Joel's Journey

friday fotos!!!

2012-01-27T15:13:00.003-06:00

A busy week with photo taking anyway!! Last week I went on a photo walk with a new friend I met on instagram!!! Her and her little boy and I strolled around Guthrie and shot alot of pictures!! I shot a flower using a macro for the iPhone, my first time!! I def like the macro lens!!! Donuts for the bd girl, big 3-D glasses for a boy, little hands helping me make bread sticks, who needs to 160 mph,?(Anna's car, my first time to drive it) A muddy MD vehicle that city boys came to red dirt Oklahoma in, movies, popcorn and doggies, playing in the neighbors canyons, Duffy the white dog has a new fav place, Terry put 2 ceiling fans up in the new kitchen area, and I always have to have Starbucks!!!!!! Oh, and I like being a "cowgirl," I use to really be one in my younger days!!! Hahah!!!!

Hope you all have a great weekend!!!!

Cindy

Hosanna's 10th birhtday photo's..... Cinderella colors

2012-01-24T15:31:00.002-06:00

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every

purpose under the heaven.

A time to be born, and a time to die.....

Having these two events happen on the same day is a bit different, but as the scripture says, there is a purpose! I cant say I have it figured out but one day I hope to get the answer! My mind is always on the clock, thinking of how much longer he had til 4:30pm. A day burned in my memory. Thankful for all the prayers and thoughts!!!

I really did not do a full blown Cinderella party, just used the colors and a few things of Cinderella. There are so many wonderful ideas out there, but had to go with what the budget would allow!!! I was soooooo excited to find a glass slipper at Hobby Lobby though!!! I think Hosanna was very blessed with it all!

lotsa blue and white......

too much sweets!!!!

we played 3 games. one was "Kiss the Prince n Princess!"

you had to put some ruby red lipstick on and guys kiss the Princess

and gals kiss the Prince!!!

I think some were really practicing for the future!!!!

Caleb gettin ready to kiss another girl......not Kristen!!! ahhha!!!!

Kyle(in the blue) is Caleb's friend from MD, he came to work

on the job with the guys.....let me just say he is outrageously hilarious!!!

jeremiah.......ummmmm.....i will just mkae no comment!!!

hosanna giving it a try!!!!

another game we played was "Once Upon a Time"

we had 4 teams and I had written out the first two pages

of Mercy's Cinderella book and cu the words up in pieces.

They had to put the words together correctly as the book told it!!!

Surprisingly, not many knew the story!! But Caleb's team won ....finally......

Kristen would have been proud......her fav!!!

the last game we played was "When the Clock Strikes 12"

4 teams and each team had a bag of marshmallows.

they had 45 seconds to see who could count and get closes to the correct amount in the bag!!

85 in the bag......elijah's team counted 86, they won!!!!!!

the glass slipper in one jar and Joel's photo in the other!!

my sweet Hosanna!!!

they were trying to make a heart, but Mercy couldn't quite get it!!

sisters

10 years.....

.....and then the night had to end with Cinderella!!!!

Cindy

happy birthday hosanna and I miss you Joel

2012-01-23T10:22:00.001-06:00

Five years.... hard to believe! My sweet little Joel, miss him still! Hosanna was 5, today she is 10! This day is one I never look forward to in my memory, but I push the bad memories away and let the Lord fill my mind with grace and hope today!

Happy birthday Hosanna!! Happy heaven day Joel!

"I have exalted one chosen out of the people."
— ps 89:19

Why was Christ chosen out of the people? Speak, my heart, for heart-thoughts are best. Was it not that he might be able to be our brother, in the blest tie of kindred blood? Oh, what relationship there is between Christ and the believer! The believer can say, "I have a Brother in heaven; I may be poor, but I have a Brother who is rich, and is a King, and will he suffer me to want while he is on his throne? Oh, no! He loves me; he is my Brother." Believer, wear this blessed thought, like a necklace of diamonds, around the neck of thy memory; put it, as a golden ring, on the finger of recollection, and use it as the King's own seal, stamping the petitions of thy faith with confidence of success. He is a brother born for adversity, treat him as such.

Christ was also chosen out of the people that he might know our wants and sympathize with us. "He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin." In all our sorrows we have his sympathy. Temptation, pain, disappointment, weakness, weariness, poverty-he knows them all, for he has felt all. Remember this, Christian, and let it comfort thee. However difficult and painful thy road, it is marked by the footsteps of thy Saviour; and even when thou reachest the dark valley of the shadow of death, and the deep waters of the swelling Jordan, thou wilt find his footprints there. In all places whithersoever we go, he has been our forerunner; each burden we have to carry, has once been laid on the shoulders of Immanuel.

"His way was much rougher and darker than mine
Did Christ, my Lord, suffer, and shall I repine?"

Take courage! Royal feet have left a blood-red track upon the road, and consecrated the thorny path for ever.

Resting in His grace,

Cindy

a contest (for me)

2012-01-20T11:50:00.000-06:00

Hey!!!!! If any of you all are on facebook, can ya'll look me up and vote for my photo in the Lorec Ranch furniture contest!!!!

You will see the photo below on facebook, make sure you click on the photo on facebook and then "like" it!!!! I am Cindy Jones Morris, 13blessings@sbcglobal.net

Thanks sooooooo much!!!! The contest goes through Jan. 28th!!!! Dont delay!!!!!

Cindy

instafriday!!!

2012-01-20T09:12:00.000-06:00

Instafriday!!! Yay!!! Only a few photos this time!

9 yo girl doing some coloring

this is what she was coloring

baking some stuff

5 yo girl with HER doggie, Charlie

my coffee......an every morning thing........

firstborn twin home for a few weeks helping his dad with a construction job

First born twin in Oklahoma skyping second born twin in Australia!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!! Have a great weekend!!!!

Cindy

a few photos!!

2012-01-17T13:46:00.002-06:00

Wow, the weather was sooooo nice yesterday and today it is sooooo cold!!! I just want to sty snuggled inside but I do need to run to town to get some creamer for coffee.....a total need!!!

while Terry and 2 of the little guys went to Stillwater to watch Tebow, some of us went to Disney!!!!

........ a "magical" place

a little girl is dreaming......

she went from one wish to another in this store.....

not long til our garden will be going, but in the meantime, sometimes you just crave a salad!!

yum!!!!

I'm still using my bd giftcard!!!!!!

someone very special is here..........

the weather was sooooo nice yesteraday....

dogs n children n walks n ponds

movie.......

I entered this photo in a contest at my fav store, Lorec Ranch for a opportunity to win $200 gift certif at their store.....topic was " their furniture displayed in your home"

if your on fb, go like Lorec Ranch and either today or tomorrow, or soon they will have an album of the photos and whoever gets the most "likes" will win, so vote for mine!!!!

Hope you all are having a great week so far, only two days into it!!!

Cindy

iPhone dump!

2012-01-12T22:09:00.001-06:00

I don't have a lot of photos but here are a few! Seems like I have been so busy to even take pictures, and that is busy!

It has finally gotten cold which I am sad about!! Ha! Terry has the house toasty warm with the wood stove! Our first "dusting" of snow last night! Mercy wanted a snowball, but it wasnt possible!

Anna and Terry went car shopping Saturday and thankfully returned with a vehicle to replace her Impala that was wrecked before Christmas! So she got a 2007 Black Nissan Altima!!! Super sharp ride for her!! I have yet to drive it! Thankful all that is behind us now and for provision!

Hope you all have a great weekend! Grocery shopping today and got to figure out a special little girls bd party theme, and Joel's heaven day!! I am blank right now!!

Oh, we went to a yogurt place here in Guthrie, a cheery little place!! And Joshua, 13 drew the picture on the left! I don't see how he does it!!! And every gal who drives a HUGE Dodge and climbs in and out deserves a Starbucks!! Haha!! Even during the week we find ourselves with friends n games n late nights!!

beach photo shoot 2011

2012-01-11T12:35:00.003-06:00

We made it to the beach for a photo shoot with the most awesome photographer there is, and my white picture frame....... but I left the letter "M" somewhere in between Oklahoma and Florida! (you will notice when you see the picture below) But hey, everything can not always be perfect, especially when 14+ people are trying to smile, keep their eyes open at a white beach blaring sunny day!! I am very happy with the pictures and very grateful to Kristen for taking them for us!! How could I go to a beach and not take a family photo!! I couldn't!!!!!

