what boys and girls are made of...

this summer i wanted to do teas in my lovely backyard and spent several hours with these special people...

                          my grandchildren...


and though we have sixteen grandchildren, seven live in other states and three were too young to come.

so...


one lovely morning my two local lovelies came for a tea party.


what fun we had!



Serena, who is five and Sarah, who is four, love each other's company (that is, if neither one is too tired!) along with Sonali, Serena's best doll, had an ice cream party...

we had fun taking pictures, though the the girls soon got tired of that!

                                           

they just wanted to play!

                       

     and of course, i can't but help add their cute little tootsies...!

and mostly girls are made of 'spice and everything nice...'

well...at least they like to play dress up and play with dolls and have tea parties...

and dress in pinks and frills and comb their hair and play with a lot of imagination...

oh yes...they talk NONE STOP!

it was a lovely tea...just wish the other three girls could have been here!

then it was the boy's turn as Patrick didn't think it was fair for the girls to be at grandma's house and not the boys!

so...

one lovely evening we had...

not a lady-like tea...

but a rough and tumble...

'let's run for two hours' hide and seek game!

...such energy!!

and so much fun!

l-r Josiah-6, Anthony-10, Andre-almost 14,Patrick-8, Shawn-12

first thing on the program was hide and seek...

a game made up of their own rules and so many places to hide!

Patrick counting...

and everyone's favorite hiding place.

but Josiah was more interest in climbing trees...

and watering grandma's flowers.

and then there was food and fire and companionship...

a lovely evening, watching 'my boys' playing together, even though their ages are from six to all but fourteen...

watching them making memories together....

 - that's a wonderful thing to see! 

so what are boys made of?

well, lets see...

energy...lots of it!

rough and tumble is their way - healthy stuff!

don't mind getting dirty...

love to eat...and love to play -

and their potential of manhood...what an awesome thing to see!

just wish the others could have been here!

ox

7 women

last evening, august twentyfive, two thousand nine, was a historic moment in my life. it was the last night of coming together every tuesday night for seven weeks (actually eight, counting intro night) to give our life stories and to listen to each other - to six other women who were total strangers, a place that was made safe for us to do that. it was not my first time to give my story but something special happens every time i do. we are no longer strangers but friends, special friends who are fighting a battle that includes shame and guilt and embarrassment and anger...women who through confession of the mouth, are walking toward freedom and light and hope!


seven women, seven weeks, seven stories was founded by Anne Beiler, who, because of her own painful journey, was led to bring to Lancaster County the ministry of teaching women that...

a. everyone has a story... 

b. the power to tell their story.


there were twenty eight women there, seven in each class with two facilitators. twenty eight apprehensive, scared and scarred, confused and longing to be free, women.


we began our evening with...'hello, my name is...and i am a woman of truth. tonight, i feel...' and were given a list of feelings to choose from.


we each had up to an hour to give our story with no interruptions and at the end no one was to try to 'fix' our story...ah, could we but all learn the 'art of silence!' it's powerful!


i think of Di (all names fictious) who had given her story before but never without interruption...

of Tina who came that first night with the saddest, most hopeless exression on her face but literally glowed after she gave her story.

there is Sue, feeling the enormous weight of past inherited mistakes and Carol, who feels life is a mass of confusion...

and Mary, who chose to come out on top of her circumstances...

and Lena, who came through really hard and disappointing events and still has a hard road ahead of her...



but we all have one thing in common...WE'VE BROKEN THE SILENCE!

for some, it is the first step of a thousand mile journey, but...it's a beginning to the path of freedom!  the circumstances surrounding us may or may not change, that would be nice but that really isn't the point...the point is this, it begins here...in the heart...the choice...the confession!


ladies, i salute you! all of you! i feel so blessed to have met you and your stories have impacted my life...you are special and i'll think of you often... 

...go with God!

oxs

About us...

2009 is the year we celebrate forty years of marriage... forty years! the years are full of good and some not so good memories...but we are both keenly aware of God's wonderful, life-changing, powerful redemption and grace. we have five wonderful children, five wonderful in-laws, eleven handsome grandsons and five lovely grand daughters, ages fourteen to six wks old...all of them healthy and energetic. we are grateful!

Dave is in a propane and vinyl fence/decking business, volunteers as a fire police, drives coach for private businesses and loves to hunt. I am a stay-at-home wife/mom and I love it! flower gardening is my passion, i love pretty dishes with no need for perfection and dislike spending time in the kitchen but do enjoy hosting and entertaining.

our oldest daughter, Judith, is married to Titus Lapp. they live in Antrim, OH where Titus grew up and have three boys...

Brandon
Sheldon, Carlin

Titus is a school teacher and an avid hunter. Judith is a wife/mother, is artistic and loves to do memory scrapbooks and does a beautiful job of it!

our oldest son, Linford, is married to Martha, who hails from Holmes County, OH. they have three boys and one girl.

Andre
Shawn
Anthony (pictured reading to his cousins below...Josiah is with Andre)

Serena

Lin is in business with his dad, never has a dull moment, volunteers at a local fire company and LOVES to hunt! Martha is a patient mom, artistic and a fabulous cook!

Wayne is our third born, lives in West Virginia and is married to Teresa, who grew up in southern IN.they have three girls and one son.

Clara
Cynthia
Crystal
Curtis

Wayne owns a bulk food/grocery store in Romney, lives what he believes and is a hunter and a great father. Teresa is a 'keeper at home' wife/mother, makes her own noodles, bread and delicious doughnuts!




Loren is our fourth child, third son and married to Bev, a local gal. they just became first time parents to Bryant.

Loren is self-employed in Vintage Landscaping along with two other friends, is a volunteer fire fighter, does not like to hunt and is a gifted landscape designer. He's a man of few words and quietly lives what he believes. Bev is a gifted home maker, takes wonderful care of her family and the many other people who are blessed by knowing her.



Julia is our youngest and almost twelve years younger than her sister. she's married to Wayne Petershiem, a local. they have three boys and one daughter.

Patrick
Josiah Sarah

Tyrell

Wayne is self-employed in site prep and delievering utility sheds. he's ambitious and a go-getter, a wonderful daddy and loves sports and hunting. Julia is a great mother, has a sense of humor (she has to...she's a blonde!) and both of them open their hearts to their neighbors, the needy and family.

we love to eat....

play volley ball...

...and have lots of imagination!

we are fans of...

Gap fire co. and................. the Phillies...go phils!

...and last but not least, reading is a huge favorite!

Anthony is taking time out to read to his cousins and grandpa is the favored reader...

i hope you enjoyed your visit with our family!

blessedness!

ox's