Grandchildren

I'm now the proud grandma of 13 +1+1 equals 15 grandchildren!
Andrew...Matthew...Kaleb...Tyler...Annie...Max...Megan...Haleigh...Miller...Sydney...Elmise... Isabella...Mason...Armon...Madelyn!
Hopefully we can get a group picture of them all at a family gathering.
The next one I know about is Andrew's wedding! He's marrying Katie in June!

Lord, grandchildren are a gift from You. How I thank You for mine!
I love them and You love them even more!

Elmise and Armon

We are so excited! Rob, Jessica, Tyler, and Haleigh are flying to Florida today to get Elmise and Armon, who are flying from Haiti today! The government stepped in and is granting families who were so close to finalizing adoptions to just simply take their kids home! Rob's family is being flown to Florida by Dow, in a private jet! Amazing! We are so excited! I can't even imagine how Rob's family is feeling! We're keeping Plaid (dog) for them. They plan to stay in Florida for a few days to adjust to being a forever family before they come to Michigan.

Heavenly Father, how I praise You! This is so amazing to me but to You...it was already in the plan! Thank You. Please keep them safe in their traveling. I love You, Father.

Official Conformation

With profound sadness, Free Methodist World Missions reports Rev. Jeanne, Merle, and Gene, the three missionaries who have been unaccounted for, have not been located and are now presumed to not be alive. Today Bishop David Roller conducted a funeral service at the site of the building they were in which collapsed when Tuesday's earthquake hit. These three individuals gave their lives in service to the Haitian people whom they loved deeply.

Merle had been ministering in Haiti since 1978. He served as president of FOHO (Friends of Haiti Organization) and supervised construction of the new FOHO building. Merle was active in Craftsman for Christ and worked construction in the Miami Haitian churches. He also took three trips to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Gene had been on three trips to Haiti and one to Africa . Gene, along with Merle, was active in Craftsman for Christ and worked construction in the Miami Haitian churches. Gene and Merle were good friends, enjoying each other's company and sharing a heart and love for Haiti .

Merle and Gene were both friends of ours. It's so sad and unbelievable. There will be memorial services in Florida, Jan 19, and in Michigan, Jan 30.

Heavenly Father, You are Sovereign, You are love, You are All Knowing. I don't understand this, but I praise You and I trust You. Please be with the families of these three that are lost. You know where their bodies are. They are not hidden to You. There are so many others who are lost and hurting. This is such a tragedy. Please, wrap your arms around these hurting people.

Website

This is the website you can log on to to see Jessica on the news! I just thought my family and friends might like to see it.

http://www.wnem.com/video/22247002/index.html

Thank You Lord for caring media. Please work a miracle here and bring our grandkids home.

Becoming a Citizen

Three friends, Dianne, Donna, and Rose, and I all went to Detroit today. Dianne was scheduled to take her test to become a US citizen. She passed! We'll go back down Jan 29 for the swearing in.

This picture shows Donna quizzing Dianne from the booklet of questions she's been studying. Later, I went through the questions again with her. She knew all the answers and she passed the test.

After the testing we went to eat dinner at The Bahama Breeze in Troy. Going around the table is 'yours truly,' Rose, Donna, and Dianne This is a really nice place to eat and celebrate! I had Mahi Mahi. It was delicious!

Lord, thank You for friends. Thank You for Dianne's desire to be an American citizen. Thank You for helping her to be calm and to remember the answers she had studied so hard.

Haiti

This map shows Haiti and where it is situated in relation to the U.S.A. An earthquake, 7.0, hit Port-au-Prince, the capital city, yesterday, creating devastation to millions of people. My heart is aching for them. Click on the picture to enlarge it.

This is Rob and Elmise. Elmise and Armon are being adopted by Rob and Jessica. They are safe and are being cared for in this tragic situation in Haiti. They, along with the rest of the orphange children, were led to an open area (field?) and are being kept there. The orphanage building has damage so I'm not sure where they'll be taken to.

Jessica and Armon. The adoption was soon to be finalized and kids could come home...where are the adoption papers now??? Who knows.

