Agnus Dei

This year for the first time all FIVE of us were in the church Christmas musical! What a fun time it was. Jeff and I sang in the choir, we both had solos, and all three kids were angels!

The kids did a great job...although, I think Caleb and his cuteness stole the show at times. He really was the cutest little angel!

Caleb and Hannah played the bells each night before the performance, I had the privilege of directing them again. It was fun! The first two nights Caleb was ringing his bells with such gusto, they went flying out of his hands. The last night he managed to hold on!

We are already looking forward to next year! Enjoy some pictures!

MERRY THANKSMAS!

We were SO blessed to be able to spend a wonderful Thanksgiving/Christmas with my family in New York!

Since we were celebrating both holidays the kids decided you couldn't call it Thanksgiving....so, they came up with Thanksmas! I loved it! They were so funny about it too, making everyone a Thanksmas card and wishing everyone a Merry Thanksmas!

The weekend was filled with joy, laughter, presents, food, and even some tears. We were SO glad Pap Pap was able to be there, but saddened that Grandma wasn't able to join us...although, I am sure she was watching all that went on with a smile on her face! It was so wonderful to be able to make some special memories with Pap Pap -- the kids just adore him!!

We also had the opportunity to get some family photos done...trying to get 11 people to smile and all look the same way proved to be almost impossible, but we got some GREAT pictures! And, we got some great smiles -- thanks to Dave's pants! (Want to know what that's about, you'll have to ask him!)

It will be different not being together for Christmas, but I wouldn't trade this special event for anything!!

We trust you and your families had a blessed day as well! Enjoy this season, remember to stop and make some new memories!!!

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

Wow! It is amazing at how quickly time flies....Hannah turns 7 tomorrow! It is hard to believe. So much of what happened 7 years ago is SO fresh in my mind, but then other moments seem hard to recall. It really is amazing when you think about how God has been watching over Hannah all these years, it just reminds you how faithful and loving He is!

Seven years ago today I headed to the OB to have an ultrasound to figure out why I was measuring big...I was 37 weeks, measuring 42 weeks -- that's not normal. So, we had the ultrasound and the technician was eerily quiet. She asked us to wait outside so she could speak to the doctor, and I knew, I just knew something was wrong. I do not know how long we sat there, but the longer we sat, the more I knew we were about to get some bad news....Jeff just kept trying to reassure me that everything was going to be ok. Little did we know in a few minutes it would be hard for us to even breathe. The doctor came around the corner, a doctor I had never even met, and said 'we need to talk.' NOT words you want to hear! He told us Hannah had a condition called 'duodonal atresia' -- meaning her stomach wasn't attached to her intestines...he then informed us that with this condition came many other conditions and it was unknown if she would survive after birth. We were devastated! I just remember thinking 'if the baby doesn't survive, how do I explain to a 3 year old that her baby sister died?' You don't want to have those types of conversations. My parents were in the car and at our house faster than I thought possible, they were going to go with us to see the specialist, they didn't want us to be there alone. Little did we know they would need to be at our house to watch Kaitlyn -- I went into labor that morning!! I was SO overwhelmed, I hadn't seen the specialist, we had NO idea what was going to happen, what we would see, etc. I was SO scared, but SO at peace! It was a peace I had never known! It was God's way of protecting me - for I did not have to fear the diagnosis, that's not what Hannah had! Hannah was born and we were told she'd need to be sent to another hospital to be evaluated by specialists...so there I was in the NICU alone, having just said goodbye to my newborn baby girl, not knowing if I would ever see her again - and said goodbye to my husband who was going to follow the ambulance...it was the most alone I have ever felt! Luckily, my mom came in minutes later and spent the night with me.

Hannah arrived at the hospital and we found out she did NOT have DA, she actually had an ovarian cyst - the size of a baseball in her abdomen. She had surgery when she was less than 24 hours old -- and today, is the happiest, healthiest 7 year old you'd ever meet!

That incredible peace stayed with me through that time, I just remember fully believing that everything was going to be ok. I could sense God's presence with us throughout that whole ordeal. I knew God was holding Hannah in His arms in that ambulance ride and during her operation -- He was holding her when I couldn't. There have been many other times during Hannah's life that God has had His hand on her...many other instances of His healing in her life and we are SO grateful!

Hannah truly is our Thanksgiving miracle and is a daily reminder to me of just how much we have to be thankful for!

