ASHER'S VISIT

ASHER'S VISIT

Asher came out with me after his game Saturday. First we went to Walmart, and he wanted me to buy his some Thomas fabric, and make him PJs and a pillow case. He chronicled the day with my camera. First we groomed Lily, and he thought she looked so beautiful he took pictures of her sleeping. I will load a few of his many pictures.

Asher's game.
(I forgot to take pictures until it was over)

Asher #3



Wearing his metal


We made "pumkin" cookies








Lily sleeping after being groomed



Sewinig the PJs





Sewinig the PJs



Asher showing off the pockets.
(For some reason, the pockets were super cool to Asher).


Asher took about twenty pictures of the sewing machine.
I will post one of them.


Here Ahser is in his new Thomas PJs

Down Time

Down Time me now. I broke a bone in my right foot on Sunday afternoon, and have been ordered to stay off the foot. Got one of those nifty little pos-top booties to wear. It is the same bone I broke a couple years ago. It is the small metatarsal bone. We have plenty of photos of the birthday party, and lots of them of WIlliam's graduation ( I forgot to bring my camera for William;s party, but hopefully I can steal some from KRisti to post on here.

Making and Remaking Kilts for Saturday.

Just finished Jude's first kilt! I made one for Nehemiah and Nicolae yesterday. Measured the older boys. I readjusted Caedmon's kilt at Christmas time. Noah and Isaac have shot up but not out, Isaiah is much taller, and a bit bigger around, and Asher and Levi also grew both directions, so all three of them need totally new kilts! It really only takes a couple hours per kilt, so it should be all done by the end of the night. Here are pictures of Jude at his "fitting"

The first Woolworth's store

F.W. Woolworth & Co.
Utica, N.Y.
The first Woolworth's store was founded, with a loan of $300, in 1878 by Frank Winfield Woolworth. But the store failed within a year. However, a second store he opened on June 21, 1879 in Lancaster, Pa., became a success. This old photo of clerks outside the F.W. Woolworth store at 170 N. Queen St., Lancaster, Pa. was taken in June 1879.

EASTER 2009

EASTER 2009


















And a good time was had by all!

Heading down to Houston in the morning to welcome 409 into the world

Prayers appreciated for Jordan and Mark See their blog for more (Double A Connected. (Link on the left margin on this page.)

It is a gloomy day for me, and I wish the sun would shine again.

My husband's 60th birthday is coming up in April Time is flying by. I had hoped things would be different now. But it is all same ole same ole for us. We planned for him to retire from Yellow on his 60th birthday, and move home and get a local job for the rest of our lives. We have been living away from each other for over 10 years now, and it is not easy for either of us. The place we bought, we planned to share with Micah and Nicole, but they moved to Nebraska, and we took over the payments on their house instead of my building my dream house. The house is right on the road, not even a hundred feet away from the road. If we had not taken over the payments, the house would either be sitting vacant, or be owned by strangers right on top of the property we have, cutting 3 acres from what we hold.

So I will confess I am disappointed in all this. Plus though we(well, I) live about twenty miles or thirty from most of my children, they do not drop in to see me unless I have a job for them. And I had actually decided to live in Micah and Nicole's house because Terry had promised he would retire in April on his birthday and live at home with me. But he had to break the promise because there are no jobs here now due to this ridiculous economy thing. So I am here in this house that is not big enough for my furniture, but too big for me to want to live in alone, without my husband, miles from family.

I also suppose since this economy has caused my husband to have to take a 10% cut in pay on top of having less freight to haul, we will never be able to build our barns, finish the house additions we planned on, or ever get the livestock I had hoped for.
It is a gloomy day for me, and I wish the sun would shine again. Both figuratively and literally.

I know we have our valley times in life, but this valley today seems much deeper and much longer than any I have seen in a long time.
If anyone actually reads this, I could use prayer today!

Cute Dog Tricks

Cute Dog Tricks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejioz8N9h3U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzD1DvhLtRg

Philippians 4:6-9

(6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (8) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy?meditate on these things. (9) The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9

The advice in this section of Philippians needs no extra comment. It is crystal clear. Meditate on the words. Read each part slowly and pray as you read. Meditate on those beautiful things God would have you to meditate on and pray for Him to bring you closer to Him so you can rest in His loving arms. He is so awesome, and He does not want you stressed out. So do what these words tell you to do today and have peace in your heart.

