Christmas outfit

When Sammy Jo, our oldest granddaughter, was little I made a Christmas outfit for her.  From that outfit those granddaughters called me "Hat" for awhile.  They remembered that I made hats and bonnets for them.

The next granddaughter, Rachel Joy, wore the same outfit when she was the right size. 

The next granddaughter, Margaret Lorane, wore the same outfit when Christmas time came around and she was the right size. 

It is amazing that all three girls could wear the outfit at Christmas time.  I made the bodice with pintucks all across the front.  The skirt had a big bow in the back.  The bonnet was lined with fleece because they have such cold winters in Canada. 

What a blessing these granddaughters are to me.  I just love to make things for them.  Rachel changed from calling me "Hat" to "White Hair".  When she was little she couldn't see clearly, but she knew I had white hair.  I am so glad Rachel can see with her glasses. 

Look how they have grown:

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD; and the fruit of the wormb is His reward."  Ps 127:3

December 3, 2011

Today was a full day for us.  I went to visitation first.  I needed to take the rest of the cleaned table cloths back to store at the church.  After visiting I went back to home to check on Nannie.  Sometimes she is at home on the hill by herself on Saturdays.  I was right - when I got home she was alone.  Buster had to go check a water leak and then off to a fire.  We waited until Buster got back home to go shopping.  Nannie really only likes to go if Buster goes with us. 

We went to Lufkin to shop at Target.  It was so nice to have them greet us with "Merry Christmas" this year.  Speaking out about Christmas has made a difference in our area.  Culture Warriors have been at work!  I like to shop at stores that are nice to customers.  After that we went to Academy to find a few things that Joe needed.  He really needs a BB gun to kill snakes and other little varmits around their yard.  We will try to take that with us to Africa.  Also, Joe needed volleyballs for his Bible Club on Saturday afternoons.  They gather kids to listen to Bible stories and play volleyball.  They have as many as 150 kids show up for that activity. 
We got three volleyballs to take with us.  We will need to take the air out of them to get them packed into a suitcase. 

We went to eat at Cheddar's after our shopping.  Nannie and Buster like their ribs.  We had a nice supper and then headed home. 

I am listening to the Debate on Fox news while I am catching up on computer stuff. 

My next big project is to decorate my part of our house for Christmas.  I have Nannie's room decorated and clean.  We have the family here for Christmas Dinner.  Sometimes we have 40-45 people here for that dinner.  It takes me a while to get things clean and moved around to make room for that many people to eat. 

Have a very Happy Sunday morning tomorrow!

Our love - Nana & Papa

Danny

I thought you would enjoy an update on  Danny James Consford.  He was named after our Pastor Danny Dodson, and Dr. Jim Vineyard.  For several weeks he has been swimming in a nearby pool without any floating devices.  A few days ago Joe took the kids to the pool when Danny took a running dive into the pool, caught this lizard, killed it, and threw it out of the pool. 

   

Joe didn’t even have time to check on what type of lizard it was before it all happened.   The thing looks as long as Danny is tall.

Here are a few other pictures that you might enjoy.

Danny still has a hard head.

Danny being baptised.

Holding a green Mamba.

Danny crying when a member moved.

He burned his foot putting limbs on the burning pile

Danny in line after recess at school in Africa.

 Last week he helped the yard guard.  The guard caught a squirrel by the tail.  It was trying to get away into a hole in the ground.  Danny stomped on the squirrel’s head.  The kids watched as the guards cooked the squirrel to put into their soup.  The big surprise was that Danny had shoes on at the time.

Explaining to Dad how he caught the squirrel.

He had shoes on.

Watching the guards cook the squirrel.

Hair and all.

                                    

 Uncle Larry is telling everybody that Danny is special forces material.  I pray that he will be a good soldier in God’s army.  All I have to say is that Joe has his hands full to keep this boy busy, challenged, and following the Lord. 

Happy Birthday, Danny!  We love you and miss you bunches.

5 years old

 

October 25, 2011

What a beautiful day!  Cool and clear.  I would love to be outside working on our yard, but I needed to catch up a little in the office.  It is coming close to the end of the year stuff to do.  Yuck! 