Florida Christmas at the Beach 2011

the sun was sooooo bright on the white sand......hard to keep those eyes open!

ok, notice anything......we dont know how to spell...hahah!!!

this was the one i mentioned.....the "M" got lost somewhere!!!!

I wanna go back to the beach.....missing it!!!

we added a few extra special gals in this one.......

Josh 13, Mercy 5, Anna 19, Elijah 21, Bethany 22, Hosanna 9, Daniel 24, Caleb 24

Jeremiah 11, Micah 17, Josiah 8, and Andrew 15

.....and we miss you Joel!!!

us......

i think these are soooooo sweet!!!!!

Mercy and Josiah!!

Hosanna, Josiah, and Mercy!!

the mom and dad of this crew!!

......and here is the awesome, beautiful couple!!!

sisters!!!!

Melissa and Elijah!

Thank you Kristen!!!! Wonderful memories from the beach at Christmas!!!!

Cindy

2 worlds.....

2012-01-10T12:36:00.000-06:00

I live in 2 different worlds right now!! One is a world of long a says a in amen, "how do you spell "special"? what are perpendicular lines, what is the process of sublimation? what is 3/4+2/3? Wow, a blue whale's baby gains 200 pounds a day for a year, "mommy, look at my house I drew," "where is my princess doll?" a small world of childhood where, swings and ponds and trees and smores and swords made of sticks and coloring pages printed off by the dozens are all that exists in these little minds! They play in their little world/farm and do not yet know of the other world that will soon come and whisk them away making them not to speak as a child, act as a child, think as a child.....and thats the other world I live in. A world of "mom, i never knew I could hurt so bad" should I get this job? I want to go outta the USA, I am going to move to this place and get to know her, see ya in a little while I will be late for dinner, I need prayer, I have been in a wreck, midnight hours, "dad, you will have to tell him I just wanna be friends," plans, decisions, finances, future spouses, where will you live? i need a vehicle, should I buy this one? needing biblical answers for life's problems......two worlds!! Both worlds are a blessing....in their own ways...

busy weekend!

2012-01-09T09:55:00.001-06:00

Everyone went different ways it seems! Terry had to cut firewood, he is selling it, then he and Anna went car shopping, nothing yet! Some of the others had things going on and I went to my first Instawalk taking photos with my iPhone! I am loving the app on my phone instagram and have met a little community of folks! So as many as could that live in the OKC area met at the Myriad Gardens! It was so funny because someone mentioned, "isn't it nice to not have people telling you to stop taking soooo many pictures!" AND all the awkward positions you get in to get great shots!! It was fun to meet new friends and put names with faces! Soooo I have alot of photos from the Myriad Gardens!!

We also got to talk to Daniel via web cam! We have to go to the nearby McDonalds to do this as our Internet will not allow us to do it at home! It wa so good to see him! Course it was like 7am for him and 3 pm for us so he looked sleepy! Haha! Sounds like he has the life going on, some work, beaches, going to islands, riding his bike to places, bbq's with friends, music opportunities!! I am sure its going fast for him, but it's seems slow on this end!

School resumes! We are making headway with school work! Yay for us, because it has not always been this easy!!!! ACE curriculum has made me a new person! :D

Have a great Monday!!

this week!

2012-01-05T19:50:00.001-06:00

I am not doing the "instafriday" this week but I do have lots of photos and thought I would go ahead and put them up!!

Trying to get back in the swing of things this week! School and just regular routine! Loving the weather, especially today! I actually went outside!! Haha!

Since Bethany is now working at the vet we use (doing all kinds of things I could never do eek!!!) and Anna at the coffee shop we are really having to work the vehicle situation out since Anna's car has not been replaced yet! Soooo I have not been hardly any where, except the coffee shop to drop Anna off and I felt like I should use my gift card from there!! Love that little place! While I was out, I snapped a few things around our little town!!

Terry sent me some roses and took me out in a date! We went to a little place in Edmond. A couple guys playing some really oldies and the food was really good! I had a Latin dish and Terry had some Jamaican chicken!

Daniel did make it to Australia! It is really hard to catch him, since when we are going to bed he is getting up! He said it's very beautiful and hot!! There is no a/c at the facility he is staying at but he does have a fan! He said the food was not that great but I'm sure a hungry construction guy will eat it!! So keep him in your prayers as the Lord reminds you of him!

Have a wonderful evening and here are some things we have been doing this week!

the new look!!

2012-01-04T17:36:00.001-06:00

How do you like the "new look?" Maybe I shouldn't ask that!!! Oh well, I like it and it is staying!! A few more things to do! Big thanks to a special friend who is giving the new look!! Maybe someday I will become a computer expert!! Haha!

Hope your day is great!! Terry and I are going out to ear tonight and sounds like the older ones have a big night planned with people coming over here! I hope they remember they are suppose to watch our children ! Ha!

Thank you for the sweet and encouraging comments in the post from yesterday! It really meant it to me for you to take the time and comment! You really made my day of remembrance much easier!

Blessings!

a suitcase.....

2012-01-03T13:22:00.004-06:00

Favorite book, a monkey, play-do, a horse, oh and don't forget the tooth brush, it was a new one and a high priority and why a "pink blanket" called a "danky?" Just because!!! It went everywhere!!

What were you doing 5 years ago? I was helping a 3 year old choose what he wanted to put in his suitcase! I can remember his excitement as he sat on the edge of my bed, making sure I tucked all his treasures in it. All the things he thought he needed for a supposedly short hospital stay. With cowboy boots on that were only 2 weeks new, a last minute shoot of a BB gun, good-by's and hugs, never dreaming this would be the last time for him to see his little farm.........

Arrived, settled, chemo, playing, eating pizza, showing off to the nurse, drawing, pay-do, family and friends visit......then about the midnight hour, our night stayed night.

Several years passed until the "night" started to become a day again. Now, 5 years have passed, I can finally see past the night. I am stronger as not to crumble at every turn of a 3 yo or another set of twin boys, or a half empty swing set, or one dump tuck parked in the sandbox, or "like" clothes packed in a clear box staring at me {of whom his twin has the other ones on} when I open the closet, or stuffed animals crammed and tucked away for a reason I hoped would happen.....but never did and will not......him coming back.

A lot has changed, alot has not! The most important thing has not changed......God!

I do not normally read in Ezekiel! Who does??? But I have absolute confidence that I was spose to. So I could once again be reminded of God and that His plans are purposeful in the dark nights that we journey on in this life.

Ezekiel 47

Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looked eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.

...... again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins

Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.

We are led about, and its the "right" way! It seems like at times we are "drug" about by the "wrong" way. Its all measured out, the line is drawn as if not too much, not too little. Sometimes we are given an ankle portion, sometimes we go on to get a bigger portion of trials, up to the loins. But either way, its all measured and it will not be too much. But then sometimes we are given what seems like one that's just impossible to live through, pass through or endure. The waters/trial is risen or is deep, we can not pass over it, we must go through it and we must swim! We must exert, struggle, cry for help, kick, scream, exhaust ourselves so we wont drown. I did that. I did it physically so my body would feel better,I did it spiritually and the result has been that I "see" in a way I did not before. I poured myself in to the Word and God gave me truth. Truth about Him, about the trial, about faith, about hope. The next portion of scripture in this chapter gives some results from the picture that has been painted in the above verses.

Now when I had returned, behold, a the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Then he said unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the dessert, and go in to the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.

You see we have a river and to the one on the west side of it looking Eastward, the one having to "swim" through it, it looks rough and hard. But if you are on the East side and gazing out to the east, you see the river that has just caused someone to have a difficult journey is actually flowing, going places. I was on the west side but now I am on the east side looking Eastward. If you look along the banks, there are many trees on both sides. They are flourishing, living because of the water that to one seem like a storm, and it was but now the water is going forth where the lines are drawn out for it to flow, through desserts and finally emptying out in the sea.

And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithsoever the rivers shall come, shall live........and everything shall live whither the river cometh.

The [river] storm is touching much along its path. To one who is in it swimmming, it seems like its destroying. But once your on the East side you can see many purposeful things the river is accomplishing.....it is giving life.

v. 10, the river is providing a place for some to fish and therefore give them meat. v. 12, along the banks the trees are bringing forth fruit and its all because of this same river that began as a storm but now it is flowing forth with much purpose. I love the part in this verse that says, the fruit will not be consumed, it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months. Even after 5 years, I believe God is still purposeful with "the river" in our life. In the beginning it seemed a storm, now I see it as a river......giving life!

