Comparing Notes

Missy and Eric's Wedding

2012-01-31T17:51:00.000-08:00

After a very stressful, power-less week, Missy and Eric's wedding went off beautifully! By the day of her wedding rehearsal, every place that needed power for the wedding had it, including the hair salons, the nail salons, and her house. The day of the rehearsal started in a crazy manner, though.... someone hit her car and she had to borrow mine, so Al and Caroline had to drive me to do my errands that were in preparation for the wedding. I had to go to Stop and Shop, and to find a nail salon with power. Actually, Gail decided we should have our nails done at Buckland Mall near her apartment. Al was preparing to drive us there, when Dave and Becca showed up. So we all went to Gail's. Caroline met us there, and she, Gail, and I went to get our nails done. Erin and Janet went to Gail's apartment with us so Caroline could curl their hair in preparation for their up-dos the next day, but we ran late so that didn't happen. Our nails took longer than expected, but somehow we all managed to get to the rehearsal on time. Getting that large a bridal party together to rehearse is quite an undertaking! We went right to the dinner afterward, at La Notte in East Windsor. Eric's uncle took pictures, and Missy and Eric had gifts for the bridal party and parents. It was fun to meet all of the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and some of Eric's family. We had to be up early the next day, as Missy wanted the women at her house to get ready at 9 am. Caroline went to her salon to have her hair done at 8:30, and Al drove me and the younger girls to Missy's. Caroline had been able to pre-curl Janet's and Erin's hair at Gail's after the rehearsal dinner. We stopped at Stop and Shop first,so that I could get bagels, banannas, orange juice, and cream cheese. We got to Missy's, had breakfast, and began to get ready. Amanda, one of Missy's bridesmaids, did my makeup first, while Caroline did Becca's hair. Then Caroline did my hair. Meanwhile, Missy and her bridesmaids went to their salon to have their hair done. Everyone looked really nice. I got to know some of Missy's bridesmaids and Meredith's mom. Meredith is Missy's best friend and was her maid of honor. The flower girls, Sage, Noelle, and Riley, were there as well, looking adorable. Sage asked me to take a picture with my camera, so I took a picture of her. She said, "NO," and pointed to her mom. I thought she wanted me to take a picture of her mom, so I did. She said "NO, I want to see Sagie!" She wanted a picture of her and her mom together, so I took one and showed it to her. Riley was a perfect young lady, and Noelle didn't quite steal the show from her Auntie Mimi, but she came close! Missy's photographer impressed me because he was everywhere at once without ever being in the way! Everyone looked so lovely all dressed up for the wedding, and Missy was every bit as stunning as I knew she woud be. We all cried when she had her dress on, and when she opened the necklace from Eric that used to be his mother's, we cried even more, because Missy cried! Al got there just in time for pictures outside by the fence. It was COLD! The bridal party got into the limo to go to the church, and Al and I drove in his car. At the church, we stood in the vestibule waiting for the bridal party to arrive, and had the opportunity to greet some guests as they arrived. I was relieved to see that my dad and sisters and Al's brother and sister arrived on time. The only one missing was our son, David, who would have walked me down the aisle. He is a Marine reservist currently overseas. However, my nephew, Patrick, did a fine job of filling in for him! Becca made a tape of David congratulating Missy and Eric on their wedding before he left for his deployment, and they played it at the rehearsal dinner. Anyway, Eric's dad and his fiance were seated, and then it was time for Patrick to walk me down the aisle. I smiled at my sisters and their families as I walked. My dress was a deep sapphire blue with a full skirt, and with the hairstyle Caroline gave me I felt very regal. I sat down, to wait in eager anticipation for the bridal party to proceed down the aisle. All of the bridesmaids were lovely, and their deep magenta Gerbera daisy bouquets really stood out against the espresso brown of their dresses. The groomsmen escorted the bridesmaids down the aisle. It did tickle me that my very petite Janet Marie was escorted by a very big guy, and I found out later that Missy and Eric had done it on purpose! :) Next came the flower girls and ring bearer. Avery held Sage's and Noelle's hands as they walked down the aisle. Sage and Noelle looked SO serious, and they were adorable. When the flower girls got down the aisle, I took Noelle to sit next to me till Becca got to our seat. Riley, the older flower girl, walked by herself and was a perfect little lady. Then came the maid of honor, Meredith, in a short dress the same color as the bridesmaids. Then---- we all stood up as the bride, our beautiful Melissa, walked down the aisle. I had begun to tear up when Patrick walked me down the aisle, but now I was REALLY crying, so happy for Missy and Eric, loving Missy so much, and glad she had found her love. Patrick read the first Scripture, then Eric's cousin read one. When Missy and Eric said their vows, Missy cried, which made me cry again. The ceremony was short but lovely, and Al and I had the opportunity to greet more guests as we waited for Missy and Eric to come out. Then we went to the reception while the bridal party posed for pictures. When they got to the reception site, Missy and Eric posed for pictures with the family. Her photographer got many candids too. I took pictures as well, but not at the ceremony. When we were ready to walk in to dinner, Missy made me put my camera and cluthch purse in the bridal suite, so I couldn't take any more pictures. We walked in to dinner before Eric's dad and fiancee, just ahead of the bridal party. Then each bridesmaid came in with her escort, and the moms or dads brought the ring bearer and flower girls. Missy came in with a Yankees #1 on her finger, while Eric came in with a Red Sox jersey over his tux! Then came the toasts, which made me cry, and Missy's and Eric's first dance, which made me cry even more! She is so beautiful and they are so deeply in love. Noelle began to dance as soon as she heard the music, and all the bridesmaids wanted to dance with her. Grandma even danced with her! She didn't stop the whole evening. Al and I danced together for a couple of dances too, which we've never done before. We were very conscious of the blessing and miracle God had given us in sparing his life last year so that he could dance with Missy and me at her wedding! We sat at the table with my dad and sisters, and with Mr. and Mrs. Glen and Barbara Anderson. Barbara and I used to teach at the same school, and Missy and Becca are friends with one of her daughters, so they know Missy very well. My dad kept looking at my fingernails, which were polished with light sapphire with white and silver accents. I normally don't do things like that, but I wanted something to match my dress. We enjoyed spending time with our family and friends. Missy and Eric cut the cake without getting any frosting on each other, and afterwards was the father-daughter dance. Al chose "I Loved Her First," and of course that meant more tears! The reeption ended at 11, and we helped to gather the gifts and pictures to bring back to Missy and Eric's apartment. We were going to stay there, while the bridal party stayed in the hotel across from the reception site, but Al went home after dropping us off and said we had power, so we went home. The next day we went to breakfast with Missy, Eric, and the bridal party. When we got home, Glen and his family and Lisa and Patrick were there helping to clear our yard of downed branches and trees from the storm, so we had pizza with them. Missy and Eric left for their honeymoon in Antigua early Monday morning. After the week they put in, they deserved every minute of it! Praise God for making a way for them to have thier wedding on their day, and for providing power just in time! Praise Him for bringing the two of them together! Praise Him for sparing Al's life from his heart attack so he could walk his Missy down the aisle and dance with her at her wedding! I pray that He would ever bless and keep our daughter and our new son-in-law. We love you, Missy and Eric!

October Snow

2011-11-08T17:16:00.000-08:00

Snow in October is infrequent but not uncommon in Connecticut. What is rare is a snowstorm in October that paralyzes the entire state for a week! We had such a storm the last Saturday of October, one week before Missy's wedding. The weathermen were calling for a foot of snow. I thought, "Oh, well, it will all be melted and gone by Friday, the day of the wedding." I was right about that, but wrong about the effects of this storm. Since there were still leaves on the trees, the branches became very heavy and many limbs were broken, landing on power lines. That meant power outages all over the state, with many towns being one hundred per cent out of power. I worked that day, hoping that I would be allowed to leave before the storm got bad. No such luck! First of all, we were very busy. Secondly, the snow began earlier than expected. I left at the end of my shift, and it took double the time to get home as it normally does. I saw many wires hanging low over the streets, and no street lights, as the power had already gone out. I arrived at our dakr, cold house to find Caroline and Erin huddled under their blankets, waithing for me to come home. First, I lit a candle to give us some light. Then, I lit a burner on our gas stove to boil water for hot chocolate. Then, I located the ingredients to make dinner, lit the other burners, and proceeded to cook by candlelight. We only had one small candle so it was tricky. Well, Al got home with Janet and we ate dinner. He located two flashlights, and we found a few more candles. I washed dishes by hand in the dark, and then we went to bed because it was dark and cold. We kept warm by layering clothing and blankets. Sunday morning we woke up to a winter wonderland, but also to downed branches and power lines. It was much easier to deal with the power outage when it was light out! I made pancakes, and we made hot cereal for two neighbors and brought it to them. Everything in our town and the surrounding towns was closed, so we couldn't get supplies. Even the Walmart where I work was closed! The main concern we had was Missy and Eric's upcoming wedding.... would they still be able to have it? How would we manage without power? As the week wore on, we were able to get some limited supplies by going to towns farther away from home, as they had power. We also found out that Missy and Eric were going to have their wedding no matter what, so they spent the week trying to figure out alternatives. We were thankful that we still had hot water and a way to cook, because so many didn't have that. I missed work on Monday because Walmart was still without power. I worked Tuesday and was off the rest of the week because of the wedding. On Wednesday I went to Buckland Hills Mall with Al, and we sat in a Starbucks with him. Brewed coffee tasted so good, and it was so nice to be in a warm place. I brought my computer with me to catch up on Facebook and email, hoping to communicate with my son who is overseas. We met Janet, Erin, and Caroline. who were at the mall buying wedding gifts for Missy, and gave them my computer to use. Then Al and I got lunch. When we got home, I went to a laundromat in East Windsor to do laundry. We slept in the downstairs room of our house from Sunday night on in order to keep warm. By Thursday afternoon, every place that needed power for Missy's wedding had it, though our home did not get power till Friday. God answered our prayers to provide for Missy and Eric's wedding, and He brought us through the challenging week.

