Saturday, March 27, 2010

A little slouch and some Oz....

Thanks to Auburn Chick, I have finally been able to produce a slouch hat that Carly truly likes! This is my third attempt, and I had given up hope of ever finding a patter that I could do... AND that Carly would like.... Auburn Chick, you've made my life MUCH better!

Fits her nicely... and she shows great approval!!! Yippee!!

Now for some Oz..... My second granddaughter, Emma Rose, is having her 3rd Birthday Party tomorrow... and she LOVES The Wizard of Oz... the girl can literally quote the movie... AND... she knows the order in which things happen... so an Oz party is in the making.... and I get to make the cake!


First things first... makeing the yellow brick road.... and with Glinda being a favorite, I opted to use her on the top... and the little flowers... yes... they are for the Munchkins....


And on top... "Are you a good Witch or a bad Witch?".... Seriously, if you ask Emma that she will say, "I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas".... now how cute is that?! Happy Birthday Emma Rose!



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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Sound of Quiet

Well, the grands have gone home... unwillingly, but they are gone. Kailyn and I have a special bond, as I watched her for the first several months of her life... we are close... and she told me this morning... she wasn't going home... she was staying with me forever. It didn't take Camden long to join in, although he spent some teary eyed moments missing his Mommy over the past few days. Kailyn was finally pacified as I printed out a chart for her counting down the days until she comes back to Nanny's house... just 18 in all.

The quiet in the house after they left was amazing.... Michael headed straight to his computer game, and it was really funny to hear NOTHING after 4 days of EVERYTHING! And as quiet as it is... it is still a little sad. Wonder if this is what God thinks after we've spent a long time praying to him for something we desire... and then when we get what we've asked for ... or we get tired of praying... we just stop talking to him? I'm thinkin' maybe.... anyway....

Just wanted to leave you with a few pictures from our time with the kiddos....


Emma, Camden, Levi and Kailyn

Michael


Kailyn


Camden


Emma

Levi

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Capturing His Attention

The past few days I've been exceedingly blessed. I've gotten to spend time with my grands, Kailyn and Camden. They currently live around an hour away from us, and we only get to spend time with them every 4 to six weeks. While many of you may think that is pretty good, you must understand I was used to seeing them more often than that, and them being far away has been a struggle for me.


I am fortunate in that we keep our other grands, Emma and Levi, once a week, and spending that time with them is great. So it isn't like we are starved for "grandkid time" it is just that we miss having K and C living close.


They arrived on Saturday, coming in for Game Night, something we are attempting to do with a few friends and family every 4 to 6 weeks... and they arrived in a whirlwind of activity. Along with their mommy and daddy, they came to church with us on Sunday and then Sunday afternoon, they shipped their parents back home, and they will remain with us through Wednesday afternoon.


With Michael in school, it has been fun to have some "Nanny" time with them, getting to know them all over again. They are growing so fast, and K will actually be registereing for Kindergarten tomorrow! And C... he is getting so big, talking non-stop... having 'REAL' conversation.


Yesterday, when Michael came in from school, he bounded up the stairs at break-neck speed, he was ready for some play time... and I actually thought a few minutes later he might just want some alone time as K and C both vied for his attention. They were excited for him to be home, they were ready to play, and they each had a different activity in mind for him. It was clear to see that they both felt he was their personal friend... and he should be lavishing his attention on only ONE of them... not BOTH.


I couldn't help but smile at the situation, realizing that we are a lot like that with God... we are always trying to capture his attention... to get him to listen to us... to hear what we want, what we say, to get him to be our personal savior... forgetting that he came to save us ALL... forgetting to put aside our wants and our desires long enough to pray for someone else's needs.


I think that just like Michael, God runs to be with us... he is excited about spending time with us...but I think that he wants us to understand that it isn't all about our needs, or our desires... (though he does care about those!)...but it is about what HE desires for us. I also believe that he wants us to be in prayer for those who are also in need of his attention. He wants us to plead on their behalf... to think of their needs over and above our own... and I think that when we finally get that, he will be so proud of the growth we have shown!

