Great is thy Faithfulness is her song!

Today is Kaitlin's birthday. She is an amazing photographer

Carl's personality twin

Hard working, gift giving

and My favorite daughter of all times!

Andrew's birth was a traumatic experience for both he and I.  I really thought I would never have any more children.  When I was in the hospital the night before Kaitlin was born (29 years ago when you had a c-section, you had to check in the hospital the night before your surgery) I had a panic attack about the birth.  All the emotions and memories of Andrew's birth flooded me and almost overtook me. Almost is the key word.  I saw Jesus that night in the form of a nurse.  She came in at midnight to take away my water and saw that I was awake.  She told me that it was almost morning and to get a big drink.  The Holy Spirit brought a verse to my mind- Lamentations 3: 22-23  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every MORNING; great is your faithfulness.  Wow!!  I slept after that because I knew that it was morning and His faithfulness was already there.  Andrew's birth on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being easy and 10 being yikes, was a 15.  Kaitlin's was an 8, still a hard time but we made it.  We serve an Awesome God!

Every since Kaitlin was a little girl I have told her about her story and that His faithfulness is great!  When we sing this song in church we are reminded again of His faithfulness at her birth.  

I am so glad God gave Kaitlin to us!  What a gift she is to so many people but especially to me!

Happy Birthday to my favorite daughter

28 years ago today I was in the hospital having a baby.  A girl!  Katherine Parris.  We knew that we would nick name her and before she was born, her nick name was Kate but as I lay in the recovery room, I asked (read- pleading with Carl) to call her Kaitlin.  How could he refuse???  I will say that when she was 6 weeks old, I told Carl that I would call her whatever name he picked, he said that he liked Kaitlin.  She loves the unusual spelling.

We have lots of fun!

and have had fun for many years

I love to look at all the pictures she has taken.

Some days you just have to put on your green mohawk...

Here's a picture we took at Crystal Bridges last year.  No wonder they kept following us!!

Kaitlin, I hope your birthday is wonderful just like you!!!

Boxes, Kaitlin and The Alamo

About a year ago when Kaitlin was at work a lady came in looking for a money tree for her niece's high school graduation.  She wanted to have it out at a party so folks could put money on it.  Kaitlin knew that her store didn't have money trees so she told the customer that and what stores she could check for one, but then Kaitlin showed the lady some picture frames that her store had with tiny little clothes pins around the frame.  Kaitlin's suggestion was to put pictures of her niece in the frames and then folks could clip money in the clothes pins.  The customer loved the idea and went home with several.  Kaitlin was unaware that her boss had observed the entire conversation.  Kaitlin's boss approached Kaitlin and complimented her for her outside-of-the-box thinking.  Later that day, Kaitlin shared that story with me and she asked me if I thought that she thought outside-of-the-box?  I told Kaitlin that most days she didn't know where her box was! We both laughed!

I came across the above happy box in my pretty things closet.  I think if Kaitlin has a box it looks something like the box above!

Kaitlin loves to celebrate.  She celebrates some rather unusual days.  I think after her birthday and Christmas and Thanksgiving, Ground Hog Day is her favorite holiday.  This year, our friend, Sandy ordered Kaitlin a stuffed groundhog from Panxsutawney, PA.  Kaitlin was overjoyed!

This year Kaitlin plans to 'Remember the Alamo'.  She is not sure what her remembering will look like yet but I am sure it will be interesting!  Below is the song that she she often sings.  It is a great song and you learn lots of history about the Alamo painlessly.  Tomorrow, February 23, is the anniversary of the day the siege began but the official Remembering Day is March 6, the day the siege ended.




In the southern part of Texas, in the town of San Antone,
There's a fortress all in ruin that the weeds have overgrown.
You may look in vain for crosses and you'll never see a one,
But sometime between the setting and the rising of the sun,
You can hear a ghostly bugle as the men go marching by;
You can hear them as they answer to that roll call in the sky:
Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett and a hundred eighty more;
Captain Dickenson, Jim Bowie, present and accounted for.

Back in 1836, Houston said to Travis:
"Get some volunteers and go fortify the Alamo."
Well, the men came from Texas and from old Tennessee,
And they joined up with Travis just to fight for the right to be free.

Indian scouts with squirrel guns, men with muzzle loaders,
Stood together heel and toe to defend the Alamo.
"You may never see your loved ones," Travis told them that day.
"Those that want to can leave now, those who'll fight to the death, let 'em stay."

In the sand he drew a line with his army sabre,
Out of a hundred eighty five, not a soldier crossed the line.
With his banners a-dancin' in the dawn's golden light,
Santa Anna came prancin' on a horse that was black as the night.

He sent an officer to tell Travis to surrender.
Travis answered with a shell and a rousin' rebel yell.
Santa Anna turned scarlet: "Play Degüello," he roared.
"I will show them no quarter, everyone will be put to the sword."

