Hello to all my xanga friends,

Guess I will try my hand at connecting with xanga once again after a long absence. This time I dedicate this blog to our dear son Delton who passed away 16 years ago today, August 16, at the young age of 16 years, after a feed truck accident 6 weeks earlier on July 6th. He was critically injured and in spite of the many improvements and God's miraculous healing in the following 6 weeks, severe complications set in and he peacefully passed away surrounded by family and friends...soon after we had sung several songs, with the last one being, "Safe In The Arms of Jesus." Heaven seemed so near and within reach, almost as though we could touch the angels as they (seemed) to hover near. Later the little ones told us of actually seeing a Someone (dressed in white) waiting outside the window, and again on several other occasions.

Something that seemed rather ironic, but interesting, was the correlation of numbers in the same family (2-4-6-8-16) that was rather outstanding...not only was Delton 16 years old, but he passed away on the 16th day of the 8th month; (and had been born on the 22nd day of the 4th month)...we recieved 16 plants and flowers in sympathy...with 4 of those being Peace Lilies (and I still have-16 years later, 4 of those plants, with 2 of them being Peace Lilies)....he had $16 in his wallet and also there was a mug sitting on his dresser filled to the brim with loose change, which came to $116 and some cents...and many more incidents which include the numbers above.

Something else that was interesting and comforting was that Peace Lilies bloom several times a year, but not necessarily any given month (a florist told me), and yet these peace lilies which were of course blooming in August when they were given, they also bloomed again at Christmas, and then again in April for Delton's Birthday...with a continuation of this cycle for several years, blessing us with blooms in his birth and death months besides presenting blooms in Dec...being a gift of comfort to us as well at Christmas time.

The greatest comfort is in knowing that God makes no mistakes. He really cares about us and has sent us comforting circumstances from time to time, including vivid dreams that assure us Delton is waiting in a happier place. Along with that, we were told by various people how the evening of Delton's passing, that they were simply in awe of an extra beautiful sunset and sky--the vivid pinks, gold and silver of the clouds against the blue, blue sky...which is rather unusual for August, especially since we were having so many hot, hazy days just prior to this.

Another outstanding scene was only 6 weeks after Delton's passing...when we were in a low time of extreme sadness and loneliness, God allowed our whole family to observe a very magnificent and unusual sunset. There was an abundance of gold and silver linings on numerous clouds...but what was so breathtaking was the very large space that was completely void of a single cloud and was a deep blue, and in the center of this cloudless circle was a perfect cross also lined in gold and silver. As we watched in awe, it slowly faded away...and in it's stead was a feeling of pure tranquility and sweet peace, with the words of Jesus echoing in my mind, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you..." (Dear Lord, thank-you for your love and goodness to us!)

The church and fellowship we belonged to at that time, began sponsoring a Bible School for Christian youth. The youth from our home church were allowed to go as 16 year olds the first several years or so. Delton really looked forward to attending his first year which would come up the following winter. He was a little on the quiet side by nature, and yet he had a friendly out-going personality. He joined the youth chorus when he was 15, and when he turned 16, all the youth functions were a real highlight for him as he enjoyed being with the youth and always looked forward to attending and participating in the various youth activities, along with his cousins and classmates as well.

The last Sunday before Delton had his accident, he received his Bible School application and filled it out ready to give back. Beings God called him Home the following month, and that never transpired, we felt prompted and inspired to fix a poster filled with pictures and poems etc. of Delton's life, from babyhood till his death, which also included the Bible School application...and we gave this poster to the Bible School where it was hung in an appropriate place, in memory of Delton. The following letter was posted on the poster as well....as a reminder to the youth that "we have this moment, but we have no promise of tomorrow."

Dear Fellow Youth,

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them."  Eccl. 12:1

Just imagine that I could come back and speak with you today. I too was young and carefree; I had dreams, ambitions, plans and goals I was striving for. One dream and goal I had was attending Bible School this winter. I anticipated with joy when that time should come...but the Lord had other plans for me.

July 6th dawned to a seemingly perfect summer day. The sky was extra blue with big white fluffy clouds; the birds were singing and with a pleasant breeze blowing, it seemed good to be alive!

As I filled my water jug with ice and water at the kitchen sink, and as I paused and smiled at my Mother as I walked out the door, I did not know that I would never be able to do this again...yet my Mother's love and prayers went with me as I left and went about my duties that day.

But...God's ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He had a perfect plan for me as I neared my destination where I was making a delivery in my Dad's feed truck. (I had a load of corn on with 30 bags of feed on the side.)

