Saying good bye!

Wishing Nathan well and saying our good-byes as he left for California today. 

These were taken before WAY before we all started absolutely crying our eyes out!!! 

Thanks to Joy for being our photographer, who accidentally missed getting in the photos!

We love you, Nathan!!!!! We are so proud of you and we'll see you on Christmas Eve! xoxoxox

~Becky

Amazing brownies

Our oldest was invited to a Bible study that some of the other employees at work are starting
(how awesome is that?!)
and then it turned into a potluck and they asked him to bring dessert. He could always buy something but he wanted to make it. I suggested he make the brownies he made when he was 5 that won a cooking contest at the library! (it was all soooo very cute!) But he said 'no' -probably to avoid any chance of that story coming out. ; )
Joy suggested he make cheesecake brownies and I suggested he check Pinterest, (which he'd never done before) where he found about a million choices. : ) Gotta love Pinterest!

And voila! The perfect dessert for people who work here:

was found! -Espresso-cheesecake brownies!!!! : )

But then the Bible study had to be cancelled
and shucks, darn, WE became the recipients of the this awesomeness! Whoo-hoo!

Here is the recipe! (no edible cigars with ours though, but I'm sure you can guess where the espresso balls can be purchased should you want to put them on top) : )

Best thing I've put in my mouth in a long while!
(and I don't even like coffee!)

~Becky

Wednesdays in the Word

"I have no problems at all. Not a single one! God,
on the other hand, has a whole lot because I've given all of mine to Him." ~Johnny Jernagin

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
1 Peter 5:7

Amen! : )

Have a blessed day!

~Becky

Praise and thanks!

We are care-giving for my hubby's brother and occasionally he has seizures. Sometimes 911 has to be called. The latest one had him staying a couple days in the hospital.

Only two of these frightening incidences have happened while he was actually staying at our house, but today makes number three.

I was on the tread mill with my iPod and glanced over and saw him going down in the doorway! I screamed and Andrew and I ran over to him. He was incoherent and shaking and we were so thankful to find that Joy 'just happened' to already be standing behind him was guiding him into a near by chair!!! (whoo-hoo! Isn't God good?!) 

I don't know why it took me so long to remember to pray, but when we did, God answered! The seizure ended after the 'Amen' and all of a sudden he smiled! What a relief! Best smile ever!!!!

So thankful for our God 'who hears us when we call.' The words to this song, keep coming to mind:

You hear me when I call
You are my morning song
Though darkness fills the night
It cannot hide the light

Whom shall I fear

You crush the enemy
Underneath my feet
You are my sword and shield
Though troubles linger still

Whom shall I fear

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

My strength is in Your name
For You alone can save
You will deliver me
Yours is the victory

Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in Your hands
I'm holding on to Your promises

You are faithful
You are faithful

And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the hold world in your hands
I'm hold on to your promises

You are faithful
You are faithful
You are faithful

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

                                                    (Chris Tomlin's Whom shall I fear)

~Becky

The latest

-There's been lots of cleaning and packing!
The boys' cleaned out their room and made "Mount Nathan" which included everything he owns so that he could decide what is going with him to CA and what is staying here in our attic.

-There's been lots of painting!
Joy and I painted 3 rooms on our house in the past week and half. She was so sweet to help me! For some reason, care-givng, school starting and a child leaving home meant I felt the need to paint! (weird, I know) So glad it is done!

-There's been the usual college registration which always equals drama.
Red tape with financial aid, some kind of mistake and a deadline are probably why I have some of these gray hairs I try to color. It happens every year...

-There's been this sweet blessing

from Zac, who says he appreciates all I do. Awwww!!!

-There's been care-giving.
My hubby's brother is settled back into our house now and is staying for the next 3 months.  Our kiddos have been a tremendous help in this effort setting up everything he needs!

-There's a family game night tonight and a girls night out
More Farkle and poker (with matchsticks) for the fam and I'm taking out my best friend who is moving away next week. : (

That's about it. Nate leaves in 8 days and school starts for us in 9 days. Here's hoping we are ready for both!
~Becky

Wednesdays in the Word

Today I read in Proverbs 12 and James 3 and this caused me to ask myself:

Do I have a "blessing" tongue, a tongue that speaks life?
A tongue that has "good words," 
words that release people from anxiety
 and make them "glad." 

I want a 'tongue' like that!

"There is one that speaks like the piercings of a sword, 
But the tongue of the wise promotes health." 

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad." 

Does our tongue "bless our God and Father" and "curse men, who've been made in the likeness of God?"
"These things ought not be so."

Amen?!

Tongue taming time,
~Becky

My empty nest therapy

Our first child is flying the coop in 14 days! : (
Sometimes I randomly cry about it for about a minute and then go on with life. Our nest is far from empty, of course, but it is still sooo hard and I'm going to miss him soooo much!

Here's what I've been doing for 'therapy':

1. This song!  It makes everything all better!



2. Buying frames and hanging photos of our kids!
Its been fun to pick out my favorite senior pictures, grad pictures and baby pictures and put them up. -At this rate, by the time our 4th one leaves, it just might look like a photography studio or a shrine around here. ; )
And here's my secret strategy to save money: The frames on the walls in high traffic areas were on clearance at Ross. The ones that are high up on the shelves are from the Dollar Store. Shhh!

3. Long talks and prayer times with my hubby. I'm so grateful for the fabulous dad he is and that this is just as hard for him as it is for me.

4. Throwing a going away party!

This included 30 teenagers, chocolate mustaches, water balloon volleyball, regular volleyball  and a whole lot of pizzas!

5. And my favorite: Hearing my hubby say: "Nate, the best way to get your mom through this is for us to do whatever it takes to buy you a plane ticket home for Christmas, so find out when you can come and let us know."
Hooray!!!! Now that's some good "therapy!" : )
Love, love, love that man!

Looking forward to Christmas now!
~Becky