ending the year at Hackettstown hospital

all comfy in the hospital bed

Darryl took such good care of me

 So, I'm spending New Year's eve in the hospital.  It's been a long day....going to the doctor, going to the ER, getting all kinds of tests, getting poked, prodded, and monitored, waiting, moving from room to room.   Will be getting more things done tomorrow.  But right now all is well in body and soul.

The staff here is nice.

view from my room (the roof) 

favorite moments

I love these guys.  Even while they are sick they are thinking of me.

Ryan fiddling around with some new music

Practicing for church

Ryan had the privilege of doing the opening solo for Grace's Christmas Eve service.  He did a magnificent job!  Darryl and Ryan both did a great job!

The boys and I were supposed to sing at church yesterday morning, but unfortunately a sick bug was running through our house so we made the very difficult decision to stay home.  In the evening after supper, Kyle suggested we at least make a video of the songs we were going to do at church so that we could still have the experience of singing them together, and have something to look back on.  I'm so glad he suggested it.  So we took 10 minutes in between packing to get these wonderful videos.  Thank you Darryl for taking them.


Isn't He is the song we were going to close the service with.



We Choose You is the song I wrote that we were going to do for special music.  The boys knew how long I had planned on doing this at church and they felt bad that we couldn't go.  But I am blessed for having this video of us doing it at home.

Another really cool thing....Ryan had me record some harmony on his new album.  I'm so thrilled and honored that he asked me to do it.

I also gave Kyle a very long hair cut.  (like 2 hours?  I had to cut it at least 3 times...haha)

We had some great meals: Enchiladas, ribs, steaks, ham, stew.  Went out for Italian one night.  Went to Children's Christmas Play, went to Christmas Eve services.  Kyle taught adult Bible class once (missed one).  Had a great time singing and arranging songs together.

We had a lovely Christmas and a most wonderful visit with our boys.  I'm so thankful for them.  Now they are on their way back to Grand Rapids to get ready for a trip to Dublin, Ireland.

some homemade gifts...edible and otherwise

I tried making some gifts this year.  I ended up not doing any sewing, but decided on food gifts.

Homemade Cracker Jacks for Darryl

Chocolate covered almond butter balls for the Christmas Play,
and chocolate covered pretzels for my pastor's wife
(I also made Enchiladas for my pastor, but didn't take a picture)

2 kinds of fudge

More misc. sweet treats for the holidays

Spikes Hot Pepper Paste for Ryan

A LOT of hot peppers cooking up

finished product

Almond Butter

Owl Painting I made for Kyle

how it began

the mess I made

I really enjoyed making gifts this year.  I think people appreciate the time, thought, and effort it takes to make something special for them.  I think sometimes those gifts are more meaningful than the expensive ones, don't you?

random shots and things I think

A few pictures from Mom and Dad's house when we were there for Thanksgiving.  

This is my living room studio where I record guitar and vocals, and other interesting instrumental sounds.  It's a pretty great set-up except that the mic is so sensitive that I can't record unless the house is completely quiet.  That means no one walking around, or clocks ticking on the wall, or dryer running, or rain hitting the skylights.  And if the phone rings... eh yeah..

This is our Christmas tree.  Haha..  Josh got us this cute little guy.  One of these days maybe I'll actually decorate the tree.  Or maybe I'll let the boys do it when they get home.

So, I've been thinking a lot....actually too much.  I think when I should be sleeping.   Maybe I spend too much time focusing on singing and playing guitar.  Maybe I spend too much time worrying about it, or stressing over it, or planning it, or burdening others with it, or making other people upset about it.  Maybe I need to put it all down for a season.   I think that's what I'll do.  I need to put it out of it's misery.

For You (1)

This is one of my songs.  I have been fiddling around with the recording equipment, trying to figure out how things work.  I have a long way to go, but figured I'd post some of my progress thus far.  So, anyway, here's a basic recording of For You without any bells and whistles.  I will be super excited when I learn how to make my recordings sound more professional.

For You



This song is my story... it is about me, how I cannot keep silent.  There is always a song, a tune, a melody in my heart.  If you know me, you know I am either singing, whistling, or humming... to the point of being a bit annoying to those around me.  But God fills me with song!  I'm so happy that He has me writing again, and putting words to music.  What a thrilling venture this has been for me.

I can always tell which people truly have the love of music in them because it can't help but exude out of them!  You can't hold it in!  Ryan and Darryl are that way too!  Always pouring forth music from their hearts.  I always want to be singing for my God and Savior.  It is what fills me, what gives me peace, joy, and hope.  So many times I see those in the music ministry but have never heard them sing from the sheer joy of singing, to just burst out singing because it naturally bubbles forth.

Thank You God for filling me with the joy of singing and worshipping!

We Choose You (1)

This is the rough recording of my song, We Choose You, that I wrote for church.

We Choose You


This song was written to be a congregational song.  I imagine it with many voices joining in worshipping God.  I hope that some day others will enjoy it as much as I do.  I am looking forward to singing it with my boys when they get home.

David Phelps concert in Easton, PA

This was an awesome building we walked by in Easton on our way to see good old David Phelps.  It was a wonderful concert.  We enjoyed it a lot.  They are all suuch great musicians.

Here are a couple of pictures.  I will try to post videos later, but they don't usually work.  If we hadn't already bought the tickets, I doubt we would have gone, but since we had, we went.  I'm glad it all worked out.