As I topped the hill and entered into a right hand curve, I accidentally dropped my right front wheel off the pavement. In spite of my desperate attempts to keep the truck on the road, I lost control and 600 feet later I was thrown out of the truck onto the pavement. I vividly remember bouncing down the pavement on my back. As I slid off the edge of the road, the truck was tilted onto it's left side, it turned and the back wheels ran over my mid-section.

God only knows why I wasn't killed instantly or why I didn't die later as my life-blood drained away (internally.) I realized that I was in a very life threatening situation and as I lay there praying and waiting, and as I gave up my will for whatever the Lord had for me, I felt the Lord's presence with me and His peace and love envelop me.

"For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." Rom. 14:8

After a 5 hour surgery the Doctors gave me only a 20% chance to live. God performed many miracles in the following days and weeks, and I kept improving much to the amazement of my doctors and nurses. They even called me their "Miracle Boy!" In spite of all the improvements and God's healing in my body, my days were numbered. In the weeks that followed, I suffered a lot of intense pain and agony, and only God knows the extent of my suffering. I relied heavily on the Lord to help me through those times and greatly appreciated the many, many prayers that people prayed for me! It also helped me relax when my parents read the Bible to me and prayed with me.

"But now thus saith the Lord that created thee...fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."

"When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; when thou walkest throgh the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.."

"For I am the Lord thy God...thy Saviour..."

"For thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee...fear not: for I am with thee." Isaiah 43:1-5

 I was reminded of how Jesus my Saviour also suffered, but with a much greater agony than I can even imagine...all so that I could be forgiven; and the Lord gave His life for me that I might have eternal life!

On August 16th I became deathly sick. After a 1 1/2 hr. emergency surgery, the doctors told us that my end was near. More than 60 of my family and friends came to my bedside to tell me good-bye and that they want to meet me in Heaven. (Through this experience I also discovered that I had a lot more friends than I realized.) Because of being on a respirator, I could not talk but I nodded my head "yes" and waved goodbye to all in the room. My Dad said he wished he could trade places with me, but I shook my head "no" as I knew the Lord had this planned and that my pain was almost over. I was not afraid to die because I had given my heart and life to Jesus and was redeemed by His blood. I had struggles and temptations like you have, but the Lord is faithful and is able to help us be victorious.

Soon after 6:30 pm as my Mother was talking to me about Heaven, the Lord allowed me to catch a glimpse (of something glorious)...I opened my eyes real wide 3 times, raised my right arm and pointed heavenward.

Several days before my passing I told my parents "I still can't believe this happened to me." Mother reminded me that it is also like that with death, it has always been someone else, but sooner or later it will be you or I. Really, it came to me sooner than I expected. I too wanted to live a long happy life, but we have no promise of tomorrow. Our time is in God's Hands.

Remember you can still sing...

"Hold tight to the sound of the music of living, happy songs from laughter of children at play; hold my hand as we run through the sweet fragrant meadows...making memories of what was today.

Chorus: We have this moment to hold in our hands and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand; yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come...but we have this moment today.

"Tender words, gentle touch and a warm cup of coffee, and someone who loves me and wants me to stay; hold them dear while they're here and don't wait for tomorrow...to look back and wish for today."

The ultimate in life is to give diligence to make your calling and election sure; and prepare to meet thy God. The message I want to leave with you are two verses that meant a lot to me...

"If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth." Col. 3:1-2.

Waiting for you on the other side,

Delton Jon

 

 

 

"Happy Birthday JoLynn!"

I want to dedicate this blog to our oldest daughter, JoLynn Joy, who is having her 27th Birthday today! Hope it is filled with joy and happiness for you!

I was 27 yrs. old myself when you were born...and felt so happy and blessed to have a little girl to join us along with big brother Delton who was going on 4 yrs old. He loved to sing and one of his favorites were "With Jesus in the Family" and of course "With Baby in the family happy, happy home..." was music to our ears and hearts! We named you JoLynn after your mama...taking the Jo from my middle name, JoAnne and adding it to the end of my first name Carolyn. At that time we did not know another JoLynn, but have run across many, many of them in the last 25 yrs. Some of your cute nicknames from your younger siblings were 'Nynnie and JoJo...my favorite was and still is, JoyLynn.

We didn't know then that it would be another 5 yrs before we would have another baby, so dear JoLynn was the big sister to the rest of the siblings and a super good helper to her Mother for many, many yrs.

