Category Archives: Uncategorized

The trip started with Rain.  Here we had stopped at the nearby convenience store for ice.

We had rain for a while, but by the time we got to THE GAP, the weather was much nicer, and  the scenery was gorgeous!

I love looking across the valley from the parking lot at THE GAP.  But, unfortunately, I wasn’t thinking at the right time and missed a picture of THE GAP itself.  For those of you who aren’t acquainted with this cut in the mountains” it is a tourist center that is also a Vietnam War Memorial.  And it is a beautiful, peaceful place.

We saw lots of nice fall foliage as we went, but many of my pictures did not turn out.  We got to Ohio on Tuesday evening, and Wednesday and Thursday were filled to the brim with things that needed doing.  We even got to have supper with Youngest Son on Thursday night, but I never had my camera out the whole time.  I should have been documenting some health related data, but I didn’t even do that.  We left Ohio after dark on Thursday night.  It was snowing a little bit.  We drove to Morgantown, got a motel for the night, then got on our way around nine on Friday morning.  Imagine our surprise to drive into Grantsville and find this:

It was snowing right along when I took this picture through the windshield of our van.

We drove out of the snow and into sunshine eventually.  We saw some wonderful scenery along the way home, too.

The miles clipped away, and we finally came into familiar territory.  What a good feeling it was to come around the corner at Abbott’s Pond.

Almost Home!!!

And so we came on down the road and around the corner, and our own foliage wasn’t too shabby, either:

And then there was our familiar fence and driveway, and we were home!

As we rounded the edge of our driveway, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of praise to our Heavenly Father for the Traveling Mercies, the enabling He granted us to deal with things in Ohio, and for the many, many miles driven together that were so comfortable and happy.  We have so much to be grateful for in this happy season.

We’re Home, We’re Home!

And the week went well — Beyond our expectations in so many ways.

But home looked so good, and I am so thankful for a safe trip all the way around.  Today, on the freeway, going 70+ mph, a semi in front of us blew his two back right tires.  I was asleep, and brought straight awake with the explosion.  Heavenly protection and Daniel’s quick thinking got us through unscathed, and sleep was the farthermost thing from my mind for many a mile.

I hope to post some pictures later, but just wanted to thank all of you for your prayers for us.  It really was a productive, rewarding time.

My stuffy nose is better, thank you very much!

This has been a busy day of washing, baking bread and getting ready for a short trip to Ohio.  Our chickens are going out today, and that has kept Certain Man home and very occupied.  The crews are still working on the last house, but he needed to dash to Seaford for an order of three gallons of oysters that he is taking to relatives.

I have a few loose ends to catch up, a quick meeting concerning Thanksgiving boxes, some prescriptions to pick up, and some packing to do. 

And then, Lord Willing, we will be heading out in the morning.  Middle Daughter, Eldest Son, and Youngest Daughter will hold down the fort for a few days.  (With some help from Beloved Son in Law, Eldest Daughter and maybe my Sweet Mama).

I wish I could say that this is a trip for pleasure.  It isn’t.  Certain Man’s step-mother fell and has a hair line fracture in her wrist and wrenched her knee.  His Father is dealing with some health issues, too, and the children are scattered (actually from Delaware to California to New York and Virginia.  This time it is our turn to go, I guess. 

I sense keenly our need for wisdom and patience and compassion and grace.

by doze id ‘tuffy!!!

The Contest!

About ten days ago, www.xanga.com/Chambray7 had a contest on her website.  She offered a little wooden Christmas train to be drawn from all the comments to that particular posting.  Chambray7 and I have been friends for several years, going back to when Certain Man and I stayed at their house while attending a church convention that was hosted by their area churches.  This isn’t the first time she has held such a giveaway, and I enjoy these little events very much, so I signed up. 

Unbelievably, I won!  One unusually challenging day, I received the following message from Chambray7:

Hello MaryAnn!! Do you mind giving me your address?? I’m assuming you got the message that you won the drawing!!!!!!!!!! =)
Be Blessed~

Was I ever excited!  I hadn’t known it until then.

And today, I got the most delightful package.  In it was the cute little Christmas train and I found a place for it right away–

It is a perfect little ledge above the pellet stove that does not get too hot.

