Teachable Moments

We had planned on being with Ron's parents in Northeastern Ohio until today, but we got a phone call about an hour after we arrived there on Sunday that Ron would have to come back early for a funeral. The boys were disappointed and I was not thrilled either, but there are sacrifices that come with being a Pastoral family.

So we are back and today Ron had the funeral and the kids (all 4) and I made a quick trip to town to run some errands (or as Eli put is we made a run to Miss Erin's). As we were coming home, right before the light in Ney, I pulled off to the side of the road and turned Psalty off.

The boys immediately asked what was wrong. As I pointed out the approaching row of cars with little flags on them, I had the opportunity to explain what a funeral is. What daddy was doing today and even where Mrs. Bernice was today. They had questions and the line was pretty long, so I answered as best I could. We had just passed the cemetery where they were headed, so they knew where they were going. Daddy was in the hearse, but I didn't realize until they were all passed that the boys didn't even see him. They wanted to know if Mrs. Bernice was in the car with daddy, and if she was in Heaven with Jesus - what was going in the ground. Why did some of the people in the cars look sad? Did Mrs. Bernice have any kids? As the questions slowed and the line got passed us, I pull back onto the road and continued up to the post office.

I went in to check the mail and got back to the van, wondering if any of the 3 of them had understood anything we had just talked about. To my great surprise, while I was getting the mail, they had prayed, not for Mrs. Bernice, but for her daughter, because she lost her mommy. Wow, they got it.

What a teachable moment. What an awesome opportunity Jesus gave me to share with my boys about eternity. They knew that Mrs. Bernice was OK now. She has no more pain, but her daughter who is not in Heaven, yet - she still needs our prayers because she misses her mommy.

Thank you Jesus, for allowing us to come back a day early so that I could show the boys more of you!

She has ARRIVED!

So today for the first time in a long time....I talked to my sister and she felt close. They have arrived. Jo, Billy, Elsie and Lucy are only one time zone away. They are in Alabama with my parents. They got in last night (well this morning) at 2:30am, but they are close.

I talked a little to Elsie too, although not much was understood. I am so excited to meet my nieces.

So the plan now is that I will see my sis and Lucy on Tuesday. Then our whole families will be together with my brothers family and my parents next weekend!!!!

Thank you to all of you who have been praying. They are finally close.

YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Christmas Festivities

We have technically been celebrating all month, but Thursday evening we got all dressed up for our Christmas Eve Service.

Maddie had to make sure Daddy's tie looked good!

Isn't she adorable. She makes every picture look good.

I just love Christmas Pictures!

Family picture taken at Farmer Church (Christmas Eve Service)

We got home pretty late from the church, so we actually slept in (a little) on Christmas morning, but the kids were pretty excited. Maddie had to be fed first, but then we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and blew out the candle on our Coffee Cake. Ronnie blew it out before I could snap a picture - he was pretty hungry!

We also did our Last Advent Devotional to celebrate Jesus. The boys have really enjoyed it this year. With all the sickness we have had to catch up a couple of days, but we did finish and enjoyed this celebration of Jesus Birth.

Next it was just pure delight and anticipation. Look at all those presents, Eli was so excited!

I loved watching Maddie play with the wrapping paper. She could care less what was inside, she just wants to eat the wrapping paper.

All the kids are fun to watch open. Those big eyes of wonder and then even bigger as they figure it out, or even when they have no idea, but they know it's good. Below, Eli was clueless as to the gift (a doctor kit), but he was excited too.

He was quick to try it out. After all, we wouldn't want a sick little girl while we're opening presents.

Police Officer, Eli, gives a salute (or something).

The boys loved this rug with roads and the new hot wheel station.

Since the big boys have enjoyed camping so much with daddy, we figured it was time for a sleeping bag, canteen and little lantern. (They enjoyed them and already camped out on their bedroom floor last night.)

They all camped out in sleeping bags in the afternoon and we enjoyed a family movie, Winn Dixie.

It was a wonderful family day and we had a great time.

