Show and Tell

Lavished goodness... and... For Chloe

Today is Thursday, February 9. It's the day after chemo and I'm really feeling pretty good. Really! Yesterday, though, was rough. Three bouts of throwing up... yuck. But last night I took both the anti-reflux pill and the anti-nausea pill and today has been a pretty good day. Guess it's all about taking the right pills at the right times. Go figure.  

 

Here is the scripture that I chose to share with you from my reading for today. Once again I've chosen a verse from the Psalms.

Psalm 31:19

"How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world."

I write notes in my Bible. Maybe you do, too. I have one beside this verse. I wrote it in 2006, the day after one of our 5 year old students died of a very aggressive brain tumor, just a short time after showing symptoms and being diagnosed (less than a month, I think). It was quite a shock to all of us.

On that day, I listed in my prayer notebook some of the ways the body of Christ had reached out to us at the preschool. One of the parents who had a child in the little guy's class, brought me an energy bar, changed the message on the school marquee, gave me notes and scriptures, and prayed with me in the morning before school started. Another mom, who "happens to be" a grief counselor for the Kindermourn organization, met with the teachers, kids, and their parents. One of our former parents called to volunteer her services as a sub, should the funeral be held during the school day. I was so touched by the outpouring of love. And I still am, when I think about it.

It was a sad time for us, but it was also a time filled with hope. And a time that our faith community at the preschool really shined. As verse 21 says in part, "Praise the Lord, for he has shown us the wonders of his unfailing love...." And verse 24 reminds us to "...be strong and courageous...."   Even in the worst of circumstances, with the Lord's help, we can continue to be strong. We can be courageous as we put our hope in the Lord.

We have the best neighbors in the world. All of them, 2 adults, 4 children. They are always ready to help us out whenever we need it. Even the just-turned-16 year old.  

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Yesterday was a treatment day for me. And I completely forgot about Chloe's birthday. Her 16th birthday. Could there be a worse birthday to miss than the "sweet sixteen"? Hopefully Chloe will forgive me... but she's such a sweet girl that I'm sure it's already done. Hope it was happy Chloe!

AND TELL:  stamp is from Papertrey Ink (Big & Bold Wishes); cardstock is PTI (Rustic White) and Stampin' Up (Positively Pink); patterned paper is American Crafts (Hello Sunshine); ink is SU (Tempting Turquoise); ribbon is PTI (Summer Sunrise grosgrain); twine is Divine Twine (Aqua); also used a PTI die (Banner Borders).

I've been going through my photos that I've meant to share with you, but somehow have not. These two were taken back in the fall. And are further proof of how much we have been blessed by people that we know.

This one is a basket full of afghans and quilts that were sent to me after I was diagnosed. I should've taken the picture better to show ALL of the items we got to help me stay warm. They're all so lovely and I know were stitched with love. Tnank you if you were one of the quilt or afghan makers!

And this one...

is a pillow that was made for me by one of the 4 year old classes at the preschool. They all signed their name and a few had little extraneous drawings, too... like the one of "toast". Haha! I can only guess that the child had been served toast for breakfast... and maybe just learned to spell it, too. So cute! Thank you, 4D, for the pillow that has gotten me through many naps on the couch. (I know that YOU don't understand that, but when you're all grown up you may just LIKE taking naps!)

Well, I think that will be all for today. I have really got to start creating things because I'm all out of fun artsy stuff to post. Maybe that will be tomorrow's job. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your prayers as I recover from the affects of the chemo treatments. I really appreciate you more than you know! 

the Lord's sanctuary... and... a banner hello

Today is Wednesday, February 1. The first day in my new life of leisure. :)

Yesterday was my last day of work. I loved my job, but I also like staying at home so I don't expect this to be a traumatic transition for me. So far today I've gone to Curves and a little later went on a walk with Ken. I'm not doing a full Curves workout yet, but I'm doing a little bit more each day so that's good. And today Ken decided that we should increase the amount of walking we're doing — so instead of one mile, we did a mile and a half. Whew! We plan on doing another walk later today if it hasn't started raining.