I have alot of baby/toddler pics that I'm not able to scan/down load...just because I don't know how ....but will post what I have ....

The day we came home from the hospital...3 days old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Cousin Beverli & JoLynn...2 weeks near to being twins.

 

 

 

 

 

Traveling to Oregon...June 1984...Delton was 5 and JoLynn was 18 months. (btw, car seats weren't law in Mo back then that I know of!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cuddling for naps with Delton on a floor bed...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas 1986

 

 

 

 

 

First day of School...Sept. 1989

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd or 3rd (?) grade....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baptismal Day/class...age 13

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

1997 or '98 (?)....either 14 1/2 or 15...missing big bro Delton who would be close to 19.

 

 

 

 

 

 

              Crator Lake, Oregon...May 2000...age 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Oregon trip...June 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prince Charming...who won her heart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Counting n sorting out Oregon Saltwater Taffy

for her beloved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their 1st date July 7th

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dating days...

                ....on a trip to Canada 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.... "dress up" youth Social

 

 

 

 

 

 

....sharing yummies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...snowboarding in Colorado

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

                 Engaged....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wedding...May 11, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving for The Honeymoon...

 

 

 

 

 

 

       Their first home near Russellville, Ky

 

 

 

 

 

 

         In May of '09 they moved out here to Colorado and am glad to have them

close by...if you ever want to do something special for her,

buy her one of these...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love you dear!...am glad you are ours and

thankful God gave you to us these many years!!

(Sorry it took me all day to do this and now your

BD is almost past...but it was fun...enjoy!

A loving tribute to the Dear Man I Love!

Husbands are wonderful people
      too little understood,
And we do not sing their praises
      as often as we should...
For somehow Hubby seems to be
      the man who pays the bills,
While 'your's truly' binds up little hurts
      and nurses all the ills...
And Husbands struggle daily
      to live up to their image
As protector and provider
      and hero of the scrimmage...
And perhaps that is the reason
      we sometimes get the notion
That Guys are not subject
      to the thing we call emotion,
But if you look inside his heart,
      where no one else can see,
You'll find he's sentimental
      and soft as can be...
But he's so busy every day
      in the grueling race of life,
He leaves the sentimental stuff
      to his partner-who's his wife...
But Husbands are just wonderful
      in a million different ways,
And they merit loving compliments
      and accolades of praise, 
One reason Husbands do aspire
      to fortune and success
Is to make the family proud of him
      and to bring them happiness...
And like our Heavenly Father,
      he's a guardian and a guide,
Someone we can count on
      to be on our side.
(Revised) -- Helen Steiner Rice

I will try and post some pictures tomorrow.....AND change my background now that it's Spring!!

I wrote this on Tue. but didn't get the pictures on till last night, so it's a couple days late

"Happy Birthday JoVonne Janae!"

Today, January 20th, my little girl turned 18 and has now officially arrived at the threshold of Womanhood. The years have flown by on fleeting wings since she 1st came to bless our lives, which seems only a a few short years ago! Sometimes I wish she was still my baby girl !

A few 'stepping stones' in her life.....

 

First Sunday to Church

First trip to a Florida Beach (and eating it!) @ 10 1/2 mo.

 

2nd half of 1st grade on her 7th BD.

(I'm still looking for a Graduation picture)

Baptismal Day for our 2 youngest-04/13/08

Maid of Honor at sis's Wedding

Time goes on......

And now Prince-Charming has arrived (day before yesterday)

in this........

....and we all know what happens when he steals her heart....???

They actually had their 1st date on New Years Eve when she flew back to Missouri for his cousin's wedding....but no one took a picture   [even though I made a special dress for the wonderful occasion!]

 

This is how they spent today....but maybe not quite that high!

After they came home, they went out for a Dinner Date and then......

I always loved teddy bears and yes, my daughter does too!

Think this one's big enough? ......and then on to more gifts....

"Love does not consist of looking at each other, but of looking together in the same direction."

"The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you."

"To know God's will is life's greatest treasure...to do God's will is life's greatest pleasure."

So glad and thankful for you....Love you Bunches!

 

Global Warming doesn't seem to be the answer to all the changes in our current weather patterns and the vast variations that our nation has been seeing already this winter...even though 'winter' hadn't even officially arrived yet.

The following is a true happening and taken from a clipping I recently ran across....

