18th birthday!

 

Happy birthday, Kate!

Katherine Ruth was born on Grandparent’s Day of 1993 ~ Sunday, September 12

 

…1994…

First steps taken in August ~ First sibling born in December

 

…1995…

    

 

…1996…

 

…1998…

 

{and then the scanner decided to take a break, so we’ll have to live with family photos}

 

…2000 … 2001…

  

 

…2002…

(Kate is second from left with sisters and cousins)

 

 

…2003… 

friends

new calves and gardens

 

 

 

…2004…

 

…2005…

  

  

 

…2006…

 

…2010…

  

   

Happy 17th Birthday in Prague!

 

   

 

…2011…

      

   

    

{Photos by Sarah Engle}

 

  

   

  

 

 

{No, I wasn’t up until 1am to do this post… But I was 18 years ago to birth this girl!}

9/11/2001

Was it only yesterday?  or a lifetime ago?

September 11, 2001.  I was focused on getting some schoolwork done with our older children.  We were also preparing for a small birthday party with family and friends for Kate, who would be 8 years old the next day.  It was Tuesday - thus we had the party a day early.  (We couldn't have a birthday party on a Wednesday night while we were at church.)  Kate was so excited.  Eight was her favorite number ~ and her 8th birthday meant marvelous things in her world.

Sometime that morning my friend Marianne called from Wisconsin.  "Turn on your TV."  I did, but soon I shut it off again.  I didn't feel I could let my little children see the horrendous pictures and videos just then.  Without knowing what they would see ...or remember of it for the rest of their lives.

I did load them all into the van that afternoon.  Then we sat in line to buy gas.  I can't tell you what the price was by 4pm, but it had gone up drastically through the day.  I didn't know where it would stop.  And when you drive a laaaarrrgge van, the price of gas seems important.  And I think I needed to do something.  Not that it helped anyone.

It was a rather interesting birthday party.  We had the TV on some ~ the videos weren't live at that point.  It was still so unreal... but incredibly true.

Click here for credits to Luke Cremin's photo of Trade Center.

procrastination

... or a brain dump, whichever you choose to call this post.

• Salsa batch #2 is still cooking down.  The frozen buckets of tomatoes were still mostly frozen this morning, so it took until 12:30pm to get everything in the big roaster. 
• The monthly treasurer reports are done and current bills are paid.  {pat, pat}
• But our own bills are not. Whoooops.  At least our bank's online banking works after 5pm (unlike some other banks) - I think today's banking doesn't end until 6pm.  I love our bank.  Let me count the ways.  No, I'd better pay bills instead... if I can find the appropriate bills in the mess in front of me.
• I'd like to order Casey's pizza for supper.  But I don't want to pay for it.  Entitlement attitude?  No, thank you.  
• btw, Social Security IS a ponzi scheme.  
• I'm still not sure about Gov. Perry.  So far, I think I could/would vote for him.  But where is Rick Santorum??  Waaaay over at left stage.  hmmm.
• Back to the supper plan.  I think I'll reheat some leftover sliced grilled steak with some of today's sauce and call it fajitas.  'Voila' doesn't quite fit here, does it?
• I know there is a large stack of ungraded school papers waiting for me in the other room.  But two of the girls are almost done with Spanish 1!  : )  They are asking what we'll do to celebrate.  Can the salsa?
• Yesterday morning was exciting here.  Miss Artist took Luci for an early run and found a car capsized in our ditch.  And we thought our gravel road would be quiet?  I could check the sheriff's report to learn who our unfortunate visitor was...
• We should learn to check the TV schedule somewhere somehow.  Tim & I almost went back to Applebee's last night just for dessert -- and to watch the Packers pound the Saints.  But we opted for Cold Stone Creamery instead.  Yum.  Founder's Favorite is also mine.  Came home to find the game was playing on NBC, which we actually get with the silly converter box.  {eyes roll}
• Yeah, so we stayed up until 11pm last night.  And had a delayed start to our day today.   But I did read a bit of history at breakfast.  {pat, pat}  ...for the first time this week.
• Tomorrow is another day.  Saturday even.  We'll have some Family Fun? I'd like to go back to the Berry Patch since they are part of the Farm Cruise again.  And Judy told me they will be serving some berry delicious ice cream.
• I am so looking forward to the kids being done with the 2010-2011 school year.  And I can almost taste it!

daybook 9/7/2011

 

 

FOR TODAY  

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

 

Outside my window...

Clear skies and sunshine… Crisp, sunny days and cool nights = I love fall!