The preschool staff has always been so good to me. I began working there as a teacher in 1995 and became director in 1998. So I've been there for a pretty long time. I had asked the staff not to do anything for me... I really don't like the focus on me, but I knew that they would do something anyway. And, I came to realize that it's really not all about me... it's about other people who need to have a bit of closure and a chance to say goodbye. And when you look at it that way, it makes having all the focus on you bearable. (At least, it does for me.)

So, the staff had a really nice breakfast in my honor on Monday morning. And they gave me a very thoughtful gift — a small scrapbook that included pages with handwritten notes from each of them mixed in with some Bible verses and inspirational quotes. A real treasure.

 They also gave me a folder chockful of cash that they said we were to use on our travels (not on stamping supplies... haha... they know me so well!).

They had a bouquet of flowers on the breakfast table that they gave to me to take home.

 And the church sent a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers... tulips, irises, lilies, daisies, etc. And pussy willows! I just love the fuzzy texture they add to an arrangement.

A couple of the preschool staff members are in the stamp club that I'm a part of. In fact, I think we can blame my whole obsession with stamping on them. :) Anyway, they embellished a picture frame and included a staff photo from the fall of 2010.

Such a precious group of ladies. (I'll treasure it, Sheri & Kathy!) 

 

Well, now let's get into some scripture.

Psalm 26:8

"I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells."

I do love the Lord's sanctuary. I love going to church... singing... hearing the Word of God taught... visiting with people I meet there. I've heard people say things like, "I don't need to go to church... I can worship God anywhere." That may be true, but there is definitely something to be said for living life in a community of believers. (Um... that doesn't mean a commune... it just means living your life associated with people who believe in God and live like it.) If you're a Christian, I believe your closest friends should also be Christians. But you don't want to completely cut yourself off from non-believers because then how will they learn about the hope you have inside of you? The hope that Jesus offers?

And, because I'm talking a little bit about church, I snapped the photo below during worship last Sunday morning.

 Is there anything more precious than seeing people's hands lifted in praise to the Lord? Hands of all ages. Hands of all colors. Oh, how I love that! 

 

I've been doing a lot of Valentine cards lately. Today let's depart from that for a moment. This is just your basic "hey, how ya doin'" type of card.

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Surely you recognize this sketch since I've been using it a lot lately. :) And I think those birds are cute, cute, cute. They're rub-ons that I ordered from Emma's. (Just in case you need some, too.) 

AND TELL:  stamp is from Papertrey Ink (Little Bitty Bird); cardstock is PTI (Vintage Cream); patterned paper is Basic Grey (Life of the Party: House Party); ink is Stampin' Up (Blushing Bride); also used Studio Calico Rub-Ons (Tweets - Woodgrain).

Just a few more photos from our trip to the beach.

On our last day, we got up early to walk on the beach and watch the sunrise. Only it was cloudy so there was no glorious sunrise. Instead we walked on the beach for awhile in the misty rain and went back to the condo.

Not too many people out at dawn on a misty Sunday morning at the beach.

We planned to eat breakfast on our way out of town, but we were too slow getting started. So instead we had lunch at a place that our friends had recommended to us. 

And after lunch we drove the 45 or so minutes to Kenneth's parents' house.

They have a lovely home in the country about an hour in from the coast and about 3 hours from our home in Charlotte. It was so fun to spend some time with them, see their place, and eat a delicious dessert served by Kenneth's mom. If I'd been a little more with it I would've taken pictures while we were at their house. Oh, well. (Thanks for hospitality, Eddie & Jackie!)

I guess that will be it for today. And that will be it for our trip to the beach, too. Hopefully, we'll get to go again sometime. It's just so peaceful at the beach. Especially in the winter when there aren't that many people there.

Thanks so much for stopping by my little blog today. Hopefully I'll be back again tomorrow, but stamp club is on Saturday and I haven't started my project yet. In fact, I haven't even decided what I'm doing! And I'm the hostess, so I'm providing the food. I've kind of a lot to do in the next couple of days. But, I'll try to get back. Thanks again for visiting. I hope to "see you" again soon. Hugs to you!

His perfect way... and... love

Today is Saturday, January 21. It's been a good day so far. Did I tell you that we cut back on steroids again? Now I'm taking 1mg every other day. Oh. I do seem to remember explaining that before. I'm thinking that it may be time to go completely off of them. That's an exciting thought. We'll see and I'll keep you posted.

