The Mighty Hunter

Last year during deer season, Hubby determined Thing 1 is a pretty good shot. He set a cup up about 100 yards away, and when the boy shot, they thought he had missed. It was still standing. Upon further inspection, however, they learned he had hit it so dead center it hadn't moved.

This year, he is putting the skill to good use. Earlier this year he went squirrel hunting:



Today was youth season. He spied an unsuspecting buck. He aimed. He shot. He scored!



His first buck. It's a banner day.

His celebration wish? Bob Evans. Of course.

He's a Tiger!

It's official. Travis is a Mizzou Tiger. He has been there a bit over a month now, and is facing his first round of tests this week.

He came home for Labor Day Weekend. He didn't even bring his laundry. He said he could do it at school. I was shocked. Then I was sad. Then I did a skip as I left the laundry room. But I still wouldn't mind if he brought it next time.

The following weekend we visited Travis. No, we aren't going to hover and make sure we see him every weekend. It was: a) Family Weekend; and b)His birthday. We dressed in gold and went to the football game. We have some die-hard fans in this family.


The Things very much enjoyed the game.

Everyone was glad to see Travis, who was the recipient of lots of hugs.

We saw him some, but when we weren't with him, we had a ball with Sister and her husband. They are The. Best. Hosts. In. The. World. So there.

Time to go home came very quickly. It was shocking, really.



Yes, that is a real shiner, not makeup. But, you should've seen the other guy. That's all I'm gonna say about that.

We are looking forward to seeing Travis in November. In the meantime...


GO TIGERS!!!!

Quick and Happy Notes

I was very happy to see Staci is blogging again. Very happy.

The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen is a new discovery for me. Oh, yum!

I'm scrambling to get homeschool planning done. I like this time of year...it is a sort of fresh start....like New Year's Day....I can plan to my heart's content. Actually implementing it? We'll see.

Yesterday was a happy birthday. Calls from The Sweetest Nieces Ever, gifts and cards from Hubby and kids, a call from Sister, choosing my very own cake and eating lots of icing, well wishes from friends and family made for a good day. Thanks, Jesus!

These are especially cool. The best I can tell, it would require getting out my sewing machine. Gasp! Ah, well.... ht Staci

A website for Christian women. Incourage Me. Worth a look see!

He's Off!

I was feeling rather overwhelmed a couple of weeks ago. There is quite a lot to do when sending a child off to college for the first time. We took Travis up to Mizzou on Sunday. The trip was eventful. Wow. Because of a closed highway (I guess I'm glad they are inspecting those bridges after all....) we had a bit of a detour in which our three-vehicle party was separated. I am, however, using the term "vehicle" a bit loosely. Trav was driving his car with Annie, Holly was driving me in mine, and Hubby was on the Harley with Thing 1. As we were about five miles from a designated meeting spot, in a downpour, we got a call from Travis saying he was already there and waiting for us. About the time I processed that information, we drove by an underpass full of motorcyclists. Apparently Hubby wasn't the only one who believed the weather forecast predicting a small chance of rain much later in the day. I spied Hubby and The Thing amidst the leather and helmets and we stopped and picked up a very wet and cold boy. Hubby took advantage of a lull in the rain and came behind us. Unfortunately, he didn't make it to the next destination, my Sister's house, before the monsoon hit. Poor guy was soaked through to the skivvies by the time we arrived. We were thankful we had Trav's ENTIRE CLOSET packed (his idea, I assure you) so Hubby could change clothes. We were also thankful Sister has a heavy-duty drier to handle the soggy mess.

The refreshed and now dry crew departed for the final destination, The Dorm. God showed us grace by allowing the rain to depart and we unloaded in dry weather. We took load after load into the room, dropping everything where we stood, anticipating we would help The Big Boy arrange it. You can imagine my amazement when he said, "Just leave it. I'll sort it out and put it away later." Dragging my jaw along with me, we exited and headed to run a couple of errands and eat. Holly had to get back for school the next day, so we made a fairly quick departure to get Hubby and Holly back on the road. The Things and I stayed another couple of days to help out and visit Sister.

