January

 January went by rather quickly!  It was not so long ago that the kids all left.  Here we were doing "silly waves" when the first family left.

Silly waves started years ago when the grandkids would cry when they left.  We did these goodbyes to make leaving funny.

Tenley "driving" home!

After they all left, there was a mountain of laundry to do!  Not complaining!!

And, of course, cleaning.  I'm not sure why I keep finding candy wrappers in the oddest places.  Not sure why the grandkids don't just throw them away in the trash?  Ha!  I'm thinking it is one particular grandchild??  Emeri, per chance????  This could have been Eli as it was in his bedroom.

We took down the Christmas tree and decorated with a winter theme.

I put our Christmas cards in a basket.  Each week I will pick one out and pray for that family for the week.

We had our pastor's family over for dinner.  Should have gotten a picture of the whole family!  The younger ones were busy in the playhouse under the stairs!

Church activities started back up....Cubbies, young mom's Bible study and my older women's studies (that I lovingly call my "old ladies" Bible study).  I love studying and teaching God's Word!!

We had Legacy, an intergenerational women's meal with a speaker.

I met my friends from Japan for lunch.  We tried a new place called The Traveling Bowl.  AWESOME!  

I tried the Cream cheese chicken bacon rice bowl.

Goodness- GOOD!

We watched the most exciting game I think I've ever seen!  We were sad to see the Packers and Chiefs both lose.  Not going to the Super Bowl.  😞

I began a "book" for my kids about the stuff we have.  

"While recognizing that all we own belongs to the Lord and the things, the "stuff", we have are temporary and will burn one day, I think it is still somewhat beneficial to know the background to the things we have in our home.  I am sentimental; others are not and easily throw things away.  What you do with these are for you to determine.  I've enjoyed these things; many that have been passed on to me by our ancestors.  This is a record for you to know about some of these "treasures" in my home."  Mom, Nana

I took pictures of things around the house and wrote something about these things.  Like this wall hanging, made by my grandfather.

Crazy quilt made by my Great-Aunt Lydia, 1906.  

You can see the date she embroidered on one of the pieces.

The kids may someday pull up a big blue container and dump all the things I love in it to throw it away.  Who knows.  For now, I get to enJOY.  In heaven, we won't care about all this.  

I went to a conference with my friend.  Terrific!! 

It just makes me wonder why our country is so divided and misinformed.  Both sides claim that!  But what I do know is that ultimately, God is King; He is on the throne.  "The world is not falling apart, it is falling into place."

"You steer the stars and turn the pages of history!"  Robert Morgan

For dinner, we found a new hole in the wall close to the conference called Picasso's Pizza.  Amazing pizza!  Sold by the slice.   HUMONGOUOS slices!!

I found out that an old trail goes right under our property!  It is called the Black Beaver/Col. W.H. Emory trail.   We should do some archeological digging!! 

Continued working on my mother's geneology.

I did some prayer walking.  Some indoors at church, but we had quite a few really nice days in January (50s and 60s) and I was able to walk around our lake.

There were several amazing sunrises and sunsets in January!

God's paintings in the sky!

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."  Ephesians 5:15-17