Time Well Spent

Moms do not like for their children to be ill, or to feel poorly, or be sad.  I'm no exception.  Even now with my children grown and caring for their own children, I don't like for them to be down.

Rock Star recently had to have surgery (she may blog about that some day) and I got to help out with the kiddos.  Pop was working so he didn't get to play as much as I did and we missed him. He stopped by when he could and was always warmly (and loudly) welcomed.

One of the worst things for Rock Star was being restricted...she couldn't lift her smallest superhero and he wanted so much for her to pick him up...check out this precious lil guy...he has mad climbing skills so when his momma would sit down, he'd climb up and snuggle up next to her.  It is so hard when they are too little to understand.

We made the most of the time we had and the days went quickly.  PhoJo is a one-of-a-kind superhero dad...When he wasn't working, he was working at home taking care of things...we tag-teamed the kiddos, did laundry, and made meals.  Even though Rock Star needed to rest and recover, she thought of things to do with the kids.  Check out our play dough fun...What a kick!

We built Trio block buildings and bridges.

We watched some fun shows.

We made a birthday card for Nana (Grammy's Mom...not Daddy's Mom).  Making cards was fun but taking a picture of all the kids with their cards was painful for the littlest guy.  By the time Rock Star gave up, he was still crying and the big brothers and sister were bored.  

We played in the water.

We even took down a dead tree in the front yard with our bare hands - with permission, of course!!  

On one of Pop's visits, he had a serious conversation with the smallest superhero about the pros and cons of playing with the electrical outlet.  Ha!

Of course, the sisters (except the currently Indiana sister) came over to visit and cheer up Rock Star and the cousins had some stellar play time and shared a meal.

Rock Star is recovering nicely and hasn't needed our help to run her household for a while now and I never want my children down...but...spending time with our grandchildren is always time well spent.  I'm grateful I am here and available.  God is good!

I Used to Know All These Things

This past weekend we had some of our grandchildren, (AKA The Cowboys and the Super Heroes) out to the farm for a play day. The two sets of cousins love to play together and they get along fabulously. The Super Heroes had come to the farm early in the morning and they were ready to go upon arrival. The Cowboys were scheduled to arrive about noon so we had some time to kill.

 We started our day by Grammy and I taking the Super Heroes down to the pond in my truck to water “Grammy’s Trees”. Grammy’s dad and mom, Nana and Papa Mac, gave us two trees to plant and we planted them on the pond berm. The kids love to fill containers and water “Grammy’s Trees”. It is my hope that one day the kids will climb on these trees. In the interim, we are constantly on the look-out for good “Climbing Trees” here at Four Sisters Farm. We have 13 grandchildren and tree climbing is going to be a big part of our future. So, periodically we explore the farm to evaluate the “climbability” of trees. While Grammy and I get input into which trees make the list, it is the kids who ultimately decide. On this morning, we drove all around the farm trying different trees and making a mental note of likely candidates.

 At noon, the Cowboys arrived. This was a celebration in and of itself and the day just got better. After a quick lunch, we got busy playing. The kids divided and conquered. There were two on horse swings, two climbing trees and two in the tree house. It was Grammy’s and my job to play safety officer, swing the horse riders and occasionally rescue the tree climbers. We ran from one to the next and laughed and teased and totally immersed ourselves in play. They ran wide open for about an hour and then the two little cousins had to surrender to a nap. Grammy took the two "Littles" inside and I was left to spend the afternoon with the big boys.

 At this point, the four big boys and I started gathering equipment to go to the pond for the afternoon. I had plans to fill the game feeder and set up a game camera so I started gathering the supplies to accomplish these tasks. I was not sure what was on my crew’s agenda but they soon enlightened me as to what they would need. We stood around the truck (as men like to do) and negotiated what equipment would and would not make the trip down to the pond. After serious negotiation, the list looked something like this:

• 2 Ropes 
• 2 BB guns (nixed at the last second by Pop; “You’ll shoot your eye out”) 
• Beef Jerky 
• Water bottles 
• Sunflower seeds 
• 2 Five gallon buckets 
• 1 Hideout (AKA pop-up hunting blind) 
• 4 Frisbees 
• Gloves 

We drove to the pond and unloaded the equipment. I parked my truck strategically so I could keep an eye on them without appearing to hover. They scoured the area and made a group decision about the most covert location for a hideout. I provided the skilled labor and set up the structure. Afterward, I wandered off to get my little jobs done while still staying within acceptable distance to supervise four boys. As I puttered around I began to realize that I was enjoying two separate and distinct experiences. On the one hand I was accomplishing a few tasks in the “physical” world as I worked on my projects. On the other, I was peripherally involved in the world of “play” and “make believe”. 

