Baby Stoltzfus :)

I just noticed how looong its been since my last post...there would be too much writing to catch up so I'll just leave some. First of all on my last post I had "the ouch"...its all better and you can hardly tell there's a scar. Lee took the stitches out a week later so I saved a trip to the Drs ;) I have been feeling miserable ever since (up until now) with fatigue, dizziness, weak, nausea, lots n lots of vomiting! Sicker then I ever remember being! Praise God I believe its going the other direction now!

We are so excited to announce 16 weeks of Baby Stoltzfus #5 growing in the womb! Heard her/his heartbeat 2 weeks ago. That is always so exciting to experience. I think I cry every time. I went a little earlier then I usually do because of being so sick and there was some concern of dehydration and too much weight-loss because of not being able to keep anything down for weeks...as soon as I ate it came back up :(... I was so weak and all this time I was trying to do a good job teaching the kids, housework, laundry, cooking, baking you get the picture. And everything I smelled made me throw up including laundry soap, pretty much all foods, lotions, body wash.

And we were living in our basement till we had our little project completed upstairs. Lee had it done in a hurry with some help from family...him and his Mom make an excellent painting team. Usually him and I paint but I decided to give it over to her this time since she kindly offered. I will post pics of the project later. Thanks to all who helped in any way! We moved up on Saturday and I'm like a new person! I only throw up mornings n done deal till the next morning. Lee felt that a lot of my sickness was due to being in the basement so he tried with everything in him to get the upstairs finished ASAP! He really did do a super job and got it done sooner then any of us expected and the only thing we subbed out was the spackling. He did everything else! I am so amazed at what all he can do! It makes it very cost efficient to do it yourself with the help of Lowes 10 minutes away! :)

So come have tea with me...sorry NO coffee...the coffee maker sets on the back porch! That is the most awful smell ever right now! Hard to grasp coming from one who has had up to 4 cups of coffee everyday in the past. I'll admit us "women are strange!!!"

I was away in Bradford Co at "The Haft" for 2 days at a "ladies retreat" that my husband highly encouraged me to go to in January in the midst of all the sickness and turmoil...and he so graciously took excellent care of the kids while I was gone. They lacked nothing :). Hanging out with us is by far his favorite thing to do...although the last few months I felt "less then desirable" to hang out with. Praise God its so much better now!

We are already so "In Love" with Baby Dear and Lord willing will meet him/her in July! We're almost half way there! :)

Hopefully I'll be back a little sooner next time...Be Blessed!!!

Ouch

Twenty-four hours ago my Dear husband and I were sitting in the Reading ER... Yesterday my bones n muscles were feeling achy like I'd be coming down with the flu, a cold or something so I decided I was NOT coming down with this thing and when Lee got home I did twenty minutes of exercise/walking outside in drizzling rain which felt delicious! Lee suggested that when I get back I need to have a hot vinegar bath and he'll take care of the kids, dishes, cleaning up the house which he so often does. So a claustrophobic vinegar bath it was...I never did like them but it's a great way to fight off colds n germs and I do feel better afterwards usually. Well this time when I let the water down and stood up for my shower......................ding ding ding..........I woke up on the tile floor in a puddle of blood and my husband right there talking to me. After passing out I fell out of the tub on my chin which split open, the curtain came down rod and all with me. I'm so thankful I didn't break my nose or knock out my teeth! Crazy!!! So here I am with seven stitches and much sorer bones and muscles then before!  Especially where the tetnus shot was given! The Dr found what she thought was a piece of grout in the wound when she was cleaning it out. So grateful for hospitals n great Doctors even though none of us like to go there! We took the kids to Lee's Mom n Dad before heading into the ER around 9:00. And there were people everywhere waiting to see a Dr. When we were finally admitted after waiting 3 hours the hallways were lined with patients waiting for an empty room...and it's a big hospital. We got home at 2:00 am this morning. Lee stayed home today to help teach school, do a huge laundry and take care of me...God Bless him!!!!! I couldn't ask for a better man! I still feel weak and dizziness at times but hoping by morning I'll be much better. My mom is coming to do housekeeping etc tomorrow for which I'm so grateful! Praise God for family!

Have a Blessed and Joyous "2012"!!!

