TenThousandBeside

JD’s teacher this year has travelled the world and tasted everything from Alligator Steak to Dog Soup.  So JD was very honored to have her taste his pickles last week, and say they were the best she had ever had.  Tonight JD made some especially for her, and it sounds like a big deal but its actually very easy – he did it all by himself, and he’s only 10!  We got our recipe here, but we don’t use sugar or mustard seed, as we couldn’t find any.  Mrs. Ward, we hope you enjoy them!

JD acting like he works at Domo77

The ingredients (carrots not included, dry mustard label turned around)

"Viola!!!"

Unbelievable how C and R flow through life like dolphins taking turns in the lead, yet swimming the oceans inseparably.  This week we had some unique and sweet expressions of the bond between them:

1) R spilled his milkshake in the car (don’t ask me why I let them have a milkshake in the car in the first place….) and reacted with devastation.  C then told me he didn’t want his own.  “Why not just share yours with R?” I asked.   “R doesn’t like that flavor.”  And C just didn’t want it anymore, he felt so badly about having something his brother didn’t get.  Then R, not wanting C to make this sacrifice just because of him, said, “It’s not THAT.  It’s that I SPILLED it!!!”  (the trauma perfectionists go through, you know.)  But C would have nothing more to do with his shake, now that R’s was gone.

2) had some news for grandma and grandpa, and the agreement was R tells Grandma, C tells Grandpa.  R went first.  After he had finished his tale, he said, “and don’t tell Grandpa, because C gets to.”

3) at almost 6.5 years old, everything still is done together.  This week it was raking, hunting for acorns, reading, making pickles, and some lego.com.  And often there is brotherly affection.  Enjoy the photos not just of today’s but some typical twin moments captured into the files.

The Twin Bond

always together

My Other Brother Daryl

This man with me is known by my sister Dianne and I as Mr. Cool.  Its a long story, but let’s just say he earned the title back in the day, and continues to maintain it when he’s not wearing “church shoes” with shorts.  (love you, Daryl!)  Anyway, after being a champ and handling the hospital with flying colors, (grace upon grace) he’s now resting at home after quadruple bypass surgery.  I heard from my other brother Daryl (oops, I mean my other brother Dave) that even when he was groggy and had half his brain tied behind his back he was still witty and sharp.  (I am using my family’s vocabulary here so I hope all of you in the family appreciate it.)  Please pray for his continued recovery and that the required down time won’t make this entrepreneurial mover and shaker go nuts, but will be a special time for him of “bing still” (Psalm 46:10) and that he will, even in the midst of a difficulty of this magnitude, know at an even deeper level God’s love for him in Christ.  Despite being 16 years apart in age, we have a wonderful relationship and God has used him in my life so many ways!  This picture was taken the day he flew from Seattle to Chicago to suprise me and be with me (er, actually my sisters) on my birthday.   There we are together at dinner that night last September.  🙂  Can you see how happy  I was that he could join us?!?!?

Daryl, I’m sending you a CD!  And some other things to entertain you!   Since I’m not supposed to call (your iphone has been banished I hear, and rightly so!) you’ll be able to look back at this post and know I was thinking of you……

John 1:16-17  From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth are from Jesus Christ.

my beloved

I am making this post in hopes of winning a necklace. . . or bracelet or what have you from The Vintage Pearl.  One of my favorite blogs is Women Living Well.  The writer is Courtney,  she is like no one I have ever met….well, I haven’t met her, either.  But she faithfully executes a blog entry every day and each one is a ministry and a blessing to women worldwide, literally.  This blog is not her job, it is not her duty, it is not for profit, it is not for herself….it is her calling, and if you follow along you will see why.  She has been gifted by God and equipped by obedience and education and life and Christ to post what she does; devotionals, tutorials, marriage encouragement, motherhood insights…. all biblical and sincerely motivated to build up others.  Back to the necklace…. she started a challenge at the beginning of the summer to very specifically focus her readers on their marriages.    My toughest area is respectful communication.   Its not that I don’t respect my husband, its that combination of a bent toward sarcasm and my inability to fake things i don’r really think or feel that makes it impossible for me to hide any disappointment or disagreement with him.  (do you hear the exculpatory nature of that last sentence?  its deliberate, and a little sarcastic itself. )  This is not a recipe for success in the respectful communication area!  However, reminders are extrememly beneficial, and Courtney’s weekly focus on marriage this summer has helped so much.  I do believe God has answered my prayers and  helped me to be significantly more respectful in my communication to Jeff, and also to voice my admiration ~+~ because there IS so much to admire~ +~ to put off the negative and put on more positve……and that he feels it.  Thank you Courtney, for your ministry to so many.  Thank you Jeff, for loving me!