Betsy is home ill today.  She has something wrong on her right side.  Her arm stays numb and cold.  It hurts under her arm and across her chest.  Her leg feels like a Charley horse, but it is not.  Her Dr said she has pinched nerves in her neck and arthritis.  Today she went to the Chiropractor.  He took x-rays and said he needed to study them before he could work on her.  She slept all weekend and I am sure she slept the rest of today. 

Buster is still working on his building.  He has the door frame up and most of one end.  The guys helped him this afternoon after they finished reading meters. 

It was great hearing from Lori today.  She is back from her trip and back to work.  That first few days after vacation is so hard.  When we taught school it was hard to get the kids back in routine to suit us.  I guess it is the same at a store. 

Buster has been having severe heart burn lately.  Today I read on the Internet that if he would eat a Red Delicious Apple before bedtime that the indigestion would calm down.  I downloaded the rest of the information to find other remedies that would help.  We will try them.  The OTCs and prescriptions don't seem to help.  Maybe some home remedies will.  We will let you know how that does in the next few days. 

Mandy and her family are enjoying company right now.  Dave's sister and family are visiting for a week or so.  The kids will have cousins to play with for a few days.  I know they are so excited.  I sure miss seeing them more often.  We were so glad to go visit earlier this year.  We get a kick out of talking on the phone though. 

I need to go prepare a tasty supper for my sweetheart.

Adios

October 24, 2011

We had a wonderful time at church yesterday.  Buster and I teach Sunday School.  We like to be at church at least 30 minutes early to be sure our classes are set up.  We have been having 5-6 kids in each class lately.  I still am praying for 50 girls in my class.  The Lord knows best though.  We are studying important men in the New Testament.  This week the lesson was on Apollos.

After Sunday School we do a Junior Church.  Our Jr. Church is for bus kids from 5 to 10 years old.  Lately we have been having about 30 in there.  We have had as many as 100 and as few as 2.  I sing songs and teach about the Bible.  We learn the books of the Bible and many details that would help later as they study their Bibles.  We learn the 12 tribes, the 12 apostles, creation, heaven, the gospel, the 10 commandments, and verses such as Phil. 4:13, Ps 23, John 3:16, and Eph. 3:8-9.  The preaching is a series of Bible stories like Moses, or the Life of Christ.  Buster does games after all of that until the bus captains come.  Buster reviews all that has been covered for the last few weeks.  Every year the children come into our Junior Church knowing less and less about the Bible. 

We go home to eat a quick lunch and take a rest for about an hour or so.  We leave to go back to church at 3:30 pm.  Buster has a staff meeting and I use that hour to prepare for my evening classes.  I am teaching church girls from K-12.  Right now we are learning how to make greeting cards.  The girls have so much fun.  I have the K-7 from 5-5:30 and the 8-12 from 5:30-6:00.  It is a quick time, but we have tea, talk about serving Christ in our church, and make things.  We have started beginning quilting, how to write encouraging cards, now making cards, . . . It does keep me busy getting things organized. 
I love those classes.  After that our church service starts at 6:00 pm.  Last night Bro. Dodson preached about standards and about his trip to the Philippines.  He was there two weeks visiting our missionaries there.  Our church is such a blessing.  Thank you, Lord, for our church. 

Today I went to Nacogdoches to talk to our life insurance carrier and to the CPA for the water systems.  The state of Texas has changed a few regulations about the annual meetings and the election of officers.  I needed to get that straight in my mind before I start setting the details up for the Boards of Directors.  After that I went to do a little shopping.  I have a big project I am working on that I will talk about later.

Buster has his fire meeting tonight.  He is a volunteer fireman.  He loves it.  He told me as soon as that signal sounds for him to go he doesn't hurt at all until he gets back home.  He has been working on that building today.  He picked up some heavy metal doors to hang in his building.  Our church took them out and replaced them with glass doors.  The doors weren't being used so Bro. Eddie gave them to Buster before they were sent to the dump.  The doors are so heavy that Buster's shoulders and arms are sore from working with them.  

Lo, I don't know how you write every day.  You don't feel good, but you are still so cheerful and tell us things about the kids and your lives there.  Thank you so much.  It helps all of your family stay close to you.

Megan brought her baby over this afternoon to visit with Nannie.  Nannie was so pleased.   

