The comfortable couches were made up for us to sleep on, and we slept like rocks. Until we both woke up at 3:30 AM Hawaii time (9:30 AM EST.) Kate easliy went back to sleep, but I lied there tossing and turning. I don't know if I slept or not, but boy was I glad to see the sky turning pink outside. I watched the sun rise, and then we read our bibles on our first day on Hawaii! Kate is reading through the Bible as well. Each day here I realize how very blessed I am to have her as my friend.
That morning at around 10 Embla had a birthday party at the big Waikiki Mall and so we all joined her at the Build-a-Bear workshop that the party was held. Kate and I set off to find an electronics store to buy some batteries for her camera, which took a while due to the enormity of the mall and included a nearly disastrous encounter with a salesman of 'dead sea' salt. :-) When we got back they were just getting through and then everyone except Arnheidur, Kate and I went to the food court. Arnheidur had wanted to show us around a real Japanese Market where there were all kinds of foods to choose from. If you ask me, I think it all looked the same-fried or boiled parts of U F O's (unidentified food objects!) wrapped in seaweed or a dough. It was interesting though, and I don't think that I have ever seen so many Japanese people before in one place at a time in my life!
When we met George and crew at the food court, we also met Rachel, the birthday girl, and her family. They are Filipino, and all the girls and women have the longest, most beautiful black hair I have ever seen! They were so kind, too.
We ate some of the U F O's from the Japanese Market as well as some clementines I had brought from their house. After lunch, we drove to Waikiki Beach in Honolulu and walked around looking at all the sights like the international market, where, as Arnheidur put it, "It's all trash; but you have to see the trash to say that you've been there!" We did find some souveneirs for our families back at home, and shortly after 200 games of 'I spy' with Embla we made our way up to the beginning of Diamond Head, where we would hike to the top of that beautiful green crater with plunging cliffs and crashing seas below them. Embla had on flip flops, which would be a problem for walking the rugged landscape, so I carried her on my back all the way up (except on the stairs), and most of the way down too. It was an excellent endurance workout for me, and she had fun.
Anyways......the view from the top was breathtaking. The clouds, the pacific, the beach, the green rolling hills and the mountains all rolled into one amazing panoramic view of God's marvelous creation. Once we got to the bottom, we all had a Hawaiian shave ice, like a snow cone but much, much bigger. Kate and I got a pineapple one to split. It was pretty good!
Afterwards our full day got even fuller because we got to go to the base grocery store, where they have excellent quality groceries for cheap! Kate and I picked out some things we wanted to have on hand for the week and discovered that we are alike in another way-salad! We both really enjoy eating it so we got several boxes of spinach and lettuce as well as some carrots and dressing. When we got home we were too worn out to eat anything much, and crashed at a fairly early time of 9:00.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Arriving in Hawaii
It's a bit hard to believe, but I am on the beautiful Island of O'ahu, Hawaii! We (that is Kate and I) will be on the Island for 11 days babysitting my 2nd cousin's two children, Embla (5) and Ellert (2) while he and his wife are taking a vacation to the "Big Island." It has all been a whirlwind-I got the news of the possibility of the trip on Monday night, and left on Friday! I am going to post some excerpts from my journal since I didn't get on the internet at all until today.
After an uneventful 3 1/2 hour flight to the lovely Phoenix airport, Kate and I boarded our flight to Hawaii. The plane was pretty big, and we sat next to a guy named Michael who was from Alabama. He was, first off, rather socially deprived, having not had a normal friendly conversation his entire flight time, which included several layovers. He was visiting his brother in Hawaii and asked if Kate and I were Protestants because he saw the cross she was wearing. Well, we said, we are Christians, and go to a Christian and Missionary Alliance Church!
