Tall heights

We have a tall roof with a steep pitch. We noticed we had a couple of leaks so asked Dave to come take a look and see if he could fix it.

It was such a windy, gusty day but Dave just scampered right on up, like he was Spiderman or something.
I am so afraid of heights but it didn't seem to faze Dave. The thought that Dave might slip and fall and be maimed or leave Amanda a widow did enter my mind, but gratefully he is just really good at what he does!!!

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Hannah was playing with dominos and enjoyed how high she could stack them. Such steady hands!

And at the top of her skyscraper....


Silly girl!

Jill

Today was Jill's birthday.

We let the birthday person choose the meal they want (or the restaurant to go to). Jill ordered hoagies with various deli meats, sun chips, and for dessert, cream puff dessert (recipe at end of post). Mom also brought these delicious beet eggs. YUM! We don't find them in Kansas so much, but my mom's side of the family from Ohio had them lots. They are a Swiss thing.

Here are some old family photos. This first one is just shortly after Jill was born.

On the night Jill was born, Al's parents drove up from Pretty Prairie and with the bad weather, it took them longer than usual. It snowed that night and also it was tornadic. Crazy Kansas weather. My parents were living in Japan and after she was born, we called them. Since it was the middle of the night here, it was daytime there. In those days it was very expensive to make international phone calls so we didn't talk long, but they were able to listen to Jill's little cry. It made them cry to have to miss out. I'm so glad they are a part of Jill's life now and are around for their great-grandchildren.

Josh needed extra loves that day I guess. Newborns can take a lot of a mommy's time and we have to remember to give the older ones time too.

I love this picture of Al. He used to hold her while vacuuming. She loved it.

Looking at these old apartment pictures at Cherry Hills Apartments I just laugh. Gag, huh? But it was such a provision for us. It was where I met a dear Japanese friend of mine who also had children close in age. Even though she is back in Japan, we still keep in touch. We were dirt poor, with Al getting his master's and we lived on love. Ha ha!

I miscarried 3 months before I got pregnant with Jill. Just to think that if I hadn't, Jill would not be here. But God had plans for her. What a blessing she has been to us!! He knew all about her even before she was born.

From "The Promise" by Robert Morgan -
Before you were born:
When God called the prophet Jeremiah, He told him, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5

Isaiah 49:1b says, "Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth He has made mention of my name:

The apostle Paul said, "God...separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace" Galations 1:15

The psalmist said, "You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book." Psalm 139:15-16

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Cream Puff Dessert
Boil 1 cup water and 1/2 cup butter. Add 1 cup flour. Cool. Add 4 eggs, one at a time. Mix well. Spread in 9x13 pan (I spray it with Pam first) Bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees.
2 pkg instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1 pkg cream cheese, softenend
Mix together well. Spread on cooled crust. Cover with cool whip.

Revserse thinking

Shown at church this past weekend.

Hannah turns 7

After returning from Arkansas, I spent all day Friday cooking and preparing for the coming weekend. Josh's were driving up on Saturday and would be here through Monday so I needed meals ready. And we were going to have a birthday party for Hannah so I needed food for that as well.

On Saturday Dad, Mom, Aunt Millie and myself drove to Hutchinson for my Aunt Mary's funeral. She had fallen a couple of weeks prior and just never recovered. Ended up with pnemonia. My dad and all his sisters are poets and they read some of her poetry at the funeral.

The 3 remaining Vorans - Dad, Aunt Betty and Aunt Millie. We had a meal at the church in Castleton following the burial in rural Pretty Prairie. Afterwards, we took a drive down Memory Lane, driving to the old farmstead and pointing out where their one-room school house was.

And here are me and some of my cousins.
And the cousins back in '62 when we came to America on furlough.
On Sunday morning, Adam asked Josh to help him with worship. This will probably be the last picture of them doing worship together. Adam is going to our Hillsboro church plant as the main pastor soon.
Eli came to the nursery and it was fun to pop in on him occasionally while I was working.

Hannah turns 7 today, but we celebrated her birthday after church.
She ordered brats for the main dish. She LOVES brats! We also did chicken. And had lots of salads and other goodies.