I thought I'd show you a couple pictures from the past week. Here's one from preschool

 You know how I like preschool art. These were done by a three year old class. Cute, huh? I especially like the painted snowmen. But the penguin are pretty precious, too. 

And you've gotta check this out. It's the sticker that was on my banana one morning this week.

 Haha! If anyone needs brain fuel, it may be me. Perhaps I should eat one every day! :)

 

Let's move on to some scripture now.

Psalm 18:30

"God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection."

You know, whatever God decides to do with me is perfect. I know what I hope and what I pray for, but when I gave my life to Christ I also gave Him permission to use me as He sees fit. That can be a hard pill to swallow sometimes — because we, as people, just want the good and the easy and the comfortable. At least, that's what I always want. That's just not real life, though, is it? So I've found that I just have to determine and agree in my heart that His way is best. I usually can do that pretty successfully, but sometimes... Well, how do you do at that?   

 

So, I decided to get a headstart on Valentine projects.

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This little folder has the perfect place for a square chocolate. Just a little Valentine treat. Who wouldn't like that?

I'm not completely satisfied with the way the little treat holder turned out. So, next time I'll tweak it and do a few things differently.

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Tag-its #11); cardstock is PTI (Stampers Select White); patterned paper is from my stash; ink is PTI (Berry Sorbet) and Memento (Tuxedo Black); baker's twine is Divine Twine (orange); also used PTI dies (Lunchbox Note, Love Lives Here, Filigree) and a Stampin' Up punch (1-3/4" circle).

That will be just about it, I think. Ken and I have been continuing on our walks... at least one a day, maybe two. Hopefully with the exercise and the steroids being reduced to almost nothing (or maybe to nothing) I'll start to get my girly figure back. :) But, you know... it's just good to be alive. Even if I am a little chunky. haha!

Hope all is well with you and I'll try to be back in touch tomorrow, but — looking at my Sunday — it may be Monday before we get a chance to visit again. Lots of love to you! 

The Lord still rules... and...You are just dandy!

Today is Friday, January 13. I was feeling pretty good this morning so I went to work. But I started to fade about half-way through the day and really should have gone home... but didn't. Now I'm really regretting that as I'm tired, nauseous, and pretty grumpy. And my sister-in-law is arriving from California in a couple hours so I'd really like to get over it so I'll be ready for some fun.

On the plus side, though... I did sleep really well last night. And, that's always good! 

Here's some artwork from a three year old class last Friday. You know how I like preschool art!

Cute owls, aren't they? They're made from painted paper plates with construction paper eyes and beaks, and they're flying through a night sky of sticker stars. Preschoolers love stickers. And getting them off the paper backing is really good for their developing fine motor skills. (So, if you have preschoolers in your life, don't be stingy with the stickers. Buy some cheapies and let them go to town!) And, back to the artwork, don't you just love those big ol' owl eyes? 

 

Now some scripture for today:

Psalm 11:4a

"But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven."

Today I am feeling so sick and tired. My day didn't start out that way, and it probably won't end that way, but it's the way I feel right now. I'm thinking that I'm going to take a nap and go to sleep meditating on this verse... the Lord is in His holy temple... the Lord still rules from heaven. He still loves me. He has not abandoned me. He will give me the strength I need. 

 

Since Kris is coming today, I did what I nearly always do when we have out of town guests... I made a welcome card to put in her room.

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You may recognize this card. It's quite similar to a couple that I made in October for the receptionists at the radiologists office. (Here... you'll have to scroll down quite a ways.) And Kristine is completely and totally "dandy", so it's the perfect card for her. I'm sure we'll have lots of fun while she's here. :) 

As I often do, I used a little stamp from the set along with my initials to sign the card. Just a nice extra touch, I think.

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Flora Fusion #11, Floral Fusion #5, Floral Fusion #7, Floral Fusion #4, Floral Fusion #8, Love Lives Here); cardstock is PTI (Stampers Select White); ink is Stampin' Up (Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie) and PTI (True Black); also used PTI's Basic Backgrounds: Diamonds Impression Plate and dies (Floral Fusion Stem, Floral Fusion #11, Floral Fusion #4, Floral Fusion #7), SU's Regal Rose marker, and Creative Memories corner rounder.

