Thank God, Thank God, Thank God! another year is in the rearview window---Goodness and Mercy Following us Forever---

I will lift my voice to worship God. We have had good grades and bad grades, happy days and a few sad days. We have grown tremendously, this year. I think Ethan grew in height the most, about 10 inches or so. He is still clarinetting, which is my delight. They all are drawing as swiftly as they breathe. Only one tries to make music with a pencil in his hands, I do appreciate that. College is honing the twins and they are recuperating over the break. The older women are aiding in the home, as best we allow. Ben and I have enjoyed good health.

God has been good and we adore Him!

We must top off the holiday celebration with a bang, for New Years. What will we eat?

I want some salmon!!!!

Christmas is a time to love...

Taking Stock of my blessings... One Mommy, One Husband, Two turtledoves and a partridge in a peartree?

All of my babies, at work are just the age that I was, when I received my first baby sister. I was 18 months learning to share my mommy, with this little stranger. My mommy must've prayed for me to learn this, because my sister is still alive. Babies can be so primal and selfish. I have learned to love her and the many, many baby sisters and brothers that came after her.

Now, I find it my own job to teach a sharing lifestyle to my little babies. What do I do, when this friend or sibling is no longer sitting like a pretty doll in a basket or crib, somewhere? What do I do, when they become competitors for mommy's attention? What do I do, when they outdo me in this or that thing and outshine me and my mommy praises them? Dumping on them, smacking and being naughty can't be a lifelong habit of elder sibling, me.

I have been blessed to see my siblings outdo me in a great many areas of life. I have been blessed to see more blessings in my children and babies, as I see my babies and children learning the lessons that I am learning too.

Words from the midst of the Christmas hustle and bustle...

Inevitably, we overcommit in this season. Sunday was Mom's cantata. Monday was practice for the boys' Christmas play. Tuesday was Ethan's band concert. Wednesday was Enoch's friend's party and practice for the boys, etc.

A Christmas wonderful surprise is the twelve days of Christmas gifts that have delighted us in our season. We have, positively no idea who is doing these delightful gifting to us on these twelve days of Christmas. 4 calling birds was a bird feeder gift, which was a silent breathed in wish on my heart and made the harrowing days preceding the celebration of our greatest Gift received, a lot less distracted from the reality of the treasure of faith that we possess. Alleluia, for God's family celebrating this feast of the greatest and highest reality. Pray for God to make it a real reflection of the Unity of the Spirit and the Love of the Truth, in Jesus' Name. Amen

The Chowan woman comes home today! Makin' Friends

Its My Birthday and I am finally past 9 x 5!

Look Mommy, I look like you!

Ev and her friend Keesha!

What a sweet email I got from my College Woman, Ev. I sent it to my mommy. I told her that my selfies are the children. She knows that already, I know. I am so glad that my baby sent the pix to me. Had to share it.

I hear he had "A Pretty Good Crowd" for a Saturday!

Billy Joel came to NC. Unfortunately, we couldn't put 2 pennies together to get tickets; but it was like a little piece of NY came to visit us, here in the "Cackalackies". I didn't cry to have missed it. I am still rejoicing that I can hear him on the Youtube, if not on the radio here in the "schticks", as we call it. I would wither had there not been a Youtube to comfort me from my NY withdrawal. 20000 people or so is like standing on the subway platform with him, very intimate conversation. We are so provincial, us New York transplants.

Well, I consider it a visit from home for him to have been in our dear city{the city has become dear, though not finished yet:)}. I am grateful that my screams every Sat. at the end of his part of my housecleaning regimen were heard and he had to come to NC for the many fans that he obviously has down here. My love for his music is certainly primal, but I am not a street girl to be able to snag a ticket from a scalper. One day, I will see him live, I hope. Until then, I will cherish the years at Fontbonne, which gave me a taste for such musical"champaign", and to become part of the "not having started the fire" prayer group.

God Bless America and God Bless Billy Joel!

The Pride of Harris Road Middle School Chorus!

It was cloudy afternoon and my bones were aching from the frolic with my tiny cherub, when I knew I had to gird up my strength and go to a concert of my baby boy. He's not Michael Jackson, but he looked like Michael Jackson with the huge afro that his father helped him acquire through the tangles of locks that my boys are sporting these days.
My clarinetist, Ethan often has concerts that are earlier in the evening. This one was just at the right time for me to take a half hour nap before. I took full advantage of that. I fell fast asleep for about 15 minutes, before I overheard that it wasn't at the Middle School around the corner, it was at the High School a little bit farther away. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, I'd better jump out of my ZZZZZZ's and run to carry the fellow, so he won't be late. {My mommy and my daddy's trips to my concerts and games were running through my brain. Oh what devoted and diligent parents I had! Every move was inspected by my parents. I can't even get there for my baby boy. I did get there, though. "I forgot the tomatoes", I hear my daddy say. Thank God Ben's not like that, I say to myself. My mind flips to the icy break down of the car on the BQE and our pilgrimage home up the icy embankment steps in my Volleyball uniform. I miss Brooklyn! This is Ezra's show. }
My baby was stupendous! He did very well. He was beautiful and the children were perfect. I was delighted and We celebrated after at McDonalds to hear every Middle School thought of the occasion. I was elated and grateful for the dear and devoted teachers who can and do pour into our children. Thank you to them all! Merry Christmas and Praise the Lord!

Today is the Day!