Adventures of a Bike

 One can have many adventures on a bike.  Its quite amazing really.   I went for a simple bike ride last night.   It was maybe a 2 mile bike ride, tops.  Took about 20 minutes.   I used the bike path near our home, and as I was coasting alone and passing a family walking along,  I imagined myself along an old dirt road.  Children racing along to catch the hopping toads (or in our case, lizards).   My straw hat would of course stay one well.   Wild flowers would gently spill out of my wicker basket.  It would be a cool summer day.  (Not really an oxy-moron if you think about the fantasy life, anything is possible).   It was a lovely time.   

I passed Walmart and Albertsons as I turned onto a more fast paced road.   I pictured myself cycling down mainstreet,  this time, brown paper packages, tied up in strings graced my little whicker basket.  Oh and a flour sack.   Old automobiles honked in a friendly wave.   Dainty white gloves are on my fingers.   Children playing with those larger than life hoops.  Maybe, once in a while a cat will scurry across the road. 

It was time to turn again.  This was the road leading out of town.  An elderly man was pulled off to the side, a mexican man was jump-starting his car.  The bike path is more narrow here.   I thought of a wheel coming off  a buggy and a gentleman helping a gentleman with his wheel.   I also passed a man in a wheelchair, almost ran into him as a matter of fact, thats what happens when you think of the adventures your having and not watching where your going.  Gulp.   But as I passed, I used that image as someone like Mr. Churchill from Jane Austen’s Emma passing by with a tip of his hat and a smirk on his face.   I really wasnt blushing you know.  It was that cool summer heat getting to me.

Finally that last stretch that will take me home.  My bike has turned into a gentle riding mare.  I cant be the only one thats ever pictured my bike as a mare, even as a child that was my favorite thing to pretend.  Returning home to my little darlings.   I pass an elderly couple struggling along to get a good walk in for the evening.   My mare trots pass this lovely gardener and his wife.  They smile.  They have not a care in this Utopia world.  My riding crop is crisp and green of course.  It is lovely evening.  

Finally, I’m turning into my driveway.   All fantasy and dreams gone.  I am home.   I hear my little boy giggle as Daddy blows on his tummy.   I hear my little girl say,  “Daddy, Emma.  Daddy, Emma.”  And I know she’s begging for a turn.   It is time to come home.   And am I glad to be here.

Tis the Season

 

I love how Christmas follows after Thanksgiving.  Its so appropriate.  I am thankful for so many things but most of all, I am thankful and grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who sent His only Son, whom He loved, to suffer a painful, bitter, agony, and so much more death.  He did not just die.  He suffered much for our sins.  I put Him on that cross.  He died to save me!  I am so thankful that He was so selfless and so loving to do that. 

What a better season to share with all those so dear to us than to celebrate the birth of the savior.  An infant in a vast world.  Even from birth He was rejected (Harod certainly didn’t want Him around).  To put it in Isaiah’s words-
“He was bruised for our transgressions”.

 I love this season.  Christmas music, in praise to our Savior, plays throughout the holidays in stores and on the radio.  The smells of fresh baked goodies.  The beautifully decorated tree.  Colorful packages.  The joy of giving.  The joy of remembering what was given us.  A time when family comes together.  A time to build memories. 

This year most of our gifts are homemade.  Its been so much fun planning and making gifts for all the nieces and nephews.  But still throughout the year I will pick up little things here and there that make me think of a person.  I have so many projects going its not even funny but I’m having fun.

 

So, how are your holidays coming about?

 

Maidin Monday wk 4

 This Maid has been very busy so today she stopped and reflected by she was so busy… and she stopped to smell the roses…

 

 

 

 

 And admire God’s gift to the desert…

 

 And the little things we take for granted…

 

A Walk in the Park

 Today I took Euphemia and my younger siblings to the park.  I also remembered to take the camera.  Warning; Many pictures ahead!

Jenna found it more fun to climb up the toys.

Lorna enjoyed sliding

 Moment of acomplishment!

Ethan wanted to be all boy… so…

He kept begging me to take pictures.

Aunt and Neice…

Euphemia enjoyed the slide as well!

This scene should have been video taped.  Ethan was calmly telling Lorna, “OK Lorna, Legs in, out, pull em in!”

 

Andra then wanted a turn…

Emma was interested in the dirt, what a sodbuster.

Jenna snapped this one of me.  Now you know the real reason I took them to the park.

