Fancy Nails

I just love this picture of Kayla and our friend Emily.

Kayla has been enjoying coming up with fancy creations with her nail polish.  Emily was a willing participant and ended up with strawberries, watermelon, cupcakes, and a few other things on her nails.

I don't know how well you can see the "nail dryer."  Jack used Legos and built a stand for the hairdryer.  So fancy! 

Maybe Kayla can come up with some Radford University/nursing degree designs for Emily's graduation! 

Erica

I knew Erica didn't like vegetables.

So whenever she ate with us I had a dilemma.  Do I forgo the veggies so she enjoys the meal?  Or do I give in to my mama-instincts and make veggies so she'll have to eat at least a few??

I think I went both ways on different occasions!  

I can't remember for sure when I met this sweet girl.  I know it was her first year of vet school.  She came to church and ended up in home group at our house.  I didn't take long for her to become a frequenter of our home.  It also didn't take long for her to snag a place in our hearts.

We spent a lot of time together during her vet school years.  The beginning was hard for Erica as I think it is for most.  I can't count the number of times we spent talking on the couch or on the front porch.  Sometimes there were tears.  Sometimes laughter.  Usually prayer.

She asked me once if I would consider mentoring her.  I honestly didn't know what to say because I was pretty sure I could learn a whole lot more from her than she could from me.  Erica persevered.  She let her struggles and joys push her to Jesus.  She knew the Scriptures so well.  And she prayed.  I was right- I was the one learning from her.

Sometimes she called herself timid or shy, wishing she weren't that way.  But let me say this.  She may have been quiet but she was not timid.  My friend did missions in Haiti, Nicaragua, and Mongolia.  She flew to Mongolia by herself!  And loved it there so much that it was her dream to return full time.

Often my kids would mention her smile.  She always smiled.

So when this friend was taken unexpectedly to glory on Good Friday, I along with so many was stunned.  Just stunned.  And heart-broken.  I don't know that I have experienced loss quite like this before.  My heart is sad for us left here.  The tears have flowed often.

But for my kind, tender-hearted friend there is only an eternity to smile that beautiful smile at Jesus.  To sing and rejoice.

There have been so many tributes or testimonies to the joy she brought others through her letters, paintings, encouragement, hugs, and smiles.  I have no doubt she wouldn't believe it!  That humble heart loved others so well.

I find my self so very grateful for the gift of seeing God's work in Erica.  He gave her such faith, such grace.  What a blessing.

While her death still does not seem real to me, the hope of the Gospel does.  It is everything.

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  Phil 1:21

Snowy Saturday

We have enjoyed yet another snowy day.  Sam has been out in it a little.  Kayla and I went for a walk but other than that, we've been keeping warm indoors.  I baked some homemade gingerbread and watched a little "Frozen" with the girls.

What I'm really thinking about this afternoons is what to say tomorrow at Grandma's funeral.  I'd really like to honor her with a few words but nothing seems to work in my head.  My thoughts usually wander to when my cousins and I were little or even to times I know little about, like when Grandma was young herself.  I've heard stories, of course, but I can never really know what she was like then.  

There are things I always smile about when I think of Grandma- like a time when she was with her sisters and I saw a sassy side of her that shocked me!  They joked and picked at each other like sisters do- it just surprised me.  When I think of Christmas I think of her at her kitchen window working on our Christmas lunch/dinner.  The smell of bacon and coffee together makes me think of breakfasts with her and Papa.  Which is kind of funny because that's not the only place where we ever  had bacon and coffee but for whatever reason, there you go.  I don't know if there was a certain kind of wood Papa burned in their woodstove but whenever I catch that scent on the air, it's Christmas in my mind.  There's a different woodsy smell I associate with Papa and Grandma Rutherford's.  Strange, huh?

I guess one of my favorite things about her that I am only now really coming to appreciate is that you always knew where Grandma was coming from and what she thought about things.  As I've seen comments and remembrances from others, it's clear that everyone knew of her faith- she was outspoken and made no bones about it.  Sounds like many were encouraged by her prayers.

I think we all knew she was so proud of her grandkids and later great-grandkids.  We always knew she loved us.

There are a few kitchen items I have secured over the past few years that I like using because they belonged to grandparents.  One is a tin measuring cup that Papa Whitey always got a cold drink from.  Another is this square baking dish from Grandma Pearl's kitchen.  

