On This Last Day Of The Year

I want to reflect back on the Lord's goodness to us, through good times, and hard times.

We had a daughter married this year in March.

We took two unexpected trips to Florida in June and July

 We were in Florida in July for Tim's stepdad's funeral.

 We took a trip to Knoebel's in June as a family.

 My friend Bonnie and I went to see the Downton Abbey exhibit at Winterthur.

 We freshened up the look of our cottage by taking the shutters down, pressure washing the house, painting the shutters black and rehanging them!  It looks great!

Joseph's brother Tommy died at the end of July.  This was a very hard thing.

The big event in August was the baptism of all four of our daughters!

 September we took a trip to Colonial Williamsburg.

Then took Emma to school in South Carolina.  She's thriving there.

 The beginning of October, we took a day trip up to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon with my parents.  It was a fun, beautiful day.  The leaves were changing in the Canyon though where this photo was taken, three hours south, there was little change yet.

Glorious Autumn in our own yard, later in October.


Tim's Aunt MaryLou went to be with the Lord in November.

 November was Thanksgiving and the first break for Emma from school.   It was a beautiful day with my parents, Tim's brother's family and a few friends.

The following week I hosted the Ladies Christmas Tea in our home.

We got our tree a week later.  We've celebrated Tim's birthday, Christmas, and now it is New Year's Eve.  We have a Ball we are hosting at church tonight with English Country Dancing.

Tomorrow is Lindsay's birthday, and Friday is our 27th Anniversary.

I am reviewing God's goodness to us, and want to express my thankfulness for His protection last night.  

We were driving home from our friend's home near Reading, Emma was driving the kids in her car and we had Kamryn and Grammy with us.  All of the sudden cars are slamming brakes and swerving, smashing into one another, all because of a deer!  Tim comes to a stop without hitting anyone and we see that Emma has missed the accident too!  The cars in front of us are moving off around the crash and before we can move - Smash!  A young gal rear ended us.

We are all fine.  The police officer told us "This is a real mess.  The car that hit the deer didn't stop.  There was a car a head of us that hit someone but that car wasn't there.  The cars between us and that car all were fine and had moved on.  The gal that hit us really damaged her car.  It was a weird accident.  Tim will call the insurance company today.  We are uncertain of what they will do - there is some damage but it doesn't look too bad.  Tim did notice though the van was pulling to the right last night.  The biggest thing is that this van has 265,000 plus miles on it!  I'm thinking the insurance company may just total it.  

Please pray with us that we will be able to find another vehicle that we can afford.  We don't like to have a car payment.  We are trusting God to provide just what we need.

We kind of chuckled last night as we talked about how many miles just this year we have driven, on the many trips we've taken, and then on the 2nd to the last day of the year - Bam!  We are so thankful that no one was hurt other than the deer - that was a real mess and laying in the road right in front of our van.  

We are sewing this morning and preparing for our Ball tonight!  It's going to be so much fun!

We will be Ringing in the new year with Thankfulness in our hearts.  What about you?  How are you ringing in the New Year?

On The Road

Hitting the road Monday morning to visit some great friends.

By now we have shared many visits back and forth between our home and theirs.  It's always fun, and this time we get to meet some other family members!

I'll be back with photos on Tuesday!

Cheryl's mantle last year.

  

End of The Day

We've been enjoying a laid back post Christmastime.  

We decided to go to The Point at a favorite local state park to watch the sun set.

 Tim and his Mama, he's her baby.

I hope you are enjoying these last days before the New Year.

Merry Christmas

I pray that you have a wonderful Christmas.  As part of our traditions, we watch The Nativity Story, every Christmas Eve.  I was just struck by Mary and Joseph's humanity, and that God choose to send his Son not into a 'royal' family, but a simple and humble family.  Mary says to one of the shepherds "He's for everyone."  Tim challenged us to be like Mary and to ponder the things of the Lord.  

I learned about a medieval era carol just a few days ago.  It has been put to a modern tune, but I just like to ponder the words to this carol and the depths of them.

Here are the words - 

COME AND STAND AMAZED

Come and stand amazed, you people,
See how God is reconciled!
See his plans of love accomplished,
See his gift, this newborn child.
See the Mighty, weak and tender,
See the Word who now is mute.
See the Sovereign without splendor,
See the Fullness destitute;
The Beloved, whom we covet,
In a state of low repute.

See how humankind received him;
See him wrapped in swaddling bands,
Who as Lord of all creation
Rules the wind by his commands.
See him lying in a manger
Without sign of reasoning;
Word of God to flesh surrendered,
He is wisdom’s crown, our King.
See how tender our Defender
At whose birth the angels sing.

O Lord Jesus, God incarnate,
Who assumed this humble form,
Counsel me and let my wishes
To your perfect will conform.
Light of life, dispel my darkness,
Let your frailty strengthen me;
Let your meekness give me boldness,
Let your burden set me free;
Let your sadness give me gladness,
Let your death be life for me.
—Medieval Dutch carol, translated by Klaas Hart (1906-1973),

Here is one of my favorite Carols, also, for you to enjoy.




Merry Christmas, friends!

Ah Heirloom Gift

I nearly cried.  It's a gift given from loving hearts.  They wanted to give us something that would not be something consumed just this year, but something of meaning that we could bring out year after year.  It's a way to honor friendship and remember.

Isn't it beautiful?

Our friends may be moving back to their home state this spring.  If not that they'll have another year to a year and a half here, then they'll be headed home.  This is a gift to bind heartstrings and to remember, and to praise God for His ultimate gift that has allowed us to be in the same eternal family.

We love you Tony and Amy.  

Thank you for this gift of the heart.

It's Christmas Adam!

Nothing like being ill to cause you to lose a few days!  I find myself on the road to recovery and see that it is Christmas Adam.  Tim started this in our family years ago, noting that, 'it's the day before Christmas Eve."

Being out of commission for these few days has caused me to need to carefully be busy today, with just a few things.  I will definitely still be resting.  My body feels wiped out still.  And I was able to do a bit of crocheting when I felt up to it and finished a few projects.

On the upside, I lost 4 more pounds this week, for a total of 32 pounds lost.  I'm wearing a comfy dress today that I haven't worn for a few years.  I'm standing amazed and grateful.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating Tim!  Emma is taking him to breakfast for his birthday, we'll be going to lunch out, give him his gifts, then  in the evening we switch to Christmas Eve celebration mode and watch The Nativity Story and open our stocking gifts.  


Here are a few photos of the scarves I've made as gifts and Kamryn's quilt.

I may do some machine stitching on her quilt still, but I am happy with how it turned out.  Kamryn's snuggly blankie is one I made for her before she was born.  It's a bit too small to cover up with now, though.  She often tells me, "Thank you grandma, for making my blankie."  A few months ago (after I had already decided to make her a quilt for Christmas) she said to me, "Will you make me another blankie?"  I said, "Of course I will!"  Her first blankie was out of brown and pink minky fabric, so I chose to go in the same color wave as that with the pink and brown, and since the brown fabric (they are all from my stash) has red in it, I was able to incorporate Kamryn's Mommy,  Kayleigh, and my favorite color red!  The backing and binding are a soft red fleece material that is amazing to touch.  That is the only material I bought for this project.

I hope you enjoy a very special day on Christmas. I'm thinking of those who've lost loved ones this year, I know it will be hard.  We need Him, and that is why we have Christmas.