The Year Without A Summer                                                                                                                           

"Freaks in the weather have forever been a subject of interest. Recently information has come to light that the year of 1816 was a year without a summer. A clipping of the "Elizabeth Pioneer" of 44 years ago (this clipping is old so it may have been printed 50-60 yrs. ago by now) refers to the freak years as follows: January and February were warm and spring-like; March was cold and stormy, still vegetation had gotten well under way in April when real cold weather set in.

Snow and sleet fell on 17 different days in May. In June there was either frost or snow every day but 3. July was also cold and frosty. August was worse, for ice formed nearly an inch in thickness and killed every green thing in the United States. In the spring of 1817 corn which was kept over from 1815 sold for $5.00 to $10.00 per bushel for seed only.

The eruption of Mt.Temboro, Dutch East Indies, blew 50 cubic miles of dust in the air killing 60,000 people and clouding the skies all over the earth, crops refused to ripen, trees bore no fruit, and cattle froze in the fields as a result. The year 1816 was a year without a summer.

The phenomenon of 1816 was further told in the "Yorkshire, S.C Enquirer": January was so mild that most people allowed their fires to go out and did not burn wood except for cooking. February was not cold and March was windy. April came in warm but, as the days grew longer and the air became colder and by the first of May there was a temperature like that of winter. The young buds were frozen stiff and ice upon the ponds and rivers, corn was killed, and corn fields were planted again and again. When the last of May arrived, everything had been killed by the cold. June was the coldest June ever experienced in this latitude. Frost and ice were as common as buttercups usually are. All fruit was destroyed, snow fell 10 inches deep in Vermont. July came in with snow and ice. On the 4th of July ice was a quarter inch thick throughout New England.

To the surprise of all, August proved to be the worst month of all. Thousands of people would have perished in this country had it not been for an abundance of game."

What rhyme or reason would the weathermen have for us should this happen in 2009 or 10 or ever again?

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CHRISTMAS....What does Christmas mean to You...to Me?

The tendency for most of us at Christmas is to rush through the season doing rather than learning. Christmas happens every year, but somewhere along the line we develop the impression we've grasped all there is to know about it's meaning, like there's nothing else for us to learn. Rather than pausing to contemplate, we shop. Rather than probing into it's meaning, we shop. Rather than think and reflect, we shop. 

Can we reflect on Jesus' birth, life and death, and say with Mary: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior." ??

I think if we can have a goal to become more like Mary--to be unpretentious, truly humble and unselfish, understanding, uninhibited-- then and ony then, will we be receptive enough to receive whatever miracle God has for us.

 

I smiled when I read the little story of a sweet little girl who made a Christmas banner that said: "Mary had a little  lamb.....and named him Jesus." She was ridiculed by her teacher and classmates which broke her heart. The precious outcome and happy ending to this story is, her loving Mother made sure that this special banner was the centerpiece of their Christmas celebration every year thereafter! Mary truly did have a little Lamb....and named Him Jesus!

There's a side to the Christmas story that isn't often told..."those delicate little hands, fashioned by the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb, were made so nails might be driven through them. Those baby feet, soft and pink and unable to walk, would one day walk up a dusty hill to be nailed to a cross. That sweet Infant's head with sparkling eyes and eager mouth was formed so that someday it will withstand the pressure of the crown of thorns that the men at his crucifiction forced onto it. The tender body, warm and soft, wrapped in swaddling clothes, would one day be ripped open by a spear." Jesus was born to die. His mission was no mystery and had been foretold in scores of scriptures.

The Baby in a manger was born to die upon a cross; yet most people don't like to think about the cross at Christmas, because Christmas is about birth and a new life. They see the cross as an ugly, nasty, tasteless reminder of man's dark ages when men acted in barbarous ways. The sentiment of most people in this world is that Christmas is a time for tinsel, glitter, blinking lights, warm fires, and fuzzy feelings. Christmas is a season we like to think of as "peace on earth and good will toward men." Nobody likes to think of  horrible first century torture and violence, or spoil the serenity of the season with images of  gore, suffering and bloodshed. Somehow people want Christmas to be the one day of the year when everyone pretends that the world is okay.

Therefore, for most people, it's tough to appreciate the cross at Christmas. Yet if it weren't for the cross, there would be no reason to celebrate at Christmas time, or any other time for that matter. The values of love, peace, good will, and new life...values we treasure at Christmas and that make life worth living...were all purchased and made possible on the cross of Jesus Christ. If we would look at Christmas through the eyes of Jesus, then we see the cross even from the manger. Jesus was born to die and give His life for us. Then again we need to see the manger through the cross....we aren't really ready to worship the Baby in a manger until we have trusted our lives to the Savior hanging on the cross.