Home for Christmas

Hope all of you made many wonderful memories this Christmas with family and friends remembering the real reason for the season! I love this time of year...the wood stove crackling with fire, the spirit in the air, the decor although I didn't do any this year, gifts, giving, Christmas carols and so much more! And we were home for it this year! The day before Christmas was spent with Lee's side of the family and the day after with my family...some great settlers games were played and singing, exchanging gifts, and fellowship and did I mention FOOD! We live in a Blessed part of the world...oh to not take it for granted! Also we hosted a great friend from TX for a week in Dec...the kids adore this man! Lee took off work for the week and we hung out shopping, eating out, and just making memories. The guys made a day trip to Pittsburg one day. They iceskated in an outdoor rink which the boys thoroughly enjoyed! Leo Blessed the socks off our feet by his fellowship and his gift of giving! Leonard, you will surely be Blessed!!! We missed his sweet wife and kids which weren't able to make the trip this year.

Lee had a birthday in Dec which way too often gets neglected or forgotten since it's five days before Christmas so that day I lined up a sitter "thanks to awesome neighbors" and called him n suggested going out! Oh my it was like he was thinking the same thing...he replied, "I'll be home early tonite!" Olive Gardens it was. We would like to date more often then we do but it just doesn't always happen.

We moved away from GI's house to our home about 4 weeks ago and we are currently still living in our basement. We installed two 4x4 windows in the south side a few weeks ago which really helps brighten things up down here...the guy who was living here in the basement moved out just before we moved in and the people upstairs offered to move down...in the meantime they found a place to move to, which should be available Jan or Feb. So we decided it would be better for us to move downstairs rather then them needing to move all their stuff down just before the busyness of the holidays for only a few months. They are wonderful to have around and we're one big happy family! We are so very thankful for the way they took care of our property while we were in TX. One day the hot water heater busted and water squirted out from the top of it in large amounts and the wife happened to be home that day and if she wouldn't have been I don't even wanna think what could have happened...likely the whole basement would have flooded. The office and some outside of it was already flooded just the short time it took her to turn off the water. Another time one of the pipes above the kitchen (also downstairs) had a leak and she taped it. One of the cabinets inside did get moldy from that and some drywall and 2 of the carpets we had to throw out. It is partially finished down here. A bedroom, bath, kitchen, and office...and drywall on most of the other walls but no spackling or paint yet...all of which hubby did before going to TX. He really did do a wonderful job, did all the plumbing for kitchen n bath, electricity, drywall, well everything except the spackling for the bed n bath. Just too much dust to continue the project while we're still down here.

Come visit us anytime...we haven't seen many of yall yet since we're back!

We wish everyone of you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!!

Life : a moment. a vapor.

I'm realizing more and more and pondering this thought of  how short our life is here on this earth (like a vapor from a boiling tea kettle) thats like "a second" or "a moment"...and do we really know what we are living for!? In other words: Do we have a purpose in Life? If so...is it for all the riches and fame this world offers or is it to make a difference to the good in other peoples lives who are less fortunate than we are? If it is to Bless others etc...than it needs to be "a purpose" or "on purpose" because it doesn't happen automatically at least for me it doesn't...it's something we need to choose to do each day of our lives. I'm so Thankful for my Loving Heavenly Father who is not waiting with a whip until I make the next miss-move but one who is waiting with open arms and holds me close and loves me unconditonally! I knew Him since I was a little girl...but in the past year I've gotten to know Him with a much deeper understanding...and for this I'm so very grateful! Joy and Peace it brings. I've not yet arrived but I keep striving...He's still workin' on me to make me what I oughtta be! My desire is to continually go from Glory to Glory while here on this earth! To elevate in my spiritual walk!...realizing how easy it can be to just "get comfortable". One of my favorite songs is "Lead Me To The Cross" which I shared below.

If you ever get a chance to see "Embracing The Fathers Love" a DVD series by Jack Frost, do it! But I warn you be prepared and have an open heart and mind. If you're willing and open minded it will help you to understand the Father's Love more deeply. We did the series with 5 other "awesome couple" friends at "The Haft" near Bradford Co. Thanks to Dutch and Rosa for your amazing hospitality and for your priceless friendship! And  to the rest of the crew...Thanks! Yall are special to us...there's somethin about being able to cry together. hurt together. heal together. laugh together. That is what I call...REAL. TRUE. FRIENDS.

Snow in the forecast for Lanc Co. this weekend. I won't complain about it since I haven't seen any in 2 years. I've always enjoyed snow and the kids missed it a lot while we lived in south TX.