......because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary

Oh, how this is the bedrock!! It has ALL come from the sanctuary. The beautiful place of God. The storm, the water, the trial, the almost drowning.....it is flowing beautifully from His sanctuary

v. 12 ......and the fruit therefore shall be for meat and the leaf for medicine.

Praise God, our trial, your trial is not a waste!

I have had it in the house for these 5 years, I have opened it a couple of times to touch, to smell. He is not coming back to get it, he doesn't need it anymore.

I'm putting it in the attic now........

Cindy

new......

2012-01-02T12:11:00.000-06:00

It is of the Lord's mercies.........

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

New......we all like new/fresh starts! I need a "new" start on life! How?.......sometimes I just dont know, sometimes it seems so easy......just start doing instead of thinking about it. I would never think I would have to face anything harder than Joel's death, which is final, but in many senses I do, I have to face me, my disobedience, my selfishness, ect and its something I struggle with everyday, it wont be final or over until we have our glorified bodies in eternity. But as I look even at this photo and read a verse as this, mercies and hope is in each day.......I am thankful! Thank you Lord for being faithful to me, when I am unfaithful to you!

New....Lots of new seasons in the Morris house. Children going new places, children in other places, children embarking in new opportunities, children experiencing hurts and pains of heart they never knew, trying to figure out new ways to make our home run smoothly without all the crew members, new construction workers needed so we can make money and eat.....hahah!! and oh much more but in all this, its nothing "new" under the sun, is it? In all this He will be Faithful because he said he would and His name is Faithful and True!

New.....challenges to face, trials to overcome, sins to leave behind, opportunities to leap for, dreams to pursue, people to meet, meals to cook, desserts to make, books to read, places to go.....its all before us, but in a years time it will all be behind us......so what will I/ you do til then?? Let us know that we will do it with His fresh mercies every morning and His Faithfulness at our side!

Happy New Year!!!

Cindy

P.S. Daniel made it to Australia safely!! Thank you for praying and please keep it up!! If you have fb, you can receive updates if you friend him and "like" his Australia Mission Trip!!!

Random pics!

2012-01-01T14:17:00.001-06:00

Hope you all had a Happy New Year! We only made it through 3 of the 8 movies I bought! Haha!! But they did make it through most of the candy!!

I tell ya,I love the little coffee shop Anna works at!! She made me a special little cup-o-coffee!! I have to use my $20 gift card up she got me for for my birthday!!

See Anna's car..... so sad!! She is shopping now for a new something!! She can't decide what she wants! Wish I had options like that!!

Our little town has so many neat places for photos! I can't help but snap, snap, snap!!

Back to the routine of school and daily stuff!! New shoes for me.... Treadmill time!! Oh and a few pictures before Daniel left last night!

Cindy

Australia bound!!

2011-12-31T16:50:00.001-06:00

Today is the day!! I knew it would come! I am happy and excited for Daniel and the journey/adventure that is ahead, but my mothering heart is sad, it's just hard to send them off!! He and Terry are in route to the OKC airport! He will fly to Dallas at 6:40 and then board a plane in Dallas around 10pm and be in the air for 17 hours til he arrives in Australia!! It's funny, they are 15 hours ahead of us, and the little children told Daniel, he will be living in the future being ahead of us by that many hours! I guess they are right! It's amazing to see how the Lord has provided way over what Daniel's goal was, I trust God has his purposes in mind with that!! Thank you for being apart of meeting that need and goal! If the Lord brings him to mind in these next 3 months, please obey those promptings and pray! Being in Gods will is the safest place!!

Tonight.... movies and junk food!! Gotta bring it in right!! Some are doing a lock-in at church!! I doubt we make it through all the movies!!

Hope you stay safe and bring in the New Year with a desire to follow God more, pray more, share more, love more, forgive more.....

Christmas in Florida #6 {our last day}

2011-12-30T15:50:00.003-06:00

It came and went much to fast! I am in love with Florida weather and palm trees and there are some very special people there too!! Tuesday we spent the day around the house, playing games, going to the park again, (where Elijah broke his nose) can anything else happen???? The evening meal was going to be a grandmothers specialty!! A true New York Italian dish! She had pots and pans all over the place! Chopping fresh this and that, can of all kinds that would have me pleading for a small taste before it was all ready!! She even gave me the recipe!! Sausage and Bow Ties! A savory tasting tomatoey red sauce with Italian pork sausage blended together and then heaped on tender bow tie noodles! Delicious is what I am talking bout! A huge Italian salad with homemade dressing and white pizza to give a crunch to this fabulous meal!! Hats off to grandma for a meal I will never forget and one I am going to attempt!!

That evening we went to this unique outside mall with all kinds of stores and shops all tightly packed within decorated streets of Christmas cheer and lights! We went to the center of the mall area outside and a giant tree of maybe 30feet stood. We shopped a bit until 9pm for a light show synced with Christmas music to entertain us! It even "snowed" in Florida! Fake snow was blown out above our heads as the music blared and lights danced to the music!! A memorable night!!

Back to the house we topped the night off with s'mores, ice cream and movies not wanting to bring an end to our last night!

.....but it did...morning came, goodbyes were said, hugs held close, whispers in ears "to come see us," friends made, promises made of "see ya soon!" I have to say that our families blended so well and like one of the Snyder little girls said......

.....And we didn't even have a fight!!

Thanks is not big enough!

Thank you Snyder Family!

Kristen, Katy, Kevin, Sue (the mom) and Tim

Shannon, Michael aka Dude, Alan (dad) and Lauren!!

..... and grandma, but she is not in the photo!

Christmas in Florida #5 {beach day}

2011-12-29T21:12:00.002-06:00

The day I looked forward to before we even left!! we got to the beach a little after noon and stayed til a little after 5pm, then we went to a restaurant on the beach strip and the Snyder family blessed/treated us to a wonderful meal, all 23 of us!!

It was pretty cloudy when we got there, but within a short time, the sun burst through and blue skies as far as we could see! The younger children got in the water for a while but it was a bit cold and they were not too excited about the saltiness!! Sooo they got busy working on a "sand city!!" They spent 5 hours on it and had many admirers that stopped and took pictures and chatted with us!! Caleb and Kristen went parasailing! Daniel, Bethany and Shannon, a Synder girl, rented a jet ski for an hour and zoomed on the ocean!! They played tons of vb!!! It was a day to remember!!!

A beach sunset is incredible!!! I am so glad I got to see one!! One day I want to go back, so much more I wanna see and do!!

Oh, we just got home!! So thankful for safety and vehicles ran fine and we are all home!!

NOW, we are getting ready or Daniel is getting ready for his trip!! He leaves Saturday!! So much to do!!

Also we found out Anna's car was totaled so now searching for another vehicle!!

I have never seen soooo much laundry as I have sitting in this house!! Groceries need to be bought and school to get going!!! Looks like I am going to be doing a hundred miles an hour heading into 2012!!!

Thanks for praying for our trip!!

Cindy

P.S. all these were taken and edited with my phone, so convenient!!!

Christmas in Florida #4 Christmas Day!!

2011-12-28T11:13:00.001-06:00

(Since I am blogging from my iphone, I can't arrange the photos in order, I wish I could, so just put them in order best you can!!)

Waking up on Christmas day to warm and sunny skies would always be my first choice!! I think you all know by now, I like warm/hot weather!! Getting 24 people up and in the LR was a challenge!! Sue, Kristens mom blessed our family in getting us in on their tradition of stocking opening!! They had each of us a stocking and I mean jammed packed with individually wrapped items, lots of items!!!! It was a fun event for our children! Mercy was especially enjoying it!! Their family opened their gifts and I told Sue it brought back memories of Christmas morning when I was young.... lots of gifts to pass out and lots to clean up! we had the most wonderful breakfast! Three different casseroles and fruit. It was definitely a bed and breakfast meal!!

We couldn't let the sun and very warm temps go to waste so swimming began.... on Christmas Day! How many of you got to do that?? I think swimming and the wii were the big hits while at the house!!

A little more time at the nearby park, tons of snacks, dips, veggies, cheeses for lunch and then the wii competition! When you have twin 24 yo's competing on some dance moves..... Hilarious!!!!