The Big Boy is sharing a dorm with one of his best friends. They have done a good job of organizing their room. I think they are kind of excited about being on their own. Although I want to know how things are going and what he is experiencing, I'm refraining from calling for now. Far be it from me to be one of those hovering "helicopter parents". I did that the first 18 years. Now it's time to back off and watch from a little farther out. That is a difficult task for a control freak like me.

That Was a Wild Ride!

Last weekend was, to say the least, a wild ride. We started with a big storm, winds a gazillion mph (I heard 80 was possible, but didn't see that here....Friends did, though). Unlike our friends, our worst damage was a hunk of siding from the construction project across the street that now resides in our front yard. I was at Walmart when it hit. Suffice it to say the water in the lot was ankle deep and I was completely drenched before I got the two carts unloaded and into the car. On to birthday prep!

With my sweet friend, D's help, we cleaned, decorated and made a cake. When everyone arrived, we went to the pottery place to paint our ceramic projects, then met the family for pizza. We came home and the girls played, then we had cake and ice cream floats...yum! I gained every bit of six pounds this weekend. It was sooo good, you see! The girls stayed up until about 5:30, but I only lasted until 1:30.

Up at seven, preparing for the day and the first pickups...we had eggs and chocolate chip pancakes. As they left, I started preparing for prom. Trav ran errands in town for me, and I gathered items needed for a dinner at a friends' house. Once he was dressed and out the door, I finished pulling weeds and changed to help at the dinner. My friend, J, served her son and seven of his friends dinner before prom. It was so lovely and she went all out. When I came home, I brought supper for my crew and got them to bed. I sat down to watch tv and fell asleep way sooner than anticipated. Hubby woke me up to go to bed, but once I got changed and washed up, I was completely awake. Trav was still out, so I grabbed my knitting to watch House and wait for him. He came in about 1 with friends in tow, so I stayed up until 3, when I finally realized they would, no matter what, outlast me.

The best thing about Mothers Day is that it was low-key. We went to church, did some quick errands then shopped and shopped for flowers. The big kids had a rehearsal for a concert. After getting home, the girls and I put out 15 pots of flowers plus some. Hubby and Nathan rode the motorcycle to visit the grandmas and take them their gifts. Trav had baseball practice, then we grilled and had the WHOLE family at home at one time for supper. Now that was a happy Mother's day. All my blessings, all together.

Today we hit the ground running again, in prep for Pop Concert and graduation. It is a beautiful day, so I'm hoping I can manage to find a way to do graduation announcements outside. If you get one with some dirt smudges, you'll know what happened.

A Perfect Ten

Tonight I go to bed reflecting about this same night ten years ago. (The scene fades away to the scene ten years ago....) Nathan was all of 18 months old and still hadn't slept through the night. I was very pregnant and trying to carry Nathan about while caring for Holly and Travis, who were six and eight, respectively. It was a Friday night and I had mowed, spending a lot of the time with Nathan on my lap. It was his favorite way to take a nap...on my lap on a mower or tractor. Please don't go into the safety issues. I was a pregnant woman desperate for this child to sleep. I took it how I could get it. If memory serves, I was on that mower for about three hours that day, riding in fields, up and down the road, just passing time so Nathan could sleep. I recall the Schwan's man coming and ordering a few things, while the kids played in the yard. The next thing I remember well was going to bed about 11:30 or 12, then waking up about 1:30 with Nathan crying. I tried to soothe him, walking, rocking, and laying on the sofa with him. I hadn't been up long when I felt a strong contraction.

The contractions weren't unusual, I had them with every pregnancy, and this one was no exception. As I wrestled Nathan, I noticed the contractions increasing in intensity. Finally, a bit after 2, Nathan dozed back off, and by then the contractions were coming with alarming frequency, especially given the baby wasn't due for a few weeks. The remedy that had worked the best had always been to take a shower. The warm water had always calmed me, body and spirit, enabling me to stop the contractions and get some much-needed sleep. After a few minutes in the shower, I realized they weren't going to stop. I had to get to the hospital.

