Cozy December Days

These days have seemed too good to be true.
We've had a lot of white outdoors this Holiday season, and yummy-smelling
candles every day. All the twinkly lights plugged in for all hours, and big
kids who can bake and make candy without any help! (Oie to loosing baby weight!)

Then there's our big little Lance Victory.

"Lance Factory" Aloria calls him as she searches her memory for his middle name :-)

Cousin Judah said that Lance should be a Knight when he grows up "because he has a
good name for a Knight" and I definitely agree.  I hope he will be - a champion for
righteousness and defender of the weak. Chivalrous and stout of heart, in service
of the King of Kings.

For now he is a sleepy little ball of fuzz :-)

Would you like a little peek inside the walls of our home these days?

The big guys are building a loft into an existing shed, which will be used for storing seasonal tires, yard tools, scrap wood for woodshop use etc,

There is a special spot in my heart for each of these hooligans.
Every one of them is unique and uniquely fitted into our family - and Oh!
How this family benefits from the personality, gifts,
humor, energy, and graces
each one brings into it.

We're resting again, in a gentle season of Winter and celebrations.
All I can say is Thanks Lord.

We have too many blessings to count!

Hugs to all~

Merry Christmas!

~On the Holding Side~

With absolute delight and a fair portion of marvel,  I introduce to you

Lance Victory

10 lbs 12 oz,   21 inches long

Friends,  for the last few days and nights I've been cared for like a queen

by my husband and each of my capable growing-up-too-fast children.

I have a beautifully nested "turret" from which 

I sit on my bed or rocking chair holding my newest handsome love;

from here I can see out our second-story hillside window and look 

over rooftops of the wintry town below,

then across the valley to powder dusted mountains beyond.

Yesterday it even snowed big sleepy, drifty flakes, blessing my heart and senses.

{Oh Holding Side, you finally did come!}

While I have been sitting, I've attempted to form my thoughts and feelings 

into words. 

yet here I am tonight still fairly speechless.

The first days after opening such a package are a daze.

So much to process.

After doing this a few times, I've learned the value in

holding and breathing and kissing kissing kissing

sweet chubby cheeks.

In fact, even though it's winter, little Lance didn't get dressed

past a diaper for two days because I wanted to be near his skin.

I think his dad was relieved to see him finally clothed!

{Silly, proud, wonderful, smitten dad!}

Rather than recount a birth story, I just want to say how utterly

and desperately grateful I am to my friend Jesus

who walks with me through every small moment

and keeps me from racing into the next moments without his hand.

Who takes my weakness and makes it something beautiful

for His glory

just because He wants to.

How can it be, I am in one moment great with child

 and barely entering labor full of unanswered questions,

then just a matter of hours later I am holding my cherished unknown

now known

and the mystery of his story is written?

It is nothing short of a marvel.

~~~~~~~~~

To the King of Kings, our Knight who has conquered

and been victorious over death and the dragon!

Thank you.

~Thank you so very very much~

"But thanks be to God! 

He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Corinthians 15:57

First Deer

This face says it all, doesn't it?
Dropped his little buck in one shot. Wow.

It's nice to come home with a deer this time
instead of just a story, eh Zachary?  :-D

Today our hunter is learning how to carve up the carcass and
I'm looking forward to some venison stew! Yummm.....

Well done buddy. We're so excited for you!

34 Weeks: On the Count-Down!

Either I've finally acquired thick skin, or perhaps this pregnancy
isn't as prone to emotional melt-down from the commentary of complete
strangers who feel compelled to address me.

I am so thrilled to be only 6 weeks away from my due date because the nesting
urge is setting in, and I can put my hands to work at preparing a special
spot for this babe while my heart dreams of being on the holding side.

Since I was 5 months along, folks have been asking when this baby is due.

My answer generally stirs up a response of surprise, and for the last 3
months I've looked forward to being as close as I've felt all along :-D

Susanna took this picture of me today after we got home from a grocery
shopping expedition.

While waiting for the last of our produce to be bagged, the checker asked
how many children I have.  I told her this is my tenth.  In the course of kind
exclamation, she generously said I didn't look like I could have ten children
(thank you, oh thank you!).

She told me that she had a good friend growing up who was second of fifteen.
The oldest was seventeen when the fifteenth was born - no twins!

Well... wow.

There's always a story to put your own in perspective, eh?

And then while I was loading bags into my vehicle, yet another woman
asked my due date.
"Not until December"  I smiled.

Her eyebrows raised visibly.
"You look like you could pop any time!" she said.


Thanks.  And that's exactly how I feel :-P

~Sweet Carolina~

Turned 8!

Oh my heart~  beautiful lovely girl.  My little goldfinch, I call her.

She is the one who never complains, sits on a branch in all her
golden glory and chirps happily away no matter the circumstances
surrounding her.

She never presses to get a word in edgewise, but if given the chance,
she is full of thoughtful ideas and a surprising amount of spunk - even
some dry humor!

Carolina is the one who looks most like her dad as a child - prettier though :-)

Lina loves yellow, but is expanding her preference to include blue and green.
It's a little hard to peg exactly what her likes and dislikes because she's so easy
to please.
It was a bit of a guessing game to understand her hearts desires for birthday
this year.
She did request dinner at a new Mexican restaurant for "Birthday Eve",
so Dad and I took her and enjoyed her all to ourselves while she packed away
the chips and salsa.

In the morning there was just the right amount of celebratory hoopla as she
examined gifts, soaking in every piece of her day.

Green glasses hand-picked by Aloria with Grama :-)
The three biggest boys gifted Carolina with a lovely little Blue Opal ring.
Susanna and Olivia put together a lovely box of yellow things - a daffodil
teacup and saucer, a handmade crocheted  necklace, a journal and hair bow...

Then we went to the park to meet friends and try out a very special new toy:

It had been sunny and warm the day before, but Carolina's birthday was
pretty chilly and very Fall-like.
This fact didn't seem to deter the children from having a ball!  So I wrapped my
sweater a little tighter and braced myself for another hour.

Chocolate cupcakes with green frosting and sprinkles. And for dinner that night, tacos.
When it comes to food, she seems to know exactly what she loves most!

Please Carolina, can I take a few pictures of you before the sun sets?

Happy happy birthday to my darlin'est and dearly beloved Carolina Truth!

We love you precious girl!!