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Thursday

Well, the begonias are bravely blooming in the old flower boxes.

And the boys were there for a short while.  Some of you ladies have the nicest grandbabies.  Well, these sweet guys fill that spot in my heart.  (At least a little.)

The funnest place to be is on the window seat, watching the birds .

Nevin is a little ham — always making us smile.

Carson is quickly growing into a “regular boy”
He thinks big thoughts and says big words.
He is not as fond of the camera as he once was.

Nor of hugs!

“Please, Auntie Chris, don’t squeeze me so hard!”

********************

And the Bible Study Gals took their children to the pool at Becki’s house yesterday.  I will not plague you with pictures of the Grownups, but here are a few of keepers:

Hannah snoozed away:

Jaron is a little water bug!

And Nevin’s favorite place to be was on the edge of the pond.  Carson wouldn’t even put his bathing suit on! 

It’s been hot in Delaware, and parts of our little state are still very, very dry (including Milford and Greenwood!).  The State Fair begins next week, and we almost always have rain during the ten days that the fair is going on.  Maybe we should see if they would move it up a few weeks so that the rain that always comes during Fair Week would come in time to save the crops! 

Once she was our little girl–

And she is quite a blessing to many people
in many ways:

She loves her Daddy with a fierce and fine loyalty:

And she is a willing helper and comfort
to her Momma–

She loves adventure, and is always ready for something new and exciting-

But when she’s tired, she’s REALLY tired, and can conk out almost anywhere–

And we are greatly missing her already and she has only been gone three days! (10 more to go.)

“Have a wonderful time at Choral Camp, Rachel-girl.
Be a faithful Servant.
Do all things as unto the Lord.
Remember how it was to be a camper and homesick,
And love those gals for Jesus’ sake.
WE LOVE YOU!”
your back home fam!

I don’t want to give anyone a heart attack by updating two days in a row, but I really had been working on an update with some family pictures:

This is our crew about six years ago. Certain Man had just started working for the State of Delaware, and the kids got a portrait taken for him for Father’s day for his office.

Denim, t-shirts and bare feet.  That was our offspringin’ then!!!

How very much they have changed!  (That kinda goes without saying, doesn’t it?)  This is the picture they got taken for Father’s Day this year.  (They did buy a nice arrangement for the Momma, too!)

There is still bare feet and some denim, but things have gotten more sophisticated!

Some of you saw these on Christina’s site, so you can just skip them if you want to! 

Our crazy, ferhoodled young men–

And our (mostly) demure and level-headed daughters.

How very much we love all seven of them!

Edit:  Finally www.xanga.com/BIGFATDUMPYWHITEGUY

has posted his pictures of the picnic.  Go there to see some great ones!!!

Thanks, Joel!!!

One of the reasons that there has been a dearth of pictures on this site is that my camera is broken.  I have a warranty on it, and it has been packed to be sent back — but lack of time on all fronts has hampered a great deal of things (including updating this site)

The Fourth of July picnic was a wonderful time!  We had over 90 people here, but the pictures were not the best–  Here are just a few that I was able to retrieve from the memory card in the camcorder.

What is a picnic without the small fry???

Last year, Victoria was but a little bitty baby

This year, there is a new Garthwaite baby, but I haven’t found a picture amongst the ones I have!

There were relays–

“Such a wonderful outfit!  I feel so gorgeous!”

“Hurry, hurry, get to the other end!”

Faces in the crowd!

“If I hold my mouth just right, maybe my team will win!!!” (Rachel H.)

“Please don’t take my picture!  I’m trying hard to get out of the way!” (Joanna S.)

After the picnic, the youth group plus some of the younger teens piled into the Big Blue Van from the Nursing Home and went to see the fireworks on The Green in Dover.

Rachel and Jesse wait for the show to begin.  Shortly after the fireworks started, they were ordered to “MOVE!!!”  It seems that pieces from the fire works were falling on the crowd and people were getting hurt.  So “MOVE!!!” they did!  And came home with pieces of firework debris that they had collected.
(Thankfully, all of our group were unharmed.)

Shady Acres is gearing up for the Annual July 4th picnic.

Some pictures from last year to whet your appetite–

We plan to have the train again– so come on, kiddoes!

There will be big friends and little friends.  These two have the same name — Caleb and Kaleb

We plan to have food — Maybe not crabs this year, (but we won’t turn them down, Loretta B.)

