Adding a Pumpkin!

Absent in Body

We can no longer call up Grandma on the phone and talk about everything and nothing all at the same time.

She can no longer leave us random messages, wondering out loud if we are doing chores, or maybe gone to the grocery store and then trail off and casually hang up without saying goodbye. :-)

We can no longer arrange for Grandma to come for birthday suppers and then watch her glide through the door, arms laden with fresh mini loaves of soft bread and various perfectly applicable Goodwill finds.

We'll no longer be graced with her pleasant voice during meal preparation, sitting at the center island, filling us in on all of the latest updates with family and friends.

We'll miss the cute amusement of listening to Grandpa and Grandma talk about totally different things at the same time at the dinner table.

What will we do without Grandma's expertise and advice about everything homemaker related? She knew every trick and tactic.

How can we explain to our kids when they get older the beauty of the woman they barely remember or don't remember at all?

We have the privilege of remembering Grandma at tonight's visitation and tomorrow's funeral, and forever in our hearts.

Thank goodness for sweet memories that come to us at moments when we need them the most.


II Cor. 5:6-8
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: for we walk by faith, not by sight: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Grandma

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Front Step

The front step is fun and relaxing during the day. The front step at night is cold and dark and a little scary.

Our house is on the small side. We sit on the front step with Rhya whenever she has a fit at night (so she doesn't wake up Brielle).

The other night, I reminded Rhya of the fit she'd had the night before and suggested that we stay calm and quiet that night. Rhya piped up, "But I LIKE it outside! It's beaUUUtiful!!!"

Ha. She's had a fit since then and doesn't seem to recollect that comment. :-)

Last night Brielle had a crying spell and it woke up Rhya. She suggested,"Maybe you should put her outside...wait. How about not. Something might come close and get her. You should tuck her tight into her covers."

It's an Actual Letter

I actually wrote a letter update for snail mail...gasp..I know!! It feels rather old fashioned but I have a bunch of family pictures to distribute. I thought I'd share here first. :-) Now I have to actually write out addresses and such...hmm if I can find any. I left out addresses for privacy purposes. Anyway, here it is: 

Greetings from ....! Yes, we’ve moved. We’re no longer the village dwellers of ..... We’re the country bumpkins of ...... J

Our  house had an accepted offer within one day of listing it, and we found out about our hobby farm through an acquaintance of Darla’s dad.  Everything fell into place perfectly and we feel like it was meant to be.  

Rhya and Brielle love our new place beyond measure. There was no ‘transition period’. They adapted from the first day. We bought a bunk bed (since there are only 2 bedrooms on the main floor) and Rhya was delighted to experience top bunk snoozing. The top bunk is also a favorite hangout for both girls during the day.

We’ve had fun dabbling in ‘new things’, such as planting apple trees, finishing off the basement (still in process), burning down a junky shed,  acquiring some new pets (kittens and goats so far), purchasing a riding mower, and much more for the future!

The girls have been busy growing and learning all sorts of new things over the summer.  It’s a joy to witness the two of them start to interact and play together for extended periods of time.  Rhya is very aware of how to engage Brielle on her level. There are still plenty of squabbles, but that just adds to the overall love, right? J

Highlights:

-          Rhya rides her balance bike every chance she gets.  Even if we’re only going from the house to the shed she has to go find her balance bike and cruise on down.

-          Kittens. They are LOVED. Rhya carries them all over (when she’s not on her bike), protects them from Sakari, and snuggles them multiple times a day.

-          We’ve gotten acquainted with George, the 90 year old neighbor man from the farm across the road. He regularly presents us with bouquets of flowers from his pristine gardens. He has also delivered a few bags of apples from his tree.  He’s incredibly sweet and always has a little sparkle in his eyes.

-          Brielle is our little monkey with her own language.  There’s so much to explore in her mind. At any given moment she’ll be standing on a chair trying to rock it back and forth, running down the hills in the yard, climbing up and down the bunk bed ladder, and scurrying around on her little jungle gym.

-          Brielle signs a few words, says ‘eh’ a LOT, and utters a few little words, like, please (eese), thanks (anks), yeah, all gone (ahonng), moo, MOOMMMMMAA!!, Rhya (ahra)… She also likes to use long jibberish sentences.

-          Rhya asks questions about almost everything and then follows up with ‘why’?

-          Rhya has discovered the fun of having ‘friends’ and asks when she’ll see her cousins and friends again. She slept over at her Grandma’s for a few nights over the summer and loved every minute.

Our new address is .... We love company so come visit!!

Today's Rhya

"I have your earknobs, Mommy" (when she's tired she likes to hold my earlobes)

"Look at all the glittering" (pointing out the littering at the side of the road)

Rhya: "Where'd that bad guy go again?"
Me: "Who?"
Rhya: "That naughty guy that is in fire"
Me: "Oh, the devil?"
 Rhya: "YEAH the devil. Where'd he go again?"
Me: "Hell"
Rhya: "YEAH hell. He was probably hitting ppl. Where is hell? Can we drive there?"

Rhya: "I bet Auntie Kristina will eat all the cake tonight cause her baby in her tummy is really really hungry."

Me: What do you think Mike and Kristina will name their new baby?
Rhya: Sophiea Birdin (Sophia stems from a conversation w' Gma Jane. We asked her if she had name suggestions and she's always suggested Sophia cause it's her middle name. Not sure where Rhya came up with Birden. Noticed I spelled it nicely :-) )

Rhya: "So how'd that baby get in Auntie Kristina's tummy?"
Me: "She put it in there when she decided she wanted another baby. Now it has to get  big enough to come out. (how'd I do? How would you answer??)

                                    The girls were elated to have a surprise visit from Auntie Kayla

Family Picture