This is a close up picture of a map of Haiti. The earthquake, 7.0, hit about 10 miles out of Port-au-Prince, the capitol city. It is a city of houses made from cement blocks, plywood, card board, whatever... Even the President's Palace was badly damaged.

Two friends of ours, Gene and Merle, had just landed in Haiti a couple of hours before the quake hit...they are unaccounted for and also one of our missionaries, Jeanne.

The young man, Hillaire, we sponsored, along with Pam, for years...since he was a baby, is in Port-au-Prince attending school to become a lab technician. We've not had any word on him yet.

Mallery, a young friend of ours, has opened up a school, clinic, etc. is devastated and is planning to go back down tomorrow. Where will she stay, etc? At least one of her little children has died in this quake. Mallery's heart is in Haiti, she was planning on moving there permanently in May.
I could go on telling more about folks we know and love in Haiti.

Dear Lord, I praise You because You are Omnipresent. You are All Knowing. You are Power. I ask that You please take care of these beautiful people. Wrap Your arms around them. Please be with Armon and Elmise. Keep them safe and well. Please be with Gene and Merle and Jeanne. Help them to be found safe. Please be with Hillaire. Keep him safe and well. Lord, what about the adoption papers? You know where they are in all the rubble. Please keep them intact and help the adoption to move forward and soon.
Lord, all of these I've written about know You personally and I thank You for that. There are thousands of others who don't know You. Please send Your Love along with relief to these folks who are so desperately in need. I love the Haitian people but You love them even more. You sent Your Son to die for them.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Jerry! I love you! I wish for you a wonderful day today and everyday! You're a good husband, father, friend, etc. I can't imagine life without you. I can't believe you are 74 years today!

Lord, thank You for Jerry. He's a very good person and husband. He loves You and that's the most important. He also loves me and all our family, and friends. Thank You for loving him...us.

Mother & Kay

My second cousins, Kay and Lucky, went to visit my mother in December. They were in Colorado visiting their daughter's family so they took time to drive to where my mom lives and visit her. I think that was wonderful. Kay and Lucky live in Iowa so...thank you, thank you, thank you! Kay was the granddaughter of Bessie, my dad's oldest sister. Bessie lived to be one hundred and two! So Kay's mother is my cousin, Irma. She is 91. My mother is 95 and will be 96 on March 16. My dad passed away just four days before his 96th birthday. So, you can see, Kay and I have longevity in our genes!
This is a very nice picture of both my mother and Kay. Mother told me about their visit on the phone one day when we were talking. She was so pleased that they would take time to visit her. Kay just e-mailed this picture to me and I wanted to share it with you.
Heavenly Father, thank You for family, and for both my mother and my cousin, Kay. Thank You for allowing Kay and Lucky to visit Mother. Family is so important.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Haleigh! Oh my goodness...you're a teenager! I can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday you were a tiny 4# baby girl who was born earlier than we expected! You were beautiful back then and you're beautiful today! You're so full of life and are looking forward to your new brother and sister joining the family soon. You'll be a wonderful big sister! Have a great day today with your friends. Happy, happy birthday!

Lord, thank You for Haleigh. She's a precious daughter to You and granddaughter to me. Please keep Your Hand upon her as she's entering adolescence. This can be a difficult time in a person's life but with You guiding her it can be a great time of learning and serving others and especially You. Guide her and protect her. I love her so much and You love her even more.

Winter scenes

I've had some interesting comments and questions about these two pictures I've used as my header.
The picture with the buggy I took up at Arlington Beach FM Camp, in Saskatchewan, Canada several years ago. We were there in October and there was a huge snow storm! This buggy was sitting in the yard near the main lodge, (for those of you who can picture the camp).
The picture of trees and snow I took yesterday from my front porch looking northwest, (for those of you who can picture my house and yard and woods)!
Lord I praise You because You are the Creator.

New Year's Eve Party 09

Haleigh, Sydney, Bella & I had our 2nd annual New Year's Eve party! From 8 - 10 we watched a movie. Then the party started. First we roasted marshmallows in the wood burning stove in the living room.

They were delicious! Sydney, Bella, & Haleigh.

