Just a Daisy in the Meadow

Some days ya just gotta enjoy the “splashes”!

such a special guy!

. . . love it when he comes home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See how happy we are . . .

Mother and son . . . looking at wedding pics

Grandma and Violet . . .

. . . and again

Aunt Karen came to visit this spring . . .

Looking through our quilting books . . .

Sorting through six huge bags of fabric . . .  She wanted to learn how make rugs . . .

Uncle Skyler. . .

was loved to pieces!!!

Thanks for coming!  You don’t come enough that’s for sure!!!

Great Grandpa Howard Stauffer

. . . and Great Grandma Arlene

“If I ask to be delivered from the trial rather than for deliverance out of it, to the praise of His glory;  if I forget that the way of the Cross leads to the Cross and not to a bank of flowers;  if I regulate my life on these lines, or een unconsciously my thinking so that I am surprised when the way is rough, and think it strange, though the Word is ‘Think it not strange . . . Count it all joy . . . ‘) then I know nothing of Calvary love.”

Been reading Amy Carmichael’s “IF” . . . if you wondered.

Jaden turns four today!

Stayed home with FIVE sick children Sunday . . . not really my idea of a special Easter . . . but did have a special time “Alone” (as a mother can be)  with the Lord . . . God is good . . . He is faithful . . . He is powerful . . . He’s not dead, but more alive than you or I can ever be!

Finally got the stroller out of the garage.  It was a job just getting it out!!!

The boys had some help last week on their little log cabin in the woods.  They love working out there cuttin’ logs and such though they have been banned from having a fire out there for awhile due to not taking proper precautions against forest fires.

Japheth and Jeremiah are the younger boys on this pic.  Neighbors are wonderful people . . . at least if you have the kind we do!!!

December 2009

For those of you who just might like to hear from us . . .

God has been our main stay . . . there’s not much more to this year than that!!! Many ups and downs, twists and turns . . . but such is life and as long as we don’t lose our close relationship with the Father . . . and as long as we hold on to Faith, Hope and Love, we are doing okay.

Violet Faith, (3 months old now) was born on September 15, 2009. And such a joy she is!!! I think God made little girls to be just that. I suffered with postpartum depression after her birth more than any other. Probably due to the fact of being overwhelmed with home school, new baby, messy house and my thyroid medication was too high, causing me to have insomnia and dizzy spells. For a bit there I wondered if I was going crazy.

Things are going much better now . . . A new schedule, fun box of beads for the younger one to keep occupied while school is in session, a happy colic free baby at last (Selenium did the trick there. Praise the Lord!!!), a new employee at the store leaving Japheth a bit more stress free and a new hope surging through my being gives life a different perspective. God is good. He never leaves or forsakes us . . . His promises stand the test . . .

Lynne is two now and a joy also! Loraine loves having a sister to follow her around and play house, enjoy pillows and blankets, (hmmm, Japheth says they get that from me.), have oodles of teddy bears and fun!

Jaden (3 and 1\2) thinks his lot is life is a bit hard, being the youngest of the boys . . . but he’s always there trying to get in on his share of the fun. I love his smile and the twinkle in his eyes . . . He is a blessing.

Wayne (4 and 1\2) loves to spell his name and read, almost beating his older sister. Jaden has passed him up in weight already and now is in height. He’s just a little tyke, but sweet as can be!

Loraine (5 and 1\2) has been such a big help these past few weeks as she’s taking delight in cleaning. What happiness this brings her mother!!!! I can’t express that enough. From the bottom of my heart I say Thank-you, Lord!” It’s been years in coming . . . but ah it is sweet!

Jeremiah (7) too has been bringing waves of fresh air into this home as he keeps coming back and asking, “Is there anything else I can do for you, Mama?” God has been gracious to me . . . giving me more than I deserve. Many, many times I’ve been frustrated to the point of tears, and many times anger that isn’t very hidden . . . I know, what a shame, but it is true . . . Pray for me in this as I surrender myself to Him more fully . . .

Japheth Jr. (8) is growing up. One of his favorite activities is helping Grandpa in the shop. School comes harder for him, especially math, but he revels in history and Bible stories and often is trying to tell me about this or that as I go about my housework – a talker just like his father! J

A Stitch in Time continues to pay the bills and provide food for our table. We are very grateful in a day when so many are out of work or don’t have much income at all! Japheth has even been swamped so much that he couldn’t keep up. Thus we prayed and prayed and God sent along Steve, (husband of one of our customers) an older retired guy that wanted something more to do with his time. Hiring him has been such a blessing. Not only is Japheth able to spend more time “on the floor,” demonstrating, but he can feel excited about going to work again!

Thanksgiving Day was a day to be thankful! Japheth needed to get some machines done (this was before Steve was on the picture) and since some of the Stauffers were out of town and we were doing any big dinner together or anything. We decided to all head into town and camp out at the store so Japheth could get a bit of work done. As we were heading towards town in our big white 15 passenger van, I commented that I’d much rather be going to work with him than staying home with the flu as some of our friends were that day. Being quite busy the day before, I had not planned for lunch away from home. So I just packed some snacks, home made bread and cheese for lunch. We planned to come home late afternoon and deep fry our turkey. I had stuff for a salad but nothing else made.

At the store, the children watched a video of Hudson Taylor in the classroom on the big projector screen, and I proceeded to quilt my first practice quilt on the Handi Quilter. What fun it was. It was just a printed teddy bear baby quilt in baby colors, green, pink, yellow and lavender mainly, but such fun to make hearts and meander my way around, trying my hand at stippling.

Around 11:00, we got a call from one of the Grandma’s from church (Ada) inviting us for a Thanksgiving meal with her and her daughters family. We couldn’t turn that down, no way! And that is how God provided a real feast for us when the mother of the family was too tired and busy to make her family a special spread. To say the least, I think I was the most grateful for that meal . . . and oh was it ever good! God provides!

One of the projects this winter is building a set of double bunk beds for the boys. It’s in progress right now. Seems our family keeps growing.

Anyway, feel free to come visit us . . . though if ya come to see our house, don’t bother . . . Almost every day a tornado touches down . . . but we’d love to visit with ya again . . . it’s been a long time . . .

Love from us all – Japheth and Aimee

Japheth Jr., Jeremiah, Loraine, Wayne, Jaden, Lynne, and Violet

Violet Faith . . .

arrived Tuesday, the 15th of September on her Great Grandmother High’s 92nd birthday!  She weighed 9 lbs and 3 oz.