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Saturday, March 13, 2010

Thunder....

The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the most high resounded. Psalm 18:13

As I sat reading during the other afternoon, I heard thunder... and I wondered at first what it was. Yes, I do know what thunder is... what it sounds like... but it had actually been awhile since I had heard it. And as it was off in the distance it actually took a second clap for me to registered that I was hearing thunder.

As spring is quickly approaching, I turned on the TV to make sure we were under no warnings and saw that the storms were to our east... just far enough away to not cause us any problems, but close enough that I got to hear the occasional clap of thunder.

When Mickey got home he asked if I had heard the thunder during the day, and I told him that it took a few times of hearing it for it to register, and he remarked that he had to listen again as well, stating that it had been awhile since he had heard any thunder around here.

It hit me today as I looked out at the darkening sky, that the season of thunderstorms is upon us, and we will once again be hearing thunder on a regular basis, and that we will once again become accustomed to its sound. And I thought how quickly we forget sounds that we just don't hear very often, or even that we become used to and just tune out... and I wondered... is that how I am with God?

Have I often forgotten his voice because I just haven't heard it lately? And have I not heard it because I'm not listening, or because I have become so accustomed to it that I have tuned it out? And those times where I struggle to hear his voice, is it there and I'm just not sure what it is that I am hearing???

If I can't immediately identify the sound of thunder, how can I identify the voice of God???
And is he "off in the distance" because I have placed him there???? Just some questions rambling around in my mind today... Have a blessed weekend.....

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

This afternoon we traveled to Louisville to visit little Emily in the hospital. Emily, who has been diagnoised with Infantile Spasms, had a g-tube inserted today for feeding a special diet. Her mommy, Erica, does a great job of explaining the ins and outs of IS and the diet here.

But this post isn't about IS, or the diet... in fact, it isn't about Emily... my post is about her parents, Joe and Erica. I want to tell you what I see as I watch them with their little princess.

We've been friends with Joe and Erica for awhile now... we have officially adopted them into our family, and while they do not share our earthly DNA, we are related through the blood of Christ. We shared in their sadness when Erica had a miscarrage... we shared in their joy when they found out that Emily was on the way. We were there for her birth, and we were there on the day they dedicated her to the Lord. And I have been amazed by the love that this young couple has showered on their daughter. She was loved from the beginning, and is more loved today, than she was yesterday.

The struggles that they have endured over the past three months have been enough to crush the spirit of even the most solid Christian among us. I have watched as they have ridden wave after wave of highs and lows. From the diagnosis, and all of the uncertainty that came with it, to the medications that offered a cure yet failed, to the surgery that she just went through, Joe and Erica have walked on the edge of a cliff that is so high, there is no solid ground in sight. And through it all they have tried desperately to hold on to their faith, and I know that they must be hurt, angry and desperate for their little girl to be healed from this disease.

I have watched as Satan has whispered lie after lie to them, trying to lead them to believe that God does not care, that he is distant, that there is no hope. I have watched as people have lifted them up, showing them the love of Christ, and I have watched as Satan has used people to try and lead them away from all that they know to be true about the God who loves them so deeply. And I wonder... how will they continue under such a heavy weight. And I wonder if they will remain strong, trusting that God is in control... and that HIS control is good enough.

And then, tonight as I stood and watched them lovingly help Emily as she had a cluster of spasms, I was struck by the looks on their faces.... that look that is only seen when a parent looks at their child... that look that says, "I love you more than I can explain, you are mine, and I am here for you! You are NOT alone." That look that was on their faces, it says it all... they will never give up, they will never leave her side, no matter how hard the road may get... they will love her with a love so strong THEY don't even understand it.

THAT is the very love that God has for each one of his children... and seeing the looks on their faces helped me to get a glimpse of how God's face must look as he looks down on me... I am completely and totally humbled by the thought. God... the creator of the universe... the great I AM... looks down on me and says, "I love you more than I can explain! You are mine! I am here for you! You are NOT alone!"....