Pennsylvania, Visit with David, and Noelle's Second Birthday

2011-11-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend, something very rare happened in our family, something that usually happens only at Christmastime. We had ALL SEVEN of our kids at THE SAME PLACE at the SAME TIME! David was on leave, so he went to Dave and Becca's house for a visit and we went there to visit him, as well as Dave, Becca, and Noelle. He got there the Monday before Labor Day, despite a cancelled flight on Saturday due to Hurricane Irene, and Al, Janet, Erin, and I got there late Friday afternoon. Missy and Eric were to join us late Friday night, and Gail and Caroline arrived late Saturday night. Anyway, when we arrived on Friday afternoon, Al dropped us off, checked us into our hotel (the Hampton Inn right down the street from the house), and returned to the house. We went out to Ponderosa Steak House at David's request. Dave could not go to Ponderosa with us because he had another engagement. Here I need to explain that when I refer to our son, I say "David", and when I refer to our son-in-law (Becca's husband), I say "Dave." Ponderosa has a buffet which you can get either by itself or with an entree. The younger kids (Noelle, Janet, and Erin) got just the salad bar and the adults got the salad bar with an entree. David was very diligent to make sure Noelle ate her dinner. Then he got her some ice cream-- traditional for an Aldrich Ponderosa meal. We spent some time back at the house and then Al, Janet, and I went to the Hampton Inn to sleep. The next morning, after breakfast, we went back to the house and spent the day playing with Noelle, who dragged us into her room,showed us all her toys, and asked us to read books.She also played hide and seek with us, hiding in some unlikely places as well as her "sheep house", a play tent where she keeps all her stuffed sheep. Another thing she enjoys is climbing into her ball pit and tossing the balls out for us to throw back in. Sometimes she tries to get us to get in the ball pit with her, so we oblige by putting our heads in, though Janet and Caroline can fit all the way in because they're so tiny! David regaled us and Noelle with his harmonica playing as well. Auntie Mimi and "Uncle" Eric (who will soon have the quotes removed from his title) had arrived late Friday night, so they also entertained and were entertained by their little niece. Saturday evening I went to a family picnic with Dave, Becca, and Noelle, while the kids went mini-golfing and Al rested at the hotel. Noelle loves playgrounds, and it was all we could do to get her to come off the playscape to eat. When we had to take her from the playground to go home, she cried! I gave her a bath while Becca finished her birthday dress complete with princess hat. Noelle loves her bath, but does NOT like getting her hair washed.After Noelle went to bed, Dave, Becca, and I watched a movie till everyone else came back, Then Al picked up Janet, Erin, and I to return to the hotel. I decided to check on Gail and Caroline, who were en route. Since it was nearly 11 PM, I hoped they were almost in PA. Gail said that they were in New Jersey and had gotten lost. Al said he would call them and help them, so I went to the room. When he came back, he said they had been playing a trick on me! After breakfast at the hotel on Sunday, we went to church in Hagerstown, at Dave and Becca's church. Then we changed and went to their house for Noelle's birthday party. Becca decorated the house with stuffed cows and black and white balloons, and Gail decorated a cake in the shape of a cow. She also decorated cupcakes to look like a cow's pasture. When we lit the candles, Noelle kept pointing and saying "Look at my cow cake!" with her adorable giggle! She opened lots of gifts, even though Becca had said that gifts were not neccesary. Being the first grandchild for our family and the first girl grandchild for Dave's family means that there is a myriad of willing spoilers! Our gift to her was a remote control car designed for children under three. I told Becca about it, and she told Dave, who said, "I'll bet it's pink!" It was, but we did not get it because it was pink. Becca had said that Noelle likes cars and that one was the only one that was appropriate for kids under three. After the birthday party, all the siblings went to the Olive Garden for dinner while Al and I babysat a very overstimulated Noelle. I gave her her dinner and talked to her about going to bed. I said, "After dinner, we're going to put your pajamas on, brush your teeth, read you two books, put you in your bed, sing, pray, and snuggle you." She looked at me very sweetly and asked. "Will you play with me?" I said' "Yes, I'm going to play with you by reading you books." When we were done with the books, she again asked if I would play with her. I said that I was going to ply with her by singing to her and snuggling her. We did so, and then we prayed together. I snuggled her a little more, and then said good night. I was amazed that she stayed in bed even though she was not asleep when I left her bedroom. On Monday before we left for Connecticut, we all went to Lake Tiberias Wildlife Park, which Noelle loves. Missy and Eric did not go, as they had to leave early for Connecticut. David held Noelle for much of the safari ride, helping her feed the animals and telling her how much he loved her. We all held sort of took turns holding her, snd she told us the names of all the animals. At one point, after the safari ride. we were listening to a presentation in the Reptile House, and Noelle got restless. I took her for a walk to look at some lemurs behind the reptile house. They started shrieking, so we figured that they did not like having us in their territory. When the park attendant asked us if the lemurs had scared us, I said, "No, it was more like we scared the lemurs." Well, when we met the rest of our family at the petting zoo, Noelle proudly announced to them, "I scared the lemurs!" I was amazed that she knew the names of so many exotic animals. After the petting zoo, we had to return to Connecticut, which meant saying goodbye to David, who had to return to duty as a Marine. That was hard, but I'm very proud of him for serving our country, and I love him because he is my son. I love his tenderness toward little ones, his courtesy toward the elderly, and his grin that shows up when he's teasing or particularly happy. I love his desire to serve his country and protect people such as his current and future family. God be with you, David, We'll miss you and we'll be praying for you!

Pennsylvania Visit and David's Visit to Connecticut

2011-09-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

Over Memorial Day weekend, Al and I traveled to Pennsylvania to see David, who was going there before being activated with his Marine Reserve unit. Actually, I took a night bus down on Thursday night, arriving on Friday morning, and Al and Erin came Sunday night and picked us up, as David's flight back to Tallahassee to rejoin his unit was scheduled out of Bradley up here in CT. I was very grateful to his sergeant for booking his return flight that way, as it gave us extra time with David. David had already been with Dave, Becca, and Noelle for several days when I got there. Melissa, our third daughter, had also been there to see David before he went back to his unit. The bus ride was peaceful and uneventful, but the bus was delayed out of Hartford, and the station in NYC was crowded. I met a nun who was also traveling to Baltimore, so we chatted while waiting for the bus in NYC. She was from Enfield, and often shopped at the Walmart where I work in East Windsor! We stopped at a rest stop just over the Maryland border, where I was able to get a cup of Starbucks coffee, (I would have gotten one in New York but the cafe there doesn't have decaf and the Dunkin Donuts there wasn't a 24-hour store(!)), and we rushed to make sure the bus didn't leave without us. I was relieved to see that the driver was coming out just as I was taking my coffee away from the kiosk! We got to Baltimore about 45 minutes later. Last time I took the bus I discovered that the gas station down the street from the bus terminal had a little coffee shop in it, so I went there for coffee and breakfast, as I had a three hour layover in Baltimore. (I brought plenty of books with me!) Dave, David, and Noelle picked me up in Hagerstown and we went to their house. Becca came home a few minutes later and after lunch we went shopping at Walmart. Saturday, we went back to Walmart as Dave's family was coming over, and we had a nice visit with them. David also helped Dave dig in his backyard as they were getting ready to build a new patio. We shopped at Walmart, which Noelle calls "the banana store," and David bought me a box of candy. He gave a few pieces to Noelle because she was fussy. We also made a donation to the veterans, and got poppies, which David put in Noelle's hair. After visiting with Dave's family, we went to a Hispanic church service in which Dave and Becca were helping with music. David rested at the house and met us at the ice cream parlor afterwards. After church on Sunday, we went to Gettysburg , and then to Cracker Barrel, an Aldrich-Gettel Pennsylvania tradition. Noelle had us coloring with chalk, reading books to her, and playing in her ball pit with her. She would throw the balls out and we would throw them back in. Al and Erin came Sunday night and after visiting , brought us home to Connecticut on Monday. David visited friends and my sister and her husband came to visit him on Wednesday while I was at work. There was also a tornado warning in our area. My sister and her husband left just in time, and I was very grateful that there was a Marine in the house who would know what to do! We had a gathering for David at our house after church on Sunday evening, and he returned to his unit on Monday morning. I was very glad to see him and I missed him when he left. He had just been promoted to Corporal before his leave, so he was excited about that, though nervous about his new responsibilities. I pray that God would watch over him and give him the skill he needs, and bring him home safely to us! David, if you ever read this.... love you, proud of you, praying for you!

Gary's Wedding

2011-08-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Al and I arrived in Charlotte at 11: 30 am on May 20, after a beautiful airplane ride (my first). We ate lunch at the Wendy's in the Charlotte airport, which is beautiful (as is Detroit's), and then left the airport to take a shuttle bus to our hotel. Outside the airport was a statue and a flower garden, so I took a couple of pictures. It was HOT! We got to the hotel and waited for them to get our room ready. After a rest, I went swimming in the pool, then back to the room for a little nap. Then Al and I took the shuttle bus to the car rental place to get a rental car, then we went out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Back at the hotel, I went to sleep and Al picked David up at the airport, as he was coming to the wedding from Florida. He stayed in the room with us. We went to Gary's wedding the next day. It was beautiful, and we saw some friends there whom we had not seen for a while. Sarah, Gary's bride, came down the aisle singing----- which made me cry!Her bridesmaids looked lovely, and Sarah looked lovely and radiant. The joy and love on her and Gary's faces was amazing. We had to leave the reception early to get David to the bus station for his trip to Pennsylvania, and return our rental car and get back to the airport for our flight home. The flight was nice, but I didn't like JFK airport in New York. You'd think they'd have a coffee shop open at nine o'clock pm, but they didn't. Our flight from New York took a long time because of the rain, but we got back to Windsor Locks at 11: 30 pm and Janet picked us up. Fortunately, I didn't have to work the next two days, and I could look forward to seeing David in Pennsylvania the following weekend!

