Today is the Day!

Someday is a liar and a thief is a wonderful blog post about putting things off and waiting for Someday.

Seize the Day.

Don't put off what you can do today.

Make a list.

Just do it.

A Picture is worth a thousand words

Here is Kaitlin with her new camera. She is taking a large format camera class this semester. After her first class she came home with the camera and showed us what it looked like and what the picture taking would look like.

Here is the front of the camera and the shutter release.

Here is the back

Here she is under the blanket (not sure of the technical term)
She is so excited and I'll be sure and show you the pictures!

WAR EAGLE

AUBURN Tunnel Video

again and again

The Christian Walk.

My Christian Walk.

I wish that I could learn a lesson and then be done with it. I wish I could master some of the hard things about the Christian life and then be able to check them off my list. It doesn't happen that way and today I don't like that.

A situation happened to me a few weeks ago and now forgiveness is what my response needs to be and I don't want to forgive. The situation is so tacky and bizarre that when I shared it with Carl, his comment was, that it is almost funny except that it happened to me.

Here is what I keep telling myself. I am thankful for all the forgiveness that Jesus has extended to me and I can never out forgive Him. I am thankful that He is working in my life and working out all the 'rough edges' so to speak. I need to look to see where I have offended others because I am far from perfect. I need to just laugh and see the humor in bizarre situations. I have too much time on my hands if I have time to sit and dwell on when others have wronged me.

I am struck by verse 6 of Romans 8 which says To set the mind on the flesh is death but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

I plan today to set my mind on the Spirit and I know that I'll have to do it again and again and again

I am sure I'll be here again and again and again. I am thankful for the wonderful forgiveness that Jesus shows me repeatedly.

I heard it today.

It is snowing again today. This is unusual for us. We usual just have one snow/ice event a winter. On the 9th we got 4-6 inches, this time it is maybe an inch. I love snow when I don't have to go out in it. I love to look at it from inside my house. I love it when it doesn't impact my life. I am so thankful that I usually don't have to be concerned about getting out in it.

But my favorite thing about a snow event is the quiet. I like to bundle up and go outside when the snow has been falling for awhile and the sky is grey. All the squirrels and birds are all warm and tucked away in their nests, the cars are off the roads and there is a quiet unlike any other I have ever heard. (Can you hear quiet?) It is almost a worshipful quiet. I find myself holding my breath. I stand and just listen. It is amazing. I can't stand the cold or the quiet for very long, it is too intense.

Have you ever heard the snow quiet?

It has been a month!

Can you believe it has been a month since THE WEDDING?
We took lots of pictures that day. I plan to start work on the scrapbook soon.
Here we are with my brothers and their wives.

Here is a sneaky picture of Marisa walking into the church for John to see her all dolled up for the first time that day.
Here she is getting all dolled up.
Here are my children- in age order too.
more of Marisa getting dolled up.



The bride and the groom just had eyes for each other even with all the craziness of the day.
One month! I still can't believe it. The newlyweds are doing well and my house is much quieter which I don't think I like. I wonder who God will send next to us.

War Eagle!

Way to go AUBURN fans!

Duck Soup

When we knew that AUBURN was going to play in the National Championship game I encouraged Carl to go. We discussed getting Robert a ticket too. The game was to be played on his birthday. Carl looked for tickets and got two. We gave Robert his ticket a few days before Christmas so he could savor and anticipate. Carl and Robert left here on Saturday, the 8th, early with a direct flight to Phoenix. They planned to pick Andrew up that night. When Andrew got to Dallas there were too many on his flight to Phoenix so he volunteered to fly out on Sunday. Carl and Robert picked him up and then went to church with our friends, Vicki and Kelley.

Here is Robert getting ready for his first flight ever. He said that he laughed with each landing and take-off. He said that it felt like a ride at an amusement park.
Beautiful sky in AZ. On Saturday Carl and Robert shopped and visited.
Andrew had a list of restaurants to eat at in the Phoenix area. This is Andrew's hot dog at Alice Cooperstown.
Here are my guys the morning of THE GAME.

