Some "bunny"

Some "bunny" came to visit!

Our 4 grandchildren - Sophia, Emeri, Elijah and Hannah

Since Adam is doing a sermon series on the book of James, he has been getting different people to lead the worship in his place. This week he asked his brother-in-law, Josh, to come up from Arkansas and lead worship. We were just there last weekend for Elijah's dedication and it was just so fun to be with them again this weekend!!

Mom and Dad enjoyed being with their great-grandchildren, and the kids LOVE their Aunt Mindy!

Of course Hannah and Sophie wanted to take their cousins to the "puppy store", our local country goods store by the outlet mall.

The AmericInn in Hesston has swimming for $1.50.

So much fun!

Sunday afternoon we took a trip to Pretty Prairie to visit Al's Dad. He got to see his great-grandson, Elijah for the first time.

We don't know if Dad knew who we were, but he was just all smiles and seemed to say things that made sense. Whenever we bring the children, he seems to be more cognitive and not in some far off place.

We drove out to the farm. Al's brother lives there with his family and they are always open to us "coming home" and letting the kids enjoy the animals.

No place like home!

A friend and I are going through a book by James MacDonald called "Lord, Change My Attitude." It suggests that you determine for a 24 hour period that you don't complain. Carry around a piece of paper to record every time you do so.

Then they suggest an exercize for a lifetime. And that is to record each day 5 things that you are thankful for. "Today I am thankful for....." Big things and little things. This past week we began this. I bought a little notebook just for this. Oh, He has truly blessed me with many good things!!!

Here is a little thanksgiving quote I love!

"O Lord and Maker of all things, thank You for this light that now streams through my windows to rouse me to the life of another day.
Thank You for the life that stirs within me.
Thank You for the bright and beautiful world into which I go.
Thank You for earth and sea and sky, for scudding cloud and singing bird.
Thank You for the work You have given me to fill my leisure hours.
Thank You for friends.
Thank You for music and books and good company and pure pleasures.
To You, who are everlasting mercy, give me a tender heart today toward all those to whom the morning light brings less joy than it brings to me.
Those in whom the pulse of life grows weak.
Those who must lie in bed through all the sunny hours.
The blind, who are shut off from the light of day.
The overworked, who have no joy of leisure.
The unemployed, who have no joy of labor,
The bereaved, whose hearts and homes are desolate;
And grant Your mercy on them all.
'It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High' Psalm 92:1"

I am so grateful for sweet little "bunnies" who come to visit me especially!

Eli dedicated

We went to see our Arkansas grandbabies this past week. They are so precious!

Look at Elijah's chunko-munko legs!! At least I won't be the only one with dimply rolly polly legs at the beach this summer!

Josh and Staci had a long to-do list to be accomplished. Al enjoys doing that with Josh.

One of the things they did was to take apart the crib Emeri has been sleeping in and putting together a big girl bed. Emeri was so proud of being able to be big enough to sleep in a real bed!

Staci had her own project. Way to be artsy!! And it is so cute! She got some canvas and painted it blue. They found a font they liked on DaFont.com and printed off Elijah's name and also the meaning to his name on clear plastic. Using the church's projector, Staci projected that onto the canvas, penciled over that, then took brown paint and painted the lettering. It is adorable!

On Sunday, we went to New Heights Church where Josh and Staci dedicated Elijah to the Lord. Essentially, Elijah does not belong to them, but to the Lord.

Staci's parents, grandpa and her aunt's family also were there to celebrate.

The verse they chose for Elijah is from 1 Kings 18:36-37: "...let it be known today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that You, O Lord, are God and that You are turning their hearts back again."

May God help them as they raise him to follow the Lord that:

1. God will speak clearly to him and that he will listen

2. That Eli will believe that God can do anything!

3. That Eli will be an instrument to help lead people back to God

Staci has a list of prayers from the story of the prophet Elijah in the Bible. It is so wonderful that he has parents who will pray for him and lead him in the way he should go.

Baptism

1984 - A picture of the cousins: Mindy, Jill, Brandon and Nikki, Josh.

This past Sunday my nephew, Brandon was baptized upon confession of his faith in Jesus Christ!

