A hopeful come back

I know this blog has been severely neglected.  Sorry! I have recently been gently encouraged to revive the blog.  Honestly, it took me a while to remember my email and passcode to even get to the page to post.  Then the next hurdle-so much technical changes with blogger since my last post.  Solved, I found the blogger App.  I'm not making any posting quota promises, but do hope to be higher than once every 18mos.  I will be relearning how to use features on the blog, but hope to have some pictures posted soon...Thank you Emily!

A quick synopsis...

Emily is graduating this month so, pictures and plans will be posted soon from her.

J.Michael just turned 15 and is six foot tall and climbing so he has the great privileged of reaching all the high stuff now.  I am thrilled to have access to neglected top shelves.  He is holder of Bella who is quite smitten with her jolly giant.  He is our fixer of anything, puts together everything that arrives assembly required and keeps our yard looking like we have a landscape company keeping it up (and we do, his!).  He is also learning how to make long bows from Bodark trees.  His passion though
is playing the guitar and piano.  He is currently learning how to record his own arrangements of classic hymns.

 

Andrew is our entertainer.  He and Calvin are best of friends and Bella adores him.  He loves to play Legos with his younger siblings and he is learning to make Lego stop action movies.  He enjoys playing the guitar and piano like his big brother.  He has an amazing ear for music.  He can hear a song once and then play it on the piano-like his Mema Davis.  He is a tree climber extraordinaire who has enjoyed watching the loggers climb up with chain saws and ropes to take out 60-80ft trees lost in the recent drought in our area.  He also uses his tree climbing ability to catch a glimpse of and photograph baby birds in their high perched nests sharing his photos with those of us, who outside of some kind of mechanical lift would never get to see the young birds till old enough to fly.

                                             

Kathlena is my right hand-a servants heart always looking for ways to help.  Often she will get things I need before I have even finished my sentence.  She is our rough and tumble Kathlena who makes your insides hurt from laughter. She is learning to cook and loves to cook ground beef all. by. her. self.  She has persevered with her eye patching and earlier this year she was released from patching.  Her vision having improved beyond what the doctor ever thought possible.  To God be the glory for His favor and mercy on her.  She is a huge help with Bella. Bella calls her sissy.  Kathlena carries her around, helps her get dressed, changes her diaper and plays duplo with her.  Bella loves to follow Kathlena anywhere. Kathlena's is proudly sporting her new air soft gun she got for her Birthday from her big brother.  She promptly used it to "blow" out her candles on her Birthday cake.  She also loves to ride the zip line.

Calvin the negotiator/charmer.  His grin and persuasiveness is deadly-you must know this about him or you will quickly be snagged in his web.  He has always got a plan, which usually includes something to do with "wegos".  He loves to problem solve and count everything.  He enjoys doing addition flash card drills with Andrew and Kathlena.  He loves books and being read to which reflects the love of books from his older siblings and his parents.  His favorite books right now are The Little House books.  We are reading On the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  He is also known as Batman and Man of Steel.  

Bella is well...just plain adorable.  She is talking almost non stop.  It is mostly understandable to the trained ear.  Her cutest word...Bubbie, J.Michael.  Yes, she can say J.Michael.  She is the first and earliest to say it so clearly.  She is also an avid thumb sucker.  I'm not looking forward to breaking that habit.  It has served us well.  She and Calvin and the "big" kids are all starting to play together.  She is so tiny, but she does not know it.  She recently "graduated" to the bench out of her high chair.  She is a proud "benchikin" who stakes her territory better than anyone.  She's little, but feisty.  "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee"

David has settled into life as a full time pastor.  He is studying Greek and reading volumes of books, counseling as well as preparing weekly sermons and spending time in prayer for his flock.  He loves it though and it really does suit him.  We have been so blessed by a sweet little congregation here in Conroe.  WE are loved and love our GFBC Conroe family.

Me...well, I'm keeping the train moving around here especially, the chuck wagon! I'm enjoying these "full" years of laughter and noise.  OK, I do enjoy the quiet of sleeping children to write though.  I love reading The Word, anything Emily writes, (especially her Stoems) Tim Challies, Theology, and books with my children.  We are reading Tim Challies's book The Next Story about the digital explosion.  It is very good for discussion with my older children about living in the digital age.  The history of how we got here technologically and thinking Biblically about how we manage the technology around us instead of it managing us.  Yes, we still love reading books together.  I don't think I'll ever tire of that.  Our garden has gotten off to a slow start this year with our unseasonably cool weather, but we are looking forward to seeing some new things in our garden this year, Peanuts! So far they are growing and doing well.  As always we have our "salsa" in the making with lots of peppers and tomatoes.  Our roses are in bloom and I have added some raspberry plants this year too.  Well, I need to close for now.  More to come...no, really!