Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night

Col. 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

We have so many many things to be thankful for 

This week I met with two nieces and took my sister to lunch on Monday.

Had a nice session in the afternoon to ready my mind for the coming week.

On Tuesday very early I made my way up to Dove's appointment.

After much chagrin over leaving the partially filled out paper work at home I paid a $15 fine and got a new set that I then had to fill out on the spot!

Org!

So the meeting went very well.

Dove is back on Prozac to my saddened heart. 

She has generalized anxiety disorder and some aspects of RAD reactive attachment disorder.

There is also the ADD attention deficient disorder inactive spectrum.

Lots to chew on even in those last few sentences.

God is good all the time~

These are the things in the file even from 2005, they are just reemerging as she is progressing in her development. So here we go again addressing all the tools in the box.

 With the table set before me I see beauty in ashes.

The funeral of last week was a rushed exit and I did not get to take my SILove the roses I got her, so I put the petal in a basket.

 

 With the pine it was so lovely on the kitchen table.

I am so blessed.

My child is so wonderful and I know that helping her is the task at hand .

This we are made able to do.

Dove will not leave my side now.

I am very tired and doing my very best to take time for my heart in a very kind way with her.

This is hard but HE is making me able.

I am grateful a little sad but so very thankful.

 

 Christmas called the train in from the give away pile in the garage.

Another wonderful year of children and trains.

It is such a delight.

 

 Wednesday morning Dash was taken at long last to the allergist in hope to help him with his breathing.

He was not too happy believe me.

I had to make the MOM call and have the food allergy panel done as well.

He finally today forgave me.

Very stressful on both of us.

He really was so angry about it.

 

This is the scratch test that shows significant findings.

We will begin doing the injections to build immunity up. The main allergens are air born and the milk, peas too. With promise of meeting his friend at the picture show the event went better than I could of hoped for . It was still a very trying morning. The movie was a real nice surprise to join a dear friend.

I just about dropped my heart when the nurse called me to the window to receive a call from my husband.

I thought is every thing alright? It was just the invite to meet them.

 

 We saw the movie "UP"

The kids are down at waters edge and this is the sweet little sister child of their buddy.

We all had a real refreshing hush not rush time.

It was wonderful to take a spontaneous time together.

 

 The kids were so funny they found it so ludicrous that all those folks down there were standing in that ridiculous line to see some guy dressed in a suit :)

 

 That evening after my darling finished up the job he has been working on and delivering it to the customer we all went to the light display in the neighborhood. It is a city renown attraction with cars and trolleys, buses and such lining the streets for blocks. We bundled up and walked to it. It was a nice family time.

 

 Yes it was very cool high 40's for us desert rats that's cold!

 

  

 The kids love this display.

Well that was yesterday...

Today we had a nice homebody day

This guy worked the job half day and then played with the kids.

I had a wonderful girl friend visit after a few hours work in the garden.

I harvested a salad for the Christmas Eve meal.

 

 On Christmas Eve we have the children open one gift.

Dash chose the big box

 

 This a gift of respect for this kid let go of his room to help Dove through this hard time.

He has always wanted a blue camo room.

 

 Dove chose...

 

 Well a new helmet, no bike to go with it.

She was a bit let down.

 

 She really needed a new helmet.

 

 Now we all know that the box is the real thing most desired...no different in my house.

 

 it is an airplane in case your wondering.

 

 This found in the children's room.

A tree for all the stuffed critters.

Dash asked if Santa could visit them.

Today I worked at length in the garden.

Radishes were harvested for the Christmas meal tomorrow.

 

As The radish were trimmed and the greens tossed to the chickens, the dogs begged the imperfects.

Yes the love radish.

 

I heard a noise over the wall to meet the new neighbors clearing the yard behind us.

literally they are taking down all the well most of the trees, downed a mature fig, next this orange and also a lemon.

NUTS! 