In the afternoon before our Christmas dinner Elijah, headed to the airport to pick up Melissa. Her family was in Georgia visiting her brother so as they headed back we were blessed to have her join us in Florida!!

All day labors of Sue and sweet grandma brought forth an incredible Christmas Dinner!! Ham, Roasted pork and Prime Rib with so many side dishes and rolls, even 24 people could not even eat it all!!

What a wonderful day together celebrating Jesus!!

Cindy

Christmas in Florida #3

2011-12-27T15:16:00.001-06:00

(I have some time here in Florida, so I am getting this done)

Saturday, Christmas Eve!! Woke and dashed outside to get a look at what I had been waiting on for a loonngggg time.... Palm trees n sun n warmth!!! I got it!! Swimming at their house, football, basketball at a nearby park, lunches that were awesome and then a Christmas eve service at their church! First time I have ever know a church to have a Starbucks in their lobby! Hey, that's how Florida rolls!!

After the church Christmas eve service, we headed back home for another wonderful meal, gingerbread building contests, white elephant gift exchange, laughs, late nigh, movies and playing wii!! Not boring by any means!!!

Christmas in Florida #2

2011-12-27T14:05:00.001-06:00

Friday, the 23rd, 9:30 pm! Twenty-one hours later! Destination reached!! Lutz Florida! A very warm welcome by Kristen's family!!

It didnt take long to get through all the hellos and hugs and nice to meet ya's til they were in the pool, lapping up a warm Floridian night!

There are 10 folks + the sweetest grandma, 14 Morris people all snug as a bug in a beautiful Florida home! I literally felt like I am at a resort! We are being so spoiled by all the sweet, specific accommodations for our stay!!

I think we are gonna like it here!!! I can't wait to see all the palm trees when I wake up in the morning on Christmas eve!!

Cindy

Christmas in Florida part 1

2011-12-27T11:24:00.002-06:00

Last Thursday, the 22nd on my birthday, 13 people, two vehicles, two doggies, 21 hours..... Florida bound!! We stopped at Cracker Barrel for my birthday meal. We drove about 10 hours and landed in Birmingham Alabama! A place we will never forget for the wrong reasons!! Basically it was like this, luggage unloaded, older ones went to Ihop, three rooms, the rest of us gathered in one room, one room the door was left cracked open, three luggage and an iPad stolen, police come, report given, wait for manager to get back from vacation to review cameras, don't go to sleep til after 2am, load up and travel on to Florida! Hey we got more room in our vehicle...haha!!

The sad part is that 3 of the guys, Andrew, Elijah, and Daniel had almost everything they owned in their bags now gone, only the clothes on their back! We went to kohls the next morning and got the necessities!! I felt the worse for Daniel, his iPad he just bought 2 days ago....gone! He had bought a new hiking backpack and had most everything he was taking to Australia in it, all his "summer" stuff he got for Christmas! The only thing they didn't take was his pillow, and if they new the value of it, guess they would have taken it too!! haha!

We were glad to get outta Birmingham!! Destination: Lutz Florida!!!

Cindy

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-24T21:33:00.001-06:00

May the Lord bless you and your families with peace, joy and love we have in Jesus! May the Christ Child give unto you hope and forgiveness! What a blessed time to be able to spend it with family and friends in Florida!!

We love you all!!

instafriday!

2011-12-23T00:30:00.002-06:00

Its instafriday!!!! Yay!!!! Not alot of photos this week, just too much going on with out Christmas party. (see post below this one) Join up and show us yours!!!

everyone ready??????

dont these just make you happy?

had to go pick up some feed at the Stillwater mill and had to get a pic!!

way up there!!!!

had to go up and down some stairs this week!! so #thisiswhereistand!!!!

i liked the lighting so had to get a photo of it!!!

Lilian, our sweet lil' neighbor girl.....the new big sister to a little baby brother.....Keith!!!

Jeremiah holding baby Keith!!

me holding baby Keith!! so sweet!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful, fun-filled weekend !!!!

thanks for stopping by!!!

Cindy

Christmas Party 2011

2011-12-21T13:39:00.004-06:00

Well another Annual Christmas Party down! A little smaller crowd but not small in loudness or craziness!! I think everyone had alot of fun!! This year Pinterest was my brain for the games!! We played several! One was Marshmallow Throw, I had 2 five gallon buckets with wreaths around the open end and layed the buckets on a table and had 4 teams, two competing each other at a time. They stood about 8 feet way and had a minute to throw as many mellows in as they could in that time frame!! From that game a "marshmallow throw" began but this one was not one of the games!! Zing, Zing........marshmallows going every which way at PEOPLE!!! hahah!! Another game was build a Santa! 4 teams again, each had a clear large leaf trash bag and 25 red balloons. Object was to have one member pull the sack up like putting on pants with their legs through the bottom and then team members blow up the balloon and stuff the trash with balloons and then tie the sack up on each shoulder!! Crazy!! One game was "Nutcracker Stack!!" I had 4 teams, each had 6 bolts and a candy cane. You had to stack the bolts on top of each other in a in a minute. Like the octogon side going up, does that make sense and you could only use the candy cane to pick the bolt up and use it as a stacking tool! Another game was stacking 21 cups in a pyramid. Six on the bottom and then next row 5 and so on til one on the top all in a minutes time! Another was not easy at all, Rudolph!! I had red puff balls like from hobby lobby, an inch in size hot glued to a piece of small thin ribbon that was 12 inches long. Object of this was, each person got their own string and red ball and held the end of the ribbon in their mouth and tried to swing the ball up on their nose which had a BIG glob of vasilene on it, hoping to make it stick to yo nose!! hahah!! Finally Mary did it!!! We had a photo booth too!! I had several DIY props I made from sturdy paper and spray painted a frame I had white!! So there you have it!!! Pictures below!! Enjoy!!!! The only thing you are missing out on is the LOUDness of it all!!!!

this is Micah.....Melissa hugging Elijah's little brother!!!

all I can say is craZy gals!!!

Bethany and her big brother!!!

mavie and Hosanna!!!!

this was not the stack game, just boys being boys!!

ok, now she has the right one!!! haha!!!

this is a fun picture because after the party, she went home and had a baby boy, 6am!!! haha!!

i think she is having fun!!!!

clean up crew.....where is everyone????????

they didnt show up!!

Ok, here are all the folks who came!!!!!

Elijah and Melissa

Andrew and his lovely wife, Heather

Stinson Family

Jones Family

(my friend Natalie!!!)

Dave, Kate and Lilian and baby in belly but soon to pop out!!! haha

Naylor Family

(Melissa's family)

and US!!!!!!

hmmmmm......thats where the cleaning up crew is!!!!

Fun times for sure with very special friends!! Thank you for coming!!!

Cindy

mavie has a secret to tell you!!!

2011-12-20T22:46:00.000-06:00

Mavie has something she wants to tell you!!!!!

she has a new brother!!!!!!!

Keith Allen

born this morning at 6am

7# 10 oz

He is precious!! We love him!!!

funny thing is they came to our Christmas party and

went home and about 11:30 started having

contractions and BOOM a baby boy at 6am!!!!

Kate is looking and doing great and Dave

well, ummmm......he looks alright too!! haha!!

Keith Allen!!!!!

Lilian still needs her mommy too!!

Well, we are praising God for his protection tonight!! Daniel was driving Anna's car and totaled it tonight or at least that is our observation, will know for sure tomorrow from the insurance adjuster!! He ran into the back of a vehicle that was stopped at a red light. His airbag came out so that tells ya he hit pretty hard! The other people in the two vehicles that were involved are all fine too!! We are grateful tonight! Pray all goes well with figuring out what to do because we were suppose to travel to Florida on Thursday and we were taking Anna's car and the Expedition sooooooo I dont know what the plan will be now!!!

I hope to post the Christmas party pictures in the morning sometime. So stay tuned!!!! It was a fun party!!!

Cindy

monday the 19th!!!

2011-12-19T08:18:00.000-06:00

Mercy and I were up at midnight Friday night and we were having fun taking pictures!!

candle light service at our church

Christmas is almost here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know, I am getting with it, right? A post before 9am!!! Today is a super buys day!!! We are having our annual Christmas party tonight sooooooo I had to get this going!!!! I tired to downsize the party and I might a bit but it still looking like 40 folks! The first year was about 60, the second year about 45!! Since we are actually "in" the kitchen this Christmas, and the island is there, I dont have all the open space for the party games and people to stand, but it will all work I think!!!

