Monday, November 29, 2010

Saying Goodbye

Today, the children and I said "good bye" to a treasured friend and pet. Our old guy, "Rocky" passed away peacefully at The Good Life Farm. Rocky was a "one-in-a-million" kind of horse that we were blessed to call "bomb proof", "kid safe", "honest", "trustworthy" and "dead broke". All the things you hope to call a horse when you have small children.....he was all of those and more.

When we got Rocky three years ago the vet estimated him to be "25-28 years old". We went with the younger end of that range and decided he would age every year on Gemma's birthday, making him "28" last March when Gemma turned "8". He was probably a bit older than that.

The most notable memory I will keep of Rocky is watching Gemma as a tiny child, literally climbing up his leg to mount him. He would stand perfectly still while she shimmied and wiggled until she finally reached the top of him. Sometimes it was a painfully slow process to watch (especially during competitions) but his patience with her was everlasting and in time, they formed a most unique bond.

To most people, Rocky was just an old, "dead belly" slow horse that had no "go", but under Gemma he would offer her the wind! Gemma loved to hop on and show him off to guests and we would often see her cantering him bareback around the farm. Gemma and Luke have taken the news the hardest, but we are all so grateful he didn't suffer and we never had to make any tough decisions about his care. Even in death, he was a "good 'ole boy" for us. He will be sorely missed.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Thanksgiving Day

Click on the slide below for a slide show of Thanksgiving day at Uncle Vernon's and Aunt Ruby's house!

From

Saturday, November 20, 2010

7 Months, 7 Teeth

If you look close you can see Nyla's 8th tooth about to break through on her top right!
 

Nyla and Gemma

Light At The End Of A Dark Tunnel

Found this tonight while cleaning my office. The book literally fell open to this page in my hands….how could I not share it?


“Any kind of “death” is an invitation to resurrection life for the believer. Thank goodness, the loss of something or someone dear never has to mean the end of abundant, effective, or even joyful life for any Christian. Joy and effectiveness may seem to pause for a while as grief takes its course, but those who allow their broken heart to be bound by Christ will experience them again. Our Savior is the God of resurrection life, no matter what kind of death has occurred in the life of any believer!

Nothing is more natural than grief after a devastating loss, but those of us in Christ can experience satisfying life again. When our hearts have been shattered by loss, we have an opportunity to welcome a supernatural power to our lives. The power to live again on this earth when we’d really rather die. Perhaps the most profound miracle of all is living through something we thought would kill us. And not just living, but living abundantly and effectively—raised from living death to a new life. A life indeed absent of something or someone dear but filled with the presence of the Resurrection and the Life.

No, my life will never be the same..........But the life of a Christian is never about sameness. It’s always about change. That’s why we must learn to survive and once again thrive when change involves heartbreaking loss. We’re being conformed to the image of Christ. When our hearts are hemorrhaging with grief and loss, never forget that Christ binds and compresses them with a nail-scarred hand. Life will never be the same, but I have the invitation from Christ to rise to a new life----a more compassionate life, a wiser life, a more productive life. And yes, even a better life. Sound impossible? It is without Christ.

I can almost hear Christ calling out a name. Is it yours? By any chance, have you been among the living dead? The stone’s been rolled away. Resurrection life awaits you. Will you continue to sit in a dark tomb, or will you walk into the light of resurrection life? Lazarus, come forth! “ ….from the book Breaking Free, by Beth Moore

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Trick-or-Treat

Our Trick-or-Treaters: a lamb, a cave girl, a hobo, a werewolf and Tigger too! (Thanks Christina! Would not have pulled it off without you!) The kids got to trick-or-treat at David dorm on Concordia's campus Saturday night. Three floors, four wings each! Next night, trick-or-treat in the neighborhoods. Total candy collected?? Almost 20 pounds (only reason it was less was because Marshall didn't go along the second night!)  The three older kids got to keep whatever they could stuff into a quart size zip lock bag (about 1.5 lbs.) and the rest was left out tonight on the front porch for the "Halloween Witch!"  She usually brings some pretty cool stuff to trade for the candy.