Testify...

Recently, I testified at a disciplinary hearing for my brother's lawyer relating to something that happened 5 years ago. It was a bit of a challenge to remember every detail but you know most of it came back to me AFTER I testified. Why is it that way? You had questions for the doctor but not until you left do you realize what they were. You had another item to add to the grocery list but 10 miles away from the store you remember. The way I'm trying to spin this testimony is that I said what God wanted me to say. I tell you I keep going over it and over it in my mind. I should have said THIS and that would have cinched it. It doesn't affect my life, my brother's life or my nephew whom we won custody of back then. I say "we" because I consider him a bit mine. I was his "primary" caregiver for 5 years. I just wanted the truth to be known and for those in the hearing to understand the truth. I was able to share a verse: John 17:17b Your word is truth. (Thanks to AWANA). (Not in the hearing but with the crew of people beforehand.) I don't know if it impacted anyone but I have to rest assured I did the best I could because I did tell the complete truth and nothing but the truth.

I was so nervous before I took the stand and then the longer I was there the more comfortable I became with it. I sure pray my brother's lawyer gets off on this charge. He's already paid a whole lot in lawyer fees to defend this. The kids like it when I say my brother's lawyer's lawyer.

My other main prayer is that God's purpose was accomplished. I don't know why this happened now and what my role was in it but I pray for it to further His kingdom.

Too cool...

Last Wednesday night at intermission at the GoFish concert a certain person saw my oldest daughter Jordan and asked her if she was Stephanie's daughter. This person knew it right off since that's what I looked like somewhat once upon a time. This person was my bestest friend from the age of 4 on up. She was my maid of honor at my wedding and I haven't seen her since her wedding 13 years ago. How fun it was for her to see me in my kids. I showed her a couple more girls and she could see me at their ages. Living around here I get told all the time how the kids look like their dad so it's neat when someone from my past see me in them.

Today, my kids sang and played at Great-Grandma Gretchen's assisted living home. It was real nice and the kids were well received. I was able to share about canning peaches and heard some comments about "they are all related" "I think they all are from that mother" "they must have practiced a lot". It was neat because we just threw the songs together and practiced about 3 times. We picked songs we know and like to sing.

Sometimes you have to eat your words...

I've had an incredibly busy last two weeks!!!! Wow! I took the kids camping last weekend myself while Kevin worked. We had fun with my brother and his family. The kids liked the big tube he has to pull behind his boat. I got on my roller blades that I bought 13 years ago and had a lot of fun. Once, Caleb told me to quit smiling so much. Guess I don't do that a lot! :( The Sunday we were done camping we drove straight to Vacation Bible School. What a blast!!! It was a GoFish theme. Anyone ever hear of the singing group GoFish? They had some songs quite a long time ago that were for a regular audience. I really like them because they sing acapella. Well, back at swim lessons Jana was telling me about them and I thought they were more pop now and teeny-bopper type music but Christian. I said I'd never purposely buy their stuff! I just thought they were not going to be what I wanted my kids getting into. I still don't like to get "into" anything in a real big way. I don't like fads much. Well, Wednesday night of VBS they came and actually put on a concert for the kids. I LOVED it! I recommend going to them if you ever get a chance. I recommend buying their albums, DVD, and anything else of theirs. If I could have I would have bought several things. We have a CD that they gave each family of kids at VBS and it is the most listened to CD right now. I know most of the songs! Go to www.gofishguys.com and check out their songs. Some of them you can listen to online. The "mom" song is great but the song about "It's hard to be cool when you drive a mini-van" had all of the adults at the concert busting a gut. I heartily recommend their stuff if you are looking for a Christmas gift for child or grandchild. If you buy one at $15 you can get any number of them for $5 each.

We've been canning green beans and peaches. We did 62 quarts of peaches in two days and that was pushing it and we went to a wedding. For us that is good. I have 7 lugs left to do. We looked up online if you can process it without sugar and found a couple sites that said you could so we have canned them without since Isaac still can't have anything with sugar. I don't think it will be a problem. The kids like peaches so much. My beans are doing so good. For each picking we have been getting 21 quarts canned and then eat them for 2-3 meals a week. My brother is not a real vegetable eater (only corn and potatoes) and we made up a big pot of green beans in his camper. He didn't eat even one. When my nephew woke up the next morning he said "It smells like Aunt Stephy's house." Cute!

Check..

Fixed mower and got most of lawn mowed (check)
Got bus here and started getting ready to go (check)
Made my lists of what needs to be done to go (check)
Bought groceries for camping (check)
Got Isaac's hemoglobin tested today (check)

It was a whole point higher than last month (check) (double wonderful check)

!!!!! :) !!!!! :) !!!!! :) !!!!! :) !!!!! :) !!!!! :) !!!!! :) !!!!! :)

I can tell you the first thing I said was "Praise the Lord!"
Thank you for praying for him and for us. It was great to see it go up. The person checking it said "Keep doing what you are doing." We'll check it again in a month. Keep on praying for it to go up, for Isaac's continued improvement and continued wisdom on our part to make the right choices for our family.

Praise/Prayer

Praise for the improvement we see in Isaac. He went in the pool today. Pray for his blood test tomorrow to show significant improvement in his iron level.

Bus time...

We are getting ready to take the bus on a little excursion. A small one to stay a couple nights locally. We are goat milkers now so can't go too far you know. Kev will be home most of the time during milking and spend some time with us and my brother's family. The kids of course are very ready. We only went on one outing last year at the end of September in the bus and haven't even seen it yet this year. We won't do a real big trip this year but I sure hope things are different next year.

I was going to mow the whole yard but a pin came out on the lawnmower and I can't fix it myself. Kev is working late fixing air conditioners, a bit of a surprise around here since it has been so cool. I'll have to wait. Kev told me to take the rest of the day off!!!! Right! I will be going out to keep working on weed control. I was able to spend several hours Friday and Saturday and things look pretty good but those carrots are such a thorn in my side :) We have about three weeks to butcher time. We are all ready to be done with chicken chores. We actually mentioned getting rid of the goats too. Life seems so hectic sometimes. I really need to learn to make cheese with the milk. We have so much each week. The kids keep lovin' the yogurt though. I was making lunch and one kid says let's have yogurt. He had three helpings at breakfast.

The picture is from a camping trip a couple years ago. Well, time to go onto other chores, like ordering school books. I'm not quite ready to order but keep checking prices of this company versus another. Jordan is 11th grade this year and I need all of her books. The "price" of being oldest is there aren't any hand-me-downs. Otherwise most of the books I have are just wishful thinking. I have a few workbooks to get for the rest but again the "price" of having one or two already having done a subject is you have it for the next one. It also helps that I like all of our classes so I don't have to shop around each year for something different. Another positive right now is that Jordan is looking forward to school and wishes I had her books for her so she could start organizing her year! Praise God for that gift!