Hamburgers and hotdogs in aplenty.  Youngest Daughter with her favorite condiment.

Bring your friends and your cousins — pose for a picture or two.
(These five are all Mark Yoder, Sr.’s grandchildren
From left to right, Tim (Mark, Jr.’s) Carmen (Alma’s) Maria (Sarah’s) Rachel (our’s) and Holly (Mark Jr.) 
These five were born in less than four years.

Certain Man runs the grill, and JR often helps out.  Here, Joel lends a helping hand, too.

And you can always find a place to sit!  We watch out for the small fry, even when they are in the middle of the road!

It is fun to twirl away on the swing.  Here a little Mast lady gets her turn.

What good is a picnic on a hot Fourth of July without water relays???  Young Mr. Wilkie does his part.

And then there is ice cream to churn.  Tsk, tsk.  Mr. Robert sits while ThisisLoretta does the work!

With neighbors and church family and relatives and friends, short order is made of hand churning three big tubs of ice cream.

A sudden storm can put a damper on things in a hurry!

Literally.  But it didn’t stop the fun!

Oh.  Scary!!!

Several days later, all is pretty much back to normal.

The purpose of this post is just to let you know that if any of you can make it, we’d be glad to have you!!!

Wednesday afternoon, any time after 3:00 at Shady Acres Farm
.  We plan to eat at 5:30-6:00. 
Bring potluck picnic foods, we supply hamburgers and hotdogs.
Help with the drink is always appreciated.

Hope to see you here!

(By the way, if you want to see all of last year’s pictures, go to my posting on July 6, 2007.  That was a LONG, long version of this one and it tells the whole tale.

A year and a half has passed. . .

For most of the first year
My hands were on “automatic.”
My mind was on “pause.”
And my heart was on “broken” and “numb.”

And then one wintry day, A Christmas Carol
And the ageless story of a Baby,
Come to carry my sorrows,
Broke through my Decembered grief.
And Spoke Life.  And Healing.  And Comfort.
To what I thought was the coldest grief of all.

And I believe the healing will go on,
Though now I’m feeling it all again.
The “doing because I must”
The paralysis in my brain.
The silent wounded heart.
The scars in the ground belonging to people I love

So much to rejoice about —
A well-fnished course.
A son home from a far country.
A marriage proposal on the beach.
Youngest Daughter’s new job.
Bible School in full and happy swing.
Enthusiastic, energetic teachers and helpers.
Family reunions.
Company Coming

And I do rejoice.
But looking in the mirror this morning,
I see the eyes looking back
And am startled by the sadness.
Something bigger than the joy
Is sitting on my mind and heart.
And my hands feel like they
Weigh a ton.

This will never do!
The LORD is here.
In every crazy, mixed up minute.
In every sorrow, burden, worry.
He is Here!
He is here to keep His promises.
He is here to bear the burdens.
He is here to never go away.
He is here to stay my restless, weary heart.
He Promised!!!
He will do it!

For some great pictures of our offspringin’s and Beloved Son in Law and Girl with the Beautiful Heart

 go to:

www.xanga.com/Jesses_girl99

Those seven people surely do light up our lives!

Today, Certain Man’s pickup went to the shop.  Something in the catalytic converter blew back and messed up something in the muffler.  I don’t understand it exactly.  It was supposed to be fixed by tonight.  It isn’t done.  “Tomorrow” says the repairman.  There was more wrong than anticipated.

Certain Man took Certain Man’s Wife’s beloved mini-van to work.  Coming home, the transmission blew.  (I’ve been a little concerned about that, to be honest with you!)  Certain Man is sitting at Laws Mennonite Church where it conveniently coasted, waiting for the tow truck.  His usual optimism faileth him. 

Certain Man’s Wife is feeling quite remorseful.  About six weeks ago, she talked him into fixing the air conditioning on the van instead of trading it in.  Alas, it is another case where it appears that CM really did know best.   

But now, since there is so much money in the air conditioning, Certain Man is saying that we will have to fix the transmission.  “We can’t afford to throw a thousand dollars down the drain!” he explains patiently.  “We need to drive this van another year and half to recoup our investment!

Sometimes life just comes to fast.  I am especially thinking about the fact that Certain Man’s pickup really needs replaced and that it does not even have air conditioning.  He drives it cheerfully and enthusiastically.  It meets his needs, he says, and he sees no need to get a new (read, “Different!”)  one.  Youngest Daughter loves to drive it, though she and her sisters have affectionately named it “Stinky,” and have good cause to have chosen that name.