Happy Birthday to my little Cub!

Hard to believe he is FOUR YEARS OLD!! Where has the time gone?? It seems like yesterday we got the news that the doctor would induce, that my pelvis had indeed separated too far and delivery was necessary. I remember the day as fun, Jeff and I joking around, playing cards, walking the halls...it wasn't until the last 2 minutes that everything got intense and crazy! We were truly thankful the Lord had his hand on Caleb from the very beginning...there was a time the doctor's weren't sure I would actually carry to term...and then, he was born!

His little life has been filled with one hurdle after another...seems like that is the path all of my children have followed. But, once again, God was faithful and watching out for our little Cub. We finally found the right doctor, at the right time, asked the right questions, figured out the right plan of action and Caleb began to grow like a weed! Once being in the 2nd percentile for height and weight, then jumping to the 60th...only to have to face yet another obstacle! But, God was faithful before and will be faithful again!

Our little Cub is a special little boy. Filled with so much laughter and personality! There was a time we prayed that we would be able to understand what our son said, now the things that come out are absolutely hysterical I cry from laughing just about every day. Including yesterday, his 4th birthday. I baked him some allergen-free cookies (he'll get a cake on Saturday at his party) and Jeff asked him how his cookies were...he replied "SCRUMPTIOUS Dad!" Too funny!! Not 'they're good, they're yummy', nope, scrumptious!

My dad came up on Monday to put together the new swing set my parents bought the kids for their combined birthday present (all of their birthdays are with in a month or so of each other!)...the kids were SO excited they couldn't wait until the set was put together, so Pap Pap did what grandpa's do and set the slide up on the stairs so they could try it out!!

We will celebrate again on Saturday when some of Caleb's little friends come over to sing "Happy Birthday"...it will be another fun day of celebrating this little gift from God! We are truly blessed to have Caleb in our lives and truly blessed at the way God continues to touch his little life. We look forward to seeing what God has in store for him in the future!!

Happy Fall!

Well, Fall has turned out to be quite eventful around here.

We've already had snow - although nothing really stuck, but it still counts!

We've had the swine flu - just add us to the statistics!

We've headed to the mountains - it was amazing to behold the beauty God created for us!

We will have Halloween tomorrow, which for us is a sign that our crazy holiday/birthday routine is ahead!!

Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks. The next time you hear from us, it will be a celebration of a little cub's 4th birthday! Enjoy the pictures!!

The kids in their Halloween costumes!


Princess Leia

Here's Jessie!

Woody didn't want his picture taken!

Here's MUSCLE MAN displaying his new dress-up costume from Nana...little boys like to dress-up too, and all we have around here is frilly dresses and tiaras! :)

The girls had to get in on Muscle Man's action!

Walking through the grape vines to the "Yankee Siege" (a huge trebuchet that flings pumpkins!)

The view of Mt. Monadnock from the side of the road!

The kids at Kimball Farms

Caleb

The COOLEST kid ever!

So, my daughter, Kaitlyn, got glasses today...just a few months before her 10th birthday.

I remember when I got my glasses, while I had wanted them for a while, I did not realize they were not 'cool' when I got them. I did hear some of the teasing that kids feel is necessary to bestow on those that are different. So, when I heard glasses for my little girl, it just brought back bad memories for me.

I said nothing to her about my past, but was a little worried about how she would feel about getting glasses. I mean, after all, she has red hair and already has braces...one of those would be enough to make some kids feel uncomfortable about being 'different,' let alone all three!

Well, I was COMPLETELY surprised by her reaction...the conversation went something like this:

K: Mom, I am going to be the coolest kid EVER!

Me: Really? Why?

K: (in her, I can't believe I have to explain this to you voice) MOM, my red hair, my braces, my glasses...THE COOLEST KID EVER!!!

While I wanted to laugh out loud, I also wanted to break down and cry!!
Because somewhere along the way, God had helped me to instill in my daughter such a love for herself -- and confidence in who she was that took me 30 years to find!

My prayer is that I will help her keep that love of herself through all of life's ups and downs.

And, I have to say, she really is THE COOLEST KID EVER!

Spontaneous?!?!?

Spontaneous?? Jeff and Serena??? UNHEARD OF!!

We are NOT spontaneous people. We don't usually do things unless they are planned in advance and on the calendar. Probably because we are always so busy.

