October 14, 2010/October 14, 2011

God is faithful. Some prayers are answered yes, some no, and some later...but all prayers are answered. One year ago today, on my blog, I asked God a special favor. And now I want to thank Him for answering my prayer. When I prayed my prayer I did not know that there was a woman who was carrying my grandson, Jonah. But God knew. And now one year later, Jonah is home with his Mama and Daddy. He is an adorable nine month old. One of the happiest babies you've ever seen. Thank you, God.

Birthdays in January

I just came across these pictures from almost two years ago that had gotten lost in the shuffle somehow. They were taken back in Tennessee when my granddaughters turned 1 and 3. Time is just passing way too quickly. So, even though they are outdated  I wanted to add them because they are very special to me. In these pictures, the girls are wearing the dresses their great-grandma Klein made in 1986 for their Aunt Chelsea's third birthday and Cousin Jaime's first. They are adorable still 25 years later. Happy Birthday to Maria and Julia....who will be turning 3 and 5 before we know it! Slow down, little ones.

Alabama National Fair 2011

We woke up earlier than usual this morning to meet our friends, Jana and Mallory, and their children, at the Alabama National Fair. It was a great excuse for a Field Trip:) The boys really enjoyed spending time with their friends, and I loved the chance to spend time with Jana amd Mallory. It is always so encouraging to share discussions with like minded women. Instead of discussing "fluff" , we had a chance to talk about the challenges of living lives in a way many in the world just don't understand. Though we are in different stages in life, I am the one who feels most blessed of all. It is so encouraging to see young mothers who love their husbands and families, and who are taking their responsiblities seriously. And as a side note, how refreshing it was to spend several hours with nine children, 13 and under, and to hear no fussing or complaining from any of them. I wonder if they would consider letting their children come and live with me so that mine would behave like this all of the time?:) The boys had a chance to milk a cow, and see a show with rescued timber wolves, and eat some "Fair" food". Christian was disappointed that I would not let him try deep-fried Kool-Aid. Really? Really?

Labor Day Weekend 2011

What a wonderful, busy time. All of the children were here. We laughed, talked, ate and shared. I love the chaos...and especially the late nights when the little ones are in bed and I get to hear my children all talking in the other room. God knew what He was doing when he placed us in families. I'm never happier than when they all come home.

Fall 2011

I love the coziness of my home at this time of year!

Pear Picking

What an overabundance of pears we have this year! It tokk the boys and I about 10 minutes to gather nine bags of pears to make pear butter and preserves with. The pears did not have very good timing, because I had a house full of guests after I picked them. By the time the majority of my guests had left (about four days later), I had about a bags worth that had gone bad. I think the sun coming through the kitchen window wasn't a great idea:). After two days of cooking on the stovetop and baking, I have enough pear bread and preserves to last us through the holidays. For those who asked last year, here is a wonderful easy recipe for making your own bread.
Pear Butter Cake
(Best served in a bowl with warm custard or dollop of thick cream)
6 1/2 oz. butter
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp grated lemon rind
a good pich of ground cardamom
a large pinch of nutmeg
3 eggs
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c. cream
4 ripe pears
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a springform pan. Mix together all ingredients except the pears and bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile peel and core the pears. Take the cake from the oven and quickly scater the diced pears over the top. Sprinkle with about 2 spoons of sugar. Return to the oven and bake for about 45 minutes more.

Delicious on a cold , dreary day! This recie is from one of my favorite cookbooks- "Apples For Jam" by Tessa Kiros. Everyone should own a copy of one of her cookbooks!

God is Faithful

This past weekend I travelled to Olathe, Kansas to speak to a group of ladies on the faithfulness of God. A former student from HUF 1986 had invited me to come and share my thoughts. Sheri is a woman I have grown to respect greatly over the years. She has always been such an encourager. Other than getting there and back ( trying to focus on the good in life, I will not digress to the current state of our travel industry) it was a perfect weekend. I stayed at a lovely hotel and enjoyed some catch up time with Sheri. The Ladies Day was wonderful. Such creativity! Each table was decorated beautifully for Fall with mums, and handmade Fall covered notebooks, pens, recipe cards, and a "Bountiful Harvest" bag of trail mix. And all of my friends know how I love Fall! I spoke twice, first on God's fatihfulness to us, and then again on our response to the faithfulness of God. As usual, I benefitted far more than anyone there through being forced to take the time and really study God's word. It is so powerful. As several women shared their life experiences with me, I was reminded once again. Any of these women could have spoken in my place. We all have a story of His faithfulness. Besides flying me up there, they blessed me with the most wonderful basket of goodies and a new Vera Bradley bag. It was a bit like Christmas:) I am very glad to be back home with my family, but I am so grateful for the opportunity God afforded me to go. It is an area of our country that I have not spent time in, and it is always encouraging to be reminded of the presence of faithful believers all over our country. Of course, I forgot to bring my camera:(