My last two deliveries had gone rather quickly. Dialation from 4 cm to 10 cm had taken 15 minutes or less. Living 45 minutes from the hospital shed a new urgency on getting to the hospital. I dried off, threw on some clothes and grabbed a duffel bag. I hadn't packed for the hospital, thinking I had several weeks to come up with something. As I grabbed clothes and stuffed them into the bag, my husband, bleary eyed, asked what I was doing. When I told him I was going to the hospital, he woke up with a start. I explained the house was a mess, the other kids needed him here, and he should allow me to drive myself to the hospital. I had, after all, done it with Nathan (under somewhat different circumstances) and could do it again. Smart man that he is, he vetoed that plan in a hurry and called my dad. By that time, I was having trouble standing, the contractions were coming so fast and hard. Recognizing my typical signs of going through transition, he hurried me to the car and told me my dad was on the way, the kids were asleep and would be fine for the few minutes it would take my dad to arrive. We had to go. This baby is coming fast.

As soon as we were in motion, he called for an ambulance to meet us. We received instruction as to where to go for the rendezvous, where they hustled me into the white van and took off with my husband following. The ambulance EMT called the hospital and gave them updates while repeating to me, "Do that breathing stuff! I don't want to deliver this baby tonight! Do that breathing stuff!" By the time we reached the hospital, I could have delivered the baby many times over, but held off due to the insistence of the ambulance dude. I was checked by a nurse who promptly rolled me into the hospital to the maternity ward while barking instructions to people around and asking me questions faster than I could answer. Miss Annie was born about four minutes later at 4:03 am, with a cord around her neck and bruises everywhere. It had been a stressful delivery for her and it showed. They let me hold her, but I noticed that where my others had immediately turned a pretty pink color, her skin remained a purplish-blue. I knew something wasn't right. I looked at the nurse and said, "She is sick, isn't she?" The nurse, nodding, confirmed my suspicions and said they really needed to take her then. Little did I know it would be several days before I could hold that baby again.

Concerned about my baby, I was taken to my room, but not able to relax and rest much. Doctors came in and out, giving me updates as to her condition. My husband was gone, helping his folks put a roof on their house. It was a long day alone. Later in the evening, my husband brought the kids over and they were disappointed they couldn't see their new baby. They understood they needed to pray for her because she was really, really sick. Awhile after they left, at about 11:30, the doctor who had been by Annie's side all day came to my room. He explained that she wasn't doing well, and for her to have a chance to survive, they needed to air evac her to St. Louis, MO. They offered for a priest to come in, as she may not make it through the trip. I declined the offer, determined that losing this child wasn't an option, even though I knew it wasn't remotely in my control. I phoned my husband who headed over to the hospital to join me in what could have been the last few minutes we would spend with our child.

I was allowed to touch her one time before she left. My choice was to touch her silky black hair, because I had never had a baby with hair before. We took pictures, then as they loaded her to go, I went back to my room to pack and prepare for the journey. She left the hospital just before five, and we were out the door only minutes after. We drove while she flew to St. Louis, and I knew it would be the most exhausted I would ever be.

By Tuesday, they were giving her about a 50-50 chance. Her lungs were not developed, she had a hole in her lung, and this was just the most serious of her long list of conditions. They were going to try a procedure that they felt would make or break the situation. Either it would work and she would heal, or it wouldn't, and, well, she probably wouldn't make it. It was a terrifying 24 hours. Thankfully, the procedure was a success and she began to mend.

We spent eight days in this hospital in St. Louis in addition to the one day we spent in the hospital near our home. On Sunday, May 16, I brought home the newest little member of our family. Her first week at home included five baseball games. She has been on the go ever since.

My Annie. Ten years old. I just don't know how it happened. How very, very blessed I am.....

Catching up....

We've been plugging along....Travis is hoping to hear from a college soon. However, we know it will be April before he knows anything for sure about where he may or may not be accepted. It will be the end of April before he has all the information to make a decision. In the meantime, baseball starts soon for him. He is spending this week getting everything else done....physicals, eye doctor appt, dentist appt, haircut...you name it. You know, sniff, sniff, he'll graduate soon.

