Autumn Abundance!

Multi-colored fall leaves blanketing the ground, crisp air, hot-buttery dinner rolls, apple pie, cups full of strong coffee, pumpkins, leaves in our hair, rakes, wagons, coats, brown shirts, family, friends, laughing children, an old owl in Grandpa's pine tree, a flag-pole raising....A peaceful Autumn Sunday at Grandma Sue's.

Autumn is my favorite time of year! I want to spend some of my evenings wrapped in a quilt, reading a book, and sipping a cup of chai tea. Other times, I want to just go to a high school football game, and watch Aaron from the bleachers. Before I know it, I will be a football mom watching Alex. Yeah!

Today in school, the little girls were making a color-rubbing craft with fall leaves, and I shared with them that the leaves have to fall from the tree, in order for the tree to sleep for the winter, and wake up next spring ready to be clothed with green leaves again. The new leaves can't come unless the old ones fall off.
Isn't that true with our lives? I know that it is in mine. Christ wants to clothe me with His new robe of grace, mercy and hope, but first I must take off the old tattered clothes of despair, anger & bitterness. I tried to put that into little girl language and explain it to Nikki and Alyssa.

Here are a few pictures that capture our day at Grandma's.

Click!

Today, my friend, Dee asked me if I would take some pictures of her baby, Owen, for his birth announcements? I said sure, because I love, love, love to take pictures!
So, after she got Owen to sleep, I posed him, and started clicking away!
This is the finished product. I have to say, that I love it! I love the way his hand and feet turned out!
Owen is such a sweet, happy baby! I thought I would include the one of him smiling, and with his mommy.
Maybe this is what I should do with all of my free time (ha ha). I did really enjoy it!

Please Pray!

I am asking all of you to please pray for my friend, Dee, and her family as they stand by and watch her sister Sandy, fight cancer. Sandy is very sick, and getting worse every day! Please keep Sandy, Quentin and their children in your prayers too.
It looks like Steven and Dee will be leaving next week to go to Sandy's.

You can read more about Sandy's journey at:
www.sandynusz.blogspot.com

Thank you!
Sheila

The Cutest Boy in the World!

I may be a bit biased, but I think Duane and I have the cutest boy in the whole wide world!
Today, I took him to get his new glasses to correct his far-sightedness. He put them on, looked at the paper on the desk, and said, "WOW!"
We came home and took pictures so that you could see just how cute he is!

Thoughts...

Good Morning Dear Blog Readers!
School is set to start in 50 minutes. My children are going through their morning routines, and I am spending a few minutes sharing a couple thoughts I read yesterday in a new book by Sandi Patty called, "Falling Forward...into His arms of grace".
I have only read up to the second chapter, and find myself going over it again that I may fully understand. So, I thought I would just share them with you, and maybe you would be blessed too.

Sandi quotes Henri Nouwen, who wrote about the blessing of brokenness...he pointed out that at the last supper with his disciples, Jesus took the bread, broke it, blessed it, and then gave it. So, too, he implies, God does with our lives. Jesus takes us and sometimes must break us (usually to expose the stuff inside that needs a good cleansing); then he blesses us after our brokenness and gives us away to a hurting world that needs more empathetic and compassionate "wounded healers" than it does airbrushed religious figures.

Another person Sandi quotes is Sheila Walsh..."And the greatest thing I discovered was that I could be fully known and fully loved. Jesus knew the worst and He loved me. What a relief to know the worst about yourself and at the same moment to be embraced by God. It's so liberating to reach the end of yourself."

I will be chewing on these for awhile!

Blessings for a day where you know that you are abundantly loved by your Creator-
Sheila

More pictures....

Sheila Walsh

Luci Swindoll

Dramatist, Nichole Johnson

Our Fearless Group Leader!

16, 500+ Christian Women!!

This was a near mishap.....ha!

Some pictures just need explaining!

I tried to post captions under the pictures, but messed up royally! So, I am going to do that now.

