Blogging - And Why I Haven't Been

I've been Living the Life!  I think about something almost daily to write about, but when it comes time...there IS none!  I've mentioned before how my computer time is usually in the evenings when Andy is asleep or trying to drift off.  My 'clicking' over here would be MUCH too distracting for him, so I try to do more 'mouse clicks' than keyboard clicks. (There should be a clever way to phrase that, but I can't come up with it now)....

The girls have made friends with a little girl who, along with her parents and older brother, moved in with her grandparents across the street.  She comes over 3-4 afternoons a week and my girls are thrilled.  They have never had a child live so close by that they could just show up, unannounced, without hitching a ride from a parent.  I love it, too ~ it reminds me of when Amy and I used to play with our friend, Diana, who lived down the street.  They're pretty content to play on the swingset, in the creek, in the carport and under the pine trees, AKA the Tearoom.  She's over here now, which is why I can sneak a few minutes on the computer!

All the same, I am eager for our house to sell so that we can move closer to Roanoke and more homeschooling families, events and activities.  I want the girls to get involved in 4H and ballet (Abigail), but I don't want to start here and have to change mid-year.  Of course, only the Lord knows the plans He has for us, and we could very well be here for another year.  I hope not,  because I don't like the idea of Andy driving 76 miles each way in the wintertime with snow and ice in the forecast.  Its hard to be patient... and yet, 1 Corinthians 13:1 lists patient as the first descriptor of love.  Hmmmmm....could my having patience about a move be a testimony to my love for God?  There's a lesson in there somewhere....

We've enjoyed being outdoors a lot this early Fall.  We've taken a couple quick family walks in the woods and two nice long bike rides down the (Rails To Trails) Jackson River Trail.  I hooked the "Wee Ride / Co-Pilot" tandem bike to mine and Hannah rides a new bike our neighbor gave her last year, and we trek away.  I hope to get over to the Greenbrier River Trail, too, pretty soon to take advantage of that as well.  Here in Callaghan there are few areas to really ride....its 45MPH in front of our house and that's the low end of the scale for the speedies who fly by.

I'll leave you with some pictures of the girls' adventures....

Keepin' on keepin' on!

A funny face after a long ride

"Wading" in the Jackson River at Petticoat Junction

Blooming where you're planted

How can God use me, a stay-at-home-mom with a limited social circle and interaction with strangers?  In the grocery store, in lines at the pharmacy and over a couple racks of heirloom tomatoes at the local market:
After a conversation of how good that first summer tomato sandwich will taste, how Jackson River Road used to be called Cedar Creek and on why he chooses yellow 'maters over red, and "would you guess that I'll be 80 years old next month?" I asked him bluntly - 'where will you go when you die?'
Yup.  I threw it out there and didn't even flush.  I said it like the "how to witness" books tell you to, how the Sunday School lessons suggest, how I've heard of others doing it.
"In the ground, I guess."
'No, you know what I'm talking about, after y- - - '
"I don't believe in any of that mess.  Now, look, I can go through that Bible and show you where its wrong and there's nothing in it ~ for starters (holding up a bony finger), how can ONE being, ONE thing create all of this (waving his hand over the tomato patch and at the mountain behind us) in six days?  What about the fish in the ocean?  And the universe, too?  There's just no way that ~ why, we've even PROVED it that dinosaurs was here for millions of years and the Bible expects us to believe the earth is only 7,000 years old?  And people coming back from the dead after all that ~ they's just no way they was dead in the first place...now, I was baptized way back in the, the, I was born in '31, ya know; I was baptized and I used to believe all that but then I got to thinkin' how there was just no way the Bible could be true, what they tell you young people, its all wrong...."
"You've obviously given this a lot of thought, but see hear those two kids squallin in the car over there?  They're mine, and I'll have to get them home.  I'd been wondering if I'd be seeing you in eternity."
"There's no such thing.  When I go in the ground I'm staying there.  Now, I can see I"m making you mad with all this, but you just have got to know that you're wrong about all this.  There's no such thing as all that, you'll find that out for yourself one day ~ that Bible is, well, its just all wrong you know..."
"I'm not mad at all, in fact I am feeling pretty good right now, but my girls are getting louder, can't you hear them?"
"I know I made you mad, I make a lotta folks mad about this, but I know I'm right about it, you're mad..."
"No sir, I just have to get my girls home.  I don't get mad!  If anything I feel sorry for you because I know what I believe and I wish you the best yourself, have a nice day!"
"Waaal, I knowed I made you mad..."

I wasn't mad.  I was praying!

Garden Party

A garden party where NO ONE is invited.  In fact, stay completely away from the area!

Why?  Because of the VIPs....or is it - VIMs.....


Well, hello there!  Always nice to have you!

And its ever-so-nice to see you, too!  I've waited an entire YEAR for your visit!

Why, yes!  Do, DO come and stay for awhile!

Yes, the morels are back.  And they paid us a visit in our own back yard!  So I carefully arranged the chairs and table to protect them from any stray children - and, hopefully it will work - deer/turkeys/bear...

The rest of the guests? 

Um...well...well, they're enjoying the entertainment that accompanies a heavy rainfall. 



Birthday

SOMEone just had a birthday. 

We celebrated by taking him fishing just below the dam at Lake Moomaw.  Although we didn't catch any fish, we had a lovely time baiting hooks and throwing them out and speculating about 'who' lived in the caves across the Jackson River. 

<>

That red sign reads, "DANGER - When you hear the siren, make your way immediately to shore...." (as water is going to be released from below the dam and the water level in the river will rise significantly and rapidly!)  This is the parking area, the picnic area and Gathright Dam.


There's lots of rocks in the water and Andy was re-stringing his line again...


