Up in the Mountains Part 2

While up in the mountains we saw some amazing beauty. I never tire of seeing God's beautiful creation - just a gentle reminder of his power and love.
Westley and David were so excited when Brian pointed a gray squirrel out to them. The squirrel was happy showing off for the boys. His antics kept them contented to sit still and quietly so not to scare him away. He was up a tree part way then back down. Over the rock and then on top to look back to see if we were still watching. One time he took something and covered it with loose pine needles and leaves. While we were eating our lunch, Westley wanted to know what the squirrel was burying earlier. Brian showed him an acorn and told him that maybe it was one of those. That maybe the squirrel was saving it for later. Both boys then wanted to hunt acorns and leave them for the squirrel. I thought that was sweet.
We had a fun day up in the mountains. When the boys got up from their nap that afternoon, Westley went and got his shoes and helped David with his, then announced, "Okay, we're ready!" I asked where they were going and Westley told me, "We're ready to go back to the mountains." He was disappointed when I explained that we weren't going back to the mountains, that Brian was at work and we had already spent the morning there. I think he thought we were suppose to spend the entire day up there!

Playing Gramma and Grampa

One of the most enjoyable, challenging and rewarding events this fall was taking care of two of the little boys from my Bible class. One of our young families at church had a death of a family member that necessitated a trip by the family to New Zealand. With the distance and money it would require, they asked two families to care for the children during their trip. Brian and I had the privilege of getting to keep Westley and David.
Some facts I now know for sure:
both boys are precious
both boys are eating machines
both boys love to be read to and reward the reader with surprisingly
strong hugs and swift kisses
they both love to talk during meal time and to be talked to during meal
time
Spiderman is the super hero of choice for tee shirts,
p.j.s and underwear
although both didn't feel they needed a nap,
they were willing to lay down and rest (aka sleep)
Spiderman is also the super hero of choice for toys,
coloring pages, pretend time, scuplting with play
dough, for the leaps off of the play ground equipment
and our sofa ~ I assume you are getting the idea here!
both boys hit the floor running each morning and would be
giggling and smiling like crazy
both boys resisted the idea of throwing rocks
up in the mountains into the creek - however,
Brian convinced them both it was okay, IF
a grownup tells them it is okay and that they
never ever throw rocks at a person, animal or
building (so sorry Kim and Jeff)

As you can imagine - we had a great time, but we also realized that God blessed us with our two children at a perfect time in our lives - while we were YOUNG! We were a little wore out from having a 2 year old and a 4 year old for a little over a week, but oh how blessed we were too!

Mandie's Visit

I can't believe I haven't posted since Amanda came to visit. I really needed to see her - just to see how she is doing with my own eyes and to baby her a little. Her visit was very short, but I am so thankful she was able to come.
Mandie flew in on Saturday - she looked tired, but she was ready to eat so we made a trip over to Broadway and ate at Pei Wei's Resturant. It was fun catching up over a good meal and then we made the trip home. I could barely stand for her to go to bed - so much to say and ask. We finally hit the hay about midnight or 1 o'clock.
Sunday was Father's Day - an added bonus for Brian and that afternoon in time for lunch my Mother-in-law, Dolores arrived. She brought her new puppy Bubba - what a rascal and a sweetie! We all fell in love with Bubba and I think he fell in love with Amanda! He kept us entertained - running and jumping and bouncing!
It was fun to do a little shopping with Amanda - to get to buy her a few maternity things and then have them modeled for us (see pictures). It was nice to be able to already see a little bump on her tummy and pat that precious grandbaby of ours!
GRANDBABY - what a wonderful thought! I still can't believe we have a little one on the way! We decided what we want the grands to call us - Immie and Bunny. Immie is short for Kimmie - what Brian, a few family members and just a few friends call me. Bunny is for Brian's name that I call him stemming from a nickname from his brother - long story or stories I should say - I'll save that for another time! (will be good for some laughs or at least smiles!) It just seemed right when we both picked those names.
Of course the week flew by - not enough time to catch up and it seemed odd not have Josh here with Amanda - started missing him and Jordan and Joe too! We had them all home over Christmas, but seeing one of my kids sure makes me miss the rest! I am thankful though to get to see Amanda and see with my own eyes that she is doing well! and baby too!

A Fresh Coat of Paint

A fresh coat of paint. That was how this adventure began - it sounds innocent enough doesn't it? My thought was to finally put on that fresh coat of paint our front room and living room had been crying for, but as you will see my single thought grew, and grew and grew!


