Noelle's First Birthday!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!