utterly speechless!

The world is a strange place when you can't talk.  I started getting sick sometime last week.  By Sunday I started feeling better; good enough to go to church.  By Sunday night I was so sick and in pain and coughing...and I ended up with Laryngitis - of all things!!  Just when I need to really be practicing for singing at church!  Here it is Tuesday and all I can do is let out a tiny squeak.   I will either have to sing with not enough practice, or just put it off a while.  And really that is fine because if I can't sing when I was supposed to, then I'm sure God has something better in mind.  I'm trying to trust Him and not worry about it, even though that is hard for my flesh to do.

The boys had their wisdom teeth pulled last week.  So that has been another difficult thing to deal with.  There has been a lot of soup, yogurt, and instant breakfasts being eaten here lately.  My normal cooking routine has been a bit altered.

Yesterday was Memorial Day.  Darryl and Ryan went to Steve Vervaet's house while Kyle stayed home with sickly me.  Kyle got some work done around the house and I planted some tomatoes that Mom and Dad gave me, and the flower Darryl got me.  I had a chance to get out and get some sun, which I really needed!

It's so awesome having my boys home.  We had so much fun singing last week!  But the house has been so quiet the past couple of days.  I have missed singing more than talking!  Right now I can't even hum!  I don't know how long this will last, but probably not much longer.  Maybe it's a good thing that I'm not able to talk.  It kind of opens the room up for others to talk more.

"I don't know where You'll take me, but I know You're always good!" -My Hope

Amen!

we have granite!

We got the granite installed on Tuesday.  I love how it looks.  It makes the kitchen so much brighter than the very dark countertop we had before.  It's so sparkly.  hehe We still have tons to do to finish this project.  I really hope we get a lot done before we go to Italy because I don't want to have to face it when we get back.

A beautiful landscape for food prep

No it's not an optical illusion

it took 4 strong men to carry in one piece of granite

simply gorgeous

the nation's largest Cabela's

I know it's crazy, but we stopped at Cabela's on the way home to look for a specific item. It was so amazing! There were soooo many animals in there!! It was so totally awesome how they had it all set up with the life-like displays.  We enjoyed it so much.  Had only planned to run in and stay for 15 minutes, but ended up staying an hour.  It is well worth the visit next time you are in PA.

my way or the highway

3 men and a fish

the home of 55 lb catfish named Goliath (not in the picture)

fudge!!

Buffalo, Bison, and Elk jerky

The kitchen is coming along. Craig and Russ came on Saturday to do some more work.  Kyle and I spent some time putting stuff away while Darryl and Ryan went to the guitar store. Think it's going to be a good while before things are back to "normal."  

Genesis 1:24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so.

Isaiah 11:6-9 

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, 

The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; 

And a little child shall lead them. 

The cow and the bear shall graze; 

Their young ones shall lie down together; 

And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 

The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, 

And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. 

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain

For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea." 

celebrating 65 years of marriage

We took a quick trip to West Virginia to help celebrate my mom and dad's 65 anniversary! It was very good to see everyone, and hang out with them for a while.  Ryan and Kyle came down from Grand Rapids and met us there.  It was so awesome to see them again.  And Ryan and I actually sang a song for the fam... it went quite well.  So excited to be reunited with my boys. We had a nice time with my brothers and sister and mom and dad...we enjoyed a tiny bit of the Strawberry Festival.

My Parents

Ryan and Kyle

Bonnie and Dave

Flo and Scott

Doug and Lynne

the happy couple

Marissa

ring that Kyle haggled for in Israel :) 

anniversary cake

After a long day

a quick peek

We are on the road heading to West Virginia for my parents 65th wedding anniversary. Craig sent us this quick picture while he was there working today. Pretty!  Its going to be so great to have the kitchen done.  We'll see it on Friday. 

Fingerprints of Creation

taping out our countertop

Granite, the foundation of our planet.  Some say it proves that the earth is millions (billions?) of years old.  But others say granite proves creation and a young earth:  Fingerprints of Creation

Interesting. So now every morning when I get up and have my tea or coffee and I'm looking at this beautiful slab of the earth's foundation, I will be reminded that God is all powerful.  He did create the earth is 6 literal days approximately 6,000 years ago.  And it will also remind me that at any day Jesus is coming in the clouds to take us home to be with Him forever.  Will you be ready?  Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ today and be saved.

Exodus 31:17 It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.”

1 Thess. 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

Job 38:4-5 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? 
Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements?
Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it?

Kyle in the Holy Land

Here are some pictures of Kyle's trip to Israel and Jordan. He had a amazing time there, visiting all the popular Jesus sites, and many other places that I've never even heard of.  How wonderful it must be to have the words of scripture come alive in such a visual way.  Standing where Jesus stood when He wept over the city of Jerusalem was especially touching for the group of college kids.  Prof. Long made the trip immensely meaningful to all of them.  The heat was extremely difficult to tolerate.  Kyle said it reminded him of our last trip to Wildwood when they had that terrible heat wave, only it was non-stop all the time, like being in an oven.  A square foot of shade was a blessing that everyone tried to stand in.  When we see Kyle he will have to explain to us all of the places that P. Long mentions in his blog.  The other major problems they had was the tap water in Tamar, giving them stomach issues, and the colds that a lot of people had and passed around during their time together. Worn out, tired, thirsty, and sick, but it was still well worth it, right Kyle?

the dead sea

Jaffa Gate

Hilary and Kyle

sunrise at Tamar

Jerusalem Old City

Pistachio Tree Lookout at Tel Dan

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes." Luke 19:41-42 

a place for my dishes

Today Craig brought his dad with him to help install the upper cabinets.  They probably have another 2 days of work ahead of them.  We don't have the stove yet but we do have a combination microwave/convection oven which we never had before, so I'm looking forward to figuring out how to use it.  I just might need a step stool to reach it though!  lol  :D

end of day 2

It's really starting to feel like a kitchen again. I can't wait to get in there and be able to find all my stuff.  Living out of boxes for 4 weeks hasn't been too bad, but it's getting little frustrating now.  I just want a cozy, clean, organized, and peaceful place to work.  Is that so much to ask?  It's hard to be creative or productive living all haphazard like this.

lunch break

Kyle is now back to GBC after his trip to Israel.  Praising God that he is back safely, even though he and many of his traveling buddies got sick from drinking the water in Tamar.  Poor guys. 

Numbers 4:7 “On the table of showbread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the pans, the bowls, and the pitchers for pouring; and the showbread shall be on it."