A Long Neglected Update...

So, after I left on the twelfth, we had one day were nobody came down sick and those who had already caught it appeared to be mending, leaving us hoping that the rest of us wouldn't catch it... hopes which were dashed the following day in the wee hours of the morning, when Daddy, and Mommy and I all caught it at once! Tori was awesome, she kept the house running while we were miserable, haha :)! It was only really bad for a day, but since then we've only had one computer, as the laptop died, so I haven't had as much time for blogging. I've been using that extra time for finishing up projects like sewing up some crocheted toys that were missing arms or ears, heehee, working on sewing up some skirts for us girls, reading some of the books on my reading list (and finally catching up in my bible reading!), and the like. I wrote a couple of letters yesterday, and then Daddy brought in three from the mailbox- two from friends in SC, and a "vintage" postcard from AZ. Who in the world do I know from AZ?! It turned out to be a thank you for the items the lady had won in the Hidden Treasures auction, it was so sweet! I also finished the math book I was working on a couple weeks ago... now I have another to work on ;). But, I'll be using the same curriculum that Mommy used when she was working on Algebra, so, for sentimental reasons, that is neat ;). Oh, and one of my friend's photos was placed in the KBR 2014 calendar, on the January page... that was fun :)!
As well, last week we tried another church. We're still not sure where the Lord is going to have us join at this point... both churches have sound doctrine, but otherwise are very different from each other... We'll see how that works out. The pastor of the "new-new" church (Abbi's term) used to work for Daddy, so Daddy found it that way :).
We made a batch of gingersnaps about a week ago, what with that and the dropping in temperatures, and the fact that I actually see some trees that are predominately yellow or orange, I would say that it really feels like fall! Most of the trees are still predominately green despite that, though ;). But when we were out doing yard work last Saturday, it felt wonderful out :)!
This week after church, we were able to help Daddy with some organizing projects that he had to do at his store, and had a pizza party afterwards... we were able to clean the house and work on getting some crayon off the walls (Peter's at that age... haha ;)!)... Mommy got some school stuff organized so that we can switch some stuff on Wednesday... Today Daddy's home... Peter seems a bit miserable, hopefully it's teething and not a cold... and I should be getting to some more projects on my list :). But I'll try (try being the key word here...) to be back on Thursday with some thankful posts, and I'll work on our trip posts as soon as I am able, I promise!

Thankful Thursday, for Weeks 32 (somehow missed, and I just noticed!), 74 , 75, 79, and 80

There has been so much going on lately!!!! After Andrew and Tori's birthdays, three days apart, we spent the day after Tori's special day cleaning the car, packing for our trip to see family, and listing our items for the Hidden Treasures auction. The next day, everybody but Daddy headed for SC. Daddy had a business meeting (our reason for leaving for a week, haha), so he was staying home until he flew to TN the next Sunday. We were in SC for a week, got to visit some friends, and all our family in the area. Aunt Donna took us to Chuck E. Cheese (a first for the youngest three), we spent an afternoon at Gramma's, an afternoon at Granny's, and stayed with Mommy's family (got in some geo-caching, too ;)!).

We got back Thursday night (as did Daddy), and the next day Andrew, Abbi, and Peter fell down with the stomach virus that Bethi apparently had on Wednesday, that we thought was just due to breakfast not settling well with her stomach, apparently not :(. They are doing "better" now, but last night was, umm... "fun", to say the least ;), and they are still feeling fairly under the weather. To top it all off, Tori caught it this afternoon, and Emmi took the blow during supper tonight :(.. I'm dreadfully behind in my bible reading, but catching up better than I expected to, for which I am thankful, and hopefully next week will start to settle down. Haha! Busyness, busyness, which is why I have probably appeared to have vanished for a time!... But most of it has been fun :). Not so much the sickness, but I'm so glad it appears to be short lived.

Now, I was really here to work on Thankful Thursdays, remember ;)?! So, these first few are ones that I wrote down but never posted early last month...

