Were you looking for pictures of cute kids?

Well, there won't be any in this post so you may want to come back another time.  We just had a holiday weekend.  Which meant, not only was it a holiday weekend for my husband, but for the grandmunchkin's parents as well.  So 4 days with no little ones around.  Yes, we went through withdrawals but we had a looooong list to accomplish so it kept the withdrawal symptoms at a minimum.   We had wanted to go camping but waited too long to get reservations.  We could have camped a ways away but what would be the point if the whole weekend was spent in driving and only a day or two to actually relax.  So.....

 I secluded myself.  5 days to get 5 months of pictures into 5 albums.  I took over the dining room.  I brought it all out and I focused.  And I have the aching back and mental fatigue to prove it.  But they are caught up....for now...again.  I keep thinking I'll stay caught up and not do these marathons but the shiny knitting needles  and yarn fumes keep my focus and before I know it, whoosh 6 months have passed.

 I can't do the marathon sessions unless everything else is sort of organized.  So before the weekend, I planted the herb garden.  It's a smallish herb garden, right outside the kitchen door.  We learned last year what we'll use and what we won't.

 And I planted the flower garden.  I don't like to weed or keep flower beds but I love lots of color in the summer.  And I love to water.  So bring on the pots and the color.  It's getting more and more every year.  Pretty soon there won't be a deck left to sit on.  We've already had a hummingbird at the hanging baskets and butterflys. 

 My husband is one of a kind.  He encourages my various hobbies.  Especially the ones that have to do with the grandmunchkins.  He encourages and supports me staying home and taking care of them and teaching them.  And when he gets home, he tries to give me a break by reading to them or finding things to do with them.  This weekend he planted the garden, by himself, so I could get the scrapbooking done.  He mowed the lawn and he washed the beast and he cooked dinners, so I could scrapbook.  And then he looked at the scrapbooks when they were done.  He's a keeper.

 He planted "Duck" tomatoes.  They are actually a heirloom tomato from Germany known as Zebra tomatoes.  We tried them last year for fun and they were so good and prolific, we planted two this year.  Our grandson dubbed them "duck" tomatoes because they are yellow/green when ripe and green flesh.  He also planted beets.  Because we have a granddaughter that has reminded us over and over that we must plant beets.  We do every year but she didn't want this being the first year we didn't.  And when I told her Graypa planted the garden, her first question, "Did he plant beets?" 

 Our daughter entertains herself well.  She crochets blankets for hospice and knits hats for charity.  But this weekend she worked a puzzle.  A 500 piece puzzle.  By herself.

 It may not seem like much, and for a normal 25 year old it isn't, but trust me, for our 25 year old, this is huge.  For her to think logically, to see the pieces, to do it herself, just to do it.  We were practically jumping up and down. 

And she was so proud of herself!  As well she should be.

Cake in a time of need

God's timing is always perfect and it isn't always our timing. God also gives very unexpected answers to prayer. Our youngest daughter has taught us both. SHE was a very unexpected answer to prayer. Our boys were graduating from high school and my husband and I began asking the Lord, "What now? What do you want us to do?" The answer? Continue to be parents but to a very different child than you are used to. Oh, and you're going to pay for this child, both monetarily and with the rest of your lives. And one more thing, you aren't going to know what you're getting into until much later but trust Me. Sure, you'll know she's profoundly deaf but that isn't her handicap. Trust Me. And we are so glad we did! What a Huge blessing she had brought into our lives. We've said many times how glad we are that God kept us innocent or we may have said no and missed out on a huge blessing.
Which brings me to the following pictures. S graduated from school and at 21 is no longer eligible for the education system. What now? She has a personal agent that put us in contact with the state vocational rehab department that would help us explore job possibilities. Not to earn money, just to keep S's brain working and expanding and get her out of the house a few hours a week. That was an exercise in futility. S went through the interview with vocational rehab curled up on my lap crying despite the fact both the counselors sign and one was deaf. And the jobs we were given as a possibility didn't fit S at all or our criteria. Enter my bold, truthful husband. He pulled the plug and told them back off and give us time. It was moving too fast and we were afraid of making a wrong decision for S. A couple of months went by. One of our sons commented that S was more calm than he'd seen in awhile. Perhaps the answer to what to do with S was exactly what we were doing. Let her stay home with me and expand her knitting and crocheting and keep working on math and reading. Her personal agent called. She listened as she has done. And once again God provided an unusual answer via her wonderful agent. Give S someone that takes her out in the community, for classes, field trips, etc. Someone that uses ASL. Someone that will protect her. Someone that understands she has PTSD and what to look for. Her agent knew just the person. Enter D. At first meeting S opened up and showed D her treasures, communicated with her, didn't hide behind her Dad and I. So they spent their first time together exploring cake decorating at home. It's D's hobby and from her supply suitcase I'd say she does it like I do knitting. But she let S go with her own ideas and creativity. I heard laughter and saw smiles. Guess the pictures tell the story. And big surprise, it's a Duck cake! And Chocolate! Another unexpected answer to prayer.


Yep, we're havin' fun. And I got time to knit!

This isn't what we normally see when new people are introduced and S's schedule is changed! Thank you Lord!

I'm knitting like a fiend when I have the chance. I joined Mystery Stole 4 and I'm actually just finishing up clue 4. Clue 5 comes out on Friday. AND! I'm doing both halves at once! I'm really enjoying the lace knitting and finding it way too addicting. However, that's all I've had time to knit. Wonder why? Look below! I thought one home wrecker was bad but three!!! They all know how to open doors now so nothing is safe. Sigh....they're all asleep for the moment. I'm going to do a few rows while I can. And I expect to get sweaters done for grandmunchkins for Christmas? Someone wake me up...I'm dreaming.

A long awaited day and emotional overload

Shega has wanted to be baptized, by her Dad, for several years. I do not have the words to express the joy, the thanksgiving, the miracle, the emotions that this day brought, perhaps more than when she accepted Jesus as her Savior. And to add to our joy, our oldest grandson was also baptized. My heart's desire and my prayer for them (grandchildren) was for their salvation. (Rom 10:1) That prayer has been answered x2, 5 more to pray earnestly for.

Kerry and Shega were first. Kerry was asked by Pastor to open it somehow, not just jump into the baptism. He said something like: 12 years ago, before we left for Albania I asked you to pray (the church family). I wasn't concerned about feeding or clothing this child, I was concerned about how do you teach someone with no language, who's deaf, about a Savior that loves her and that she needs to save her from her sin. When Pastor asked if anyone wanted to be baptized, Shega raised her hand. She's here today because you prayed, and she understands.

I'm crying as I write it down. I think there were more wet eyes than mine. I could barely get through interpreting in sign language for Shega was her Dad was saying. Kerry is versed enough in sign language to communicate with Shega in most day to day commands, but not to talk and sign at the same time and he wanted to focus on the questions he had to ask her. He did sign himself when it was time to say: I now baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I'm hoping her brother captured on another camera the huge smile she had.