 

I am thinking…

about my lengthy To Do List  :p

 

I am thankful to God …

for this beautiful weather!

for the newest member of our family… Luci Lou

for good friends who come for a holiday get-together and work with us.

(grinding beef -- and their boys helped stack the last of the hay into the barn loft) 

 

I am praying for...

… Amber & her family ~ her dad passed away recently after his battle with cancer. 

… Amber’s friend Kari

… a friend of Conny’s ~ Lilah is a newborn baby with spina bifida

… Hiromi in Japan (near the Fukushima nuclear plant) 

… Ethan and his twin sister.  See Sara’s blog.  Such a sweet testimony of God’s goodness, and such a need for His provision of health.  Recently huge blessings of answers to prayer!  The bone marrow transplant has been put off because he doesn’t need it now!

... the Rettigs & the church in Prague ~ another Bible Night on September 18 in Vlassim!  And looking at a new location for their Prague church to meet.

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Grant S.

… Cinnamon ~ her Army hubby is HOME from Afghanistan, her Marine son is IN Afghanistan!

… Amy W., a young wife/mom with cancer

… Sarita & Jeff need visas for their return to Israel

… folks in Joplin, MO, and along the Missouri River ~ so hard hit with tornadoes and flooding this year

… the A Family, on furlough from their field of ministry

… Lea’s dad ~ in the midst of a serious health crisis

… Kari’s dad ~ had triple by-pass surgery in June 

… Rachel ~ Please pray for her, and follow her blog ~ Finding Joy.  The name says it well.  But she's in major pain right now with an aggravated shoulder injury or something ~ The docs prescribed therapy for now.

… for direction for our church, for our family

… Laura

… and especially marriages ~ meant to last a lifetime

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 15:7

 

From the learning rooms...

It is Crunch Time for the leftovers of Spanish 1 and English 11.  The dvds must go back next week!

 

From the kitchen...

Today ~ beef veggie soup (and fresh bread?)

Previously…. the kids received some cute sugar cookies from their adopted grandma

Monday we put about 7 ‘gallons’ of Judge meat through a grinder ~ with a lot of help from our friends. 

                

And then I remembered to look in the other freezer  :p

 

I am creating...

gifts  : )  I wrapped up a baby gift, and I put together a recipe book for Tim’s niece who’s getting married next month ~

 

I am going...

to start the bread before I start into bookkeeping duties.  Early supper tonight!

 

I am {supposed to be} reading...

for a summer Sunday school class ~ Choosing Forgiveness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss ~ Yeah, it’s past time to be done with this one!  ;-)

 

But instead I get sidetracked with books from the library…  Thought I’d read just one, then discovered it had a sequel!  The first is about children with Fragile X Syndrome…

  

 

And while in the biography section last week, this author’s name sounded familiar ~ and the first book was hilarious (mostly), so I picked up another yesterday…

  

 

I am hoping...

to win one of the several give-aways I’ve entered lately ~ a couple of them I’d give away to family members, so I’m not completely selfish… not quite.  ha.

 

I am hearing...

humming …in harmony  : )

espanol

 

Around the house...

I think the last of the hay laundry (and related vacuuming) is done!  woot woot!  I wonder if I’ll remember this next year when I think Tim should bale small squares instead of large round bales.  hmmm.

 

One of my favorite things...

the smell of fresh hay ~ small square bales are the best for that joy!  ;-)

 

Pondering these words...

“Nature has some perfections to show that she is the image of God, and some defects to show that she is only His image.”

~ Blaise Pascal

quoted in On Sparrow Hill

# # #

“Everything we do, no matter how noble the cause, if it isn’t to please God, is done to please ourselves.”
~The Organized Homeschooler by Vicki Caruana

Read more at Raising Arrows. 

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Wednesday eve ~ church

Thursday ~ UNFI delivery, Berry Patch?? for raspberries and apples, more groceries from Sam’s… and Kate has her first violin lesson of the season.

Friday ~ Salsa batch #2?  and monthly financial reports for Sunday

Saturday ~ Yay, it’s EVERYone’s turn at the chiropractor!

Remembering 9/11.

((Kate’s 18th birthday on Monday!!!))

 

Here is a picture for thought...

Peaches was not happy when Luci the dog came home with us on Sunday.

 

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

cherish the moment

 

Sometimes Bible time with Dad includes a few Sword Drills  : )

 

        

 

      

 

Lots of good discussions. 

These are the church leaders of the future ~ if the Lord tarries that long.

 

      

 

                  

 

 

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:14-17