He attends Restore church in Kansas City. They meet in a highschool and the baptism took place in the pool at the school. Nine people were baptized. One entire family (who all jumped in the pool at the same time), a couple couples (who kissed one another right after they were baptized - so sweet!), some others and then Brandon. We were in tears. Mom and Dad have prayed for Brandon every day and of course were overjoyed that Brandon is choosing to follow Christ. So glad we could go to celebrate! Wish Brandon's daddy was alive to have witnessed it too. He died 3 weeks ago.

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

Chinny chin chin

The girls were playing in their cardtable play house. Their daddy decided to join in the fun and this is what I overheard. Adam: Little pigs, little pigs, let me in.

Hannah: Not by the hair of my chinny, chin chin.

Adam (in a rather gruff, wolfish voice) : Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!!

Sophie: NO!! (She really was quite frightened by this conversation)

Adam: Well, ok, then, can I come in for tea?

Sophie: Oh yes. Let me get my tea cups!

Laughs

Bertilda and Latrina are on their way to Hollywood to star on "America's Lost Talent". Passing through Newton, they decided to do their show for the folk at Presbyterian Manor.

Bertilda did her rendition of "Rindercella" for people with lexdicia.

Latrina found a wonderful, heart-throb - Keith - in the audience who danced "YMCA" with her.
Bertilda and Latrina also danced to "Climb Every Mountain" to the delight of all the people.

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. Proverbs 15:13

Card Table Playhouse

It is so fun to have the girls come to play. Some days they like to "iron".

Or make the sofa into a boat. Hannah called this cargo ship her "quite contrary" boat that would take you to Africa. ??
It is fun to put blankets over a card table to make a little house.

And put pillows on the inside and snuggle in! That got me to thinking -

How fun it would be to make a cardtable house.

Someone I knew used to have one.

So I "googled" card table play house. There were quite a few sites.

I could buy one - but wouldn't it be better to make one myself?

So I got my creative juices flowing.

Put together ideas from one site and another, made up some ideas and began sewing.

A cooking chopstick makes a great tool to push stuffing down a "pole".

I have to tell you that I am NOT a great sewer. Did not take home ec and learn how. My mother tried to teach me. She is SOOOOOO good at sewing!! She wanted to make my wedding dress. That was too stressful for me to think about. She did make my prom dress back in '73.

She was making quilts by the time she was 12.

I know my mom was patient with me while I learned to sew in highschool.

I made that smock top. Infact, looking at my old photo album, I realized I made a lot of my smock tops that were so popular back in the '70's. And stitched flowers on my geans.

I got my sewing machine when I graduated from highschool.

It was my graduation present.

Usually when I sew, I get into jams like this.

I won't let anyone don't look at the "house" too closely!!

Uneven stitches and all.

In spite of my lack of perfectionism with sewing skills, I think the playhouse turned out ok.

The girls loved it!!

Hannah spent about an hour making letters to put in

the green mail box.



When Elijah grows big enough, I will have to sew a card table fire house!

Children's Ministry Council

Three years ago, Kris Reed was hired as the Children's Ministry Director at our church. She has done marvelously!! What an encourager she has been and the children's ministry has grown and flourished under her direction.

God is leading Kris in a new direction; to work alongside her husband with the Awana ministries. Last night she invited the Children Ministry Council over to her house for one last meeting. And she fixed a delicious meal for us - china and all!

Roasted pork tenderloin, spinach salad, wild rice casserole...

and this delicious dessert - Cherry Berries on a Cloud.

Becky Khosravipour said it was her new favorite dessert. "Light - doesn't feel like you sinned too much."

Kris shared the recipe:

Cherry Berries on a Cloud (Taste of Home 1998)

6 egg whites
½ tsp. cream of tartar
¼ tsp. salt
1-3/4 c. sugar
FILLING:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups whipping cream, whipped
2 cups miniature marshmallows
TOPPING:
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
2 c. sliced fresh strawberries
1 tsp. lemon juice

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form (do not underbeat). Spread evenly in a greased 13 X 9 X 2 baking pan. Bake at 275 for 1 hr.; turn off (do not open door). Let cool in oven overnight or for at least 12 hours. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth; gently fold in cream and marshmallows. Spread over meringue. Chill for 4 hours. Cut into 16 pieces. Combine topping ingredients; spoon ¼ cup over each serving. Yield: 16 svgs.

We will dearly miss you, Kris. God has provided Becca Adamson as the new director and we look forward to her leadership. (Incidently, she was our children's favorite babysitter when she was a teenager! And our daughter, Mindy, was a flower girl at her wedding!)