Sunday, December 28, 2008

One Month Old


Here's a photo of Caleb taken last night on Dec. 27. He's so alert! His eyes are bluer now, and he's grown longer and heavier. We enjoyed the chance to cuddle him!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas!


MY CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM ALAN! After a very hectic November and December, we spent the day shopping in Tyler for each other. My diamond fleur-de-lis ring is quite unique and I am thrilled with it! Alan picked out two blazers for his gift.

I hope everyone has a warm and wonderful Christmas.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Happy Birthday, Caleb!

Caleb Alan Norvell arrived on Thanksgiving at 9:32 pm. He's 21 inches long and weighs 6 lbs. 14 oz. (that's the same thing his mommy weighed).

Lydia's labor was long and hard. I'll let her tell that story. Let's just say we're very glad the doc said, "Let's get that baby out of there!" and went ahead with delivery Thursday night.

They'll come home on Saturday. The family was all here to celebrate the birth and give thanks to God for Caleb's arrival and good health.

What a special Thanksgiving we've had this year!

Until I get home to post photos, you can find them at KarenN site on my sidebar.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Sweater Time

Here's Ian in his new sweater from Grandma. The photo is blurry because he's never still. And because I took it with my iPhone which has a low resolution. Nevertheless, he's a cutie with his hoodie!

Christmas Beauties

These are friends of ours from Little Cypress. My, how those kids have grown! Di, you have a beautiful family!

Friday, October 17, 2008

And the Sixth...

 
Okay, you've read the rules on other links. Here's the sixth photo from my sixth album on my photo program. 
This is from March of this year and shows the baptism of Brooke, our godchild, at FBC Kountze. That's her dad's head in front.
Brooke has Down's Syndrome. The time came, though, when she understood that she needed to accept the salvation that Jesus offered her. So she gave her heart to Jesus, met with her pastor, and was baptized. We were privileged to be part of that special day with her family.
Not too long after this, FBCK was burned to the ground through arson. The congregation has splintered. Other mean things have occurred there this year. What is precious about this picture is that it represents the truth: nothing matters but your personal relationship with Christ. Brooke understood this. So should we.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Five Weeks...

...until my little girl becomes a mother.

I was 26 1/2 when I had my first child. She's 26 1/2.
I had my first child two months before my 6th wedding anniversary. She's having hers one month before her 6th anniversary.
My first child was a boy. Her first child is a boy.
I named my child after a Bible character. So did she.

So many things are alike. Will I see myself in her labor? Will I be strong enough to see her through it? Will I be what she needs instead of what I need?

Five more weeks and I'll know.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Geography Game

Play this game to improve (or test) your knowledge of European geography. Courtesy of Lufthansa Airlines.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Fall at Last!


I love fall! It's always my favorite season because of the crisp weather, blue skies, and promise of holidays ahead.

Yesterday, I spent the entire day sprucing up around the exterior of the house. I cut, transplanted,and cleaned up flower beds. I also planted fresh flowers, put out some fall decor, got a sunburn and a sore back! :)

Since every Saturday in October is scheduled, I was glad for the time available to work in the yard yesterday.

Thank you, God, for fall weather, a home to beautiful, strength to do it, and friends to share your blessings with.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Baby Shower

This shower was so much fun. Everyone enjoyed each other, and we all love Lydia so we told stories and laughed. We know she will be a great mom. A great big thank you to Karen Norvell and Leanna O'Brien for putting the shower together for Lydia.


Saturday, September 20, 2008

Caleb's Quilt from Grandma Largent

Well, apparently I didn't know you can't turn the camera vertically to take a video :(
So, lean left and watch :)



More on the shower soon....

Saturday, September 13, 2008

First Boots


Here's a look at Ian's first pair of cowboy boots. They're even in BU colors!However, they're that color because they're made by John Deere. Hmm, could that Pepper end up a farmer?

Classic Fisher Price




Who remembers playing with this toy? Ian loves it, especially the top ring that makes noise when he shakes it.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Mercedes Car Presentation



When a consultant reaches a certain level of team sales, she receives a free Mercedes from Arbonne. It is quite an achievement to earn this level, but anyone can do it with a team who is enthusiastic and committed to sharing Arbonne's great botanically-based products. There are thousands of stories all over the US of people just like these ladies who set a goal to change their families' lives for the better and accomplished it.

Anyone want to join my team?