It is just crazy to me but she did say I could have all the fruit.

The job to juice next week or so sounds like a big one. 

  This little one helped me pick a few to serve on the marrow.

 Radish harvest, glass candy made and delivered to the neighbors along with our good wishes too...

Steve and I have had our time of communion

Thus our hearts sleep right and our bonds are tight this

Holy Christmas Eve

 While he showered I filled the stockings and placed the cookies and milk tray at the teddy bears tree.

This our gift to you this Holy Eve

May all your hearts be thankful for the Love of God NEVER fails.

Through all the toil strife and trials know this

Love NEVER fails.

Thank you all for the loving kindness and friendship you have shown me/us this year...

Loving all of you is a gift untold how delighted it is as our days here unfold.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night

Now dash away dash away dash away all.

Sleep well for the dawn comes with child call...

Wake up wake up!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh Holy Night

I called the hospital

I got through to his room and they are moving him at the moment
She was not there to accept the call.
A message was left for her to return the call.
I will keep you posted

No word on Eddie as of yet

I am unable to get through to her.
I will call the hospital.

No News on Eddie as of yet

Her phone is on answering machine.

I will post if/when she and I can contact.

The night was full of test for him I am sure.

Thank you everyone for spinning your cords together in prayer.
A cord of many strands can not be broken.

She has a heart for all of us and as we all know it is beautiful.

Urgent Prayer For Eddie (Love Bug)

Urgent Prayer For Eddie (Love Bug)

I am typing this for Denise of Shortybears Place she is on the phone with me now

Eddie has had a stroke and is in hospital under observation. They were unable to get the stroke medication in time. So far they have done a CAT scan and a MRI and other test are being awaiting . His leg is effected. He is able to speak. This is written at 9:30 p.m. TN time

He is in Memorial Hospital Chattanooga TN. She is alone so if any friends are able please consider coming to her side. He is being moved to room momentarily.


This is written by Donetta of A Life Uncommon and she can be reached through me.

The first Birthday Party my Sister had ever had...at 51 Saturday in the park

 This my sister two years my elder was tricked into a wonderful surprise party that took her completely off guard. She was stunned. The nieces had decorated and mad a cake for her (a very good cake)

 

 I attended to honor my sister and to have the kids play with my great nieces and nephews their second cousins. Dove and this little girl the daughter of my nephews baby's mother. She and her other brother Dash's age are favored by my kids. They really get along well.

 

 The boy in the orange is the other son of my nephew and the boy on ground the brother of the above girl.

 

 The other two were neighbor and a son to the best friend of my dead nephew.

 

 This little fellow is my nieces son.

He is a real cute kid.

Dash and Dove just loved getting to see him for they live across country.

 

 The white and turquoise necklace is what I gave her.

 

 An image for her of all the kids. Many her grand kids two her niece and nephew (my kids) some neighbors children. on her lap is the son born of my nephew after his passing. To her right his mother holding the infant of another set of folks the bio of the boy in orange. The parents were not there they just let a relative bring the the children. The one on right she is a really good mom. She has the three kids the two that my kids play with well and the newest baby. . The little one in orange on his knee is a child of great concern for all of us he and his sister who is on knee at far right.

Please remember these two kids Please...for my heart is very very heavy for their lives now and in future.

 

This was a very touching moment for her this little one I ask prayer for gave a card to her that had the song You are my sunshine. It grabbed that Grandmas heart and just squeezed it into a painfully sweet way.

That is an image of her and her brother.

Two children that need a miracle to live a life of hope and promise.

Emotionally it was a challenging day.

I stood up to a man who was mistreating the boy in question.

ME i stood up to him!

I was pretty tired when I got back home as were the kids at exit.

I have NEVER seen boys fling themselves so hard on the ground and really wrestle hurting each other with calous. I was just appalled. It was normal to those in attendance. Different lives.

My thought just because "they did it" does not mean it is the most profitable way to train a child to be.