When we see a Christmas light, let's always remember that Light that shines in the darkness, even though the darkness comprehends it not. My sin and your sin nailed Jesus to the tree, and it was His Love that kept Him there. Jesus was born to die for us.

So, if Jesus were born to die for us, then we must die to live for Him. When we die to our stubbornness, our selfishness, our deceitfulness, and are willing to bury our pride and arrogance; when we confess these (and many more) as sin and recognize our need for a Saviour....when we embrace the cross and trust in Jesus to forgive us and cleanse us, then, in a spiritual sense, the miracle of Christmas happens again. This time, not in Bethlehem, but in our very own heart and life!

It is through that process that Christ comes to us spiritually and enters, not through a manger, but through the door of our heart. We then embrace the Lamb as the sacrifice for our sin, and the miracle of Christmas happens all over again.....inside of us.

Beautiful?......Yes, very beautiful!!

Last but not least, while we are giving gifts to family, friends and neighbors, let's not  forget that this gift giving is bound to be empty if we miss the opportunity to receive  the greatest Gift of all.....that the Father gave for all mankind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"....behold , the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying....fear not....and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins." Matt. 1:20-21

 

Reflecting on the happenings of the day....a day to be remembered by many of us!                                      

Today was a special day for little Jacob Tyler who was officially adopted by my nephew Kevin & wife Juanita. "Welcome to the family, Sweet Little One!"

He's actually been 'in the family' since he was 5 weeks old, and he's now a tad over 16 mo. and we are so thankful the Lord allowed him to get to stay with Kevins for life! (Sunday eve there are plans to have a big celebration at the Sunnyview Church in his honor.) This officially makes my sister Judy n hubby Ed -Grandpa & Grandma for the first time, as well as Arlin & Becky Geigley. We are all thankful it worked out for Eds to come all the way from MO for the final adoption procedures.

 Another memorable happening today for Arlins as well as others was that of the 5 graves beside the cornfield being moved to the city cemetary in Olathe where they can rest at last beneath the green grasses in a peaceful setting. There were 3 adults and 2 infants- Arlins parents, Roy & Gladys Geigley; my bro-in-law Joe Petersheim; Tiffany Kropf, baby dau. of Conrad & Krista; and Chet & Karen Byler's Baby.

Joe's 2 brothers and bro-in-law- Sam P. from Deleware and Delbert P. n Arnie K. from Missouri, came to assist in that undertaking which was so nice of them!

Last but not least, my DH took me out to eat at Miller's Deitch Haus this evening. I always enjoy eating there! Good food made by good people!

"Time heals grief and love prevents scar tissue."

"God loves His children, not because of who they are, but because of Who He is."

 

Time is running out and we are just around the corner of Election Day...as I write this, it is only 3 1/2 hours away. Do we pray enough for God's Divine Will to be done, or do we fret and stew and worry about the idea of the 'wrong' guy being elected as our next president?

I can honestly say I am at peace who ever God allows to be elected...God is in control, and let's just trust Him and be assured that He will continue to be with His Children whatever happens!

Several weeks ago our pastor had a very good message on "The Christians' Role in Voting and Politics" and I jotted down some things he brought out and I will share some of it with you.

--1.With the election coming up-how do we as Christians respond and what is our involvement? 2. Do we pray intercessory prayers for our leaders? 3. Do we actively thank God for them...all them that are in authority?

1Tim. 2:1-5 "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"

--We need to remember that "the powers that be, are ordained of God." God can and does at times 'wait to move' according to the 'asking' of His people. Scripture also teaches us we need to support and pay tribute to our leaders and government. Are we supposed to support only the 'good' government? Christ's teaching would be to honor and support all those in authority, not just those we 'like'.

Rom. 13: 1-5 --"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall recieve to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister (servant) of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake." 

--How do we honor and respect 'bad ' kings or leaders? We need to pray diligently for them...not because of who they are or what they stand for, but because God wants us to pray for them. God is in control, so the most important thing for us to do is pray! God will move accordingly. God does intervene--as His children pray. Sometimes God allows someone (different than we want) to take the authority role-- to accomplish His perfect plan. God never loses an election! If something goes awry, maybe it's because the Church failed in doing their part in praying for God's Will to be done. Can we then humbly accept who God allows to be chosen? We shouldn't pray that a certain man gets chosen, but that God's Will be done! We need to put our complete faith and trust in God. It is our Christian duty to pray, thank God for, and then honor whoever our new leader will be.

