Thank you Luther!

A Beautiful Prayer for this wonderful Sunday

Sola Scriptura Sola Fide Sola Gratia Solus Christus Soli Deo Gloria

I am trying to drink more water. I try to grab a bottle when I head out the door so I'll have one if I need it and to encourage me to drink more.

I live out of my car and so does Kaitlin. If you needed to go on a week long vacation and had no time to pack you could probably live out of either of our vehicles for several days. I am just trying to be prepared plus I don't like to clean out the car because you never know when you might need_____( fill in the blank with what you just took in the house from your car but may need on your next trip).

Kaitlin needed to vacuum out her car this week because some of her 'stuff' began shedding. When she was done she cleaned out my car too. We found lots of water bottles and I do mean LOTS. It had been awhile since my car had been cleaned out. I had to grab the camera when I saw all of them. Kaitlin's comment to the water bottles was " Mama, I am glad these aren't beer bottles."

Now, that really would be a story!

Do you take pictures of power lines?

Carl just got home from a business trip to Ireland and Scotland. I down loaded his pictures to my computer this morning. He hopes to sit down with Kaitlin and me tonight and tell us what he took pictures of. I glanced at a few pictures as I was downloading them. Here are a few that I believe I know what they are.

What electrical engineer can go on a trip and not take pictures of power lines?? I am sure Carl will tell us the super specialness of these lines but I laughed when I saw this.

Kaitlin was thrilled when she heard that Carl saw this. She studied this in Art History I.
St Andrew's

Carl got to tour this. We know that the Munro's fought at Bannockburn.
Robert Munro of Foulis fought at Bannockburn. The Munros have held lands in Cromarty since 1126. How cool is that?!? Carl got to meet Mrs Munro, who lives in the house that is built on the grounds where the Foulis castle stood. Her son is the head of the clan. She told Carl that her son lives in an old farm house out back. Yea, old farm house out back, Carl said that it is bigger than anything we will ever even think of having!!We are so glad to have Carl back home. That was a long three weeks.

Do you follow the leader?

Do you have what it takes to be a Leader? I really enjoy this blog. It often challenges me. We all need to be leaders.

I am about to die, quick, give me chocolate

We had a Muffin Mixer with the ladies of the church this past Saturday. What is a Muffin Mixer, you may ask, well, it a wonderful time with muffins and visiting.

EmilyR was in charge of 'gatherings' for the women in the church for the last few and she started these. LauraL is in charge and kudos to her for a job well done! We met at a home for a brunch of muffins, coffee and juice- this time we had egg casseroles and fruit too! After everyone was gathered we were put into groups by numbers and symbols that were on our name tags. My first group were the leafs.

This is a picture of us gathered around a table with our wonderful food.

Of course there were muffins.
The best ones there, in my opinion, were made by Mandy. I'll try to get the recipe. They were amazing. They had walnuts and cranberries in them.
Here is the muffin maker herself, Mandy with Brandi.
Here is a group discussing things like: beach or mountains, what do you see when you look out your kitchen window or were you named after anyone?


This was my second group. When asked if we had a teen heart throb... one lady said that David Cassidy was hers. When it got to me I said that mine was Donny Osmond. Sonya, who had been very quiet up to this point, heartily agreed with me!! Another question was if you could have unlimited quantities of one food, what would it be? The answers were cheesecake, chocolate, seafood and the such. When it got to Mary Ann, she shared the her husband suffers from migraines when he eats chocolate. He has asked Mary Ann to carry chocolate in her purse so if they are ever in a situation when he has just a few minutes to live, he wants her to put the chocolate in his mouth!!!! We are laughed about that.

Kris shared her testimony.
There was lots of laughter.A good time was had by all. If you missed it, you missed a good time and I hope you will be at the next one.

Books Books Books

The Tower, The Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart. I read a review of this book. It said that this book was just like The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved that book and so I checked this book out of the library with high expectations. I was disappointed. It was slow and I finally just flipped ahead so I can see what happened in the story. Can't recommend this one

Katherine Wentworth by D E Stevenson. Ahhhh. I loved this book. It was so wonderful, very British, just wonderful. It is about a widow and her children and their life. I could read this again. Highly recommend.

The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey. Tricia was recommended to me as an author by MichelleH from church. She knows her! I got it from the library and they have lots by her. This book was set during WWII and it was about the underground. It was great and suspenseful. I got about four chapters in and I knew who the bad guy was but the main character didn't. I couldn't stand it any more. I had to start reading from the back to the front. I was so nervous. It was a great book. I plan to get more of hers. Plan to read it in one sitting.

I'm So Proud of You by Tim Madigan. Andrew suggested this book to me. This book is about a reporter who meets Mr Rogers. It was a very fun and sweet read. I recommend this one.