I went to Lowe's by myself to pick the paint. I had an idea in my head and knew I would meet resistance from Brian if I picked anything not in the "white" family. Caribou is the color I decided upon - it is a warm brown - looks a little like chocolate milk - like the good kind - Shamrock Farms (hey a selling point to Brian - he loves chocolate milk!). I find a neutral off white color for the doors and trim - bread dough (again another selling point to Brian - likes the bread too!). As you can see I was gearing up to break the news to Brian that I had bought 5 gallons of Caribou and 1 gallon of Bread Dough. I have to give him credit - he indulged me and just shook his head and smiled - gotta love that guy! He did express concern just about the time he helped me by painting the ceiling in the front room - but I'm pretty sure I heard him muttering under his breath, "It does look like Chocolate Milk. It does look like Chocolate Milk."



While helping me paint the ceiling, he (wonderful intuitive guy that he is) said he thought we should pull up the ugly linoleum and carpet and price tiling the floor. It seemed out of our budget, but then Chip (a friend from church) gave us an estimate that was within the budget. This was what I had hoped for - new flooring - but I had been pretty sure Brian would not go for it, so I didn't even bring it up. We picked out some really pretty tile and Chip began the job of laying it. We opted for the hallway, front room, nook, kitchen and Arizona room to be done. We asked him to lay it diagonally.



Painting was halted until the flooring was done - oh how pretty the tile looks. It is a few shades lighter than the walls with grouting just about the same shade. It looks good! Painting resumed and was coming along pretty good and I sprung my idea of crown molding along the ceiling/wall seam in the front room. Brian thought he could do it since he was already planning on replacing the base boards where the tile was laid. I have to say he did a wonderful job on both jobs. It has made such a difference in how the room looks.

Next we decided to buy a new couch (thank goodness for 18 months same as cash at Sam Levitz). We picked an off white sectional - oh so comfortable! We then painted our old entertainment center - well actually Brian did that! It really stands out in our Caribou room!

Brian redid part of his arrowhead collection in new frames so that each display matched. I arranged his insulators atop of the bookcases and his bottle collection on the entertainment section. It looks good - I am thankful he is a collector! It sets off the room very nicely. I made a few floral wreaths - purple for the front room and an off-white one for the livingroom. Then we added a couple of red throws and I did a fresh coat of red on the front door and I think we are done.

God was so good to us during this redo - everything working out like it did. We pray that this makes our home a warm, welcoming place for the people God brings our way - family, friends and friends to be.

Growing Servant Hearts

Yesterday, I was blessed to help with the baking of bread for our guests at Sunday worship. Gaby, Madeline, Kaitlyn and Ashlyn (four of the girls from the 4 and 5 year old Bible Class) all came to the church building's kitchen to bake bread and to have some fun. And fun we did have - making ribbon decorated flip flops, painting, playing games and baking the bread - hey we had to do something once the bread was in the oven and while we waited for Mr. Kimberly (that's Brian for you who don't recognize the name the little girls call him). Mixing up bread with four little girls was fun and not too messy. The four girls had so much fun - adding ingredients, breaking eggs, mixing up the bread, telling me that it smelled done and then proudly carrying the loaves up to the foyer to place in the basket. We cleaned up and took a few more pictures while we waited for Brian to arrive so we could go out to eat. The girls looked so sweet in their flip-flops, We used all ribbons with pink and white and even a little ribbon with "Princess" on it.

We praised them for having servant hearts - I hope they realize they served God's people yesterday and more importantly that they served God! I think they just knew they had fun in being together, making the bread and playing. It made me think of how God designed works of service to not only serve and bring joy to others nor only to bring Glory back to Him, but to bring the servant joy in the doing! We serve a loving God - a thoughtful God - a God who knows what helps motivate us to fulfill the purpose He sets for us! I love the thought of these four precious girls growing up serving God's people with their own talents. What a wonderful thought - having children who have learned early on that they have a purpose to fulfill within the body and that God wants them to enjoy fulfilling that purpose. Thank you God for blessing me with yesterday!

GRANDMA TO BE - THAT'S ME!!