Finally, after flying for quite some time, I caught a glimpse of the beautiful Pacific Ocean shimmering thousands of feet below us. After getting quite bored watching Wall-E, using up nearly all the battery power my iPod could put out, and talking until we couldn't think of anything to say at all, we suddenly realized that when the Pilot had said we would arrive in Hawaii at 6:00, that would be their time, not Phoenix time. Oh, what a long, long flight! It makes one wonder how the Islands are part of the U.S. anyway! I won't even bother to tell you how hard it was to gauge the best time to venture out into the aisle to get to the bathroom. But it was so well worth it when we finally descended altitude and could see the peaks of the 'Big Island' visible in our window. Adrenaline rushed through our bodies when the Pilot announced that we were now descending to Honolulu! We snapped dozens of pictures out the window of the green mountains, turquoise waters, and sugar-white sand. We could even see George's home from the plane as we landed! The deliciously warm air, tinged with the scent of the tropical plants that grow all around the airport greeted us, as well as plenty of people dressed in native Hawaiian apparel and leis. We continued on in what we thought was more or less the right direction, and were very glad to see that we made it to the main terminal where we assumed George would be. But, minute after minute, we saw no sign of him, his wife, or his children. We refrained from panic, and somehow, even though we were quite exhausted, we just kept looking all around the large airport-in the baggage claim, the food court area, and, of course, all around the main terminal. However, we still were not able to find them. After an hour of searching, we were nearly at the end of our strength. We sat down out side the baggage claim, feeling a bit like when you are waiting on your ride and it seems everybody has a ride and gets picked up except you. Then, Kate remembered that we had George's cell phone number, but neither of us had one, and so she bravely walked over to a couple of Japanese guys and asked if they had a cell phone we could borrow. They didn't seem to understand- the one she aimed our request at just kept texting madly away on his BlackBerry. Finally, the guy standing next to him got his attention and he gave us the phone to use. I called George on it and he said he'd be there in just a minute. He also mentioned that he had left a message at my house saying that we were nowhere to be found in the Honolulu airport and that they weren't even sure if we made it to Phoenix. He said I should call and leave another message right away.
Oh GREAT, I thought, Mother and Father are going to be absolutely terrified! Then the news will make it to Barry Mountain......Oh.....Oh COCONUTS!!
But, I had no way of calling them because the Japanese guy's ride had come and he was waiting rather impatiently next to me to receive his CrackBerry back so he could continue to text.
Not 5 minutes later, George and Arnheidur appeared, and their children, Embla and Ellert, gave us some beautiful real flower leis made with snapdragons. They were all dressed in Hawaiian attire and Embla crafted a lovely banner for us. George went off to get the car, and while he was gone we were horrified to learn that when people pick you up at an airport, you usually meet them at the baggage claim. We explained that we didn't have any luggage, just carry-ons, and that we were looking for them in the baggage claim, and then Arnheidur said, "Well, you know, when you want to get to the right place, next time, just follow the crowd!
Oops. Okay, great! Well, this is a fan-diddly-tastic way to start off the trip where you're taking care of two children for, I thought to myself. Both of us were sufficiently mortified by the time George came with the car, and so we quickly got in. Arnheidur offered us some refreshing watermelon. We were much too tired, but they insisted on taking us to a really good chicken and rice place in the city, and I'm really glad that they did. :-) It was quite good, and we sat outside in the warm Hawaiian breeze while we ate our first meal of our Hawaii trip. After settling in on their comfy couches, we slept fitfully.
After an uneventful 3 1/2 hour flight to the lovely Phoenix airport, Kate and I boarded our flight to Hawaii. The plane was pretty big, and we sat next to a guy named Michael who was from Alabama. He was, first off, rather socially deprived, having not had a normal friendly conversation his entire flight time, which included several layovers. He was visiting his brother in Hawaii and asked if Kate and I were Protestants because he saw the cross she was wearing. Well, we said, we are Christians, and go to a Christian and Missionary Alliance Church!