Sarah Morris Remembers by D E Stevenson. HeatherT recommended this one to me. It was just as wonderful as all the Stevensons, no, maybe even more so! I loved this book. It is set before and during WWII. Request this book from your library now!

Firefly Lane by Kristen Hannah. HeatherT also recommended this one. Heather- keep the suggestions headed my way! I read this book while my friend, Gladys, was in the hospital. I could pick it up and put it down as needed and still know the story. It is a story of friendship. I recommend it.

Gerald and Elizabeth by D E Stevenson. Wonderful as usual. A great story about a brother and sister. Really good.

The Book of Peach by Penelope J. Stokes. A great story about a mother and a daughter. I plan to read more by this author. Really good.

Sarah's Cottage by D E Stevenson. This so far is my all time favorite Stevenson book. It is the sequel to Sarah Morris Remembers. I feel like now calling the den, the drawing room and having tea every day. I would love to buy this book so I could read it again and again. Request this one at the same time as the one above, both will be quick reads that you will be sad when you are finished because you have made such new and precious friends.

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman. This was recommended on a book blog. This is a non-fiction book about the Jews in Poland before, during and after WWII. It was factual but not depressing. The author had Polish grandparents and enjoyed hearing their stories about WWII and did some investigating and the book is the result. I highly recommend this one.

The First Heroes- the story of the Doolittle Raid by Craig Nelson. Andrew recommended this author to me. Andrew read the author's book about the Apollo program, that book is on my TBR list. When we were homeschooling, we watched several war movies. One of our favorites was Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. It is about an air raid by the Americans the April after Pearl Harbor was bombed. It was very dangerous and pushed the limits of what the aircraft of that day could do. I have seen the movie at least 100 times. This book was a wonderful addition to the knowledge I gained from the movie. I have even more admiration for those men and what they did. If you don't like history, this is a painless way to gain some knowledge. If you do enjoy it, you will love this book.

Happy Reading!

A picture is worth a thousand words

I have so enjoyed the journey that Kaitlin's photography has and is taking all of us. I love, love, love looking at photos and it gets even better when you are looking at pictures that someone you love has taken.

These are from one of Kaitlin's blog . This her latest venture. You will probably see the second one from the top on my wall sometime. It is my favorite so far.

Which one do you like?

For Cara! Pumpkins and Lifesavers

I talked to Cara this weekend. What a fun phone visit we had. She asked if I could give her a blog fall decoration visit around my house.

To one and all welcome. Here is my newest decoration given to my by SusanP.

Notice the buckeyes that I have mixed in with the pumpkins. Some are just about to open.

The pumpkins in this picture are older than I am. I always remember my daddy putting them out.


Even in the laundry room I have a harvest basket. It makes working in there more pleasant.
My soap dispenser by the kitchen sink is a happy pumpkin!

this is my very happy kitchen window.I love fall! I am blest with lots of harvest decorations and places to display them. I hope you are enjoying this beautiful autumn season. I plan to savor today like I savor cherry lifesavers, ever so slowly, trying to make them last as long as possible.

thread, hardships and prayer

There is lots going on in my life right now. Lots in my opinion. Sometimes I feel like I have a thread within me that is being pulled taunt and I am so afraid that it will break and I will lose it. Lose what?? My ability to function well, to not be a babbling idiot, to carry on with day to day living.

After reading the latest article by Andrea Seu I was really convicted by what I consider 'hardships' Why me? is all I would probably be saying if that were my situation.

Today when I am feeling that thread being pulled, I plan to stop and pray for all the mama's that are being held and for the mama's that have children or husbands being held.

outside beauty

Take some pansies
and some dirt
and an artist
and here is some of the beauty
and here is the some moreWe had to use fake veggies this year because a few years ago the animals around here had a feast on my beautiful fall outside decorations and left me with the mess to clean up.

O Beautiful, For Spacious Skies...

This is a view I see often as I drive around town. I am blest. It is just beautiful.Kaitlin took this picture as we were driving home one day last week.

Two Months from today

It was a beautiful evening a few nights when we met at KimT's to address Marisa's wedding invitations. Kaitlin took this picture.
She then saw the reflection in our car window.
Here is my picture of the beautiful sunset, oh yea, that's right, I didn't get the sunset but I did get beautiful Kailtin!
Marisa and Kaelyn were there for the party.
Renee and Evelyn were two of our addressers. Is that a word??
Evelyn had to move into the kitchen because she needed a different surface to write on. Bob and Fester came to visit her.
Here is KimT as she addresses. Marisa, Kaelyn and Kaitlin stuffed the envelopes.
They are done. We ordered some cool stamps and when they get in the invitations will be mailed! How exciting!!

making someone a meal, sending a card...

I like the word proactive. It makes me think of of being active with some planning involved. Here is an article about being Proactive in your Christian walk. Seeking to do things for others. Cool idea.