Ahhhhh, fishin'



Ahhhhhh, fishin'



Uh-oh.  Here comes the Spoiler.  See the stick she's holding?  She was using it to "fish" and beat at the water.  BabyRot.





She won the fight for the pink fishing pole, you see.



Got it back again....



After awhile it was time to head home and enjoy kid-decorated birthday cake....notice the swiped area in front about the size of two 3-year old fingers.



On to the best part...just waiting for Daddyo to blow them out so we could DIG IN!

Happy Birthday, Andy!!!  We love you!!!

Detecting

Metal detecting at an unnamed location.  We netted $.87!



The girls occupy themselves while daddy detects and mama scoops at another top secret location.



Some girls get more into their building projects than others.  Note the air cast on her left ankle...she only had days left worth of wearing it.



After a tough day of walking the beach, it was time for a little R&R!



Christmas Cheer

There are many, many things that I love about the Alleghany Highlands.  I'm going to share one thing that is especailly close to my heart, one that I hold in high esteem.

I've told you before that every Monday is "trash day" in our part of the county.  The girls get the biggest kick of running out and saying "hi" to the "trash guys," telling them about something that's recently happened, probably even airing a little Morris dirty laundry here and there and generally just connecting with a few guys who they consider their great friends.

Last year we were bowled over when they pulled the big white truck up to the end of the driveway and got out with two wrapped Christmas presents for the girls.  Read about it here.....
Today, I got a lump in my throat when it happened again.  I dunno, maybe I'm just a little emotional today or something, but it really touched my heart. 

 The girls were so excited because this was the last Monday before Christmas....and they couldn't WAIT to give their friends cards, fudge and cookies that we'd made.  They excitedly talked about their friends ("I love them!" and "They're my best friends!") as they made glitter-loaded cards for these great guys.

For the girls, this was all about GIVING and not receiving.  Not once was a reference made to them "getting" anything from the "trash guys*."  The word "exhuberant" comes to mind as they looked forward to giving their presents. 

*Hannah has called them "the trash guys" from the first time she went out to see them. 

The name has stuck, although they signed last year's cards "The Trashmen." 

We were just finishing up our first half of school when the cry arose, "TRASH GUYS ARE COMING!"  And two little girls strapped on their flip-flops, grabbed a glittery stack of cards and treat boxes and trotted out in just-below-freezing-temperatures toward Johnson Creek Road. 

The pictures show the rest of the story...

Santa in the Highlands

We've had all sorts of run-ins with the red-suited man over the last couple weeks.  I thought I'd share some of them.....first up is a link to pictures from a WONDERFUL visit with that Jolly Old Elf in Clifton Forge.  The link will take you to Fire and Light Gallery, a shop showcasing the incredible talents of two local men - a photographer and a blacksmith.  An unlikely pair? Well, you'd have to see it for yourself. 

Santa Pictures at Clifton Forge Presbyterian Church - sponsored by Clifton Forge Main Street. Brace yourself....they are unbearably sweet!

Abigail: http://fireandlightgallery.com/site/#/gallery/breakfast-with-santa-2010/img-1378/
Abigail: http://fireandlightgallery.com/site/#/gallery/breakfast-with-santa-2010/img-1379/

Hannah: http://fireandlightgallery.com/site/#/gallery/breakfast-with-santa-2010/img-1381/
Hannah: http://fireandlightgallery.com/site/#/gallery/breakfast-with-santa-2010/img-1380/


These videos include some friends from church.  Santa visited the kids after their Christmas performance this past Wednesday, and though I can't tell you exactly what was whispered in Santy's ear, I think the video tells the whole story.

Hannah & Ethan with Santa
Goldie, Abigail, Grace and Simon with Santa

Stay tuned for videos of the Grow Choir's Christmas Cantata performance.  I just have to figure out how to splice the different links together so it somewhat flows.  BELIEVE me, you don't want to miss it!

Snow and Santa

After warming cups of hot chocolate for Andy and the girls (and an espresso for me) at Old Forge Coffee, guess who we saw in True Value Hardware over in Clifton Forge on Saturday?

The back yard this morning....


Off to church!



Clifton Forge Christmas Parade

Last Friday - a hometown, small town Christmas Parade...my favorite! It was sooooo cold - flurries, even! But it was a good time and I'm always glad we've gone. This was our 3rd year in a row! As usual, the girls got loaded up with candy and enjoyed that as much as anything else!

Boy Scouts Color Guard

(A & A:  This one is for you!  See what a little chi-hoooah-hoooah can do?  Pull a sleigh!  Santa Dog!)

 "He has sent me [Jesus] to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness from the prisoners."

Special Olympians

"Cheeze Claus."  Nothing like him!  He collects money all year to buy toys and presents (and bikes!) to give to kids along the parade route.  My girls have gotten prizes every year and have come to look forward to them!

Smile, Donald!

***THANK YOU***

Thanks, Nellie!  And Clifton Forge!



The Big Guy Himself!

***A sad note to the parade....the line stopped midway to allow for squad members from the local rescue and fire departments to respond to a call on I-64 near Island Ford Bridge.  An accident including three tractor trailers resulted in a fatality for a local man from Clifton Forge.  News of the tragedy spread quickly through the crowd....many thanks to the rescue personnel who worked long hours in the cold to get the road opened again and everyone home safely...

Train Ride

One of Hannah's birthday presents for her recent 6th birthday was a train ride!

We took a round trip ride on Amtrak from Clifton Forge station to Staunton, Virginia.

 

 Exploring the train....walking between the cars...

 The plan was to use the hour and a half layover to grab a bite to eat at the restaurant adjacent to the depot....but, when our first train was over an hour late, it made lunch in Staunton impossible. So we waited on the platform for a mere ten minutes for our return train.

There were pretty sights to see while we were waiting.....

A nice parrot in a studio window....

Here it comes!!