Last night at church we had our candle light service! A special time with our church family and with people we have grown to love and cherish!! It such a blessing to be at this church in Guthrie and soo close to our house in travel distance,. a BIG + there!! haha!!

Hope you all have a great Monday!!! I really gotta "git" to start cleaning and cooking and all that stuff!!

Cindy

instafriday!

2011-12-16T00:00:00.001-06:00

Friday, Friday, Friday........coming and going faster than I can think!!! But I am glad they come, because I love instafridays!!!! Join us in posting all your phone photos of the week!!! Capture anything, everything but don't do nothing!!! Thank you for stopping by!!!!!

Bible baseball


"white elephant" gift to TAKE to a party!! hahah!!!! it was a WHOLE sleeper suit!!!

Mercy is pretending to be Kristen.....her big brothers girlfriend!!!

gift card =Chili's

a fav ornament on the ole cowboy tree

School work is just better with some lego action!!!

licks.......

school work "doodling"

way to go Jeremiah!!!!!!

white elephant gifts big kids didnt want!!!!

Christmas concert, Guthrie High school and Jr. High

building where the concert was!!

concert building in Guthrie

helped the pastors wife make her house all merry!!!!

wash me!!!! guess where we live.......country roads!!!!!

Cindy

90!

2011-12-13T15:22:00.002-06:00

I walk in and two little white napkins adorn the table where we will sit. The house is warm and toasty. We sit and chit-chat. She gracefully gets up and moves across her clean and orderly little kitchen. She pops two muffins in the micro and pours two cups-o-coffee from an electric coffee pot into two cups awaiting in prepared order on her counter. She asks " do you mind if we use paper plates?" "Oh of course not was my reply.....they are a staple at our house!!!" A cute little creamer cup is in her hand as she returns, she drinks it black, but I am not 90 but I will when I get 90!! She sits and we clasp hands and pray over our muffins but I can already tell this was not her first prayer of the morning......it likely began very early before I even arrived. She told me she became a christian at age 8.....lets see, she has been a christian for 82 years!! She showed me a thimble that her grandparents had in the Civil War, she said she collected them and was quite annoyed that if the box had "thimble" written on, she was sure someone was really dumb!! She showed me a photo that had a little doggie made out of orange crates she got for her 5th birthday, she showed me a handsome man with steel blue eyes that at 6 feet towered over her petite frame and widowed of 20+ years. She told me those steel eyes could tell what a person was really made of. She misses him but is hopeful of the "one day!!" She tells me about her car and people are wanting to buy it. I am wondering if possibly "he" is trying to make a move on her/ like boyfriend her up!! She laughs heartily!! She tells stories of horse and buggy days, of model T's. She tells me she has not got her neighbors to cook for her yet, so she is still doing her own cooking!! She tells me parts of scriptures but I can tell I only heard a "sprinkle" of what her head and heart really hold. She talks of her family! She tells me what her days are like.....busy, busy, busy!! There are only brief moments of silence as she tells story after story. I listen. I don't have anything to "give" her. n one and one-half hours time I tell her how we organize our socks. There is just so much to absorb! She did ask me about Daniel's upcoming trip to Australia. My visit was worth her wisdom to a mom's heart...... that is, yes, excited but also sad that he is going, cause I am going to miss him.....she tells me "the closes distance between two people is through the throne of grace." I hold back the tears but she gets a box of tissue anyway. There is no way to absorb 82 years of grace in one and one-half hours of visit, but it was wonderful to be in a place where grace is seen, is used, is lived out, is given to those who sit at her table with dainty little napkins! Somehow, Lord, somehow.......make me full of this grace!!!

That was a blessed morning with a dear lady in our church!! So rich with unmeasurable qualities of Christ in her life! I want to experience it again soon!

My dad and Shirley came for a visit this past weekend of course our children enjoy being with him. Games, and more games!! He always has to "show" them how to play and win!! They are a blessing to us!! After I took this picture, it just got me thinking of all that he has done in life.....raising me, working at the Railroad and retiring from there, helping take care of Caleb and Daniel when they were little fellas, showing them the hammer and nails when we were at their house! Generously giving to our family on many occasions. I guess I just feel a wave of gratefulness for him and Shirley! His hands prove he has labored but his labors have blessed others and for that I am grateful!!

Tuesday.......the guys did not work today, rain here so that squelched their job!! Terry had to go the Dr. He has been cutting wood and splitting it, thinking he is like 20ish and has done something to his shoulder. They did an x-ray and it has something to do with his rotor cup, but hopefully it might can heal if he does not over-use it otherwise its to the orthopedic fella!! That would not be good timing since Daniel is fixing to leave on the 31st and it will be him and Elijah!! eeeeek!!!!

Bethany helped me make these dangerous things yesterday!!! Make and eat at your own risk!!

Reese's Cheesecake Brownies

1 -box of brownie fudge mix
1 -8oz cream cheese softened
1 -14oz can sweetened cond milk
1/2 c. peanut butter
12 oz reese's pieces candy
1 12oz bag milk choc chips
3 TBL whipping cream
12 large Reese Peanut Butter cups chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, lightly spray 13x9 pan
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions, spread in pan and set aside
In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy, add condensed milk and peanut butter, stir in reese pieces. Spoon mixture over batter and spread evenly.
Bake for 4o min or until cheesecake is set and edges are lightly golden. Cool for 30 minutes. and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In small sauce pan or micro melt choc chips and whipping cream until smooth. Spread over cheesecake and sprinkle chopped reese cups over top. Refrigerate for an hour or so!

Enjoy!!!!!!

Cindy

concert!!!

2011-12-12T20:20:00.003-06:00

I know I will sound bias, but Daniel did a great job with his concert at our church Sunday evening!!! We had quite a few friends come and are so grateful that you did!! I have a short video of one of my favorites he did!! A big thank you to Josh and Eric and Marla helping him out on the piano and guitars!!

He ended up doing about 10 songs and a Power point presentation of where and what he will be doing in Australia!! I have to say I was impressed!!! It is amazing to see how God has provided for his trip!! Thank YOU for supporting him, and family and friends at our church and abroad!!! When God is in it, He provides!! I hope this will be one of those "stones" in his life and each of our lives that God will take care of His work!!!

Its getting close....December 31st will be here far too soon for this mom's heart!!! I have to be brave and pray, pray, pray!!! Hope you will pray with us and for him these next 3 months!!

Well, better go, Mercy is going wild over wanting our new dessert we have in the refrigerator!!!!! and I am ready for my coff-aaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

Cindy

Christmas (for us)

2011-12-12T13:32:00.000-06:00

For the last 15 years my dad and Shirley have been coming the first of December and "doing" Christmas with us and the children! It has been alot of fun for them! I have done all the "shopping" before they get here and the day they arrive, well, that night is Christmas for us!!! Anna and I spent over an hour wrapping and in less than a few minutes its all over with!! hahah! Fun times and the memories will be there for their lifetime!! We also have a Christmas dinner together as well!! Of course Caleb being in MD was not here and that was hard for me!!! I know things change, its just not easy!! But we made it!!!


course my dad always has to play the part......Santa!! we ALL know there is no Santa but its fun to him!!!

lotsa people+lotsa food= lotsa plates and Looooonnnnnggg tables!!

one of Hosanna's gifts was a pillow pet!!! coZy!!!!

an "ocean" of presents.....oh there are two kiddo's in there!!!

had to peek in from outside!!!

looking in!!!

a bit excited!!!!

its all over........

the pictures below are with a "real" camera.....anna's hahah!!

I found this little salad idea and thought it was perfect for our Christmas dinner!!!

our Christmas dinner!!

new scarf!!!!

its just craZy!!!!!

Well, thats Chistmas for us!!!! Now just to think about the Lord as we should everyday and the greatest gift......Jesus!!!

Cindy

instafriday!!!!

2011-12-09T08:16:00.000-06:00

Its Friday and that means a phone dump of all the pictures of the week via iphone or any phone!!!! I am so loving having the convenience of a camera just a click away!!! I get teased ALL the time that mom takes pictures of EVERYTHING!!!! Well.......I do!!! hahah! Its fun!!! And I love the app Instagram on the iphone!!! Hey, all you Droid people, I think they are working on a Droid app for instagram, so I guess we will have to let you all in!!!!

alot of this going on!!!

grandparents blessing the children with gifts!!!


