Well, after a long absence, I'm back. I've been unable to journal from my home pc's ever since David installed yet another protection-type software. (I'm using the library's pc to type this.) I know he needs to do this, but it's maddening when everything doesn't work well afterwards. And really, must I come to the library, and have a 30 minute limit to blog? Maybe it'll be good for me - force me to concentrate, and write better quality entries - who knows.

So, I'm trying to find a good fiction book to read. After Jane Eyre, I really don't know what to start next. Any suggestions, anyone?

I've been sitting a little girl part-time, but that will come to an end soon, as her parents heard from a previous interviewee that she will come to their home. And she's a nurse. Maybe it's for the best. I'm a little tired of hearing Noah and M_____ argue over how the Barney song is sung...

So, I'm thinking of working part-time outside the home while Noah goes back to preschool, and perhaps stays later a couple days. He told me he missed school the other day...

Well, I must find a book now. The library closes in 18 minutes. Sorry for any mistakes - no time to proof-read.

The day started well. Delightfully, in fact. My dear friend, Kathy, and I went to Jeweler's Row in Philly, to shop for her long-hoped-for mother's ring. Her hubby gave her some spending $$ a few months back, and she knew this was the way to spend it. I thought it was neat the way she incorporated her original diamond into it. She chose to have it done at Barsky's, the oldest store there. We had a good time, talking on the way there (2 hour drive), talking while we window-shopped, talking when we had incredible pizza at Paul's on Sansom St., talking all the way back home. We had a lot to talk about.

The ring Kathy chose was really neat. At first glance, it'll look like an engagement ring, but upon closer inspection, one will see that down each side are tucked in little diamonds alternating with the four birthstones of her children, two on each side. I can't wait to see the finished ring! Here's a pic of Kathy window-shopping:

I myself bought a little something at Jeweler's Row: a little oval rhodalite garnet, for $10. I hope to have it set in an empty ring setting I have laying around. (Perhaps as a Christmas gift.) Having it set will cost more than the actual gem, they're so inexpensive. Still, I know I would've paid 3X that for one locally. I wanted to buy a big oval amethyst as well, just to roll around in my hand, but we ran out of time, and I really couldn't pursue it.

After we returned home, I had to pick up Noah from my MIL's, and then get Josh from his track meet. On the way to the track meet, a terrible thing happened: I ran over a squirrel. I've never done that before, and I was very saddened to do so today. I saw it darting about, but couldn't avoid it, and bump-bump, it was a goner. The dumb little thing. It was all zippy, as if it was panicking, "What do I do?! What do I do?! - smoosh..." After I landed in the school parking lot, I tried to explain to Noah what had happened. Then, I realized it was a teaching moment. I took him back to the scene of the crime, and had him look at the dead squirrel. Then we talked about what happens to little creatures (and boys) who run in the road without holding their mommy's hand. It was solemn, and then he said, "I can put it in my bed."

"No, Honey, that won't help it - it's dead."

"I can put it in my new submarine."

"That won't help him either."

And life went on, as life often does - for us. We went back to see if Josh had arrived at the school yet. He had. We relayed our story, and he thought it funny. I didn't.

Well, I finally got to see some pics of the Cruise-Holmes' baby girl, Suri. I think she looks like her mama. Her hair is so full. She reminded me of another young baby with a shock of hair - my own Noah. In fact, all of my babies had a good amount of hair, but Ben and Noah had the most. (Ben lost his coal black hair, though, around 4 months, while Noah's brown hair continued to grow. Ben's came in a shade lighter.) By the time Noah was 4 months old, I had to trim some of it away from his eyes. Here he is at 5 months:

Today, I packed my three boys and the dog into the minivan and ventured to my dad's and step-mother, Brenda's house, to visit and let our dogs play together. It's great fun to watch these two Shelties romp and play-bite. They're both just a year old. Ours is mostly white, named Maisy, and Dad's is brown and tan ("sable"), named Toby. He's become Maisy buddy. I took some pics:

Dad, Toby, Maisy, and me:

After plenty of romping, we left the dogs behind, and went out for ice-cream. After that, we visited Brenda's sister's new house. I loved it! It was the most appealing "modern" home I've ever been in. The lines were straight and simple, but all the tones were warm. Lots of light-colored wood made it cozy, despite the open design. It was very pleasant. Also very neat. (Neatness really does count.) I especially fell in love with the master walk-in closet with an "island." The island served as both a dresser on each end, and a hamper in the middle. Very efficient use of space.