So, having a Sunday where there was nothing to do!?!?! That too is unheard of!

Jeff was admiring the beautiful day and the refreshing breeze and announced it would be a perfect day to fly his kite. Well, why fly a kite here in Nashua, that would be boring! Why not drive to Portland, ME and head to Portland Head Light to fly the kite in one of the most picturesque spots! So, off we went...although, I did protest! I am not a big fan of driving long distances, but I agreed and off we went.

The kids had never been to Portland Head Light and they had never flown Jeff's trick kite either. They were SO excited to do both! They loved the views of the ocean, waves, and the lighthouse. Caleb did announce shortly after our arrival 'Ok, enough Sea, let's go!'

We went to the field to fly the kite, throw a football, play some catch, and just have fun. Unfortunately for me, my back does not permit me running around on uneven ground, so I spent my time relaxing on the blanket, enjoying the gorgeous day, and taking pictures of the fun and beauty around me.

The kids had a great time! They loved flying Daddy's kite, playing ball, and just running around like chickens with their heads cut off! Although, even in this fun place, I did have to tell them to stop yelling, only while the wedding was going on!

Being at this beautiful space rekindled my absolute LOVE for photography! I got a lot of amazing pictures of the beautiful creation God made for us! You can't help but worship God for His beauty in a place like this.

All in all it was a great day! Maybe we should be spontaneous more often?!?!? We'll see!

Enjoy the pictures!

In Loving Memory

This is my Grandmother, Lois Irene Scott. She was an amazing lady! She lived her life to the fullest. But, most importantly, she lived her life for Christ...it was ALL ABOUT JESUS!

She and Pap Pap were blessed to have 59 years together -- all but a few weeks of that marraige was spent in the ministry! My Pap Pap said at her memorial service that he would never have been able to do his ministry without her. She was such an intregal part.

Her memorial service was such a testimony to the Grace of God and how God can take a life devoted to Him and use it to the fullest! Even in her final moments, she spent time caring for others! She was able to speak to each and every member of her family, all of her children, and grandchildren. Her words were, "I love you, God loves you, and I want to see you in Heaven!" What a testimony that is!! Even in those final moments, it was all about bringing others to Jesus!

One thing I remember about my Grandmother is that she loved to make afghans. All of her grandchildren have at least one. I have a couple -- one from when I was a baby, one she gave me when I went off to college, and another she gave to me when Jeff and I got married! I am so grateful to have these gifts from her. She also made afghans for each of her 6 great-grandchildren. But, one last token of love, she made an afghan for my 8 cousins that had not had children yet, she wanted them to have something from her at that special time. We were not sure if she was able to finish them all before she passed...but, she had! She even had 3 to spare!!

What a wonderful, special gift.

I had the priviledge of singing at my Grandmother's memorial service. Her daughters chose 'Give me Jesus.' It truly was a testimony to her and the life she chose to live. I sang a new verse at the end, one my dad wrote, that was very fitting...here are the words to the song, with the new verse:

In the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, Give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! You can have all this world, but give me Jesus!

And when I am alone, and when I am alone, and when I am alone, give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! You can have all this world, but give me Jesus!

And when I come to die, oh, and when I come to die, and when I come to die, give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! You can have all this world, but give me Jesus!

(new) In the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, I'LL SEE JESUS! I'll see Jesus, I'll see Jesus! You can have all this world, you can have all this world, you can have all this world, but give me Jesus!

There are so many things I will treasure about my Grandmother.

I will always remember her smile. I will always remember how much time she spent praying for me and my family. I will always remember the heritage she passed down to the generations. I will always remember the way she worshipped her Lord. I will always remember the way she said 'YES' to whatever God wanted to do in and through her. That will be her legacy, that is what I want to aspire to. I want to be a woman who always says 'YES!' I will treasure her memory and aspire to become even half the woman she was! I will treasure that I was named for this amazing woman of God. I will continue to pass down her message to my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren -- 'I Love You, God Loves You, and I want to see you in Heaven with me!' She was a VERY special lady and she will be deeply missed!

I had to end on this happy note -- Grandma would have LOVED this, and I am sure she was laughing in heaven when she read this card! It truly was the BEST SHOW FOR THE DOLLAR!

I love you Grandma, I miss you terribly! And, as Hannah would say, "I hope you're having a GREAT time in Heaven!" -- We'll see you there!