Finally, after flying for quite some time, I caught a glimpse of the beautiful Pacific Ocean shimmering thousands of feet below us. After getting quite bored watching Wall-E, using up nearly all the battery power my iPod could put out, and talking until we couldn't think of anything to say at all, we suddenly realized that when the Pilot had said we would arrive in Hawaii at 6:00, that would be their time, not Phoenix time. Oh, what a long, long flight! It makes one wonder how the Islands are part of the U.S. anyway! I won't even bother to tell you how hard it was to gauge the best time to venture out into the aisle to get to the bathroom. But it was so well worth it when we finally descended altitude and could see the peaks of the 'Big Island' visible in our window. Adrenaline rushed through our bodies when the Pilot announced that we were now descending to Honolulu! We snapped dozens of pictures out the window of the green mountains, turquoise waters, and sugar-white sand. We could even see George's home from the plane as we landed! The deliciously warm air, tinged with the scent of the tropical plants that grow all around the airport greeted us, as well as plenty of people dressed in native Hawaiian apparel and leis. We continued on in what we thought was more or less the right direction, and were very glad to see that we made it to the main terminal where we assumed George would be. But, minute after minute, we saw no sign of him, his wife, or his children. We refrained from panic, and somehow, even though we were quite exhausted, we just kept looking all around the large airport-in the baggage claim, the food court area, and, of course, all around the main terminal. However, we still were not able to find them. After an hour of searching, we were nearly at the end of our strength. We sat down out side the baggage claim, feeling a bit like when you are waiting on your ride and it seems everybody has a ride and gets picked up except you. Then, Kate remembered that we had George's cell phone number, but neither of us had one, and so she bravely walked over to a couple of Japanese guys and asked if they had a cell phone we could borrow. They didn't seem to understand- the one she aimed our request at just kept texting madly away on his BlackBerry. Finally, the guy standing next to him got his attention and he gave us the phone to use. I called George on it and he said he'd be there in just a minute. He also mentioned that he had left a message at my house saying that we were nowhere to be found in the Honolulu airport and that they weren't even sure if we made it to Phoenix. He said I should call and leave another message right away.
Oh GREAT, I thought, Mother and Father are going to be absolutely terrified! Then the news will make it to Barry Mountain......Oh.....Oh COCONUTS!!
But, I had no way of calling them because the Japanese guy's ride had come and he was waiting rather impatiently next to me to receive his CrackBerry back so he could continue to text.
Not 5 minutes later, George and Arnheidur appeared, and their children, Embla and Ellert, gave us some beautiful real flower leis made with snapdragons. They were all dressed in Hawaiian attire and Embla crafted a lovely banner for us. George went off to get the car, and while he was gone we were horrified to learn that when people pick you up at an airport, you usually meet them at the baggage claim. We explained that we didn't have any luggage, just carry-ons, and that we were looking for them in the baggage claim, and then Arnheidur said, "Well, you know, when you want to get to the right place, next time, just follow the crowd!
Oops. Okay, great! Well, this is a fan-diddly-tastic way to start off the trip where you're taking care of two children for, I thought to myself. Both of us were sufficiently mortified by the time George came with the car, and so we quickly got in. Arnheidur offered us some refreshing watermelon. We were much too tired, but they insisted on taking us to a really good chicken and rice place in the city, and I'm really glad that they did. :-) It was quite good, and we sat outside in the warm Hawaiian breeze while we ate our first meal of our Hawaii trip. After settling in on their comfy couches, we slept fitfully.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Serving in Scripture
How we are commanded to serve from scripture:"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, and patient....." 2 Timothy 2:24
We are commanded to serve-
"........with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free."
Ephesians 6:7-8
The other day Galen and I were bemoaning the frequency of our having to refill Lillian and Zion's sippy cups. I came upon this verse-
"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42
Enough said! This verse puts a whole new perspective on our daily tasks. Using the truth presented-yes, even changing that diaper or wiping that little nose can be a service unto the Lord. Wow.
"In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty." Luke 17:1
"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24
This was the official Bible verse for our Homeschool baseball team way back. It's been one of my favorite verses on the topic of serving ever since.
Artwork taken from allposters.com
Monday, March 2, 2009
Greatness is Serving
This year, my Mother, brother, and I decided to read through the Bible together in one year.Before we decided to begin reading the Bible in a year, I had experienced the wonderful benefits of filling my mind each day with the truth of God's word, but I have never been sure quite where to read. I always felt a bit 'lost'-I had read a few books through, and was reading a few Psalms each morning, but what I really wanted to start from the beginning and start to see the big picture the Bible so vividly paints.
