Did yall have a good Memorial day????? We sure did!!!! A great time at our wonderful friends Natalee and Paul and their children!!! Paul built a massive smoker and wow, all the meat was unbelievable!!!! We even managed to get some vb in with the Oklahoma wind!!! Good times!!!
This week is going to be a whirlwind!!! And especially since it starts on Tuesday!!! haha!!! We are having two groups of company. My dad is coming tomorrow, its been awhile since he's been here. Caleb is flying in from MD on Friday for the wedding they are playing in on Sat. He will be heading back out again on Sunday. This is grocery week and I dont even know if I will get that in.
If you think about it continue to pray for the Hamil family! Last Tuesday their lives were changed forever! Just to think that last Tuesday morning they got up just like you and I, went about their day yet the afternoon came, the tornado came......and their lives will never be the same. In this life, our hands are put to the plow of trials. But one day our hands will all wave the palm branches of victory!!!!!!
I watched this this morning and was blessed! Thank the Lord for all the ones that have fought for our country's freedom! Thank the Lord for His mercies to our country!! Hope you have a great Memorial Day!!!
you came to our farm for a visit these are some recreational activities one could enjoy.......
you can sunbathe on the sandstone rocks of Oklahoma!
you can enjoy yummy picnics under the breezy shade trees
you can play golf on the lush green pastures!!!
you can swing from the lofty oak trees!
you can jump on the springy trampoline!!
you can hunt animals in the thick forests
sounds like a paradise??????
it is!!!!!!
we "luv" country!!!!
Please pray for the Hamil family I mentioned yesterday. Ryan's little body was recovered from a nearby lake. There journey of grieving has just begun. I know God will be ever so Faithful to the deepness of their anguish, its just one step at a time. They need the prayers of the saints right now to intercede. They have accounts set up for folks to share their resources with, I am sure if you google you can find secure ways to give.Places have already been mentioned on facebook of banks that are helping on their behalf. Their lives have been turned upside down, their house was destroyed........lets pray at least!!!
*****Elijah will be going out with his volunteer fire dept tomorrow to help with the search/recovery of little Ryan. Please keep praying for this sweet family, a stay at home mommy!!!
I've got it, I've got it!!!!!! I figured put how to get pics from my phone to here. they made some sand stuff today, thought it was so neat!!!! Lots of hours spent at this sandbox!!!
We survived the tornadoes that came to our area yesterday.The West side of our town had some damage but thankfully the path of the tornado was out more on country side instead of the town itself. I did hear there was maybe one or two fatalities in our county. We did go down in the storm cellar, thankful we have it. We got it after the May 3rd tornado in OKC. I want to be "under" ground!!!
One story really tugged at my heart. A little 3 yo boy is missing in the Piedmont area from the tornado. The Hammil family. The mother injured, 5 yo daughter in hospital, their 15 month old died, and now the 3 yro boy is missing. Pray for this family.
Big night for Hosanna and Mercy!! Terry is taking them out to eat, like a little "date" night and then HE wants to go to a Red Hawks baseball game!! I don't know if they will last the whole game! So I have to figure out a restaurant for them. They were suppose to go last night but not a good idea with the storms, so tonight is it!!
Terry has been working on getting the stone back splash up on the just installed cabinet area. The cabinet guy is comming out Sat. to measure for the double oven space and do some trim around some specific areas. This will be the last of the cabinets in the kitchen area. I will have him do maybe a few small cabinets in the laundry room when we get it done. Daniel framed up the area we are re-doing for the laundry room. I am still using our old oven so we can not take that small cabinet area out quite yet. Progress is progress!!
Bethany had a dairy show this past weekend and did well!! Several first, seconds, several Reserved grands and one she was especially happy about a Grand Champion with a little 7 week old doe that she AI'd.
I do talk to Caleb waaayyyyy u in MD occasionally!!!! The work project on the basement is going good he says but a bit slow. But the "fun" things in the evenings he and Kristen are doing is rated "SUPER!!!" I told him since he is an "outsider" now, to know what we are up to, he would have to read the blog!!! :)
Big plans for Memorial Day????? This year my dear friend Natalie is brave enough to host a shindig and brave enough to ask our family over. Hope she knows what she is gettn into. So yep, our plans is lotsa food, volley ball and fun times with great people and a special guest from way up in Wisconsin!!! :) After Memorial day our calender is packed full!! Weddings to attend and play at, vacation bible school, camps, mini vacations, trips to see friends, farmers market, and hopefully we'll be home long enough to do laundry!! haha!!