 Well, it's nearly 4:00 now and I'm getting a bit of a second wind. I think I'll still let Ken pick up Kris at the airport on his own, though. And I'll either stay here to rest or do some laundry. Or a little of both. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by for a bit of news, complaining, scripture, and craftiness today. I so love visiting with you and, again, want to thank you for all the specific prayers over the last few days. You all are the absolute best! Sending hugs your way! 

praying... and... take joy in today

Today is Tuesday, January 10. We (Ken & I) went to work (my work) for a bit this morning. I had ordered a table and chairs for one of the classrooms that had to be put together — and Ken is my go-to guy for construction projects. :) 

That's it assembled. I love our classroom furniture. We bought it all several years ago when the economy was good and we were blessed with some fantastic fundraisers. Now we're just filling in little by little with a few items that we didn't get the first go-'round.

You may remember that today I had an MRI. Have you ever had one? They're a little freaky... lots of clanging and banging and buzzing while you're in a small space, immobilized — in my case, on my back with my head being kept completely still. And, I'm not sure exactly how long I was in there, but I'm thinking that it was about 15 minutes, then they drew some blood (while I was still pinned down and immobilized) and then there were probably about 10 or 15 minutes more of lots of noise, etc. I'm so glad that I'm not claustrophobic or easily freaked out!

Anyway, tomorrow we'll find out what the doctor saw when he looked at the pictures. And, I must admit to being a little nervous. I didn't think I was... or that I would be... but I guess I am. This morning after the MRI, I felt tired... like all I wanted to do is go home and sleep. Now, I know that sleep is important, but I haven't taken naps lately and I've been sleeping really well at night, so what I determined is that I was a bit depressed by this whole business. But, once I forced myself to go on a walk, eat lunch, and do some internet work I felt so much better. Well enough to start preparing this post and some future ones, too. I really think that half the battle is in the mind — so I make every effort to take control of mine!

 

For today's scripture I'm using just a part of a verse.

Genesis 24:45

"Before I had finished praying in my heart,..."

I chose this little passage (not even a full sentence) for what it said to me when I read it. It said that God knows what is going on with me. He knows what I need before I even voice it. Or even if I don't voice it. He "hears" my heart's desires. He knows! He knows what is in your heart, too. Cool, isn't it? 

 

My MRI this morning was in the same building that I went to back in the fall for radiation therapy. Those people are very special to us, so we walked in to say hello. We took them a card, too.

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I take joy in each day. And I hope they do, too. And you also. :)

I don't always do it, but this PTI set has such great Bible verses that I decided to put one on the inside of the card. I'm really liking the way it looks on top of the VersaMark leaf stamp, too. Pretty perfect, I think.

And, since I'm upping my game... I also stamped and signed the back of the card. Just makes it a little more personal. (For those of you PTI followers like me... what do you think of the stamp set "Handmade Hodgepodge"? At just $5, I'm thinking it will make it into my cart — even though I have been embellishing and signing the backs of my cards for some time now and have found that a small coordinating image works pretty well.) 

AND TELL:  stamps are Papertrey Ink (Turning a New Leaf, Beautiful Blessings); cardstock is PTI (Aqua Mist); patterned paper is Sassafras Lass (Count me in: love to learn); ink is Memento (Tuxedo Black) and Versamark; button is PTI (Aqua Mist); twine is PTI (Rustic Cream); also used a PTI impression plate (Diamonds) and a PTI die (Loopsy-Daisy Collection).

That is all for today. Thanks for your visit, for all your comments and all your prayers. We appreciate you very much! And we're praying that tomorrow we have a good medical report to share with you. Sending you lots and lots of love!

Happy Holidays Mat Stack 3

Today is Friday, December 23. Wow. So close to Christmas. I'm planning to get Ken to take me to the grocery store today. It just seems like we need a few of our usual Christmas treats, so I'm going to get the ingredients and see if I can still cook. How hard can it be, right? I just have to read and follow directions... :)

I've had these pictures in the queue for a long time and if I don't share them soon, there will be no point so here they are... photos of Christmas artwork from the preschool. You know how I love preschool art!

From 2A:

The young two's sponged green paint on precut trees and added a yellow star to complete the look.