My First Airlpane Ride.... and a Friend's Wedding

2011-07-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

A friend of our family invited us to his wedding on May 21. Al and I wanted to see him get married and meet his bride face-to- face, though Al had already met her. We decided to fly to Charlotte, North Carolina, as the wedding would take place nearby. I was excited to see our friend's wedding, but I was also excited because this would be my first plane ride. Al has flown numerous times on business, but I never had. I always thought I would enjoy flying but never had occasion to do so. Work dragged that week, as I was anticipating our little "mini-vacation." I was also looking forward to having some time away with Al, as we had been going "full blast" since after Christmas, in addition to his recovering from his heart attack. I spent the week packing and getting the house ready so that the girls would be comfortable while we were away. We left on Friday morning, May 20. Janet dropped us at the airport at 6:30. We went through security smoothly and quickly, despite the long line. I watched Al carefully as I had never done this before. We found our gate and waited to board. We ran into our friend's parents and sisters, who were on the same flight! It was a pleasure to see them, as we had not seen them for a few months. We visited while waiting to board. When we got on the plane, I thought it looked like a bus except that we would be in the air instead of on the ground. Al gave me the window seat, right over the wing. Well, when we took off, I realized that this was nothing like riding a bus. We taxied down the runway and then sped up. I saw the plane lift off the ground, and we could see Route 75 and our neighborhood. Then we had to fly through some clouds, but when we reached our altitude, we had beautiful, sunny, blue skies with an entire landscape of clouds below! We could also see the ground sometimes and the towns and trees looked like little toy villages. The clouds looked like big snowdrifts, as if you could scoop up handfuls and have a snowball fight! God's creation is amazing! I never imagined how beautiful a "cloudscape" could be when viewed from the other side. We landed in Detroit at about 9 am, with a 10:30 flight from there to Charlotte. (Go figure.... we flew from Bradley in Windsor Locks to Detroit for a connecting flight to Charlotte.) I actually didn't mind, because Detroit's airport is beautiful. Also, it meant another flight. I haven't figured out one thing though. When we're up there, I know we're moving very fast, but it seems as if we're standing still! I wonder why that is?

Pennsylvania Visit .... April

2011-05-31T18:32:00.000-07:00

While Erin was competing at the National Fine Arts competition, I went to Pennsylvania to visit Becca, Dave, and Noelle. Originally Al and I had thought of going to South Carolina to see Erin give her speech, but because of the price of gas, we decided to go to Pennsylvania instead. Anytime I can visit with my family it is a blessing! We had hoped to spend the week together but Janet needed my car to get to class and work. Al came down with me and spent the night, then returned to Connecticut the next day. I stayed a few more days and took the bus home. I loved spending time with Al, and I also loved having Noelle to myself (except for Dave and Becca) for a few days! We both had been in desperate need of a vacation since his heart attack, and the prospect of a vacation in April got me through many a day of work! I actually got to babysit Noelle a couple of times. We blew bubbles, ran around outside, read books, sang songs, and snuggled! Another thing we did was play with play dough. I made several of the Sesame Street characters for her, and a little snake. Becca had written about how Noelle had asked her to make those characters. When I had made them, I made a face that was supposed to look like Noelle. Becca said, "Oh, look, Grandma made Noelle!" The next day when we played with the play dough she asked me to "make Noelle." We had some precious bonding time, and she followed me all over the house. She sometimes asked me to hold her or do things for her instead of Dave or Becca, and if I was not in the same room with her she would call "Grandma!" It was so cute to hear her talk and see her running around doing so many "little-girl" things. The day before I left, Becca and I took her to a park. She loved the play scape, especially the tunnel that led to the slide. Part of the tunnel had peepholes in it. Becca followed Noelle through the tunnel while I waited to catch her when she came down the slide. I stuck my hands through the peepholes. Noelle thought that was funny. Later when she was eating dinner, she said, "I go to the park." At first I didn't realize what she was saying, but then she said, "I go down the slide." Then she said, "Grandma's hands." She actually remembered that I had stuck my hands in the peepholes! It was hard to leave the next day, but I felt better knowing that I would see them in a week just before Easter!

Book Review: Lilly"s Wedding Quilt by Kelly Long

2011-05-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

Lilly Lapp, in love with a man who loves someone else. Jacob Wyse, a jilted suitor turned horse thief. Lilly's mother, who suffers from depression. Jacob and Lilly's impulsive engagement and subsequent marriage. In Lilly's Wedding quilt, Kelly Long brings characters and circumstances together to create a personable and interesting story.
Lilly encounters Jacob and attempts to provide first aid for a gunshot wound he has suffered. When they arrive late to a wedding together, the people of their Amish community raise their eyebrows. When police interrupt the reception to question Jacob about a stolen horse, Lilly says that he had been with her the previous night. To protect her reputation, Jacob says that they had been discussing their engagement. Lilly quickly agrees, though she knows that Jacob still loves someone else. To further complicate matters, Lilly's mother disapproves of their engagement. Lilly likens the unusual circumstances of her and Jacob's marriage to the pieces of a quilt, which when they are stitched together, make something beautiful. Lilly and Jacob learn to trust God to put the pieces of their lives together to create a loving marriage. They also learn how to let God work in the life of Lilly's mother. Kelly Long's portrayal of their journey is tender and her characters are tender and varied. The reader eagerly turns pages to find out how each situation is resolved.
Lilly's Wedding Quilt is written by Kelly Long and published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville: 2011. This book was provided free for review by Thomas Nelson, Inc., and I have received no other compensation for writing this review.

Erin's Fine Arts Competition

2011-03-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

Every year, the school our children attend is involved in a New England
regional Fine Arts Competition for the Christian schools in the New England region. Our children have always participated, and this year was no exception. The difference was that only our youngest, Erin, competed this year because our others have all graduated. Erin chose to do a dramatic speech, academic testing in math and English, a ladies' ensemble with five other girls, a vocal solo, and her choir also competed. This was the third year Erin was in the choir and ladies' ensemble, the second year for dramatic speech, her first year for academic testing, and her first year for vocal solo. She has done humorous speeches in previous years, but last year she decided to try the dramatic speech. She loves acting! She has always placed at the state level for her speeches, doing better each year, but she had never placed at the regional level. The ladies' ensemble has placed for the past three years. When Erin was in eighth grade, Caroline and Janet sang in the ladies ensemble, and Erin joined as a freshman, after Caroline graduated. I was a little apprehensive about Erin's vocal solo, as she has never taken lessons, but I told her that if she was willing to work with me, I would help her. We also had a friend of ours play the piano for her once she learned the song, so that Erin could hear the accompaniment and get used to singing with the piano. Another friend listened in to one of her practices and gave her some pointers as well. I worked with her on learning her pieces and on her vocal technique as much as I could,usually once a week, and more often as we approached the actual competition. I also had her listen to her songs over and over online, and discussed the meanings of the songs with her. She showed me the transcript of her speech, and we discussed the emotions she would need to portray in it, but she would not go through the speech with me. She did that on her own and then with two of her sisters who took a speech class in high school and who also have acting experience.
The week before the competition, Erin came down with a nasty cold which also gave her laryngitis. She missed three days of school, and one of her teachers suggested that she drop her vocal solo. Erin was determined to compete in all of her categories, though. She returned to school the Monday before the competition and practiced her solos, her ensemble, her speech, and her choir pieces. By the day of competition she was healthy and her voice was back to full strength. She sang her solos first and did very well. Her speech was ten minutes after she finished her solos. I was glad she hadn't had to to her speech first, as the intensity of the piece she chose would have tired her voice and made it difficult to sing. Her speech was a prequel to the "Phantom of the Opera", portraying Erick (the Phantom) as a little boy. It was very powerful and Erin gave it everything she had!
She left the audience speechless and in tears. I thought, "Lord, whether or not she places, she just nailed that speech!" We watched other students from Erin's school, including her best friend, who did a humorous speech. Then we watched the small vocal ensemble, and they sang very well. They had won the regional for the past three years, so we hoped they would again. We then listened to the other female vocalist from Erin's school. She is an amazing singer and we loved hearing her. After lunch, we listened to the choir and some choirs from other schools. Then it was time for the spelling bee, followed by the regional awards ceremony. I hoped Erin would place in both her speech and her solo, but one never knows. I prayed that she would at least place in Connecticut for her vocal solo, and that her speech would place first in Connecticut so she could take it to Nationals. They announced the speech category right after the academic testing categories. The first speech category they announced was Dramatic Interpretation..... Erin's category. Third place.... not Erin. Second place.... not Erin. At this point I prayed that she would still get first in Connecticut. Then I heard the name of the first place winner for the New England Region....... Erin Aldrich!!! She was crying as she went up onstage to get her award, and so was I. I gave her a hug just before she sat down. Her best friend placed third in New England for her humorous interpretation. The other female vocalist from Erin's school won first in New England. Erin placed third in New England for her vocal solos. Not bad for a girl who was sick the week before and who does not take formal voice lessons! And she was a week shy of sixteen years old! The ensemble and choir both placed first in New England as well. Erin and her friend both placed first in Connecticut for their speeches, and Erin placed second for her vocal solos, with her classmate placing first. Erin also got a third place in Connecticut for academic testing in math. Their ensemble and choir also placed first in Connecticut. We were very proud of Erin, and very thankful that the Lord helped her! She and some of her classmates will be competing at Nationals in a couple of weeks. I'm hoping we can go to see her perform, with stops in Pennsylvania to see Dave, Becca, and Noelle on the way down and back!

Al's Birthday!

2011-03-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

Every holiday or birthday we have where Al is there to celebrate with us is precious now. Not that they haven't always been, but they have become doubly precious this year because we are once again reminded of God's grace in sparing Al. At this writing, he is doing VERY well.... the most recent report from the cardiologist is that his heart is functioning at 87 per cent capacity, and the portion of heart muscle that was dead is beginning to come back! Anyway, Al's birthday was an opportunity to be especially thankful that God has given him another year! All our kids who live nearby or at home came to help us celebrate. We had roasting chicken, salad, and baked potatoes, and salad. I made a fat-free devil's food cake with seven-minute icing, which was good except that the girls thought the icing was too sweet. We gave Al a pair of jogging pants and a shirt for exercising. That was on his actual birthday. Al's sister, Lisa, came on the Sunday after Al's birthday, and brought fat-free manicotti, so Gail, Missy, and Eric came then. Gail made a low-fat cake for that dinner, so we had a double birthday celebration for Al and Lisa. I made a salad for that day too, but I didn't have enough lettuce, so Missy called it an "unsalad"! It was good though, and we had so much fun visiting with Lisa. We gave Lisa a Willow Tree figurine which she liked a lot. I've always loved celebrating birthdays and holidays with my family, but even more so now!