Anna took one with the real camera, but i had to take one with my phone!!!!

i was trying to convince Micah into getting one of these!!!


we had breakfast for dinner this week!!!

i found a red skirt for Christmas and we also had strawberries this week....guess red is in!!!!

5 yo being sweet!!!!

Mercy and I had to stop in the coffee shop Anna works in!!!

she got a chocolate covered rice crispy treat on a stick!!!


this was our 5th Christmas craft to make, so easy!! All you need is green paper, red bow and sweet hands!!!

If you would like to see our other crafts check here and here and here

she drank just about my whole Wurtle!!!!

a strange thing happened when I went Christmas shopping on Wednesday!!! The whole mall lost power and was totally dark!!! Weird!! They closed all the stores so I had to leave and go back like after I went over to Toys R Us!!

I have these Willow Tree figurines I decorate with wreaths as a reminder of Joel and his life and his journey during Christmas 06!! I love and miss you!!!

I had an elf help me!!!!! Anna to the rescue!!!! we only wrapped 5, 298!!!! just kidding!!! hahah!!!

the coffee shop Anna works at, its sooooo cozy just to go in and sit around......me and mercy did just that!!!!

if you wanna buy some special treats at the coffee shop, they have it!!!

my new kitchen rug!!!! yay!!!!

older children means having lotsa of friends over!!!!

post office then coffee shop!!!!

we had a bd this week, Elijah is 21 now!!! wow!!!!

he didnt ask for all the treats, but I could not resist and Pinterest makes it easy!!!!

Thank you for stopping by and hope you all have a great weekend !!!!!

Cindy

most wonderful time of the year.....

2011-12-08T12:30:00.001-06:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer"
It's the most wonderful time of the year
It's the hap-happiest season of all
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings
When friends come to call
It's the hap- happiest season of all

There'll be parties for hosting
Marshmallows for toasting
And caroling out in the snow
There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of
Christmases long, long ago

It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be much mistltoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When love ones are near
It's the most wonderful time of the year

There'll be parties for hosting
Marshmallows for toasting
And caroling out in the snow
There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of
Christmases long, long ago

It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be much mistltoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When love ones are near
It's the most wonderful time
It's the most wonderful time
It's the most wonderful time
It's the most wonderful time of the year

our cowboy tree

once again, a Pinterest idea!!

may we all have Christ in the center of our celebrating!!

the blessing of wide window sills, BIG decorations!

cowboy tree

i have come to love turquoise, so I had to have a western turquoise tree!!!

have a few cheery Christmas plates

this is the craigslist 9 foot tree i just got

so i had to decide what theme i wanted to go with,

and the conclusion was silver, turquoise, white and brown!!!

i wrapped some grapevine around it too, so as to blend sparkle and rustic!

in the other window sill, i set up a little merry snowman scene!!

I got an idea of putting lights under the white tree skirt stuff you purchase in a package

these below I took with my phone, so just some fun edits

the turquoise, brown, silver and white tree

cowboy tree

God has blessed in so many ways, but I know so many are in need and with illnesses. Our neighbor, a young woman in her mid 30's had a brain aneurism and its a miracle she is alive, she was flown to Dallas and had surgery and is now home recovering. A little boy whose mom I am friends with on fb, her son died recently of cancer and has been away a year with her son in the hospital and is now back home trying to "fit back" into her own family!! A blog friend directed me to a family whose 2 yo son died on Tuesday, cancer and their only child. So, I know you all know of many too that need prayer.

Daniel leaves December 31st!!! I am happy and sad!! Really, I know that the safest place is in God's will!! We are so thankful for all the support he has received through monetary gifts and so many are praying for him!!! Thank you!!!! I wanted to let you know if you are local, Daniel is doing a benefit concert for his trip at our church this Sunday night, the 11th at 6pm! Just come and enjoy the talent that God has given him. Some of his friends at the church will also be helping him out on other instruments!!! It will be at First Baptist church, Guthrie on Noble ave!!! So join us!!!! It will be good to see you there!!!

Well, my dad and Shirley are coming tomorrow, Friday to have their BIG Christmas blow-out withe the children!!! They are bouncy-bouncy with anticipation!!!!

Tomorrow is Instafriday, so yall check back!!!!

Cindy

a few desserts for elijah's 21st birthday!

2011-12-06T22:04:00.001-06:00

*** I know I posted twice in one day, (the post below) but I am going to be very busy the next few days and I wanted to share these with you soooooo, here they are!!! A few special things for a wonderful guys birthday!!! Twenty-one......hard to believe!!!! I so remember Elijah's labor/delivery, in Little Rock, Ar, it was one of the hardest labors, back labor and wow, that was painful!! What a blessing he is to me and our family!!!

fixed him these little fella's for his birthday breakfast (pinterest)

I had a lot of fun fixing some special desserts I saw on Pinterest!

Hot drink stir spoons!!!!

the little snowmen were the cutest!!! mine even breathed/made bubbles when I dunked him!!

I just fixed up a very small dessert table

these are called Peanut Butter Brownie Cups

you can look on my Pinterest board under Ho Ho Yummo Christmas for the recipe!

North Pole Coconut Cupcakes

I saw these and thought......so cute but for a 21 year old???? sure why not!!! haha!

went perfect with our grilled burgers

I think he liked them!!

ummmmm.......reindeer horns made into glasses!

Josiah and Rudolph!

my snowman about to get dunked!!!

a couple from our church came to join us, Josh and Stephanie

he is the youth pastor at our church and they are expecting

their first baby in May!!!

I made one more dessert but forgot to take a photo of it, but it was the best out of all of the desserts! They were called Dulce de Luche Cheesecake Bars. They are also on my board of "I love cheesecake." These were awesome!!!! Will keep that recipe for sure!!!

It is soooooo cold here, hope you all are staying warm!!! Blessings to you all and may you take time for others during this season!!!

Cindy

a sweet note from a special girl!!!

2011-12-06T14:47:00.007-06:00

***** I added a picture :)
hey mrs. morris!

one of my favorite blogs is this one: http://resolved2worship.xanga.com/ -( it is the Wednesday Nov. 30th post, so scroll down to it) I think you've seen it before? The lady was raised in California and she married a guy from Alabama who was raised in ATI. They have had some serious marriage struggles especially with his parents over the years. But she posted the following post recently. It made me so grateful for you (even though I'm not your daughter-in-law just yet ;) haha) because I feel like you have been what she wants to be with her boys. You've made me feel so welcome, accepted, and cared about, not guilty, shamed or resisted. You clearly love your son SO much, but you are letting him live his life and be a man. You trust God with him and don't emotionally manipulate him. That means so much to both of us and I wanted to thank you!

Kristen

(this is from that blog site that was included in the e-mail she sent to me)

"Note to self for the future: when my boys are men, do not call them and treat them like they are still my little boys. It doesn't go over well with sons. (Or daughter-in-laws). Respect grown sons as if they are men, because they are. Respect them as if they are someone else's man, because they are.

Don't shame them, blame them, accuse them, manipulate or use emotion to control them. Don't use spiritual condemnation when they are not like I want them to be. This goes for now while they are not men too. It's not wrong to have desires for my sons, but if I let those desires become idols, and if I let those desires become more important then my son, I will not love them - I will drive them away. They can even be good desires. But the desires I have for my children can blind ME to the control I may have mastered to try to get them to be the way I dream or desire.

I must check my motives out. What are my desires for my children? Have I made these desires an idol? Are my desires for my children blinding me to sinful motives in my heart? (like ultimately do I want my children to turn out a certain way because if they don't, I will look bad? or it will tarnish the family 'image?') Even if I have good desires for my children, if I am so focused on trying to get them to become or fulfill my desires for them, I will drive them away with the spirit of control. They will feel the idolatry. They will want to flee it. And as grown men, they should.

Note to self: come back and read this when my boys leave home. Begin to prepare my heart now to release, let go, and love without expectation. Don't demand, expect, or idolize respect from them, but INSTEAD live and love them in such a way that honor is something they desire to give. Don't desire them to idolize me as their mother. They are not here for me! Not.one.bit. Be happy about, even rejoicing in the day that they move out from my authority and become men! Rejoice when I am to take the back seat, ur um, even get out of the car - and the car is filled with another woman, and their own family.