Early last month, I was especially thankful for ...

~Hearing from friends whom I hadn't heard from since we moved :).
~New outfits in the attic for growing people.
~And Emmi's love to "match" me.
~The flower centerpieces that Miss Doris gave Tori and I several years ago.
~Time to read to the little ones.
~Our new Skype account, that I used to talk to a dear friend in NE... that was such a blessing!
~That plans are coming together well for a bible study that a friend and I are trying to coordinate with several other friends :). 
~My family's showering me with love, they put so much time and thought into making my birthday special :)...
~Watching a distant lightning show with Daddy while walking some of the trails around our house :).
~Photography lessons :).
~Yummy brownies! Tori made them for my birthday, and then told me "You know, that was the first time I've ever made brownies from a mix. I've always made them from scratch...". Is she talented, or what ;)?!
~The deer we saw in the thin strip of woods in between our house and the house behind us. That was neat :).
~Free video downloads from Answers in Genesis
~Dish soap.
~Paisley print... Tori ;)...
~The book, "A is for Almighty" that Bethi is writing... so precious :)...
~Bethi's love to help with Peter :).
And here are some thankful thoughts for the past two weeks, with some extra stuck in to make up for missing week thirty-two (?), somehow, and just finding out when I made my Thankful Thursdays page a couple weeks ago...

~Andrew, who is now 7!
~Tori, who is now 12!
~That Tori and Mommy finished their Bible reading plan right on time :).
~Tori's current enjoyment of the "Lord of the Ring" books.
~The cute little "yarn" rock Tori and Daddy got me while at the rock shop celebrating Tori's birthday :). I'll try to remember to get a picture...
~Peter's new clothes (that make him look like such a big boy :( :)!).
~Sitting beside a sweet Peter in the car on our trip to SC to visit family :).
~Coffee treats :).
~Memories brought back from a cd, haha :).
~Laundry baskets.
~Suit cases, pillows, and blankets.
~That we only left two hours later than we had hoped the day we left for SC ;). Not bad for us!
~Coolers.
~Special Twizzler snacks on the road- of course ;)! Tradition, tradition!
 ~My brown sandals.
~Time to crochet in the car.
~Hymns playing in the car.
~Abbi's excitement at finding a watch while geo-caching :). 
~"Stonehenge"- the geo-cache, that is ;)!
~(And that nobody was hurt by the ax head holding it up.. ahem... no details, to protect the guilty ;)! But we were laughing about that for hours!)
~Little ones excitement over using glitter :).
~A table full of art.
~Fold out chairs.
~Potato chips.
~Bethi's new "horsie" bank.
~And Tori's new journal.
~Little boys matching Grandpa.
~Laughing with my family. :)!
~Aunt Donna's generosity and love. When she took everybody to Chuck E. Cheese for a joint birthday party, we had a blast (and maybe just a bit too much cake ;).) :)! 600 tokens and five hours... ya, we were tired by the time we were done, but it was fun :).
~Gramma's surprising us by being there, as well :).
~Note cards from Granny.
~Peter's enjoyment playing ball :).
~Visits with old friends.
~And their offer to check on the house for us so that we don't have to :), so sweet!
~Two more girls joining our plan to read through Mark.
~And words of encouragement.
~Frog tanks.
~Fish.
~Visits with family.
~Basket balls (that, incidentally, we have next to no clue how to use... but that just makes it more fun, ya know? ;)!)
~Emmi's baby doll, Melody.
~The "popcorn bowl" that Mommy grew up with, now ours :).
~Crushed ice.
~Time spent visiting Granny.
~Risa, our old kitty cat (but now Aunt Tessa's- but living with Grandpa and Grandma. have fun figuring that one out,. heeheehee ;)!), and Peter's love for "kikkies" :).
~Peter's speech explosion last week!
~Little ones piled on me as I read to them.
~Octopus claws.
~Wall decorations.
~Lollipops enjoyed on the road.
~Being able to go back to SC,
~And yet knowing that the Lord has a plan for us here.
~That Chad's auction went well- next we're helping bring home Tony :)!
~Emails and letters to be answered.
~My special coffee cup.
~That Miss Maureen was able to visit Penny and Julie this week :)...
~And that we saw a picture of Penny wearing BETHI'S hair things from the Hidden Treasures auction :)!!!! Bethi is so excited! (And so am I for that matter... haha :). Penny is a doll, and I helped a bit making the hair clips... My Aunt Tessa may find this very exciting, as well, as she showed us how to make them :)!)
~The slight color changes of the trees.
~And the leaves in the yard.
~Cooler weather.
~And long sleeves.
~Little ones helping in the kitchen..
~And snitching chocolate together while we bake ;). Chef's honors ;)!
~A "Kings Blooming Rose" magazine, waiting to be read :). (As soon as I catch up in my bible reading!)
~That BRENDON HAS A FAMILY!!! :)!
~And that it sounds like another little one has a family coming for her, as well :)!!!
~Reading through a couple of Thankful Thursday posts Thursday night, realizing again how important they are in my life :)!
~A love for writing.
~A pen that writes smoothly across a page of paper.
~Pictures to capture memories.
~Extra camera batteries.
~Efficient pencil sharpeners.
~New puzzles.
~Little people all over the house :).
~Cleaners and rags,
~Towels and soap,
~And that so far most of the older ones (except poor Tori :(.) haven't gotten sick, as we are taking care of several little ones who are feeling awful, poor things :(. 
~Emmi's little hand in mine.
~Peter's big brown eyes.
~And that his hair is growing longer again after Daddy chopped it, hahaha :).
~The new Answers magazine we got today.
~Leftover meals.
~That the extra fridge is plugged in again!Now we can start shopping for more than three days at a time ;)!
~Chubby baby hands rubbing tired eyes :)...
~To be writing a Thankful Thursday again-
~And to have so much to be thankful for :).
~All the rejoicing verses in Psalms...
~Especially in my favorite chapter...