I plan to be proactive today, what about you?

bye mom

John and Marisa have an apartment now. They have been blest with lots of furniture. John didn't have to work today so he has spent the day moving. He made several trips this morning and after class Robert joined him to help with the heavier furniture.
John used all his bags, backpacks and several suitcases to get all his clothes and things gathered together.
I know my job is to send all the birds out of the nest but it is still hard. John has been home full time since May and he is ready to spread his wings, but it is still hard. I am excited for this new phase of his life and even mine, as we readjust to 'new normal' around here.

I will miss sharing the little bits of life with John that happen with the day in and day out living together. I have two more months to share day to day life with Marisa before she joins John.

I don't think John realized the gravity of the situation as he left with his last load. I know he is excited but I had to quickly find a place to sit down. There goes my baby, now a grown man, but he will always be my baby.The days seem long but the years are so short, very short indeed.

11-1, 8+2, 1x10

What a cool date today is! So in honor of the coolness of it here is a list of ten random things

1-Simple Fall Dessert Squares

1 box of yellow cake mix

8 T unsalted butter, melted

4 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 eggs

1 jar Muirhead Pumpkin Pecan butter or 1 jar Williams Sonoma Cranberry Relish

2T milk

1 T flour

1/4 c sugar

1t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350, lightly grease 9x13 pan

Reserve 1 cup cake mix. In a bowl, stir remaining cake mix, 8 T melted butter and 1 egg. Pour into pan. In another bowl, stir together pumpkin butter or cranberry relish with the remaining 2 eggs and the milk. Spread over cake batter. Add flour, sugar and cinnamon to the remaining cake mix and stir together. Add 4 T of cold butter. Cut the butter in with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture clumps together. Crumble over the top of cake batter in baking pan. Bake til golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool. Cut into squares.

Kaitlin made this with the Pumpkin Butter. It was fabulous. I will get some more soon and we also plan to try with the cranberry relish too.

2-College Football especially when my team wins

3- this week's to-do list. I need to mail some things to Andrew and Taylor, go to PT 3 times this week, eat lunch with the Wilson's at 5 Guy's, copy a map to put into the wedding invitations, help address the invitations, organize the rearranging of furniture as we shuffle bedrooms, around as my youngest seeks to fly from my nest and begin the making of his own, sit outside and enjoy fall, talk to my brother, John, and sister in law, Elaine, on Thursday, be available to the needs of all those that I am blest to have in my home.

4- Andree Seu wrote an article this week on prayer, encouragement and friends. She said that there are two kinds of counsel you can get from other Christians- that which tens to decrease your faith or that which tends to increase it. I am praying this week for friends that will increase and that I'll be one of those too.

5- The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman and The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton are the books I am reading now. I am so caught in both of them that I am surprised that anything else is getting done around here.

6- clean sheets. I just love them and the first night sleeping on them.

7- There are 16 pumpkins that I can see from where I am sitting right now. I love me some pumpkins.

8- Corn dogs. If you ever need to bring something to a covered dish lunch and are wondering what to bring, you can't go wrong with corn dogs. Add a jar a mustard and folks are all kinds of happy.

9- If you read my blog you will probably be getting an invitation to the wedding. Be sure and notice the stamps that Marisa found to use on them. If you don't get an invitation- I'll be sure and post the stamps.

10- Thanks for reading my blog. Thanks for KimT and Hazel for the encouragement to start a blog. Thanks to Lydia and Brianna for mentioning some of my thoughts in your blog. A special shout out to KimB's mama in Birmingham, who I've heard is a faithful reader. I am praying for you and Mr Monroe and I truly am sorry, for your sakes, that your team lost yesterday.

where is your mission field?

When I was a new bride the buzz book was The Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman by Anne Ortlund. I still refer back to that book and all I learned from her. Here is a wonderful read from her daughter in law, Jani. She is also an author.

I love you, Addie Lou

Today would have been my sweet and precious mama's birthday. I miss her. I miss sharing life with her. I miss her advice. I miss laughing with her. I miss her point of view, mostly-she was a big democrat :) , I miss her seeing her grandchildren and loving on them.

I walked around my home and took pictures of her things that now live with me. I realized as I was taking these pictures was that mama's things are all over the house.


this lives in John's room
dining room
kitchen
my bathroom
my bedroom
my bedroom window

Kaitlin's room
She gave me this dictionary, hers that is just like this, now lives with my brother, John and his wife, Elaine.
I loved my mama and she loved me. I am realizing more and more that that is rare. I was very blest to be the apple of my mother's eye. She believed in me and the confidence she had is still an encouragement to me today.

I will always miss my mama. I am thankful for the 38 years I had her and that we had such a wonderful time for all those years.