She smiled at me out of context....

     We got a late start.  Someone was snoring last night. I wont say who. So were all awake for a while.  Plus we turned the clocks ahead an hour.  Continental breakfast at 9. Yummy danish!  

     You gotta know that my two youngest daughters don't always get along. There is the usual bickering and jealousies common among most siblings. Especially with these two, my youngest daughters.  Faith was talking and being silly.  I wish I could remember what it was about.  Then Audrey started to laugh. It was so unusual that Faith said, "She smiled at me out of context!"  It was a good moment!!

     We will be driving from Carlisle Pennsylvania to Williamsburg, Va today.  A 4 hour drive.  Temperture is 40 and the birds are chirping!

     We got to Williamsburg around 3pm. Temp of 65!  Boy does that feel good!  What a beautiful city!  Headed to Ripleys Believe it or Not museum.  What fun!

An albino, maneless lion.

A giant ball of string. I have the miniature version at home made out of rubber bands.

This Rocky artwork is actually all the words from the script of the movie!  So cool!  The artist was left handed. So he wrote upside down with no smudging!  

            Audrey's new boyfriend!

This picture shows how Audrey and Faith can be!

But for vacation time, they're pretty content!  Here we are at the Longhorn for dinna!  We ate enuff stale gas station sandwiches today!  We deserved a steak and a salad!

     We are staying at the Greensprings Vacation Resort. What a deal we got. I thought it ws a hotel but it turned out to be a condo!  2 bedrooms and two bathrooms!  

 And a big jacuzzi bathtub!

Thank you Lord for another safe and joyful day!

Road Trip. Carolinas here we come....

We left this morning at 9 am. Before we got in the car Paul and I and the girls held hands and Paul prayed for our safe trup and traveling mercies. We are excited to go somewhere warm as the temp today is still below 20!

     Our plan is to get to Penn tonite!  And Williamsburg Va tomorrow!  We have plenty of snacks packed!

And I made special goody bags for each of us!

There is candy, protein bars, black velvet coloring pages, bubbles and whoopee cusions in there!  We are all children on the inside!   Everyone likes a goody bag!

     Girls are happily watching Daddy Day Care on the portable dvd player. 

Also watched the sci fi movie the Host. First fight came about when I accidentally pulled the plug out on the last scene. Oopsy!  Sorry about that. 

    Stale bread lunch at gas station stop. Ugggg!  Our ride was mostly uneventful until we reached Pennsylvania. We passed Scranton and challenged each other trying to remember all the character names from The Office!  Then we got a little lost trying to find our motel.  All right, a lot lost!

Finally at 7 pm we found our dinner at The Middlesex Diner directly across from our Motel in Carlisle Pennsylvania!  All is well but there was a clown at our hotel!  Strange. 

Happy day!

This table needs help!

This end table has been around for a while. Sitting beside Audrey's bed!  Useful and good storage for paperwork but tired and worn out!  I recentlyread about   Annie Sloan chalk paint and was eager to try it out!  I had read that the coverage was so good that there was no need to prep the furniture by stripping or sanding!!  I only needed a clean, dust free surface and I could get directly to the fun part - painting!  And so I did!

I didn't have the special Annie Sloan chalk paint brush so I used an ordinary Ace hardware one. But it worked!  Coverage was nice and not much odor to the paint. No heavy fumes!  I love the color!  This is called provence!  It just makes me smile!

After the paint dried  which was extremely fast, I applied a layer of furniture wax. I used Tre Wax, a clear paste wax. I had it on hand. I also have not purchased the Annie Sloan wax.  I will eventually. I am excited to see how it compares!  I think it came out beautiful!  Not bad for a Saturday afternoon project!