--It is also our Christian duty to reconcile the world to God...be a witness to them and show them we are Christ's and that there is Victory in Jesus! II Cor. 5:17-19.

I wish I was a speed writer and could've written down the whole message, but at least we get the point and know what God requires of us. It gives me great comfort to know God is in control!

The video "7 Signs Of Christ's Return" is an eye opener to prophecy and it could be that maybe God will use B. Obama to fulfill His purpose and plan for Islam at this time.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is." Jeremiah 17:7

 

Well I'm back! Do you think I would enjoy updating oftener if I would post something itty-bitty every so often, rather than a long post once every several months??  Guess we'll find out.....

This summer seemed to speed by and I don't know where it went, but we live only one day at a time and thank God that He is in control and knows "each step I take."

After the wedding, we went back to Missouri for close to 2 weeks  n came home for 10 days then went back again for 10 days, (and got to celebrate our Libby's B.D)

We came home the middle of June, in time for our 'little boy-grown big' 16th BD.

(Just like Daddy...n he did it all by himself!)

Thankfully since then we were able to stay put, but it's getting high time we go again one of these days. Actually the highlight of the summer was when Colins

 

came and we took them to Oregon

with us and surprised Keith & JoNell!! We enjoyed helping them work in their 1st home and helping them set up housekeeping etc.

On July 4th (on our way home) we went to Portland/Vancouver to be with hubby's sis. Marty n dau. Marisa.

After spending some time in their home, we took them out to eat n then went to the Park down by the river and watched an awesome display of fireworks!

Several wks ago we had a mini reunion when three of my brothers--2 from MO n one from OR came to spend close to a week here in CO. We spent most of that time in Ouray, 'Little Switzerland of America' -camping, and then JEEPING on Sat. That was a first for me and I admit the first while I was pretty tense, but after realizing the 5 jeeps ahead of us (holding precious cargo...31 family members) are making it safely and haven't tumbled down over the side....we probably won't either. (I still kept praying as fast as I could think-most of the way!)

Our Cabin.

 

 

 

 

 

A wanna-be cousin to Crater Lake?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Jeep

What if that rock came crashing down when

our jeeps were cruising along there?

 

Our Caravan

 

Brian & Amy

 

Scott Lori & Cheyanne

Nolan Gina & kiddos

Some more of my family. Wish I'd have poses of all of 'em!

The bum side of that adventure was I got toasted...literally. My fair skin without any sunscreen didn't look too good for about 10 days, plus I actually went into shock n got the shakes that night and suffered intense pain all night long. The next morn I was all swollen up and looked like E.T.except my face was RED instead of green   (No pictures allowed for fear of emotional scarring to the viewer.) My dear hubby got me some Ocean Potion Aloe Vera gel as soon as the camp store opened, which was aawww...so soooothing!

This is bout 4 days later I when I went cattle hauling with hubby. I'm still red but looks like I'll eventually look normal again!

We all came home Sun. pm and on Mon or Tue. my brothers all headed out in various directions. God was with us in a special way when He performed a miracle for my bro Charles, who went flying with a local pilot in his little plane on Mon. They left the Montrose airport n headed east toward Black Canyon. Just as they approached the rugged area of BC, the engine of the plane died and wouldn't fire again. The pilot said, "Oh, oh, we're in trouble." but Charles felt no fear, only a peace and calmness. They looked down and saw a green field close by, so crash-landed into it hoping for the best! They bailed out asap in case it would explode in a ball of fire...but God spared the plane as well. Mom has a picture of it n when Harvey e-mails it to me, I will post it here as well.

My bro are all very special to me, especially the 'little' ones ....probably because I helped 'raise' them Morris was born when I was nearly 13, [n my little sis was 6 already] Charles came a wk before my 17th BD n Nolan soon after I turned 21. He had just turned 2 when I got married (and then our 1st baby was born on his 3rd BD.) My oldest nieces n nephews are his age and so I have 2 great-nieces that are goin on 10 already, but his n Charles' children are still little-between 6 yrs to 4 mo.