Christmas 2010, part 3

2011-02-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

The Christmas post is in three parts because we are blessed with so much family with whom to celebrate. Christmas Eve with Al's family, Christmas Day with our children, and a few days after Christmas with my family. This year we also celebrated with Dave, Becca, and Noelle a few days after Christmas because they wanted to begin establishing their own Christmas traditions in their home. Dave, Becca, and Noelle arrived at our home on December 28. December 29 was the day we had planned to travel to Massachusetts to celebrate with my dad, my sisters, and their families, but because of Al's heart attack, they traveled to Connecticut. Melissa and Eric were able to come too, and Gail came after my family left. She would have come earlier but she had car trouble. We had so much fun with Cindy, Sue, Betsy, and their families. Sue's son Corey is only eight years old and such a cutie. He and Noelle love each other and were so much fun to watch together! Sue brought her little Italian Greyhound, George, who is really funny! Noelle loved him too, and George was very patient with her! I made chili, and Sue brought sandwiches. Betsy brought cheese and crackers, and I had made pie and cranberry bread and cookies for dessert.
After dinner, we opened our gifts to and from my family. We decided to open our gifts to and from Dave, Becca, and Noelle after my family left, so as not to overwhelm anyone, especially Al and Noelle! Anyway, after the gifts were opened, we played "Apples to Apples" and "Catch Phrase." While we were playing, one of our friends came to help fix a slight leak in our baseboard heater in our bedroom. I think he was a little startled by all the noise and all the people, but we introduced him to my family and tried to make him feel welcome! My dad always enjoys having all his daughters and grandchildren together in one place, and he also enjoys being with his GREAT-granddaughter! Betsy and Steve and my dad had to leave early because one of their kids had to be somewhere, but Sue and her family stayed a little longer and were able to see Gail and her boyfriend when they came after getting a rental car. It was fun to play the games, and we've discovered that the games are great ice-breakers. Anyway, we opened gifts after that, and many of them were for Noelle! Auntie Gail got her a ball pit. When Noelle opened the ball pit, Becca said not to open the package of balls. Noelle said, "Peese?" to Becca, who said No. She then came to me, held out the package, and with a cute smile, said' "Peese?" again. I told her, "No, sweetie, your mommy already said no." Noelle then proceeded to hold the package of balls out to Auntie Missy(Mimi in Noelle- language), with her adorable grin, big blue eyes, and her "Peeese?" Guess what Auntie Mimi did? "If Mommy says No, ask Grandma. If Grandma says No, ask Auntie Mimi!" I got to cuddle her to sleep that night. That's my favorite part of being a mom and a grandma! Thursday night we had birthday cake and a gift for Dave, and they left Friday morning. Christmas time is always the hardest time to say goodbye, because it's usually a few months before we see them again, although Nonno got to see them during one of our big snowstorms in January! Besides the most precious gift of Jesus, God's Son, my favorite gift is always time with my family, especially with those who live far away. I pray that these gatherings will be used of God to bring our loved ones closer to Christ.

Book Review: Couples Who Pray by SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt

2011-01-31T17:22:00.000-08:00

The subtitle of Couples Who Pray is "The Most Intimate Act Between a Man and a Woman". Rushnell and DuArt prove this point quite effectively with the testimonies of various couples who pray together regularly, as well as statistics showing increased marital satisfaction among couples who regularly pray together. The book opens with Rushnell and Duart's personal testimony of how God has moved through their prayer time as a couple, followed by an introduction to other couples whose testimonies are included in Couples Who Pray. Next, the reader learns some statistics on couples who pray together versus couples who do not. It comes as no surprise that the couples who pray together report greater joy in every area of their marriage. The reader also sees how God improves and enhances the marriages of the couples who are featured in this book.
Rushnell and DuArt also propose that each spouse forget about "50/50" and commit to giving 100% to their marriage. This proposition is an expansion of the testimony of one of the featured couples, whose testimony is included in the book. The proposition is challenging, but the reader is reminded that he or she must rely on God to do this. There is more in this same chapter about communication, which readers will find helpful.
Next, the readers are invited to take the "40 Day Prayer Challenge", so named because the authors believe that it takes forty days to form a habit. Following this invitation, Rushnell and Duart make a case for the power of prayer by directing the reader to consider the power of God and the truth of the Scriptures.
There are also instructions about forgiveness, warnings about threats to a marriage, and practical tips on praying for finances. Finally, Rushnell and Duart share six practical steps to a happy marriage, and some results of couples who pray together regularly. The link to "The 40 Day Prayer Challenge" is provided, as well as a survey for each spouse.
The advice in Couples Who pray is helpful and practical, and the testimonies encouraging. The reader will enjoy reading each of the testimonies. The couples included in Couples Who Pray comes from a highly successful and prominent careers. It is reassuring to remember that even highly successful people have struggles and need to depend on God. At the same time, the reader may wonder how the 40 Day Prayer Challenge could work for everyday working couples. It would have been encouraging if the authors had included such couples in their book. Also, while the statistics are convincing, they are somewhat dry. The reader would benefit from more instruction from the Scriptures.
Couples Who Pray is written by SQuire Rushnell and Louise Duart and published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville: 2007. A copy of the book was provided free for review by Thomas Nelson, Inc., and I have received no other compensation for this review.

Christmas 2010, continued

2011-01-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

After a beautiful Christmas Eve service at our church, we traveled to Al's brother's house for our Christmas celebration with Al's family. They made low-fat, low-sodium dishes for Al to eat, along with some regular dishes. The fish chowder (healthy) was delicious! We had a great time, as usual, and Gail brought her boyfriend, John. It was his first time meeting Al's extended family. We left there at midnight, Al and I each driving our own cars in order to make more room for everyone. Missy and Gail drove their cars too, but we had David with us, so we needed both our cars. We got home at 1, and Al went right to bed, but I filled stockings. It was before close to 2 before I got to bed.
Despite the late bedtime, I woke up before 7 on Christmas Day. I prepared the turkey to go into the oven and put the stuffing into the crock pot to cook. (We couldn't have ham so we made turkey instead.) In order to make it festive, I put cranberries in the stuffing. Cooking it in the crock pot was a suggestion from a friend of ours. She also suggested stuffing the turkey with orange and lemon slices, with onions and a sprig of rosemary. It came out good! Once the turkey and stuffing were cooking, I began preparations for our traditional breakfast of scrambled eggs and grapefruit, with oatmeal and cantaloupe for Al. When everyone woke up, we opened our stockings and ate breakfast. To my surprise, I found a scented candle in mine.... Al had slipped it in while I was filling the other stockings. Missy and Eric and Gail and John arrived just after we got dressed. After setting out snacks and making coffee, we sat down to open our gifts. Al read a Scripture, as he does every Christmas morning. It was a particular blessing this year! As we opened our gifts, we found a few unexpected surprises. For example, I had gotten (by request) boots for Janet and shoes for Erin, and one of the girls had gotten shoes for Caroline! I think Gail got shoes from someone as well. I was surprised and tickled to receive several gifts from John, as well as from Gail, and a pair of red Scottie dog pajamas from Missy. It touched me that she remembered how her grandmother used to breed Scottie dogs. Last year she gave her little niece, Noelle, a stuffed Scottie dog for the same reason. Well, finally we had finished with all of our gifts except a long rectangular package from Al to me, which I assumed was a bathrobe (one of the ideas I had given him), and then the surprise gift we were all anticipating from the girls to Al. Well, he brought me the box, and I opened it. I immediately saw that it was not a bathrobe. I saw these cylindrical drawings on the box and thought, "oh, good; he got me glassware.... we always need that! But this is a strange way to pack glassware!" Well, as I actually began to open the box, I saw the words "Personal Computer" written on it. I STILL didn't get it.... I thought "why would they pack glassware in a personal computer box?" I was floored when I opened the box and found..... an HP LAPTOP, the very one on which I'm typing this post! Well, needless to say, I was thrilled. It was one of those "I'd love to have it but it's impossible" things. Al said, "Well, that was the big gift for this year," little knowing what Missy, Gail, and Caroline had in store for him. They went downstairs ahead of us, and he followed, with me close behind. I got there just in time to hear him say, "ALL RIGHT!"and see his face when he discovered..... a TREADMILL! I had known about this for a couple of weeks and had been given the assignment of NOT letting him buy one. It was very difficult. The day we got the Christmas tree I had to enlist the help of one of his friends who was trying to tell Al where he could get the best deals on treadmills. Dinner was suppose to be at two, but we didn't actually eat till four. After dinner we played some games and had dessert. then Al helped me set up my laptop and tried out his treadmill. We had so much fun, and since the next day was Sunday, I did not have to go to work. We enjoyed the "afterglow" of Christmas in our church service with our brethren in Christ..... always a blessing, and we still had Dave, Becca's, and Noelle's arrival to look forward to on Tuesday evening. I even got an extra day off on Monday because of a heavy snowstorm!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

What a blessing to commemorate the birth of our Savior! As we prepared for our celebration, we were ever mindful of God's most precious gift to us: His Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We were particularly mindful of God's grace to us as a family, as Al was able to be with us and celebrate with us. We are still celebrating his life and his continued recovery from his heart attack. Because I was on leave of absence from work till December 13, I was able to do my shopping and baking at a more leisurely pace, a little at a time, while Janet or Caroline or Erin was home to keep him company. He was also able to be alone for brief periods of time while I ran errands. We did several things together, such as going to his rehab sessions, shopping at Trader Joe's for healthy snacks, and coffee (decaf) at Dunkin Donuts. I also kept him company while I wrapped gifts in our den while he worked online. We enjoyed participating in our church's Christmas program. "Lessons and Carols." We also enjoyed participating in our nursing home ministry, attending Erin's Christmas concert, and our Sunday School Christmas party. Caroline and a friend of hers put up the outside lights for us. Al could not do much of the preparations, in terms of shopping or decorating, so most of that fell to me and the girls.... including cutting down a Christmas tree the afternoon before "Lessons and Carols." Caroline and I went to a tree farm to cut down the Christmas tree. Al asked for one between seven and eight feet tall, and not too fat. Since I like a nice cone shape to a tree, it took a while to find one that would fit both our specifications, as well as one that would meet Caroline's approval. The weather was COLD that day, we had a deadline, and some of the trees were growing on a slope, so we had quite the challenge. Finally we found one that we thought would work. We borrowed a saw from the farm's owners ( they have the saws there for customers to use) and proceeded to cut the tree down. Well, neither Caroline or I are very tall (both of us are under 5'4"), so it was a great adventure! We got it cut., and then proceeded to lug this seven foot tree to the shed to pay for it. The young man in charge tied it on top of Caroline's car and after paying for the tree, we drove it home. We did decide that we needed some Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate to warm us up, so we stopped on the way home. When we got there, Al had a friend visiting to play Stratego. We asked him to help us get the tree into the back yard, and Al offered to help. We said NO, and I rushed upstairs to enlist Erin's help. She's tall, so she would be able to handle the tree well. I said to her, "Get outside NOW and help with the tree before Dad gets to it!" She did. Meanwhile, Al was insisting that he could handl the tree and we were insisting that he must not! His friend looked at him and very sweetly said, "Brother, you're not helping." Well, we got the tree onto our back porch. The next day, we had a friend of Al's sister's at the house helping with some (non-Christmas) lighting issues, and he helped us get the Christmas tree into the stand. Al and the girls put the garlands and lights on, and the girls and I did the rest! I was so thankful that the Lord provided people to help us when we needed it!