Dash had a hand injury and was just wipped out!

I took them for a burger on the way home and he was so undone.

His humor improved after food.

He told me how he really likes the way his Daddy is better than the way those men were.

They hurt him physically.

Daddy he said hurts sometimes with words but always apologizes when he is wrong.

High Tea Turnout

 The tea party was fun.

We made it a tea of words for my friend loves words and the party was also a birthday honor as well for two ladies. One was unable to attend last minute but we still had plenty even without pastries.

I put little magnetic words all over the table .

I found a book of antiquated poetry and read a piece by Yates.

This after we all spread out the fest before us.

Michelle had some wonderful fresh fruit

Trisha a fresh crisp salad with crasins and crunchiness in it.

Half and half for the tea was an added pleasure for those who use it.

Lisa joined in with some pinwheel sandwiches and malano cookies.

We had some Macadamia caramel chocolates.

Teas were served and some kosher grape juice.

After Yates Michelle said

"nobody speaks like that any more"

To which I gave the perfect gift for her.

A book on antiquated language.

She is an author so it would feed her soul.

I set out little books of poetry on friendship and we each read a few.

We all exchanged our Christmas gifts She received a necklace of words with lavender spacers,

Lisa a pink color she favors set and Trish with her copper frames received a cooper set made for her.

It was so kind the hospitality gifts were a nice box of tea, and a wonderful little magnetic note pad for my purse. Now I had been given one of these back at my birthday and I love it use it so sparingly. Now There is another and I can use it with abandon not preserve it so.

A wonderful book, a gift card to go to lunch all alone one day and people watch.

Funny cause my toes were cold and a sock of furry soft as snow but warm as a kitten came too. It was so nice to slip on. Now I wore my hat. it was so fun.When my lips were dry the chap stick that came with the cozy for my toesy was perfect.

Now I might just find myself curled up tonight reading my new book and taking notes while enjoying a cup of tea.

Our dear friend had a sad task of taking her daughters to airport for them to fly out to visit the paternal of their life. How hard that would be to do. She was able to come just as the others were pulling away. She with heavy heart stayed and was nurtured a while, while our children played together.

It was a long and late day Sunday. With Monday morn fast approaching there was little to no time to be.

 

The time of friendship came to be one of loving nurture and we held up our hearts and wounds to feel the touch of understanding and kindness. It was a good full day.

Tackle it Tuesday

WELL I am tackled for sure.

Goodness!

The children have hot chocolate on the table and my husband is out in the garden understanding why all the water is gone and the pool sits at the corner of the house. A design flaw was letting all the rain water we are trying to harvest go straight to the earth. Arg!

So now we better understand some concerns I have had about such things. It just never really seamed to be collecting when it should. Now here is another wonderful chance to collect gone. I am so glad I went out there to check the flow. It was overflowing the let in and it was because it was completely missing the screening slant and just flowing right down the outer pipe to the earth. He is fixing it now and is non too pretty happy about it at the moment

As I am coming in from the garden the prize pepper is missing. On further interrogation :) I find Dove left the gate open and not only is the pepper missing but the dog tramped the raised bed smashing many plants and the herbs took a hard hit. Kids are no longer allowed in garden!

Earlier the big tackle was the appointment for Dove at the Psychiatrist at 8 am, traffic was heavy. As I entered the freeway I realized that I had grabbed the wrong paper work. It was a long morning with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ after $$$$$$$$$$$ after $$$$$$$$$$$$$ while Steve sat at home earning them on the computer hour after hour after hour

We have a 12 part follow up and I will tell about it later on another post.

My hearing appointment was canceled this afternoon so I got to just stay home.

After a nice pot of home made chicken soup I rested some. Worked on the table for Christmas. All the china and service crystal was washed by my sweet man. I was able to begin setting anew. It is not done yet. I am thinking of another color for accent. I still have the napkins to sew. I got the table cloth washed. and reset.

