Then and Now

My Ruthie-Bear, sick last January.

"Roofie" as Shalom calls her, yesterday at nap time.

Josh is an optimist for the most part.  The whole trying to see the good in things kind of guy.  So here is my attempt at being thankful...

Until Josh got sick a week and a half ago, no one in the Larson household has been sick since last winter.

Thanks God, that my family is not often sick!

Candle-Making with Papa

We had a bunch of old dilapidated candles.

Here is Josh grinding up the candles.

 

These were the two "main flavors" added to the mix.

Basically, Josh took two whole candles, and stuck them in a jar.  Around the outsides he had the girls fill in the jars with the above shavings.

Shalom chose the orange and some white candle shavings.

Ruth chose green and white, with some orange added.  You notice her candles are red...there is also some red shavings in the bottom of the jar.  Shalom chose two purple candles, and the bottom of her jar also had purple shavings.

Ruth adding green.

Now she is topping her candle off with white shavings.

Shalom adds some green.

 Ruth's "homemade" candle.

 Shalom's "homemade" candle.

Shalom shows off her handiwork...and her cute smile!

Ruth shows off her handiwork.

Voila!  Homemade candles.  The one on the left is Ruth's and the one on the right is Shalom's.

Lesson learned:  If the wick gets too close to the side of the jar, and the jar is cold when you are lighting the candle...the glass WILL crack.

Ode to Joshua...for His Birthday

• He stayed up way late last night fixing a gasket on our car ~ a job that HAD to be done to pass Pennsylvania state inspections.
• He puts up with my fits of insanity (PMS), and my fits of carnality.
  
• He gets up early for his quiet time, and wrangles Ruth and Shalom at the same time so I can sleep in every day!
• He puts up with my piles and my messes.
• When we were dating, he helped me keep my promise not to kiss him, by telling me he wouldn't kiss me!
• He went with me to see Joanna at Tyndall AFB several times.
• He encouraged me every day of pregnancy, saying, "It is still worth it, isn't it?"
• He loves to make me feisty, and will push my buttons to do so.
• He loves his girls in a way that makes me want to cry.
• He is willing to follow God, even if it will cost him friends. (See Psalm 15 ~ that is my Joshua!)
• He is Patient
• He is kind
• He doesn't envy - that I know of
• He doesn't brag
• Nor is he arrogant
• He is not rude
• He isn't easily provoked
• He doesn't think evil of others
• He rejoices and seeks after Truth
• Josh never fails to show me love, no matter how many times a day I prove myself unlovely.

Josh...without a girl to call his own

Our first truly big, highly chaperoned date...the Alaskan Outdoors!

Two become one...

And 14 months later becomeTHREE

And what a pair Josh and Ruth make!  This is their Winnie the Pooh "Think, Think, Think" impersonation.

And then we become four with the arrival of Shalom

The Larsons.

Joshua, Shalom, Ruth, Rebekah and Anna

(I can't believe you guys let me go ALL DAY with Anna's name spelled wrong!)

We love our Papa-Bear!

God is Bigger...PERIOD

So...in this blog post, I talked about Baby Stellan.  Well, he went in for a test to try and start SVT to make sure his surgery worked.  The answer to that question is HERE.

So...if God can do that for Stellan and his family...why do I forget?  Why do I worry?

Remember singing that silly song "He's Got The Whole World in His Hand"?  Since that song is a kids song...Click below to see how I feel about God right now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCuaQCr0hws

The One "Brown Jug" You'll Get from Me!

"Ha ha ha, you and me.
We hardly ever disagree
I don't remember all the words
But this is the one brown jug
You'll get from me."

 Wait...let me give you a close-up.

 

Yes, Ruth's shirt DOES say, "This is my Princess Shirt".  Josh and I are not big on princess stuff.  We have known too many 'princesses'.  But I couldn't resist this one, because Ruth gets to set her own standard for "Princess."

My Little Prairie Gangsta's

 

Watching God from the Outside (and where I am...)

So, I have semi-actively been keeping track of Baby Stellan.  Yesterday, to be honest, I totally expected at any time for MckMama to post that Stellan had died.  But she didn't.  I prayed, and watched, and God did what I didn't expect, but totally hoped He would.

A year and a half ago, I stumbled upon Baby Audrey.  I watched as her Mama and Papa laid her to rest in a cemetery.  I sobbed.  I told God, "I don't understand."  He let me.  He just listened.  Josh told me that god is big enough to handle it.

So here I stand (literally...I stand at our computer).  I am embarrassed at my lack of faith.  I am embarrassed at how easily my emotions sway me and my attitude. I could say more, but I won't drag you down.  just pray for me, okay?