Point them to God not through many words, but through my releasing love, be a cheer leader that comes along side their marriage when the opportunity arrives and say, 'Yeah!' and 'I love you!' Period. With no attachment of manipulation to get them to fulfill my desire or dream for them. Not because my son has become the man I wanted him to become, but because I trust that God will and is a Father to Him and will make him the man he is to be. That will be glorious. That can be glorious now. Placing my sons into His hands. Rest. Peace. Trust. Release. Calm. Heart content. Heart yielded.God start with me. Show me how to parent for Your glory, not mine."

Well, I had no idea I was doing the right thing!!! And I am not sharing this to get praise, I am sharing it as a thought to my self, "plan not to plan".....hahha! AND i thought it would be a blessing to you all who have sons and who wants to have a PLAN!!!! hahhaa!!! I have never read a book about what to do when a son or daughter pursues a wife or husband and then when they get married. To be honest I have not thought too much about the logistics of it all! I guess the main parts I had thought of was I certainly desire them to pursue a godly woman, one that fears and trusts the Lord, that desires to be committed to death til they part, a woman that desires to be a wife and mother and that will love her husband with all her heart under the Lord! One that is creative and helpful to make their home hospitable and to use her own talents for the Lord as He gives opportunity and that is under her husbands guidance and counsel. And then of course when they get married I thought of ways I wanted to just be there for them as needed. Like to help with a baby, or in sickness as needed, to make memories in ways that would be a blessing to them. So these were just some general ideas I had thought of. When I got this little note from Kristen, I was relieved to know that they had evaluated and were very pleased with the interaction amongst us all. I told her that I did not do all she said with an intent of having the knowledge that all of it was the right thing to do, it really has just happened as it happened. I told her to be honest, I have literally not had the time to do a lot of calling, asking, being nosey so to speak with so many still here in the home, so I guess a good way to end up "doing the right" thing is have lots of other children to keep you busy and that way you wont be "stepping" in where you should not be. I have to admit, it has been a new season that we have entered in, Caleb went to MD May 14th, and has only been back like 3 times I think. I miss him terribly and I dont like the idea of "us" being apart especially during special occasions but its just life, life changes, moves on, children get older and they move to their own dreams and plans that God has for them. One of the greatest ways this transition of him not being in our home anymore has been easier on a momma's heart is, I love Kristen to pieces and am just so pleased and happy for both of them and how God has providentially brought them together!! I am so proud of Caleb, all the things he is learning and doing on his own as an adult man. He is his own man now! I know the parents still play a role in their lives, but now its counselor as needed and as requested. I told Kristen I hope I (we) can fulfill our roles respectively and to be gracious for the future because we will probably mess up and could be too nosey at times, but its all out of love, and we are also pioneers as how to do all this!! ha!! So I guess place a book mark on this little blog exert and save the info for your boys as they become men!! Like I said, I didn't know I was doing it right, but praise the Lord!!!

So tonight we are having Elijah's bd meal.......grilled burgers and a couple from church are joining us!! I did a very small dessert table, I couldnt resist!!! I know he is 21 but I just love doing special things for them!!! Sometimes, I just feel like I cant do one more thing and it just wears me out getting it all together and baking but once all done, it is rewarding and I am blessed to do it for them!! I am not 25 anymore!! yikes!! I have a bd coming up myself soon, I dont likey!!!

have a great rest of the day!!!!

here are a few pictures of the boy in MD during the Christmas season! Did I ever tell you, this guy LOVES Christmas!!! I think he and Kristen are having some wonderful memory making times!!! He got his own little tree in his little basement with the family he is renting from!

they are decorating together!!!

this one is at Kristens little place, all decorated up!!!

do you see the reindeer and sleigh, Caleb "crafted" that up!!!

What a wonderful season, being with those you love and those that are not here, they are in our hearts all the time!!! I love you, son and miss you but I know your with one you love and that makes my heart happy!!!

Cindy

christmas craft #3 and #4 (and State Champs)

2011-12-05T01:00:00.016-06:00

The next Christmas craft we did was a noodle snowflake! It was more difficult for little hands, like Mercy but she did apply the glue to the sides of the wagon wheel noodles and I put her snowflake together for her. Josiah and the rest all did theirs by their self! Each craft has been so fun, I especially liked this one with the bling and sparkly glittery stuff on them!!

You could use different sizes of wagon wheel noodles but they only had this one size at our grocery store. First create the shape you want to make, I think its one in the middle and then build around it to make a snowflake. Some of them got creative and made a cross and a tree. The glue suggested was to use the tacky glue and apply with a small paintbrush around all the edges of the noodle that will touch the next noodle. They really need to dry for several hours after the glueing process. Next, set them up on something so they are not on a flat surface and spray paint very light coats one coat at a time, so the noodles do not become soft. Do both sides. The next step is spraying an adhesive spray on the design and as soon as you spray, sprinkle the glitter on. Allow to dry 20-30 minutes and do the other side too. Finally after they are really good and dry, string them on a red ribbon if you like and use them as an ornament!!

The 4th craft was super easy, a 3 and 4 year old could do this one!! Making a reindeer out of 2 candy canes! First tape the 2 candy canes together, then begin wrapping the candy canes with a brown yarn and we made them kinda pudgy! We hot glued the yarn on the back once we had the amount of yarn desired for the body. With a hot glue gun and supervision for littles, glue the wiggly eyes and red puff for the nose on the deer! The last step, I have not done yet because, I cant find the bells I bought at Hobby Lobby on Friday, so I will have to get some more. You will take a ribbon and put a bell on it and tie it around the neck, a little ways past his nose, then the reindeer will be all done!!!

add the ribbon and bell,( ours is green ribbon) just a bit past the nose!!

I told you if I had inspiration I was going to display all their crafts on a wall, well the place that seemed best was on the wall where there is no paint, the area around the double-oven cabinet which one day we want to put stone around it, but for now I just made my own bricks!! haha!! Its just black bulletin board paper and I painted the white lines on it!! They are excited about all their crafts hanging there!!! and plus, it makes the wall look not so boring with just sheet rock on it!!!

Friday we headed over to Stillwater to the OSU Stadium for the State Championship High School Football game that our Guthrie Blue Jays were playing in!!!! AND......they won!!!! It was a great game!! But my feet froze!!! We were all bundled up, I thought but I guess not enough!!! It was like 37 degrees! I really cant believe I even went but I endured hahah!!

Well, hope your not bored with all this blog material!!!! If so, just check back 2012!!! haha! A few more crafts that I found on Pinterest and that will about be the end of crafting. This week is going to be a blur! My dad and Shirley are coming the end of the week to do Christmas with the children, so they are very excited about that!! Elijah's bd is today!!! He is 21!! Wahoo!! We are having his bd meal on Tuesday evening so I have to get his special dessert prepared for that!! Hope you have a great Monday!!!

Happy 21st Birthday

Elijah!!!!!

Love you!!!!

(Christmas craft #2 post below)

Cindy

Christmas craft #2

2011-12-04T16:44:00.000-06:00

Well, we are getting some more craft projects going!! Once again I found this little caroler on Pinterest for the children to do!!

and all hard work requires a "dunking chocolate cookie break in milk!!!"

.......and a coffee break for some!!!

don't you just love these little Caroler folks!!!

It was really an easy craft, Mercy did quite a bit of it by herself and she is 5, Josiah age 8 handled it all by himself! So here is a rundown of how it goes if you wanna try it.

You will need to cut a round head out of tan paper, I used a folder. You will need to run off some music for the body area and we glued it to a black piece of construction paper. Next trace around the child's hand in mitten form and make the gloves and the children just free-handed cutting the snow hat out and the ball on top of the hat. For the hair, cut strips out of construction paper and fold back and forth for the girls and for the boys just cut some little fat half moons I guess. They drew the eyes, nose and mouth with a permanent marker and used a white writing pen for the hat and glove patterns on them. It an inexpensive craft to do, just using paper and marker. I just thought they looked so jolly and Mercy says that "carolers" go around and sing to Jesus!! I told her that "carolers go and sing about Jesus," she got a bit mixed up but thats ok, but in a real sense we are singing to Him!! I always wonder what Joel is doing and I think singing is one of the things he does a lot with Jesus now!!