3B:

Glittery handprint angels. What parent doesn't love to receive artwork featuring their child's handprint? Add a string through the top of these and you have an ornament to use through the years. It won't be long until you'll be marveling at how small your child's hand once was.

4C:

I have two projects to show from this class...

Some construction paper trees, cut out and decorated in 4 year old style.

And then a special craft that required perseverence...

to get all the stuffing in the sock so that baby Jesus was nice and plump...

I took a couple pictures of artwork outside of 4D, too:

The children printed a nativity scene on their construction paper stockings. Since we're a Christian school, the artwork is supposed to reflect that — or at least not feature Santa Claus.

Also from 4D was a wall of candy canes along with the history of the candy (the legend of the candy cane can be found in several places on the internet — here is one). Besides the spirtual and Christmas value of this project, it also required the preschoolers to make stripes (creating an A-B pattern)... which is not a natural thing for preschoolers to do with paint. They're more into solidly colored objects (and with lots of different colors is the best). This project requires a lot of self-control for a preschooler to accomplish!

And, finally, a couple of projects from the TK class.

Love these mangers.

And this activity required a lot of working together:

The TK teacher does this with her class every year — and every year the tree is completely unique. The children take the classroom blocks and make an outline of a tree shape on the floor, including a trunk or a tree stand or whatever the class envisions would be holding up the tree. Then they use little half-round marbles to create ornaments for the tree. It's fun to see how the children work together and work out compromises as they go. Such a great activity — and the kids always love it! 

And here is one more item from preschool. It was hanging on the weekday school door right after Thanksgiving:

Beautiful, isn't it? It took me a while to realize that with all the gray and silver and with the message of "Hope" that it was in honor of me. It brought tears to my eyes. Don't I work with the best group of people in the whole wide world? (Sure do love y'all!)

 

For our Bible passage, we're back in the Psalms again today.

Psalm 142:1-2

"I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord's mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn...."

I've been there... crying out to Lord... pleading for His mercy... pouring out my troubles and complaints. But you know, even though I have a brain tumor and things may not look particularly rosy for me, I feel pretty good right now. And I'm so very grateful for that!

Do I still put my requests for healing out there to the Lord? Oh, yes. Although, sadly, maybe not as fervently when I'm feeling pretty good. But, God created us, so I think He understands how we are. And, I probably don't need to constantly remind Him that I'd like to be healed. I've voiced that. And He knows my heart and my desires.

So, I'm going to carry on with my life... preparing for Christmas, going on walks to try to make by body stronger (and, hopefully, slimmer!), blogging, along with all the stuff that I need to do and lots of the stuff that I like to do.   

 

Here's a rather uniquely shaped Christmas card.

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It's easy to make with two layers of cardstock and a die cutting machine (I have a Cuttlebug). I used the Layerz Mat Stack 3 die to make a card by positioning the left edge of the die slightly beyond the fold. Very easy and made a pretty cute card, don't you think? 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Mat Stack 3 Collection, 2008 Holiday Tag Collection, Everyday Classics); cardstock is Stampin' Up (Riding Hood Red, Ruby Red) and PTI (Rustic White); patterned paper is Jillibean Soup (Christmas Chestnut Soup: whole cloves); ink is SU (Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red); rhinestones are PTI (Black); also used PTI dies (Mat Stack 3, Mega Mat Stack 3, Layerz Mat Stack 3) and SU punch (scallop edge).

 

In going through my photos, I've found a few that I think I forgot to post — so I'll share one of them tonight. 

Remember when I bought the glass globes at Pottery Barn as a birthday present to me? That was back in October and they've been on our dining room sideboard since then. But we snazzed them up a little more for the holidays by putting strands of Christmas lights inside...

Pretty, aren't they? I was too afraid to put the lights inside them... I figured I was too unsteady and would break something. So, when Britt & Kenneth were in town earlier this month, Britt did it for me. (Thanks, Britt!)

That's all for tonight. We're heading to a neighbor's house for their family Christmas celebration tonight. We're both original owners of our houses — and our children grew up together, so we have a lot of history together. We even went on a cruise together when our children were young. Now our oldest kids are married. Crazy how time goes on, isn't it. 