Today I awoke to startling news on the TV: Steve Irwin, that hyper blonde croc-hunting Aussie, was dead at age 44. I googled this news to learn the bizzare details of his death. He was filming for a series, "Ocean's Deadliest" when he came too close to a stingray, which released it's barb. It went through Steve's ribcage, right into his heart. It is unusual to be stung by these creatures, and rare to die from a sting, but in this case, there was no avoiding it, as it was his heart. He left behind a wife, an 8-year-old daughter, and a nearly 3-year-old son. So sad.

I realized that none of us knows when "our number is up." The Bible says,

"...it is appointed to men once to die, and after this the judgement." (Hebrews 9:27)

The question is, are you ready? Was Steve ready? What will he say when God asks him, "Why should I let you into heaven?" Will Steve mention various good works? Donations to charity? Did he know before he died that nothing he could do could earn his way into heaven? Hear what the Bible says about our good deeds:

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6) 

So, how does one get into heaven? Simply by belief in what Jesus did. We are all sinners, every one of us. God, who is holy, cannot accept any sin in His presence. Someone had to take care of this problem. That "Someone" was Jesus, the sinless God-man. He died in our stead, as the substitute for our sins, past, present, and future. He was perfect, but He took our sin on Him, as God could only accept a perfect sacrifice for our sin. It's simple, yet so many people can't wrap their heads around it. They feel they must earn their way into heaven. There's no way we could, as just one sin would make us offensive to a holy God. (And how many times a day do we all sin? It adds up!) So what about good deeds? They are the "thank you" to God that we can offer after we are his children. After we accept Jesus as our Saviour.

I can only hope that at some point, Steve accepted Jesus as his Saviour. Because if he didn't, he'll burn for all eternity, having knowingly rejected the beautiful act of love in Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross.

I feel like a little old man. This is because my left ear is plugged up. It's full of wax. This happens to my dad and my father-in-law, which is why it makes no sense that it has happened to me, a 39-year-old woman. Tonight, my mother-in-law, an RN, dutifully dug the otiscope out of her little black bag, looked in my ear, and couldn't see the drum for all the wax. I'm going to call a doctor tomorrow to see about getting it removed. What a scary thought. I dread getting chewed out for packing it down with Q-tips. (Mom A. started it!)

Let's change the subject, quick.

I'm working on my third scrapbook, and I'm so pleased with it. One of the neat things about scrapbooking is looking at all these snapshots you haven't really examined for years. They really take you back, especially after you mount them in warm, feely ways, with little quotes pasted below them. Was it really 16 years ago that Sarah and Rebekah stood in front of that white fence in their nightgowns at sunset, with the cows moving about behind them? I remember the special feeling of that moment when I took those pix. Now those little girls are in college!

Noah had a looooong nap. Now he's wide awake - and so am I. I wish he hadn't slept so long.

Peaches, how I love em'! In cobblers, pies, cereal, and on toast. I just bought a peck of them at a local orchard. Ben's been sucking them down faster than anyone. I know why my Grandma loved to see us eat good food - it's very fulfilling to see one's loved-ones nurioushed. Grandma was always sneaking extra "health" into our food too - like rhubarb in pies. I miss her. I could eat one of those apple-rhubarb pies right now. Well, not a whole pie - you know what I mean!

The four biggun's are back in school. Noah's bored silly. The other day, after he pulled Maisy across the floor by her tail, I had to put him on the bottom step - "solitary." Of course, I had to ask, in that angry-mom voice, "Why would you DO that?!"