 Our thoughts n prayers are with the Beiler family as they adjust to a new normal in their home w/out Danny there. If there's such a thing as a nice funeral his was one! He was 22 years old and seemed to always have a smile for everyone...he will be missed by many. We will all see you soon Danny!

Have a Blessed weekend and oh I can't help it...since our Phillies lost I became a Texas fan in this World Series! I think Texas will always have a place in my heart.......

A peek into our life...

We are still here at GI's house...hoping to be out in the next few weeks or so and give him back his space and PEACE! Seems every evening I'm telling the kids (including my husband who loves to run all through the house rowdying with the kids) :) "please let's all try to be a little more quiet". GI moved in the basement and gave us the upstairs. He is such a Blessing and doesn't complain a bit! We have a few different options we're considering for our next move...say what you will, unfagneekt, unsettled, restless...but we love our life! It is our desire to together as a family lay down our OWN selfish ideas and agendas and be in "His Perfect Will". We by no means have it all down pat...the Lord knows the desires of our hearts!

We are homeschooling this year again...we pulled the boys out of school when we went to TX last December. So this is our second year and Hadassah has joined them doing Abeka K5 this year. At first I wondered if I'm doing the right thing, she was 4 when we started but so far she seems to be doing ok with it. We all enjoy it very much. When people ask if we're always going to homeschool I say, "for now we love it but we're taking a year at a time". It makes me feel less overwhelmed that way. We couldn't have asked for a better school...teachers, staff, and principle at Shalom School! We felt Blessed with our school experience and would recommend them. There's pros and cons in homeschooling just like anything else. We have significantly noticed more honor and respect in our children...don't be fooled they're still kids and not by any means perfect. We're more directly involved in their lives which we consider a Blessing. I also notice a lot less peer pressure for those of our kids with the "I" or "Sanguine" personality. As for the social part we are as you know always doing something adventurous and exciting and I don't think our children are "socially deprived". We love going places and having friends over! So let's be REAL...it may not be for everyone! Either way you are not condemned! Praise God for the freedom of each ones choice in this matter. I forgot to mention what an awesome supporter I have in this journey of homeschooling. My Dear husband makes this job so much easier by teaching his sons how to HONOR and RESPECT ladies "especially their Momma" and if there's a day of a bad attitude or something he promptly takes action and it's always done in love and always reaches their heart! That's what I call a great leader! Thank you Jesus! I am sooo Blessed!

I have a maid coming in every week whom I pay for one afternoon to finish up school with the kids, babysit, clean windows, bath the girls, make supper and whatever else she gets done. I make a list for her every week and I tell her none of these other things have to get done...the kids come first! That's when I get out to do grocery shopping, miscellaneous shopping, fill up my van, stop at (the farm) Mom n Daddy for milk and Mom makes me a cup of coffee which we sip together and Daddy can't stay away and almost always comes in too and offers me some of his delicious homemade beef jerky. Thank you Jesus for our wonderful parents and for the Godly values they taught us! May I never take them for granted! Getting a maid in is a "milestone" for me and something my husband has been trying to tell me to do for 10 years. I finally gave in...and I love it. I'm the "do it myself" kind. I'm learning that some things need to be delegated.

Have a great week!!!

In Loving Memory....

It's been way too long since my last post...I'll spare you from all the details but it was NOT an easy transition moving back here not because we don't like Lanc Co (mostly work-related) although I'll be honest it was a great experience being out of the area for a time. In the natural (for us personally) it was not worth all the hassle of moving over a thousand miles away but in the spiritual you can't put a price to it and after all which is most important! We are thankful for all the friendships that were established and we believe God's Blessing is on us! We received an education we otherwise wouldn't have received.