So we all decided to have devotion time.

Andra and Emma decided grass was better than dirt.

“I’ve been deserted!”

 

Group picture take 1

Group picture take 2

Take 3… We’re getting somewhere!

Direct sunlight always gives such happy expressions!!!

 

I hope you enjoyed our outting as much as we did!

Happy Father’s Day

 My Dearest one, 
This will be quite a long post.  I recommend reading it either tonight or tomorrow morning before Church. 

I want to start this part 1 out by listing 50 things I love about you, as appose to 10 things I hate about you.  (the movie dear )
 

1.  I love your Christian attitude and heart.
2. I love the memories we share and the smile that comes to your eyes
3. I love the way you smile when you come home from work.
4. I love to watch you cuddle with Emma
5. I love to hear you play the piano, even when you stumble. 
6. I love the emphasis you make on family devotions
7. I love the fact that you continue to pray for meals even when we are rushed for time.
8. I love when you look words up in the dictionary.  I know it sounds like I tease you to death about it, and I do but you just wouldn’t be you without doing it.
9. I love the way you choose to dress and the way you make sure your hair is always combed.
10. I love the way you work hard (but I wouldn’t mind it if you took a few breaks now and then )
11. I love your dreams about gardening and living on a farm
12. I love the way you gently correct me
13. I love the fact that I wake up and you are tucked away in your study reading God’s word or writting down thoughts.
14. I love the way you honor both sets of your parents
15. I love the way you take care of things and teach me to be a good stewart of the things God has given us.
16. I love the way you read the Psalms to Emma
17. I love the way you laugh over Jerry Lewis
18. I love the way you ponder over things
19. I love the way you are more anxious to read a story then sit infront of the TV
20. I love the way you like to see our house run.
21. I love the way you say,  “we need to talk”
22. I love it when you cook
23. I love you when you let me sleep in even though it means you’ll be making your own lunch and breakfast on workdays because I am just exhausted.
24. I love how you very little complain.
25. i love your encouraging notes I find
26. I love your eagerness to find toads and lizards
27. I love the way you be neighborly without being a doormat
28. I love how you stand up for what is right and just
29. I love the sort of books you read and when you want to share what you are learning with me
30. I love you, body, mind and soul
31. I love your admiration of fine and good women, noble and true
32. I love the way you learn from the patriarchs
33. I love the fact that I can usually just come and talk to you.
34. I love the way you search for healthy alternitives
35. I love the way you support my sewing but remind me of the priorities
36. I love the way you write your letters
37. I love the fact that you take time to write me
38. I love the fact that you don’t rush into decisions
39. I love to watch you shave.
40. I love your quietness
41. I love your pet names for Emma
42.  I love it when you call me, Hopin’
43. I love your gentleness and giving spirit
44. I love the fact that you do things even when you don’t want too
45. I love it that we debate but walk away smiling at each other
46. I love it that you are the provider and protector of our family
47. I love the way you firmly but lovingly disclipine our child
48. I love watching you with Emma on any occasion, the father pride just beems from your face
49. I love your old fashion gentlmaness about you but most of all…
50. I love you, with every breadth, depth and hight.. if God chose, I shall but love thee better after death.

 

Because i know how much you love this poem;

Tell me not, Sweet, I am unkind
For, from the nunnery
Of thy chaste breast, and quiet mind,
To war and arms I fly.

True, a new mistress now I chase,
The first foe in the field;
And with a stronger faith- embrace
A sword, a horse, a shield.

Yet this unconstancy is such
As you too shall adore;
For, I could not love thee, Dear, so much,
Loved I not honour more.

Since we have been living more frugaly lately and since you “made” me promise not to use our cash to get you something, Euphemia and I came up with a scheme and it was quite enjoyable.

What we first did was count all the change in the house.  It added up to something like $1.60? Euphemia then pick-pocketed all the change from your pocket and even managed a dollar bill.  What a clever lil 8 month girl she is.  We then took all the empty bottles and can’s to the recycling center.  That gave us $5.80 there.  We now had about $9 and some change.  We then took that infamous picture the other day of your socks…

Emma took it into her head to find those perfect pair of wool socks that you love so much.  Cotton just won’t do and since I have not learned the technique of knitting with four needles (how daunting that sounds!) we decided that it was much cheaper and better for the poor widow woman, that stayed up all night knitting these specially for you, if we purchased them.  Oh wait, that would have been a few decades ago… never mind, we went to the small shop around the corner.