Book Review: An Amish Love by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Long.

2010-12-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

An Amish Love, published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville,2010, is a collection of three short novels. Their titles are: A Marriage of the Heart, by Kelly Long; What the Heart Sees, by Kathleen Fuller; and Healing Hearts, by Beth Wiseman. Each novella portrays its characters genuinely and personably. The Amish setting creates a delightful, wholesome read, as always. Throughout all three stories, the message of forgiveness by the grace of God is clear. The characters in An Amish Love struggle with their own sins and with losses through the sins of others against them. As the reader sees the characters seek God's help in repentance and forginevess, he is encouraged to do the same in his own life. As he reads about the forgiveness and restoration that God brings to the characters in An Amish Love, he is given hope that God will do the same thing in his or her own life. Each novella portrays its main characters at different stages of life: a young married couple, single young men and women, and an older married couple.
The love of the characters for one another is undergirded by God's love for each of them as they see their human love for one another tried by different circumstances, showing the reader that when our human capacity to love is not enough, God's love will prevail. An Amis Love was provided to me free for review purposes and I have received no other compensation for this review.

God's Protection

2010-12-08T11:22:00.000-08:00

We are always thankful to God for all he has blessed us with, but this Thanksgiving we have an extra-special reason to be thankful. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving, Al had a heart attack. We did not realize that he was having a heart attack until we got to the emergency room, where they took him in right away. When the cardiologist came to talk to me before he put the stent in Al's artery, he said, "This was not a small heart attack; this was a BIG one. He's lucky to be alive." After quickly explaining the risks involved and the procedure he would be doing, he left. I had been a little scared before, but at this point, I was terrified. Since I was all alone in the waiting room, I knelt down by one of the chairs and through tears, pleaded with God not to take Al from us. then I called Caroline on Al's cellphone, told her what was going on, and said, "Drop Janet and Erin at church and get down here with my cellphone. Then I called the church to ask them to pray. I thought of asking the secretary to send someone from the church to be with us, but I was too timid. However, I did not have to ask her. She sent someone anyway.... Erin's best friend and her dad! They arrived shortly after Caroline, Janet, and Erin did. I also called Gail, who said she'd be there as soon as her shift ended in an hour, and Missy, who cut her visit with her best friend short and drove all the way from Boston to be with us. I had called Dave and Becca earlier to ask for prayer, and after we got to the hospital I called them again to update them. They got there later that evening. Meanwhile, Al was praying as the doctor was inserting the stent and Becca was praying, along with their church and ours. A couple of hours after Erin's friend and her dad arrived, (during which time they comforted us, made us laugh, and assisted us with some logistics), The doctor returned to say that the procedure had gone well. He said we could see him in an hour or so, and that it was a miracle that Al was still alive. I was a little concerned about what it would be like to see him after the surgery, as I'm not used to seeing my dynamic husband in a hospital bed, especially with tubes and wires attached to him. But when we went into his room, he was awake and talking with us.... even making wisecracks with us! I said "Thank You, Lord: he's still the same Al!" Missy had already arrived in his room and while they were alone, Al told her how God had spared his life and given him His peace when he prayed. Missy cried when she heard that. I know the Lord is using this trial to touch the hearts of Missy and Gail. I saw Gail become very soft-hearted as well.We also got to share the Gospel with Gail's boyfriend, as well as with one of Al's nurses. What amazed me the most, besides the miracle of God's protection of my husband, was the outpouring of love, prayer, and support extended to us. Because of friends and family in other states, we had not only our own church praying for us, but various churches across the country! When I got home from the hospital each night, I would listen to phone messages and read Facebook messages of encouragement and support, and it would make me cry. How beautiful to see the "consolation of the Holy Spirit" working through the body of Christ! Also comforting was having Dave, Becca, and Noelle there Sunday night into Monday. Dave and Becca were able to bring Noelle into the hospital on Monday to see her Nono, as she calls her Grandpa. "Baby cuddle therapy" is a wonderful thing.... and Noelle was doing the same thing for her grandpa as Becca did for HER grandmother when Al's mother had cancer. Al was discharged from the hospital the day before Thanksgiving, and needless to say we had a beautiful and precious Thanksgiving as a family! So far he is recovering well. I am so thankful that God spared his life, and for the prayers of the saints!

Reflections, continued

2010-10-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

However I also know......
........that my job is helping my kids with school tuitions
........ that there are souls at work that The Lord wants me to witness to
........ that if I did not work at all I would probably go stir crazy with my kids all in school
........ that if my kids were still small I would not do half the things I listed in my previous post because I'd be too busy
......... and that while I was glad for the opportunity to be home with my kids, I took it somewhat for granted (but I wouldn't have traded it for anything!)
Most of all, I know that "My times are in Thy hand"(Psalm 31:15a) and that God will take care of my work situation, my schedule, and my family! Praise Him for His faithfulness!

Reflections, Continued

2010-10-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

More importantly, it's what I'm missing because of work that really bothers me sometimes. If I were a stay-at-home mom, I would.......
..... stay up later with my family at night, knowing that once Erin was safely dropped off to her carpool I could get a nap.
..... get my house clean and organized.
..... not have the mental exercise of "who's getting who where, and who's picking up who when" because I would be doing the chauffeuring.
..... work in my garden more
..... be guaranteed time with my family during the holidays
..... take off to PA to visit my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter
..... go to ALL my kids' sports and school events
..... play my guitar more
..... participate more freely in the activities of our church
..... travel with my husband on occasion when he goes on his business trips

Reflections

2010-10-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wish I were a stay-at home mom again. Work has been stressful lately. It can get "fast and furious" in an eyeblink, and it is too easy to make mistakes. I know God is in control, and I do trust him, but I must admit to getting frustrated and discouraged at times. In addition, it is VERY difficult to get the time off (even unpaid time) that I need to be with my family over the holidays. I've thought of looking for another job, but haven't found anything that would work for me just yet. Also, I would lose vacation and personal time, which at this point is desperately needed for various family things. And would it be any better elsewhere? Furthermore, I don't like interviews or walking into a situation where I don't know anyone.
Don't get me wrong. There are many aspects of my job that I do enjoy, such as the interaction with my customers and coworkers. I DON'T enjoy making mistakes despite my best efforts, nor policies that make it difficult for me to spend time with my family when I need to and/or they need me to. I DON't enjoy having to be up by 5am during the school year no matter WHAT time I work that day or what time I went to bed the night before. I DON'T enjoy worrying about whether or not I'm going to get in trouble for yet another mistake, some of which are beyond my control.

Book Review: The Nativity Collection by Robert J. Morgan

2010-10-19T05:49:00.000-07:00

The Nativity Collection comprises six short stories by Robert J. Morgan. The book is published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2010. Each story involves a family's experiences at Christmas, and a Nativity scene that plays a significant part in the story. From the family who changes their Christmas plans to give an elderly woman a family celebration, to the grandfather and grandson who burn the figures of their cherished Nativity scene to survive a howling blizzard, to the story of "Sugarplum", Morgan's stories will uplift and entertain his readers. Each story reminds us of our God Who gave His beloved Son so that we might be freed from our sins and restored to fellowship with God the Father. The Nativity Collection was illustrated by Koechel Peterson Design, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The illustrations are full of exquisite detail, light, and joy. The Nativity Collection would make great reading alone with a cup of tea or cocoa, or aloud with the entire family gathered in the living room. This book will add a festive and reflective touch to any one's Christmas celebration. The Nativity Collection was provided to me for review at no charge by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and I have received no other compensation for reviewing this book.

My Birthday!

2010-10-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

My birthday this year was a blessed time. It was on Saturday, September 25. Al had asked me what I wanted to do, and I said that I either wanted us all to go out to Old Country Buffet, or the two of us to go out to Chili's, or to have Caroline, Janet, and Erin cook dinner at home for us. I left it to him to decide which of those options he would pick. Meanwhile, he asked me to write down a few things I would like, and Janet asked me what I wanted as well. One of the things I mentioned was a nice spring/fall jacket. When I shared this with Janet, she said "Oh, we're gonna have FUN with this!" So she went with Al to help him shop the night before.
While on my last break at work on Saturday, I got a text from Al saying that he and I would go out to eat, followed by birthday cake at home with the girls. I got home from work, showered and changed, and Al and I got in the car. I was expecting him to go to Chilis in Windsor, but he turned towards Enfield. I thought he might have decided to go to Olive Garden, but then he "missed" the turnoff to Enfield. Then I knew he was going to surprise me. We went to Carabba's in Riverdale, Mass! It's a really nice Italian restaurant, and it was delicious. We went home and had cake. When I opened my present, it was..... a peacoat and scarf! Gail and Missy couldn't come, so Gail and her boyfriend, John, came the next day. Gail brought a bouquet of one dozen pink roses, and a beautiful card. Well, I put the roses in water, set the card on the halfwall in the living room, and we ate dinner. Gail and John had already eaten, but Gail did have a piece of cake. While I was putting things away, I picked up the envelope Gail's card had come in. I saw something blue in it and thought it was a picture. When I pulled it out, it was a gift card to Red Lobster! Caroline gave me a charm for my bracelet that the girls had given me for Mother's Day. Missy invited me to her apartment on Tuesday night and made a birthday dinner of chili and cupcakes for me. I was so blessed by all of their thoughtfulness and the unexpected surprises! Now it's two weeks later and Al and I are planning to use that gift certificate as soon as he gets home!

