Who Stole the Baby?!?!?!

SOMEONE stole the baby and replaced her with this beautiful young lady!

When did this crazy switch take place!

Where did this go?

Why do her clothes match so well?

What happened to this?

Marian! Stop growing up!

Marian is our "baby!"
When she is eighty, she will still be the baby.

Marian was raised completely different than the rest of us.
She grew up with three brothers and slept in the same room as three teenage girls.

This made her a strange mix of 10 going on thirty, girly girl and crazy tom-boy.

When she was little we would spend lots of time doing her hair, put her in a beautiful dress, and then find her wrestling with the boys!

This year Marian is singing a solo at our church Cantata, The crazy thing is... I sang that same song, "Grandma Hurry Up," nine years ago. I was the same age as she is now. Hearing her sing it brings back SO many memories. Anyhow... It is special to me!

Marian spent all of Black Friday following me while I ran around in circles. I would ask her if she wanted to go with someone else, but she was faithful to the end... always happy to go in circles.

Marian is:

- WAY too pretty! Good thing she has all of those brothers!

- The most sensitive little girl... she was always there to hug and wipe away our tears.

- Dog crazy. Sometimes I think she loves my dog more than I do!

- Mom's delight. "Where I go, you go!"

- Mischievous.

- Brilliant. "Hey Helen, We should put toothpaste in Jimmy's cookie!" (Great minds think alike!)

- Sometimes spoiled.

- Too cute to say no to. One night she came up to me and asked SO sweetly, "Helen, can I go on your Facebook.... Just to see what it's like!" *Insert; batting eyelashes and angelic smile.. "Of course you can!"

- Concerned about style... "I cannot wear black tights with my brown boots!!!"  (Now who taught her that!)

- Gets me into SO much trouble. Somehow I get blamed for most of what Marian does.

- A treasure and joy! She went to summer camp this year... we all were shocked with the difference in our house. It was sad...

- A GREAT LITTLE SISTER!

I love Marian SO very much!
She's my baby!

 

Sugar and spice
and everything nice
that's what little girls are made of

Thank You, Lord!

It is Thanksgiving!

One of my favorite holidays!

I have so very much to be thankful for this year!
God has been SO good to me!

I do not deserve all that He has given me!!!!

This year, I am especially thankful for:

1. My Family!

They really knock my socks off!

2. Dad.

It wasn't until recently that I really began to appreciate how precious the love of my dad is.
It has always been there... I never doubted it.
But in the last couple years I have come to appreciate it in a new way.
Maybe it is because I have seen the pain that comes when a girl misses out on that love.
There are so many young women who are searching for love.
Searching to be told that they are beautiful.
Searching to be accepted.
I have a precious gift!

3. Purpose and Direction

I am so thankful that God guides.
He really does have a plan!

4. Carrots! 

From the amount of carrots I ate growing up.... I should have amazing "night vision!"

Because they make my life better!
There is something wonderful about chomping down on a huge carrot!
Don't laugh at me!
I love them!

5. My New Brother
You know, Kuzco, from, "The Emperors New Groove."

That movie makes me laugh a ridiculous amount.

Well, that's Jeffrey!
Saves me from having to tell you about him.

I'm kidding!
Although there may be a slight resemblance..
That's what I called him before they got married.

He is awesome!
All of my life I wanted an older brother... now I have one!

You can see why I had my doubts! 

6. Emily

Cuteness Overload!

I LOVE being an aunt!
When I hold this cutie.... I struggle with pride!
I just can't get over how perfect she is!

7. God's Faithfulness!

God is SO faithful!

8. Idaho

I love this place!

9. My Job

I love my job at Java Bear!
I am super blessed!

10. Grajuation!

(Yes... I spelled that wrong on purpose!)
I LOVE being graduated!
It is awesome!

11. Crazy Memories

I'm so glad that the Lord gave us the ability to remember things...

12. Friends

*Insert your face here*

New and old.
Crazy and Sane.
They're awesome!

13. Coffee!

Because I never really appreciated it until this year!

14. The Ability to Grow and Change!

Philippians 1:6

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

"Thou art the Potter... I am the clay!"

15. Food

I think God was awfully nice to let us have taste-buds!
I recently have begun to LOVE cooking!
I finally can say I have a hobby.
It's like my own form of art... Because art and I never did get along.

My Home!
I am thankful that I have a home where Christmas (*we know you aren't suppose to until tomorrow... but do you know of any "Thanksgiving music?"*) music is playing, laughter is heard, dad is making me a special cup of coffee because someone poured mine out, and people love each other... a lot!

On that note... I think I will go enjoy it!

Thank you, Lord!


Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. I am thankful for the ability to laugh!

Teacher: Why did the turkey cross the road? 
Joey: It was the chicken's day off.

How many cooks does it take to stuff a turkey? 

One, but you really have to squeeze him in! 

What do you get after eating way too much turkey and dressing? 

Dessert, of course! 

Who is not hungry at Thanksgiving? 

The turkey, because he’s already stuffed! 

So Corny! I know!

My God, In Him Shall I Trust

Yesterday morning I was reading Psalm 91...

 It reminded me of Gods endless faithfulness to me.
God used that chapter to impact my life hugely.


A couple years ago a man broke into our home.

Dad was on a business trip... mom "happened" to hear our dog's tail wagging (That is some watch dog!) and thought she needed out.
Seeing a man climbing through our window wasn't what she was expecting to see..
She screamed at him with a voice that gives me goose-bumps to remember... With his back still to her, he left.

It sounds simple.. But it absolutely terrified me..