Emma picked these out for you…

 I am not sure which she is more happy about… the left over change at her feet or the fact that you have some socks, or the fact I pulled out the camera… but whatever the reason.. we love you!

Happy Father’s Day to the bestest husband and father in the world!

Your darlings…

 

Memorial Day

I found some pictures online that I thought would be a nice reflection to think on.  Pictures are worth a thousand words

Yellow rose, for memorial

 

 

2 years of marital bliss…

Yesterday marked our 2nd anniversary.  In two years of marriage we have been blessed with 2 children (1 on the way and the other crawling around).   I wrote last year on the wedding day prejitters, excitement, and a update. This year I would love to reflect on what marriage is.

22^(AV)Wives, ^(AW)be subject to your own husbands, ^(AX)as to the Lord.

 23For ^(AY)the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the ^(AZ)head of the church, He Himself ^(BA)being the Savior of the body.

 24But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

 25^(BB)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and ^(BC)gave Himself up for her,

 26^(BD)so that He might sanctify her, having ^(BE)cleansed her by the ^(BF)washing of water with ^(BG)the word,

 27that He might ^(BH)present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be ^(BI)holy and blameless.

 28So husbands ought also to ^(BJ)love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;

 29for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,

 30because we are ^(BK)members of His ^(BL)body.

 31^(BM)FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.

 32This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

 33Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to ^(BN)love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she ^(BO)respects her husband.

Ephesians 5:22-33 NASB

Here is a picture of the man and wife and Christ and His Church.   How odd that marriage should be such a picture.  Marriage MUST be highly reverened (? not sure this is the word I am searching for…) by God.   But marriage was also instituded to, “fill and replenish the earth”.    Well, if that’s God’s plan then we need no fear of all the common scientist conclusions on how there are jsut too many people for our earth.  If God want’s us to fill the earth then by golly He will also give us the means.   I am surrounded by empty land so there definetly is room.  Hee hee.

Marriage is also to complete one another.  Now, in my understanding this does not mean you need a man or a woman to complete you.  God did not call all to marriage.  But I cannot imagine my life without David.  Sorry. I know that sounds absoluetly mushy and unrealistic, but I just can’t imagine.  He makes life run smoothly.  He makes my heart to beat (along with God of course ) My day is just horrible when he is not home.   

I remember one day my sister, Braelyn, asking Mumsie why she had such bad days when Daddy wasn’t home.  She replied,  “My other half isn’t here.  Half of me is gone.  I can’t function without that half.”  It took me until I was married to really understand that.  David is not only my other half, he is my better half.  While it is my job to run the house, he makes it run more smoothly.  While my job is the mothering, his is the fathering (you never hear God refered to as a Mother but always the Father ). 

It works both ways too,  God created ME for HIM! I was created to be David’s helpmeet.  I take care of the womanly things while he goes to work every single work day and works his muscles weak, his eyes heavy, and he neck out from all the mechanical stuff.  He has to put up with the language the fellow workers use (no curse free remote there) and he has to put up with awful lyrics from the local radio that is on all day.  He has to go to work even when his depression is so bad.  He has to go to work sharply even though he may have worked until 10pm the night before. 

Me, as you can see, I can sit here at my little computer, while my baby play happily and write down a few thought.  Women may have a 24/7 hard job, but I’d take it over what the men have to do.  It’s what we were created for.  I was NOT made to do what my husband does.  I would be a frazzled rumpled creature.  But I can wash dishes, change diapers, scrub toilets, do laundry, read daily, write hourly, etc.  with a much lighter heart.  If some things don’t get done, there is always tomorrow.  No customers complaining in my ear. 

So this is what our marriage is like.  Each trial brings us closer together and closer to an Almight God. Each memory made is treasured.  Each child given to us by God is our precious arrow for Him.  God is so wonderful.  He is so merciful.  He is such a blessing to us.  We are so blessed by Him.  Marriage is wonderful.  May I have many many more years. Lord take me home first! Let me live not one day here without my dearest Beloved. 

Where have all the young girls gone?

I was thinking about waiting to write this until  my birthday had passed but with the way my blog has been slowly been updated as of late I am writting this now, while I have the time.

It will soon be my 20th birthday.  How I wish I could write with such wisdom as my mother seems to have but I am still in the humble learning stage.  Life brings such trials and circumstance that seems to bring out the dull and slowness in me.  If I think clearly and “wisely” it’s usually in the shower and only to myself.   Perhaps this is what God has given me, keeps me humble right?

