Catching up with the Folks

Nice cake! Rudy celebrated another birthday this month. I'm feelin' old. It has been a while since I have posted. I hope to be back soon. I just have not had much to write about recently. I am so ready for spring. My poor little Gillan was sick this past weekend and Gracie needed some entertainment, so she helped Dad build a frame for new swings. She is a great helper....did you notice her "Helper" apron above?.....So cute! It looks like it was a cold day in Texas. I hope spring is around the corner. Rudy also sent a picture of Gillan sleeping on the couch, sick. I wanted to post it, but I just couldn't bring myself to do that to him...even though he is handsome sleeping or awake.

We are missing you all! Hope to see you soon. I will be ready to play ball and swing in the new swings.

Foundation to Live By

I received a daily devotional by David Jeremiah one day last week (Wednesday, January 23). I thought it was worth sharing. He expressed how the rules given years ago were not to hinder our happiness, but rather to teach us how to live our lives to the fullest. I liked the old English verse he shared of the Ten Commandments.

Above all else love God alone;
Bow down to neither wood nor stone.
God's name refuse to take in vain;
The Sabbath rest with care maintain.
Respect your parents all your days;
Hold sacred human life always.
Be loyal to your chosen mate;
Steal nothing, neither small nor great.
Report, with truth, your neighbor's deed;
And rid your mind of selfish greed.
----McGuffey Reader

"The Road Home" Scene - GONE!

Many of you will remember this picture of the scene we call "The Road Home", which I have spoken of in the blog on more than one occasion..... Well, I am so thankful for the picture and the water color paintings from my sister-in-law that we have, because on the way home from work today...........the scenery looked much different. I had noticed county equipment and trucks gathering the past few days and wondered what they were doing. I will admit the trees and bushes needed to be trimmed, but to my amazement most all of them were chopped down today between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. I do appreciate the county workers....our road is in better condition than it has been since we moved here....almost 30 years ago. But, my heart sank a little when I saw the accomplishments today.....the big cedar tree on the left was thrown in a ditch...and all of the other trees were stumps.......boo-hoo, boo-hoo!!

"New Pal"

We have a new buddy. Her name is "Shadow" and the boys love her so much, already. She is a cow dog and loves to work and move cattle, but she is wonderful with children. Josh wants me to post that Shadow loves people very much. Shadow and the boys played a long time this afternoon and when they climbed on the trampoline she jumped right on with them and they played "Tag". She was very good at it, according to Josh. We have had several good stock dogs, but I don't know that I have seen one so adaptable and take right up with all of us immediately. Thank you Kendall & Marla for giving her to us. We will do our very best to care for her and give her plenty of play time, as well as work....what Border Collies do best! If you have never seen a good dog work cattle or sheep...you would be amazed at their abilities. Excuse the fuzzy look of the picture...it is due to the trampoline net.

New Talent

Gillan sent this picture to me and I wanted to post it. He has a new guitar and is going to start lessons. He is only 10 years old and he has such a gifted singing voice. Lessons will help him with music and who knows, maybe someday he will be a song writer. I don't know much about music, but I know that those who are able to play an instrument, as well as sing, often combine those talents and get creative writing songs. Go for it Gillan! Can you tell that I have some very special grandchildren......and I am proud of all of them?

In The Heart Of A Seed

I posted this video for Katie. She tried it on her blog, but it was not viewable. I tried on my computer through her blog and it would not. Andrew has memorized (pretty close) one of Josh's poems from school. You will need to turn the music off to hear him. Just in case you can't understand the words, they are as follows:

In the heart of a seed, buried deep, so deep,

A dear little plant lay fast asleep.

"Wake," said the sunshine, " And creep to the light."

"Wake," said the voice of the raindrops bright.

The little plant heard; And it rose to see

What the wonderful outside world might be.

By Kate Brown