Monday, September 1, 2008

Caleb's Nursery

Here is the link to the photos of this weekend where we prepared Caleb's nursery. It was fun to do and we can't wait to meet him!

labor day 2008

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Happy Birthday to Me


This weekend I received a visit from John, Karen, and Ian for my birthday on Monday. We had a great time visiting, eating, and playing. Ian is growing so fast! He's almost ready to sit up by himself, knows how to handle a bottle and spoon and what they're for, and clearly wants to crawl soon. He's always in motion unless he's tired, then he just shuts down and sleeps for awhile.

We should take some cues from babies and live more in the moment. He takes each thing as it comes. Some experiences are good (applesauce!) and some are not (green beans!), but the day goes by just fine anyway. When it's time to rest, he sleeps. When it's time to eat, he eats. The rest of the time, he plays and explores. Our lives should be so uncomplicated.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

TAG

Answer the questions with one-word responses. Tag three others.
1. Where is your cell phone? CHARGER
2. Your significant other? HUSBAND
3. Your hair? GRAY
4. Your mother? GIVING
5. Your father? ENCOURAGING
6. Your favorite thing? COMPUTER
7. Your dream last night? HMM
8 Your favorite drink? DIETCHERRYCHOCOLATEDRPEPPER
9. Your dream/goal? TRAVEL
10. The room you’re in? PERFECT
11. Your hobby? SCRAPBOOKING
12. Your fear? FAILURE
13. What do you want to be in 6 years? RICH
14. What you’re not? LIBERAL
15. Muffins? BLUEBERRY
16. One of your wish list items? MERCEDES
17. Where you grew up? TEXAS
18. The last thing you did? CLEAN
19. What are you wearing? PJ'S
20. Favorite gadget? CHOPWIZARD
21. Your pets? GUNNY
22. Your computer? MAC
23. Your mood? PROCRASTINATING
24. Missing someone? IAN
25. Your car? HONDA
26. Something you’re not wearing? MAKEUP
27. Favorite store? BOMBAY
28. Like someone? YEP!
29. Your favorite color? BLUE
30. When is the last time you laughed? YESTERDAY
31. Last time you cried? TODAY

I tag: Beth, MaryN, Leanna

Monday, August 4, 2008

Covered Bridge Inn scrap retreat



Wow, this was a fabulous scrapbook retreat! I loved it so much I'm going back in January! The place was gorgeous, spacious, and accommodating. The hot tub was great, the meals filling, the company stimulating.

I met new friends who were all friends of Cheryl, my college roommate. She arranged this group and did a great job! I can't thank her enough for encouraging me to come, and I see why she tries to go several times a year.

I made projects, scrapped pages for an album, relaxed, got a massage, soaked in the hot tub, sat up late, slept well, and generally enjoyed myself thoroughly. What decadence!

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Scrapbooking Retreat at Last!

Six months ago, my friend C asked me to go with her to a scrapbooking retreat in Weatherford. For several reasons, the timing wasn't right then, but when she returned and told me the dates of the next one, I said, "I'm in." Well, this weekend, long awaited, has finally arrived!

Tomorrow morning I head out, pick up C, and drive to Weatherford to the Covered Bridge Inn. It's a Victorian house set up specifically for scrappers. Upstairs there are beds for 18, downstairs there's an eating area, and, most importantly, a beautiful scrapping room. A hot tub and massage will complete the luxurious, relaxing weekend.Now, you might ask, what am I going to scrap? Well, Ian, of course. I have plenty of photos of him to put into scrapbooks. I also have a trip to Atlanta from April that I want to scrap. So there'll be plenty to do, but mostly, I want to relax, meet new friends who enjoy the same hobby, and have a mini-vacation. Hooray!

Next week, I'll post photos of the weekend, so stay tuned!

Friday, July 25, 2008

Closet Makeover

I have always wanted to have a beautiful closet. I figured this summer was a good time to try to bring order and beauty to this overlooked spot in my home. I ordered flocked hangers from HSN and started changing out the old for the new. You may not be able to tell much difference from these photos, but believe me, I have a lot more room in there now. You can actually slide the clothing to the side to get what you want instead of digging in with one elbow while your hands pull out sleeves to see what's there. :)


Here's a "before" photo of the slacks/dresses section.









here's "after"
here's "before" of the shirts

here's "after"
here's "before" of hub's section

here's "after"

Monday, July 21, 2008

A Stray at Home

Yes, Gunny has made himself at home. He is a young cat, apparently, but sleeps a lot. He's a lap cat and is content to sit on you when you're watching TV. He does play some, but is mostly pretty laid back.