Raised garden plots

Terry was home for a day and we were investigating doing raised garden plots this year, and also trying the hanging tomato pot where the vine grows out of the bottom of the container. The already made containers are available at Home Depot for around $10 and If we do them, I am going to invest in those instead of trying to do the homemade ones.
I sent some seeds home with Nicole for their garden spot. I think Matthew is think ing about growing a garden too. Wondering if any of you are gardening this year? I came across a site (Well, Terry wrote it down when he was listening to the radio, so actually he came across it) http://www.survivalseedbank.com/ that might be of intrest to you if you are gardening. Their opening paragraph saiys:"New “Survival Seed Bank” Produces Thousands Of Pounds Of Nutrient-Dense Food For Pennies Per Pound… Enough To Feed Friends And Family Forever!" The kit costs around $150 (including shhipping) for enough seed to plant an acre garden.
Each Survival Seed Bank has a total of 22 varieties of OPEN POLLINATED “super seeds.” Also included are detailed growing instructions for each variety which includes helpful information on harvesting of seed stock for the following year in a survival situation. With our government like it is today, we might be glad to have some regeneratable seeds for future times. I am thinking I might get a kit this year for us. So if you need seeds, let me know and I will see what you can have from our stock. We should share these with our family and friends. We are going to get either some ties from Orchlens, or use our own trees to build our raised garden plots. I am just hoping Terry can get his vacation figured out soon so we can get started. (since Roadway and Yellow united as one company, many things like the vacation lists have been lost, lots of things are really messed up with this merger... Just glad we still have a job at this point!

OK look at the face of those sheep and tell me you don't think they are the most adorable little creatures alive! I just love southdowns, especially the ones that look like the 50's and 60's models. These are called Babydolls now. They are not really miniature southdowns, they are the originals. I think we will have a lot of fun raising babydoll southdowns. When Isaac got here yesterday he was all about talk concerning the sheep barn we will be building soon. He checked out my plans, and sounds like he is getting anxious to get this project off the ground. I am hoping Terry will be able to get his vacation time figured out so we can make plans. It should be a fun time with the grandkids.

Terry Anderson Head of the Terry Anderson Clan

On April 26, 2009,
Terry Anderson,
Head of the Terry Anderson Clan will be turning 60! We will be having a BIG Christian Celtic celebration to honor him on April 25th all day at the Washington State park. Our sons and grandchildren will be donning their kilts and entering into some fun Scottish games. We are hoping to get a nice family portrait done that day, as just having a great time of fun and fellowship and food with our family and friends. I am starting today to get things organized and planned for the day.
Our son Mark will be getting ordained on March 22 at the Hillsboro Christian church, at 4 in the afternoon. This is going to be just another of the wonderful celebrations we are having this year. God is blessing us a lot in these times of struggle in our nation. We just need to look around and find our many blessings.

God is good, all the time.
All the time, God is good

THE WORKING DESCRIPTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD

This picture is of Maggie, Grandson Levi's dog with her two puppies.

THE WORKING DESCRIPTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD

Adopted by the Stockdog Committee of the Australian Shepherd Club of America on March 12, 2006

Introduction

The Australian Shepherd was developed in the 19th and 20th centuries as a general purpose ranch and farm dog in the American West, where a tough, enduring, versatile stockdog with an honest work ethic was required. His usual work included moving very large herds of sheep and cattle from summer to winter grazing grounds and back, flushing range cattle out of heavy brush, and moving livestock in tight quarters such as chutes and alleys. These kinds of jobs are still where Australian Shepherds excel and are most valued.

The Australian Shepherd is categorized as one of the Loose-Eyed breeds of stockdogs. He is a confident, authoritative worker with a unique style that differs from Strong-Eyed breeds. He is agile, upright and close-working, and exhibits these distinctive traits while maintaining the ability and versatility to control all types of livestock in an efficient and deliberate manner. The Australian Shepherd excels at controlling large and/or slow-moving flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, and is highly regarded for his superior ability to effectively manage livestock in tightly confined spaces. The Australian Shepherd is powerful and intense by nature, easily learning the appropriate force and distance needed for the type of livestockbeing worked. Using a loose-eyed approach to stock, a working Australian Shepherd will often display wear, grip, and/or an authoritative bark, as well as eye when necessary, to handle his stock.

Wear

The Australian Shepherd's wear in smooth, balanced, and ground-covering as the dog moves easily from side to side at the back of the stock, keeping his herd or flock together and moving forward. This is a very natural movement for an Australian Shepherd, and one that he can continue doing for hours at a time.

Grip

The Australian Shepherd will only use grip to move reluctant or challenging stock. The ideal Australian Shepherd naturally grips at both the head and heel, coming in low and hard on the heels to move cattle, or going to the head and gripping the nose or poll to turn an animal back to the herd.

Bark

The Australian Shepherd may bark to move stock or to face a challenge. His bark is conservative and should be authoritative when used. While the Australian Shepherd's grip typically affects a single animal, his bark can influence a whole herd, and is most effective when stock has come to a standstill such as in crowded alleyways. The Australian Shepherd's bark is particularly useful when gathering cattle from thick brush.

