A laugh for today!

So, in contrast to the good belly laugh I got from the above, now here's my rambling thoughts for today :*)
Today is Feb 1. In my experience, there is only 1 month left in the year. Now I know that sounds a little strange, we all know there is 12 months in a year. However, somehow it seems that once the end of Feb shows itself, all of a sudden, the rest of the year passes in a blink. Maybe because Jan and Feb. are usually the coldest, and time seems to drag in those months? I don't really know. It just seems to me that these days and years pass so swiftly, that I can hardly catch my breath before another year has come and gone. There's so many things I WANT to do. So many things that I LIKE to do. So many things I NEED to do!

Looking back on the last 30 years I'm amazed at all that I have done, and haven't done both. I'm amazed at what I haven't learned, but thankful for what I have learned also. Yesterday I was talking with someone about patience. I am not a very patient person, and really don't like to wait. I believe that I have often prayed for patience. Hmmmmm sometimes the Lord answers prayers in a different way than what we had in mind. I remember some experiences in the past that in dealing with them I thought were so terrible, and just "the worst". I never dreamed that I'd have to deal with worse ones than that. Gradually over the next 10 years I realized that dealing with those experiences only were like stepping stones to the next and harder ones that were ahead. This winter in our special meetings it was mentioned that God's timing is not like ours. We are very taken up with the time issue, and I for one, want things delt with RIGHT NOW!
In contrast, God often takes years and many experiences to deal with people & situations. Since His work is perfect, and ours is not, then it would behove me to remember to just "let go, and "let God".
Oh, and on a lighter note here, I'm quite thankful that this blogger is so user friendly, that when I get in a hurry and hit "Publish", and then freeze because in a split second I realize that I didn't "spell check", that all I have to do is hit "edit" and I can go back and do it. Wow, if only we could erase our human mistakes that easily! AND, even before that, if I could recognize that I made them that quickly!

In the blink of an eye...

January 29--Happy Birthday Jeanne!!

I bet you all just think our life is one big party around here! One birthday after another. Well, that's pretty true (The birthday part, not the party!)

Thanks for being a very easy, wonderful "oldest" child in the family Jeanne! I'm sure it hasn't always been easy, the eldest is the one that parents really get to learn parenting skills on! You were very patient with us.

Here's to "The next 30 years"!!

Happy Birthday Jessi!

It's hard to believe she's one! A year ago I was up in North Dakota, spending the night in a rocking chair, in a freezing cold very tiny hospital room! I didn't sleep much...but I did get to spend a good portion of the night cuddling and rocking my brand new granddaughter, so I guess it was a fair trade. Happy Birthday Jessi, we love you!

2 weeks from now she'll be in Kearney for the weekend, and we're going to have a party for both her and Trey who will turn one on Feb 17. I can hardly wait to see Jessi again, and see the babies together again too! Watch for party pictures!!

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy birthday today to my mom... Off in the Galapagos Islands!
How many countries have you celebrated a birthday in? Last year you were in Latvia, the year before that in Argentina!

"In My Daughters Eyes"

In reading blogs lately, I've been so impressed, and yes envious (in a nice way) of those who truly have the ability to write. The ability to make me see what they saw, feel the way they feel, make me laugh when they've wrote something that really hits me funny, make tears come to my eyes when it's something that I can really relate to, or just give me a "warm fuzzy" feeling because there's another mom out there that I can relate to! I have a couple nieces who have the wonderful ability to write.

I even have a couple daughters who, when they've wrote certain things make me feel some of the above.

So, the other day Meshayla handed me an essay she'd wrote for school. I, having very much enjoyed some of her other journaling, eagerly read it.
I laughed & laughed.

She said I could post it here...no shy bone in her, so here it is, and hope you get a good chuckle too. (She got an A...!)

"One of my worst experiences ever is being lost in Wal-Mart. I was about five years old, shopping with my mom in Wal-Mart. Being only five and very curious, I was easily distracted. Before I knew it, I was watching my feet traipse along the patten on the glimmering hard floor. As I looked up to be sure I wasn't going to crash into a shelf, I noticed that something was definitely not right. My mother had gone missing. Or rather, I was lost. Frantically, mind racing, I peered cautiously around each corner. As I stumbled down the aisles, I cringed at all the strangers who seemed to be peering hungrily at the poor, helpless, unoccupied, little girl. My head was screaming, and desperate thoughts were tumbling one on top of the other, invading my brain, cramming into every corner of my mind. I was panicking horrifically. Is all I could see was the imagined glints in the others shopper's eyes.To me, it seemed to be ages before I was finally with my mom again. I was relieved to find her, and I clung to her cart the rest of the time."

**DISCLAIMER NOTE: I honestly do not even remember this incident. She claims it really happened, and maybe it did, however if so, I'm pretty sure that even tho SHE "lost me", I didn't lose her. I acknowledge I'll probably get grief for this one, you all picturing me trying to keep track of 12 kids in Walmart! Believe me, that never happened. I rarely took/or take my kids shopping, let alone the 5 at home now!

January 22, 1977....

Roses in the snow! Since I can't take pictures inside, I had to set my roses outside for the picture. Burr! It's really cold here today, but the snow does make a nice contrast!

Sorry, the quality of these photos is not very good...but after all, they're nearly "vintage" :*)