This is a magical world where you are no longer subject to limitations based on age, physical ability, financial constraint, social status, laws of physics or anything that borders on reality. Time is not important. Physical environment doesn’t much matter. Nothing has to make sense or conform. You can literally be a spy one minute and a cowboy the next. You can magically develop ninja fighting skills and find yourself fighting beside the Incredible Hulk to save the world. You can call time out, pee on a tree and resume the battle right where you left off. It is not unusual to develop X-ray vision and morph into a Power Ranger to fight gallantly beside a secret agent. It is totally acceptable to play multiple roles and use different voices for each character. The only rule is...there are no rules. No limitations. If you can imagine it, you can incorporate it into this wonderful world.

I used to know this world. At 53, my memories of it are faded and distant. When I try to clear my mind and go there, too many adult things get in the way. But, I do remember that the outdoors was a sanctuary for me. It was a place to hide when chaos reigned. It’s where I was most at peace with myself and the world. So, I closed my eyes and tried to get my mind to return to this other world. Try as I might, I had little success. Then, I took another approach. I closed my eyes and listened. I mean really listened to our grandsons at play. In just a few minutes, I was moving in the right direction. Children can help you go back. Only children can help you because they do not even entertain the thought that this world is foolish or silly. They will reintroduce you with no thought or preconceived notion about whether you belong. And, if you are really lucky, you might get to play a major role in an epic battle. When’s the last time your world offered that possibility? Let me just tell you, when I got my chance to join in and save the world, Grammy would have been proud of her man. That’s all I’m saying.

At some point during the afternoon I finished my work. I let the tail gate down, crawled up in the back of my pickup and used a rolled up sweatshirt for a pillow. I laid there watching my boys and listening to their play. Here are some of the things that I used to know but had forgotten:

• A stick can be a sword, drum stick, gun, shovel, grappling hook, machete, hammer and back scratcher. 
• A rope can be a rope, lasso, saw, force field, electrical power cord, fire hose, fence and an island (use your imagination). 
• A bucket can be a drum, ladder, bomb, hat, helmet, and seat (which you can sit on and eat jerky). It is possible to be invisible. 
• Peeing on a tree is good. 
• Good guys always, always win (I had totally forgotten this). 
• Play “fast” is the fastest “fast” there is. 
•  It’s OK to just eat the whole sunflower seed. 
• A time-out can be called at any time under any circumstances. 
• If you spread your arms out and run fast, YOU CAN FLY! 
• To climb up 4 feet in a tree is scary and takes much courage (but can be done with encouragement of your buddies). 
• Being cousins is second only to being brothers. 

No one who knows me will describe me as peaceful and laid back. It is just the way I am wired and I have learned to accept it. When I do experience times of peacefulness, I cherish them highly. On this day, at this moment, I was at peace. So this led me into a spirit of thankfulness and drew me into conversation with my Heavenly Father. I thanked Him for letting me live long enough to see my children’s children. I told Him I knew I had done nothing to deserve such rich blessing and to the contrary knew I had failed miserably so often in life. I discussed grace with Him and told Him I was so grateful for His grace, forgiveness and love. I promised to try and pass on these gifts as best I could. I told Him how much I love our precious grandchildren and how much that love has helped me (at some level) understand His love for me. I asked Him for the wisdom and understanding to be a blessing in the lives of our children and grandchildren. I shared with Him that I wanted to be a source of support and encouragement for them. I told Him I trusted Him with them. I asked Him for the strength and courage to be their protector if ever called upon in this life. I petitioned Him for the ability to believe in and understand them even when the world does not. I asked Him to make me more than I am so I can be more to them.