One hundred and eighty five holdin' back five thousand.
Five days, six days, eight days, ten; Travis held and held again.
Then he sent for replacements for his wounded and lame,
But the troops that were comin' never came, never came, never came.

Twice he charged, then blew recall. On the fatal third time,
Santa Anna breached the wall and he killed them one and all.
Now the bugles are silent and there's rust on each sword,
And the small band of soldiers lie asleep in the arms of The Lord.

In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone,
Like a statue on his Pinto rides a cowboy all alone.
And he sees the cattle grazin' where a century before,
Santa Anna's guns were blazin' and the cannons used to roar.
And his eyes turn sort of misty, and his heart begins to glow,
And he takes his hat off slowly to the men of Alamo.
To the thirteen days of glory at the seige of Alamo.


Do you celebrate any unusual holidays? I'll post at the end of her Remembering the Alamo so that you will know how to get ready for next year when you join our celebration!

What does your box look like???

craftcation # 27?

 About 8 years ago Carl and John went on a 15 day Scout outing.  Kaitlin and I pushed back all the furniture, set up lots of tables in several rooms and invited over friends to craft.  That time we were only doing scrapbooking.  We scrapbooked and laughed and laughed.  One husband called a few times to check on his wife.  He couldn't believe that she could scrapbook for 12 hours but we sure did!!  I shall leave him nameless because many of you know him :)

I think that was our first craftcation.  It is so much fun to set aside a few days to just craft.  Last Friday we had a craftcation with Bri and Callie.  Kaitlin and Bri did well for only having about 3 hours sleep since they saw the new batman movie at midnight.  Our day started with new Toms for everyone!

Callie brought several crafts with her for the day.  Here she is putting her wedding photos in an album.

Lots of markers are involved with decorating Toms.

Here is the beginning of painting on pillowcases with bleach pins.

Bri's Toms

Callie's Toms

Kaitlin's Toms

Callie also worked on a tee shirt quilt.

Bri

 The group that was here for supper! We had roast, potatoes, carrots, onions and squash in the crock pot so  we wouldn't have to stop and cook.

I think Matt's face is my favorite.  He just smiles with all the craziness going on all around him!





We had a great time!!  We laughed so much and that means it was a wonderful day!!

Kaitlin, You are a blessing!

Kaitlin and Aunt Elaine in Gappy's library

Kaitlin is 27 today.  What a wonderful time we have had and I am sure we will have many more good times.

Kaitlin and Gappy at Gappy's library

helping Papa get to work 

Carolina Beach

sorry I can't turn this picture-  Kaitlin and me just before her 1st birthday

at 6 months

10 days old

sweet Kaitlin and sweet Gappy

Texas Trip Part III Wildflowers and Unicorns

On Sunday we went to the LBJ library in downtown Austin, TX.  LBJ had three homes that we planned to tour after Carl's meetings so we toured his library to learn more about him.  I was 5 when he became president.  The only thing I remember from his presidency is that Lady Bird, his wife, loved wild flowers, so I was looking forward to learning more.

The library is free and it was undergoing renovation so we didn't get to see it all but what we did see we all enjoyed.  

 This is the view from the top floor.  That is University of Texas stadium.

Pictures that you take when you have an artsy person with you.

 Getting ready to watch a video on LBJ so we would know what we were seeing.  One thing that they did at the library that really helped me was as you walked along the exhibits showing what LBJ did, a timeline was above it showing what was going on in the world at the same time.

 We all enjoyed the wall of Presidents

 Kaitlin's favorite is James K. Polk

 I love TR

 Carl picked the fifth president!

 This was an interactive exhibit.  LBJ would talk as you walked by.  Kaitlin wasn't aware of this and nearly jumped out of her skin.  Sorry I don't have a picture of that!!

 The oval office as it was when he was president

 LBJ was know for having three TV's close by all the time so he could keep up with the news.  He even had a remote control for the TV's.

 Lady Bird's beautiful White House china.  Notice the wildflowers.

 Carl, Kaitlin and LBJ

This is a Olmec head.  Kaitlin learned about this art during one of her Art History classes.  

 After the library we went to the Texas Military Museum.  Very interesting.  I wrote down a few battles to read more about.  Carl walked through the museum and showed us all the vehicles he could buy off of ebay.  I won't be surprised if I drive up and I have a weapons carrier in the front yard one day!

 Some very cool dioramas.  This one of the Alamo.

This last picture is one that is taken by a girly girl with a wonderful attitude.  She has been to so many war museums and goes cheerfully.  She interprets life differently than her brothers.  When she was little and  played army with her brothers she always packed dishes and her dolls to go in her fox hole.

Here is her unicorn aka Lady Gaga posing with a tank since they both have something in common.  Get it?  Very clever!