Mary's Milestone

Not even quite a year old yet, but Mary is officially a toddler!

If you've wondered...

what it is looking like in the grand ol' UP these days, check out the picture I got for my Weather Log.

And you thought September was the end of summer! Up here, it is the beginning of fall...

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The message of the cross is folly to those who are on the way to ruin, but for those of us who are on the road to salvation it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 NJB

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Wood, and a new favorite hymn

We have still been busy with splitting wood from the huge pile that was left behind the garage. So far, this pile has yielded about a cord of wood (full cord, not face) and we're only about halfway done. There were limbs left behind by the previous owners- some are gigantic and many of them are knobby or from the "crotch" of the tree making them pretty heavy and tough. We were hoping to get the pile done before Chuck leaves on Friday, making tomorrow our last work day. However, with rain in the forecast, we've maybe done as much as we can do for now. Chuck will be heading to Pennsylvania after spending almost two weeks working at home.

I would like to share the words for my newest favorite hymn. Just as I Am, written by Charlotte Elliott in 1835. Isn't this how we have to approach Christ? It isn't like we can get all our spritual ducks in a row and then go before Him. We cannot wait until we are perfectly loving and charitable and patient and good, and then grow closer to Him. He knows we are weak and broken. He calls us to Himself anyway, because He wants to strengthen and heal us. "It is not we who chose him, but he who chose us." Anyway, I hope the words of this hymn give you some comfort and joy.

God bless!

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, tho' tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind-
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find-
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

It's a start...

It isn't much, but here are a few pictures I took on Saturday afternoon and evening. First we have The Darling all ready for church. She is only forced into shoes once a week for church (or less- she has gone to many a Mass barefoot!) and boy, does it drive her nuts! (Notice in the second picture how she won't put both feet down!)


We ate pizza for supper, and here you see my kitchen helpers. We make them three at a time: two for the meal and one to save to eat cold the next day. Cold pizza makes a great snack! Well, the kids like it, at least. I much prefer pizza fresh and hot from the oven!

We had a wonderful day today. We went for a hike on a trail down to some falls on the Baltimore River here in Ontonagon County. The trail is about a mile and a half, medium difficulty I'd guess. We got soaked by a good rain on the way back. I'm always impressed with how the younger boys handle hikes like that. They double the distance, since they pretty much take two or three steps for every one of mine. That doesn't even take into consideration the fact that they tend to run ahead, then double back, only to run ahead again.

Right now all six kids are in the living room with Chuck while he tells one of his crazy stories. He takes names and ideas from just about every book, fairy tale, story, song, movie, even commercial that you could think of, with a good dose of "inside" family jokes that only we would understand. It's been one of those days that makes my heart swell with appreciation for this family we have been given.

God bless!

A Strange Question

Dad, doing a double-take in the direction of the living room: "Where did the couch go?"

What we've been up to...

Well, one thing I have NOT been doing is taking pictures! We were very busy early in the week, splitting and stacking firewood. We still have a huge pile of "rounds" to split that have been piled behind the garage since before we moved. However, these will have to wait until freezing weather drives away the hornets! We split one open to find a nest that was, thankfully, no longer being used. I hate to think if there were still hornets in that one!

One afternoon Chuck and Daniel found a couple of wild plum trees. The children and I will be going back out there this afternoon if the rain lets up. Maybe this time we will pick more than we can eat and make some jelly!

Yesterday we went hiking out at the Porcupine Mountains. We first visited Lake of the Clouds and walked a little half-mile trail down to a bridge in the valley. We call this the "famous bridge" because about two years ago Chuck took a video of the children running down this bridge. We didn't have any way to take video this time, but they did "reinact" the "famous" scene. It was too much fun! After that we drove to another trail by some falls. That was the area we visited the very day before we found out our little Hope had died. It is such a beautiful place, and it was good to go back. Check out the pictures Chuck took while we were there!

It is raining this morning, but I hope it will clear up this afternoon. Still, we need the rain so I'm enjoying it! Okay, Grandmas (and others) I promise this will be the last update without pictures of the kids. *grin*

God bless!