At some point, I was beckoned out of my conversation with God by a tiny voice calling “Pop”. I got up and walked around the truck to see Grammy walking toward us with the two little cousins. Super-girl was running as fast as she could toward me calling my name. As she approached, I knelt down and she ran straight into my arms. She laid her head on my shoulder and gave kind of a contented sigh. Almost immediately afterwards, the littlest cowboy arrived and hopped on board too. We checked on the big boys, played a little longer and headed to the house. It was an awesome day. I got to play and it was good. After pondering the experience, I highly recommend it. You really ought to give it a try. You might remember what you forgot! You might be like me and remember what’s important.

It's Like Here...Only It's There

Pop recently invited me to accompany him on a weekend trip.  Sounds exciting, right?  Romantic, right?

While Pop truly is increasingly more romantic as time goes on, this was not a warm and fuzzy invitation.  It was purposeful.  He was making plans to hunt at one of his favorite places in the world and he takes his hunting very seriously.  Did I say VERY seriously?

This trip involved preparatory work.  Did I say WORK?

We had to begin planning for this trip several weeks in advance.  We had to shop.  We bought fabric.  We bought PVC pipe.  We bought weatherproof foam.  Then we started to work preparing to prepare.  That's right...preparing to prepare.  We drew out plans, we  measured, we cut, we created.  We made a sand blind and we made pads for tree stand seats (out of camouflage fabric of course).  We patched and painted an old deer target to be re-purposed as a decoy...then we repainted it...twice...to get it the right color.

Pop Scouting for Deer

Then, when it was time, we loaded up and headed out.  Pop drove while I worked on some tee shirt rugs (that may be another blog later on) and we visited on the way.  I had been there one other time but it had been a while and it was a really short visit, so I was excited to go and visit with our friends who live there...we have known this couple for a long time...we actually got to know them because they are related to other (even older) friends of ours.  They are really special people and their place is special too...It's like here...only it's there.

When Pop has gone there, I've noticed he comes back calmer.  I have known that this place touches him somehow in the deep recesses of his being.  It's rejuvenating for him even though he works hard as he hunts.  By the way, it is compound bow hunting for deer.  It is for the iron-willed, tough-minded folks who appreciate the hunt as much as they do the venison.  So anyway...

The Cowboy and Mrs. Cowboy

When we arrived, we stopped and talked to The Cowboy (not one of our grandson cowboys but an authentic, boot and hat wearing cowboy who rides horses and works with cattle) and let him know we were there.  His wife, Mrs. Cowboy, was still working so I rode off in the truck with Pop to begin preparing for his hunt.  We toted a camo blind and other essentials off to a tree row where The Cowboy had seen signs of deer activity.
I helped Pop set up the blind which involved a lot of thought on his part.  He had to determine the right place for it most importantly.  Setting it up was easy...it's sort of a pop up nylon tent thingy...then the hard work started.  We had to camouflage the camouflaged blind with branches and brush and make it nearly disappear into the tree row.  In the process, I walked into a tree limb and got a nice scratch on my forehead and tripped while walking and did a nice belly flop on the ground.  But my best trick was when I felt something crawling up my leg.  Turned out it was just a long piece of tumbleweed that had sneaked up in between my jeans leg and boot...the harder I tried to shake it out, the higher it "climbed" up my leg!!  I nearly disrobed to get rid of it...it all happened SO fast!  Pop just shook his head.  I think he felt sorry for me in a "bless her heart, she's pitiful" sort of way.  Oh well...I would do it again...all of it...because besides spending time with Pop, it allowed me two incredible things.

1.  I got to see why he loves hunting there, and 2. I got to spend some time with The Cowboy and Mrs. Cowboy.
(We got bonus time with one of their three awesome offspring as well.)

This place where The Cowboy and Mrs. Cowboy live and work is incredible.  It is beautiful and it is peaceful...It's like here...only it's there!  There is a river.  There are trees everywhere - the cottonwood tree branches were loaded with golden leaves that reflect the rays of the sun.  There are miles of land to be explored.  Hills to climb.  Rocks to study.  History to learn.  It is an incredible place.

Like Four Sisters Farm, it is peaceful...it is much larger and offers a wider variety of beauty...but it is the peace that makes it feel like here.  It is lovely... incredibly lovely.  It's like here...only it's there.