My Mother and Galen are doing a neat program where you are e-mailed your portion of scripture for each day I decided am doing a program where you start reading a few verses per day in Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs, and Matthew, then continue on from those starting points
This morning one of the passages I happened to be reading was Mark, Chapter 10. What struck me was verses 35-41, where Jesus was speaking to James and John about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom.
35 "Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;
40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.
42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
(emphasis mine)
It's amazing how the things that you will read in your daily scripture portions that speak to the heart of the problems you may have been struggling with. I am constantly amazed at the Lord's faithfulness to me.
Lately, I've been shown, through examples in scripture, and, most painful of all, in the words of one of my siblings-what a really selfish person I can be. How I want to have time for what I want to do, I want things to go according to my plan, I want full and complete recognition and affirmation for of all my good deeds, etc. etc.
And, if I don't get what I want....whatever it may be....well, let's just say it doesn't go over so well.
At all.
;-)
So I then realized my own deep need for a refresher course on the characteristics that we, as Christians, should be exemplifying in our daily lives.
So, starting tomorrow, I'll be posting some on the topic of serving using scripture as our guide.
Until then!
Artwork taken from Art.com
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Atlanta Trip!
This past Sunday we returned from a delightful trip to Atlanta, GA. Father had a conference there and allowed the remaining eight of us to tag along! We had a wonderful time, and got to visit and dine with our Atlanta cousins, Austin and Elizabeth, numerous times during our 3 day adventure.
After arriving in Atlanta Thursday evening, our first stop the next day was the Tutankhamen Exhibit, where 50 of King Tut's treasures from his tomb were on display along with 80 other ancient egyptian artifacts highlighting the different dynasties of Ancient Egypt. It was amazing, to say the least, but there is something eerie about seeing the actual golden sandals that adorned the king's feet, and peering into the canopic jars that held his internal organs.
Naturally, no pictures were allowed inside, but we were able to get a decent snapshot with the 3,350 year old King outside the civic center where the exhibit was.
Oh well, nevermind about a decent snapshot-it looks like Israel decided to pout about the fact that he doens't have gold flip-flops like Tut. :-)
And then, we must have a silly picture. Galen looks like he's hanging in the air between King Tut's Hega scepter and his face!
Next we went to the stunning Georgia Aquarium, the only aquarium in the world to have four whale sharks in captivity.
Yes, I said whale sharks, and I can prove it, too. I have photo evidence!
At the touch tank, they had several stingrays and two juvenile bonnethead sharks swimming in circles sharks just beggin' for you to stick your hand in the water and pet them!
Lillian and I managed to touch a stingray!
The 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager Tank was the most amazing exhibit of the entire aquarium.
After initially picking my jaw off the floor at the mere size of the tank itself, I was further astonished at the hugeness of the whale sharks and the incredible variety of fish. Wow, just WOW!
"O LORD, how manifold are thy works!
In wisdom hast thou made them all:
the earth is full of thy riches.
So is this great and wide sea,
wherein are things creeping innumerable,
both small and great beasts.
"Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created:
and thou renewest the face of the earth.
These wait all upon thee;
that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
.....the glory of the LORD shall endure for ever:
the LORD shall rejoice in his works." from Psalm 104
A very nice employee gave us a special behind the scenes tour of the penguins, who were evicted from their previous home by the construction work for the new dolphin exhibit. Poor guys. They'll be stuck in their little refugee habitat for at least 2 more years.
Pesky old dolphins.
:-)
Cute, huh?
This is Dodo, the head honcho of the penguin society.
More touch tanks! This one was for touching anemones.
We went by the Belugas, but unfortunately, they were cleaning the tank so the water was very cloudy. The divers you see in the picture above got their lines all tangled up and were attempting, rather unsuccessfully, to untangle them in the 55 degree water. It was most entertaing-more so than the belugas themselves, who spent most of the time pouting in the opposite corner because the divers were intruding upon their privacy.