Also, in the package was a bottle of Chambray7’s own lotion and a lip balm.  What a blessing that was.  I’ve been sick for the last few days with a bad chest cold and I have this terrible cold sore growing on my lower lip.  So I found a place for my train, and I rubbed my poor dry hands and arms with the lotion, and I slathered the bee lip balm on my ouch-ified lip and felt so comforted and encouraged and blessed. 

Thank you, Chambray7.  You really made my day!

It has been a good day to stay close to the fire.  I’ve been trying the old adage, “Feed a fever, Starve a cold” and have been just drinking liquids and I am feeling a bit better tonight.  I must say that getting a delightful package certainly did not hurt!

Blessings all around! 

The Christmas music is playing at this house..  My kids commented that I was “late” getting it started this year.  I did wait until the end of October, but this year we don’t have to have Christmas at Thanksgiving the way we did for the last two years. — so I wasn’t quite so “rushed.”  And Thanksgiving looks wonderful this year.  Youngest Son will be home for a week, Lord Willing.  Daniel’s sister is flying in from California for the weekend, and that is ALWAYS a wondrously fun time, too. Hopefully there will be a “big” Yoder Celebration on Thanksgiving day, then it will be time to set up the Christmas Village.  We are also planning for Yutzy Thanksgiving on Saturday with whomever can make it..  I am so looking forward to the family times.

How are all of you spending your Thanksgiving weekend?

If you want to know the truth, I’m trying not to cry.

I got my cast off today.  I should be happy.  But —

They replaced it with a “removable” one that I have to wear for three more weeks.  It is taller, bulkier, much, much more padded (interpretation:  Hotter!) and it throws my step off alot more, causing even more stress on my already stressed right foot.  But —

I can take it off to sleep, to shower and to “watch T.V.”  (Which I don’t do, so I will interpret that to mean, sit in my chair and read or write or study my Sunday School lesson or prepare the weekly Bible Study lesson).  I am thinking this means that I will sit more for the last three weeks of my recuperation than I did for the first seven.  Certain Man applauds this.  He went along today so he could interpret what the doctor said.  Well —

The doctor did say that the fracture is only about 60% healed, and that it NEEDS the stabilization of this cast for another 3 weeks.  Failure to comply will result in that  60% being the extent of the healing (in the least) or a refracture and much, much more trouble (at the other end of the spectrum).

I prayed as I meandered home that I could be brave and that I would not look at the dark side of this.  It is true that this fracture is actually healing well for where it is located, and I am not “behind” or anything like that.  It’s just that I am quite weary of this cast and especially my inflamed right foot. 

Complaining will not help this attitude a single bit.  And this is such a little thing compared to my sister’s pain and discouragements and the plights of so many others out there in Xanga-land.  So hear the positive news in this post and pray that God will “Make me to hear joy and gladness: that the bones which He has allowed to be broken may rejoice.” (Psalm 51:8)  (Italics mine.  I don’t blame God for my clumsiness, but I know that this broken foot came “past the Throne”!!!)

AND SO, I OFFER GRATEFUL PRAISE.

There was a request for some updated pictures of the boys and their gals.

So, here you go!

Eldest Son with his Regina-girl.

Youngest Son with his Jessica-girl.

Say a prayer today for my sister
(www.xanga.com/Jeremimah)

She is having knee replacement surgery this morning at Bay Health, Dover.

Over the years, she has endured much pain.  She nearly died with a ruptured appendix, she has had migraine headaches that would have stopped lesser women.  She has had back surgery following unsuccessful pain management therapy.  The knees have been giving her excruciating pain over the last few years, actually, and she finally decided the time was right to do something about it.  She is first of all, Godly.  But beyond that, she is warm and funny and has a heart for people that is as big as the whole outdoors.  Please pray that the surgery is successful, that the results will be beyond our wildest expectations, and that the time between now and full recovery will be filled with unexpected joy and wonderful surprises!

I love you, Sis!

Update, 1100AM–

Sarah is out of surgery.

The Dr. says
everything went well!

“Lord, we offer grateful praise!”