Holly has her car back. After it was repaired and THEN I got my car unstuck from the front yard (where we found it after our return from Mexico), she got to drive again. She and Trav participated in Disciple Now this weekend. It was pretty amazing, from all I hear. Ours is a community-wide DNow, which included 11 churches from several area communities and somewhere around 450 kids and 100 plus leaders. I think they had a lot of fun, and although we sent cheerful, happy kids and got back zombies, I'm pretty sure they grew up a little, too....spiritually and otherwise.

Nathan had his last regular season basketball game. He did really well this season despite some difficult circumstances, and we are proud of him. He will have the season-end tournament this weekend, then it is on to baseball....

Annie played in our regional music festival on Saturday, earning a "Superior" ranking, the highest available. She overcame serious nerves and fear to perform and do well. It was a great experience for her in a number of ways. Now, she begins soccer this week. We like soccer, but we really like fall soccer, summer soccer, and indoor soccer. Spring soccer is pretty nasty, as it involves below-freezing temps, a field in a wind-tunnel, and occasional sleet-filled games. Summer, please come soon!

My sweet nephew, Andy, is getting married in April. Our family is excited about making the trip to the East Coast to see the wedding. Getting to see a beach and an ocean is a thrilling bonus!

The new additions to the family, members I plan to spend a lot of time with, arrived yesterday. Today they had their final installation, and I am, as I type, doing my first load of steam-infused towels, which, according to the books, should come out 99.9% germ free. The new washer/dryer are just beauuuuuuutiful. We all know that pretty appliances make life worth living. Some days, it is just the thing to get us through.

I'm so excited, having made it almost all the way through two months of reading the Bible through and still being on track. I have to give kudos to Staci, for her recommendation of the ESV Bible Reading Plan, which splits each day into four sections. It is the MOST doable plan I have attempted, and I'm learning and enjoying every minute. I really was skeptical, but I have to say it's the best.

So now I'm hearing, "Mom, can you please fix supper? Time to run...parent-teacher conferences are tonight as well. Enjoy the day!

Quotes from the Breakfast Table

From my sweet brunette that must really be blonde:

Discussing future college choices, we asked how important the gender mix is in her future college, i.e., would she want co-ed or all-girl/boy? Her answer?

"I really don't want to go to an all-boys school because I'd be the only girl there!"

No, she wasn't kidding.....

And later...

"Isn't Scotland in Italy or something?"

This cannot possibly be my child.........

Quick Update

Dinner Party: Went wonderfully. We were blessed to have 39 people to join us for Christmas Dinner. I just wish I could have visited with each one so much more. Not enough time!

Sunday: Nathan and Annie were baptized. Clay's folks plus every single member of my family was there. As my sister says, we had Dad and his wife, every sibling and their spouses, every niece and nephew for two generations, all at a church service together, and it wasn't even a funeral! Praise God! Lunch at our house afterwards was more time for fellowship and fun.

Laundry: After everyone left, I hauled everything I could to the laundromat, and Travis brought the other half in his truck and we did 25 loads of laundry in four hours. Clean underwear! Yay! Still no washer.

Christmas Shopping: 99.7% done

Holly's 16th birthday: SHE PASSED!!!!!! Look out, world! Happy, happy day! Her dad took her out on her birthday date to dinner and a movie then she met me and drove her sister home all by herself! She even had to stop to wait for three deer to leave the roadway and we are thankful for God's protection on her first drive. Happy night!

Madrigal Feaste

Last weekend, we had the privilege of attending a couple of fantastic Christmas shows. No, they weren't on Broadway. But they should have been!

First of all, on Friday, I helped other parents in the backstage at Travis's Madrigal Feaste. Then Saturday, we were able to attend it as part of the audience.

Holly and her Grandma

Holly and her Grandpa and Dad

I know, you think I'm one of those moms who will get all excited and tell you how spectacular it was and how you would never believe anything like that could come from a bunch of teenagers, that a lot of it was professional quality, etc. You will think I'm just a gushing mother. Well, you would be right. I am a gushing mother. But then, I'm right, too. It was....unbelievable.