 So far white silver gold and crystal is the setting.

Napkins with a silver strand on White.

 

 

 After many years I actually had the time and patience to figure out how to put the four tear stand together.

It is from Penza Russia where Dash was born. It was an issue because no one had figured the puzzle of the parts. Took me four times and I got it! I knew it would be beautiful. It was purchased in a little kiosk where a dear soul sold it for food money perhaps. Penza Russia is world renowned for its crystal.

Dove has an apointment at 8 am

my time so it is early morn and I am just to get her up and into the car soon for it is a very long drive.
They will be doing an extensive eval sweet thing. I know that this is a gift for the next apointment was 1-15 and that is just too long when a child is not sleeping and so off I go.
It has been remarkable stressful for a few days due to many many dear loved folk in crisis. WE are doing alright thank God but my heart has just been stunned by all around me the lives in deep deep struggles.

I hope your all in a hush not a rush.

peace be with all of you and joy.

Jingle bells Bat Man smells Robin laid an egg....

Oh how nice it is to respond to this year from a different angle.
Walgreen's has toys buy one get one free!
So for the first time I will be giving my Great Nieces and Nephews a small gift. It worked out to be $3.50 a toy.
I have never been able to do it before so I feel very glad and peaceful to think that I can actually gift them.
I wish I could also afford to send up to Washington to my Sisters Daughter and her grown boys but at least I had been able to do that once or twice years back. I have 22 nieces and nephews and well over 25 Greats I think it is. I am not sure about one brothers kids if or how many, I have no contact with them.

Oh so many many children have crossed this heart and these related are just a drop in a huge heart for kids.

"The Bat Mobil lost it's wheel and went rolling down the hill"

Well another young life is rolling down the hill this Christmas. Sad thing too. Doves best friend is in a bad way...
As a seer I tried to tell the child's mother that things were not what they seamed and to use care. She had longed for her husband to get let out of prison. It began that she was awaiting two payments to set a foundation for child support and then she was filing for divorce however she fell over heals for an ideal that she had longed for all those many years she held onto as a loyal wife. Only hoping someday for a normal life.
He convince her of many things...I saw danger and warned her. I saw the very thing...Last night I got a call for the girls were to get together. She was distraught on the phone . I do not watch the TV much at all. So she filled me in. Her husbands nephew had been arrested a few days ago. Then yesterday her husband. He did not dwell with her because of their daughter he was not allowed too while on probation. So it appears the two men were burglarizing homes and violently kidnapping and roughing up the folks that lived in the homes. My sweet friend was stunned because she so loves her husband that the ability to understand he was not the person she thought threw her whole world. These homes were in the very high end area of a local town.

After helping her to breath on the phone I shared with my little family. My family had heard me set strong boundaries with interactions knowing that I had a strong sense of warning.

What do you do? I told her, I warned her. I even spoke clearly that this very thing was happening that he was enticing her into a lala dream of happily ever after. She sweet thing would defend her husband with every thing she was so after speaking clearly I said no more. Now this at Christmas . A child in a real hard way. This is the very child that God had asked me two years ago if I would hold this one close in my heart. I have. Now as to what else I saw that day...well that is Gods business. This child may eventually need a safe place my heart will be open to her. Keeping guard over my little clutch all the while.

folly it was all folly...

So that Bat Mobile lost its wheel and those lives are now rolling down the hill..

Honest Scrap

Michelle over at  Beautiful Chaos gifted me with an award.

This is one with a request of listing 10 things about myself. Points of honesty about myself.

the rules say i have to tell ten honest things about myself and then pass the award along to seven other bloggers.

Well thank you for thinking of me Michelle
be sure to go over and give her a visit.


Ten things?

