A very late Thanksgiving post and an Invitation to todays performance!

Dear Blog readers, I apologize profusely for the lack of posts recently, especially after Thanksgiving. My only excuse is that Faith and I were working frantically to complete some dresses for today's and tomorrow's Messiah concert, Dec 5th and 6th. (this year they decided the ladies would wear all black instead of the normal black and white, so Faith and I, who have no black outfits, had to make ourselves dresses). Anyone that is somewhat close (of course if you want to spend the money to fly or drive all the way just to see us, we won't stop you;) is invited to the Marlette Community Chorus - 9th annual presentation of George Frideric Handel's Messiah. It is at 3:00 PM this Saturday and Sunday at the Marlette United Methodist Church, 3155 Main St. Marlette, MI. Admission is free and there will be refreshments afterward;), so please do come. Now back to last weeks celebration.

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Thanksgiving morning dawned bright and busy, almost everyone was running around the house doing something. At a tiny little bit after 11:30 we were able to make it out of the house and into Gingers open doors, and down the driveway!

Down the road and over the freeway to Aunt Carmen's house we go.


We arrived a little bit before our other relatives and us girls helped out in the kitchen.


Aunt Carmen tried something new this year, a duck!


Of course we had our usual piles of pie! Pumpkin and Apple, Pecan, Chocolate Pecan, and a Cherry. (sigh;)




Aunt Carmen did the most fabulous job decorating the table, everything looked marvelous.


As did the food. Yummy!


Uncle Paul demolished, otherwise known as carved the second turkey, and did a good job too.



We were very glad that Al, Eldita (Aunt Carmen's "Adopted daughter") and their boys were able to join us.

After we finished stuffing ourselves, we relaxed while Dad read and expounded on some bible passages about giving thanks.

After that we had a wonderful time of singing in Spanish,


Hausa and English.

Josiah and I, had come up with some games and activities for all the children (young and old) to play. The first one we did was pin (or in this case tape) the tail on the Turkey! Benji and Levi loved this game and got most of the Adults to do it as well. The only problem was that Benji loved to help guide the hands of the participants to the "right"places.

Oh my, poor Turkey, he's starting to look like a porcupine!

The boys were able to get Uncle Paul to play, and almost had him putting his feather on the turkey's foot!

Another game we made from a thanksgiving craft book, was feed the turkey.

The object of the game was to get the "pieces of corn" (little flannel bean sacks that Mumsy made) into the gaping mouth of the turkey. The boys just whaled it at him, sometimes knocking him backwards with their efforts.

We are very thankful to God for our loving family He has given us, and for the wonderful time he allowed us to spend with them!

~Chs

Our last walk with Josh.

On last Monday afternoon we went for a last walk with Josh before he left that evening.

We took Baby along for the walk and she was the most thrilled dog in the entire world. She just couldn't stay put!!

God could not have provided a more beautiful day. Sunny and clear, just chilly enough to wear cozy sweaters.

Here are a few pictures from are excursion.

Baby dog!

Brother and Sister.

Some interesting fungi on a tree.

A little "tree house".

Doesn't Faith look like she's sitting in the water?!

You are here.

Our last picture with Josh for a while. May God bless him and bring him home safely.

~Chs

Farewell Party.

Joy, laughter, sorrow, words of wisdom, and prayer were all a large part of the gathering at our house last Friday as we celebrated a new journey in Josh's life. For those of you who do not know, after much thought and prayer Josh chose MP (military Police) as his MOS in the National
Guard and on the 17th of November traveled to Fort Leonardwood MO to begin his basic training for the Army National Guard. So last Friday as his time here drew to a close we invited some friends and family over for a time of fun fellowship and encouragement to Josh.

The little boys absolutely love Josh,

and consequently Josh spent quite a bit of his time, that evening, pushing them on the swings,

and playing football with them. =)


Little John tried his best to push Josh down the"field".


But his plan back fired. ;)


All the families were a great encouragement to us and Josh, and we all enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship.


Many of the men who had been in the service before had wonderful advice and some funny stories which Joshua appreciated greatly.


We enjoyed a scrumptious meal filled with many of Joshua's favorite foods, and some of the "cooks" favorites too. =)

In all, God blessed us with a lovely and inspiring evening with some of the Godly and remarkably loving people he has brought into our lives.


Now I would like to ask all of you, our blog readers, to please pray for Josh down at his BCT.

Please Pray:
That he would stand fast amid the negative and worldly atmosphere around him;

That he would be a witness in his words and actions to his comrades and officers;

That the LORD would protect him from any physical harm as well as spiritual;

That we, his family here at home would learn to trust him completely to God.

I promise to keep you updated as Josh sends us letters and updates.
Thank you for your prayers in advance. ~Chs

The bucks roll in!!=)

Congratulations are in order! Josh was blessed to shoot his first buck!!!! Another first was that he shot it in the day time. All the other times he has had to gut his deer in the dark in the middle of the woods, so this was quite a blessing to do it during the day.

We drove over to where Josh got the deer, and followed him over hill and dale, and through woods to.....

this buck!!!

A nice little four point, who filled our freezer wonderfully. We are very grateful to God for allowing Josh to get this buck before he left for his basic training.

~Chs

Leaves, Leaves Everywhere.

It was a beautiful Monday afternoon when we journeyed down to our friends the Bryson's house, to collect some leaves to chop into our garden to help fertilize it and put it to sleep for the winter.

The Brysons were kind enough to lend us their trailer and tarps,

along with some cheerful helpers!!

Sunny Smiles=)

and laughs!!

When we got back from unloading the leaves in our garden, we helped them load up the rest of the leaves and take them to their "Back Forty".

Baby came along for the ride and enjoyed it thoroughly, especially chasing Marmalade their cat into the barn;)

Riding through the meadow, the youngest Bryson desperately wanted to try to take a picture with my camera. She didn't do to bad did she?

God gave us a beautiful day, for raking leaves. The sky was blue the weather mild and the leaves smelled absolutely lovely.

Faith comented the other day, that leaves (tree leaves in particular) are the only things that smell good when they are dying. Interesting thought isn't it?

~Chs

The Confederate officer.

Josh in his new Confederate outfit that Faith made for him.

Doesn't he look positively smashing?

~Chs