Israel and Zion enjoying the coral reef exhibit! Most of the coral was live, imported from Fiji.
Galen, our video guy for the trip! He got some great footage of the whale sharks.
Mother and Zion, enjoying the incredible variety of fish!
Sulli-man!
Father and Oliver, relaxing at the Centennial Olympic park after the aquarium.
After the aquarium, we went to our cousin's house for a delicious home cooked meal. It was so nice to eat real food and not to be at the mercy of the restaurant! After we played legos and enjoyed the company of our beloved cousins, we went back to our separate hotel rooms- Sullivan, Israel, Lillian, and I in one, Father, Mother, Galen, Zion, and Oliver in the other. We slept very fitfully that night!
Next day, Uncle David, Austin, and Elizabeth took us on an trip to the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War History Museum, and then on a hike to the summit of the historical Kennesaw Mountain.
Here's all of us eating lunch after going to see the largest painting in the world at the Atlanta Cyclorama
!!WE LOVE OUR COUSINS!!
Later on that day, we went out to dinner with Aunt Diane, Uncle David, Austin, and Elizabeth to a yummy barbecue place.
On our way back home, we stopped by our Grandparent's house in Anderson, SC for a visit. We played some card games, ate a delicious meal made by chefs Granddaddy Ron and Grandma Marcia, and went on a boat ride.
Even after all the fun and excitement of our mini vacation, I'm so glad to be home. Routine is indeed a blessing in itself!!
After arriving in Atlanta Thursday evening, our first stop the next day was the Tutankhamen Exhibit, where 50 of King Tut's treasures from his tomb were on display along with 80 other ancient egyptian artifacts highlighting the different dynasties of Ancient Egypt. It was amazing, to say the least, but there is something eerie about seeing the actual golden sandals that adorned the king's feet, and peering into the canopic jars that held his internal organs.
Naturally, no pictures were allowed inside, but we were able to get a decent snapshot with the 3,350 year old King outside the civic center where the exhibit was.
Oh well, nevermind about a decent snapshot-it looks like Israel decided to pout about the fact that he doens't have gold flip-flops like Tut. :-)
And then, we must have a silly picture. Galen looks like he's hanging in the air between King Tut's Hega scepter and his face!Next we went to the stunning Georgia Aquarium, the only aquarium in the world to have four whale sharks in captivity.
Yes, I said whale sharks, and I can prove it, too. I have photo evidence!
At the touch tank, they had several stingrays and two juvenile bonnethead sharks swimming in circles sharks just beggin' for you to stick your hand in the water and pet them!
Lillian and I managed to touch a stingray!
The 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager Tank was the most amazing exhibit of the entire aquarium.
After initially picking my jaw off the floor at the mere size of the tank itself, I was further astonished at the hugeness of the whale sharks and the incredible variety of fish. Wow, just WOW!"O LORD, how manifold are thy works!
In wisdom hast thou made them all: 
the earth is full of thy riches.
So is this great and wide sea,
wherein are things creeping innumerable,
both small and great beasts. 
"Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created:
and thou renewest the face of the earth. 
These wait all upon thee; 
that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 
.....the glory of the LORD shall endure for ever:
the LORD shall rejoice in his works." from Psalm 104
A very nice employee gave us a special behind the scenes tour of the penguins, who were evicted from their previous home by the construction work for the new dolphin exhibit. Poor guys. They'll be stuck in their little refugee habitat for at least 2 more years.Pesky old dolphins.
:-)
Cute, huh?
This is Dodo, the head honcho of the penguin society.
More touch tanks! This one was for touching anemones.
We went by the Belugas, but unfortunately, they were cleaning the tank so the water was very cloudy. The divers you see in the picture above got their lines all tangled up and were attempting, rather unsuccessfully, to untangle them in the 55 degree water. It was most entertaing-more so than the belugas themselves, who spent most of the time pouting in the opposite corner because the divers were intruding upon their privacy.
Israel and Zion enjoying the coral reef exhibit! Most of the coral was live, imported from Fiji.