The prayer of my heart:

"Dear Heavenly Father...You know every branch on my family tree. You know the lives and hearts of every one of us....my siblings-who are also uncles and aunts to my children and to all my nieces and nephews-who are 'the cousins'....bless each one in ways that will draw us still closer to each other and help us to draw closer to You as well. Show me how to love and support each one in our family, even when it has to be long distance....we are scattered far and wide. In our childhood we had great times together! Thank-you so much for allowing me to grow up in a family of 5 boys and 5 girls...and all the fun and pranks, even the fusses n quarrels, the sharing and laughter, the joy and happiness....and lots of love. Help us to not get side-tracked on our individual paths in life, but to take time for each other and no matter where You may lead us or what Your plans are for each one of us...remind us to pray for each other every day. Amen."

(There's 96 of us now!...and yes, I know them all by name

This is only 3/4 of the bunch....my older bro n his family don't pose for/have pictures.

(the following are pictures from my Mom's wedd. Feb 29, 2008)

Us 5 sisters.

And my 4 younger brothers.

"Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers." -- Prov. 17:6

P.S. Does anyone know why there's big spaces between the 1st 2 camping pic...it's not like that in my weblog entry or on my home page either...just on the public site. Is it fixable?

  Hello Peoples!

I actually didn't fall off the  face of the earth and today is 2 whole months since the wedding and an update is long over-due, I know! I was hoping to be able to post some of the professional pics of the wedding, but Nell has all the prints n the dvd didn't get downloaded onto my computer, so maybe I'll have to use what's on my little camera or have hubby help me make some still pics off the video.

Random pics of the rehearsel, some poses b4 the wedding n pics of the tables b4 the reception.

Guess this will have to do for now n maybe later I can post some more.

 Sorry this is so late, (a whole WEEK!) but with getting ready for a wedding in a couple wks, I don't have a lot of time to sit at the computer. And here it ends up being my longest post ever!! Guess it sort've got done in hitches tho' and took me awile to find all these pictures as well.

"Happy Birthday!" to our "Bride-to-Be" dau. JoNell Julane!

20 years ago today (Apr. 22) baby # 3 came to stay -what a precious gift after waiting 5 years for another bundle of joy....and what a bundle she was....10# 3oz. 22" long! She was my biggest baby, but she is quite the petite girl today.

   

 Apr. 22nd..the day I was born                                                  

  2 days later n waiting to go home 

JoNell had a rough start in life...she was born with a perforated bile duct with a blockage below that which they considered a birth defect--called Biliary Atresia. In most cases there is no perforation, so the bile has nowhere to go but to back up into the liver, which in turn causes the liver to enlarge and unless there's a liver transplant done, it can be fatal.

  May 1st--My first Sunday to Church

 

 May 18th -"Why am I in the hospital again?"                     

 May 20th - JoLynn Rocking Me (at the hospital)

May 24th - "Look Mommy, I'm ready to go home now!" 

 

May 27-"today is Daddy & Mommy's 10th Wedding Anniv. n I'm about 5 wks old already."

                         

    

June 5th--"uh-oh, I'm sick again...and my bilirubin level is up again n Dr wants me to get lots of sunshine"

 

 

 June 13th-home from one hospital (for the 5th time!)--but getting ready to leave for Childrens' in St Louis.....    

            

To make a long story short, JoNell was in and out of the hospital 5 times with projectile vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and low grade fever,as well as other things by the time she was 7 wks old....it was then that we were sent to St. Louis Childrens' Hospital for a liver transplant...if there'd be one available before it was too late. Thankfully, God allowed a perforation in the duct which allowed the bile to escape and not damage the liver, but it caused other adverse effects...the bile was seeping out the perforation and poisoning her system; causing elevated liver enzymes; elevated biliruben; and also since there was no bile to help digest her milk, she wasn't gaining either. (Her weight fluctuated between 9# 6oz and 10# 12oz, but mostly hovered around her birth weight. The Drs said it was good she was a big baby because if she would've been a 7#er or less, she very easily wouldn't have survived all the trauma she went thro'...she had every test under the sun including x-rays, ultrasounds, dye run thru her little body with MRI's and you name it...they still couldnt find what was wrong with her! Thankfully the the St. Louis Drs. made a diagnosis just by looking at her tests n paper work!)

 

Exploratory surgery revealed the perforation and so they did a bypass, taking a small part of the intestines and making as tiny a bile duct as they could, and giving her a new bile duct from the liver to the gall bladder. The Dr said a newborn baby's bile duct is about as big around as the lead of a pencil, so it's nearly impossible to find the hole and suture it up...the only feasible thing to do is make a new one!

  June 21st - 4 days after surgery       (2 mo old)            

 "I think I'm getting well.....how soon can we go home?"