 IN LOVING MEMORY OF...
One of the biggest Blessings was to have known this amazing man of God "Syl Matej" who went to meet his Maker on Friday October 14th. He and his wife were the first people to greet us along with their daughter the very first time we walked into Christ Is Life Church and I can't describe the warm welcome we felt!!! Immediately there was a connection between us! He left a legacy that will always be remembered!!! The short time we've known them we've gotten close to them and we cling to the memories we made spending Easter Sunday of this year with their family. They unselfishly invited our family of six people to join them for a delicious Easter meal at their house. After the meal they had an Easter Egg hunt for the littles and we played games and visited as if we'd been family for years! They were like grandparents to our kids. Our kids also loved Syl n Jannie and Don n Doris. Both of these Dear couples were elders of the church. Don n Doris also spent the day there with us. That day, before the meal Syl had a little speech that he shared with everyone about the goodness of God and how that He gave His Son so we can have life eternal and live in Glory Forever...If you would ask his wife what he got most excited about in this life, I'm confident she would say "It was whenever he talked about the Lord and His Amazing Grace"! In church we would often see him dancing for Jesus because of the fire burning inside of him...he just couldn't help it! So sincere and from the Heart! He spoke life into every soul he came in contact with...including us many times! I can picture Jesus saying "Well done thou good and Faithful servant" and him dancing with Jesus and holding the little children! He always noticed our kids and stooped down to their level to hug them and Bless them and they LOVED it and precious memories of him are tucked deep in their little hearts! We are joyous for him but he is greatly missed by a most wonderful wife and children and grands!!! If you think about it please say a prayer for this family. They will never know the huge Blessing they were to us during our stay in Texas where we knew no one at first. That soon changed for which we will be forever grateful!!! Syl, we love you and you will be in our hearts and minds forever! I can see you talking to our child "John Matthew" whom Jesus took in His arms almost 12 years ago and holding him telling him stories. God, you are Awesome and worthy of all our Praise! You are my Abba Father, my Daddy and it's only by your Grace I've been set free! On my own I'm not fit for the Kingdom and you still love me!!! Amazing!!!

Have a blessed week in the Lord!

Below are some captured moments from Easter Sunday...

Syl and Don...great men of God

Syl helping Hadassah find her eggs

Doris and Don...our kids Texas Gramma n Grampa

More awesome people...Kaylen, Tristan, Abigail & Melanie

God turned "a rock thrown by the enemy" into a "Beautiful Gemstone"

We haven't seen all the Beauty yet...but we've seen some of it. (I've posted several times in one week now, just so you know, I won't be posting that often every time) for those of you who didn't know...we were on a temporary work project in TX since last December. Continuing from the last post when we were on our way home...we spent time with some really awesome friends in TN, Steve and Mary Ellen. You fit right in the south with your amazing "hospitality"!;) Our boys had a blast together!...And were not ready to leave...they prolonged our stay with every imaginable excuse!

I love true friends to share with...

On Tuesday as we were merrily driving on Rt. 81 in the rain as a result of "Tropical storm, Lee" when all of a sudden POP! The front driver side tire blew out and the ride is on! There's no doubt the Angels were guiding us because we couldn't, the steering rod had busted and there's nothing we could do! And with our rig with the trailers behind and all, it could have been real ugly! Fortunately the wheel turned left into the guardrail which we smashed part of the way and the wheel with no more tire got stuck under the guardrail the rest of the way till we stopped. Beyond the guardrail was a deep ditch with trees! I just try not to go there!!! And we stopped just as the guardrail ended after scraping a good 300 ft. The kind ambulance crew then transported the kids and I to a nearby hotel while Lee stayed and worked through the legal stuff...scatter brained I go to check in while the crew stays out with the kids, oh where's my purse?? The (dare I say grouchy) receptionist looked at me like I'm crazy...rightly so...whoever checks in at a hotel with no money!? I go out and wonder what next to do?? I call hubby...no answer. I do need money to check in! I'm used to him takin care of these kind of things. Ok, just humble yourself. I told her the situation and till it was all said and done she gave us a room 25% off with no money till Lee came 6 hours later to pay and she called the room and said if the kids and I are hungry we should come down to the hotel restaurant and she will pay for our food till Lee gets there. She was now a different person then when I first walked in! How many times do I judge someone without knowing what their situation is!? The kind ambulance crew escorted us to our room. Another beauty...the tow truck driver seemed to be in a terrible mood complaining to Lee about his Dominant boss and Lee was able to encourage him and speak life into him! We safely arrived home on Wed. night. The truck may be totaled and we're sorry for that although we aren't at fault. We are Praising our Maker and we are enjoying each other!

Last evening we did and tonite we will be enjoying our LA friends along with some other great friends! "Home" for now is at our "kidney brother" who my hubby gave a kidney to 8 years ago. He is sooooo amazing and unselfish for welcoming a riot like us in his home! How we love and appreciate him! A cool bachelor! Nope, you can't have him!...we like him just the way he is!

Y'all stay safe with all the flooding around here...Have a great weekend and we look forward to seeing all our church family and friends here in PA!

I was kindly asked not to post pics of the accident so I'll post the kids excitement...

 

In walking distance from our hotel...boys loved it!