Galen, our video guy for the trip! He got some great footage of the whale sharks.
Mother and Zion, enjoying the incredible variety of fish!
Sulli-man!
Father and Oliver, relaxing at the Centennial Olympic park after the aquarium.After the aquarium, we went to our cousin's house for a delicious home cooked meal. It was so nice to eat real food and not to be at the mercy of the restaurant! After we played legos and enjoyed the company of our beloved cousins, we went back to our separate hotel rooms- Sullivan, Israel, Lillian, and I in one, Father, Mother, Galen, Zion, and Oliver in the other. We slept very fitfully that night!
Next day, Uncle David, Austin, and Elizabeth took us on an trip to the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War History Museum, and then on a hike to the summit of the historical Kennesaw Mountain.
Here's all of us eating lunch after going to see the largest painting in the world at the Atlanta Cyclorama
!!WE LOVE OUR COUSINS!!Later on that day, we went out to dinner with Aunt Diane, Uncle David, Austin, and Elizabeth to a yummy barbecue place.
On our way back home, we stopped by our Grandparent's house in Anderson, SC for a visit. We played some card games, ate a delicious meal made by chefs Granddaddy Ron and Grandma Marcia, and went on a boat ride.
Even after all the fun and excitement of our mini vacation, I'm so glad to be home. Routine is indeed a blessing in itself!!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Quotes!
Here are a few of the most recent quoteables from the funny farm...
"Man, the cake on that icing was terrible." -Israel
"Well, I'm hungry again. Funny how that happens!" -Father
"Mom, what's the third prime minister of pregnancy mean?" -Sullivan
"Mommy," Lillian says as she holds baby Oliver- "when can I have baby?"
Lillian- (talking about the guy at the BYB drive through) "I like that guy-he have a earring!"
Lillian points to a cereal box with 3 disney princesses on it. "Look Margaret-Me, (points to Jasmine) you, (Snow White) and Mother! (Belle)
Me- Um.....wow, thanks Lillian, I wish I looked like that!
Mother- "Wow, Galen, I am surprised you can fit in the babies' rocking chair!"
Galen- "Well, I guess that its just because I have a very skinny pelvic area!"
Mother-"I think that Grandma would like a Geranium for her birthday...
Sullivan (not listening)-"Whaaaat did you saaaay?"
Mother-"Oh.....well, I said I think that Grandma would like some Uranium for her birthday-you know, for that nuclear project she's got going." :-P
"Man, the cake on that icing was terrible." -Israel
"Well, I'm hungry again. Funny how that happens!" -Father
"Mom, what's the third prime minister of pregnancy mean?" -Sullivan
"Mommy," Lillian says as she holds baby Oliver- "when can I have baby?"Lillian- (talking about the guy at the BYB drive through) "I like that guy-he have a earring!"
Lillian points to a cereal box with 3 disney princesses on it. "Look Margaret-Me, (points to Jasmine) you, (Snow White) and Mother! (Belle)
Me- Um.....wow, thanks Lillian, I wish I looked like that!
Mother- "Wow, Galen, I am surprised you can fit in the babies' rocking chair!"
Galen- "Well, I guess that its just because I have a very skinny pelvic area!"
Mother-"I think that Grandma would like a Geranium for her birthday...Sullivan (not listening)-"Whaaaat did you saaaay?"
