October 2nd

October 2nd is a date that sticks in my mind.  There are several reasons.

Grandpa (Bill Blackner) celebrated his birthday on this day.  He passed away last September at the age of 95.

My grandma (Opal Stinchcomb) passed away on this day in 2008.  She had a massive heart attack at the age of 95.

Grandma celebrating her 90th birthday

Grandma holding Ashley

Grandma holding Rachel

Grandma with most of her granddaughters

On this same day in 2008 my father was taken into surgery.  The outcome was not positive for a long life.  In fact, he was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma cancer.  He lived another 6 weeks.

Dad at the Lake

Christmas in Ohio 2006

This October 2nd was a sweet, sweet date.  You see, we celebrated my granddaughter.  She had her first birthday on September 29th and we celebrated on the 2nd.  It was a beautiful day.

 This is the day that the Lord has made. 

 Though remembering life or death, 

I will be glad and rejoice in it.

ramblings

hi all...I have just a few thoughts and fun things to jot down...join me?

I pulled out some pictures from my library to share with you since it is my firm belief that posts void of pictures are a bore...unless of course your post is a picture in itself like the beautiful creations my sis Ashley makes...sigh...okay where was I?  {oh, and please, ignore the pajama pants as these were taken early Sunday morning before church...and, hey, at least ellie's all ready to go, right?  grin}

it is morning as I type this...a beautiful, rainy, windy morning...
it is officially fall here in the Flathead Valley, and it is a welcome sight...all the leaves are starting to turn, and the fields have been harvested for weeks now...I find it so amusing that I was so longing for summer just a few months ago (and it was very late in coming mind you), and yet here I am so so ready for a cool fall.  somehow that is just the way it works...


Ellie's first birthday party was such a lovely and fun time on Sunday...she did so well, and I cannot wait to share some pictures of that event with you all...my dear sister, Rachel was our photographer for the event, and I need to obtain the photos from her...so stay tuned!

my dear hubby has been gone all week long {sad}...in fact, he left on Sunday, during Ellie's party to start the long drive to Seattle for some classes...we miss him, but thankfully today is his last day of learning, and he will be heading home late tonight or early tomorrow....{happy}  honestly, though, he has been so very busy lately here that we really have not seen much of him these past couple of months...I am constantly reminding myself to be happy that he has work...and work he does!  he has been putting in fifty plus hours a week in his electrical field, and then he goes straight to his other side work in town...not to mention milking, which he hires out most of the week, but is responsible for on Thursdays, and weekends....hmmm...like I said, busy season of our lives...


as a side note, some of these pictures are not in focus, and others are not perfect, but they are such a representation of who the little missie is right now, that I just love them!

ladies and gentlemen we have finished painting the outside of the entire house!!!!  it is lovely...and happy...and, sigh,...well, you get the point.  guess what also happened that week??  come on, guess...we, get this, finished framing the entire upstairs!!! we meaning mainly the men, hubby and dad, of course.  {grin}  we hope to continue making steady progress on that project these coming weeks and months.


life has been a crazy blur lately, but a good kind of blur...I am amazed with how quickly this pregnancy has gone for me, compared to my last pregnancy...I am now officially seventeen weeks along, already past the four month mark, into my second trimester, and feeling wonderful!!  Ellie keeps me smiling and moving all the time, which I think has helped much...my nausea has all but disappeared, and my energy is returning....
we will find out in a week just what gender our newest member of the family will be  {grin} that should be fun.  I will give you all a chance to put your votes in (as to what you think we will be having) sometime next week...so make sure to come back and vote...not yet, though, mind you...no voting until you see the poll up next week.  {smile} I'm picky about these things...

want to know what I have been really sensitive to recently? of course you do...
roadkill...
I mean, really, sometimes you just drive by things and cringe...especially the sweet little spotted fawns...sometimes you just drive by and wonder "what in the world devoured that and left only bones?"  wouldn't want meet or see that happen....uh huh...these are often the lovely kind of thoughts that run through my head while driving to and from town...ughh...maybe it is just a pregnant thing that makes it bother me so much...I wonder???

mom has been suggesting that we assign each of us girls a specific day of the week to compose a post for you dear friends...so that there is not so much sporadic posting happening, and you are not so often left without anything new to read {sad}  what do you all think?  just curious...


well, ellie is just waking up, so I guess my time allotment for blogging is over for now...
so nice chatting with you all...and I appreciate your patience in reading all of my random thoughts, which is why, of course this post is labeled ramblings.  {smile}

on a much more serious note, I will leave you all with a quote from Oswald Chamber's book entitled My Utmost for His Highest...I have been thinking about this quote ever since I came upon it weeks ago... 
"But when our natural power of sight is devoted and submitted in obedience to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the very power by which we perceive God's will, and our entire life is kept in simplicity." (taken from his thoughts in reference to 2 Corinthians 11:3 "...the simplicity that is in Christ." )

twelve months

Well it is here...the day I always knew would come

my little baby is turning 1...

oh my
I may or may not be shedding a few tears...


so amazing to watch a little life begin

and then to watch that same little one grow, and grow,
and grow some more...until...
she becomes a happy, sweet, loving, absolutely ornery,
little girlie 

did I mention ornery??  {grin}

I am in awe of the immense and sacred responsibility that
I am given daily in the nurturing and caring
of this little child of God...
not my own, but forever His...wow...
He has entrusted me not with money, possessions, prestige, or fame,
but a life!  What could truly be more valuable?

"So what is Ellie up to right now?" you might ask...
well, let me tell you...she is eating whatever we have for our meals and loving it
Oatmeal is her staple morning and night, but toast is her true favorite.
She is walking pretty confidently now, and sometimes quite recklessly {smile}

Our days are filled with many smiles, giggles, book reading, talking, making faces,
going on walks and drives, molding wills,
singing songs, playing the piano (she so enjoys music),
and overall just loving time together.

I can hardly believe that we have already spent an entire year
with her, and I am ever so thankful for
each new day with my little darling.


My sweet little Florence,
your mommy loves you more than you will ever know.
She is so happy with the little person you are becoming...and for all 
of the precious hugs and kisses you bestow on her, she says  "thank you"
Being your mama is the best thing EVER.
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, sweetheart!
all my love,
Mommy

Guests

We have recently had some friends and family visit us in Kalispell.  

It was a treat indeed.

Would you like to visit?

How about a peek into our guest room.

I have Rachel to thank for taking such nice pictures for me.

I found these curtains 

(Steve always teases me saying, "Oh, were they lost?"!)

at Pottery Barn in San Diego.

I brought them up to Montana with us not knowing if they would

match with the house as it has more green than blue in it.

And, they actually work well together.

I ordered this metal picture from a catalog.

It turned out to be the perfect size.  I don't usually have

the greatest experience working with catalogs.

Grandin Road has some very unique stuff and our 

guest room is wearing it!

The guest room is open for business.

You are welcome, friends, to come visit.

Thank you, Steve, for patiently hanging things for me!

and

Thank you, Rachel, for the great pictures.

Now, we should update you all on the garage.

It is looking good!