Once again, Thursday is Library Day for me and these friends of mine.

Who could resist that smile of Jessah's?



Chloe - every year she is so brave



Jessah, Chloe and Celine at the Library. 

The Summer Reading Program has all kinds of fun!  Celine - so sweet, so beautiful.

Jessah loves books but she loves toys at the library too!






My dog loves it when the girls come over!  I love it when Chloe comes over!

 

Ally - there is no one like her

Sleeping Beauty



Ally Cracks Up!



A Smile A Day Keeps the Spankings Away

Future Sports Car Driver

Jayme and her Grandma Collins....Then and Now



1971




2011



Jayme arrived safely in Massachusetts this evening (amidst rainstorms and tornadoes)



A very tired Jayme is as happy as can be with her sister, Christine, and niece, Aishling.

I nabbed this picture off Facebook a few minutes ago.  Jayme flew into Manchester, NH (her birthplace) late this afternoon.  Here she is at Christine's home and is now on her way to stay with Denise.  This has been an annual trip since she was a little girl...only recently she has missed a couple of years.  I know she is happy to be back there.  Plans to spend tomorrow with her Grandma Collins.  Here's a pic of Jayme with her  Grandma  about 40 years ago:



Jayme and her Grandma Collins in 1971



Happy Birthday to my brother

\We will have a birthday party when you get back home!  See you very soon!  Love you!

Happy Birthday Debbie Bock!

Make a digital greeting

Moments - this is all we have

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Review
Ann Voskamp invites us to slow down, to learn how to live the full life of eucharisteo (with grace, thanksgiving, joy) regardless of circumstances. With lovely word pictures inspired by everyday life in her family and on her farm, she writes about her struggle to live joyfully amid sin and sorrow and suffering. -- WORLD Magazine

(WORLD Magazine )
Product Description on Amazon reads:
"Just like you, Ann Voskamp hungers to live her one life well. Forget the bucket lists that have us escaping our everyday lives for exotic experiences. 'How,' Ann wondered, 'do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? What does the Christ-life really look like when your days are gritty, long---and sometimes even dark? How is God even here?' In One Thousand Gifts, Ann invites you to embrace everyday blessings and embark on the transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling God's gifts. It's only in this expressing of gratitude for the life we already have, we discover the life we've always wanted ... a life we can take, give thanks for, and break for others. We come to feel and know the impossible right down in our bones: we are wildly loved --- by God. Let Ann's beautiful, heart-aching stories of the everyday give you a way of seeing that opens your eyes to ordinary amazing grace, a way of being present to God that makes you deeply happy, and a way of living that is finally fully alive. Come live the best dare of all!"

The week that was quite interesting

• Just got my computer back about twenty minutes ago.  After days of a sluggish computer, finally took it in to the Geeks and now it is running beautifully again.  I really missed this thing!  Now....I will spend some time and clean up and organize the hundred's of emails,  return to Facebook after a long relapse and last,  but definitely not the least:  do a little updating on this blog! 
• I was furloughed!  Sooner than I expected.  A shorter season of work than I have ever had.  But quite delighted to sleep in past 5:30 a.m. Certainly will miss that paycheck though!
• Not once....but twice my washing machine has flooded the laundry room in the past couple of weeks.  Both times the Dutchman was working out of town.  (My typical response of D...U....T.....C......H...Help! was not heard by him).  Sweeping water out the back entrance and setting up fans to dry the floor has not been my favorite thing this week.  I now have a new washing machine. :)
• Another trip to the DMV and my frustration began to show.  Seriously.  An apology before I left.  Me...I'm the one who apologised....to the clerk and to the manager I demanded requested to see.  As I said, my frustration  anger was showing.... and I'm not too proud of that.
• I have lost the cord to charge my Kindle!!  Groan!  It is now completely out of power and I am unable to read Eric Metaxas' Bonhoeffer which I had been so looking forward to. 
• The Dutchman is now home and my life, as always, is oh so good. 

• I will end with a sweet picture of this happy great-grand baby of mine........whom I get to see when she comes to visit me next month!  Just look at that smile. What a charming girl baby she is!   She is held by our precious Shannon, who is such a good mama.   And there is Snickers, their beloved cat, who has been stirrng up trouble in the neighborhood lately! 

Creamed Salmon on Potato Chips.....

Thanks Char for making this favorite meal from our childhood!  Jayme grew up enjoying it too and it was a real treat for us when she visited last weekend! 


Jayme and I enjoying Char's cooking!  (I miss you dear daughter!  It went by too fast!)



Today is a day of contentment.....

enjoyment, gratitude, pleasure, delight, gladness, elatedness, gleefulness....yup!  that's my day.  I am so thrilled to have Jayme here, even for a short while.  And we are having a ball!


Arriving about 11:00 P.M. after a long day of travel.  Many delays in Phoenix,  but thanks to that US Air Pilot who refused to fly the plane that needed maintenance!  And as always, Jayme's attitude is so good.   My role model.




Mother's Day Breakfast was delicious.  Sadly, we over slept after staying up 'til 2:00 a.m. and missed church.




Jayme enjoys our weather



A Few Words that describe Jayme:  lovely, compassionate, likeable, capable, strong, giving, genuine, woman of faith

Always happy...that's where Ally gets it!

Life is just better with Jayme around. 

Feelin' some joy today!

How would you define joy?  Well, I looked it up and each definition surely describes what I am feeling today.   Definition of joy  –noun

1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation: She felt the joy of anticipating the arrival of her daughter.

2. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated: just the thought of time with her daughter was pure joy.

3. the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.

4. a state of happiness or felicity.

And the reason for all this joy today?  At 6:30 I will be at the airport picking up my daughter!  She's in the air now, on her way to surprise me for Mother's Day.  And since she has never been able to keep a secret.....I already know about her visit.  She told me yesterday afternoon.  And I am so glad to know in advance because I was then able to prepare some things for her visit:

• Put fresh sheets on her bed.  It's too warm for the flannel sheets that were on there for winter.
• Cut some fresh flowers.
• Clean her bathroom.
• Charge my camera battery.
• Plan meals.
• Relish in the anticipation of her weekend visit.  Short as it will be.  The time together will be splendid!



my precious daughter

Happy Birthday Shannon!

A free picture slideshow by Smilebox

Ally Hall and Mickey Mouse

Is Mickey stealing Ally's Easter basket while she sleeps!?  Sure looks like it!  Or, he  might be  bringing her a basket.  Especially since Ally is crazy about him.  But you never know....you gotta watch that guy  mouse closely!
Actually, when I look at this picture, I see Ally's beautiful skin, long eye lashes and sweet little mouth.  We are so in love with that baby girl!  She looks like a Bessie Pease Gutman baby.  (Bessie Pease Gutman, best known as a children's illustrator in the early 1900's  and I have collected her work for years)

A Royal Wedding Cake

Shannon, Ally and Chelsea made a wedding cake to honor the royal couple.  I bet Jayme had a big influence on their interest in this royal wedding!

miss blue eyes

adorable ally

cute as a button



aww....poor miss blue eyes is teething and not feeling so good



The Tomb is Empty!

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
[x2]

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

VIA DOLOROSA - Sandi Patty

"He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." 1 John 2:2

Monday's List is all about Rebecca

1. Rebecca has been my friend since she was eight years old.  She just had her sixteenth birthday! 
2. Rebecca surprised us with a visit Saturday afternoon...we hadn't seen her in a year. 
3. She's driving!  Just got her license a week or so ago.  So drove over to see us. 
4. When Rebecca and Shannon were little girls, I used to take them swimming at the Sanger pool.....or , sometimes swimming over at my sister's house.  Lots of good memories of those times.  Ah....so very quickly (or so it seems) little girls grow up. 
5. Rebecca, this sweet and very shy child, has grown into a poised, confident, beautiful girl who is quite the conversationalist.  Lovely.  Just lovely.   
6. This picture of Rebecca playing the piano is from a couple of years ago.......now she is still playing piano, composing music and planning on college as a music major.
7. Did I say college?!  Yup...next year a senior....then on to Fresno Pacific.  (Yes she is graduating a year early.  Smart girl) 
8. There are so many things I love about Rebecca.  Not the least of which is ...she's a Jesus lover too!
9. Rebecca, you brighten our world!  Sure was good to see you on Saturday...don't be a stranger!

A List

Favorites from the past seven days.   Mixed in among the favorites will be a challenge or two.  Or one.

1. Today, Sunday, April 17th, we went to Chong's baptism.  It was some kind of wonderful!  Loved her church and her Pastor's message.  Tied right into our Tues. study on Paul!  Most of all....celebrating Chong's public confession of Jesus Christ!  Glory!
2. Heather, my niece, Gabby's mother, had a birthday!  How old?  Well...maybe I should just say "forever twenty-nine".  She remains youthful and  gorgeous.  And we celebrated with Tepanyaki at our favorite restaurant.  Happy Birthday Heather! 
3. My brother, Daniel, arrived safely in Minnesota.  He's back there for a visit.  His elder sister's words before he left?  "Call me every day and read your Bible every day."  It was a few days before he called me.  Think he took the rest of my advice?
4. My Aunt Sarah, continues to recover beautifully from knee replacement surgery.
5. My Work has it's challenges.  (for me) Get a new manager and the rules change.
6. The weather can only be described as glorious.  Planted lots of flowers this weekend.  Everything's blooming.   Cannot stay indoors with weather like this!
7. WOW -  Women of the Word on Tuesday night started our study on the life and ministry of Paul.  Ministering to all of us.  These women so encourage me.
8. Had coffee at Vivian's Saturday.   Outside on her patio.  Surrounded by beautiful flowers, plants and greenery.  The time together was Refreshing!  Needed that!
9. The Dutchman is so focused on work now .... but the time I've had with him has been splendid!  He is one in a million.
10. Verse for Tuesday women:  "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:14.  You are on solid food ladies!  Dig in!  Persevere!  Do the best you can.  You are Women of the Word on a Journey.

Notes from Living Proof Live last weekend with Beth Moore.



Beth in the audience. 

 Friday night and Saturday morning. At the SaveMart Center and there were 6500 women there.  Message from Beth had some straight talk for me!  Worship with Travis Cottrell rocked!  16 friends in my group and what fun!  The highlight was taking my 15 year old niece, Gabby, with me.  She spent the night.  We are getting to know one another and she is a delight!  It was her idea to go with me and I was flattered.  What I am learning about Gabby:  Sweet spirit about her.  Poised.  Content.  Appreciative.  Fun.  Easy to talk with.  Open.  Honest.  Easily fits in when coming to an event with me and my friends.  And back to an ecstatic teenage girl when she sees her friends again!   She is eager for more of Jesus in her life!  Woo Hoo!  Here a couple of pics of Gabby.  Isn't she adorable?!  
Then click on Read more.....for my notes from the event.