It's summer and it's HOT!

Ohio felt like a southern state yesterday with temps up over 100 degrees!  It wasn't too bad early morning as we headed to the barn.  Natalie has been working hard with Shiloh! She has ridden her everyday except Sunday for the past two weeks.  We've accepted that this will not be an easy snap finger journey...it is one that will take time and patience.  One that will be worth all the hard work!  Shiloh's stubbornness reminds me of my own.   Hmmm ...I laugh but it's true!  We braided her mane and forelock up pretty, knowing the heat that was coming and hoping maybe she would be a little cooler with it off her neck.  Its amazing how much we love her already!

Tristin has been working at Grandma Shopps house all week.  Cleaning windows. Washing curtains.  I told her she was training him up right!  Now he knows how to do that at home...our windows are a mess!!  What a blessing to see them working together!  Grandma's 83rd birthday is today!

The hot afternoon was filled with kiddie pool fun, friends and popsicles!  I love hearing their splashing giggles, Kolton's screams when water gets in his eyes and seeing their smiles as they run and play!  Gifts I cherish!

In the midst of all the fun are lots of doll parts!  We are working hard to get caught up before the Christmas cart coming in July.  The 4th of July celebration starts today so the weekend will be busy busy busy!  Baby be Blessed has donated a Sabrina Ballerina so if your uptown, enter the raffle and help support the park!!

And,as the day winds down and clothes come down off the line, flowers get watered and toys gathered...I catch a glimpse of this in the window.

Nothing ends the day quite like a game of Go Fish with Daddy in the workshop!

Oh, what joy they bring to my heart!

A new direction?

Writting is not my natural gift.  I am terrible at spelling and grammer and typically litterally re-read the words that are pecked out 10 times or more to tweek this word or that.  I have struggled on this blog for years, not sure where it quite fit.  Should it be about the dolls, our family, my walk in faith....hmmm seeking His direction.

One thing is for sure...I want to grasp each day a little more. 

What a wonderful gift a blog can be when you can scroll down memory lane by the click of a mouse!  I've done it intriqued with what we were doing on that very same day in years past.  What joy that it brought! 

So things may change a little bit here on the blog.  Might get a little more personal with a lot more of our everyday life, which reminds me of Laura's husband Chris when they came to visit the very first time.  He walked around stopped and smiled, "It's like getting a sneak peek behind the curtains at Disney Land!"  He cracks me up!  But really he should have said the Ringling Brothers Circus because that is what it is like around here most days!

So we will see what will come!
 My hearts only desire is to glorify God in this little place on the big ol' web!

Refreshment!

Summer is just rushing by and all these days, weeks are just flowing right together!  I'm sitting here on my porch again this morning.  It has been my quiet spot to sit, read, ponder & pray.  I hear the kids in the house.  A robin just flew up and rested on a branch in front of me.  I'm thankful for these moments.  Sometimes it's hard to stop and take these moments!  They are gifts of grace.  Moments of prayer and reflection.  A time of refreshment for weary bones!

Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest, [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls]. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. For my yoke is wholesome (useful, good - not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and my burden is light and easy to be borne. ~ Matthew 11: 28-30

Too Cute...Tuesday

Sending pics of Cataleya loving her new baby!! Thank you so much for your ministry.


Cataleya has a feeding tube that I placed in the doll using these instructions:

http://agirlandhertube.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-to-put-g-tube-into-doll.html

I am absolutely planning on getting one and placing a trach for my son. Your dolls are so cute and having medical extensions on them make our kids feel normal.

Thanks again!

Beautiful!!  And thanks for the link! What a wonderful resource!
Praying over your sweet children!!

Learning requires lots of practice!

I sit here on my front porch.  The squirrels run and play in the trees around me.  Birds churp, woodpeckers peck and turtle doves sing steady, deep and slow.   Yellow morning sun moves across the old porch boards and I rock in this old wicker chair. 

I hear creation sing love songs to the creator without any effort, but yet this morning I choose to praise.

When things don't go as planned and a little boy has a belly that is "burping and chewing" and this is the second Sunday in a row not sitting in the wooden pew and I miss the fellowship, feel the responsibilities and deadlines weighing down hard and simply want to STOMP MY FOOT in a tantrum, I don't.

Though temping,  I hold back. 

"I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD."  Psalm 116:17 NKJV

The sacrifice of thanksgiving, the hard Eucharisteo. 
This desire to learn and with learning comes lots of practice. 

Words come slow and hard but the offer of praise offers opportunity for the heart to change.  Words start running free.  Praise flowing up as a sweet aroma to the throne, and a healing salve to my soul. 

It's the choice to trust.  It's a choice not to wallow (though sometimes I just want to roll it all over me). 

It's grabbing His hand and moving joyfully forward.

Ah, yes!  I feel like skipping....  =)

YAY.....FREE FRIDAY!

It's FREE FRIDAY!!

Enter to win a FREE personalized doll by leaving a comment below!

Winner will be chosen Monday!
Have a FANTASTIC weekend!!

Summer's are for Jump Roping!

Brothers, sisters and jump roping in jammies!

What else are summer evenings for?  Well besides catching lightning bugs of course!