Noelle's First Birthday!

2010-09-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

Our precious granddaughter turned one year old on Sept. 9, 2010. It seems impossible for her to be a year old already! I remember the evening she was born. We were just about to leave for church when we got the news... and when we walked into church we were ready to jump out of our skins! When the Pastor asked for praise reports he asked us if we wanted to go first so we shared our joyous news with our church family. the next day we went to visit. I will never forget seeing and holding Noelle for the first time! Now here she is a year old and walking already. We travelled to Pennsylvania on Sept. 10, 2010, for her first birthday party on the 11th. She was so cute! Al, Janet, Erin, and I stayed in a hotel Friday night, while Melissa, Caroline, and Gail stayed with Becca, so we did not see them till Saturday morning.When we got there Saturday morning, Melissa was holding her. She handed Noelle to me and Noelle cuddled right up. I had her less than five minutes when Erin took her from me! Such is life when you have six daughters and a son who are all baby-crazy. It's fun to watch though. Noelle loved her cake, which Aunt Gail decorated. She loved her gifts, but I think she had just as much fun with the paper and gift bags. One of the gift bags was big enough for Noelle to crawl inside , so she did. We put it over her (it was made pf paper!) and she pulled it off, playing "peek a boo " with us. Aunt Melissa gave her a tutu skirt and she played peek-a-boo with that too, as soon as she discovered that she could see through it. I wish I could post pictures on here but I don't know how yet, so I'll have to make word-pictures for now! I LOVE being a Grandma!

Book Review: Captured by Grace by Dr. David Jeremiah

2010-09-08T04:16:00.000-07:00

Captured by Grace, written by David Jeremiah and published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 2006, is powerful description of God's grace. Using the life stories of John Newton and the apostle Paul, Jeremiah gives the reader a striking picture of how God's grace pursues, forgives, preserves, and restores us. Interwoven into the narrative are stanzas from John Newton's hymn, "Amazing Grace." Dr. Jeremiah divides his book into three main sections: "Grace for the Past," "Grace for the Present," and "Grace for the Future." Each chapter within the main divisions is subtitled with a line from the beloved "Amazing Grace." The prelude, as Jeremiah calls it, to Captured by Grace, is a stirring account of Saul being pursued by God as he persecutes Christians prior to his conversion, and of Newton being brought under conviction by God as he engages in the slave trade. The parallel accounts of Newton and Paul (formerly Saul) and the demonstrations of God's grace in their lives throughout this book leave the reader in tears and in awe of so mighty and merciful a God. There are also examples of other people "captured" by God's grace, and each example is compelling to read. At the end of each chapter is a brief devotional passage, which would be helpful as a Bible study. Those who read Captured by Grace will be uplifted, comforted, and amazed, not by the book itself, but by our great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! (This copy of Captured by Grace was provided free for review by Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are my own and I have not received any other compensation for this book review.)

My Visit to PA

2010-08-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night, at 10: 00 PM, I left Hartford on a bus to visit Becca, Dave Noelle, and my son David in Pennsylvania. My son attends college in Florida and has a year-round on-campus job as well as being in the Marine Reserves, so he left Florida on a bus at 1:00 PM that Saturday afternoon to go to PA. That is one reason I decided to go there..... usually I can only see David at Christmas time. I arrived in Hagerstown, Maryland, at 12:20 PM on Sunday, August 8, where Dave, Becca, Noelle, and my daughter Erin (who had gone home with Becca when she left our house) picked us up. We had lunch at Cracker Barrel, shopped at Walmart, and went home. David arrived at midnight. By then Erin, Noelle, and I were asleep, but I woke up Monday Morning to the sound of Noelle fussing and David comforting her. They are so precious together! I loved watching them interact throughout the week. It was such a blessing to see my son as well. We helped Becca get ready for a baby shower she was putting on for one of her friends. We attended the shower Tuesday night, and spent much time playing with Noelle, who was just as adorable as ever. She bonded with Auntie Erin and Uncle David as well as with Grandma. Precious, precious time of playing, cuddling, and kissing..... she gives the most adorable kisses! We also went to Cracker Barrel with David on Wednesday. Erin and I left on Thursday. Al picked us up at 5 and we got back to CT at 1:30 am. It was a blessed time and I can't wait to go back!

Becca and Noelle's Visit Part 2

2010-08-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Becca decided to paint Caroline's room, which involved several trips to Lowe's and Walmart. Caroline bought the supplies and helped Becca, so Grandma and Grandpa and the aunts got to play with Noelle a lot, and even babysit her. On Wednesday we took her to the park near our house, She was there the last time they visited, too. Becca and I also took her on a walk on Friday morning before I left for work. On Monday and Friday, Becca and Caroline, and Becca and Erin, brought Noelle in to Walmart and I was able to spend my break with them..... and show off my granddaughter to my coworkers! Friday night the room was finished, and it is gorgeous! Becca is very artistic, and it is expressed in everything she does. Becca also brought Noelle to Vacation Bible Time a couple of nights, so Grandpa and I had a great time showing Noelle off to our church family! Noelle gives the best hugs, cuddles, and kisses. She also does these cute little things with her hands and makes a fishy face that cracks us up! We did plenty of spoiling and cuddling, but I think Noelle spoiled us just as much!

Becca and Noelle's Visit

2010-08-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

This week we were blessed to have Becca and Noelle visiting, as Dave was on a missions trip. I was able to take three days off while they were here, and will (God willing) be traveling to PA next week to see them again, along with my son David, who's coming up from Florida. Becca and Noelle were at our house Sunday night when we got home from Vacation Bible Time at church. I held her while Becca and Erin unloaded the car. Al walked in a few minutes later and began talking to Noelle, who went right into his arms. I kind of felt like that was cheating since he had just seen her a few days earlier, but they are adorable together! Within fifteen minutes, he gave her back to me. Then all the aunties, including Aunt Missy who "just happened" to be at our house doing laundry, wanted to play with her too. We didn't get to sleep till after midnight. Noelle woke up in the wee hours of the morning each night they were here. Since the pack N play was in our bedroom, I got to sneak a few cuddles in before giving Noelle to Becca. Monday I had a later shift at work, so I was able to play with my granddaughter in the morning. Tuesday, we went to my sister's house to visit my family. Thoe most precious thing was how my dad held Noelle and wouldn't give her up even when his arm fell asleep, and how Noelle gave Aunt Cindy (one of my sisters) a kiss when Cindy showed Noelle her kitty!

Summer

2010-07-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

When I was a child, summer meant swimming lessons, endless days of playing outside with my neighborhood friends, occasional trips to pick up my dad at the yacht club where he worked (on days when my mom needed the car), and the occasional ride on what we thought of as "Daddy's boat." It was really the yacht club's launch which my dad drove to take people to their boats moored in the harbor, or to bring them back from their boats. If he had another run to do when we got there, and he had room for us, he would take us for a ride. we would also go to either the beach or the pond to swim when Dad got home from work. As I got a little older, I also enjoyed walking downtown with my sisters to buy ice cream cones at the drugstore, which had a soda and ice cream fountain.
In high school, my summers were enjoyable, but sometimes a little lonely because my closest high school friends lived in other towns and I did not see them as often as I did while I was in school. I still did things with my sisters when I could. I also began working the summer before I turned sixteen. When I was in college, I did not enjoy summer because I was working all the time and missed my college friends. When my children were small, summer meant splashing in the kiddie pool and sometimes a day trip with them and their dad. Once my kids were all in school, it meant sleeping a little later, a rest from homework and papers, and staying up a little later because we didn't have to get up for school. Now, especially since I'm working, it means I don't have to get up as early unless I have an early shift. It also means NOT having to worry about getting my kids to school every day, though I do have to think about getting some of them to work. In a summer like this one, when I have a child entering college, I don't want the summer to go by too quickly because I want to be sure that the college preparations are completed. I have noticed, over the past few years, that people seem to think summer is almost over right after the Fourth of July , when in reality, it's only two weeks into the summer. At this writing, it's July 13, but we still have five or six weeks before kids go back to school. Moreover, summer lasts till September 21! I don't want to ignore the rest of the summer as if there's nothing left, when we're only halfway through. I plan to enjoy it for as long as possible!

Book Review: A Guy's Guide to Life by Jason Boyett

2010-07-05T06:08:00.000-07:00

A Guy's Guide to Life, by Jason Boyett and published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville Tennessee, 2010, provides practical, humorous, and timely advice for a teenage guy. The book covers everything from grooming to family to friends to development to intimacy to a relationship with God. Boyett's language is casual and appealing to teen guys, making the tips he gives appealing to the teen reader. This reader, a mom of six girls and ONE young adult guy, even gained some insight into how her son might be thinking! Boyett begins by breaking down the "Myths of Manhood," as he calls them. These myths are some of the societal stereotypes about men that can place undue pressure on a teen. He also discusses communication, family relationships, and women. He gives the teen guy some valuable understanding about how a woman or girl might think or feel. There is a tasteful chapter covering sex. This reader does recommend that the parent read through this chapter before giving it to their teen, as it could prove a springboard for discussing this topic with him. All in all, "A Guy's Guide to Life" is enjoyable, insightful, practical, and readable, even to this seemingly unlikely reader!