I called Mom and Dad this afternoon; they will head to Kansas tomorrow.  They went to silver dollar city on Saturday.  They had a good time.

Good night all,
Nana 

October 22, 2011

This morning I woke up with one of my headaches.  I haven't accomplished much today.  I didn't even get dressed until about 10:00 am.   I missed going to Soul Winning this morning.  I am glad that I didn't have a headache while I was gone last weekend.  I probably didn't drink enough water yesterday.

Buster had more help today.  Sam & Bonnie came to help him awhile this morning.  He has all the arches up now.  He spent the afternoon cleaning up trash and limbs around the new building.  It does look much better around there now.  I picked up trash like empty water bottles, towels, paper, boxes, and light things that I could put in a trash bag to be hauled off.  The burning pile is getting bigger and bigger, but still we haven't had enough rain to call off the burn ban. 

It has been a beautiful day all in all.  Warm with a little breeze.

I called Mom & Dad.  They are having a great time with Bea & Patti.  Today they went to Silver Dollar City.  I am sure they had a great time. 

Eli & Lori should be headed home from Tennessee today.  They have sent some beautiful pictures of the fall leaves.  Lori loves the fall colors. 

Our Trip to the Black Hills

Mt. Rushmore at night

We went to visit with Mom and Dad for a week in August.  It was a wonderful visit.  Mom and Dad were going on a car tour with their car club.  They asked us to come with them.  It was an experience to remember for a life time.
On our way we stopped to spend the night with Lori and Eli.  We didn't visit much, but it was so good to hug them.  I miss Lori!  We tried to cross the Missouri River on our way to Nebraska.  It was still flooded.  We had to detour for over 2 hours to find a place to cross.  Everything was so green and pretty.  At home we are suffering from a severe drought.  The river was so wide - at places it was over six miles wide.  At first I thought it was a lake, until I noticed a large church sitting in the middle of the lake.

The flooded river with the interstate closed

See the church in the middle of the water

One of Dad's friend's car

A Cool Treat - Daddy's '58-Olds

The old cars were so much fun to see.  I can see why Dad loves the car club like he does.  The people in the club love my folks!  Every year this group goes to the Black Hills for a few days.  We stayed in a cabin.  You can see the cabin in the background of the picture of the Model T.  The weather was beautiful.                                                                  

Leaving on our trip

Dad is in the red shirt.  Nice Model T

                               After we got all settled in the cabin, we visited with the other folks in the camp ground.  It was a beautiful place.  There were cabins and camper spaces.  Some of the members of the car club bring campers and trailers for their cars.  Our first supper was in the camp ground.  One of the members gets all the food together for the club.  The meal was sloppy-joes.  The lady put gumbo soup into the sloppy-joes.  It was delicious. The fellowship was so good.

The first morning all the cars lined up to leave the camp ground.  We went to the Woodcarving Museum.  The carvings were so good.  They looked just like the ones that Uncle Larry carves. 
                      

October 21, 2011

Good morning,
We are waiting for a French class that we bought on disk.  It should have come in the mail this week.  I am supposed to listen to it faithfully 30 minutes every day and hopefully I will be able to speak in 10 days.  I am excited about that. 

It is time to start cleaning up the yard and getting ready for winter.  I am clipping things back and pulling things down.  The yard was looking like a jungle that just went through a drought.  Nannie might want to go to a nursery today to get pansies and flowering cabbage to put in our flower beds for the winter.  She said, "Let's wait until it gets a little warmer." 

The end facing our house

Good help for building

Scissor lift piled with tools

The new shop building is coming along just fine.  Buster has 3 more arches to put up.  One end is almost up.  The scissor lift was delivered yesterday.  He is excited about getting it together and using it.

Uncle Larry and Aunt Lu bought a camper so that they can go places easier.  It is hard for Aunt Lu to travel due to her pain from Fibro.  They are so excited about having the camper.  Their first trip will be to Missouri to see Uncle Larry's family before Thanksgiving.  They will stop by to visit with Eli & Lori on their way home. 
There is a slide out on the other sided.  They will have so much fun going to shows where Uncle Larry will be demonstrating his wood carving.  He has a date for Silver Dollar City in Branson after the new year.  At Christmas time he will be demonstrating at the Miller's Crossing Ole Time Christmas.  We want him to think about the one in South Dakota too. 