Mrs. Cowboy and I tagged along for part of the time we were there keeping Pop and The Cowboy company while they did some of the prep work.  We visited about all kinds of important heartfelt matters and mulled over some of the world's problems.  We also perused catalogs and pins on Pinterest while we talked about their plans for renovating their kitchen (and then some).

We looked at rocks, found some old bones (probably cow bones) near the river bed, marveled over God's creation, and compared notes about grandchildren, among other things.

We visited with Pop and The Cowboy over meals and when it came time for us to leave, I can genuinely say that Pop and I had a hard time just going.  The Cowboy and Mrs. Cowboy are people we love.

I am grateful we got to know them...grateful for the way God puts people in our lives who share our love for Him and others...grateful for the way they share what God has given then...grateful that they love us too...grateful that His peace abounds in ways that we can feel in different places...places that make me say, "It's like here...only it's there."

Boxing Pop

The Superheroes came to play multiple times this summer.  They even came to stay overnight with their WannaBSuperMom (Rock Star) and the littlest superhero.

During the time they stayed at Four Sisters Farm, they talked Pop into teaching them to do some boxing.  They punched, they kicked, they sparred with Pop...and all the while, Pop taught them more than boxing...he taught them that he loves them and he taught them boxing safety.

Pop always seems to attract a "crowd" of admirers...he isn't your average grandpa...he uses a punching bag, among other things to stay in great shape.  He would draw a crowd even if he didn't punch a bag, but that is what he chooses to do.

He doesn't tell our granddaughters that they can't do things like boxing.  He will teach them they can do what they put their minds too...and he will help them.  He will convey that he believes in them.

It is like the icing on the cake to walk alongside Pop as we "raise GRANDkids" at Four Sisters Farm!

Pop - My Hero (contented sigh)

We have cats at Four Sisters Farm. They are a necessity in the country as they keep the rodent population controlled.  Once they even killed a mole for us and brought it to the lawn for us to see. We were so proud.

With wild (feral) and semi-wild as well as tame cats on our premises, there is a new litter of kittens once in a while.  Recently, Pop discovered a litter of four that "Mama Kitty" was hiding in the pole barn. Of course we told the grandkids - especially Lou because she LOVES animals of all kinds, but has an intense fondness for cats.   Pop and I like cats okay and truly appreciate them; but we feed a lot of cats at Four Sisters Farm...not enough to keep them from killing mice...but we feed them.

So when the latest litter was found, Lou and I devised a plan to capture them when they were big enough.  She began doing research and passing info along so we would be prepared.  What we were NOT prepared for is just how sneaky, fast, and scrappy feral kittens can be!  We worked hard and captured one.  Only one.  We told Pop about it and he came out to the pole barn to help us.  Sure enough, semi-wild Mama Kitty had taught her babies how to hide and stay very quiet!  But Pop moved some firewood and found them and helped us catch the remaining three.

Fast forward now...past the kitty litter, scratches, and kitten chow.  My plan was to keep them long enough to find a vet to fix them, then turn them loose.  Well...we still have them.  By day, they play in a large dog kennel and all the grandkids love to play with them.  By night, they are moved to a smaller cage and wheeled via a wagon back to the pole barn for safety.

But I am still not to the point; so hang on...one dark and stormy night (literally), I had the kittens in their play yard on the front porch and had been so busy I hadn't remembered to transport them back to their night spot.  Pop and I decided to let them stay on the porch; but we hadn't accounted for their nocturnal naughtiness and noise...right outside our bedroom window...nor had we anticipated Mama Kitty's disapproval of our choice to deprive her sweet litter of their safe place for the night.  So imagine trying to sleep with kittens jumping, playing, meowing, and their mother expressing her opinion LOUDLY.

I threw on my robe and flip flops, grabbed my flashlight and made the transport.

So, still not to the point.  I know.

Pop and I laid down and finally got to sleep...then Mama Kitty showed up on the porch again...like she had lost her mind and couldn't find her kittens.  Pop reassured her that her brood was safely put to bed and came back in.

Pop:  "Do you think she could be smart enough to tell us there is a problem in the pole barn?"
Me:  "I don't know."  ( Especially at about 2am.)
Pop: "Do you think I should go check on them?"