I have mentioned this verse before but I can not help to share it again especially when I "see" Him comforting my heart as I still miss Joel. John 14:18, I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. I look forward to our roses blooming each year but especially the one rose bush that some friends gave us in memory of Joel. It has one bloom on it again this year. As I have been watching that rose unfold from a bud to a bursting beautiful flower, it reminds me that God still unfolds His purposes even after years are passed from such a trial. I think one of the most hopeful things this trial has brought to my heart is that because Joel is up in heaven, I think of heaven often, I think of what its like to be there, amongst heros of faith, but mostly I think of what will it actually be like to finally see Jesus face to face. By Joel being there, it reminds me that I am just a sojourner here and this is not my home! I am thankful for the one rose which stands alone on that bush, He comes to me through that piece of creation to comfort my heart.
I really haven't heard much from Caleb in Maryland, guess he's busy!! haha!!! I know there is lots to do and see there and I know he has the "best tour guide!!!" :)
I actually found the new vehicle in the parking lot today!! A BIG white van really sticks out and this Expedition blends in well with all the other cars, but I found it with no prob!! I am looking forward to my grocery day this week!!!
This weekend we have them scattering out in all different directions!!! Terry and Bethany are heading to a dairy goat show for the whole weekend!! Elijah, Micah and Daniel are going camping, and of course Caleb is not here, so that leaves me and Anna and a few littles! Maybe we'll find somewhere to go! Can't go too far, Hosanna is in charge of feeding the baby goats!
We finished all the Little House on the Prairie episodeson DVD. Nine seasons and then theFarwell episode. An estimate of about 180 hours. We have been watching them in the evenings for over 2 months. We watched all of them except one on season 7. For the most part they were all fine. I think it was good for our children to get a visual of how people lived in a different era and how their faith was demonstrated in the good times and the bad. Sooooo, like Jeremiah said, "maybe I can get into bed earlier now instead of like midnight!!"
I think this coming week is about the only week that nothing is on the calender until August! But that could change faster than I know! What do you all have planned for the summer???
I looked back in Bethany's photo album and we have had 15 passenger vans for 15 years. The first one we bought in 1996 with our tax money and it did not have any seats nor a/c in it. Terry set out on a scavenger hunt looking at junk yards to find 3 bench seats. He did, but they were all different colors and there were no seat belts....oops!!!! Well that one lasted a few years then croaked, but not without many stories to go with it. The next one was a pretty good lookin blue 15 passenger van that the Lord provided and it even had a/c!!! We were movin up!!! It lasted about 6-7 years and it croaked as well!!!! The next one is the white 15 passenger that was also provided to us and it was actually a pretty good looking van too, and had air.......for a few years!!! You all have heard many stories with this van too, and how it never would croak!! We replaced the engine and it had a new transmission too!! Terry said and I quote" it is running better than it ever has!!" Oh, dear was my thought!!! It has trained famous drivers like Caleb, Daniel, Bethany, Ann and Elijah!! It has carried hay bales, work tools, live and dead goats, many children, many car seats, many transports to the emergency room, tons of groceries, bikes, furniture, plus has taken us many miles, and has had been covered with puke, spills and all that would gross you out!! If you desired to hear one speak, they had to scream even if they were sitting right next to you because of all the rattles and literal wanderings if metal was falling off of it!!! It has been a good van!! Now as of lately, say for instance on a Sunday morning, we have been known to drive 3-4 vehicles to church. A few times it has been me and Terry and maybe Mercy riding in a 15 passenger van, and since the 2nd bench seat usually stays out we sat on the 3rd bench seat and it certainly was humbling to see us way back there and Terry all the way at the front!!! Quite the site!!! Well, Terry has been wanting to do something different for about a year but it just has not happened and since it has not croaked, it was looking like I was going to be driving my grandchildren in it!!! But..........last week Terry pulled a "real surprise" on me!!!! He got me this:
Wow!!!!! was I ever shocked, speechless to say the least!!!! Its a 2001 Ford Expedition!!! Mercy calls it our "Exploration!!" She also wonders if we are renting it or if we bought it!! haha, we have rented many vehicles in the past, so she just had to know if this one was a "keeper." We did not even have to bring the ole van back to the farm. I know it was only a van, but I was really struggling with leaving it there, we had made so many memories together, but mostly it had hauled so many children to and fro!! It carried Joel and Josiah many miles, each having their car seat on different rows when they were toddlers and when they were in infant seats, I sat in between their seats!! Soooooooooooo we have entered a "new era!!!!" For now, the passenger vans are done, I guess unless we need one for the hopefully boatload of grandchildren that NEEDS to on the horizon!!! hahah!!!! I am thankful for the new wheels, for a very thoughtful and sacrificing and debt free husband !!!! AND I can hardly wait until Friday............MY FIRST GROCERY DAY with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wahooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Lord reminded me of a verse.....every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17 It is a gift from Him!!!