The boys found it exciting to have all of those police men at our house and having a story to tell... the girls dealt with it in stride..
I panicked.
Although I had always been a wimp, this took me into a different category.

For months after, I was scared of ...everything.

The devil had seen my weak spot and pounced on it..

My dad saw what was happening to me...
 He challenged me to memorize Psalm 91.
I did..
Slowly, the verses became engraved in my mind. When fear would come over me... I was reminded, "He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust"
I began to see the Lord as my refuge and fortress.

That chapter along with the grace of God, and the loving counsel of my dad, changed me..
 I realized that my fear was saying that I didn't believe God was in control.
I was acting as though I wasn't the beloved child of the God of the universe..

I can't say that I am brave now... I'm still a wimp.
But I am stronger now because of that weak time..
I have confidence that the Lord has a plan for my life... nothing happens without Him knowing about it!

I am so thankful that God doesn't give up on me!

Psalm 91

 ¹He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

 ²I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

 ³Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

 ⁴He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

 ⁵Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

 ⁶Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

 ⁷A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

 ⁸Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

 ⁹Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

 ¹⁰There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

 ¹¹For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

 ¹²They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

 ¹³Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

 ¹⁴Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

 ¹⁵He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

 ¹⁶With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

      

Jimmy!

It's Jimmy's birthday today!!!!
Jimmy is a pretty great guy!

Let me tell you about him...
Jimmy,
- Is insanely smart!
- Tells jokes better than anyone else!
- Acts a lot like dad.
- Thinks... a lot!
- Is way too witty! :)
- LOVES food!
- Is very complimentary.
- Is good at whatever he does.
- Is Athletic.
- Is a hard worker.
- Is sweet.
-  Is my 15 year old brother!


 Best of all, Jimmy loves the Lord so much!  He has a heart that is so tender! He inspires me so much with how many scriptures he knows.
I can't wait to see how the Lord is going to use Jimmy!

Quotes from the day:

"I think I should take birthday's off too... I had the baby!" - Mom

(Pulling me aside in a whispering voice...) "Helen... we should get Jimmy outside and have everyone throw snowballs at him!" - Peter :)

"We are just going to stay home and just eat. All day!" -Mom

This is how my my brothers, "play!"

Handsome Boy! 

James Sr. and Jr.

Tis the Season for...Pie!

I had a day off yesterday. I enjoyed it!

This was one of the highlights!

Praline Pumpkin Pie

I enjoyed making it a lot!

It made me feel like Thanksgiving was coming!
It received reviews like, "Amazing!" and  "the best pie ever!"

I would give everyone the recipe... but I don't have time to type it all.
I sent Johnny a picture to make sure he was thoroughly jealous!

I love this season!

I went for a walk in the snow this morning; it was beautiful... and cold!
I almost ended up carrying my dog because halfway through... she looked so cold that I felt like a horrible person for dragging her out there.
I restrained myself. She is, after all, a dog!

Happy Fall!

My Big Little Brother

I just saw something funny/stupid... my first thought: "Oh, I have to show Johnny!"


Then a sad reality hit me. Johnny isn't here to tell.
Johnny has abandoned us all to go on a week trip to Texas.
How heartless! Who am I supposed to share my crazy jokes with?


I can still text him. I did.
I told him I was going to write a blog about him... he was scared.


Now I sit, ready to tell you about my big little brother, Johnny.
He is pretty awesome.
Johnny has been my buddy for as long as I can remember.
We have got ourselves into so much trouble together! 


Johnny protects me.

When Johnny took me hunting, he didn't get mad at me when I kept taking pictures and made too much noise walking... he just turned around, smiled, and pointed out how to be quieter.

Johnny "gets" my ridiculous sense of humor... that is a rare attribute!
We will laugh at something that make no sense to anyone else.

Johnny likes my cooking.
He says things like... "This is the best lunch I've EVER had."
I'm starting to think that it is really just code for, "I love you and I know you want to hear that."
He eats LOTS of the food I make. That makes me happy.

We were playmates as kids.
When Jo and Beth started "growing up," Johnny and I allied in our immaturity; we did everything together.


Many a day, we would spend half the day packing the wagon to go play "pioneers" in the fields... we would drag everything out there... decide we didn't want to play anymore and spend the rest of the day unpacking!
We never really thought through things.


There have been many crazy things I have dragged Johnny into. 
Like the time I decided to make a "movie."
Mom was gone and we were supposed to be cleaning.
I talked Johnny into being my fellow actor while Jo and Beth became our directors and camera crew.
We spent all day on that silly thing. 
Just a glimpse... 

Pretty great sound effects, right?

Needless to say we didn't get much "cleaning" done.

Sometimes I think that Johnny and I are really twins.... with some time in-between.

On my 19th birthday, Johnny gave me a letter that brought me to tears.

I will always treasure it.

 He could never really know how much that meant to me!


Johnny once came into our room when I was having a moment... you know the type of moment when you cry... just because . He hugged me and explained that my life wasn't really falling apart. I was over-exaggerating (shocker!). I stopped crying.

Some may think I am bragging and well... I am.
You have to admit... He is kinda awesome.
I am so proud of the man Johnny has become.

He has a heart for the Lord and I know that the Lord has great plans for him.
Johnny makes me smile.
He is my kindred spirit.
I love him.

Check out Johnny's face!

It was nice growing up with someone like you - someone to lean on, someone to count on... someone to tell on!  ~Author Unknown

First a brother, then a bother, now a friend. ~ Unknown

Uncle Johnny!

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero.  ~Marc Brown