Daddy and David have been working together for a while, to build a much needed bookshelf for the office! They love working with wood to build beautiful things, and why not make a father-son project of it?!!!Last week they completed the final details, and we were able to switch out our smaller one. Bethany and I had so much fun putting the books and decorations in order. What a joy it is to see the shelf in place at last…the dark wood makes the room look so nice!

Family projects = team work = GREAT LASTING MEMORIES!

Today was one of those beautiful days…clear bright skies, crips cool air, and brilliant sunshine. Some of the family went biking, and the rest of us opted to visit the local park just 5 minutes away. On the way home, we saw a sign for free puppies, and stopped to pet them. (Timothy adores puppies ). We found one that we decided was our favorite, but since we weren’t planning to get another dog, we visited a few minutes longer and then returned home to fix lunch.

Well…about 45 minutes later when the bikers returned home, we decided to take a quick trip back down…the quick trip turned into an hour…and we came back with plans to look into the cost taking care of a free puppy…

We decided it was going to be affordable…Bethany agreed to help train it (she is our dog lover)…Jack (our dog) would like a companion to play with…and everyone was excited about the whole idea. No way! We were going to get a German Shepherd puppy???

We quickly jumped into the car and made a third trip back down to the puppies, hoping our favorite one was still there. Sure enough! There was Buddy, sitting quietly in the truck with some new puppies that hadn’t been there before – looking adorable as ever!

And that is how Buddy became ours! I don’t think he’s ever received so much attention in his life…

This past week our parents attended the third ATI Regional Conference of the year, in Sacramento CA. Daddy spoke to the adults, as well as to the young people in Student Sessions, and Mommy was able to go along! We kept busy and had a blast!  Pictures tell a story well, so here are lots of them from our week.

Yes, we had a great time together. Being with siblings is so much fun…but we are very glad to have our parents back again after a long and busy week. Welcome home Daddy and Mommy!!!

It’s been 51 days, but we are all finally back home again as a family!!!

Baby Harold

6 years old

Teen Hunter

Soldier during WWII

Soldier during WWII

Groom

4 Generations

Mom, Dad and Karl

Holiday gathering

Walking me down the aisle

Dad and Dave

Grand-pop with Hannah, her thumb and her blanket

Grand-pop and Hannah giving us "thumbs" up

Dad in hospital - Elisabeth's passing

Dad and David after Elisabeth's funeral

Dad and David after Elisabeth's funeral

Dad, Mom and Bethany

Bethany with Grand-pop - wearing his hat

Dad, Mom, Hannah, Sarah, David, and Bethany

Mom and Dad

Dad and his generations before Timmy was born

Our family with Mom and Dad (before Timmy)

Mom and Dad's 50th Anniversary-renewing vows

Mom and Dad's 50th Anniversary

Dad's 86th B-day bedside

Dad's 86th B-day

Dad's 86th Birthday bedside

Dad's 86th Birthday bedside

Dad's 86th B-day July 2010

We will miss you Dad! We Love You!

 

    

      

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

20 days ago we left home and drove to PA to visit our grandparents. The hospice nurse that is caring for our grandfather (who has advanced emphysema), called and told us there was a good chance he would not live out the night. It was evening, but we decided to leave right away. (Except for Daddy who was at the Father’s Journey to the Heart program.) Because we had been anticipating a last-minute trip to PA, we just needed to throw together some last minute things that had not already been packed. Mommy was on the way home  from an all day trip to Asheville (2 hours away) for doctor appointments when the phone call came. Timing was perfect, and we left at 6:30 PM. Three of us took turns driving all night and we arrived safely in PA just after 6:00 AM. What an exciting introduction that was to our journey!

The past 20 days have been…well, interesting. There are a thousand words to describe everything that has happened these past few weeks. Blessings, challenges, joys, sorrows, good times, difficult circumstances, waiting, hoping, praying… God has been here with us every minute of every day. When I think of all that He has been to me, to us, to our family this week, I am overwhelmed by His love and faithfulness. He has been our Comforter, our Strength, our Shepherd, our Provider. He is the giver of joy and hope. He is our refuge and the truth that gives us freedom. He is behind every smile, every laugh, every song we sing. There are times when serving becomes so tiresome, and when thinking about home is just painful. It’s hard to sing in the rain. It has not always seemed like a wonderful adventure as you might imagine it to be. And yet, with each passing day it gets better and better. There is something about opening your eyes to a whole new perspective – God’s perspective – and seeing something beautiful that wasn’t there before. Or was it there all along? A wonderful lesson of character, of growing, of stretching. We’ve talked throughout the week. We’ve been encouraged by each other. God has been so gracious and merciful to pull us back into line again and again. He has patiently, gently, tenderly pursued us with His fatherly love and heart of understanding.

Looking back over the past 20 days, I have to say it’s been such a rewarding time of bonding with our grandfather. We have smiled, laughed, shed tears, held hands, prayed, and just sat around his room waiting, watching, being there. And it is by the grace of God that we have yet another day to share with him in this life! Yes, we have so much to be grateful for!          

  Have you looked outside today? I did! Our yard is full of gorgeous, brilliant, spectacular, stunning beauty. God is SO amazing!!! Wouldn’t you agree?

I couldn’t help but notice that the leaves are so much more beautiful than ever – and yet they are dying…

This reminded me of something I came across recently in my journal. Last year in September, while up at the Northwoods Training Center for Journey to the Heart, I wrote, “Just as the most beautiful leaves are those that are dying, so the most beautiful Christians are those who have died to self and fully surrendered their hearts to the Lord…” 

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” Psalm 14:1