Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Spring is in the Air!


Today we enjoyed the first day that it actually felt like spring ... there's even that special smell in the air! The kids rode bikes all afternoon, we opened all the windows and aired out the house, we BBQ'd for supper and, of course, the first chance I had, I threw a load of laundry in so I could hang it on the line! That has to be my favourite thing in the world ... hanging laundry out and seeing others do the same. I have no idea why, but it just feels good!!


Here's a poem sent to me by a friend last year. I love it!

A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the fancy sheets
And towels on the line;
You'd see the company table clothes
With intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth
To folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung
So carefully with pride.

The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed
You'd know how much they'd grown.
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.

It said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy gray,
As neighbors raised their brows,
And looked disgustedly away.

But clotheslines now are of the past
For dryers make work less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess.

I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line!

Saturday, March 24, 2007

An Alien on our Roof

If you are driving anywhere near our home, you might think there is an alien on our roof! It's a funny looking silver thing that appears to be hugging our old TV antenna. If this is an "alien", then I've suddenly taken quite a liking to these intruders! This one in particular
allows me to access my e-mail in an instant, download a video of my niece in Iowa in about 10 seconds, and help my kids do research for their schoolwork. It also allows my hubby to connect with his ministry team, download new songs, and send posters for upcoming concerts in an instant. Oh, this alien is the most beautiful of all creatures! It's actually a receiver for our wireless internet! This little creature delivers 799 kilobytes per second onto our computer. Oh, if I could, I'd hug that little creature!

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Savannah has a Beautiful Brain!


Savannah was invited to go with her good friend, Brittany, to participate in a study being done at our local university. Their involvement included showing up, laying in an MRI machine for about 75 minutes, watching cartoons, following some lights with their eyes and GETTING PAID FOR IT! They each came home with $50 and a CD ROM with nearly 200 images of their brain! What is so amazing is that we had just finished a whole Science unit about the brain! I love the way God orchestrates the paths of our life!


At the end, when Savannah was handed the money, she was happy to inform them that she would be available any time they needed her!

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Well said ...

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company . . . a church . . . a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past . . . we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude . . . I am convinced that life is 10%what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you . . . we are in charge of our Attitudes.”


Charles Swindoll

Thursday, March 08, 2007

First Fashion Show

So, last weekend both our girls were in their first fashion show! I thought preparing, setting up and doing a concert was a lot of work, but a fashion show is an unbelievable amount of work! Thankfully there is a whole team of people working together to make it happen.

MacKenzie and Savannah had to be at the mall early to get hair done, then it was off to make-up, grab a bite to eat and be ready for the runway by mid-afternoon. The show was complete with lights, dry ice (smoke machine), loud music and a huge audience! Both girls did fabulous ... knew their cues, held their heads high, walked with confidence. We were the proud parents in the front row with the video camera!

I am confident that the "X factor" that people see in the girls is actually the light of Jesus shining through them!