Happy Birthday!

Stunning!

I looked out my back door between rains last evening and spotted this beauty.

Collage Time for Sarah

One inside, and one outside. Hope you like them. Not too many mosquitos inside....

She's BACK!

Here I am, folks. You can quit holding your collective breaths!

Almost 5 weeks later. We are moved in, and we are LOVING our bonny Bonnie house! Beautiful hardwood floors, a BIG SEPARATE DINING ROOM, big wooden blinds in all the windows, and a BLACK kitchen and bathroom. Perfect for me. AND the back yard is wonderful--as soon as the mosquitoes die, I will go live back there. Very private and woodsy.

And we live next door to DQ. Not that that means anything to us....

And we're "around the corner" from church and my mom at the nursing home. THE BEST PART! We've been having prayer meeting here, which I love.

Greg and I just celebrated our 34th anniversary! More than a third of a century together! We are so crazy happy and blessed. Greg's working part time, driving for the nursing home.

Yesterday, Greg took me to Abilene for our anniversary. We went to the zoo @ 9am. COOL breezes! I think I got some good pics, but my computer is acting up and won't upload. Sigh. We ate at Golden Corral, and I had some sweet potato casserole, with the marshmallows on top. I took one bite, and it was Thanksgiving! It was so weird! I could TASTE Thanksgiving! Wow.

I thought about starting a series of posts on loving your husband and your children, as in Titus. May I please ask your opinion on this idea? If I get a few thumbs up, I'll get started soon.

I'm currently reading The Mortification of Sin by John Owen. Reading him is like eating steak--small bites, chew thoroughly. He is SO worth it. I took apart the book (sorry, Chad!) and put it in a notebook with blank pages between sections, so I'm commenting and writing down the good quotes--making it my own. I'm thoroughly enjoying this.

And I can't get out of Luke 1. Mary's song of praise to God has captured me. What a woman! And how God used her.

Fellowship Sunday tomorrow over here. Come see us! Mexican food!

For what it's worth, I'm back in the bloggity world again. Come back often and visit!

This Morning's Walk

Isn't this beautiful? No photoshop--that's the true color! I was quite fascinated. It's a mushroom!

I marvel at God's handiwork, both in creation and in people. He is so good!

After and Before, Technically

This is one of my favorite things to do: rescue potential treasures! What do you think? Yes, the cover looks amazingly like the curtain in the background for some strange reason.... Oh, yes, and the chair cost me $9.99 at Goodwill.

Update

Wow, a whole month without posting. Shame on me!

Surprisingly enough, the Risses are moving. Come visit us next door to Dairy Queen. How easy it that to find! It's one of Bonnie's houses, and, if you know anything about her, it's beautiful! Hardwood floors. A REFUGE of a back yard. This is the first back yard we've had that I will actually inhabit. It's so lush back there! AND a storage room, AND a covered carport. AND a BLACK kitchen. I'm excited about that, believe it or not! My kitchen here is pink and black, with beige walls. See you on the 1st to help unload the truck!

Winters has (bad English already) been very good to us. I will miss the folks here, and we had a lovely duplex in which to live. It was a good year.

I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for us in Coleman. We've come full-circle. We started out there in 1992, and we're back! (Minus 6 children.) To go to church 1 minute away! To have Mom in the same town. To have the brethren right there. To be able to invite people to church. To be closer to Sarah. I am stoked.

God is good, and He is faithful!

Can You Believe It?

I found what appears to be a great website. http://puritanpicks.com is what you would love *net*fl*x to be. Check it out and tell me what you think. Reasonable price, and interesting conferences available, too! No long-term commitment, either.

A Nice Dog!

Anyone need a great pit bull? Her name is Downy, and she is so sweet. I might even consider her if we had a place where she could run freely. She has stolen my heart. But WOW, you can tell she is powerful! She could rip me in half easily. (Yes, that's a dinosaur bone next to her!)

Aren't they dear?

There's that sly old Gregory, telling his usual story. His dear mom looks a little wary, doesn't she?

We're having a great time out here; freeze warning this morning! You KNOW how much I'm loving that! We took a three-mile walk this morning already. I love it here (but not enough to stay!).

While enjoying the folks, I'm looking forward to getting back home. I miss my place and my people.

Love to all! Thanks for your prayers.

Stranger?

Greg asked little Sarah at school, "Who is stranger, grandpa, or PEEWEE?"

"No."

"What do you mean, No? Do you know what "stranger" means?"

"Yes; someone you don't know."

Love these baby grands!

In the 60's

Minnesota--here we come! Greg will no longer be teaching and coaching junior high; he will be teaching GED classes some evenings. The starting date got moved to the 15th, with a workshop for him on the 12th, so we can't go as scheduled. We leave for the Land of 60-degree Highs on Tuesday. I'll be basking in that weather.

Happy Lord's Day! I am so looking forward to the preaching this morning, and tonight's the Lord's Supper. My favorite kind of day. How I missed my dear church family when I was in South Dakota!

"Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." (Psalm 40:5)

Beautiful verse! I am in awe thinking of what God is doing behind the scenes, when things look their bleakest. Thank God for God! I love holy surprises.

I really have been known to post on here....

I hope to have a new post in a few days. It's so good to be home! In the meantime, please head to http://sermonaudio.com/aashepard and listen to our pastor's fine message on God Remembered Noah. What an encouragement! I needed it. Love to all my 3 readers!

Last pics of SD

These are a few of my favorites, especially of Luke just waking up. I miss my babies! Thank you, Risses, for a wonderful time in your beautiful home. I love you!

The Risses

This is not the best family pic, as my good camera won't transfer to this computer. But aren't they precious? A shoutout to Sarah: I NEEDED you for this photo shoot!

Much love to all! Going home tomorrow! Yahooey!

Hint, Hint for Sarah

Happy Mother's Day! Sarah, your gift is NOT the frap. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Please Note the Pony Tree

This was Anna's invention, with a little help from her sidekick. I thought
it was a great idea!

Meeting Bethany Hope

Everyone got gifts! I got a new granddaughter, the children got sweet treats from their parents, Bethany got a sweet pillow from Tabitha, that thoughtful friend, and a pretty dress from Aunt Sarah in Texas, and Luke fell in love. It was a precious time. The bottom right is our first view of our girls.

God is good!

A Day without the Parents

Welcome, Bethany Hope! God is good!

Hello, Fans! A shoutout to Sarah for the family pic; the one on my good camera is excellent, but Misty laptop won't take my card. Hang on!

And Tabitha, don't the kids look great in their shirts?

Luke is in love! He didn't want to let her go. Precious. And she looks like my mom! Dark hair! Cutie! Luke looks gigantic next to her.

Thank you, Lord, for a safe labor and delivery! And thank you for your prayers.

The very grateful Emmie

PS See Misty's blog, http://family-risse.blogspot.com for better pics of Beth.