Here are our friends, Vicki and Kelley. They opened up their home for my guys.
Balloons at the Pep Rally
My pictures are out of order, I just got too excited. Number 5 is Michael Dyer. He played in Little Rock last year. John went to most of his game in AUBURN clothes to encourage him to go to AUBURN. How cool that he was the MVP of the game!
AUBIE
Alan was working the game and stopped long enough for Uncle Carl to snap a picture of him with Robert.
Those socks look like reflectors.
The score!!!! I am doing the happy dance at the house when this picture is being taken. I was worn out. I felt like I was in on every play.
Three very happy fellows with about 50,000 of their closest AUBURN friends, maybe even more.
Several happy players
Here is Andrew watching SportsCenter after the game. He still is soaking in the win. He called me at midnight on their way back to the car from the game. He was so excited.Andrew sat by himself while Robert and Carl sat together. Andrew sat next to a father and son on one side and an Asian lady and her husband on the other. Andrew said that the Asian lady knew more about AUBURN football that he did. She knew Michael Dyer was from Little Rock and the names of some players that plan to be at AUBURN in the fall. Andrew was impressed.

I've watched the game again....twice on ESPNU.

There are no pictures of us watching because I was pacing too much. Our friend, Jennifer, was snowed in with us and watching the game too. She is not a college football fan but she joined in the cheering for AUBURN on Monday night.

Carl recorded it and we are watching that copy tonight. I like watching it much better now that I now the outcome.

We are all planning to order National Champion shirts. I plan to get one for Jennifer, she earned it with all her cheering on Monday.

War Eagle. I don't know how many days til college football starts again because I am savoring this season. It was a great one!

Do you wad or fold?

My mother was the best. She could fold a fitted sheet so that you couldn't tell in her linen closet which were her flat sheets from her fitted without unfolding just a bit.

Marisa's sister Kaelyn also has the sheet folding gift. She has just moved out so my linen closet looks good now but after a few more loads of sheets it will be back to the wads of sheets unless I master this How to fold a fitted sheet

I think my New Year's resolutions list just got longer.

I must go now and fold a few sheets.

Ps 65:11

You crown the year with your bounty;

1/11/11

I want to be deliberate this year with thanking Him.

1- firewood

2- friends to share a snow day with

3- goals that are hard

4- husbands that text

5- my daughter

6- having power especially during an ice storm

7- electric blankets

8- beginnings

9- scrapbook stickers

10- Wendell Berry poems

11- soft peppermint candy

Duck Duck Lose

This is how we are feeling today at my house! Kind of jumpy and full of AUBURN spirit.


We got lots of snow
And Aubie is out in it but still showing his AUBURN spirit.I told Kaitlin and Jennifer that they can have the remote control til about 4pm then I plan to watch all the coverage of THE game. I heard that 50,000 folks were at the AUBURN pep rally yesterday in Glendale. How about that?!? Andrew said that I will know by 9 pm if AUBURN is going to win or not. I may get some cleaning done this evening if I get nervous.

I hope I don't get lots of cleaning done.

War Eagle!

snow!

Kaitlin and Jennifer in the snow.
Aubie in the snow.

I stood in the garage so we could have our picture made.great day with a roaring fire and movies and wonderful fellowship

Be a Katie today!

Andrew read this and shared it with me. I think you will like it too. Enjoy!

More wedding pictures!

Still more wedding pictures! Please comment on the pictures and Marisa will get a free print. Enjoy!!

Marisa in her wedding dress!

Wedding Pictures! Here are some and there is the promise of more tomorrow

Left over right

I am into scarves these days. I get bored wearing them the same way. I found this on a Coldwater Creek web site. How to tie a scarf I haven't tried them all but I hope too.

I am learning

Here are some pictures from our latest RAKU party. Raku is a Japanese form of glazing/firing pottery. It can be done within minutes instead of days. Also, every piece, even if done the same way, can come out differently. So you can have an idea in mind but sometimes the results are a surprise.

Dan and Nancy are so kind to let us invite friends over to their house and have a party.

It was a chilly evening so the fire kept up warm.

I love being around all the artsy types. I enjoy hearing their thoughts about how they got their designs. I do not think that way at all. It gives me a different perspective on life and how I see it.

MMXI

I had to say GoodBye to all my sock monkeys. I'll see them again just after Thanksgiving when I put them up again.
I put out some winter decorations.
Got out my winter tablecloth
Put up all my new calendars- this one all about the Civil War from Andrew
This one from a Japanese artist that Kaitlin likes.
I got these from Andrew. I gave him a set too. We plan to read at least the first one this year in honor of the 150 anniversary of the Civil War.
Papa and Robert took out the trees. Here there go with the one from the dining room.
The one in the den they wrapped up in a tarp.
What a sad picture but a beautiful view.
Getting ready to put the tree in our Christmas tree graveyard.
There it is! I like them down there so that I can see the icicles blowing on bleak winter days.We are having black beans and rice, jambalaya, crawfish, shrimp and various snacks + football= a great day. I hope your is great too!