The best gift of all~ when you truly accept it

     I wanted to record a personal story of when Paul and I led a friend to salvation in Christ recently.  I am not sure if he wants his name here on my blog but, ~ maybe!   I'll ask him.  But for now, I will just write about it.  And some day if he is feeling lost, or worried or maybe just needs a reminder of that moment, it will be recorded here for him to read. 
     Paul and I were watching the History channel one evening shortly after Christmas.  It was about the life of Jesus.  My daughter Audrey and her friend came in and sat down in the living room with us.  Of course, he ( I'll refer to him as D)  started to pay attention to the show and began asking questions.  I wish now I could remember what exactly he asked but suffice it to say that he asked enough of them for us to pause the show to start answering them.  His enthusiasm to understand our faith in Jesus and why we believe in Him was great!~  Paul began to talk and one thing he said was that he wanted to spend eternity in heaven.  D asked if we believed in hell.  We told him yes but that "Whoever calls upon the name of Jesus would be saved."  He immediately responded by saying, "I don't want to go to hell!"  "Well then, why don't we pray together right now so that you can be reassured that you will spend heaven for eternity with Jesus." responded Paul.  So we gathered around his chair in the living room.  Paul began praying.  He said something and told D to repeat after him.  It was a little awkward at first which just goes to show that we need to spend more time doing this kind of praying.  But it went something like this.
Dear Lord, thank you that you came to earth as a child.  Thank you that you died on a cross to save me from my sins. I believe that you did this for me.  I think Paul paused for a moment and I remembered the acronmy: A    ~  Admit you are a sinner and you need a savior
                                           B    ~  Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus and that he died for me
                                           C    ~  Commit your life to Him
     So I started praying with him too.  "I ask you to come into my heart and help me live for you and I commit my life to you so that I can spend eternity in heaven with you."  All these words are not exact but the prayer was prayed with a sincere heart.  And it was as simple as that.  We said Amen together.  D expressed how good he felt after.  What a joyous moment!
     I rejoice in the fact that D has accepted the gift of salvation.  I will continue to pray that he will grow in you.  I gave him a Bible and the book The Purpose Driven Life.  I pray that he will read these and draw ever closer to the Father.  I will pray that God will guide and direct his path.  D, know that "He will never leave you or forsake you." Joshua 1:5 even if you walk away the Bible says this in 2 Timothy 2:11  "For if we died with Him
                            We shall also live with Him.
                             If we endure,
                             We shall also reign with Him,
                             If we deny Him,
                             He also will deny us.
                             If we are faithless,
                             He remains faithful;
                             He cannot deny Himself." 
     All I can say is Wow!  God's character is such that He is so loyal, so faithful, so loving towards us that even when we do wrong or avoid Him or think He doesn't care, we can rest and be reassured that His nature will not allow Him to be anything but loving towards us.  Thank you for this Lord.
     My responsibility is to keep praying for you to work in D's life Lord and so I shall.

Lost and Found

     On December 12th I went in to have surgery on my varicose veins on my left leg.   I had to be at the hospital for about 10 in the morning so Paul and I did a little Christmas shopping first at Michael's Craft store.  He loves those places! Well probably he likes it more than he will admit.  We got a few gifts for a special little girl going through chemo who would be at the hospital that day also.
      Anyway it was a pretty uneventful day for the most part.  I couldn't eat so Paul went to cafeteria while I was in surgery to have lunch and thoughtfully got some extra slices of pizza for me to eat on the way home.  He knew I'd be staaaaaaaarving!  So around 6 pm, I was finally discharged and we went to pharmacy to pick up medicines.  Paul also had a prescription for his back pain.  So we ended up with a bag of goodies, pizza, candy, toys for our little friend who we never got to see that day, and some medications for me and him, not to mention my bra and other assorted stuff in the bag.  Paul hung the bag on the back of the wheelchair and wheelied me to the exit.  He went to get the car while I waited.  We got in the car, unknowingly leaving the bag hanging on the back of the wheel chair.
     We drove for about a half hour when Paul said, "I'm hungry, I got some pizza in that bag."  So I reached to back seat searching for it and of course couldn't find it.  It was then that we realized we left it at the hospital.  We were thinking the worst, that someone would find it and take the medication which had all our information on the paperwork. We did not really want to drive all the way back to Burlington as it had been such a long day so we decided to call security. Paul called and they assured us that they would go to check and see if they could find it.  Paul hung up and we decided to bring it to God in prayer.  He says to come to Him for all things, big and little.  I knew that even if we didn't get it back that was ok but I just didn't like the idea of some stranger having all my information. So we prayed for God to let whoever found it be honest and give it to the hospital staff and that our things wouldn't get into the wrong hands.
     God is faithful.  Ten minutes later, the phone rang and it was the security officer letting us know that the bag was still hanging on the back of the chair where we had left it.  :)  Yay!  We were so happy.  It may seem like a little thing but to us it was a big deal.  We praised Him for taking care of this situation for us.
      I continue to try to hand all things over to Him.  Decisions about work and finances and health.  I trust Him to lead me in all things.  Even when I want to choose my own path, I know that it needs to be His timing and His will for me. Proverbs 3: 5-6  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight."