I am not sure how the day will be. Probably windy as it always is, weather wise.  Spiritually I will search for Solomon’s gift and pray for such a gift.  I know that we will be watching “My Fair Lady” and have cheesecake as I have asked that for my husband for a birthday gift.   I know he would LOVE to give me something but I cannot think of anything and we have no room at our home for dust bunny collectors.  Do I see not having to do dishes too? Oh boy, I ask for a lot. 

My birthday is a week before my anniversary and 3 weeks before my husbands birthday.  It keeps it easy and hectic at the same time.  My in-laws have invited us over for dinner, although I think they really just want to see their granddaughter, it is sure to be a tummy-filling event! I so enjoy being with them and the conversations we have.

Youngers are always asking you, “How does it feel like to be older”.  “Like you have been given more responsibility”.  They shriek and run for the hills (or whenever teens go now adays ).  For me as much as I dislike the actual duties that responsibilty brings I love being an adult.  I love being treated with respect and curteously.   We still have fun.  I still giggle silly with my friends over cute actors (though I still think the cutest guy on the planet is the one that I sleep next to every night).  But the purpose in life is so much more wonderful than waiting for the exciting day to happen.   Oh boy how horribly worded that was but alas I have no time to revise as I must go and practice what I preach as I head to the grocery store.

Happy Birthday to Me… God gave His love for me…

Ethie Bugifie….

The poor boy was doomed. Yes, we call him that. And he is all boy too.  Yep, All boy, down to the dirtiness, balls, rovin’ gambler,  smart alec, all that.  He was quite a surprise to us girls when he wouldn’t do anything so sissy.  Not like Nolan. Well, Nolan wasn’t sissy just very compliant.

But, Ethan, He had a fascination for balls, particularly soccer balls (a shame to his father who believes, “The first step to one-world-government”, to put it nicely).  He would lug around many balls at once when he was a toddler.  Just look at him now,

Ethan, Dapper Dude the 1,

Ethan has always found a way to tell you the most uninteresting things in the most fascinating way.  He has a story-telling way about him.  I rememeber (and we have it on video somewhere) him telling a story (when he was like 4?) about a horse, black.   It when on for over an hour about this horse.  I don’t think anything was repeted like, the horse was black, the horse ran in the meadow, the black horse ran in the meadow.  Nope, He probably could have written,  The Black Stallion without even reading it.   But with all that, he has a wee bit of difficulty reading.  Mumsie shall remedy that! 

I have a very cool picture in my photo album of Ethan all dressed up in the play knights armor.  Perhaps that day is the one I remember the most.   He dressed up in all this armor, came up to me (5 yr. old) and said, “I’ll protect you!”  And away he went slaying the dragon that threatened my life.  I called him after that, “My lil knight in shining armour” (Now don’t think he was replaced or he was the replacement, my hubby is, THE knight (not lil) in shining armour).  

Ethan loves, Spiderman.  I don’t understand the fascination but he is boy and LOVES Spiderman.  He has a few outfits and he will wiggle his fingers and do the whole web thing and even make the whooosh sound.  Talk to me about boys would ya? Is it like men and “The Godfather”? Boys and “Spiderman”?

But perhaps our favorite movie with Ethan was, “Finding Nemo”.   Remember the turtle? Crush?  Well, Ethan just loved that movie and would watch it 100 times a day (or so we girls thought when we watching to watch something like “Ice Princess”).  But we would walk up to him and say, “sweet” and he would say (3 year old here)
“Duuuuuuuude!”   You had to hear it to find it as cute but use your imagination or picture your three-year-old child saying that with dead pan expression but enthusiastic but dead voice.  So hard to write but so laughable to remember.

Ethan is also the “Protector” (if you will) of Lorna.  That means that while he will tease her to death (and maybe annoy her a wee bit too) he will also be her best companion.  I often come over to see them engaged in some sort of conversation or play.  Often times Lorna is chasing Ethan or visa versa but there is something between the sibling that just makes your heart melt.   He likes to help Lorna hold Euphemia.   See, here he is holding her when she was first born… He is gonna make some gal swoon with his teddy bear heart but fearless character.

Another pic to show how boyish he is

He is also looking forward to making a bookshelf with David soon. 

