Merry Christmas 2012

We gathered together at Four Sisters Farm for a late Christmas celebration this year.  

We were mindful of the reason for the season and are so grateful for the God's gift of Jesus!

2012 was a busy year with many blessings...but three babies in one year certainly topped the chart. 

We are now up to 23 stockings hung...well...not by the chimney but near the Christmas tree!

Pop and I are so pleased to be living on Four Sisters Farm and with our recent house renovations we were able to host the family celebration for the first time at this location.  It was crowded and noisy but workable.  We hope that what our grandchildren will remember is that they had tons of fun with their family and cousins at Pop and Grammy's house.

Some day they will revisit the house as adults and it will surprise them how small the house is...and wonder how we all fit under one roof all together!

The Unconventionals

The Farm Hands

The Superheroes

The Royal Family

Some years ago we simplified Christmas and continue to revamp when we feel too much pressure or the weight steals the joy.  When we gather for our big family Christmas, Pop and I have new pajamas for everyone and one gift for each of the grandchildren and we all bring small items for stuffing the stockings.  When the grands are up and moving, we have so much fun with them...wrestling with Pop, cooking with Grammy, playing with cousins, etc. Then when the kiddos turn in for the night, we have the privilege of visiting with our children and catching up - the talk is always lively, enlightening, and thought-provoking.  We never solve any of the world's problems but we renew our faith as we all agree that we can trust God no matter what.

Enjoy this little video of some highlights from our gathering...there is no sound...nothing is wrong with your speakers!

Welcome Lil Ruthie

Lil Ruthie

The Four Sisters Farm Family presents the newest arrival...another princess...she is the thirteenth grandblessing for Pop and I on this earth and we are feeling incredibly blessed. 

We often refer to the girls in our family as "ladybugs" (regardless of their age) and the symbol of the ladybug has special meaning for us concerning our newest little ladybug.

I have always thought ladybugs were cute and fun and girly.  I shared my affinity for ladybugs with the Four Sisters.  They had a variety of ladybug wardrobe items that were handed down through the years and these pictures are of Lil Ruthie's mommy (Farm Chick at Heart) when she was little.

Farm Chick has loved babies practically since she was a baby.  She let me give you a little background about this lil ladybug. I remember (and have photo proof) that when the youngest of the Four Sisters arrived, I could hardly get a picture of the girls with Farm Chick looking at the camera because she could hardly take her eyes off her new baby sister.  She just adored her and all babies. Her goal in life was to be a wife and mommy.

Fast foward to her early years of marriage when she and EJ were wanting to start their family.  They tried for some time without success before they were able to conceive and I remember a season that Farm Chick felt that God had given her the ladybug as a symbol of hope for future children.  She (and we) saw ladybugs EVERYWHERE during that season and were encouraged. 

It was a difficult and emotional time for Farm Chick and EJ, but God used that time to prepare their hearts for the family He would eventually bless them with...to date, with the arrival of Lil Ruthie, they have three biological children and one adopted and their home is busy and joyous.

Now that each of the Four Sisters has a daughter I can share something. I have always hoped that my daughters would have at least one daughter to bring them the joy I have felt as the mother of daughters.  From the time of their births, I have reveled in their girliness and in what we females share.  My joy has multiplied many times over since then as I have been privileged to watch them each become mothers.  It is a privilege to share in each birth and in the early days of each grandbaby.  Not all sons-in-law welcome their wife's mothers into their homes after the birth of their children.  Cooking, cleaning, laundry, and childcare is a joy when it involves intermittent  baby snuggling and precious visits with my post-partum daughters.  This season of babies (three since the beginning of this year) has been hectic and has slowed down the renovation at the farmhouse but has been full of  love, laughter, and joy.

Count me one blessed Grammy.  The Four Sisters Farm Family has been rejoicing as we have celebrated our new arrivals.  Our refrain has been, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!"

Blessings...Like King David!

I feel a little like King David today!

Psalm 21:1-6


The king rejoices in your strength, LORD. How great is his joy in the victories you give!  You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.  You came to greet him with rich blessings   and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.  He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—   length of days, for ever and ever. Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;   you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. Surely you have granted him unending blessings   and made him glad with the joy of your presence.  For the king trusts in the LORD;   through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

This past weekend found us busy as most weekends working on the renovation of the Four Sisters Farm house. It feels overwhelming to Pop and me at times. We are grateful for the skills to be able to do much of the work ourselves, but with Pop's work and the fact that I'm a "girl" and don't know how to do many of the things that need doing, it sometimes seems like we will never be past this first phase of preparing for the sheet rocker to come do his thing!

Some weekends it is just Pop working, sometimes it's Pop and me, other weekends find our children and grandchildren in the mix.  This past weekend, the main project was wiring (electrical, phone, antenna cable).  We didn't get it all done but we came a LONG way with help once again...most of the day on Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening as well!
Thanks to Doc, DW, EJ, and Farm Chick at Heart.  The guys worked hard, the women rode herd on the kids and fed us.  Lou also helped some - she pulled wire with her dad and picked up staples, screws, and nails with the big magnet.  You all bless us!!

I feel a little like King David today!!

Encouragement

Encouragement came to Four Sisters Farm yesterday evening in the form of help and DQ ice cream...my long time friend brought with her a mutual friend to have dinner with us and to help with some of the remaining demolition.

I've given this young man the blog name "Barnabas" because the name means "son of encouragement" and my girlfriend should have had a blog name a long time ago. I chose the name "Daina" for her for a couple of reasons but the main reason is that it means a form of music or poetry and Daina LOVES music in a huge way so it fits.

You can see that Barnabas LOVES to do demolition and I hear that he’s good at constructing things as well! We have known Barnabas for some years now...since he was a boy...literally. He has grown into a fine young man and we're blessed to know him.

If you have followed the blog, you have seen pictures of Daina before as she has been a long-time friend who seems to always show up and help with our crazy projects. God brought her into our lives more than ten years ago and she is the same now as she was then...she speaks encouragement to us even when she is in the midst of trial herself. She continues to choose to recognize that God is in control and she trusts Him. I'm grateful for her friendship.

The words of Philemon 1:7 sum up my feelings about their visit to Four Sisters Farm yesterday evening, "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother (and sister, Daina), have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people."

We have had much encouragement from family and friends - but never so much as since we have been "living the dream" at Four Sisters Farm. Sign me "Grateful."