He Knows

     I woke up one morning  in December and was saying my prayers.  God placed words in my heart so I grabbed a pen and began to write.  I usually only write a poem if HE puts it on my heart to do so.  I am so blessed by words and so I always consider it a personal gift from God when He gives them to me like that.

  He Knows

You know my thoughts before I think them

You know my prayers before I pray them

Make me mindful

Make me see

The changes you want to make in me

Prepare my hands

At home, at work

Clear a path

Let me do your work

Today

Tomorrow

The Future

The past

You know every step

It's all in Your grasp

My works are small

My thoughts are scattered

But my heart is all yours

Isn't that what matters

My prayer is this though LORD my KING~

Work in my life,

Direct me in All things

I love you LORD and how You speak to me in Your still, quiet voice

Pumpkin Carving

The night before Halloween, Audrey was

 excited to have the night off

 from Hannafords to stay home and carve pumpkins!  

Dustin had been wanting to carve pumpkins for about 

a month now and Faith of course always loves doing this!

Carefully pencilling in the design.

Black and white doesn't do it for me here. 

 Pumpkins are so vibrant.  

I want to see them!

 Paul was a little nervous with Faith wielding a knife.

Nice to have Audrey home and relaxing. 

Senior year is so busy with work, homework and college preparation!!

New glasses for Faifer.  She is intent on the project.

 Gooey inside!  Faith says it looks like a spider web!

Not Audrey's favorite, getting the gunk out, but she was a good sport.

Just like when she does the dishes, she doesn't want to scrape the plates.

 Time for a kiss for the pumpkin!

 Ugg!

 Audrey let me scoop some seeds out!

I only threw a few at Faith! 

I love how Audrey never misses a camera shot! 

 We are all hams in this family!

 Hard at work,  Heart shaped eyes!  This pumpkin is in love!

Carefully, Faith!

Two Happy Pumpkins!!

And boy are they ever happy!

Happy, Happy, Happy!

I can't believe that flower in the front is still blooming, since

May 26th at Nolan and Kay's wedding.   Blooming still like their love!!

:)

And then there were three!

 A little chilly out here!

A fun night with the kids!

Bike Ride in Stowe

Last Sunday morning as we were getting ready for church,

Paul asked me if I wanted to go to Stowe

 for a bike ride.  Well I couldn't resist that offer!

It was to be about 80degrees out and sunny! 

A perfect fall day in Vermont! 

A date day with my hunny!

 

We got there at about 10:30 and it was a little cool but it warmed up quick!

This bike was right near the Farmers Market!

I am trying to look cool!

We did stop at the Farmers market and ate

pizza and tried out all sorts of jams and jellies.

We tried some fresh horseradish which cleared

the nostrils, opened my ears and made me see better!

Strong stuff it was!!

We got into town and took a leisurely walk!

Pretty Fall Mums!

Walking through the covered bridge.  I must insist he

take pics of me once in a while or we wouldn't have any!

Picture perfect!  We just soaked in the warmth, the colors, the overall beauty!

While in the bridge, we met a man from Colorado. 

See him there in there with the

  red hat on?  Talking to him was like talking to an old friend.

He gave me his card and told me it was a coupon.

Sure enough, on the card, it read, coupon good "for one free hug!"

He was genuine and kind and of course I gave him a hug!

He so enjoyed the colors here in Vermont and said

Colorado has mostly yellows at this time of the year.

Paul called Mama to let her know we weren't

going to make it to lunch cuz we were on a date!

I hope she's not mad!

 

 

  Psalm 96:12 says:

"Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them,

let all the trees of the forest sing for joy!"

What a beautiful description of Fall in Vermont.