Perfect for that gingerbread today- warming my heart and our home.

Grandma Pearl

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."  Psalm 116:15

My Grandma Pearl passed to glory this morning.  If ever there was a woman rejoicing in finally meeting her Savior I know it is my Grandma.  All my life I have known her as a lover of Jesus, a pray-er.  I remember not always liking it when she wanted to "have prayer" before we left but we did it anyway. 
It's an awesome thing to know you've been prayed for.  Over and over.
I'm sure she prayed over our family.  I've seen our names written down in her prayer lists.
She loved her gospel music and listening to her preachers on the radio.  She liked ice cream in a mug and introduced me to Snickers ice cream bars.  She used to be something of a "hummingbird whisperer."

I find grief to be a strange thing.  Like walking out into that icy cold wind, you feel it.  It's almost as if you can touch it.  The thing I have missed the most about my Grandma over her past few years of growing tired and quiet is her laugh.  Both of my grandmas have great laughs.
Hers- I can't really describe it but I hear it in my heart.  The thing is, I don't know that I have grieved its loss so much though I haven't really heard it in years.   I feel the sadness.  But now? 
Oh my- I know that laugh rings true in heaven. Today.  It's real.

Last night in our family worship we sang "O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing" and I told these kids that Grandma was quiet and even lame in some sense.  But that when she got to heaven her tongue would be loosed and she would leap for joy.  Today she does.

"Hear him ye deaf; his praise ye dumb,

Your loosened tongues employ;

Ye blind, behold your Savior comes;

And leap ye lame, for joy."

What a beautiful gospel we have that allows us to be brokenhearted and joyful at the same time.

Snow Day- Sort of

Everyone is back inside.
The snow returned, briefly, after lunch and brought with it a bitter wind.  So it's more hot chocolate and now a movie.  And more of this:

If I'm being honest, I have to say I really don't like this part of snow.  Wet hats, gloves, boots, socks, etc... piled up right by the front door.  Well, sometimes hung up or even thrown into the dryer.  But clearly, a lot right there.  The worst of it- all the mini-puddles of melted snow and ice that I cannot miss stepping in no matter how hard I try!

Ugh.  But I know. 

 It's a small price to pay for the quiet in the house that comes from the fun and laughter out of the house.  The kids have had a great time playing in that winter wonderland.

Yes, my beach scented candle along with my coffee is a nice backdrop for the "teacher workday" I have had.  Some school work done with a kid here and there but also some planning for class...the class we would have had tomorrow at CC but is now cancelled!  Our kids will have a true snow day tomorrow.  More for the cold than the snow but still.  They are happy!

Kayla says this is a classic Lucy look.  (Still in her jammies which is also very Lucy.)

Last night I asked her if she was getting a new cold.  Her answer:

"No Mom!  I've had this one since tomorrow."

Then she starts singing "Tomorrow" from Annie.  I had to laugh.

I know this is a grainy picture but I had to capture these two on the couch together.

Trying to keep warm?

First Good Snow of 2015

Yesterday we finally got a good snow.  I think somewhere around 9 inches.  It's the light, powdery kind.  Sam says it looks like frosting.  I don't know how they stay out in the snow for an hour (or two) and then want to eat snow cream.  I did it when I was a kid but in my older age- no way.   All I know is today is supposed to be in the upper twenties and that's about as warm as it gets until Sunday.  Brrr..... 

Trying out the snowman's pipe.

The doomed snowmen in the middle of the road.


Giving the snowboard a try

First Race

Yesterday was the Blacksburg Classic and our first race.  I have to say I am still excited.  I've always kind of "dreamed" of being a runner.  Thought it was something I'd really like to do but didn't think I could.

But yesterday Jack and I ran the 5k.  The temperature wasn't bad- around 40.  But the wind!  The wind was blowing hard.   Jack ran once in the last few weeks. Once.  And he either stayed with or ahead of me the whole time. Kids!  (And...we just saw that he came in third place in his age group!)

 

 

Brian, Sam, and Kayla ran the one mile fun run.  Also no prior running.  Kayla came in second and Sam third.  Medals!

Lucy was our faithful cheerleader.

 

So proud of my family!

It's safe to say that (at least) I am hooked on running!