I envisioned one of the little darlings stuck in the cage trying to escape and said, "Maybe." hoping that he would...and he did.  There were actually no wrongs to right and no kittens to save.  Pop is my hero just for being willing to come to the aid of four defenseless little kittens on the word of their somewhat confused mother cat.

That is the latest reason Pop is my hero.

And how I know you want to see the kittens.  They are so cute!

Renovation Progress Update

Master Vanity

Two become one...two vanities trimmed down to fit into the space for one vanity in the master bathroom that is.  It was a crazy plan but it worked.  Pop figured it out...he always seems to be able to take some nutty thing I think up and make it work.  EJ came over and helped us most of one day and our biggest and best accomplishment of the day was the master vanity.  It makes me happy every time I use it.  

We started with inexpensive unfinished vanities that I painted. Then Pop, EJ, and I cut them down and I found something else to do while they put them together on a base they built so the vanity would be taller. I added some really cool paintable wallpaper that looks like beadboard and some furniture legs and we finished it off with a custom built double sink.  Then I "beadboarded" above the back splash and added trim.  Fantastic! Thanks for the help, EJ...how is that thumb?

I still need the cup pulls and knobs but I could not wait to show it off!

 Bunk Beds - Pop Style!

 Pop came up with plans for a triple bunk bed for the bunk room...he and I gathered up the lumber and supplies and got to work.  We cut, sanded, stained, and partially assembled. Then one day the superheroes came over and helped us complete the bulk of putting together. Little Super Girl made sure we had all the screws we needed. :-) We're pleased with the finished results and plan to build more to accommodate all our grandsons in the bunk room!

Stay tuned...the progress is slow but it is coming!

Welcoming the Newest Superhero

Rock Star, PhoJo and their family of superheroes just welcomed their newest family member...along with all the Four Sisters Farm family and their friends.

You can see the delight on their faces as they snuggle and hold him.  I would love to display photos of the faces of all the people who have already loved on this little guy in his first days on this earth but the post would be way too long.  You see, before he was even conceived we loved him because we know that children are a blessing.
Rock Star's labor was induced early in the morning.  The Four Sisters Farm family gathered at the hospital in anticipation.  The contractions increased in intensity as more and more pitocin was administered; but the little superhero was apparently not planning to make his entrance according to the plan.  As the day wore on, the strong contractions were putting our little guy into a bit of distress and the resident overseeing the labor was becoming concerned.  So...we "circled the wagons" and gathered around Rock Star to pray over her and ask for God's help.  As the doctor lowered the amount of pitocin and fretted about a possible c-section, God went to work on Rockstar's behalf and we soon welcomed the "li-lul-bay-bee" (that is how his big sister says "little baby").   By the way, Grammy has given big sister the nickname "Kissy Sissy" because she cannot get close to her new little brother without planting a kiss on his head!

Recently, Rock Star wrote a blog post about being asked why they are having more children and how many more they plan to have.  It seems that at some point folks began to believe that children are a burden instead of a blessing.  It seems crystal clear that God's view is the complete opposite.  Check out Psalm 127:3-5, Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

Only God knows what His plan is for the number of superheroes in Rock Star's and PhoJo's family...we will simply welcome each one as they come, knowing that God is never surprised or caught off guard when a baby is conceived.  For now, we will love on the ones here and join our voices with Pop who sang over Rock Star and baby soon after the birth, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow." Amen, Pop.  Amen.

Valentines Day 2012

Pop always has been and always will be my #1 Valentine.  He surprises me sometimes with his sweet, thoughtful gestures.  He brought me a dozen roses and a funny card.  Neither of us places a high value on flowers, candies, or any kind of gift but he knows that it makes me feel special when he thinks of me and then does something about it...whether it is a bouquet, a single rose, a thoughtful text or email, a call at just the right time, a hug when I need it most, or maybe even giving me time with other people I love (like being with our daughters/grandchildren, my folks, my siblings, girlfriends, etc.)  

Something Pop did when our daughters were young was buying each of them a Valentines Day card...that blessed me and them. He did it on his own and I remember being surprised and so pleased when he did it.  He continued to do it until our daughters grew up and had their boyfriend/fiance'/husband as their #1 Valentine.  It still blesses me when I think about it.

