In just one year!

It's been a whole year since my ASD closure and an incredible one at that! In the last 3 or 4 weeks have been the first I have felt 'good' in a very long time. It seems like the past 4 years have been some of our most trialsome ever. When I was pregnant with Lydia there was a tumor that was beside her that the Lord just miraculously took away. Then my first c-section and the challenge of her first year. Then my heart ailments, surgery to close my ASD, and more ailments. ;-) I often think of the 6 times in this year I had to kiss all my children good bye, not knowing if I would be coming back to ever be able to do that again. The times Jeff drove me to the ER 90 mph!

In this past year, every birthday, every holiday, came with tears of thankfulness. For so many times I thought I wouldn't see it.

Last month a 16 year old girl collapsed at school and died. She was apparently waiting for surgery to close the hole in her heart. That has been very sobering for me to think on. She was so young, never given the chance to marry or have children. My heart breaks for her family! Every doctor I ran into was shocked and amazed that I delivered 8 children with this hole. Now I understand. And to think of the 26 years I lived in rebellion to God, how I loved my wretched sin more than Him! How I paid no attention to His Word or plan for my life. How I showed no appreciation for the life He gave me, or the salvation He gave me through dying on the cross! How he could have taken my life at any point in time, but out of grace and mercy hasn't.

Those were some hard times to endure, at the time. But looking back I can see evidence of God! There were so many times I thought for sure I was dying. I have written down in my journal how He answered specific prayer. I know how He has drawn us closer as a family and caused the love and appreciation between Jeff and I to grow. Overcome with a renewed sense of thankfulness and appreciation for salvation, His Word, guidance, strength and a peace that passes all understanding in the midst of a trial.

So even though they seemed the worst of times, when I can look back and see God so evident in my life, it makes it the very best of times. In a way it makes it worthwhile, because His blessings are abundant!

So I will continue thanking Him for every new dawn! I will strive to live obediently to His Word! I will profess His goodness and gospel boldly! I will praise Him all the day long!

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him."

Note: there's a link on the sidebar where you can read all the posts related to Mom's surgery. ~Megan

This is what happens when your little sister picks out her clothes!!

The sunset on sunday.

Clouds-are'nt those weird?

I LOVE Indian Corn!!

A Tree??!!!

Daniels birthday was on sunday. Lydia was "making him guess"!!

On Thursday I got my first buck--A 5 point!! It was very exciting!!

What Lydia says...

"My joy is full!"

Lydia, "So Mom, how many tids we got?"
Mom, "We have 8 kids! Aren't we so blessed?"
Lydia, "Well, I knew dhere was a lot betause dhere is always sumbody p(l)aying wis me!"

"You just have to put on one sock, betause I can do it pretty well!"

"Mom, Benny has to obey ME, right?"

Just a few bits and pieces because any bit of information she shares comes with a 5 minute dialog!

1 Peter 2:1-3 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation - if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

My first deer

I am an "Officialy Hunter of the Family" (OHF) and "Ohio Deer Hunter" (ODH). Tuesday I got my first deer. Here's the story: Me, Dad, and Daniel went to ohio on tuesday. Dropped off Daniel at his stand and went to our stand. 15-20 minutes later a buttonbuck came out. Buttonbuck's have crazy mind's. (Once, a buttonbuck came up to Robbie's stand, I mean right up to the ladder. Robbie dumped water right by it's head, it backed away, and came back, does the same thing.) So, this buttonbuck is eating acorn's really loud, it looked me straight in the eye. We didn't want to shoot a buttonbuck because in a year or two he'll probably be a nice buck. So, we, "let him go so he can grow". This buttonbuck stayed around for about 30-45 minutes. Then a doe stepped out. I had a tag for a buck and a doe, let me tell you I started breathing really heavy. This was my first deer so I was breathing heavy. Dad said,"Take a deep breath". It started to walk away so I took a deep breath. Then, just before it went in the brush, it gave me a open shot. I shot it and it ran about 75 yards and died in the field.

Matt

Teeth

Teaching Ben: "You have to brush your teeth or they will rot." So we end up with the egg/vinegar experiment! If you don't know what that is, you put a egg in a cup or jar, then you pour the vinegar over the egg till its covered. then you let it sit for a day or for like 6 hours, then take it out and feel it. "Thats what happens to your teeth if you don't brush them good." was the warning!!!

Swimming in October

Sunday afternoon the kids begged and begged to go swimming. The temperatures had reached 80 degrees and they were sure the water would feel good ... despite that the lows had been in the 40s for the last week. :P

The story was funny, because when I was 9 and Robbie was 7, we begged Dad to take us swimming ... on a warm, April day. Y'all know where this is going, right? We were convinced that it would be no different then swimming in July. We just knew that water would feel so good! Before he let us go in, Dad made us promise that we would go up to our shoulders before we got out. We STILL shiver when we remember how cold that water was!! If I remember correctly, we did go up to our shoulders, but we did not stay in very long!

So Robbie and I told the kids that the same rule applied ... they had to go up to their shoulders too! Apparently, the water wasn't as cold as when we had our swimming escapade .... since they stayed in quite a bit longer than we did. :)

I apologize for the excess of Lydia pictures here ...

Dad and Robbie and Daniel played football instead. :) It was nice because we pretty much had the beach to ourselves!





Guess her hands weren't waterproof. =)

Last Saturday I went to farmer's market with Megan. We had lots of fun and I sold all my cinnamon raisin bread. We had samples of Megan's fudge to be sure it wasn't poisonous. mmmmm. I was outside today for 8 hours because we planted maple trees. Right now I'm tired well that's it.

Joey

pictures :-B

Here are some pictures I took this summer.

The other day, Lydia was playing with her humpty dumpty toy and saying;

Honky donky (humpty dumpty) sat on a wall.

But he fell off.

Honky donky couldn't get together again!

~~~Daniel~~~