Mother-"Oh.....well, I said I think that Grandma would like some Uranium for her birthday-you know, for that nuclear project she's got going." :-P
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
You wake up, bleary-eyed; yawning perhaps, and squinting at the clock, just like any other day. And then, suddenly, you realize-it’s CHRISTMAS! Sitting up, you realize that it’s not too early to get up- you don’t really hear any noise downstairs yet. So, you slide off the covers-leaving your pajama clad body to shiver a bit at the cold room-and gingerly step onto the thick rug that sits atop the shiny floorboards. Outside the door you hear little pitter-patters of feet in the hallway and voices talking in hushed, excited tones. Then, going as quiet as you possibly can on such an exciting morning and squeaking more than a few floorboards on your way, you descend the stairs. At the bottom, you can see the doorway to the library-where the Christmas tree is-covered from the floor to the top in snowflake wrapping paper. On one side, a slight crack in the paper offers a tiny glimpse of the tree light that sets the room aglow. You go to the bathroom to get dressed as quickly as possible, for who wants to bother with such things on Christmas when the very air is full of magic and anticipation. When you emerge from the bathroom, the room is buzzing. Your brothers and sisters are practically running circles with anticipation, and the feast of a breakfast begins to take shape-Mother’s fluffy, homemade biscuits, the fruit salad you labored over the night before, full of succulent slices of pineapple & grapes, blueberries and strawberries, creamy sausage gravy, and cheesy potato pie sit atop the island in the kitchen. The spicy smell of warm cinnamon permeates through the air as the sticky, gooey cinnamon rolls are pulled from the oven. Everyone sits down as the blessing is said, and then the little ones are first to rush to the delicious buffet spread before them. This day, however, their eyes are bigger than their stomachs-because excitement, no matter how delicious the food, doesn’t allow one to eat very much. Naturally, the children finished their feast before the slow-eating grown-ups, and are raring to go. After a few minutes more of eating, silence fills the room as the Christmas Story is read. You never tire of hearing the simple yet beautiful tale of the Savior-the birth of the Father’s one and only son. Afterwards, you and your siblings crowd around the door to the Library, waiting on your parents and grandparents to get the cameras at the ready for the busting through of the paper.
Oliver in his santa outfit on Christmas Eve! He even looks like he's smiling a bit.
The former baby and the baby!
Awww.........he's the cutest little baby in the world! (okay, I am slightly biased...) :-)
Table #1- l-r My lovely Grandma and Grandaddy, Sullivan, Zion, and Israel.
Galen and I at table #2-enjoying the delicious dinner!
My lovely Mother, who cleaned up for me!
".....and he took the roast beast"-from Sam's, that is. ;-)
"Ahviler" and I, as Zion calls him.
Then, Lillian and Zion started cuttin' the rug with Grandma and Grandaddy!
In our family, it is a tradition to paper the doorway of the room holding the Christmas tree and the gifts. When all are ready, cameras poised, we bust through the paper!
Zion proudly shows some of the contents of his stocking. And yes, it is a firework. :-)
As usual, everyone was delighted with the contents!
I was no exception.
Lillian with her lovely scarf from Grandma Rose!
Israel was very pleased with his Roman Centurion outfit. He adds this to his current collection, which includes policeman, knight, king, indian, and cowboy costumes. :-)
Miss Lillian opening her cute tea set-and it's made with recycled milk jugs to boot!
Zion opening his " 'rocery sore."
Merry Christmas to one and all-and may you and your family have a blessed new year!
Cheers!
-Margaret
You wake up, bleary-eyed; yawning perhaps, and squinting at the clock, just like any other day. And then, suddenly, you realize-it’s CHRISTMAS! Sitting up, you realize that it’s not too early to get up- you don’t really hear any noise downstairs yet. So, you slide off the covers-leaving your pajama clad body to shiver a bit at the cold room-and gingerly step onto the thick rug that sits atop the shiny floorboards. Outside the door you hear little pitter-patters of feet in the hallway and voices talking in hushed, excited tones. Then, going as quiet as you possibly can on such an exciting morning and squeaking more than a few floorboards on your way, you descend the stairs. At the bottom, you can see the doorway to the library-where the Christmas tree is-covered from the floor to the top in snowflake wrapping paper. On one side, a slight crack in the paper offers a tiny glimpse of the tree light that sets the room aglow. You go to the bathroom to get dressed as quickly as possible, for who wants to bother with such things on Christmas when the very air is full of magic and anticipation. When you emerge from the bathroom, the room is buzzing. Your brothers and sisters are practically running circles with anticipation, and the feast of a breakfast begins to take shape-Mother’s fluffy, homemade biscuits, the fruit salad you labored over the night before, full of succulent slices of pineapple & grapes, blueberries and strawberries, creamy sausage gravy, and cheesy potato pie sit atop the island in the kitchen. The spicy smell of warm cinnamon permeates through the air as the sticky, gooey cinnamon rolls are pulled from the oven. Everyone sits down as the blessing is said, and then the little ones are first to rush to the delicious buffet spread before them. This day, however, their eyes are bigger than their stomachs-because excitement, no matter how delicious the food, doesn’t allow one to eat very much. Naturally, the children finished their feast before the slow-eating grown-ups, and are raring to go. After a few minutes more of eating, silence fills the room as the Christmas Story is read. You never tire of hearing the simple yet beautiful tale of the Savior-the birth of the Father’s one and only son. Afterwards, you and your siblings crowd around the door to the Library, waiting on your parents and grandparents to get the cameras at the ready for the busting through of the paper.