Anyway, thank you so much for dropping in for a little visit tonight and for checking up on us. We really appreciate all your love and support! Sending you hugs!!

He is a Shield... and... Joy Gift Bag

Today is Friday, December 16. And, once again, I'm having a bit of trouble getting going on a blog post. But this time I'm going to push through.

Yesterday was the last day of preschool for 2011 and this morning we had our staff Christmas party. We do a breakfast at a restaurant so that we can party but still have lots of time for everyone to head out and do their last minute Christmas things before they pick their older children up from school.

 The restaurant where we ate has a separate room that can be closed off and is perfect for our staff. We eat and then I distribute their Christmas gift card bonuses... never as much as they deserve, but still a nice little token of our appreciation for their service to the weekday school. Wow, I love these ladies!

And here are photos of the Christmas programs for the classes we call 3C, T4, 4C, and 4D (our Wednesday music classes),

and T3, 3B, and TK (our Thursday music classes)...

In the picture above you can see how the kids in the front (who had been in the program the day before) are enjoying clapping along with the music. Love preschool programs. Love how there is almost always one child who shouts the words late and maybe out of tune. And another who may twirl instead of sing. Or the ones who pick their nose or any number of things that are cute when they're preschoolers, but not so cute as they get older. Yep. Gotta love preschool programs.

 

Today we have some scripture from Proverbs.

Proverbs 30:5

"Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection."

Another good word for me — and you — to keep in mind. God is a shield to those who come to Him for protection. And since it also says that every word He speaks holds true, I'll believe that He is a shield that protects me... even in the face of a brain tumor. And He'll be a shield to you, too, in whatever challenges you are facing. He is so good — trust Him! 

 

I may have explained before that part of our stamp club Christmas party involves exchanging gifts of "the best $5 stamp you can find". We bring our wrapped offerings, put them all on the table, and draw numbers to determine the order in which we select our gift. I love that this gave me the perfect opportunity to use my new Papertrey Ink Front & Center die. 

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Oh, so easy... and oh, so cute! I love bright non-traditional colors for Christmas, so this was pretty fun for me. And I love finding a way to use things that I picked up for pennies at after Christmas sales like the glittery ornaments. Very fun, don't you think?

AND TELL:  stamps is from Papertrey Ink (Signature Series: Flower); cardstock is Stampin' Up (Peach Parfait, Pool Party, Daffodil Delight) and PTI (Stampers Select White); patterned paper is Crate Paper (Snow Day Collection: Flakes); ink is SU (Peach Parfait); ribbon is PTI (1/4" silk); twine is PTI (Rustic Cream); also used PTI dies (Signature Series: Flower and Front & Center #1)a Sizzix embossing folder (Starry Night) and an EK Success border punch that may be discontinued (I couldn't find a name for it).

So, that's all for tonight. It took awhile, but I finally got it all done. :) I plan to be back again tomorrow. Thank you so much for stopping by and spending some time with me. Sending you love! 

He answered... and... Furry Folk Winter

Here is a teaser for my November stamp club project. The theme was winter/snow. Since I was late getting my cards done, I finished them all in time for our December meeting. And now I'm late getting them posted. So me. Anyway, the full card description will be down below.

Today is Wednesday, December 14. And I'm having trouble getting started on this post. Just not very motivated tonight. Sorry about that. Although, if history holds true, I'll perk up and keep writing, writing, and writing some more.

Today was the first of the 3 and 4 year old Christmas programs at the weekday school.

They were well prepared and did fabulously. I remember years where kids were vacating the platform right and left... so when kids stay and even sing, I consider it a successful year. And, sing they did this year. This was the first time that I had seen this program and I could understand nearly every word the kids sang. The music teacher sure did a great job preparing them. If you are interested, for the past several years we have done Karyn Henley musicals which can be found on her website here. They're great for young children and really get the Christmas message in their hearts.

 

Some scripture for today.

Jonah 2:2a

"'...I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me....'"

This was prayed by Jonah when he was in the belly of the great fish. And, you probably know the rest of the story. God did save him from the big fish... and Jonah wasn't exactly thankful. But, what I'm focusing on tonight is that God saved Jonah out of his trouble. That Jonah cried out to the Lord and He answered. And you may remember how I am attracted to stories about God saving people out of their difficulties. They inspire me and give me hope. So, once again, I'm left feeling hopeful for my situation. God is oh, so good to me!