"Woops, 3 1/2 weeks later and I'm back......

in the hospital again.....for the 7th time. Dear God, will I ever be well and stay well?"

"I'm all happy n feelin fine! I'm 3 mo. old today."          

  

 "My 1st Birthday--I weigh 18# 12 oz. 28" long. "

I continued to breastfeed her till she was a yr old, inspite of the fact her local pediatrition tried every formula on the market...as he was blaming that on her illness, but she vomited them all worse than my milk. The Drs in St Louis contributed her doing as good as she she did to the fact that Mother's milk is so much easier to digest than formula, n in her condition, she was able to absorb some of it even tho' she had very little if any bile to help with the digestive process.

Through the years JoNell continued to be petite and rather puny, n by the time she was 10, it seemed as tho' she was going backwards. She had lots of stomach ache, headaches, no appetite, no energy etc.

 

Notice how close they are to the same height....JoNell is 11, JoVonne is 8 1/2 n Darren is just having his 7th B.D. Curly of course thinks he's old enough to drive a John Deere....and he's only 6 )

Even tho she was under Drs care, it wasn't until about 4 mo. before she turned 12, that they discovered a gallstone in her bile duct the size of a banty egg or a walnut! After doing extensive antibiotic treatments (she had major infection in there somewhere) they cut a small inscision in her side and inserted the electrodes to fragment the stone. They came to the conclusion that they think she was born with this itsy-bitsy gallstone (and it's possibly even what caused the blockage in the first place!) and it slowly grew and finally 10-12 yrs later it was big enough to make her very ill. Her dr. said not even old people grow 'em that big!

 (I do have more pictures of her thru her illness n surgery, but aren't scanned to the computer yet.)

After her surgery they did a laproscopy or something of the sort and the dr said it looks like her original bile duct is working now, and he didn't even see the by-pass. (Did God really perform a miracle of healing there?)

After her recovery, JoNell took off n grew like a weed, her energy n appetite became normal again, and we thank God for giving us back our little girl again after we were told she may have some kind of liver disease along with lots of scar tissue etc. That was now 8 yrs ago, and I hope and pray that is all history and that she can continue to be as healthy as she is now or even better. She isn't robust with lots of energy at best, and yet she usually keeps up with normal activities, although she does require more sleep than some.

Keith and JoNell's wedd. is only 12 days away and as you think of them, pray for them and their safe keeping as they go to Puerto Rico for a 2 week honeymoon, after which they plan to make their home in Oregon--at least for the time being. We will miss her a whole lot more than words can say! It also takes alot of faith on my part to let go of my little girl and give her to her "prince charming" and let him take her miles and miles away...what if she gets sick again? (She had mono 3 times in the last 3 yrs. plus other virus' and illnesses that so easily plague her.)

   

I know God will take care of her wherever He leads her, and I want to trust Him and commit her to His tender care as well.

And now, last but not least, I will also give a tribute in memory of our son Delton Jon who also would have a Birthday today. 29 years ago we became parents for the first time when we were blessed with a darling little boy with lots of golden hair who weighed 9# 1 1/2 oz. 22" long. God allowed us the care and keeping of this dear boy for 16 short years. His accident was July 6th, and he lived for 6 wks. before his earthly story ended on Aug. 16, 1995, and he went Home to be with Jesus. God only knows the answers to all the questions and why He performed so many miracles of healing, why...when His presence was so real  and impossibilities became possibilities --even to the extent that the Drs n Nurses called Delton their 'miracle boy'.....then to suddenly say, "it is enough, come Home my Child" and he was gone...in a matter of hours. God is good and allowed us to be there and witness his passing and have the perfect assurance by his gestures, responses and facial expression, that he is safe in Heaven....waiting our coming. May we be faithful till God calls us Home!

 (Some day I may post more about his life, accident, long hospital stay n eventual death.)

P.S. Another milestone in our lives was a couple Sundays ago (Apr.13th) when our 2 youngest, JoVonne & Darren were baptized and became members of Sunnyview Menn. Church, Olathe, CO. They were in a class of 3 girls and 4 boys. I purposely took my camera along to take a group picture, but got side tracked too long -discussing wedd. stuff with a visitor-where to get serving bowls, tuelle etc. and she offered to let us use hers (bless her heart!) By then the girls had left, so I quickly grabbed our two and the other three boys and still got a few poses

Paul Mast , Brian Miller, Jonathan Graber, Darren and JoVonne (Missing girls are Brenda Weaver & Shonda Clugston)

"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved....." --Mark 16:16