 Of course Pop and I love to get our grandkids a Valentine of sorts and this year, I thought long and hard about what to get.  As I thought about how we feel about our grandchildren, I thought about how they make our hearts soar...that's it!!  Kites for Valentines Day!!

I delivered them to the Superheroes and the cowboys yesterday and they seemed really tickled with them.  (The Unconventionals will get their soon.) They don't understand yet how they make Pop and I feel so the sentiment goes right past them; but their mommies and daddies get it.  I hope that when they fly the kites, they will have tons of fun whether they fly them at home or they bring them to the expanse of the farm to set sail...and I hope their parents will be blessed by the sentiment expressed by this year's Valentine gift and the love it represents...it's funny, isn't it, how physical things can make and trigger memories?  Kites are special to me because when I was small, my Dad took the time to build kites with me and my siblings.  So now I will look at kites fondly from memories as a child and as a grandparent.  Good stuff.

Now, Bitty Princess is too small to fly kites so I found something else to express how Pop and I feel about her...spoons!  That's right...she is so precious that she has Pop and I "eating out of her hand" so to speak...and for a period of time, her sweet little hands will be instrumental in her nourishment. But there will come a time when she needs to be spoon-fed and then learn how to use spoons.  So Bitty Princess gets spoons for Valentines Day this year.  I hope that when her daddy and mommy use these to feed her, they will think of how much we love their Bitty Princess...and them.

I am thankful that God is LOVE and that we can share it so freely because of His great love for us.  Happy Valentines Day to our readers!!  

The "Almost" Adoption

We have one adopted grandchild.  A grandson.  Q is an incredible addition to our growing family.  He is adorable, fun, happy, and just makes us smile...and laugh. We cannot imagine life without him.  His adoption by Farm Chick at Heart and EJ has given us much insight into how God feels about us (His adopted kids).  Our lives are richer now than we could have ever imagined.  Before his adoption, I didn't know how I would feel about him.  I was a little nervous that I wouldn't be as attached to him as to our biological grandchildren.  When he came home, all my fears melted into a puddle of quickly evaporating nothingness.  Pop and I were smitten from the beginning with a precious baby boy given to us by God.  What a blessing!

When Farm Chick and EJ received a call on Christmas Eve 2011, we were so excited at the prospect of another adopted grandson!  There were some reservations with the little fellow's mother that they shared with us...things that made us think she might not follow through with her resolve to place him for adoption.  We loved him anyway and anticipated his arrival.  Farm Chick and EJ met Baby C's birth mother and loved on her as God called them to do.  

As with each of our grandchildren, Pop went on a bear hunt to find the perfect "Pop Bear" for Baby C.  He and I looked at about six bears that were all the "same", but anyone who truly looks at teddy bears knows that they each have different faces regardless of the fact that they are all cut and sewn from a single pattern.  We studied each face and chose just the right one...then we waited.

Farm Chick and EJ got another call...Baby C would be remaining with his birth mom.  We felt like God had somehow prepared us ahead of time. In spite of loving him and anticipating his arrival, there was always prayer that God would do what He deemed best and those prayers were answered when the call came.  There was sadness, but there was peace.  There was joy knowing that Baby C's mother loves and wants to do the hard work of parenting him.  I was okay with that...then I caught a glimpse of Baby C's pop bear sitting on my loveseat and fell apart.  I grieved for him, knowing that he would not be a part of our family.  The grief I felt caught me off guard...it was similar to the grief I have felt when our daughters have miscarried early in several of their pregnancies.  It was like a wave that toppled me over for a brief period of time.  I cried...then I found my feet once again on solid ground.  I find solace in knowing that God's plan is infinitely better than any plan I can conjure up.  

I knew that Farm Chick was putting together a box of things to be mailed to Baby C's mother so I asked if she would include Baby C's pop bear with a letter from me.  I thank God for what He is doing in the lives of His beloved children...including me.  I will always remember Baby C and will think of him on his birthday each year.  I pray that God will provide for him and his mommy richly and that He will rain down blessings on them.

--------------------------

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.  

Romans 8:14-16 (NIV) 

The Easiest Floor Ever!?!?