Praise the Lord!

for it is good to sing praises to our God;

for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;

he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars;

he gives to all of them their names.

5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;

his understanding is beyond measure.

6 The Lord lifts up the humble;

he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;

make melody to our God on the lyre!

8 He covers the heavens with clouds;

he prepares rain for the earth;

he makes grass grow on the hills.

9 He gives to the beasts their food,

and to the young ravens that cry.

10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,

11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,

in those who hope in his steadfast love.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!

Praise your God, O Zion!

13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;

he blesses your children within you.

14 He makes peace in your borders;

he fills you with the finest of the wheat.

15 He sends out his command to the earth;

his word runs swiftly.

16 He gives snow like wool;

he scatters frost like ashes.

17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;

who can stand before his cold?

18 He sends out his word, and melts them;

he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.

19 He declares his word to Jacob,

his statutes and rules to Israel.

20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;

they do not know his rules.

Praise the Lord!

                                                   ~Psalm 147 

And now, I shall be going. We're not sure what this night is going to hold, it could be worse than last night, but we're hoping for better! We'll see! I'll try to write about our trip as soon as possible, it will just depend on how quickly everybody recovers, and if I catch the illness, haha :). Goodnight!

Happy 12TH Birthday, Tori!!!

Tori is twelve years old today!!!

Tori has grown so much this past year :). She makes delicious bread, puts Peter to bed at night effortlessly, laughs at sooooo much, has a great sense of humor, and yet knows when to offer a wonderful bit of encouragement :)... AND, this year, she didn't something very special... 

...She read the bible cover-to-cover, from Genesis 1, to Revelation 22, in six months :)! She worked so diligently at it, and I am so proud of her :)! I also can't wait to do a study through Mark with her :)...

I love you Tori, and I am so thankful for YOU :)!!!!

Happy Birthday, Tori!!!