To some today might be a let down. All the excitement leading up to Christmas, all the business to get prepared. All the fun of unwrapping and giving. But to those of us who are Christians...we can live in the excitement and anticipation all year long.

Happy Birthday Baby Jesus! We're so glad you were born and we're so glad that we can be in a constant relationship with you!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Tonight our family will light the Christ candle and have communion at church. Nathaniel, Eli and I will be singing Away in a Manger. Tomorrow we will enjoy our coffee cake (Jesus Birthday Cake), before we do anything else.

We will strive to keep our focus on our Lord and the gift of Baby Jesus that was given that first Christmas so long ago.

Enjoy tomorrow as you Celebrate Jesus!

Making Pizza

When we were younger my mom always had Pizza Night on Saturday night. It was "tradition". I like pizza and the boys do too. We usually have Pizza either Friday or Saturday night. So a few weeks ago, I was beginning dinner when Eli came in and asked to help. He loves to help out in the kitchen. I thought I would show you, in pictures, how he did!

First we pricked the dough.

Eli was pretty proud.Then he spread the sauce.

Unfortunately, he had to test the sauce to see if it was to his liking, so that meant back to the sink to wash.
Then the Pepperoni, Eli's favorite.

Eli doesn't like black olives and mushrooms, but he agreed to put them on Daddy's half!

I think his favorite was the cheese...

or maybe it was the finished product.

Good Job Eli, it was delicious.

Nativity

My absolute favorite thing about Christmas is the Nativity Scene. I love to display all my Nativities and enjoy them each year. They illustrate the night of Jesus' birth and the beginning of His-story.

I thought I would share with you our Nativity Scenes.

This is a new Nativity I received this year. It is so detailed, I wish you could see it. It has Mary, Joseph and Jesus on the front. Then the back has a very detailed wise men coming with camels and the star. It is very neat!

The Nativity to the Left is one that my husband's mom gave us when we got married. It is a fun Precious Moments Scene.

My mom made this one to the right. It is cross stitched. She made it because I wanted one the kids could play with. As you can tell, they have gotten some good playing time with it.

This Nativity above is one that my parents have gotten me over the last few years. It is the willow tree Nativity. I love the Willow Tree collections and just love displaying this scene every year!


To the right is a Nativity that my dad got when he went to Israel.

To the right is a new one I got this year at our Women's group. It is actually a tree decoration, but I choose to display it where the branches will not hide baby Jesus.

The next two are really neat. The one to the right is from Africa. My parents got it when they went to visit my sister in Uganda. It's a favorite one that I actually display year round on my "Africa" shelf!




Below is a Bolivian Nativity that some dear friends, the Wolheters, gave us. We met them in Seminary at Wesley Biblical, but we now support their Mission work in Bolivia!

Below is another kid friendly Nativity. The boys and I made this last year. It starting to show some wear, but they like to play with it.

The next three are ones that Ron's mom gave us when we got married. She used them to decorate her home when the boys (Ron and Ryan) were younger and then passed them on.

This picture was taken at my mom's. She bought a Nativity that all the Grandkids could play with. I love this picture of Daddy showing Eli all the pieces.

What a wonderful thing the Nativity Scene is. My prayer is that as we get closer and closer to Friday and Christmas day, May we all remember what happened on that First Christmas and the very First Gift that the Lord gave us, His Son, Jesus!

Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger" (Luke 2:10-12, NKJV)

Three years old!

Today, for the 3rd Monday in a row, we are again heading to the doctor. Nathaniel has something again.

But today is a little different - Today is Eli's 3rd birthday! We had a party on Saturday. Friday evening through Saturday we got our first snowstorm and although the weather was decent, the roads were not great and the sidewalks were horrible, so our party was a little smaller than originally planned, but we had a great time. My mom and dad came and Ron's parents had come for the weekend.

Grandma Neff and Pap with the kids!

Grandpa Adkins, Eli and Nathaniel

2 cowboys (Eli got his cowboy outfit for his birthday)

he got a workbench too!