Oh yes, I just talked to a publisher on the phone.  He wants to talk about a book about the kids in Africa.  I've been dreaming about a book.  Laura has been blogging everyday to have a good diary to draw from.  He suggested we concentrate on Chapters with different stories instead of an entire book to begin our endeavors.  It is an exciting idea. 

Have a great day! 
Nana

October 20, 2011

I wanted to start writing a little every day.  Laura's posts helps us to imagine what all is going on in Africa.  Perhaps, I can write to help them "see" what is going on in Texas. 

My parents were able to drive to Missouri to visit with Lori and Eli, John and Magan, and some of their friends.  Buster said that I could drive up to Lori's house to visit with them for the weekend.  We had a ball.  I asked Jeanie, my sister-in-law, to drive with me.  Sleep overtakes me at time while I am driving.  Jeanie wanted to visit her son and family in Missouri too.  We made a pretty good driving team.  I can drive for awhile during the day, but I drive better after dark.  She can't sleep while she is riding, so she likes to drive. 

The weather was great.  The fall leaves were starting to change.  It was a very nice drive.  My parents are doing exceptionally well.  Mom's cancer has returned, but she has a very good attitude about it.  They have decided to enjoy themselves and take what trips they want to take while she does feel well. 

While we were visiting I signed Daddy up for facebook so that he can see pictures and news from all the family quickly.  (Gil-Barb Davis)  We will try to keep them posted as to what all goes on.

Eli took us around through the local Amish Community.  We saw the working life of these unique people.  Eli was Amish until he was 18 years old.  That is about the same time Lori started praying for her future husband to follow Christ.  Eli was saved not long after they left the Amish.  We went to several of their home shops on our tour through the area.  The first stop was a bakery.  We loaded up on goodies for the rest of the weekend.  We stopped at a Quilt shop and another bakery.  We even stopped at a bulk store where the Amish ladies do their grocery shopping.  It was a wonderful trip that we wouldn't have been able to do without the guidance of Eli. 

Eli explained the difference between living an English Christian life and the Amish life.  The Amish work for their salvation.  Praise the Lord, our salvation is by grace.  According to the scriptures working for salvation is useless.  Ephesians 2:8-9 explains the fact clearly.  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."
These people are in bondage.  The gospel of Christ gives us freedom from working to please God. Of course, when we are saved He helps us to live a life according to the scriptures; but we are saved throughout all eternity.  John 3:16 tells us "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  What a gift we have been given.

Lori and Eli's church was a blessing to me.  They are not part of the modern rock band type church.  They sing the ole time hymns and songs.  They dress in modest dress.  Ladies and girls had Sunday dresses, while the men were in suits and ties.  The preacher preached out of the King James Version.  I enjoyed fellowshipping with them.  Some of Lori's decorating talents were already at work on bulletin boards and walls throughout the church. 

I left there at 8:00 am to go pick Jeanie up.  It took me until 12:45 pm to get there and then we headed on home.  Jeanie drove while I took a short nap.  We enjoyed the fellowship and listened to a book on disk.  We enjoyed the fall colors on the way home.  Jeanie and I were very tired by the time we got home at 8:45 pm.

Mom and Dad left the next day to go to their other granddaughter's home in Missouri.  Magan is expecting a baby in February. 

Lori and Eli left the next day for a short trip to celebrate their anniversary. 

We have visited with Mandy and her family in Alberta, Canada; Lori and Eli in Missouri; now we are planning to visit with Joe and Laura in Africa.

Too Much Drama

Nannie walking outside

On Monday I took Nannie for a check-up at the Dr. office.  Dr. Oglesbee said we had way too much drama going on at our house.  Now, I have been thinking about that.  What part of our drama would we do without?  Can you just quit listening to your grown children's problems, can you ask others not to tell you about broken arms, illnesses, and problems?  No, and I would not want to live in isolation from our family and friends. 

We do not try to stress about each little problem.  We pray about them and go on.  Our Lord is in control of each situation. 

