I loved this quote on Facebook!

ME AT AGE 5
“The truth is, part of me is every age. I’m a three-year-old, I’m a five-year-old, I’m a thirty-seven-year-old, I’m a fifty-year-old. I’ve been through all of them, and I know what it’s like. I delight in being a child when it’s appropriate to be a child. I delight in being a wise old man when it’s appropriate to be a wise old man. Think of all I can be! I am every age, up to my own.”
― Mitch Albom
ME AT 50-SOMETHING (WITH HUBBY, BOB)
One of the best quotes I've come across since C.S. Lewis gave me permission to read children's books! LOL!

Way of the Ascetics...

Many of my bloggy friends are joining together to Pause for Lent. One mentioned a book called "Way of the Ascetics" by Tito Colliander. I thought it sounded interesting, although I don't think of myself as part of the Orthodox community. I found a PDF file version of it online. Reading through the second chapter I found this quote which I really liked:

"No, be convinced that nothing good can come from yourself. And should, by chance, an unselfish thought arise
in you, you may be sure that it does not come from you, but is scooped up from the wellspring of goodness
and bestowed upon you: it is a gift from the Giver of life. Similarly the power to put the good thought into
practice is not your own, but is given you by the Holy Trinity."

I may not agree with everything in this book, but it should be interesting reading and should give me some food for thought. :)

Way of the Ascetics pdf file

Book Review-Fyodor Dostoevsky

As a book reviewer for Book Sneeze (Thomas Nelson Publishers) I recently read Fyodor Dostoevsky by Peter Leithart. For most of my life I’ve been aware of Dostoevsky’s reputation as an author of great classics such as The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment, so I was excited to read about the man behind the reputation. I am a little uncertain, after reading this book, whether my admiration has been dampened by Mr. Dostoevsky’s actual personality, or by the author’s ability to portray that personality. The Fyodor I see in this biography seems to be a very self-centered and shallow person who occasionally looks outside of himself to care about others. He is shown to be a very driven individual, which I can well believe he was. His passionate nature was an asset as he strove, through his writings, to right the wrongs of the society he lived in, but it was a detriment where it concerned his personal relationships.

The most memorable moment in the book, for me, was when Dostoevsky lost his little daughter. As a new grandmother of a little girl of about the same age, the description of his grieving process was very touching.

My reaction to this book is mixed. I believe Dostoevsky’s life could have been portrayed in a more interesting manner than Peter Leithart has shown it. Though he has caused me to wonder whether I would find Dostoevsky’s novels interesting, I still plan to read the copy of The Brothers Karamazov that sits on my bookshelf. Perhaps I will find Dostoevsky’s style more captivating than Mr. Leithart’s.

More Audrey...she's our entertainment...:)

What are THESE?
Oh, Gwamma's takin' pitchers agin...
Got one!
Woo-hoo!

Pilfering in the diaper bag...

Hmmm...I wonder what's in here...

Jordan heads home...a little at a time...

We dropped Jordan off at the Minneapolis airport just 30 minutes before his flight was scheduled to leave. He called us when we were 45 miles down the road to let us know he missed his flight!! Poor guy!

SO, he got on a flight to Denver at 6:30 p.m. and will fly out of Denver tomorrow to finish his journey to Ft. Worth. He's scheduled to work tomorrow, so I hope that works out okay.

I know, I know, we should have been there 2 hours before the flight took off, but we tried to fit in too many things before heading to Minneapolis. (It's about a 3 1/2 hour trip.)

It began snowing on our way home and the roads were so slick we had to slow to 45-50 mph. We came upon three different accidents with cars in the ditch. Nobody hurt except one deer. Too much excitement! Glad to be home and will continue praying for Jordan's safe journey. Hope you will too! :)

P.S.- Jordan did make it home safely to his new apartment that he had just moved his stuff into the day before he left for Minnesota...but he had no electricity...and he had to be at work in a couple of hours! So he's having a challenging few days here. He works every day until Sunday and had to play for the worship band on Wednesday. Hope he's able to get things straightened out and find some time to sleep and eat! :)

A tasty potluck...