Caleb made it Maryland safely!!!! He is, I would say.......experiencing a little bit of heaven on earth!!!! hahahah!!!!! (see post below if you dont know what I'm talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kristen lives in Maryland. Kristen came to Oklahoma last October. (to take our family pics, remember?) Caleb met Kristen Hmmmmmm........
Kristen came to our Christmas party.
Caleb wants to know her better so Caleb and Kristen text n talk a whole bunch as friends ;)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Caleb goes to see Kristen at Christmas Caleb goes to Maryland to see her again. Kristen came to our Valentines party
Caleb calls her "little girl" Kristen calls him "cowboy" Caleb and Kristen had some intervening time for a few months..... praying, seeking, tryin to figure AND He makes all things beautiful in His time!!!
"Trust the Lord, and He will act.
Wait patiently for the Lord."
Caleb and Kristen are in an "official" relationship of seeing what God has for them!!!!
exciting!!! plus, they are sooooo cute together!!!
I think "one" of the most wonderful things about this is....... part of how they met is this blog. so that means they met because of Joel, that's the whole reason I have this blog!! God truly does work all things for our good :)
P.S. Caleb left this morning heading to Maryland for 4-6 weeks, (driving, pray for him if you think of it) to spend time withe Kristen and to work for her dad remodeling the families basement! I'm going to miss him, we all are, but it will be exciting to see what the Lord has for them!!
Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!!! I know I did!! I got roses, cards filled with sweet words, a Starbuck card, chocolates, dirt work on the side of the house and grass seed planted, and I was treated to eating out and then strolling in Bricktown!! I loved all the outward expressions of love they showed me, but mostly I enjoyed just being together. Lately, ALL of us being at one place has not been easy. So it was very special to be together, just us!!
Monday.......we are getting some school done, firing up the washer and dryer (never ending (i wonder if they cud talk, if they wud say "weekends over, bud!!") And its for real this time, they are bringing the granite in a little while!!!!
The guys are all back here working now!! Glad!!! So we have to get back to how things use to be, like dinner at 6pm, we really should not stay up til midnight, and we really should get up earlier!! So other things come along with this, a very messy guys room!!! I will just close the door!! Tonight the olders have to travel to Tulsa to practice some wedding music for a friend getting married the first of June and then Caleb, Daniel and Elijah have a soccer game at 11:45 pm!!
We have a MAJOR problem around here!!! PARKING!!!! I think we are ready for a parking lot with yellow lines and even name signs!!! Caleb purchased him a truck over the weekend. Its a F-150, 1998. He got a really good deal on it!! It is a really clean truck and will serve him well for his summer "project!!" :) Now total count is 4 trucks, a car and the good ole van!!! It a miracle that van is still running!! It just won't die!! hahah!!
I know you all remember Dave, Katelyn and Lilian!!!!! they are all doing grrrreeeeaaaaaattttt..... (rolling the tongue, for u kate!!)
well, this little girl has something to tell you!!!!
family pictures.....finally!!!! and i guess Mother's Day pictures!!!
May 8, 2011
the children took me out to eat last night in Bricktown, so this pic was taken there....
attempting to jump.......
and I got this for Mother's Day the indoor fountain and the flowers, the bubbling water sounds so peaceful...... when you can hear it over the noise of 14 people!!!!
STOP........its "officially" summer here!!!!!
Sports
Soaring
Serious sibling competition
Smiling cyclers
Sonic
Slurping
Sisters taking u to Sonic
Smiles
Sweet memories
Siah
Steep hills
Splashing swimmers!!!