Eli is so fun! He could take anyone out of a bad mood. He brings a smile to a lot of faces. He is just a fun guy! When I asked him what he was going to do now that he's three, his response was, "play!". I'm pretty sure there was a lot of that at 2, but there's more to come.

He wants everyone to know that he had a train cake for his birthday. It was probably the most difficult cake I have frosted, but he loved it! (He wanted it Yellow.)

Since we had the Birthday cake on Saturday, he got a candle in his oatmeal this morning. He loved it!

So over the last 3 years our little Eli has grown into quite the "Big Boy". He is so much fun and we thank the Lord for him.

Isn't he cute!

Happy Birthday Eli!

2 Words

There are 2 words that women dread hearing. Let me begin by going back 6 months ago.

My mom had her yearly mammogram 6 months ago. Her doctor told her that something was different, but that she wasn't concerned. She simply told mom to schedule to have another mammogram in 6 months. So that 6 months was up last week. My mom had her check and the doctor said, again that she didn't think it was anything, but she would like to do a biopsy. So this past Monday that was done. They had told her it would be 2 days (wed) and they would call with results.

We all waited by our phones that day. Waiting, waiting, waiting. So at 5pm mom called and was told, keep waiting we're still making calls. By 9pm she was a wreck and decided to go to bed and call back in the morning.

Thursday morning when she called the nurse said they were still waiting on a signature and she would call as soon as she got it.

At about 2pm, Ron was out on visitation and the kids were napping. My mom called. She said those 2 words, IT'S CANCER. I know it was only a matter of seconds, but it seemed like an eternity before I said, "what". "I have BREAST CANCER honey.

My mom has Breast Cancer. It's hard to even type that. When we dealt with those same two words (it's cancer) with Ron's brother, Ryan, a few years ago, I remember exactly where we were and that I instantly went into help mode. It seemed natural to do. Everyone around me was dealing with the news and I had to pick up and take care of 7 kids and clean 2 houses and help in any way I could.

But I never in my lifetime thought it would be my mom. I'm sure no one thinks that, but I was floored. I cried and prayed and cried some more. I wished I could hug my mom (which I finally got to do today).

So they got an appointment with a surgeon Friday morning and now surgery to remove the lump and a lymph node (to see if there is any more cancer) is scheduled for January 5th.

My sister was boarding a plane to London (they are spending Christmas in Hungry with Billy's family and will arrive in the States on the 28th) when she called me. Mom and she had not been able to make a connection so, I had to tell her.

Jesus knew these days long before us and He has the future in His hands. Thank the Lord we are a family who knows that and believes that He is all knowing and all powerful. Jesus is still on the throne. Thank the Lord we can begin this new phase of life as a family with Jesus by our sides.

We would appreciate your prayers!

Christmas Party!

December is full of things, one thing the kids have enjoyed the past couple of years is the Farmer Christmas Party. This year it began with their Play of the Nativity Story. Then everyone was dismissed to do all sorts of activities. There were free pictures with Santa that 3 of my 4 enjoyed (Ronnie is not real big on sitting on some guy's lap, even if he didn't have that suit on, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't do it). Then they were off to see what was next.

First was a craft where they decorated their own Christmas trees.

Then they were excited to see Sassy the Clown with her balloons. All 3 of the boys love the balloon animals. Sassy has been to the Harvest Party and other events, so they know her. Below she is making a butterfly for Nathaniel. Even Maddie enjoyed watching.

Then Mr. Ralph was at a station where they used stickers to make their own Nativity. Eli enjoyed the help!
Ronnie and Nathaniel enjoyed this too.


From their it was downstairs to the games and food.


There was a game that all 3 boys loved. They were using small golf clubs to fit a ball of wrapping paper through an obstacle course. I'm not sure why I don't have pictures of this game, I think because they were too quick for me to get them.

Below Eli is throwing marshmallows into the snowman. He got pretty good at it. (Nathaniel found the stash of marshmallows and helped himself!)

And finally they really wanted to eat a cupcake to celebrate Jesus Birthday.


Below Ronnie is pictured with his friend Alex.

The boys had a great time and a lot of fun!