I am going to be a GRANDMA! Can you believe it? I am still having a difficult time realizing this isn't just a prayer, a longing - it is happening! What joy filled my heart when Amanda called and asked if I was ready to be a GRANDMA! What a silly question, I have been ready every since Jordan and Amanda started growing into adults. Holding my babies, cooing sweet words to them, snuggling them into my arms for a little nap, swaying them to remind them that I was there – I truly miss those days! But now, we have a GRANDBABY on the way – a new someone to love and enjoy. Oh, how I have longed for this day! I remember how excited I was when I found out Amanda and then Jordan - my babies were on the way. But you know what? This is everybit as exciting - in a different way of course. This time around I am a little older (with a few more wrinkles and more gray hair) and I hope a little more relaxed. I am not Mommy - but GRANDMA!!!! I get to have all the joy and not so much of the responsibilities. I am so ready to be a GRANDMA!

Proverbs 17:6a, "Children's children are a crown to the aged . . ."
Thank you God for sending this little one on the way - I can barely wait Lord!

A Blessed Morning

I went out early this morning to start my routine of watering. I didn't find any routine though. Instead I was blessed by a beautiful start of my day and a reminder of the powerful and gracious God we serve. It is so peaceful to be out there before most of my neighbors are up and I can't even hear the traffic yet. The sun is just beginning to rise and nature is waking up around me. God has blessed us so abundantly by creating nature to speak to our senses - I am sure he knew we would think of Him and his ways whenever we look at the world he created for us.

As I water the flower beds I am in awe of the color that surrounds me - the blue Arizona sky (there is no other sky quite like an Arizona sky), the blooms in the beds in front of me, the green grass under my feet and the leafed out trees. Then I notice the hummingbird that is hovering around my head - his tiny wings working so diligently as he satisfies his curiosity about me. He hovers around a couple of minutes and then off he goes.

I start just listening to the birds - the morning dove cooing their good mornings, the Gamble quail calling out to each other and the bird songs I don't recognize, but love to hear. I am reminded of the ending to the book of Psalms - "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." I have an idea that is what I am witness to this morning! The winged creation thanking God for his goodness and his power.

As the sprinklers come on I sit down on the edge of the fountain and watch the birds playing in the water. The quail runs around and around the post for the feeders - it is comical to watch him/her run so fast . Tabitha - our old yellow tabby cat brushes up against me and gets into my lap. The quail keeps on playing so I guess he/she knows that Tabitha is too old and fat to even make the attempt to chase him. Tabitha meows her discontent at not being sleek and young enough to give chase I think. Pretty soon, she hops down and disappears around the corner of the house. This nature show is too much for her ego I think.

I close my eyes and drink in this nature: the smell of the blooms and the morning sounds. What a way for a day to begin!

Thank you God for such a beautiful start to my day!

The Momma Dance

Yesterday - Sunday, I was blessed to get to hold little Caleb during our worship service. While I was snuggling him and swaying, I thought about how "The Momma Dance" just seems to come naturally to women. It wasn't something I thought about - "Oh, I need to sway a little bit to settle him." I just started that instinctive groove when I took Caleb into my arms. He was reminded instantly that I was someone he was safe with, someone he could snuggle down into and just close those heavy eyelids. (Now don't laugh, but sometimes I even find myself doing "The Momma Dance" when I don't have a little one, but I just hear or see a baby or toddler being restless or fussy. I have even been known to "rock" a grocery cart back and forth when I hear those sounds, yet no little one is sitting in my cart.) I guess once you start "the Momma Dance" you never finish it, even when your babies have all grown up and moved away.
Back to yesterday. I looked around at our young mothers holding little ones and noticed that even while sitting that sway was there. What an instinct God has blessed us with! Then I noticed a few dads holding the little ones and even one Grampa. The sway was not part of their dance, instead it was funny faces and lovingly spoken words to babies who were held an arm lengths away on Daddy's/Grampa's knees. (I have an idea this might be to allow baby full view of funny faces and allow Daddy/Grampa a guaranteed look at that bright beautiful smile on Baby's face!) Then I noticed Grampa was motioning for a bottle and you know what? "The Momma Dance" made an appearance as soon as he snuggled Baby down for a bottle! I guess Daddies do know "The Momma Dance!"

Fountain

Last night we had our first company over for dinner using the new grill. We were able to show off Brian's fountain. We sat out and enjoyed the water sounds and cool breeze while the steaks grilled. It is so nice to have such a peaceful soothing feel in our backyard. The fountain took Brian 2 years to complete, but oh how nice it is!