"Because I'm bored. And I'm lonely." (sniff, sniff)

Well, soon, a Miss Miranda will be coming to play, on a regular basis, and maybe he won't be so lonely. I'll be keeping her about 18 hours a week, mainly as a playmate for Noah, but also to make a little $$ on the side. (It'll help.) Noah is looking forward to this little girl's "visits" and asks me often when she'll start coming. We start soon. She's three, so he'll get to be like a big brother.

I'm reading a really interesting book: Til We Have Faces. Rebekah never returned it to school last year, and now I need to. But first, I thought I'd look it over. It's by C.S. Lewis, and I'm hooked. I should be done soon. I don't think they're missing it yet, as it's a spring assignment.

Through a call yesterday, I learned that some dear friends (also my husband's relatives) are coming to visit us in a couple weeks. And they're bringing their teeny-tiny new baby! I can't wait! The gal-friend has never seen the 1995 Pride and Prejudice all the way through. Dear me! This calls for action - we're going to brew tea, and have cookies and cakes, and other assorted snooty treats, and go back to Georgian England at it's most romantic! (at least as best we can with 4 small ones running about) Thank you, Jane Austen, for this engaging tale - you never knew what a chic-flic it would become!

A few days ago, due to a plumbing problem, we had to move a hutch and all its contents to another place in the basement. Some of the books that were displaced were an entire Encyclopedia Brittanica. Yesterday morning, David discovered most of them stacked, leaning, at least four feet high, on a table. He knew Noah had done it, and after fretting about the danger of the operation (those books are heavy!), wondered at his strength and ability in placing the last six or so. He called me down to see, "Look, Honey, it's the Leaning Tower of Brittanica."

So sad about that plane that went down this morning, from Kentucky. 50 people. I know it's the first plane crash here in the US for about 4 years, but it's still so unsettling. My Sarah Jane just got off a plane last week. I can't imagine what the family members of these dead are going through right now as they wake up to a nightmare. May God give them peace and comfort. I hope they turn to Him for help, for only He can give them what they need, down deep.

I am soooooo happy! I came across a "Tin Cup" necklace in a local department store today, and it was on sale. I've had my eye out for one for some time, so I couldn't pass it up. It's made of freshwater pearls on a gold-covered silver chain. The style used to be called a "pearl station" necklace, but since Rene Russo wore it in Tin Cup, that became the new name for it. I think they were all the rage for a few years there, and sometimes I saw them in stores. But when I began to shop for one, there were no single strand ones, only multi. Then I saw this one, as well as matching earrings. I recently sold some gold jewelry, so I was able to buy this necklace and earrings w/o drawing on our bank account - yay! Here's what the necklace looks like:  (I'm wearing it right now.)

Rebekah will soon be 19, and is heading for college in less than 3 weeks. She's going to a Christian college down south. Kevin, her boyfriend, age 20, is going there too, for his sophomore year. Many people would find that a concern, but we are actually happy about it. Kevin is a rare find, truly a young man after God's own heart, and very honorable. He's a true gentleman, who would do nothing to harm Rebekah, but will rather watch over her in our stead. He has shown himself to be loyal, helpful, and kind. Also, he's very bright and hard-working, not to mention tall and handsome. It's a good thing she got his attention and loyalty before some other girl spotted him! (They've been "an item" since 11th and 12th grades.)

I think Rebekah is looking forward to the whole college experience. I'm so glad she won't be as far away as Sarah Jane was her first year. I look forward to having her come home every so often, something Sarah Jane couldn't do. I'm going to get to see the campus this time, as David and I will take her together. That'll be really neat!

Rebekah's major is musical theatre. I think she'll really enjoy that major, though she just found out that she still has to complete some more math credits...

We're throwing a combo birthday/graduation party for Rebekah just before we take her college. It's going to be an open house. I've never done that before. I hope it's fun and relaxing. I'll make up a bunch of egg salad and meat platters before-hand, and just keep putting it out, along with chips and veggie-trays. Maybe I'll make some white pizza dip. That's usually popular. It's mainly cheese and pizza spices with chopped pepperoni thoughout. You dip torn pieces of bread in it.