Here's his new perch:

Sorry, Ian!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

We're NOT Going to Have Any More Pets!

Those words now belong in the category of "Famous Last Words." Yes, we have acquired a cat.

Actually, the cat chose us. He's a stray that hung around our yard for a week or so, then the hub started feeding it...outdoors, of course. The next thing I know, the cat is "just visiting" in the house.

"He wanted to come in," hub says in explanation with a shoulder shrug.

"Hrumph!" I retort. "I bet he opened the door, too."

The next week, another larger, fiercer cat arrives in our yard (an interloper!) and scarfs down all the food. The food moves indoors. Now the cat hangs around outside, is allowed inside for extended periods, and in general, has made himself at home. He was obviously domesticated before being dumped on the county road that runs across the back of our property.

Well, the cat remained nameless all these weeks. After all, if we didn't name it, we couldn't claim it, right? (isn't that theological?)

Well, when Karen came to visit this week, she was charged (by her sister-in-law) to come up with a name for the cat. We tried out several, none seeming to fit just right for this gray and white male cat. Some were too long, some too awkward, and some had a vague connection with meaning.

Then, today, on the ride back home, she came up with the perfect name. Introducing...
GUNSMOKE a/k/a Gunny. That's the perfect name considering his gender, his color, and hub's hobby. He's a really good lap cat and rarely meows. He's not messy with his food and...goes to the door to be let out. No litter box, hooray! What a great cat!

Grandson

Our grandson and his mom came to stay a few days with us. We so enjoyed their visit! Baby Ian is sweet and cuddly, baby soft and smiley. Mom got some work done while I babysat Ian.

Here's a playmat pic:

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

My healthy ice cream

Since I am diabetic, I watch the sugar/carbs I eat pretty closely. One thing I really missed is ice cream. I love ice cream....all flavors, brands, varieties, with toppings or without.

Years ago, I purchased a counter-top ice cream freezer. You keep the canister in the freezer until needed, put it in place on the electric base, pour in the ingredients, and voilà, you have ice cream. It's soft so I put it in small plastic containers to pop into the freezer. Then I enjoy these when I want something cold and yummy.

Okay, so what's healthy about this? My recipe. It is sugar-free and fat-free, and has only 4 ingredients. Here's the recipe:

Beat with a whisk 2 eggs, 2/3C of Splenda, and 1 t vanilla. Add 1 quart of fat-free half-and-half (I use Land 'o Lakes from WalMart). Whisk till completely blended. Put freezer container on base, turn on machine, pour mixture into the top. Set kitchen timer for 20 minutes. Turn off machine, spoon out ice cream into plastic containers, and freeze.

Smucker's makes a sugar-free strawberry topping, and I also found a sugar-free chocolate syrup. Add sugar-free Cool Whip on top, a few chopped pecans, and you'll have a sundae worthy of Dairy Queen...with no guilt!!

On Vacation

My vacation this year looks really different. I usually spend a week with my parents, another week visiting children and friends, then my last week at home scurrying around to get the summer projects done before heading back to work. I usually arrive back at work exhausted.

Because my health has not been optimal for about 3 months now, the hub decreed that I was put on travel restrictions this year! Ugh! Although I know it's necessary for me to rest and restore my health, I chafe against the limits.

So, my to-do list looks like this: organize closet, clean out old clothes, clean out drawers, organize the garage, do some yard work, read books, eat healthy meals, exercise every day, do some Arbonne work, scrapbook, read blogs, etc. Not too much exciting there, and you might think that that is still a lot to accomplish. However, one task a day is how I'm approaching it, and that is easy compared to my past schedule. :)

There are a few bright points in this 3-week hiatus. One, our daughter came to visit (thanks, Lyd) for a few days. Just having her here brightened us both up and we loved visiting with her. Two, our daughter-in-law and g'son are coming next week to spend a few days with me. I get to babysit while she gets some urgent design work done. Third, hub relented and let us take an impromptu day trip last Sunday to meet our new "adopted" g'kids in Southeast Texas. Our friends are adopting again, so we went to meet the four kids and had a great time. So, as long as I get to see everybody and spend some time with them during my vacation, I'm happy!

I will take before and after photos of my closet re-do. I started on it this morning and ran out of hangers before one wall was done! So I ordered more which should arrive before my vacation is over, hopefully, so I can finish this project.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Cute Kid


Just had to post this pic from Sunday's visit. Isn't he cute?