#1...Damaris ignoring the camera
#2...Paula and Deanna talking. Dee is holding her 9 week old, Owen.
#3...Sheila and Damaris-Friends!
#4...This is Anita going up the elevator at Target. Check out the cart trolley. We were impressed!
#5...Sue and Lisa (Aman girls) posing in front of the Aman Marine.
#6...Anita, Sue and Lisa at Salty's.
#7...The view from Salty's. Looking across the Columbia Gorge to Vancouver, Washington.
#8...Mt. Hood
#9...Rose, Sheila & Dee-Friends!
#10...Cher getting baby time with a sweet little boy, Owen.
#11...Sandy Patty with the WOF worship team.
#12...Rose celebrating her 21st birthday! Yeah right!
#13...No, my mom is not smoking a Virginia Slims. This is actually her facial color, when she is laughing. I won't tell you what she was really doing, but let's just say that Paula was involved!
#14...Vicki, Lisa & Sue...niece, aunt, aunt.
#15...The group
#16...Damaris and Cher-Friends!
#17...Sue and Yvonne
#18...Sue, Paula & Anita...behaving!

Women of Faith pictures....

Amazing Freedom 2007

Last Friday at 5:30 am, 10 women and 1 baby, headed to Portland for Women of Faith.
Sue Davenport, Sheila Taylor, Cher Horn, Deanna & Baby Owen Debooy, Anita Haight, Rose Tilford, Lisa Patrick, Paula Hanks, Damaris Kellogg & Yvonne Wittkopf.


We arrived that afternoon, found our hotel, and settled in for a relaxing afternoon. Rose's sister, Trina Hooley and my cousin, Vicki (Aman) Gonzalez met us there at the hotel.

We attended the first night, sang along with the worship team, and listed to Patsy Clairmont speak on "Living Lively In the Valley". She is a hoot, but at the same time, she has such a beautiful way of sharing Jesus and His amazing love.
Later, we were treated to a moving concert by Nichole Nordeman. Nichole really portrays her heart through the lyrics of her songs. I was especially blessed by "I Am" and "Finally Free".
We collapsed into bed that night, and woke up refreshed the next morning....well kinda!

Saturday began with a time of worship. It is always so awe-inspiring to see 16, 500+ women worshiping our God together.
We listened to Sheila Walsh speak about "God Has a Dream for Your Life". She treated us to her version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "Find Your Dreams". We all love Sheila!!!
Thelma Wells spoke about the women in the Bible, who encountered God and experienced His freedom.
The afternoon was a concert given by Sandy Patty. She brought the house down with Lisa Smith. Lisa is a young girl with Downs Syndrome, who taught herself Sign Language by doing it to Sandy Patty's music. She dreamed of signing with Sandy in concert, but her parents told her that would probably never happen. They attended a concert where Sandy saw Lisa signing in the crowd. She called Lisa to the stage, and the rest is history.
I found myself moved to tears every time Lisa went on stage. She gives it her all!
Sandy has walked a heart-breaking road, but through the mercy and grace of God, she is now walking the road to healing & has a beautiful story of redemption.

Anita Renfroe, a Christian comedian, brought us to "happy tears" with her humor. She is known for her "Mom Song", which can be found on youtube.com
Nichole Johnson portrayed her message through three powerful dramas. What a gift God has given Nichole!
Lucy Swindoll and Marilyn Meberg, shared from their experiences about closure and freedom.
Every year I find myself hearing something from each speaker that I can apply to my life.

We went out on the town for dinner Saturday evening. Someone (hmmm...I wonder who?) told the staff at the restaurant that it was Rose's birthday, so she was treated to Flan and a lovely Spanish rendition of "Happy Birthday"!
Some of us ate out at "Salty's On the Columbia Gorge" for Lunch on Sunday. It was delicious, and relaxing.
Some drove over to the Oregon Coast. Be sure and ask Cher, Damaris or Rose about their WOF t-shirts.

God met with us in Portland, and our friendships grew deeper. What more could we ask for!
Now we can't hardly wait until next year, when it is time to go again!

Coming soon......

I have MANY, MANY wonderful stories and pictures to share from our Women of Faith trip, but my camera cable is stuck in a friends vehicle. I am attempting to get it back, and will share pictures as soon as I can.

We had a great time in Portland, and I can't wait to share!

And they're off..........

Tomorrow morning at 5 A.M., I am leaving with 10 friends to drive to Portland, Oregon. We are attending the Women of Faith at the Rose Garden Arena.

This is my 12th year to attend this conference, and it gets better every year! I always love spending time with friends...especially these friends! Plus, I come away feeling as if my tank has been filled to overflowing!

