Please Pray

for Katelyn (Thames) Schroeder and her two little girls as her husband and the girls' Daddy, Jordan, just passed away from cancer at such a very young age. I grew up with Katelyn's father. Please read their story at http://jkschroeder.blogspot.com/.

My heart is aching for this sweet family, as well as their extended family, as it brings back all the memories of watching Tess pass from this life onto her Heavenly reward 11 years ago already. Having gone through what they are now going through, I am very familiar with the emotions, the feelings, the pain, etc., they are experiencing right now. Along with the Father's loving arms, our prayers are what carry them through this difficult time.

Lifting them to the throne of the Ultimate Healer! Please join me!

~Wee

Fun on the Farm

This past weekend, the girls and I went to my parents' to see my sister Tess' boys, Connor and Cole, and to celebrate Leah's 5th birthday and my Grandma's (my girls' only living great-grandparent) 95th birthday.

The boys come visit Grandpa and Grandma's farm every summer, so it's a highlight for the rest of us to be able to see them, too. Dad's project for them this year was painting the "old garage." Here, Cole uses the paint sprayer.
Connor looks as though he's having a grand 'ole time, doesn't he?
The girls and I arrived on Thursday afternoon, and after the boys finished helping Grandpa paint the garage, the hours of fun on the 4 and 3-wheelers started! We played chase and hide-and-seek. The boys would hide anywhere around the farm, while we girls would attempt to find them. Then, vice versa.
Getting ready to head out to look for the boys.
Several minutes later, we found Connor hiding out by the gas tanks....
and a very sweaty Cole was found here.

Then is was our turn! We chose to hide in the cornfield. Waiting for the sound of the 4-wheeler drawing near.

Notice that it is now dark outside. It took so long for the boys to find us that the sun set while we were still hiding out, and of course the mosquitoes were in their glory with four sweaty bodies in their midst! Since it was getting darker, the boys had to go retrieve their headlights, and while they were inside, we emerged one row closer to the edge of the field and stuck our heads out between the cornstalks. They found us soon thereafter (especially after we made "yoo hoo" noises!) and demanded a rematch the next day! Just look at Cole's face!

Other fun shots taken around the farm...

All of us pitched in in stemming beans from the garden. Many helpers made short work!

My brother Wes came down from Chicago on Friday and after he arrived, we all went out for pizza. Then we celebrated Leah's 5th birthday with presents, ice cream and homemade angelfood cake.

This year she got her American Girl doll. She chose Rebecca from the 1914 period (because she looked the most like her....all but the green eyes).

On Saturday morning, Connor, Cole, Megan and I climbed the grain leg. Grace stayed on the ground with Leah for me. Next time, she'll get to join us. Megan and I stopped off at the first landing, while the boys climbed on up to the very top, just a few feet above us. This allowed room for all of us to enjoy the view from the top of the leg.

This is Megan on her climb back down the leg. Connor and Cole are still at the top.

Then on Saturday (Leah's birthday), they hosted Grandma's party at the old Fairbury Hospital, now an abandoned, run-down building. But it was once a thriving hospital, the place where I entered this world. My cousin gave us a tour of the buidling. Cole, Leah, Grace and Megan inside a patient exam room.

This was the popular WOMAN of the night! She had to smile for tons and tons of pictures, as everyone wanted their picture taken with her! 95 years old!

~Wee

Apple Pickin'

Yesterday the girls and I went out to Lynn and Leonda's and picked apples from one of many trees in their orchard. Then we came home and made several quarts of applesauce, plus one lone apple pie (we wanted to make two pies, but honestly were so tired of doing apples by that time). The girls were great helpers as we cut, cored, sliced, cranked and scooped!Finally, a tree that Megan could climb....something she loves to do, but is unable to since we lack good climbing trees at our place!

Leah helped Leonda go around and pick up all the rotten or bruised fallen apples.If you come for a visit, we'll share our applesauce with you!

~Wee

4th of July

It was a HOT weekend! Lots of swimming was on tap throughout the weekend. On Sunday after our dinner of ribs and the works, Andy and his children and Alex and I and the girls went to Jim Bollier's pond for a special treat!

Each one swung out on the rope and dropped in. This is Grace.

Megan's turn.
Paddle boat rides.

The kids all jumped off this tampoline raft and into the water. Grace and Beau.

Megan.

Leah just enjoyed the freedom to swim wherever she wanted.

Before leaving the pond, this is the beauty that we beheld ~~ a gorgeous sunset.

Thankfully, we are able to see the fireworks from our own front yard. They shoot them off just up the road at Riverside Gardens. No fighting traffic! We enjoyed the fireworks show with friends and neighbors.

Last year Leah slept through part of them, but not this year! This year, she thoroughly enjoyed watching!

Thankful for our freedom!

~Wee

Celebrations

Yesterday we spent the day with Alex's family celebrating two high school graduations (Blake and Jared) and John and Lex's (Alex's twin sister) wedding anniversary.

Grandpa and Grandma with all 19 grandchildren.

Alex's siblings: l - r: Tom, Alex, Andy, Jan, Lex, and Jinny

Lars, Jan, EA, Bjorn, and AxelJohn, Alexis, Blake and Gabe

Our family

Tom, Sally, Amy, Jared, Brett, Katelyn, and Kurt

Andy, Linda, Melissa, Ryan, and Christian

(Unfortunately, we did not get a separate family photo of Jinny's family.)

The cousins volleyball game followed the family photo sessions.

Megan hits the ball back over the net.

At 6 p.m., all the married adults moved on to Biaggi's for a dinner celebration for John and Alexis' 25th wedding anniversary. We had our own private table in the Wine Cellar.

It's always fun to spend time with family!

~Wee

Weekly Wrap Up

Well, today ended an awesome VBS week! Once again, this is our class, all the participants that helped make this year's VBS production a great experience!

The girls enjoying music time. (Honor, Kayla, Megan, Grace, Abrey)

In crafts they made buttons to pin on the bags they made earlier in the week. In recreation, the blindfolded partner had to navigate their wagon by listening to the instructions from their partner. Moriah and GraceMegan and KaylaClass time today consisted of Breaking News. Our studio audience was glad to see that Jeremiah had returned for today's broadcast.From the sight of the burning bush, Moses joined me and shared his account of witnessing that miracle. (Since I was using our fire extinguisher, Leah was concerned that I would be putting out a real fire :). She also informed me after her class that she had the same story.)After Moses' appearance today, we ended our class time with a good game of boys against girls Bible Trivia. Questions were a great way to review all that we learned this week. Of course, some fun bonus questions were thrown in the mix. Girls won by two points!The directors of this year's VBS: Julie K. and Chris S.Jill R. and Stephanie B. did a wonderful job in providing music for us all week. The legs on the wall behind them represent our mission collection. We were raising money for William, a little boy from Zambia born with club feet. We raised above and beyond our goal of $1,000 for William to receive corrective surgery on both feet. It was reported that the recent surgery on one foot was successful, and they are awaiting surgery for the second foot soon.It's been a fun week and I hope you enjoyed our journey! Signing off for now!

~Wee