Pop and I decided on some resilient vinyl plank flooring for all but the bedrooms in our farmhouse.

My sister and her hubby were working on a kitchen/dining room/living room renovation and she introduced us to this product (Allure Ultra).  It looks great in their space so I started researching and found that there just isn't anything else on the market quite like it...it is waterproof, requires no underlayment, doesn't have any adhesive...and as they say it is "The Easiest Floor Ever!"

Pop did his usual research and preparation before we began laying the flooring.  He fixed and leveled the sub floor, then figured out the best place to begin laying "The Easiest Floor Ever!".

We knew we had some challenges ahead of us; but since it is "The Easiest Floor Ever!" we figured we could handle it...and we did...with some help from some of our sons (acquired by marriage)...but we did figure out that it really is "The Easiest Floor Ever!" IF:

• your walls are completely square,
• you are laying out only one room without anything to cut around (like pipes, toilets, heat vents, etc.),
• you figure out the best angle to make each plank click to fit, and
• all your cuts are perfect.

So...having said that, we are very happy with the results.  I think it will be easy to care for and will stand up to the amount of traffic we will have on it (11 grandkids and counting). It has a lifetime warranty for residential installation so we figure we won't ever have to replace it.  We joked with the boys that someday they will probably be tearing out the very floor they were helping to install because Pop and I plan on still having it in place when we go live with Jesus!

We are working on the doors and trim now and have scheduled the carpet layers for the bedrooms.  Pop and I even went ahead and purchased a KING size bed for our new room!!

Stay tuned for future updates! We're getting there!

Our Baby has a Baby

God has blessed Pop and I so abundantly with our "grandblessings'!  I feel especially blessed to have been present at the all births of of our grand babies (except our sweet lil adopted Q)...even when we were living 1300 miles from our family.  God just seemed to orchestrate everything and Bitty Princess' birth was no exception.  The waiting room was full of Bitty Princess' "fan club members" as they anxiously awaited her arrival.  Romeo's parents, Pop, and Pretty Princess' sisters were all there.

I was so impressed with our youngest "kids" as they awaited the arrival of their first baby.  They were very well prepared.  They asked intelligent questions of the medical staff and had their birth plan firmly in mind.  Things rarely go as planned for childbirth and as things came up, they readily made adjustments and maintained a calm, controlled attitude...but it wasn't just about their attitude...it was about who they are in life.  They did all they could do and then trusted God with everything else.

I think Pop and I have the most incredible sons (in-law) on the planet.  They love God, their wives and their children. To have witnessed them in action in labor and delivery is something I feel honored to have seen.  Romeo was incredibly tender and attentive to Pretty Princess.  He worked hard to do everything she needed.  He made sure she was covered and comfortable (as possible) when various tubes were moved, monitors adjusted, and procedures performed. He got her ice chips and whatever she asked for. He ran interference with staff and family. In general, he did everything in his power to be the protector and provider for his little family.  What an incredible blessing!

The labor and delivery was bathed in prayer and at one point, Pretty Princess was surrounded by waiting grandparents and family members praying for God to make the labor progress quickly.  Several times as Pretty Princess endured, Romeo prayed over her as he and I tried to do everything we could to help.  At one point when things seemed to be stalled, family members in the waiting room prayed for progress in the delivery as another waiting family sympathetically looked on.  One particularly sweet moment, as our Princess labored in pain, I watched with my heart nearly bursting as Pop tenderly laid his hand on her head and silently asked God to help her and Bitty Princess through the delivery.  The calm and peace that came with this quiet act seemed to fill the room.



It was a long, difficult labor that could have quickly led to a c-section but Pretty Princess powered through and Romeo supported her in every way.  Pretty Princess should probably be renamed "Warrior Princess"!  The end result is our beautiful, healthy "Bitty Princess" who is joyfully welcomed by the whole Four Sisters Farm Family.

That night Pop and I prepared for sleep after a long and hard day.  He wrapped his arms around me as relief washed over me.  I expressed that with each birth I have witnessed, I am reminded just how fragile life is and have to thank God for what He has done.  As Pop held me and tears of gratitude streamed down my face, he quietly lifted his voice to our Creator, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below.  Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen."

This grammy has so much to be thankful for. Thank You, God.