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Tagged!

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
I moved to a new city, new house, new job, new church, sent a son to college, took in a mother-in-law....whew! Stressful year!

2.What are five things on my to do list today?
Hmm, for tomorrow, there's walking, work, choir, eat healthy food, make business calls

3.What snacks do I enjoy?
Anything sweet (I made some sugar-free ice cream today, yum) but I do love a plate full of nachos.

4.Where are some places I've lived?
Dallas (18 years), Nacogdoches (6 years), Mesquite (11 years), Orange (7 years), Nederland (3 years), Palestine (10 years)

5. If I were a billionaire...
I'd pay off debts, build a home in the location of my choice, set up funds for my children/grandchildren, give to missions, travel, travel, travel

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Generations


Here's a photo taken Memorial Day of Great-Grandma Largent, John & Karen,and Ian. I'm sure he's wondering what's going on because there was LOTS of company that day!

Monday, June 2, 2008

Ian's Birth Scrapbook

I went to an all-day scrapbook event on Saturday. I made the book that details Ian's birth and first bath (so it's the first four days of his life). It was fun to do!

Scrapping is always something that relaxes me, but I don't get to do it nearly often enough. So..enjoy this little book...

Monday, May 5, 2008

Mother's Day

This Sunday is Mother's Day. When I think about my mother and mother-in-law, here's what I've learned from them (not in any particular order):

Mother
Setting goals and working hard will get you where you want to go. It doesn't matter how long it takes. Entertaining is fun and easy. Family is the most important thing in your life. Holidays are for celebrating together. Education is vital. Everything is on sale sometime. Faith is your anchor.

Mother-in-Law
Family is important. Pets add a wonderful dimension of love to your life. Shopping is a past-time. Dressing well improves self-esteem. Buy the best so it lasts. Faith will see you through tough times.

No matter how diverse the lessons have been, the one constant is faith. I have been blessed to have Christian women in my life as guides and anchors. From marriage to birth to raising children to letting go, these women have been by my side, cheering me on in my own journey of life as a woman. I am grateful to have them. Now as I see my own children launching into the adventure of parenthood, I try to impart these lessons to the next generation. Being a grandmother is wonderful, but having Christian descendants is even better.

Thank you, God, for these blessings.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Baby's Got Shots

Ian got his first immunizations on Wednesday this week. See the bandaids? FIVE of 'em!!

When my kids were babies, the immunizations received at 2/4/6 months were only DPT...one injection. Now babies apparently get stuck for everything from flu to tick fever. Well, maybe not tick fever, but several other things that are available now that keep our little guy from getting sick.

From his face, you can tell he didn't like that field trip one bit. Oh, Mommy! Where's Grandma Carolyn?

For Ladies Only


Last Saturday our church hosted a ladies' brunch. Each volunteer decorated a table however she wished, invited others to attend, and served the pre-prepared food to each guest. It was a gorgeous event. Our fellowship hall was filled with 150 ladies who visited together and enjoyed the beautiful setting.

Our speaker was Rachel Norris, a potter from Bryan, Texas. She demonstrated how pottery is made and drew the comparison to God's fashioning of each of us. She used Scripture to imprint upon our minds that the process she showed us was exactly the same as what God does in our life. Sometimes we need pounded into submission, sometimes we need centered in his Will (the wheel), some times are for growing tall, then other times are for trials (the kiln). All the steps are needed before we are ready to be used for His glory. It was an amazingly "real" look at Scripture. She wove in her testimony of how God had worked on her prodigal spirit to bring her into His will. All of us were touched as we recognized ourselves at different points in the process of being worked by God into His perfect plan.

Her studio is called Joy Pottery if you care to see her work, or if you're in the Bryan area some time, stop by. She teaches classes as well as owns a store/studio there.

Monday, April 14, 2008

NTC, Atlanta

Alan and I just returned from Arbonne's National Training Celebration in Atlanta, Georgia. What a fabulous conference! Arbonne does everything first class. This was evidenced by their transportation of attendees from hotels to the civic center, the signage clearly indicating where sessions were held, the speakers, the entertainment, and on and on. The top achievers in Arbonne for 2007 (in sales, sponsoring, and growth) received trips, diamond jewelry, Rolexes, roses, and recognition.This is the atrium of the Marriott Marquis where we stayed. It's the tallest hotel atrium in the world.Here we are ready to go to sessions. Yes, success in Arbonne is within reach!