It will be interesting, indeed, to see how all the people get to work tomorrow from Shady Acres!

I came down to the early morning darkness of Friday with a great sense of need.  The things done this week were things that I really felt like I needed to do, but it was Friday already, and we were getting weekend company.  And I was nowhere near ready.  There was shopping left to do, food to prepare, house to clean, beds to make. 

 The first morning hours flew by as lunches were packed and ladies were bathed and dressed and fed and finally out the door to their respective centers.  Youngest Daughter needed a ride to work, and so I decided that I would take her, swing by the grocery store on the way home, and then “do my best and leave the rest” as far as housework was concerned.

I was playing a CD on my car stereo as I pulled into the parking lot.  I sat there, listening to the words as the music swirled around me.

I knew that if I thought about it too much, I would cry, so I whispered a prayer to my Heaven and said, “Lord Jesus, I don’t know how you will help me, but I believe that you can — that you WILL– see me through.”  And I gathered my coupons and purse and headed into the store. 

While I was heading down the coffee aisle, my cell phone rang.

“Where are you???”  asked a familiar voice. My Youngest Sister.

“I’m in the store.  Where are you?” 

“I’m here, at your house.  I came to help you clean, and you aren’t here.”

“I know, but I had to take Rachel to work, and now I am getting groceries . . . I can hurry straight home, though.”

“No, don’t rush, but what can I do until you get here????”

And so, I gave her some things to keep her busy until I got home, and got on with finishing my great shopping expedition.  I finished up, came out of the store, and got into my van. 

“And if He hung the moon. . .” came on all over again, and this time, I didn’t even try to not cry.  The presence and love of the Heavenly Father came crashing over me in waves.  And it was such an encouraging thing.  I came home, Younget Sister stayed to help to an amazing finish, and this whole weekend has been just way better than anticipated.  When I am tempted to forget, I am reminded of His special care over me on Friday, and trust that it will all work out for good.

What a Mighty God we serve!

Wow!  The last three weeks have been one incredible jumble of activity and joy — and sorrow!

May 24th — Middle Daughter Graduated from Nurses’ Training.

May 28th — We had a Memorial day cookout as a graduation party, and Oldest Son began his trek home from Nepal.

May 29th — Gracegiven’s sweet baby was born, my Uncle Johnny passed away, and Oldest Son arrived in Columbus, OH to begin debriefing.

May 31st — Certain Man made a decision at 10 PM to go and pick up Oldest Son  in Ohio.  We had made other plans to fetch him home, but when Certain Man learned of Oldest Son’s intense desire to have his dad come, he couldn’t bear not to go.

June 1st — Certain Man and Youngest Daughter left at 4 AM to go to Ohio and were back in Delaware before 9 PM that night.  A thousand miles later, and Oldest Son WAS HOME!

June 3rd —  The viewing and calling hours for Uncle Johnny.  So many wonderful people.  Never enough time to talk.

June 4th — The funeral for Uncle Johnny.  Uncles and Aunts and Cousins by the bushel, a cousin’ choir, and wonderful memories.

June 5th — Youngest Daughter begins her first “real” job!

June 6th — Dover appointments with my Sweet Mama.

June 7th — Church picnic at the Browns Branch County park for a 16th birthday party

June 9th — A trip to New York City for a graduation.  A fun side trip into Chinatown. While on the subway, Certain Man’s Wife’s cell phone rang. It was Youngest Son calling from the beach.  He had news.  Girl With The Beautiful Heart said “YES!!!”   Certain Man and His Wife give thankful praise.

June 10th — Birthday brunch for Friend June.  Church at Followers of Jesus Mennonite Church.  Lunch at 51 Logan Street — Then home to Delaware.

June 12th — Case Manager visit, and Our Girl Nettie’s yearly physical.

June 13 — Morning at my Sweet Mama’s house, and then to Lewes for an afternoon psychiatrist visit for Our Girl Nettie.  Small group tonight.

Whew!!! Believe me, I have hardly had a spare minute on my computer.  And I am trying to be better at controlling it, too, since Certain Man gently indicated last week that he thinks I spend too much time in here.  Well, I guess he just might have a point.  And with company coming this weekend — this house is in serious need of  some concentrated domesticated activity.