 

Andra’s Post

How original.  So, Andra, the blond one. Not only blond but blue eyes as well.  Andra is definetly blond in personality as well. Here she is in one of my creations.  This picture is one of my favorites.

She looks so much like her Grandma H. there.   She has the complete (or almost) personality of Grandma.  She is smart in her own way but she has a ditzy way about her.   Probably the thing that stand’s out the most about Andra is her logic.   My sisters can be deep in conversation about something, maybe child rearing (yeah we love to talk about that. Especially while watching Nanny and the Naughty Corner) They can go back and forth about the proper way to discipline and correct the child and Andra will pipe in with,
“Why is the room purple? What an interesting color for the child” Makes total sense to her. 

I believe Andra would make a good reporter.  You enter the house and she will tell you all the updates of the family.  Some of the lesser known things, some of the more known and common life details, something that the neighbors are doing, something someone across the country is in cahoot with the president.  You name it, she knows every detail about it.  While as we posted before about Jenna being our Jonah… perhaps Andra could be the more detailed version of it.  Where Jenna will tell you, Lorna broke a dish, Andra will say, 
“Sargeant (the dog) ran inside and Lorna was chasing after it.  Nolan had a popsicle. Lorna ran into the stack of plates. Braelyn did the bathroom. Lorna broke a large yellow plate. Challice called 2 days ago.”

Oh yes, so Andra.  She like Morgann love to bake/cook.  She has a interest for gardening too (but not the inclination to weed and prepare the soil. Just plant and water. ).  

  You can point to something right in front of her and her eyes are across the room scowering the said object.  You do have to tell her many times to do one thing or what you have said half a dozen times.  Her mind flitters from one thing to another.

Now, I have listed all her bad qualities.  What is she like as a sweet girl? Well, Look above at her picture. She has a certain charm about her.  Very rarely is she upset or sad. Atleast as far as my eye can see.   She posesses the humor for our family- read her comments here Andra’s Antics  (don’t worry, will only take about as long as it took to read this far).  Andra cuddles, she is a big little sister, She is a friend and a companion, and most of all she is a real treat.

Capturing her energy and livliness would make her quite rich.  If only we all could posess what children find within themselves.  But then, at one time we all did and it wore us out in the end.

The greatest memory I have of Andra is probably the one that I wasn’t even there for.  My mother has told it a hundred times.  Her birth.   They go to the hospital, the planned homebirth fell through, but the mom didn’t.  My understanding, Mom comes out of bathroom, climbs or fall upwards onto the bed and says,
“This baby is coming”.   Nurse and Dad nodd and reassure her.  “Yes, dear anytime now”.  
“No, this baby is coming NOW!”  Still more reasurring that it will be anytime.  Not sure how long this went on but soon enough Dad says, “Umm… NURSE! There’s a head… HEAD! NURSE!!!”  Nurse continues to fill out paperwork.  “I’ll be right there. “  doesn’t even look.  NURSE! (I can see a few #^*@#! in the distance even thought that is so not my dad).  Finally I guess the nurse turned around to make her point, yeah think she was a bit ticked,  just as the baby was about to fall on the floor and made a dash and caught her.  Wow. Talk about God.  Now, the reason Dad didn’t catch the baby was Mom had his thumbs.  She could’nt let go.  I hear she tried but she didn’t.  What a memory huh? That is what I remember most about Andra.  The birth story I was never there for. 

What a Eulogy should Andra ever need one. Ha. I’ll be gone before that sprintz is.

 

 

Jesse Spencer – Molly Smiles Lyrics

Daddy’s little girl paints the world with her magic wand
Daddy’s little child breathes new life to the morning time for me
Though we’re apart, her thoughts follow me
When I come home, Molly smiles with the dawn
Molly smiles, and she radiates the glow around her halo
When she plays, Molly smiles
On a summer day, Molly smiles
A new day, Molly smiles

Daddy’s little girl ties a ribbon around my heart
Daddy’s little child waves goodbye to the ocean tide that sweeps me
Though we’re apart, she’s a part of me

Molly smiles with the dawn
Molly smiles and she radiates the glow around her halo
When she plays, Molly smiles
On a summer day, Molly smiles
A new day, Molly smiles

When I come home, Molly smiles with the dawn
Molly smiles and she radiates the glow around her halo
When she plays, Molly smiles
On a summer day, Molly smiles
A new day, Molly smiles

When the days have gone grey,
Nothing’s wrong when Molly smiles