Eye

Since the Australian Shepherd is a loose-eyed working dog, he prefers to use his authority and presence to move livestock. However, if challenged, he may use eye in a direct and deliberate way until the challenge is over.

© Australian Shepherd Club of America

What to plant and how much?

Terry and I spent a good deal of the day thinking about and planning our veggie garden for this year. We have a lot we want to plant, and a nice space picked out to do the planting But we have about 20 stumps littered throughout the garden area. We will be clearing the entire area and then have to cut and stack wood, and then till, fertilize, till some more, Fertilize some more and then plant, water, weed, weed water, weed, water, harvest, freeze and be ready for next winter. Prayers for our getting this HUGE project done would be appreciated! I think we have decided what all we will plant, and how much, so I hope I have the fortitude to get the work part done!

I am vacationing in Snowy Cabool MO. While I am out, John is working on my closet in my bedroom, making it more accessible. He is making the middle section that was almost impossible to use useful by making my chest of drawers a built in, and setting the TV into the wall also. This will give me more space in my bathroom as well since that is where the chest of drawers is now. I might have him build me a dresser in the bathroom when we are done with the closet project. John has a job possibility, please pray God;s will in this. IT is a tree clearing business that contracts out with AmeronEU (I think that is what he told me anyway) Caedmon and Jordan are out playing in the snow in the church parking lot now while I write this blog. It is very cold. I am sure we will be having Hot Chocolate when they get in! Caedmon is so cute! He has a fun personality. I have fun playing with him. I am in 2 Corinthians, chapter 4 today. Here is what I am reading:
2 Corinthians 4 (New International Version)

2 Corinthians 4
Treasures in Jars of Clay
1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."[b]With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Corinthians 4:6 Gen. 1:3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
2. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10 I believed; therefore I said,
"I am greatly afflicted."

I love verses 16 and 17 How about you?

Live like you're dying!

This is amazing and so touching! Grab the Kleenex box!
Live like you're dying!

Psalm 100

Psalm 100
1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing.

3Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

4Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name.

5For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.

When I was in the third grade, I memorized the King Jam es version of Psalm 100, and received a nice Bible as a reward. It has always been one of my favorite Psalms I also like the Message version of this Psalm, not for its poetic verse, but for the way it says it in plain American language:

Psalm 100
A Thanksgiving Psalm
1-2 On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.

3 Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn't make him.
We're his people, his well-tended sheep.

4 Enter with the password: "Thank you!"
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.

5 For God is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.
Psalm 100 (The Message)

It is 10 degrees and snowing here in Old Mines

It is 10 degrees and snowing here in Old Mines. Our electricity went off three times last night, and our water froze this morning. Terry worked all morning and into the afternoon getting it thawed.-
The dogs got bored on Tuesday, and tore up their cushion. Terry cleaned that up for me, and gave them a new cushion. I threatened to severely punish them if they tear up this one. Boomer is the one who tore it up. He is in so much trouble with me! They had to sleep last night without a cushion, so maybe they will appreciate it tonight. The kittens are doing great. They are getting to where I can actually stand nearby while they eat. I am thinking they will soon be gentle.
I got an email asking if I had any sheep for sale. I sure wish I did! Maybe by this next year that will happen. I am hopeful things will get going in 2010 for us.
I am so glad Terry was home to help me through this trying time! I remember back when I lived at the blue house in Cheyenne one cold February and only very young Kristi and Joshua were there to do chores with me. They had some rough mornings and nights back then. I am wondering what happened to Al Gore's global warming... it sure is not warming here in Missouri!

The Wild Kittens are adorable!

I wish I had a digi cam to show the pictures of the wild ones (yuck Yuck 2 and Sterling). They are actually getting gentler each day. Now they are coming to their food while I stand nearby. I hope I can get them gentle before I have to send them out doors for the rest of their lives. At least they are litter trained, and they must be sleeping in the cage. They are eating a LOT! I think they ate more than Lily and Boomer yesterday!

New wild Kittens

So Micah, Nicole and I pulled into the Walmart parking lot and there were some free kittens. One looked like Micah's old "Yuck Yuck" and the other one, was black with silver under coat. He is gorgeous! We got them, and Micah and Nicole were planning to take them home to Nebraska, but changed their minds when their vehicle had no space for them to ride.

Terry and I realized when they were let out of their cage, that they are not the least bit gentle. I do not think Terry has actually seen either of them yet because they are hiding in the basement. They are at least eating their food and using the litter box. I will try every day to get them to come out for me, and hopefully they will eventually get gentle!