Trav was Czar Tripsachov, who spoke with a deep "Russian" voice (sounded like a take off on Arnold Schwarzenegger, but, well, everyone was impressed anyway). He also tripped. (Tripsachov? Trip?...maybe you had to be there) He was at the head table, where, while we dined on "fine swine" (chicken cordon bleu), they ate such things as carryout pizza and chicken wings. The show began at 6 o'clock, when they started seating everyone. B, a good friend of ours, was the town crier, announcing every single family in his frumpy crier's voice. We were led to the table by lovely young wenches and ladies-in-waiting, asking in Olde English droll, "Would you like tea or watah?"

My Dad was selected as the Table Master

The show began with some old Latin hymns, and an acapella prayer. I think even God got goosebumps hearing that one. As the show progressed, we were served a fine meal, and our entertainment consisted of a show, a wide variety of music, the guys dancing a clog dance, the ladies and wenches doing period dances, a ballerina dancing a bit of the Nutcracker Suite, jesters, minstrels, and when the knights fought over the fair maiden, she declared her true love was....right, Clay. She gave him a kerchief (tissue) with her kiss on it for him to keep. Later, she came by and properly arranged it in his pocket. We were even treated to a fire-breathing dragon! My nephew was part of the dragon and had us rolling in laughter as he, um, "growled" at us. Sounded like a purr to me.

My dad and Mr. Dragon sans Dragon Costume

The acting was, eh, for some, and outstanding for others. There were lots of solos (yes, Trav had one!)

Trav and Holly

Trav and me

If only you could see the bottom half of that outfit.....men in tights galore! The night ended a full three and a half hours later with a lot of teary-eyed seniors mourning their last stage exit, and the MOST stirring rendition of "O Come O Come Emmanuel" I have ever heard. It is my new favorite song of Advent.

Soon, I will share pictures from the other show we attended.....stay tuned!

The Christmas Letter

Merry CHRISTmas!

We hope this finds you healthy, happy, and enjoying the 2008 Season. We have been maniacs this CHRISTmas Season, and boy, has it been fun!

We are reflecting, as usual, but this year we are doing a little more of it. There is a reason for that. If we were to choose one word to describe 2008, it would be “transition”.

Of course, the year began with a huge transition for Clay. In March, he moved his office from Advance to Cape Girardeau. He enjoys working so near to home, and since Cape offers a few more dining options than Advance, lunch is a bit more of an adventure. Sometime when you are in the area, drop by and take a “tour”. The highlight of his year was when we rode the Harley to Milwaukee for the HD 105th anniversary. It was a week unlike any other…..ever. ‘Nuf said.

Travis is in big-time transition mode. When you see Trav, you must look up. At 6’ 3”, he looms over the rest of us. He is in the throes of making the life-changing decision of which college he will attend after he graduates in May. At one time, it was narrowed down to two. Now, we’ve lost track of where he is applying. You know it is bad when the siblings complain about not seeing their brother enough when he is still living at home. We are sure he is still living here when we see large piles of laundry in the laundry room floor and all the lights are left on in the downstairs. He is having a lot of fun, though, and between choirs, baseball, work at Wib’s, volunteering at the hospital and tutoring, he doesn’t have much free time. Volunteering at the hospital has been great preparation for being a doctor. It has also provided some great stories for when he does show up around here.

Since Trav is gone so much, we really need another driver. That leads us to the transition for Holly. Guess who will be 16? It is a matter of days. Then, our beautiful sophomore will be able to go to any youth event, to school, to Cape, and best of all, she can get Wib’s BBQ and ice cream whenever she wants! We don’t know if there is enough gut medicine in the world for us to send her off on her own. Have you noticed how many crazy drivers there are these days? Of course, one of them may be her. That smile on her face seems permanent, at least for this month. She is full of anticipation for the big day. Oh, and thanks to Christmas break, she will be out of school for a couple of weeks. We’re not sure which is better!

Nathan and Annie have pretty much transitioned into that not really a little kid, but not really a teenager stage. The media calls them “tweens”. You know this has officially occurred when there are no toys on the Christmas list. (Exception: video games. There is no age limit for those.) They are being homeschooled in 5th and 4th grades, respectively. You know how those homeschoolers are, they never socialize.