We had an enjoyable evening sharing potluck with some of Jordan's friends and several of our family members. Besides lots of good food there was ping pong and a beanbag toss and lots of horsing around before Jordan and his buddies got down to the serious business of playing guitars and singing. We left them seated on the floor of the tae kwon do gym, where the party was held, strumming and singing.
For us old folks, it's time for bed! :)

Beloved son, Jordan, visiting from Texas!

You know...this son!
He arrived safely yesterday, but since I had to work, I didn't see him until 1:00 in the morning when he and my hubby finally got back from Minneapolis. I got to visit with him a little this morning before I went to work. Tonight he's with some friends who have a band called Chasing Clarence. They play a lot of folksie music and have a "gig" at a restaurant (okay, it's an Irish pub) in Bemidji. These are all Christian folks, so there won't be any pubbing on their part, but it's a venue that appreciates their brand of music.

Hopefully I'll spend some time with him in the morning, then there will be a potluck get together at a friend's house tomorrow evening so everyone can see him. I'm looking forward to more time to catch up before he leaves for Texas on Monday. Glad I have Monday off so I can escort him to the airport in Minneapolis again. Wish he lived here, but he's having a good time leading worship in his Texas church. Maybe someday he'll wander back up this way for a longer spell.

Shalom! ;)

Baby Milestones...

Audrey just learned that when a person leaves the room, if she leans to one side she can see them around the corner. It's so cute! Of course, we have to come back and congratulate her, and she's so smiley you just have to give her a smooch on her chubby cheeks! :)

She also learned, in the last day or two,how to hold her bottle by herself. That's a great milestone for her mom!

Oh, and a third cute thing is that she looks at herself in the little mirror that's attached to her exersaucer, then she tries to look behind the mirror to see the rest of the baby!

We're having a great time with Miss Audrey!

Nighty-night!

Photos...

Uncle Jordan is getting lots of practice with babies. Someday...Jess, Josh and Starry Hope ready for a Valentines date.
Miss Starry...
What to do with all that long hair, Miss Audrey?

All dressed up to visit the cousins!

Just a few photos I wanted to show off!:D

An encouraging word from college...

A gal called this morning from M-State wanting to know if I'd taken the PAX exam yet, because they had received my applications for the LPN and RN programs, but didn't have my results for the exam. I replied, "Yes! I did take the test!" As it turns out, they were looking for the results for the PAX test for the LPN program, but I took the test for the RN program. When I told her my score she said, "Don't bother taking the PAX exam for the LPN program because with your score you should be a good fit for the RN program."

Well, that's not an "official" yes on my acceptance into the program next fall, but it sounded pretty positive to me! :D It seems like forever since mid-December when I finished my fall classes. I'm kind of looking forward to classes next fall. (I know; I'll wonder why I said that once classes begin!)

Good-night fellow travellers on this big blue ball... ;}

Moonshot...

7:15 this morning over my back pasture...Oooohhh! :)

Miss Danielle Starry Hope Arrived just yesterday...

Following close on the heels of Atticus Jeffrey, (Pom Pom's new grandson)here is our new little person. Her name is Danielle Starry Hope Richards and she arrived yesterday, February 3. She lives in Ft. Worth, Texas with her dad Josh, mom Jess and brother Nathan Aslan. I think Nathan is already smitten!So are we!
Our quiver of grands is bulging and continues to grow. Two more great-grands are due this spring and summer and another grand in September!! No wonder I can't keep birthdays straight! :D
Just wanted to officially announce her arrival. Mom, baby,dad and brother all doing well!

Miss Audrey pics...

Like the new hair do? :)


'Nuff said! (And, yes, she does have pierced ears!) :O
Vaya con Dios!