We have several more crafts we have done and I will post them soon, dont wanna put yall on "overload!!" Hope your finding ways to make a memory too!!

Cindy

instafriday!!!

2011-12-02T01:00:00.005-06:00

Its time for instafriday!!!!! This week has been a busy iphone picture taking week!! Check out what we have been up to all week! Join up, all you gotta do is capture some pics via any type phone and let others see whatcha been up to!!! Soooooo, here we go!!!

How does a Christmas Cactus know its Christmas time! I does not bloom all year and then bam, its Dec. and it blooms!!!

we made some Christmas crafts this week!! Of course Pinterest is being my brain, which I love!!!

aren't the Snowmen adorable????

grocery week and since I leave so early, I get to see some of God's handy work!!!

looks like my grocery cart is a dangerous thing......let the candy making begin!!!

......and I wore my cheery red scarf celebrating Dec. 1st!!!!

out grocery shopping, I saw this flag and was moved as it whipped in the Oklahoma wind and was grateful for Jesus and the freedom we have!

we got the ole' school work done, but a bit-o-coffee just makes you think better!!!

this is a tree in our backyard, I call it our "bow-legged" cowboy tree!!!

looks like I am up at dawn til the sunset....Oklahoma has some amazing sunsets!!!

this was taken just before turning into our driveway!!

these are for decoration ONLY!!! hahah!!! another stash is for eating!!!!

we have 3 trees up, and this is the one I got off Craigslist, remember?? Well, I am so happy with all the colors, brown, turquoise, silver and white!!

.......and a lil' bit of Christmas shopping for a special little 5 yo daughter at one of her favorite places, I just love their bags!!!!

I can hardly resist going there.......I didnt feel so bad when on the same day my husband and daughter hit Starbucks too and Pops, all in the same day!!!

Daniel has been practicing for a Christmas banquet and for some other things going on, I will tell yall about a little later and I had to practice doing some different editing!!!

guys want cookies, guys make cookies!!!

we got our double oven cabinet this week, so glad and hoping by Spring we can get the actual oven!!! they are sooooo expensive!!! yikes!!! See Mercy over there, she is showing where it goes and around the oven on the wall we re going to put real stone!!!

my dear husband was able to put up our 3 pendant lights over the island!!! little bit at a time!!!

its never too late for ice-cream bars+ a movie!!!!

when I drive through town at night, I see every ones pretty trees glittering and I wanted to go outside and see what ours looked like, course no one will be driving by our house, you cant even see it from the road wayyyyy out here in the "kuntry!!!!!"

Thank you sooooo much for stopping by!!!! Hope you have a great weekend and stay warm!!!!!

Cindy

something sweet!!

2011-12-01T09:00:00.002-06:00

Peanut Butter Truffles (with crushed pretzels inside too)

The Christmas season is officially here!!! aaaaaaaaand the beginning of making things we ONLY make once a year! Thank goodness!!I have found a lot of new things to try on Pinterest! This was one of them, but I really just used my regular Peanut Butter Ball recipe and added the crushed pretzels like their recipe called for! Added a little crunch to the smoothy peanut buttery taste!! YUM!!! My grocery list consists of lots of ingredients for new desserts......eeek!!!! Josiah was my big helper on these rolling them out!! Really, I enjoy making it more than eating the stuff, the only thing I really love a few of is, the Mocha Truffles I make!! Anything with coffee is a must eat at least one anyways!!!

A lot of happenings this weekend for us!! Friday, our home town football team will play in the State Championships at the OSU stadium!! Its going to be a great game and its going to be freezing cold from what I hear!! Saturday morning, the cabinet guy is suppose to come, he already brought out the oven cabinet and hopefully by Spring, we can get our double ovens!! Saturday evening is the big game, OSU and OU!! whahooooo!!! Tomorrow is grocery day and Terry gets to hold the fort down while I go out!! The littles will enjoy that because he does not run as tight a ship as me!! hahah!!

If yall wanna read something to make you smile, then read Kristen's post about a merry little time Caleb is having crafting!!! haha! I love it!!! She is an awesome gal!!!!

Hope you all have a great day!!!

Cindy

a christmas craft day!!

2011-11-30T14:07:00.001-06:00

A quote from Mercy, "Oh mom, you always think of the neatest things to do!!!"

A quote from Hosanna, " she got it off the internet!!"

Hey, what can I say!! I am set free now with Pinterest to "think" and come up with ideas!! I no longer have to use up my brain cells!!! But yes I have been collecting craft ideas for the little people and I am actually going to do some of them!!! How many have you done so far???? If I get real inspirational I am going to put all of the craft projects on a wall and it will be our "Christmas Gallery" of projects!! They LOVE doing stuff and to be honest, I like it too!! I really dont have alot of crafty material so I had to gather some things as I went to Wal Mart. You dont have to DO Pinterest to crafts, just google!!! Ok, here it is!! A Jolly Snowman!!! He is made out of the large craft sticks and you can pretty much see how it goes! Tape 6 sticks together with duck tape on the back, draw a slanted line for the hat area to be painted black. Add some eyes, paint a carrott nose and a happy smile. Paint a separate stick for the brim of the hat then hot glue it on with a bit o-ribbon on top and a glittery "puff" ball and I added a string so we could hang the little guy up!! Now you have no excuses, get it going!!!

Now on to a Christmas Dessert I saw on Pinterest........YUM!!!!!!

Josiah, Hosanna, Mercy and Jeremiah!

and there you have it......a Jolly Snowman

Cindy

a note of thanks and what HE hath done!!

2011-11-27T14:45:00.000-06:00

Only a few more days and we will be a the beginning of beginnings. December 4th, the "date" when it seemed like literally the floodgates of "hell" crashed down upon our lives. A day I will never forget and will live many times over as long as I have breath. A blanket of darkness that enshrouded my heart, my breath, my eyes.....a suffocating blackness like I had never experienced. Voices swirling around with resounding words that one would hope to never hear about their child......"cancer, life-threatening, procedures, shots, surgery's! Giggles and laughter turning into cries and wales of "no more mommy, it hurts mommy, hold me mommy, help me mommy!" It all visits me again, the "shadow of sickness/ death." Its been a long almost 5 years. How could it be? So much has been missed by you not being here. How could one even begin to breath/live again? Jesus, there is no other name above your name! Thats how.....Jesus! Slowly, slowly, prayer, cries, the Word, seeking, asking, others, love, and repeat all that over 5 year time frame and that is how! I have made it and only by His wonderful grace and mercy and seeking to trust that His plans are done in love for my good and His glory!! So many "God things" have transpired from this deep. I feel like personally I have and am learning truths of God that one could only learn through such trials. If I was asked to describe God in one word from this trial, it would be Faithful! Isn't that His very name? "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war." Rev. 19:11 His judgements are true, that means to me that what he places on the scales is right, that means to me that His plans are right! My heart rests in that hope. In these almost 5 years, I know, I am sure that God's will has been done. Yes, I still grieve, yes I still cry and long and miss but a scripture in Isaiah 33:21 encourages my heart that its not all over with, even though Joel is not here any longer. God just didn't leave the scene and move on to the next prospect for a trial. Even now God still is working and has plans to unfold from Joel's story and life. "The glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams." You see God has allowed Joel's story to travel "abroad like a river and streams." God has expanded in a way that is so broad that in our families lifetime I do not think we could have ever touched, helped, made contact with encouraged, come to know via the cyber world the numbers that a blog about a 3 yo little boy did!!! This has nothing to do with me or our family, it has everything to do about God and a little boy! And when I have the opportunity to see a visual because of a few numbers, then I am blessed! I am thankful to the Lord that its not over and everyday proves it! This is my 1009 post! And in these almost 5 years we have had over 205,000 viewers. I know thats not a huge amount but its an amount that I know our family could have never communicated with except through this way......a blog!! So, I want you all to know, we are so grateful for YOU!! Thank you for everything, your words, your tears, your encouragement, your help, your support, your love and much more!! I have literally become "friends" with so many of you even though we have not met in person. You all are a special part of my life and I enjoy sharing our life with you, I enjoy sharing what God has done with you and Lord willing I look forward to continuing to share what God has and is doing in our family!

May the Lord bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you and give you peace!!

much love,

Cindy