Some of the drama that is going on would be a part of every family's life.  My husband is a volunteer fireman for our county.  He has been out on many grass fires in the past few weeks.  We are suffering from an extreme drought situation this year.  We are under a burn ban and also water use restrictions.
 
We operate 4 rural water systems in the county as our way of making a living.  We have two technicians that help read meters and repair leaks.  We also have two secretaries to do the paperwork.  We each have taken a turn at a virus that has lasted 2-4 days.  Even Nannie has had the virus. 

One day last week our son in Ghana, W. Africa called to tell us that he thinks his wife's cancer is back.  She is just now getting well from Typhoid Fever.   Last year she had cancer on her forehead.  She had to face radiation treatments before they went back to Africa.

Joe, Laura,  kids in Africa

In just a few minutes after his call, our daughter in Canada called to tell us she was 8 hours from home with her three little girls and was having a kidney stone attack at the hotel.   Her three little girls face asthma, and severe alergies everyday. We were concerned that the girls would not be able to handle their mother being ill that far from home.

Dave & Mandy & kids

Of course, we could do nothing to help each situation, but pray.  Our Lord heard and answered prayer for both children.  Our son called the next morning to tell us that his wife's sores were gone.  Our daughter called to tell us that the pain had quit for the time being. 

Dad & Mom

My mom's breast cancer has returned.  I wanted to visit with her before she became ill. We took a week off to drive 24 hours one way to visit.  It was a glorious time.  She is feeling well, but tires easily.  It was such a good visit. Dad has lost weight, but he has been working outside more that usual.  I am praying for them as they go through this stressful time in their life.  I want to be with them, but the distance is a hindrance. 

Need a starbuck?

Our daughter in Missouri was going through a rough time at her work.  She wanted a part time job at Joan's craft store.  After she started to work, their boss quit and left the store with them.  She has been struggling to work and do the manager's job too.  She is more than capable of doing all of the work, but she was stressing as she went through the problem.  Things have settled down for her now and she is much happier. 

Our niece, Betsy, is our other secretary.  She is struggling now with her finances.  She got a job she can work on at our office.  She has been working many hours each day to keep up with both jobs.  She is almost finished with the second job.  This week her oldest daughter fell down the stairs at college and has hurt her arm.  She had to have it x-rayed.  Now she is in a brace.  The harder Betsy works the more behind she gets. 

Betsy fixing Johna's brace

Drama?  No, I don't think it is drama.  We all have problems.  We can look to see how God takes care of us through our problems. 

The biggest drama we face daily is the situation our country faces now.  Our country is in desperate shape.  She has not been putting God first.  In every area of the Country's life she has been pushing God out.  She is saying we don't need God any more.  It is a lie.  I hate to say that the leadership in our country is going the wrong way.  They are trying to do it without God's help.  It doesn't work.  Our country was founded on the one main principal that God is our leader.  Without God's help we will be in wreck and ruin in just no time at all.  We can pray and beg God for help, but we also need to have leadership that understands this very important principal.  In God we trust. 

The drama will continue at our house.  The principle in Proverbs is still true.  "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox."  Proverbs 14:4.  Problems come because there is much going on in our lives.   I do not want a clean crib with no problems.  The strength of a family is measured by the problems that they face. 

A visit from Lori & Eli

The Battleship Texas

We were so glad to see the kids when they came for a visit.  They have been married for eight months now.  Lori & Eli definately are a cute couple.  They are very happy together and enjoy each other's company.  It is such a blessing to both Buster & me.  I think that one fear of every mother is that their daughter might marry someone who doesn't appreciate their daughter.  This is not the case here.  Eli really does love and care for our little girl. 

While they were here we did get many things done.  Eli brought his tools and could repair the lawn mower, the trimmer, and the Mule.  What a blessing he was to Buster.  He went on calls with him and tried to go on some fire calls.  We couldn't believe it - we had no fires called out while they were here. 

Lori and I worked on cutting out vynal letters for some of my walls.  We didn't get the kitchen finished, but she did inspire me to get that done.  We went shopping, garage saling, and looking at the shops in town.

Enjoying the waves

Buster took off one day so that we could go to the beach, ride the ferry, and see the Battleship Texas.  We did have fun! 

Eli loved to see things up close!

Buster enjoyed sharing one of his favorite sites