Here's the stage complete with sound and light shows, fabulous backdrops, and first class presentation. There were 16,000 conference attendees this year.

Here we are all dresssed up for the Gala Celebration on Saturday night.

Tim McGraw was our featured entertainer after the awards ceremony.

Next year's NTC is in Las Vegas. Come with me! Join Arbonne!

Scrapbooking

My favorite hobby is scrapbooking. Recently two friends and I spent a day in Buffalo at a scrapbooking session. It was a lot of fun and I finally finished the Christmas 2007 album as well as a few extra pages. Two of the pages I did were of Ian's dedication in March.

Here are my friends, Marnet and Paula. Look at all the "stuff" it takes to scrap!
Here are the two pages of Ian's dedication.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Ian's Dedication March 29, 2008

We went to Highland Baptist Church in Waco for Ian's dedication service. He was very good, both asleep and awake!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Cool Video/Song

Brad Paisley and Sara Evans did this song a couple of years ago. A friend just sent this video to me. Enjoy.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Playin' Dress Up

Every little girl (or, well, maybe most) like to play "dress up"..that wonderful time when it's possible to simply change a hat or scarf, prop or costume, and become someone else. My little girl loved to do this and had a huge assortment of dress up clothes. She had boas, clown wigs, mink stoles, shoes, tiaras, capes, gowns, etc. She had a huge imagination and would sing and dance her way, in costume, through our house, sometimes with a costumed kitten in tow.

Here are some photos of those times:

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Spring Break and August Rush

I spent my Spring Break with my son, daughter-in-law, and new grandson. To say it was delightful is an understatement. The opportunity to hold, rock, diaper, feed, burp, and otherwise care for Ian was priceless.

During the week, my son rented August Rush for me to see. It is an incredible movie which I enjoyed immensely.

Now, here's a photo of Ian that suggests he could be the next August Rush. Ian's listening to the music box instruments as he waves his hands.


Now, don't you see the resemblance? Ian listens to music in his nursery every day. Sometimes it's classical, sometimes it's not, but I'm sure he has his preferences. Some day he'll let us know, right?

Monday, March 10, 2008

Emma

I am Emma Woodhouse!
Link

Take the Quiz here!

A friend had this quiz on her blog. I took it and found I am Emma! Watch out world, I'll try to make you over (with improvements, of course!) :)

Monday, March 3, 2008

Story Time

John and Karen are working very hard at being the best parents ever. They listen to all advice from us "old timers" as well as from their peers, and they try to implement anything that seems reasonable and helpful.

I told them that THE most important thing a parent can do for a child's future education is to read to him or her every single day. This not only helps bond the parent and child, but also shows the child that reading skills are valuable and enjoyable. Connecting print and pictures with aural stories helps the mind make synapses which are more elaborate than simple. This is a good thing. The more there are, the better you learn.

This recent picture of John and Ian appears to be rather mundane, however, I noticed John's hand is holding open a children's story book. Yes, he must have been reading to Ian and got distracted by something Ian did. I am happy that Ian's parents will provide him with every possible learning advantage even at an age where most wouldn't. Way to go!!

Busy weekend

This past weekend hub and I had a table at a local gun show. Hub advertises his concealed handgun class, sells some brass for reloading bullets, and generally looks to see what he can buy from other vendors.

I have half the table for my Arbonne display. People stop the look at the photos of before/after the use of our products, ask about the difference, tell about their own skin care woes, and order products.

All in all, this one was more successful than the last two we've attended. We see the some of the same vendors each time and catch up with them. The jewelry lady made me some earrings and two watch bracelets out of red coral and black onyx. They're beautiful! And, of course, I showed off baby pictures.

In other news, our Sunday School department decided on our mission project. They want to do ALL of the ones suggested by various members of the dept. They are:
make good bags for CPS including small toys, a Bible storybook, toothpaste/toothbrush,shampoo; visit clients of Meals on Wheels to do small maintenance/repairs; visit homebound department to do the same; partner with another church in getting a teen center remodeled, staffed, programmed for tutoring. This last one is very long-term but we're excited about making a difference in our community. The other projects we'll do on a monthly basis. I thought people would vote on one project to do....no, God has bigger plans than that! So I was blown away when they wanted to take on all these projects. I know God will give us the strength, time and resources to do them for His glory.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

More Ian


Okay, you've already seen this photo on another blog, but I thought it bore repeating. Ian seems to be saying, "Hmm, this guy seems nice enough. He holds me a lot, and I feel really secure with him. I wonder if he knows who I am. For that matter, who is HE?"