 

The theme for our November stamp club meeting, as I mentioned above, was winter/snow. I had fun with this one.  

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For some reason I was very attracted to the Furry Folk stamp set when it first came out. And I've used it quite a bit. Especially considering that I don't usually go for cutesy animal sets. But I do love all the little animals in this collection — and those trees. Love those trees. 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Stampin' Up (Snow Burst, Furry Folk, Very Versatile); cardstock is SU (Not Quite Navy) and Papertrey Ink (Stampers Select White); ink is SU (White) and Memento (Tuxedo Black); baker's twine is Divine Twine (oyster).

 

Well, I think that's it for tonight. Oh, except for this picture from chemo yesterday...

Another celebration for someone finishing chemo... this time with bubbles. Very fun, huh?

And that's it for tonight. This time, for real. :) Tomorrow is one more preschool program, Friday is the staff party, and then we're on break until January 2. Thank you so much for stopping by and spending some time here with me. I really enjoy our time together. Hugs to you!   

Beauty from within... and...Thanksgiving Dinner Placecards

Today is Thursday, November 24. Thanksgiving Day in the USA. As I write this, the smell of roasting turkey is wafting through the house. Michael (who is a talented classical guitarist) is playing the guitar in the living room. Sounds from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade are filtering in from the family room. Oh, my... it's a beautiful day at the Hayes house!

And last night was pretty beautiful, too. You know, when I'm writing a blog post I'm just sort of talking. Like I'm talking to friends (which I am!). So, it seems that I must mention going to Pinkberry quite often. So often that Ken's sister Lynne expressed interest in trying it while she was here. Well, the only time we had was last night... so, even though we had eaten frozen yogurt at the mall earlier in the day, well... we had to make sure that Lynne had some Pinkberry. It was the right thing to do. :)

 Don't you agree? :) I had the chocolate and peppermint yogurts swirled and then topped with white chocolate shavings, chips of peppermint bark, and magic shell chocolate. Oh, so refreshing. Mmmm. But, really, sharing one of my favorite spots with my family was the most fun of all. 

 

Today's scripture is, again, from 1 Peter. I think you'll see that it's quite appropriate for my situation. 

1 Peter 3:3-4

"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."

I must admit to smiling a bit when I read these verses. Of course, I like to look nice and stylish but I've never been consumed with having lots of the latest clothes and perfect hair and makeup. Good thing, right? Because here's what I look like today when I'm not wearing a hat.

Nothing like losing your hair in a weird sort of pattern to keep you humble! But, I figure... it's just hair. I think it'll grow back. But, even that's not that important to me. I just want to continue living. And I'd like to live my life with a spirit of love and gentleness... and, well, all of the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — Galatians 5:22-23). I'd like my life to be a positive example to others... not because of anything I do, but because of what God does through me as I surrender to Him. He is my strength and my protection (Psalm 71:7) — and He will be yours, too, as you learn to live for Him. Something to be thankful for on this day of thankfulness, isn't it?    

 

I've been making placecards for our Thanksgiving table for a few years now. It's fun for me, but a bit of a challenge, too. The challenge is that when we registered for china in 1980, I was a pastel sort of girl... light blue, light pink... those were colors that I loved. Um... not so much anymore. But, of course, I still have the china. And we still use it on special occasions. And I still do like things to coordinate. But working with spring-y colors in the fall is a bit of a challenge, I think. Anyway, here are our placecards from the past two years...

And here are this year's...

SHOW

The only way I've figured out to marry autumn colors with my china pattern is to use a blue and a purple in the design. Well, this year, I forgot about the purple (must've been a brain tumor moment)... but I did use some blue so I think it'll be OK. :)

Those are the placecards for all who will be attending our Thanksgiving dinner. 17 people... ranging in age from 2 to... well... let's just be non-specific and say over 80. I love having several generations together. It just makes for a rich, fun gathering. Don't you agree?

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Places, Please) and Stampin' Up (Straight Up Alphabet & Numbers); cardstock is PTI (Stampers Select White, Rustic White); ink is SU (Not Quite Navy, More Mustard, Basic Gray); rhinestones are Kaiser (brown); also used the PTI Placecard die.