Things I've Discovered

2010-06-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

When you ask a child (particularly a preteen or a teenager) what's going on,and they respond with "Nothing," it can mean any one of three things. First, and easiest to deal with, is "nothing" that is really nothing. You don't need to do anything with that. Next, and more challenging is nothing" that says, "something's wrong but I don't want to talk about it." This kind of "nothing" requires patience to wait until he's ready to talk about it. If the child is a girl, it won't take long. If he's a boy, you may have to be REALLY patient! They will tell you in their own time, if you let them know you're available. The third kind of "nothing" is the most challenging. It's the "nothing" that you'd better find out about FAST! usually tell my kids "You'd better tell me about it before I find out about it!" This pronouncement is delivered in a stern voice with a "MOMMY LOOK" !!!!! It's usually effective. The best resopnse to "Nothing" is "What kind of nothing?"

Cuddle Time!!!!

2010-06-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

Dave, Becca, and Noelle arrived Thursday night for Janet's graduation. I was picking up Janet and Erin along with one of their classmates at their school when Dave, Becca, and Noelle arrived. Janet and Erin had been at their high school banquet in honor of the seniors (Janet is one) and I had to drive them and their classmate home. Her mom wanted to see my girls' dresses, so it was well after midnight when we got home. To my delight, they were all still awake, and Noelle was happy. She cried for a little bit when I first picked her up, but soon got reacquainted with Grandma. Well, it was nearly one o'clock when we went to bed and Noelle woke us up with her cute squeals at 5: 00. She even woke Auntie Erin, who never gets up before 6: 30 and not without prodding. The only problem? Erin would not stop playing with the baby. I imagined the note I would have to write and didn't think the principal would accept "Erin was late because she was playing with her baby niece" as a valid excuse. However, it might have given him a good laugh! Friday morning Dave and Becca, Noelle, Caroline, and I took Janet out to breakfast. Noelle loved it. After taking Janet and a fellow graduating senior to school, Caroline and I took Noelle to the park while Becca cut Dave's hair. Then Caroline blow-dried my hair and we got ready for the open house, which the Lord worked out perfectly. I dressed, picked up the pizza, picked up Erin's classmate, and arrived home to find that Janet and Erin had arrived hime just as one of our guests had arrived. Not only that, but my dad,sisters, and nephew pulled into our driveway just as I did. As we were all going into the house, Dave, Becca, and Noelle arrived. Our other guests arrived within ten minutes.Noelle was just adorable and I'm so thankful that my dad (Noelle's great-grandpa!) and my sisters got to see her.

Graduation

2010-06-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

So my "Little Ladybug" is a high school graduate! Her graduation was last night, and it was beautiful. She looked so tiny up on that stage, but also very much like the beautiful young lady she's become. She got academic awards in three subjects: Bible, science, and speech. Before leaving for the graduation, we had a small "open house" gathering at our home. Several friends from church came, as well as my dad, my three sisters, my youngest nephew, my oldest daughter, my son in law, and my granddaughter. I wasn't sure that i would be ale to pull this gathering off, because of the logistics of getting ready and of getting Janet (the graduate) and Erin (her younger sister who's in the choir) to the school by 7:00, and then making sure that we and everyone else were there before 7:30, when the graduation actually began! The Lord worked it out perfectly, though. Everyone arrived between 4:30 and 5:00, and we had a nicer time of fellowship while the girls were getting ready.... and Janet was able to say hello to everyone. Caroline took Janet, Erin, and another classmate who also had to be there by 7:00, and we and our guests left at 6:30 and got there in plenty of time before the ceremony began. Janet looked adorable walking down the aisle, and the whole senior class sang "How deep the Faher's Love for Us," which made me cry. The choir sang "The Lord Bless You and Keep You, " which always makes me cry at graduation even if I don't have a graduate on the stage! And of course, all the "Aunties" (Caroline in particular) had fun showing off their little niece! Congratulations, Janet Marie! Love you-- Proud of you--- Praying for you!

To Noelle

2010-05-18T04:08:00.000-07:00

This post is for my beautiful granddaughter, who I haven't seen since January. I've watched some videos of her that have cracked me up, and I have seen some adorable pictures that make me want to be able to hug her. I've learned NEVER to look at her pictures just before leaving for work, as I will be late if I do! I love you, Noelle. You are beautiful and precious; a one-of-a-kind gift from our wonderful Creator. If I could see you every day I would, but we live in Connecticut, so I have to wait for you and Mommy and Daddy to come up here, or for me to be able to come down there. I love seeing your pictures when Mommy posts them, and the videos of you make us laugh so much! Never forget, beautiful baby, that you have many people who love you beyond words.... and a Heavenly Father who loves you beyond imagination! I can't wait to see you again, little one! Love and kisses from Grandma!

Book Review: Isaac Newton by Mitch Stokes

2010-05-11T06:03:00.001-07:00

Isaac Newton, written by Mitch Stokes and published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2010, is part of the Christian Encounters series. The book is a biography of Isaac Newton. The reader learns that Newton was not only a great scientist and mathematician, but also a Christian. The biography describes Newton's theological studies as well as his scientific ones. The reader learns about Newton's birth after the death of his father, about his childhood and education, about his studies and experiments, but also if his intense interest in theology. Newton saw his scientific studies as a way to worship the Creator. He believed that as he studied God's creation he would learn to know God better. He had a deep love for God's Word, the Bible. It is commonly known that Newton was a Christian, but what is surprising to the reader in this biography is that Newton was also theologian, and that his scientific studies closely linked with his relationship with God.
The reader also learns that Newton was a private individual who craved solitude. This personality trait allowed him the time he needed for his studies, and many of his greatest discoveries were born of this solitude. Another result of Newton's solitary nature was his reluctance to publish some of his findings. He seemed to be more interested in the knowledge he gained than in public acclaim for his discoveries. Stokes" biography also describes some of the controversies that Newton's findings caused in the scientific community.
This biography gives us a glimpse of Newton's personality that most biographies do not. There are also clear explanations of some of his theories. To the casual reader, or one unschooled in mathematics and science, the explanations are challenging, but to one who is researching Newton's theories, the explanations are helpful and can be understood with perseverance. Stokes' biography of Isaac Newton is an excellent resource for the junior high or high school student. The information about his scientific work is helpful in the student's research. The insights into Newton's character will keep the student engaged in reading the book.

Transitions

2010-04-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

Gail got an apartment and moved in last week. It was an answer to prayer, as we had been praying that God would provide her with her own place. It's small but nice, just right for her right now. Erin and I visited her Saturday evening. She seems to like it, although being by herself is a big change for her.... but she is glad to have her own space. We're making the downstairs room a combination office, rec room, and "guest room"..... just in case someone comes to visit and stays overnight. This week the house is pleasantly but strangely quiet, as Janet and Erin are off to a national fine arts competition. Caroline, Al, and I are the only ones home. Caroline finished cosmetology school Saturday, and i was off from work, so we spent the day together. We drove to the mall so she could apply for a position at a hairdressing salon, had a cup of coffee at Starbucks, and came home. My friend from work came over for a little while, and then Caroline highlighted my hair. Al was home as well, so we spent time with him too. When Caroline left to go babysitting, Al and I had a date at Wendy's. We went for a walk when we got home, and now we're watching a DVD. Everyone's growing up, and I'm glad that God holds the future....ours and theirs!

What Happens When You're the Baby of Seven?

2010-04-02T07:23:00.000-07:00

That's a question best answered by Erin, our youngest child. First of all, she weighed ten pounds at birth, and broke her collarbone during her delivery. Secondly, she was delightfully chubby and cuddly, and no one wanted to put her down after picking her up. She felt like a big, soft teddy bear. Well, since my three oldest are girls, Erin, Janet, and Caroline sort of had four Moms instead of just one. And since Becca, Gail, and Missy were fourteen, eleven, and almost ten respectively when Erin was born, they all spoiled her. She became very outgoing because she was used to being around people. She also became very easygoing with a bubbly personality. When Erin was almost a year old, I began teaching third and fourth grade. Since Al worked in a home office, Erin would often stay with him during the day. He would bring her with him to do errands, among which was a stop at a Dunkin' Donuts for coffee and a donut for Erin. Well, she learned to anticipate going out for a donut every time Daddy watched her. She would say,"Donut, Daddy!" and get her jacket. If he didn't respond right away, she would get HIS jacket. Daddy would give in, and they would go to Dunkin' Donuts. I don't know how many free donuts Erin got because somebody thought she was cute! She was, and still is. At just fifteen, she is tall and slender with the same cheerful personality. Even a fractured collarbone didn't stop her from cuddling her little niece last time we visited. If I were to describe Erin in one word it would be...... "irrepressible!"

Nicknames

2010-03-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Janet is our second youngest. She's tiny like Caroline, with a little slender face and BIG blue-green eyes. Our son was extremely proud of her and protective of her when she was a baby. In fact, protecting people like his sisters was one of his motives for joining the Marines. Anyhow, Janet's nickname is one she gave herself, though she hasn't let anyone use it since she became a teenager (although I sometimes say it out of habit.) I do not know why Janet chose this particular name for herself, unless it was because of the many ladybugs around our home when she was three or four. Seemingly out of nowhere, she looked at me with her little smile and big eyes, and asked, "Mommy, can I have some cookies cause this little ladybug loves cookies!" I laughed, and, needless to say, she got some cookies!" The name Ladybug stuck, so her nickname became "Ladybug."

A Tiny "Rosebud"

2010-03-24T04:10:00.000-07:00

Caroline is our fifth child and fourth daughter. She was only 6 lb. 10 oz. at birth, and her complexion was pink andwhite and red. Everyone said , "Oh, she looks like a little rosebud!" Since her middle name is Rose, her nickname was "Rosie." Caroline was daddy's baby. The older girls used to get her to ask him whenever they wanted us to do something such as go out for dinner or ice cream, because they knew he'd have a harder time saying no to her. Sometimes they knew he would say no but they got Caroline to ask anyway just to see Daddy's reaction. When Caroline was three, we planned to buy her a tricycle. She looked at her Daddy with her baby blue eyes, and asked, "Daddy, will you buy me a cute little tricycle?" Guess what we did? We piled into the car, drove to Child World, and bought Caroline a new tricycle that night! She's still tiny, but is now a beautiful, smiling young lady!