Please don’t tell “Thing 1 and Thing 2” that, though. They would hate to give up jump rope class, piano and guitar lessons, soccer, baseball, basketball, and an endless array of church activities. We are especially thankful this year, as they are both going to be baptized the week of Christmas. What better time to show the world they have made Jesus Lord of their lives than the week of His birthday?

Nathan is a typical 5th grader; he makes up a lot of stories and jokes, plays video games, hunts, and annoys his sisters. He provides endless laughs and entertainment to us all, and we are fascinated by what seems an endless imagination. He is a social young man, but if you want to know a little secret, his favorite place to be is home. He is quite a homebody and we love that about him.

Annie is still pink. In fact, she is really pink. Let’s clarify that, though. Annie isn’t soft, gentle, ballerina pink. Annie is bright, dazzling, hot glittery pink. She is still growing tall, and soon will pass up her mom and sister. On a typical day you may walk in to our home and find Annie still in her jammies (at 4 o’clock), singing and dancing around or helping Mom cook. It would be at that point you would urge her to hurry and get dressed before her dad comes home! Then, if you knew Becky when she was little, you would laugh at how much Annie is like her momma.
Speaking of her momma, as with most moms, when the family is in transition, so is the mom. Say a few prayers for her to keep the mascara from running at all the senior and graduation events. To see how it goes, check out the blog at http://www.lifeindenim.blogspot.com/.

We are even in transition where pets are concerned. This spring, our faithful black lab, Buck, passed away. It was a sad time for our family. We are thankful for our other furry friends; Tiger, the cat; Charlie, the yellow lab; and Benny, the westie.

The whole family went to Mexico this summer with our special friends, the Beels. It was a ton of fun on the beach, in the jungle, and in the pool. We were hoping it would be a great culture lesson, and perhaps be especially valuable in helping Travis and Holly in their Spanish classes. It was a remarkable experience, but as for helping in Spanish…..not so much. In the end, we all came home with priceless memories and we are looking forward to someday going back.

So, there is 2008 in a nutshell for this crew. We cannot possibly fathom what 2009 holds in store. It is exciting, a bit frightening, and, we’re sure, wonderful. Stay tuned to see what happens next! Have a blessed and safe Holiday Season.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

With love,
The Hursts: Clay, Becky, Travis, Holly, Nathan and Annie

Holly, My Camo Girl

Holly has chosen a few auto accessories she would like for her birthday. One of her good friends recently turned 16, got a bright red car, and for her birthday received zebra striped seat covers. Yep, that would perfectly fit said friend. Holly, on the other hand, really, really, really wants this:




Which can be purchased, she pointed out, here.

If you ever call her a girly-girl, you may get decked.

Teen Humor

Anyone who lives with, works with, or interacts with teens in any way would get a kick out of this spoof by Sacred Sandwich.

In Which Holly Gets a Car

In 23 days, Holly turns 16. I am excited for her. I am excited for me. I am scared.

We needed for her to have a vehicle big enough to take Thing 1 and Thing 2 with her.



It was a surprise. She had been having a hard day. She was happy and cried.



She quickly recovered. Here you see her with her very best friend, Charlie. Annie is in the back. We love you, Holly!

Senioritis

Having a senior in high school in the house is a new experience for our family. Had I known what it was like, I would have "circled the wagons" to prepare. That is to say, I would have shut down life to the greatest degree possible.

Entering the senior year, we had our college choices narrowed down to University of Missouri-Columbia and Duke. Considering that Duke enrolls less than 1700 out of the 20,000 plus that apply, I felt confident we were settled on Mizzou, but giving God room to work "just in case".

Now, the picture is entirely different. He comes home with a new idea about where to apply almost weekly. Before, I was willing to go "anywhere" to check out colleges. Now, I'm not. We have been on four college visits, one of which required a 20-hour day to fly to the east coast and back. Unless we are on the final horizon of choice, I'm staying put.

The list today includes: Mizzou, Duke, Washington University, Vanderbilt, and Princeton. Thankfully, most of them take the Common Application, so we only had to fill out extra supplements.