And to Joe and Erica... I just want you to know that he is looking down on each one of you with that same look of love... and that he must be so very proud of you as you care for and love your little angel. And just as you will never leave Emily's side... he will never leave yours! And no matter how rough the road gets... he will love you with a love that is so strong you will find rest there if you allow yourself to do so.

I am proud of you both, and I am blessed to count you as a part of my family. I will continue to pray for Emily's healing, and for strength for you to withstand the whispers and the lies that Satan will use to lead you away from what is right and true. And I want to thank you both for the lesson that I learned tonight as you allowed me a glimpse into what love looks like.

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Monday, March 8, 2010

Just stuck....

Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head??? I'm sure you have.... who hasn't at one time or another!!! Generally a really catching tune like "The Ants Go Marching One by One"... (sorry, you'll be singing THAT one all day now!).... but since ensemble practice last Wednesday, I have to admit that one of the songs has nearly driven me crazy!!!

The song is beautiful, and the line I'm hearing over and over is great... "What wonderous love is this, oh my soul, oh my soul, what wonderous love is this oh my soul"... now... I hear it all day long... I'm repeating it over and over in my mind. I even hear it if I wake up in the middle of the night!!! Now THAT can be a little frustrating!!!!

But today, it hit me... why should I be frustrated about a song that is praising our Savior repeating itself over and over in my mind? We are created to PRAISE our God and our Savior... and when we reach heaven that is ALL we will be doing there!!!!

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. " Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him that sits on the throne, and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say, "You are worthy our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being." Rev. 4: 8-11

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousdand times ten thousands. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise."

Then I heard every creature in heaven, and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them singing: "To him that sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever." Rev. 5: 11-13

Now WE... you and I... are the creatures on the earth... and we get to SING PRAISES along with all of the angels... the creatures of God's creation... with the Elder's... we get to priase HIM over and over and over again... and I don't think we will be frustrated or bored... I think we will be excited... amazed... awestruck... I can't even find the right words to describe how we will feel.

So I'm gonna start looking at this song that is stuck in my head a little differently... I'm gonna let it roam, and ramble, and maybe even begin just belting it out... because I am PRACTICING for my forever and ever with the God who created me to worship HIM!!!!

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Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Going a little Squirrelly

We've had out bird feeders for years, and this year there was so much snow I put a dish of food on the porch as an extra for the birds... and this is what we now have....

But aren't they cute???


A little messy....

But still VERY cute!!!!


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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Baby Shower Cake in Progress

Saturday I spent the day working on a Baby Shower cake for a young couple at church. Just a few pictures to show the progress... which began at 10:30 AM (cakes baked and cooled on Friday!)

First I whipped up some awesome butter cream icing (with a little crisco added for decorating purposes). The cakes were covered in a base coat and allowed to dry while I began to work with the fondant.

I had looked through tons of pictures, but this design is the one I kept coming back to... peas on a pod. So after covering the bottom layer in a pale green fondant, and the top in a pink fondant... the decorating fun began... first... the peas!!!


Next, I added a few edible pearls as the flowers on the vines.... and cut out a few green flowers to add on... using pearls in their centers.

I then added a few swirls to the bottom... and yes... it seems to be a little crooked... but remember... I'm still learning....
then I added a little more design work.... and a little welcome sign.... I found edible markers to use for that...

Another shot of the top....

... and an additional shot of the sign...


And there you have it... a shower cake... along with an extra cake for the additional guests expected... total time to complete 5 hours....

And at 7:30 AM on Sunday morning, the day of the shower, I got a call that she was at the hosptial having her little bundle of joy... so the shower didn't happen! But Abigale made it into the world without any problems... and the cake was to be taken to the family... the additional cake... well... I must say it was very tasty! AND... my brother was on the receiving end of half of it... so it was thrilled! So congratulations to Paul and Noemi on a beautiful baby girl!!!

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