily Bible reading, singing Hymns at home and church, always striving to keep things simple. During advent we do the same things year after year, we cement them into our children's storage banks of memory. Every Christmas brings more memories, and it's the days before and after Christmas that hold many, many special memories. It makes your family special, unique, your children will hold these memories long after they are grown. Let us all try to stay focused on Christ, put Him in the center of our celebrating.

I love snowmen!

I also love candles.

Usually covered in white lights, we let Ben pick the color this year and he wanted colored lights.

The girls practicing Christmas Carols!

We put fresh garland on the mantle every year.

Ben giving Grant a ride on his shoulders!

Our Church.

Practicing for our Christmas program.

I just love to watch them practice!

Going over some songs.

Hope you have a blessed time with your loved ones preparing for Christmas.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name "Jesus". He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Luke 1:31-33