Then we moved to the sun room where we had snacks and brown cows (root beer floats). We just talked together and told stories. (We didn't get rowdy this year...like last year!) Haleigh with her brown cow.

Sydney with her brown cow.

Things wound down about 11:30 and all three girls went to sleep! I woke them up at 11:57 so they'd be awake to watch the ball drop in New York City! We all wished each other a happy new year and then went to bed! Good Night!
Heavenly Father, once again I praise You because You are All Knowing. Please guide these precious granddaughters as they grow into adolescence and then adulthood.

Shopping Day

Haleigh, Sydney and Bella escorted me to Marshall's Clothing Store today so they could use their gift cards from Christmas. Here they are looking at the racks and racks of clothing. Sydney has tried on a sweater she ended up buying along with a pair of jeans. Bella bought a shirt and a sweater. Haleigh bought jeans and two tops. I bought three pairs of mittens for $3.00! It was quite an afternoon!

Now for the style show! Bella is showing off her new white shirt! It fits her very nicely and looks lovely!

Haleigh posing in her new jeans and shirt! They are very nice!

Here are all three girls showing off their new purchases. Haleigh and Sydney both bought new jeans. Bella's pink pants are not new.

Sydney is announcing Bella's new sort of a sweater/shirt. It's very nice.

All three again. Bella, Sydney, and Haleigh. Beautiful granddaughters.

Sydney and Haleigh showing off jeans and sweaters. Very lovely girls!

Lord, thank You for good times, for wise shopping purchases, for granddaughters.

Tea Party

We had a tea party today. Sydney and Haleigh are putting nail polish on here. The girls spent hours getting cleaned up, dressed up, and made up!

Oh yes, toe nail polish too!

Isabella, Sydney, and Haleigh all ready for the tea party! Don't they look nice?

The table is ready. Bone China cups and saucers. Huckleberry scones, petite egg salad sandwiches, cookies, huckleberry tea and sweet lullaby tea all made up a very nice tea party.

We invited Mrs Patricia Spitz to our tea party. She's a special friend and neighbor.

Thank You, Lord, for special friends, special granddaughters and special tea parties.

Sledding

Here is Bella zooming down the City Forest sledding hill! It was a lot of fun. It doesn't really look like a steep hill but it is.
Sydney and Haleigh going down together on a saucer. It wasn't real crowded today which surprised us. It was a good day for sledding.
Lord, thank You for fun days, for snow, for granddaughters.

Plaid

Plaid has been staying with us while Rob & Jessica, Tyler, & Haleigh have been having Christmas with Jessica's side of the family. He's such a sweet little dog. He was sleeping and I woke him up to take his picture. Lord, thank You for pets.

Christmas Day - Advent

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was Life, and that Life was the Light of man. The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-5, 14

4th Sunday of Advent

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."
Luke 28-20

Watching TV

This picture is so intriguing to me. Christy, Gus and Mason are watching TV! Just look how Gus is sitting...his hind feet are in mid air, his front feet are bracing him up. He's sitting on the sofa beside Christy! I told you he's a sweet dog! I don't remember what show they were watching but it must have been interesting! I think I remember Lisa's Dalmatian, Duke, sitting like this.
Lord, thank You for pets, especially Gus.

3rd Sunday of Advent

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:26-33

Max, the driver!

Here is Max driving! He's fifteen years old and has his learner's permit. He's a good driver, serious about the responsibility. He got quite the workout today. First of all, the car didn't want to go into reverse! We were moving forward instead of backing up. He finally shut the motor off and started over. Then something clicked and it went into reverse. We backed out and were on our way. Driving to his basketball game was a challenge because he wasn't sure where it was at! We drove and drove. After making a couple of phone calls (no, he didn't talk while driving) asking directions we stopped and asked for help. The man even printed out directions for us! These directions took us on the expressway for a short ways, so he also got some expressway driving! He did good, he stayed calm even in his frustration. I am very proud of him and I'm so glad I agreed to let him drive with me.
Dear Lord, thank You for Max. Please be with him as he learns to drive and goes on to get his drivers license. It's such a responsibility and I'm very proud of him. Please keep him safe.