1. I pour myself into whatever I am doing at the exclusion often of other things. Like this summer making the garden extension left the inside of the house in want. But then I will pour myself into the house for a few weeks.  It is hard for me to just balance. I will get in the mood to cook and I cook up a storm. The Strange thing is a dichotomy because at any given moment I have such a variety of projects going at the same time. By pouring myself so deeply into a project I will often exhaust myself. Like a hamster on a wheel then the bearing seizes up. That is when projects switch. I'll go from physical to intellectual pursuits.

2. My creative ideas can become very overwhelming so I have to use care to choose what ideas to pursue. I just love to do so many different things.

3. I am afraid to take the time to do the rest of the work on my novel for if I do I may become enveloped.  One of the reasons I do not write is that I really hate being interrupted in thought when I write fiction. Writing fiction takes me into a muse of sorts where time is lost and the world in my  mind becomes like a movie picture. I close my eyes and type. Did that one year for namo pro blamo and had a novel in 31 days. It is just like letting my imagination take me into lives that let my inner most thoughts and deepest most human lessons become laid out for all to see. When I become so intensely enveloped I can be very irritable when interrupted. I do not think that fair to the children or to myself to set up explosive scenarios.

4. I would of loved to be an inventor or an architect. I love to solve creative problems. Making the tools and environment work for me where it might be something that normally works against me. I want things to function well. I really love high quality tools for any of the skills that I practice. I will wait to afford the best tool. Or afford the best tools for a job that I can.

5. Love is not a feeling it is an act of your will

This is the real base for our long marriage.

There are days or moments when choice is forced to be made. Often this occurs with misunderstandings or with disagreements. Often it can be solved by hearing each other out without being defensive. Often it has been my own selfish or tender soul. Assuming that the intent was different than it was. Male / female thinking also plays a big part in helping me see more clearly.

6. I do not take as good of preventative care of my self as I ought too. Mainly my body. However I did learn today at my women's well visit that I have lost 15 pounds since last year. I was startled.

7. I really really can not stand tags in my clothing. They always get cut out. The threads will also get picked out. It is just on of those things.

8. I have heard it said that the number of taste buds on a tong will often have great bearing on how much a person will enjoy flavors. If you  have many many your likely to be very sensitive to flavor. 

I must have few for I LOVE STRONG FLAVORS! It is like I can not get enough. Herbs are a huge part of my cooking and baking for bland will never do with me. I love to have a bite of fresh thyme for example in my salad to me it is just the way life was suppose to be. Full of spice.

9. I love cotton. I would rather iron or have a few wrinkles in my clothing than to be encased in fake fabrics. Silk is abundant life and beads are the eye candy.

10. I am a very deep thinker. Often times I am a seer. That is my spiritual gift. Things I see spiritually often are not spoken. I will see things often before they happen. I will pray and think a lot about why I am shown something. I love to see people the way my spirit sees them. They are to me the name of the vision I see over them. I will often know people much more intimately by what I see over them than by what my eyes might see before me. I really like that, but it is a strange sort of way to live around folks. I think it would of been more normal for me to have lived as a native American many years ago. My brother said that my grandmother was a Cherokee medicine woman. I have often wondered if this is a part of my gift. It makes me a peculiar person I think especially in the Christian setting. Many religious folks tried to convince me that it was evil or that it was demonic to see. I now understand this is a gift from God and it is holy. As with any talent one must gain skill in the practice of it to become an artisan. It has been hard to do so as a born again Christian. Only through my Friendship with God have I come to terms with his sweet sweet provision for me. I understand that this is how HE made me and that is not evil.

To call something Holy evil is a shame and really grieves the Holy Spirit.

We do not have to know Gods mind just His heart for us and the world.

There are so many peoples with so many cultures and so many many ways of worship.

There is only one God in three Father Son Holy Spirit.

Many people in varied cultures worship the true God.

I am never going to finish this if I do not just post. I began this last night.
The day has been so full.

So I tag these dear hearts in hopes they might have a chance to open their hearts to us.