My parents came as did Adam's parents. They had just been to a conference in Okoboji, Iowa and had driven since 8 that morning!
After a very filling meal, Hannah thought we should let our tummies settle and open gifts before having cake.

She flew into her daddy's arms when she opened this gift from all of us. Tears filled my eyes to see her happiness.
She has wanted Felicity,an American girl doll for a long time. Those stories are so wonderful and not only very interesting for little girls, but what a way to learn about history!
Great Aunt Terrie got her some Felicity clothes and you can see by her reaction what she thought of that!!
Emeri and Eli got her this and she also got some horse bed sheets from her folks. And Hannah wanted a horse cake.
I got each of the grandchildren some coloring/painting books and it occupied them for a long time while we visited and cleaned up.

Adam had to leave so he didn't get in this photo, but here are the men in my life!

The kids left Monday after lunch together as a family. It has been a very busy week, but I am joyful that God answered prayer in such a big way for me. Several of my friends were praying too that I would find the strength to endure. I can only say that it has been God who has been my strength as I have not had symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever for 2 weeks now (except for very, very mild ones)! It really is amazing and such an answer to prayer!
Happy Birthday, Hannah!!!! 7 years old!

Quick trip

I have had one BUSY week! It began last Tuesday with a quick trip down to Arkansas.
Josh and Staci needed some help with their children. Staci's mother was very ill and she usually takes care of them Tuesday evening while they have community group and also all day Wednesday. It was fun to see the children and play with them.

The weather was nice and the first thing I noticed was everything was in bloom! A week later now I have noticed that things are starting to bloom here in Kansas also.
Josh had drawn "streets" on their driveway. There were also bridges with a river flowing underneath it, and a car wash/gas station too.

We read books, painted pictures in their art room and cars and princesses. Thursday morning I headed back to Kansas. Ran into a slushy snow just past Joplin. But sunny by the time I got home in time to babysit the Kansas grandkids!

Japanese lesson on Girls' Day

For our Japanese lessons this week, I told the girls about Hina Matsuri Day which is also known as Girls' Day. In the above picture, I am with my friends at a girl's day celebration. Girl's Day is a special holiday in Japan that takes place on March 3 every year. The families make wishes for the good health, growth and happiness for their girls.

Japanese families display dolls of the Emporer and Empress in their homes. Some doll sets also include all of the Imperial court; the attendants, musicians and their possessions. These dolls are not played with as they are usually gifts from the grandparents or inherited from the girl's mother and are quite delicate and expensive!


Hannah and Sophia painted pictures of Japanese girls in kimono and then made these princesses.

We set up our own red tier stand for our Emperial court. We didn't really have an emperor or empress or all that goes with it. We improvised.

A Japanese woman made kimono for my Barbies so there they are on the 2nd to the top. Along with Sophia's "scratchy bunny" that she sleeps with. And a samurai at the bottom to protect them all.
The girls loved dressing up in kimono and whirling the umbrellas around.
Then we played "mama-goto" or "house" with our Japanese play dishes.

I prayed a blessing on all my granddaughters. He has a special plan for each one.

Seven years

It has been 7 years since we moved into our home on this date.
Our care group (that's what we called them before Adam moved here and they were renamed community life groups), friends, and mom and dad helped us with the move. We lived 6 months in the country in a rental since our home in Quail Creek sold before our new home was finished.
The Josts (whose home we rented) loaned us a cattle trailer to load up all our furniture and boxes. They worked so hard to clean it out. Even put in a nice flooring! There were several pickups too.
Here our lawn is still dirt - no grass yet. And on the street running south there is only 1 house. Today there are 6 homes on that street.


laying down on the job

We had a delicious lunch provided by my friend Becky.

We enjoy our home, especially to host Bible studies or have friends over to eat. And in particular to have the family over! What a blessing. Our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been uprooted this past week due to the tornado breakout.
This day is also a special day for one of my young mom friends, who is celebrating her birthday. Happy Birthday Tami!

And I think of sweet Cora whose birthday it is on this day too. Cora's family grieves their loss as Cora is now with the Lord. Blessings to you, dear friends!