Dee and I will be gone all weekend, and are leaving the care of the children with their daddies. We have stocked the cupboards, and Steven has been assigned "Chef"; Duane has been assigned "Chief Bottle Washer."

I will be back with many great things to blog about. So, until then....Bonn Voyage!

They are here!

Our friends, Steven, Dee, Chloe and Owen De Booy are stateside at last!

We picked them up on Saturday night, and we haven't stopped yet! We are having a great time catching up!
The kids are enjoying listening to Steven's Australian accent, and Duane and I are enjoying his "cuppa's (hot tea) nearly every time we turn around. We have tea several times a day, and always when we come home from anywhere.

Chloe is precious, and I am getting my baby "fix" from 8 week old Owen.

Steven had a job interview this morning in downtown Boise, and will be waiting a few days to hear the outcome of it.

I will work on getting some more photos on here of the whole family.

Thank You Mom!!!!!

I want to say a heartfelt thank you to my amazing mother!! She made two beautiful window treatments for my kitchen.
Of course they are red, with a French-Country print.
I know that some of you are probably laughing your heads off, because I took close-ups of the material, but there are people in my life, who do care and want to see it, up close and personal.

Thank you, Mom. You are so giving! I have once again been blessed by your generosity.

Today is the day!

In a few short hours, we will drive over the the airport, and pick up Steven, Dee, Chloe & Owen De Booy. We are all excited...but I think that I may be the most excited! Dee and I have been friends since we were 7 years old (Nikki's age), and since we have been adults, we have dreamed of living near each other. It is happening, and I feel like I am dreaming!

They are excited to meet all of our friends, and get settled. If you think of it, please pray that Steven will find a job soon, and all of their needs (home, car...) will be supplied.

Hallelujah!

I have a very exciting thing to report!

I have prayed and prayed that my children would learn "initiative". I want my kids to see a need and fill it. Not have to be asked, told or forced...just see it and do it!

This afternoon, I was getting ready to go to lunch with a friend, and while I was waiting for her to arrive, I was unloading the dishwasher. Alex walked into the kitchen, and said, "Hey Mom, I can do that for you." I about fainted!
I said, "Okay, that would be great. "
He then said, "I will load the dirty dishes for you too." I again almost fainted!

I hugged him, walked away with a huge smile in my heart.
Alex finally got it!! Yeah!

God uses those times to remind me that Duane and I are building grand cathedrals (our children), and although it takes a lot of time and hard detailed work, it will not be in vain.

My Cheesecake birthday!

I have many special people in my life, that made my birthday one I won't soon forget!

My birthday was last Friday, and for lunch, my sweet sister, Cher, had me over for lunch. She had also invited our friend, and hair stylist, Mary Anderson, over as well. Cher made a delicious pot of soup and warm bread straight from her oven. She topped it off with Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake, that was to die for!
After we ate, Mary gave me a much needed haircut. Mary is on maternity leave, so we have been suffering with our hair, while we wait for her to get back to work. Thank you Mary!!!!! They don't come any better than you!

Then that evening, Duane, Ashley, Alex & Nikki, took me to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner, and of course...cheesecake! I ate the best dish I have ever had there-Cashew Orange Chicken! It will be my choice from now on. We left with an Oreo Swirl Cheesecake to-go.

Then on Saturday morning, I went to a brunch at Rose's house, that was for a few friends of ours, who we worked with a couple of years ago. I knew of six of us that was going to be there. When I arrived, Rose informed me that it was a surprise birthday party for me!!! So, in walks 9 of my all time favorite people!!!!

Milo and Yvonne (thank you Milo, for putting up with all of us girls, and for the sweet prayer. It meant a lot!)
Mom
Talisha
Cher
Julie
Tina
Vicki
Charlotte
Rose
I missed Paula and Steph who couldn't come, but I understand.

I was sooooo happy!! Thank you Rose for the beautiful party, amazingly decorated cake, and the chance to be with people who bless my life in more ways than I can count! You are a wonderful friend!

Then Sunday, my dear mom, fixed me my favorite Sunday Dinner, and a White Chocolate Huckleberry Cheesecake, that was heaven-sent!

Thank you to all who made this weekend very special for me. I told you all that I had amazing friends and family!!