Saturday, June 29, 2024

A Summer of Serving, Learning and Fun

What an amazing summer we are having!  We are halfway through and we are busier than ever!  But it's one of those good kinds of busy.  So happy to enjoy this life with my family!
Silas and Micah have had several oppurtunities to preach at the assisted living facility.  They are doing so well and I love to hear them declare the Word of God!

Callie had a fun project to finish up from the school year.  She loved her Forensic Science from Masterbooks.  It will be hard to top that next year!  

She was the prosecuting attorney.   Silas, the guilty.  I was the baliff, Patrick the judge, and Micah the plantiff.  It was fun!

We've enjoyed having children over to show them our baby bunnies, baby goats, and baby chicks.  God is really prospering our little farm and we are enjoying sharing it with others.

Micah is my new Texas Sheet Cake Baker!  He has learned how to use my Mom's recipe and it's so delicious!

We were given a bunch of beans to string, snap and freeze.  It took a group effort, but we got it done!

Beth took a bunch of green tomatoes to make a green tomato salsa.  Wow it was good!  While she was at it, she fried a bunch.  What  great snack!

Micah headed off to junior camp.  He had so much fun and made many great decisions for the Lord.  That's what camp is all about!  We love Camp Oconee!


I didnt' know my Callie liked lizards!  She was excited to hold this guy for a friend.  I have decided that Storybook Farms DOES NOT need any lizards!

Callie has also been working on her drawing skills.  She's got talent!  We plan to work on that this schoolyear and find some art classes for her.



Silas has been building his Holland Lop rabbitry.  His first breeding was successful and he found homes for the baby bunnies.  He now has a wait list with 4 people added so far that want to be notified when we have more babies.

With his profits he bought a sweet doe, Charleigh.  She's so cute!

Unbeknowst to us, Callie decided to hatch some chicks.  That girl!  That's a story in and of itself! :)  She now has a cute little chick running around.  So cute!


Then all three of my younger kiddos (and my oldest as well) headed off to Teen Camp.  This is the year that Micah was old enough to go to both. What an amazing week!  It was a little strange not having kiddos at home.  We were on baby Azariah watch, so we had a busy week here at home, too.  :)

Since Azariah was born Thursday, we headed up Friday for the last night of camp.  We love being there for our kids and our VSIBC kids.  It was great to hear of decisions they made,  That's what it's all about!

They asked for all boys called to preach to stand up.  I loved seeing Silas and Micah stand.  So proud of them!

Patrick decided he wanted to take S,C and M deep sea fishing.  But, charters are super expensive.  So, he started donating plasma to save up for it.  Yesterday was the day they went.  They caught about 40 fish in the atlantic and had a great time together!

 
Beth has been busy serving, sharing and making new friends!  She was able to lead a friend of hers to the Lord and then a few weeks later she was baptized.  So thankful for Beth as she has such a servant's heart.  Beth also has some new things in the works and she is working on her writing.  I'm ready for her next book to come out!  
My kiddos were also able to participate in youth night with special music, testimonies and preaching.  So proud of them!




I'm thankful for so many things this summer.  Thankful that we have a great church to serve in.  My family is learning first hand how to put feet to a servant's heart!
I'm thankful that we have a couple of months off from school to do extra things like these.
I'm thankful for a family to spend it with.
I'm thankful for the memories we are making.
I'm thankful that there is still so much more to come in the month of July!!

But, please don't tell my family.....I'm thankful that after a great summer, we will start school.  I am already curriculum hunting and we have some great things in store for Fall, too!!

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Baby Azariah

Baby Azariah is here!! So happy to welcome in grandbaby #6.💕💕💕


Brenna had a super fast labor that started at her Midwife appointment. She called me from the waiting room to let me know contractions had started about 8 am and were getting stronger and closer together. 


From her appointment she went straight to the hospital where she was getting pretty close to delivery.  Azariah was born at 12:01. That was quick!

We are all in love already!! He's adorable!


Asa was so happy to meet his baby brother. He gave him a bunch of kisses and was pretty curious about all the fun buttons and levers in the room. 😂


If you've read my blog for a bit, you remember that Brenna had quite a scare after Asa with eclampsia. So far Brenna is doing great and monitoring symptoms. Prayer would be appreciated for her that this doesn't happen again this time. 




Welcome to the family baby Azariah! We are praying now that one day you will make the most important decision a soul could ever make! We are praying that you will see your need of a savior. And that Savior is Jesus Christ! 

 

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Trip to Fort Myers for Mother's Day

On our trip to Fort Myers it was fun to have some extra time together and time with family. 


We loaded up bright and early, and even put a cage in the back! But I'll talk more on that in another post 🙂 🙂

While we were there Silas, Callie, and Micah and I were able to swing by the beach real quick to see the sunset. One of my favorite things to do! The weather was perfect. The water was warm. And it was just beautiful!

It was so nice to be with my mom and dad and my three sisters. Having all of us together doesn't happen very often. But we are treasuring the time we have! 


My sisters and I are finding that we are entering a new season of life. Our kids are graduating. Our babies are having babies. And things are just changing! Time is like that. I'm thankful for the time that we have to weget together. It's funny how when you get together with your siblings you can be young again!

We squeezed in as much family time as we could!




I told Patrick that this year for Mother's Day I wanted to be with my mother. I'm so thankful for a husband that hears my desires and makes them happen! I was glad to have three of my children with me that day! It was fun to be able to go to church with my parents.








It's always good to see Pastor and Mrs Judy Strange! Silas realized this time that he is just about as tall as pastor!
And just like that Our trip is over. Memories were made. We had laughter galore and it was a blessing to go home for a bit!