Okay, so why the time issue? It takes a lot of time to educate oneself on the merits of various colleges to make a "short list" to which we will apply. Then there are senior parent meetings. We have to meet to discuss fundraisers to raise $14,000 (yes, you read that correctly) for the senior all night party and breakfast. Oh, but that is a whole other blog. Do you have any idea how much time is consumed in throwing away the dozen college brochures that arrive in the mail daily? The biggest time consumer is just the talking. Giving feedback on essays, discussing schools, test scores, making sure the applications are filled out on time and the letters of recommendation have been requested.

I'll be glad when this decision is made.

My Munchkins

I am proud to be a mom of four children. Each of them are so different and wonderful. I'd like for you to meet them.

My oldest, Travis, is 18, a senior at our local public school, and is applying to colleges to become a premed student. I will give you fair warning: As a childhood challenge, Trav is now a source of great pride for his mom. (You may expect too much bragging.) He is also the one person who sets me off quicker than any other. (You probably won't hear about those times. )
He works at a local bbq place, sings, plays some great baseball, and volunteers at the hospital and as a peer tutor. Who couldn't love a guy like him? He is pictured here with his sister, Holly.

Holly is frightenly near 16 and a sophomore at our local public school. She is beautiful in every way, inside and out. She is one of the too good to be true girls. Although one wouldn't consider her in the "popular" crowd at school, she loves and is loved by a lot of folks, from very teeny people up to senior adults. She is active in our church in several programs, especially the youth program. Her grades are proof of her hard work in school, and I think I might cry without her hard work at home.


Next, you must meet Thing 1, a.k.a., Nathan. Nathan is sharp, his mind always racing, figuring things out, thinking up stories and jokes, and .... figuring out the best way to play video games without Mom knowing. His partner in crime, Thing 2, a.k.a., Annie does her best to be the boss because she is bigger, but Andy has a mind of his own. Annie loves puppies and everything pink, and she is a big help at home, especially in the kitchen.

Nathan and Annie are homeschooled in 5th and 4th grades, respectively. They love being homeschooled and are, for the most part, fun to teach. It is the other 20 hours a day that they make me nuts. They are both high energy and stay busy participating in a homeschool jumprope program, piano, guitar, soccer, and church activities. Andy also does baseball and basketball.
These four are blessings greater than anything I could ever have imagined and I am thankful beyond measure for them.

Mom Doesn't Sew....Really

This tale actually goes back many years to when my own mother was alive. She made a stocking for every member of our family, all the sons and daughters-in-law, and all the grandchildren. Then cancer claimed her life before the last two grandchildren were born. So, Grandma never did get to meet the two we call "Thing 1 and Thing 2". When Thing 1's first Christmas came, I dug through Mom's bags and baskets of knitting, crochet, and needlepoint and found an "extra" stocking she had made. Yes! Then, Thing 2 arrived. Bless her, she is nine now and has never had a stocking to speak of. Let's just say we made do.

Fast forward nine years. Thing 2, also known as Annie, needs a stocking. Now, I love to knit, but since I've been knitting the same sock (just one, not the pair...yet) for over a year, I have no false hopes that I can get one knitted in time. I balk at purchasing a "store bought" stocking, wanting her to have one with similar sentimental value that the rest of us share. So, we were on a decoration shopping spree last week and we decided it was TIME. She picked out the materials. We got excited. After we got home, it seemed those materials in the bag mocked me every time I walked by. They knew I have a history of getting the materials and never doing the project. They knew I was really really busy and didn't feel it was a good day to sew. They knew I hadn't sewn in years; indeed, I hadn't retrieved my sewing machine from the piles in our shop of items moved two years ago that still had not found a place inside the house. So, on Friday, I decided I was not going to put those materials in a corner. No, this time would be different. Several hours later (it wasn't pretty) we have this:

It still needs a lot of work. I need to attach the rather pathetic loop. Of course, her name will be added to the top. Can you guess what color the letters will be? I need to hand sew the edges of the toe and heel trim down, and I need to give an attempt to repair a botched spot on the trim where it is all lopsided. I am, again, NOT a seamstress. But this was fun. Did you notice the pretty beads that dangle down from the white trim? You sure won't find anything like this at your local discount store! I hope my sweet Annie can remember the day Mom made her stocking. It is very far from perfect, but it is already filled with a lot of love.