Admiration

I really admire my husband.

It seems like he can do ANYTHING he puts his mind to.

He is an amazing deal maker.

He is a hard worker.

He loves his children.

He adores his grandchildren.

He can preach up a storm.

He hears from God.

And he can fix a lawnmower.

Recent Missed Birthdays

A couple of birthdays were somehow celebrated without me.



Jael turned six, though she confided that she really feels like she's ten! She wore her princess tiara to her birthday tea just like TiTi taught her.

She spent her birthday money on embellishments for her princess bed.



Abishai turned four and wanted to go miniature golfing. He spent some of his birthday money on a little boy's dream!

I sure do miss them!

Two weeks 'til I get to see them! I'm leaving for Colorado on the 2nd of June!

My Mother's Day (and Gifts)

Gabe and Joel cooked lunch for all of us after church. And Sarah-Kate preached. At church, not at lunch!

Lunch was great! Grilled steak on the Santa Maria-style barbecue pit, baked potatoes and roasted garlic and onions in the gas grill, Caesar salad, and garlic sourdough bread. We had dessert much later -- Chocolate silk pie (Claim Jumper's frozen) and/or brownies with vanilla ice cream. Sorry, no pictures. I keep forgetting to document my life!

The sermon was also great! This is a rarity that she preaches, but she should do it more often as she does a very good job. You can eventually (as soon as they post it) watch it here: http://www.alphabeth.org/video.html Or download it here: http://www.alphabeth.org/audio.html She dedicated the sermon to me and her sons. When speaking about me, she said something like, "My mother isn't perfect, but she'd like to be." I almost laughed out loud! That really does describe me!

I got some wonderful gifts! You know how I love gifts! The first one I received several weeks ago, but can't use until June 2. Josh and Serena sent me a ticket voucher to visit them in Colorado! WooHoo! I'm getting so excited!

The Gombojav children made me some "ShrinkyDink" earrings. I wore the unusual, I mean, adorable heart ones that Meg made me to church. Along with a bunch of other Mother's Day jewelry I have received over the years. Not all of it, of course, just some of it!

(I stand corrected: Lucas made me the heart earrings. Meg made me another pair -- lavender ones with "Mom" written on them. Pretty nicely shaped hearts for a four-year-old, aren't they?)

My husband gave me a pretty crown pin. I really like crowns. For a couple of reasons. One, as a visual reminder of my Fascinating Womanhood and secondly, because I am, most definitely, the queen of this home! And queens, of course, need a variety of crowns!

The Correas gave me a couple of wall-hangings.

Sarah said that one was mostly from her. Touched my heart.

I think I'll hang this one above or next to my closet!

And the church body gave me some beautiful flowers! I really do so love gifts!

But mostly, I absolutely love my family! Thank you, Josh, Daja, Sarah, Gana, Serena, Meg, Jael, Israel, Joel, Lucas, Abishai, Caesar, Ezekiel, Diego, Ihbeleg, Levi, and Donovan for giving me the privilege for being Mom and Nana! (in the order that they became a part of my family)

All in all, it was a very good day. I wonder if wearing those gold stilettos had anything to do with it!

Happy Mother's Day!

"Someone must see the family as worth fighting for, worth calling a career, worth the hard work of training a child in godliness, worth the relentless tasks involved in running a home...This 'someone' is the wife, the mother, and the homemaker and that, as such, she must embrace a life of being the giver. That's our role as mothers." ~Elizabeth George

Links #4

It has been a long time since I shared some links. Here are a couple from recent days on some of my favorite blogs.

Lessons from Vintage Fiction "There's no such thing as a family that runs itself...."

Simple, my way "I don't know if all this qualifies as today's version of 'Simple Living'.For me it is Simply Living, the only way that makes sense to me."

I'm afraid I might be a laundry room weirdo. "because I do find joy in laundry, in being home...in nesting."

Taste of Home Entertaining Party Well, yes, this one may be self promotion.... *smile*

Hard at Work

My son is a landscape contractor. For years, he has done our lawn maintenance. In fact, he was the one who put in our entire backyard (playground and fence included) and all of our irrigation system. So, we have been very blessed.

You might remember, however, that at the end of January he moved his family to Colorado. What ever would we do about our very large patches of grass?

Well, Josh, just to put your mind at ease, I'd like you to know that Dad found his own unique way:


Yes, you are right. It is pretty true to form, eh?