“ONE, TWO, THREE- GO!”
Shouts Father, and in you bust through the wrapping paper-the Christmas Tree lights shine bright in your eyes as you search for your stocking-the one with candy canes dancing across the green wool, your name embroidered on the front in scarlet thread. You find it-there, on the computer chair, and then proceed to empty the contents amid squeals of joy and surprise as your siblings do the same. The stockings are wonderful-each child receives the perfect, most beautiful gifts and candies, picked out lovingly by your thoughtful and caring Mother, who spent countless hours choosing the contents of the stockings for each of the six children, tailoring each to the personality (and taste!) of each child. In your stocking, you receive your very own pencil sharpener and set of pencils in a carrying case printed in a bright, cheery flower print. Also there are chocolates in various forms, including a dark one studded with succulent fruit, a pack of organic lollipops, creamy peppermints, chewing gum, beautiful hair clips and ties, a ’58 convertible, and a tin of color changing putty, which, because you are a very tactile sort of person, you take it right out of the box and watch the purple putty turn to a bright pink with the touch of your hands.
As you watch your siblings around you, smiling as they open their stockings, enthralled by their new box of princess band-aids, playing with a mouth-harp, or trying out a 3D puzzle-you sigh, and feel incredibly thankful and in awe of the great blessings the Lord has given you-not just the gifts, which are but temporary pleasures- the life that the Lord has so graciously given you, wonderful parents, who truly care for you, a comfortable, warm home, good (if not to mention delicious!) food, caring and generous Grandparents, a brand new baby brother in addition to four happy, healthy brothers and a sister- and, most importantly, a Savior, whose birth is celebrated on this joyous holiday. Opening presents, you feel the same feelings of thankfulness and joy for all the Lord has abundantly blessed you with. You would not be anywhere else than here, in your dear farmhouse, with all the people you love surrounding you.
Okay, if you've made it this far without falling asleep, that's pretty good. :-) Now, enough jabber, here's some pictures!
Oliver in his santa outfit on Christmas Eve! He even looks like he's smiling a bit.
The former baby and the baby!
Awww.........he's the cutest little baby in the world! (okay, I am slightly biased...) :-)
Table #1- l-r My lovely Grandma and Grandaddy, Sullivan, Zion, and Israel.
Galen and I at table #2-enjoying the delicious dinner!
My lovely Mother, who cleaned up for me!
".....and he took the roast beast"-from Sam's, that is. ;-)
"Ahviler" and I, as Zion calls him.
Then, Lillian and Zion started cuttin' the rug with Grandma and Grandaddy!
In our family, it is a tradition to paper the doorway of the room holding the Christmas tree and the gifts. When all are ready, cameras poised, we bust through the paper!
Zion proudly shows some of the contents of his stocking. And yes, it is a firework. :-)
As usual, everyone was delighted with the contents!
I was no exception.
Lillian with her lovely scarf from Grandma Rose!
Israel was very pleased with his Roman Centurion outfit. He adds this to his current collection, which includes policeman, knight, king, indian, and cowboy costumes. :-)
Miss Lillian opening her cute tea set-and it's made with recycled milk jugs to boot!
Zion opening his " 'rocery sore."Merry Christmas to one and all-and may you and your family have a blessed new year!
Cheers!
-Margaret
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