The Adventures of Raising One Boy Among Six Girls

2010-03-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

Our son David is a great blessing to us. Before we had him, I had a miscarriage. We prayed that God would give us another baby, and that He would give us a boy. He answered both those prayers. Becca told me the story of what Al did when he arrived home after David was born. According to Becca, he took the stairs two at a time, yelling at the top of his lungs, "It's a boy!! It's not a girl, it's not a doll, it's a real live boy!" As he ran up our stairs, he jumped up and hit the top of our kitchen doorway. David is our middle child, literally surrounded by his older and younger sisters. Boys and girls are different. Not better or worse, not harder or easier, just different. One of the most interesting things about David was that he took everything literally. When he was three, we were on our way back from driving our older kids to school. He pointed out the donut shop in the center of town. I said, "Yes, David, some day I'll take you there." Well, two days later we drove by the donut shop again. We had a conversation something like this: "Mom. There's the donut shop. You said you'd take me there someday."
"OK, David, we'll go to the donut shop." I'm glad I had my grocery money with me that day!
David enjoyed music and learned songs after fearing them once or twice. He liked the song "He's Still Working on Me," which tells how God made the universe in a week, but He's still working on me, so He must be very patient. Whenever we would begin to reprove David, via the raised index finger and the stern "Now, David....." he would begin singing that song, complete with big blue eyes and little choirboy voice! We would crack up laughing..... but after the first couple of times he did that we still had to correct him. We would say, "David, He's still working on you but you're still going to get disciplined."
I did wonder, when we found out that our youngest was going to be a girl, what David was going to do with six sisters. Then I realized that if God was sending us this little baby girl, He had also chosen David to be the brother of all these girls. Well, David learned to love babies and he is a Marine Reservist!

More "Little Kid " Stories

2010-03-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

Melissa, or Missy, as we nicknamed her, is our third daughter. (We have six altogether, with our son in the middle.) She was a very peaceful, laid-back baby. When she was about two she started calling me "my own Mommy". She also used to ask me to "talk to me in my cheek", which, in plain English, means "Whisper in my ear." I used to put my cheek against hers and whisper, "cuddle-cuddle," and she would do it back. So when she wanted me to do that, she would say "Talk to me in my cheek." She was, and is, very intelligent. In first grade she got a perfect 100 average on her spelling tests. She complained about a worksheet that had been marked wrong one day. The class was studying compound words, and the directions had said "Circle the smaller words in each compound word." When she showed me the paper, I saw that she had only circled half of the words. When I pointed this out to her, her reply was, "But it said to circle the smaller words!" She had circled the smaller of each pair of words in each compound word! This is the same girl who when she was older locked my keys in my car because she figured out how to circumvent the device that was supposed to keep you from locking your keys in the car! Sometimes we can be too complicated!

When They Were Little

2010-03-10T05:37:00.000-08:00

Gail is my second daughter. She has long red hair, loves softball, cooking, amd babies, and has a great sense of humor. She was born in October, when the fall leaves were at their peak of color. We originally thought she would be early, but she was two weeks late. She was tiny, 7lb. 3oz., with huge blue eyes in her little face. When she was about two and a half, she would come up to me and say,"Mom, I want you!" I would reply, "Yes, here I am. What do you want?" Again she would say, "Mom I want you!" After a few of these exchanges, I would say, "Gail. I'm right here. What do you want?" She would say, "You! Just you!" Then I would ask, "But what do you want me for?" Her answer: "A hug!" Needless to say, she would get hugs and give them back! My sister-in-law saw one of these exchanges and said, "Awww, what a nice thing to want!" It was, and still is. Janet did the same thing when she was the same age! I love telling these stories and remembering them!

Book Review: Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God by Sheila Walsh

2010-02-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God was written by Sheila Walsh and published by Thomas Nelson, Inc., copyright 2009, Nashville TN. It is a compelling account of what God does when people trust Him with all of their hearts. Walsh begins the first three chapters with her own testimony of how God brought her through a struggle with depression. She continually challenges the reader to trust God completely, reminding us that it is a greater challenge than we imagine. She also speaks of the her discovery that she is not the only one facing the kinds of trials she has experienced. In sharing her struggles with others, Sheila Walsh found that in so doing, she allowed them to share their own trials. In opening her heart to others in this way, she is able to minister to them and receive ministry from them as well.
In subsequent chapters, Walsh leads the reader into a study of men and women in the Bible who learned to trust God with various trials in their lives. Among the people studied are Anna, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, Saul of Tarsus, Tabitha, Gideon, Jospeh, Samson, Nicodemus, and Abraham. Mrs. Walsh herself studied the lives of these people in the Scriptures and each one's story ministered to her in a particular way. These chapters also include accounts from Mrs. Walsh's own life. The reader learns that many people, including those whose lives are chronicled in the Bible, faced difficulties in their own lives and learned to completely trust God. The concluding chapter reminds us that as believers in Christ, the end of our life's journey is Heaven.
Sheila Walsh exposes the pressure many feel to be "perfect", and reminds her readers that God loves them unconditionally and uses even their imperfections to refine them and make them more like Christ. Because of her openness about her own difficulties, she is able to speak powerfully to the reader. She reminds her readers that they are not alone in their trials, just as God taught her that she was not alone. At the end of the book, Mrs. Walsh includes a Bible study for each chapter of the book, with many thought-provoking comments and questions. The readers are encouraged that God is in control and will use everything in their lives to conform them to Christ's image.

Snapshots in Words

2010-02-20T07:13:00.000-08:00

I have so many precious memories of the cute things my children have said and done, so I thought I'd share some with you. Becca, our firstborn, is a Valentine's baby. What a perfect gift. She is the first grandchild on both sides of the family and my grandfather's first great grandchild. From the time that Becca was six weeks old, we traveled to Yale New Haven Hospital with her in tow to visit my mother-in-law, who was ill with cancer. All the nurses on the floor loved her, as did her Grandma Aldrich! Becca could make her smile when nothing else could! Once when my mother-in- law was at home and sick in bed, we came to visit. Grandma Aldrich heard Becca cry and insisted on getting out of bed just to see "her" baby! She passed away when Becca was only three months old, but she did plenty of spoiling while she was living. She would be proud of Becca today. My Grandpa Stoddard also enjoyed his great-granddaughter, though he did not say much. After his passing when Becca was six months old', I learned that every time he and my parents and sisters came to visit us, he talked about Becca all the way home!
Becca learned to talk early and quickly developed a good vocabulary. When she didn't know the word for something, she would make up a descriptive term based on words she already knew. She called popsicles "cold lollipops," and moths were "butterfly-bees". Colored leaves and flowers she picked up on our walks were "pretties". She was quite picturesque in her descriptions. My favorite was her take on a sunset. We were driving home from a day of errands and she said,"Look! They painted the sky!" I said, "Yes, Becca, God painted the sky. That's a sunset." After that, she would say, "God painted the sky" every time she saw a sunset.

God is Faithful and Merciful

2010-02-07T17:35:00.001-08:00

OK, it's time you got to know me a little bit. I've been married for almost 30 years. My husband's name is Al, and we have seven children. Their names are Becca, Gail, Melissa, David, Caroline, Janet, and Erin. Yes, you read that right.... there's only one boy in there. He is literally surrounded by sisters! I did wonder what he was going to do with six sisters, especially since he is the middle child, but I realized that if God chosen to give us six girls, He has also chosen David to be their brother. It's been interesting. David learned to love babies (especially his little niece!) and is a Marine Reservist. God is faithful! People have asked me how we manage with seven children, and how we can possiby afford to raise that many. The only answer I have is "We pray.... a lot! And God is faithful." I could tell you many stories about His grace and provision, but that would take all night. Maybe in some future posts. There's a verse in Psalms 127 that God has used over and over in my heart. It says "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward." (Ps. 127:3 KJV) Children are a blessing and a gift from God, even when things get difficult. God's Word does not change, and He is faithful to hear our heart-cries on behalf of our children, or about any other matter. My husband and I are born-again Christians--- we've trusted (and still are trusting!) Christ ahd His work on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and restoration of our relationship with God. Because of Christ's work, we have fellowship with God the Father and can come freely before Him in prayer. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." What a privilege and comfort that is! Praise God for His mercy and faithfulness!

Savoring Memories

2010-02-01T17:14:00.000-08:00

Well, we left Pennsylvania at 3pm yesterday and arrived in Connecticut at 10:15 PM. It was a delightful weekend with all my daughters except one who had to work. Babies have a way of drawing families together! Actually God is answering a specific prayer for us. We have been praying that He would use our granddaughter's birth to draw people closer to Him and draw members of our family together, and I'm seeing Him do just that! It is wonderful to cuddle and play with my granddaughter, but it is also amazing to watch my "baby" play with her baby, and to watch my other children interact with their little niece. I especially loved watching my son with her over Christmas. He's 6'3" and a Marine Reservist, but he melts around her! I miss him as well, as he's in Florida and can only get home at Christmas. He just recently got Facebook, so sometimes I can keep in touch with him that way. He has begun to call us a bit more, which is nice. A major difference between a son and a daughter? The length of their phone conversations with Mom! (LOL)

Longings Fulfilled

2010-01-30T14:39:00.000-08:00

Being a long-distance Grandma can be trying, because you miss your grandchildren (and children ) terribly. I can't just take off and visit because of my work schedule, but fortunately I was able to be there to care for my daughter after my granddaughter was born. I was there for nine days and fell totally in love with her! It was so hard to leave to go home knowing I wouldn't see her agin till Christmas! I did get to spend four good days with my family over Christmas, and it was easier to say goodbye to my daughter, granddaughter, and son-in -law knowing I would see them again at the end of January! Well, here we are at the end of January and I am visiting my daughter and her family because my granddaughter is being dedicated in their church tomorrow. I came last night with my other daughter and her fiance. We left at 6pm, stopped for dinner, and had an uneventful trip till we got lost and had to backtrack an hour and a half, thus losing three hours. We arrived at 3 am and went straight to bed. My husband and other daughters arrive tonight. I spent the day admiring my granddaughter and waiting patiently for her aunt to share her with me! I did get her all to myself for a couple of hours because I was babysitting her! She just gets cuter and cuter.... even if she cries. I just want to see her, spoil her, cuddle her, hear her coo, hug her, and kiss her. She has the widest smile and the most gorgeous blue eyes ever! I'm storing up my cuddles till next time I see her, and till then I will content myself with pictures online. What a treasure she is!!