What to do when your heart breaks?

So, what do you do??

You pray, you trust, you lean hard into God...

We are in the waiting moments of seeing my Grandmother off to Glory. How do you say 'good-bye' to someone you love? How do you go on when they won't be there to share life's up and downs? How do you explain to your children who ask 'Why is God taking Grandma away?'

These are the times of life I wish I had all the answers to all the questions...but, I don't.

I don't really know how you say 'good-bye.' I said my goodbye to my dear, sweet Grandma on the phone. I told her how much I loved her, how much I looked up to her, how much my children love her...I told her that Kaitlyn, her first great-grandchild, was being baptized on Sunday -- she smiled they tell me...I just couldn't say anything else, but I love you, over and over, and over.

I did my best in my humanness and lack of understanding try to explain to my girls that Grandma had finished what God asked her to do and it was time for her to go Home to be with Him. It was so hard for me, who's heart was breaking, to see my girls sobbing over the impending loss of their Great-Grandmother. I tried to explain that Grandma would be dancing with Jesus - she wouldn't need her wheelchair anymore. I explained that Grandma wouldn't need the machines to breathe for her - her lungs would work perfectly. She wouldn't be in pain anymore, there would be only joy. I told Kaitlyn that Grandma was going to get to watch her baptism, sitting next to Jesus!

So, through the heart break, there is joy, there is peace, there is comfort, there are the arms of God surrounding me and my family saying "I know, I've been there, my heart has been broken, I'm here, trust Me, rely on Me."

Her last wish she spoke to her grandchildren -- "I want to see you in Heaven with me."

She leaves behind an amazing legacy. She was an extrodinary woman, one I will always admire, always strive to become. She was a woman who loved the Lord with EVERYTHING in her...and wasn't afraid to make it known to the world! She was a woman who loved her family and whose deepest desire was that they all come to know the Lord she loved so much.

She will be deeply missed. But, the words to the song 'Give me Jesus' say it all:

And when I come to die

And when I come to die

And when I come to die, Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus

You can have all this world

But, GIVE ME JESUS!!

Dance with Jesus Grandma, I'll see you there!!!

UPDATE - AUGUST 22, 2009:

Grandma went home to be with Jesus last night at 11:23pm. While there is joy and peace knowing she is no longer suffering and at home with Jesus, there is great sadness. Her joy has been made complete and she is dancing with Jesus today. Please be praying for the family during this time.

Camp - Part Two

Well, we are now home from camp. We had a FABULOUS time, as always! The Spirit of God descended upon that place and many lives were changed. I, for one, will NOT be the same!

The kids spent time playing basketball, riding bikes, swimming, fishing, boating, learning about God, playing with friends, spending time with family, and just having an overall grand time. We even got to see baby Margaret while we were there!! It was such a great family time -- we only wish Jeff could have been there with us...maybe next year.

Hannah learned how to ride her bike without training wheels!

Kaitlyn won the fishing derby by catching 11 fish in one hour AND lost a tooth!

Caleb learned how to ride a big boy bike and fished all by himself, even catching himself a whopper--he caught a Pap Pap!! :)

And me? I learned how to row a boat with ONE oar!

Here are some pictures of our time at camp...enjoy!

Camp

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Family Camp. I have been going to the Metro NY Family Camp at Camp Taconic since 1986! In all of that time, I have only missed 4 Family Camps...3 while at Eastern Nazarene College, traveling for the school, and one, last year, when Jeff and I went on our 10th Anniversary Trip. That's a pretty good record when you think about it. And here's the thing, I LOVE to go! I cannot imagine a summer with out it. There is just something about it. If you have never gone to a Family Camp, I would highly recommend going. Well, seeing how that's what I LOVE to do, it just made sense to take the kids with me. My kids have NEVER missed a Family Camp. They have been EVERY year since they were born. This year is NO different! They have been SO excited about camp this year. Caleb keeps asking, 'Do we go to camp today??' It is a long wait for a 3 year old. He is even telling us all the things he wants to do. On the top of his list, FISHING WITH PAP PAP! We are getting everything ready to go, packing the clothes, finding the fishing poles, and getting ready for the fun. The best thing about it, it is a time to be together, a time to have fun together and to learn about God together...what could be better than that???? Here are some pictures from past years at Camp T...enjoy watching the kids grow up at camp...just like I did!!