Catching Up!

Wow! A lot has been going on around here and I need to catch up with it all! The last post, or close to the last was my new nephew! He is so sweet and I believe he is going to have the character of his daddy! Here's the happy family the day he was born!

Erick, Tina, Ericka and Joshua

We celebrated Seth's 7th birthday and him being home for 1 year! He is now able to ride his "new" two wheeled bike and his scooter, everywhere!

7 Years Old!

Mitchell and Tori were baptised two Sabbath's ago. It was such a beautiful service. There were 18 other people baptised along with them! They had the privilege of being baptised by one of our conference Evangelists, Brian McMahon. To them he is a celebrity and it's something they will always treasure! We will too....

This is the morning of their baptism. They were all dressed up and ready to go! Pastor Brian had asked them if they had a favorite verse that he could share with the congregation. Mitchell's was Genesis 2:2,3. Tori's was John 3:16. It was an emotional time, with so many friends and family to share it with us. I will post pictures of the actual baptism at a later time. My brother took the pictures and I need to get them on to my computer! There were some especially good ones that really captured the moment!

Another big step in our lives.......Garhett turned 16 and on the same day he took his driving test! "Did he pass?" I can hear you say......well..........here's the rest of the story!!

We (my mom, Garhett, Mitchell, Tori, Nathan, Ellie, Seth and myself) arrived at the DOL 45 minutes early! My plan was to leave the other 5 kids here, with Mitchell and Tori in charge, while Garhett and I went and got his test "out of the way"! Well, construction guys were here taking the mold, yes mold, out of our ceiling in the kids' bathroom and I couldn't leave the others here alone with those guys running in and out. Anyway, we had the van and Rhett's Subaru. Garhett, was nervous....we got there....sat for 45 minutes....he was the first one of the day to take his test....Finally an instructor came out. He had Garhett do all the hand signals, check the front lights...check the brake lights............then both of them came walking up to the van. Garhett looked at me, with this look like he had been defeated and said, "Well....I can't take my test!" I couldn't believe it! The instructor informed me that there was a back window brake light that wasn't working and he couldn't legally test him if it wasn't working! I didn't even know there was a stinkin' brake light back there! Now, this is a big deal, because you have to sign up to get your test a month in advance....so this could mean he would have to wait a whole 'nother month! The instructor told us that if we hurried and got it fixed, he could possibly fit him in again! I don't know what I was thinking! I told my mom to go to our friend Roland's mechanic shop and have him fix it really fast! It was on the opposite side of town. After they left I asked myself, "Why didn't I go?" I could have left my mom with the other kids and hurried to get the light fixed! Brother!! Anyway...while they were gone two people were tested and passed! I kept calling them to see what was going on! Finally they said it was fixed and they were on their way. A third person had just pulled up to get tested when Garhett pulled in. The instructor had just gotten back, looked at Garhett and his watch and said, "Let's go!" I am not kidding you........they weren't gone more than 5 minutes! They drove up and Garhett had the "yellow slip" in his hand with a HUGE smile! After we did all the paperwork inside, Garhett was going to start out on his first drive by himself! When he drove off, he gave me this look that took me back 15+ years ago, it was a look he gave me when he took his first few steps (at 9 months!). It was as if to say..."Look Mama! I did it!" What a precious memory. Do you want to know where he went? He said he had to keep a promise to someone. That someone was my grandpa, his great-grandpa. They had plans, that on the day Garhett got his license they were going to go out shopping, just the two of them. Well, Gramps passed away this last November, but Garhett wanted to go visit him. So, he went up to the grave, where Granny and Gramps are asleep.

After he spent some time there, he picked me up and took me to my favorite restaurant. The Thai! He payed for it and everything! After that he took me to the doctor's office! Rhett had made me an appointment that morning, without me knowing! My asthma has been terrible and I just don't like going in! Those two were in cahoots! I ended up getting a shot in my hip, but I haven't noticed a big difference yet!

My 16 year old! How can this be? I know the Lord has plans for him and I trust he will always follow in His footsteps! He is a fine young man and I am proud to have him as my son!

Our oldest niece and her husband, who live in a state far...from us, (unfortunately) are awaiting the arrival of their first child. Our first great-niece! They have kept in touch and have sent pictures, but it's just not the same! I can't wait to hear the story of the labor/birth and all of that stuff!

Our other niece, who is sister's to the previous one I was just speaking of, is graduating from high school this coming weekend! So, we will be traveling to a yonder- state- over, to celebrate that with her and her family! We haven't seen them in awhile and it will be nice to get together!

I will end on this note, a little story that happened on Sunday morning.

Well, I wasn't able to attend church on Sabbath. I was coughing so much and was just miserable, but even if I hadn't of had a battle with my asthma, I wouldn't have been able to go anyway. I was planning on taking the doctor's advice and I was going to rest up over the weekend, to help my immune system. It was funny, the doctor asked me if I had been able to work. I told him I homeschool my six children. He put his hand on my shoulder and he said, with a concerned look, "Sweetheart you work to hard! I can't write you a note to excuse you from that, I commend you for all the work you do, but you need to get more sleep!" So, that's what I was planning on doing....at 4am, Sabbath morning, I woke up to Nathan standing by my side of the bed saying, "Mama, I just puked!" Well, to make a long story short, he puked until about 1:00 that afternoon, then Mitch started in and puked until 11pm! So much for rest, huh? I prayed and prayed the others wouldn't get it! I told myself if we can get through Saturday night and Sunday without anyone else puking....we had it made! Well, Sunday morning we got up and all of a sudden we heard Tori yelling through the house," Mama! Mama!" I thought someone was sick............!!! Oh no, that's not it! She and Ellie came running into my bathroom and said, "Look!" They were both holding a tiny kitten! What? We had two male cats, right? Huh? What? I had heard the cats during the night...they were making this crying sound.......hmmmmm.....

Well, let's just say the girls' cat Max has now become Rachel! My niece thought she was a he when they gave us these kittens last fall.........now we have four new kittens to add to our family. Talk about a surprise! She didn't even look pregnant!

Their names, as of now, are: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy

She is such a great Mama! I feel terrible I didn't realize she was a girl and the noise was her giving birth! I would have gone out and helped the poor thing! But....Dr. Toby was there and he has been very protective since these little darlings have joined the family! He won't let anyone hurt them!

Our dear sweet golden retriever, Toby! He LOVES cats and he's so excited to "mother" these new little blessings!

Ellie and Meg? Josephine? One of the sweet little things! Notice that Toby is near by! The dress Ellie is wearing was a hand-me-down (there is nothing better! ). I have to beg her to not wear it, so I can wash it! Kristin, it's another "uniform"! Your mom must have made this one too, huh?

Last but not least....Nathan lost those two little nubbins (actually the two top teeth next to the two big ones) finally! He has been working on them and now it's a done deal!

What a smile, eh?

No, no one ever gets bored around here! There's always lots to do, but never to busy to dig into The Word! God bless you all and I will write soon!!