So, I thought I'd leave you with some Thanksgiving inspiration from the preschool. First, in the way of artwork...

 

Then in the way of feasting...

  and preciousness...

 and plain, old fun... 

I hope your Thanksgiving Day is filled with many, many of the Lord's richest blessings. Thanks for spending a bit of it here with me. Sending you lots of love and prayers for a blessed holiday!

Confident Trust... and... One Blessing After Another

Today is Monday, November 14. I went to work this morning and, after a trip to Lowe's with Ken, plopped down on the couch to take a nap but instead got distracted by a sale at my favorite online scrapbooking store and filled my virtual cart with over $300 of patterned paper. Now I'm in the process of culling it down to about $30 worth. :) But, since tonight is the Papertrey Ink release and since I KNOW that I'm going to be spending a bit (ahem!) of money there I should probably just clear my Emma's Paperie cart and forget about it. We'll see what kind of self-control I have as the evening goes on. Emma's is having a 30% off sale and that's a little hard for me to resist. Not that I use a lot of patterned paper, but I sure do like to look at it! (hehe!)

Today was our quarterly birthday lunch at work. Three times a year (I know... that is not quarterly, but that's what it has always been called...), the staff — which has been divided into thirds for the occasion — brings a dish to share.

All the food is set up on a table in the preschool hallway for the staff to fill their plates buffet-style. It probably doesn't sound very special or fun, but it's a pretty big deal for us and, even though everyone has to return to their classrooms to eat, we all enjoy the change from the usual routine. And the chance to sample the cooking of our co-workers. :) Oh, and one of our teachers is a fabulous maker and decorator of cakes and her job is to bring a cake to each luncheon. It's always fun to see how she has decorated it. Of course, I was so intent on filling my plate that I forgot to take a photo of the cake. Oh, well... sorry. Just know that it looked and tasted really good. :)

Tomorrow is my second chemotherapy treatment and I'm quite looking forward to it. I felt so much better a couple days after the first one that I'm hoping to feel even better this time! We'll go in for a port check and probably some blood work around 9:00 in the morning, and then will spend — I suppose — the rest of the day in the infusion room where I'll be hooked up to an IV that will be pumping the Avastin and then the CPT-11 into me. It'll take most of the day, so I'm not sure that I'll be posting tomorrow. If I don't, you'll probably get an update from Ken. Or, maybe I'll post in the afternoon from the infusion room. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the day brings. :)

 

For today's scripture we're back in the Psalms.

Psalm 112:1, 7

"Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands....They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them."

When you've had almost nothing but bad news medically it can be easy to become discouraged. I think that is why I choose not to look at any images of my brain tumor and am very careful about what I allow our medical personnel to reveal to me about their thoughts on my prognosis. To me, this is all in the Lord's hands. He may use the doctors and nurses, but any healing will come through Him. And I realize that healing takes many forms. I'm not living in a dream world. But I am trusting that the Lord will take care of me. I'm sure of it. :) And, in the meantime, I am also joyfully waiting to see how the Lord is working. Because, I know that He's at work through this situation. And it's a privilege to be on His side. (And to be sharing it all with you! You guys are the best!)

 

This is a card that I made several weeks ago for a friend from church.     

SHOW

At the time she was recovering from surgery and I wanted to do something to encourage her. She and her husband spent many years on the mission field, much of it at a school in Ecuador, and... well... you know that missionaries don't really have a lot of money to spare. Since Karen is an avid cardmaker, I thought that one way I could bless her would be to share some of my papercrafting abundance. Hopefully she enjoyed going through the big bag of blank cards, stickers, die cuts, and stamp pads. And, even more so, I hope she enjoys using them!  

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Half & Half, Beautiful Blessings); cardstock is PTI (Stampers Select White), patterned paper is from my stash; ink is PTI (True Black); also used one of the PTI Half & Half dies.

That is all for today. I really appreciate you stopping by for a visit... and I always love hearing from you. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers tomorrow as we have our second chemo session. Your prayers sustain us and buoy us and we're so appreciative of your support and your love. And, we send big hugs and lots of love your way, too. :)