Annette

Denise
Lynn
Tiffany
Amrita


If any of you might have the oppertunity to do so as well feel free to join in.

Good morning

on the fly busy busy busy
just wanted to give you all a big hug.

if a fat guy grabs you and puts you in a bag don't panic I told Santa I wanted my good friends for Christmas.

Word Filled Wednesday

Prepairing for High Tea

 For many years a core group of women have met.

We have a special bond with one another.

This year my home will be hosting our tea.

We have met in tea houses but this year...a home.

He has set a table before me...in this case with my friends.

 

I like to set the formal table and see to it that it will present the way I like.

The tea is not until next Sunday.

I want to have it just right.

Each friend will bring their part of the tea.

High Tea is normally held at 2 p.m.

We have finalized a schedule that will work for everyone.

These days with all of our busy family lives this is a  real accomplishment.

This is not the final table.

Thought it would be fun to let you have a peak.

Tackle it Tuesday

Approaching Christmas with a Hush not a rush

This Morning was spent writing out the last of the 50+ Christmas cards. This is something that I love to do. It is a part of stopping the world and saying hello to folks. It is a chance to thank those professionals that have added blessings to our year.
Many calls made for appointments and such with amazing results. I was able to get into a specialist on 12-28! unheard of! God is good.
With all the calls and cards complete I was off to an impromptu concert at the school. I found out about this at the last minute of course. It is so good to be real and not try to catch the ideal of the so called perfect holiday time. In doing so I was slow and able to relax my way into a wonderful band concert.
Stopping by Dash's class room to check on him the teacher told me that the district is forcing 3rd graders to do multiplication this year for tne new standards will be pushing the kids harder. That is a full years advancement. Needless to explain that Dash came home in a panic at his homework.
His teacher asked if I could stay after to lend a hand making ornaments. So after the concert with the card finished and sitting out in the car to be mailed I was hushed to give my afternoon to the children. We used painted puzzle pieces to make little Christmas ornament with the photo in center like a little wreath. It was nice to be around all those smiling little children. The day had a hard start of a migraine to it. Being with the children really warmed my heart back into a bit of excitement over the holiday.

I have an extra child in tow and so they are all playing now.

The house is actually hushed for the play is quiet.
There will be no rush today.
This is the time to hush my soul into the lush abundant life of loving and being loved.

 

 Dash's class we made the gifts for the parents of these kids today.

 

 Dove plays the french horn.

 

 This is the 5th grade class after the performance.

The sixth graders were up next.

These kids sounded so much better:)

 

 The french horn girls.

Playing the french horn comes with a heavy case to bear.

 

 Presents are almost all wrapped and the cards are finished.

A few more things for neighbors and I am done.

Just gotta clean a messy kitchen and hang clean clothes.

Play for a while then they all do a bit of homework.

Adoption Day number 7 for Dash

 After Dinner we all gathered to give Dash his gift from Russia.

When we adopted him I tried my best to gather as many gifts for his 18 years as I could.

It was made more difficult to do so for Dash due to our location.

We were only 500 miles or so above the Northern Afghanistan boarder three weeks after the special forces went in. We accually met one of those men at our 25th wedding retreat up in the mountains some years later.

It is a small world really.

 

Dash got to come home to us just the December after the 9-11-2002 attacks on the U.S.

We were unable to get him home until he was 10 months old.

It was four months of not knowing if we would ever get him out.

We had a wonderful Christmas child that year.

THIS IS MY SON.

Look at the grin he lost a tooth today

 

 He was so happy with his child doll in Russian attire.

 

 If any one can translate?

 

The cake was a snaggle because I made Chocolate frosting with making the teddy bear in mind, because of size I grabbed his second choice the Santa. I had the frosting made.

So Santa was just covered in chocolate frosting and sprinkles.

I felt bad about it but Dash did not mind, at least he said he didn't

After Company of the day left we all wnet to Panda express for chinese food.

Asia was the thiem

:)