Well, Ian, I can say that he is indeed nice enough to hold you securely, he knows who you are, and you will learn who he is. He's the best gift God could give you: a father who loves you, teaches you, sacrifices for you, plays with you, and leads you to Jesus. You're one lucky little boy, Ian!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Meet Ian

I know I'm late, but, give me a break, I just got home!

Ian James is just exactly as I pictured him...the perfect blend of his parents and still all himself.

Witnessing his birth was such a privilege. God knew long ago that Ian would be born to John and Karen and has a plan for his life. WOW! So even though we were surprised by his arrival being 3 days early, God was not.

Seeing John and Karen become parents has been great, too. John's care for Karen in the hospital was awesome. He sacrificed his own comfort, sleep, food, stamina, etc., for whatever she needed during those long difficult labor hours. Karen focused with determination on delivering Ian the safest way possible. Even though she ran fever and felt terrible, she never faltered in following the labor nurses' orders. But the best part came afterward, as both John and Karen took on the persona of "parent".

My favorite part was when we arrived home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. John safely carried Ian into the house (still in his car seat), walked into the dining room, and said, "Where do I put him?" Hmmm...his nursery, maybe?

A close second was Monday when Karen remarked that he didn't do much except eat and sleep...was that all? Not as much fun as a kitty with a string, eh?:)

Now please understand I'm just "pickin"... they both will be wonderful parents. :)

BTW, after taking over 50 photos in 4 days, I realized that the tiny little brag book I purchased for my purse will never do! So be prepared world...I'm armed with photos!!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

In Memoriam

Sadly, I have to announce that Friday, my grandcat, passed away Sunday night of unknown causes. He is survived by his parents, Jon and Lydia. In his short life of two years, he brought joy to his family with his playful antics. He will be best remembered for playing with the water in his water bowl, stirring it with his paw and then shaking his paw or scooping water out onto the floor. His favorite toy was Blue Snake which will be kept in memory of him.

He was a stray, sickly kitten who was lucky enough to be taken in by compassionate people. He was fed and doctored, groomed and entertained by his family until he became the cat we all knew and loved.

Condolences were received by the family on Monday, including flowers from Dr. Sam Adams, veterinarian, and Wedgwood Baptist Church Sunday School class.

Here are two photos from the beginning and end of his life:


Monday, February 11, 2008

Random catch up

I was checking blogs like I do every day and realized it has been a month since I blogged. Whew..where did January go? Now it's the middle of February already...crazy!

We are anxiously awaiting Ian's arrival. The nursery is ready and Mom and Dad are eager to see their little one. Grandparents have bags packed, ready to travel at a moment's notice.

I received two g'parent gifts recently. One is a handmade hooded bath towel from a friend in Dallas. The other is a silver picture frame with places for photos of birth, 3, 6, 9, and 12 month photos from a friend at church.

In other news, parents have had some illnesses this winter, kids have encountered decisions to be made, we have prayed for all of these.

Our church is engaged in a study course, Forty Days of Community. It is a challenging book designed to foster love within the church that is so poweful that it spills over into community action.

I attended GED graduation this past Saturday. One of my students' mom hugged me and said she wanted to meet the teacher who got her son to do what she couldn't...finish his GED. He's around his late 30's now. I was so proud of our group. They really worked hard. I have another group testing soon.

Arbonne has lots of new products out in the RE9, About Face, and Figure 8 lines. Check it out at www.arbonne.com

I recently discovered my computer is too slow to run the latest software update. Oh my!

I faithfully read various blogs so keep blogging people! I'll try to do better on my end. :)

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Ian and the most important women in his young life


This is Great-Grandma Thompson, Grandma Proffitt, Karen & Ian, Grandma Dickinson, and Great-Grandma Pullen.

We all can't wait to meet Ian in a few weeks and love on him.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Nifty find



This table was part of a neat set I found on the bottom shelf in Lowe's this week. The 3-pc set was a great price. I wanted the lamps for my house, and we ladies at church needed a table in the upstairs bathroom (a place to put our Bible, you know).

So I bought the set, broke it up so to speak, took the table to church and put the lamps in my house. Everyone's happy! (And, no, the lamps didn't need to go to church with the table b/c there's no electrical outlet for them....)