(Princess Katrina)

Just like foot washing, this is another thing I wish to impart to my daughter. I want her to understand that through hard work and unity nothing is impossible when God is involved.

Our church recently had it's General Cleaning/ Work Day. This is a day when we all get together, take inventory of all the things that need repair, and all things that need to be cleaned or reorganized. Then we get to work. With so many people helping it doesn't take long to complete this monumental task.

This reminds me of a song....If we all would work together.... together..... together....

... If we all would work together..... how happy we'd be......

.... cause my friends are your friends.....

.....and your friends are my friends....

....If we all would work together.....

...How happy we'd be...

...Cause my church....

...Is your church....

...And your church.....

...Is my church.....

....If we all would work together....

....How happy we'd be....

...Because we all work together....

...How happy we are!

***There were other people working, but I could only get away with walking around taking pictures for so long. At some point I had to pull my share of the load. I know this post probably doesn't make my life look glamorous, but this is who I am. These are the kinds of memories that make my life normal yet meaningful.

The Bible says, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it mightily as unto the Lord."
It didn't say we couldn't have fun at the same time!

Sorry I haven't posted ina while....

I have simply been bogged down with the necessary evil known as homework. I am currently finished with all non-education classes so all I have left is learning how to effectively raise a nation......this should be a piece of cake......right? Don't mind my sarcasm. It has a mind of it's own. Well any way I have to return to analyzing a few case studies, then maybe I'll take a break and bang my head against my desk for a while. Just kidding. I'll probably do a real posting Friday afternoon. Keep us in your prayers.

Victory Report !!!!

The doctors didn't think she was going to survive, but God had other plans. Our church prayed and fasted. She waited so long for her new liver that her original liver was hard like a stone. The doctors don't understand how she was still alive. After she received her new liver it began to fail. They performed another surgery to repair the bile ducts. That didn't work so they began searching the globe for another liver. Phone calls went out so we prayed some more. They soon removed her from the list because her liver miraculously began functioning! They have removed her from any machines, the swelling is going down, and baby Kassidy is scheduled to go home some time next week!!! PRAISE GOD!!!

Eye Poking Update.....

Well... My eye is feeling better now(see previous post if you're confused) and I can actually see the finished product because I finally caught up on my rest. So here it is. This is the front of the shopping cart liner I made for Michelle's baby shower.

(the pink part on the bottom is just a box for display purposes.)

The ribbon straps on the front have Velcro so the toys can easily be changed.

There are two elastic pockets on each interior side.

You can see the leg holes as well from the inside.

There are three pockets across the back.

Well we made it to the shower and still have both eyes and all of our hair. LOL!

Michelle's response made it all worth while..... So maybe just maybe ...... Anna might still have a chance of getting a special gift whenever it's her turn to have a shower!

It looked so easy....

.....a simple little project. A lovely little gesture for a friends baby shower.

I had a plan....

I was ready to tackle this baby....

By 4:30 a.m. my eyes, my brain, and the gift were all tangled up....

By the way Tiff.... you were wrong.....poking myself in the eye is a lot MORE FUN than following a complicated sewing pattern! ROTFC! (Rolling on the floor crying) !

***NOTE: In the end it all worked out and I have a lovely gift. I will post pics after the shower just in case someone is lurking around my blog who knows the recipient.

Mommy Daughter Project......

Eloise rescued one of daddy's old pant legs from the trash pile. With a few bits of trim and an iron on patch this purse was ready for it's Sunday School debut.

A Fun Way To Learn....

Hundreds of students were bussed in to learn about the Battle of New Orleans because this weekend is the anniversary and it was such an important battle in American history.

School is in full swing again and we went on our first field trip of 2009 today.

Three of Eloise's friends were in our group.

This was the easiest way to get a pic of me with the girls.

Girlfriends sitting on the steps of the monument at the Battle field.

Above & Below:

Some of the actors and actresses who re-create the battle scene.

There actually wouldn't have been women cooking on the battlefield, but they wanted the students to see what the women would have looked like at the time of the battle.

After the battle field we headed to a local park where the children ate lunch and played for a while, then we got back on the bus and headed home.

**I believe the actual anniversary is tomorrow. Tonight they did a lantern tour where you could listen in on some of the battle plans for the actual reenactment that will take place tomorrow. Some of the actors come from as far as Canada and England every year.

I'm Sew Lovin My Chrismas Present!

I started with the dress I made last night, added the vest Eloise got for Christmas, made a gathered skirt & matching bandanna, and voila here is the finished product.

My hubby has been working on his router techniques (his mom got him a set of bits last Christmas) so he plans to build Eloise a wooden amoir to hang all of her doll clothes in when her next Birthday rolls around (shhh ...it's a secret.)

I'm not sure about Eloise, but I know I would love to still have some of the wooden things my Dad made for me (i.e. rocking horse, cradle, etc...)

I would also love to have just one of the many crafty things my Mom made for me in the wee hours of the night.

I always remember being so amazed when I was a child because I would go to sleep and when I woke up it was as if my mother could work magic in the night.

The whole house would be rearranged and spotless and there would be the best costume ever hanging on my door.

She could make a costume out of almost nothing!

My mother didn't have the money to buy things like patterns

and duct tape was her favorite tool.

Thanks Mom for teaching me how to be creative and persistent.

I LOVE YOU.

I hope Eloise has a few fond memories of her mommy working a bit of midnight magic too.

Adventures in sewing......

I finally got a chance to play with my Christmas present. I tried to sew a little before the storm, but the only things I was successful with were skirts and curtains with straight lines. I must admit that I am quite proud of myself. Tiff, I'm sure you remember going to the fabric store with me because I didn't even know how to read a pattern. It's not perfect, but Eloise loves it and I only paid about $2 for this fabric scrap. It wasn't cheap though it was definitely a labor of love. I'm sure the next project will go a little faster now that I've sort of figured out how to read patterns a little bit. By the way, Carmacita wanted everyone to know that she helped me cut out the flowers for the top.

Well any way I'm worn out now so I'm going to bed.

LOVE & PRAYERS

FROM

this seamstress in the making!

Our kind of New Years Eve Party....

New Year's Eve is a very special occasion for our church family.

We usually meet at 8:00 and have a worship service followed by Communion.

After that the males go upstairs and the females go to the fellowship hall for an old fashioned foot washing. Yes ...I said foot washing. At first this seemed like and odd way to celebrate the new year, but this has become such a cherished sweet way to show our love and dedication to one another as sisters in the Lord.

I am proud to pass the tradition on to my daughter.

Jesus said," If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one an other's feet." -John 13:14

Eloise doesn't fully understand the implications being a servant like Christ, but I know she will one day. I am so blessed to know the old paths so I can teach them to the future.

After we wash feet, hug, pray, and then wash our hands we move on to the standard New Years stuff minus all the alcohol and junk.

Some of our lovely Youth waiting for 2009!

Some of our mature Youth doing the same.

Just hand over the Muffalettas and nobody gets hurt...OK Sister?!?

I started to get greedy because I love those little guys, but the Lord convicted me about that.....so....... they made it safely to the table with all of the other tasty treats.

This is a New Orleans Cream Cheese Filled King Cake that I brought, but unfortunately didn't get a sliver of because I was too busy snapping photos for all of you out there in Blog World. See what a servant I am! LOL!

Just some of the kiddies.

Aren't they sweet?

Below is our Pastor's son and daughter-in-law.

Starting today they are our newly elected Pastor and Wife.

We Love Ya Brother Otto and Sister Danita.....

......I mean Brother and Sister Martin.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!