If the trees could sing, the sound would be as beautiful and colorful as this.

 

Going throught the notch in a convertible

is the only way to travel. 

A true Bird's eye view!

We so enjoyed our day together.

Just wanted to remember it always!

 

Dream of a Mountain Side Road

  

  I don't always write about my dreams in my blog but I do write about them in my journal.  I really believe if you pay close attention to your dreams, especially when they are especially vivid and detailed, that there is a message in them to help you in your life's journey.  I know this from experience and that in the Bible God often used dreams to speak to His followers, to guide and warn them. 
     In Genesis, Chapter 37 Joseph describes two of his dreams to his brothers.  When Joseph was 17, he dreamed that he was in a field with his brothers, binding sheaves and all his brothers sheaves bowed before him.  He also dreamed that " The sun, the moon and eleven stars bowed low before me!"  He had 11 brothers and when he became an adult and was a right hand man of the Pharaoh; in charge of all the land in Egypt; the dreams he had as a teen came to fruition.  His brothers were in need of food and they came to him for help.  Technically, they were at his mercy and bowed before him. 
     Joseph also had the ability to interpret dreams.  Daniel is another person in that Bible that was able to interpret dreams.  It is a prophetic gift.  In Numbers 12:6, it says, "When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord Himself reveal myself to them in visions.  I speak to them in dreams."  In Acts 2:17, it says, "In the last days, God says I will pour out my spirit  on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young mens will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."
      It is humbling and exciting to think that our God will give such a gift.  I believe that God speaks to me to give me instruction and guidance and I humbly seek in His word and through experience and prayer to see what He is trying to tell me.  Anything I write and share here is to encourage my family and truthfully, myself. 
     Two weeks ago, I dreamed of a mountain road.  Faith and I were walking.  In the distance, was my destination.  Not sure what the place was but it was clearly in view.  A city.   I knew we didn't have far to go.  But beside me was this mountain with a road going back and forth along the side of it.  It looked scary; treacherous.  I could see vans, traversing along it.  I thought to myself, I cannot and do not want to travel that way!  But apparently I had to take this route before I could get to my destination.  I looked for pictures of a mountainside road in Google images and found a few that kind of look like my dream picture.  This is a close, but not completely accurate image!!

     Kind of amazing to see a road like that! How much works must go into building it!   To return to the rest of my dream, though I soon found myself sitting in one of the vans, in the rear back seat facing west.  A baby was being strapped to my lap.  But when I looked at the seat belt is was just a thin, flimsy strap with threads hanging off it. 

     That was my dream.  I can't get the image out of my head and the emotions that it evoked in me as I took this journey in my dream.  The questions it brought.  For instance, "Why can't I just walk straight to my destination?"  "Why do I have to go such a dangerous route?"  "Why does it have to be so difficult?"  "I am afraid."  "I want to do it my way!"  "It would be so much easier to just walk the other way."  "Carrying a baby makes it even harder."  "It's not safe!"  "That is not much of a seat belt."  And on and on.  Then just knowing that this is the route I have to take to get to where I want to go! 

     As I write this, I think I answered my own questions.  As I journey through life and look at all our circumstances I am reminded that the road is so difficult.  You may think you can just get to a certain point quickly, however God may want you to take the narrow, difficult way.  You'll get there but it may be that He has you go through trials and hard times to get there!  I think of the past.  My troubles with anxiety and depression that I  have overcome.  Difficulties with my children when Holly was a rebellious teenager and when Nolan had infections from appendicitis and was so sick.  As my husband Paul suffers from joint and back pain continuously and still works so hard.  Raising five children and all the bills!  Things sometimes seem as enormous and difficult to travel as that road was!  I still struggle with sensitivity and trying to do the right thing. Sometimes wanting to do the easier thing.   The path is difficult.  The Bible says in Proverbs 20:24 "A person's steps are directed by the Lord.  How then can anyone understand their own way?"  Proverbs 14:12 says "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death."  This is harsh, but sometimes we just have to be humble and obedient and take the hard way.  Serving others and putting your needs last.  I love this verse in Isaiah though!  verse 30:21 says:  "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way, walk in it!" What a comfort.