A Very Important Visitor!

Yesterday Tim's Mom arrived from Florida!  We are so excited to have her visiting us.  She is 93 (she'll be 94 in October).  Tonight after Sarah's piano lesson we talked her into playing a bit for us.  She is a wonderful pianist - but she says since her stroke two years ago that her hands don't play as well as they used to.  She says, "I'll blame the stroke for that!"  

Sorry for the loud background noise.  Our family is not the quiet sort!

Grammy loves all the noise and activity that goes on around here!  She is having sort term memory issues, so we are thankful for the opportunity to have her with us and to enjoy her.

She is a woman who dedicated her whole life to serving the Lord.  She lived with her bachelor pastor brother in their 20's, and kept house for him and played piano at his church.  She was a missionary and she and Tim's dad served in West Africa for 23 years, before coming home for medical issues.  They then served still in the mission.  After becoming widowed, she continued to serve and after remarrying they served as associate missionaries.  They retired in the 1990's and began to serve with a food bank ministry and my mother in law did prison ministry for years.  That is just the formal things.  She often had people staying with her, sometimes for years at a time.  They housed medical students from Germany, also.  She and her husband traveled the world, as he was retired from the Air Force.

She still reads her Bible everyday, and loves to speak of His faithfulness to her.

Tim's sister Esther oversees her care in Florida and is a blessing to the whole family.  We are thankful that Grammy (as we refer to her most of the time) is able to live in her own home, as she has a wonderful caregiver that lives with her.  She told me tonight she hopes to stay in her home for as long as possible.

I've learned a lot from her life over the years.  To choose to rejoice even in hard circumstances (she buried two sons in Africa), to joyfully offer hospitality, to serve other people.

I may be scarce here for the next few weeks, but I hope to pop in now and then.

I appreciate you all and your friendship to me.  I am thankful for all of you whom I have learned so much from as well.  

Have a wonderful holiday weekend for my American readers, and a lovely weekend for the rest of you!

Let's Chat

Pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea or coffee, if you prefer and let's settle in for a bit of a chat.  Doesn't that sound nice?

I have lots rolling around this brain of mine and I love talking with you and hearing what you are up to as well.

Emma and I got up early and headed about an hour away to shop at a wholesale place.  We needed some display pieces, so we don't have to strip the store when we have an event.  We found some nice ones, and also some nice jewelry.  They even had the cute children's bracelets back in stock that are so popular.

Speaking of events we have two this weekend.  The Hearts in Style and Song event at the Hotel Hershey on Friday benefits the Penn State Hershey Heart and Vascular Institute.  It is a great event with a luncheon, fashion show, silent auction, and vendors.  It is already sold out.  This is our first time being vendors for this event but we are excited to be in this beautiful hotel and a part of this fundraiser.

On Saturday, Rachel and I will be headed to Harleysville for a 5K run benefiting the American Red Cross.  We are excited to be a part of this event as well.  I am hoping it doesn't rain as this whole event is outdoors like a street festival.

Last night the girls and I hosted our third Reclaiming Beauty webinar.  I had planned to do it with my daughters, and we decided to invite some friends to join us.  It has been really good.  We've been challenged in our health, who we are dressing to please (no rules of "this is godly, this isn't),  trying new things.  Last night I was challenged to address my weight.  I've never allowed myself to see it as a sin issue but for me it is.  I am lazy, and lack discipline.  I want to please the Lord in every area and this is the one He wants me to work on now.  Pray that I will delight in riding the exercise bike, that I will give up coca cola, and that I will be able to see results to keep me encouraged.

After these two events this weekend, we will start to focus on our Fall Fest we hold at our home every October 31st.  It is Reformation Day, and a good opportunity to get together with our church family and friends to celebrate together.  We have a bonfire, play games, have a hay ride (sometimes).  

Then in November we will have family visiting us.  One of Tim's sisters early in the month and the other mid month on their way to hunt and spend Thanksgiving with our brother in law's mom on the family farm in New York.  This will be fun to have them in our home and spend a bit of time together!

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving, and I love to savor each holiday.  This year it will be a bit different as we will be in our store on Black Friday, instead of home decorating for Christmas!  And that means that the store will be decorated probably before Thanksgiving!  In fact, Emma and I found a nice sized tabletop Christmas tree for the store today!  

My friend Brenda, collects the brown transfer ware pattern by Johnson Brothers called Friendly Village.  I think it is charming and so I started to look for some plates or cups for myself.  Well the other day when I was out shopping with a friend I found a set of service for 12!  But all the pieces were priced individually and the dinner plates were $12.00 each!  A bit much for my budget these days!  But it is charming, isn't it?

Lindsay and Rachel took advantage of the cool weather on Monday and took their horses out for a ride.  Liberty is too small for Rachel so we are looking to sell her.  She is young, with attitude but learns quickly and has the potential to be a nice gaming pony.  Rachel will miss her.

Well, I should get back to work now.  Doing prep in the shoppe today for the weekend.

Hope your day is lovely.

Starting Off The New Year...

 These photos have nothing to do with the post but I like them so I put them on!


I am already behind and I haven't even started yet!  The plan is to get back at school this week - but I started to run a low grade fever last evening and am stuffed up, so we will see how it goes today.  


Saturday had all the makings of a frustrating day - Lindsay didn't feel well and that threw a wrench into all MY plans.  How inconsiderate of her, eh?  Poor girl, she is feeling better now.  We did get the bathroom walls and ceiling scrubbed but that had to wait until Tim got home, as I just couldn't quite reach well enough.  sigh.


My flesh wanted to have a hissy fit.  Things were not going how I had planned!  But due to the Lord's mercy in my life to continue to help me grow into His image - He is not known for His hissy fits - I managed to remember to leave the outworking of the day to Him.  He knew/knows just what is needed for each day.

 And it was a good day...peace reigned in our home, Emily made double chocolate cookies - so good - she drove to the store 2 times for things we needed, the younger girls cleaned their room and played together...

 It snowed all day, the pretty, big flake kind of snow, Kyle had so much fun playing in it, when he wasn't riding shotgun in the van with Emily!

Today, I am going to 'rest' in what the Lord has for me.  It may not be what 'I' had planned but He knows what we need.  Last night as I laid in bed feeling under the weather, He sent Kyle to lay with me, and to tell me over and over that he loves me and that I am the best mom.  It was precious to me to savor that time with him.  He told me that he will never forget me, or grandma, or Emmy, or his whole family!  He then skip counted by 5's for me, to 100!  The Lord was so good to send me a physical comforter...

So...I will take today as it comes, and cherish every opportunity to build love, affection, and fun with my family, whether 'my' plans are accomplished or not!