Jan 10 - More Snow

In our neck of the woods,
it so very rarely snows.

At the first sign of flurries,
all the schools close -
though actually, it is not the snow
but the thick layer of ice that is usually covering the roads
under the snow.

But for the second day,
it snowed HARD.



Our front yard

The Play yard between all of our houses

Dad's back yard

part of the barnyard

Jan 9 - Snow Day

Tree in front of our house.

Kendra never actually finished the snowman.

Silly Boy!

Dressed for our snow"storm"

Some may notice that other than LaRue -
the kids don't have "winter" coats.

In our neck of the woods,
you only REALLY need a heavy coat
maybe 15 days of the year.

Homeschooling, we can just stay inside if it is cold.
Except for Vannan -
she has her barnyard chores.

But even she would rather come in,
exchange layers and warm up
then head back out again.

So they just layer up jackets and sweat shirts.
They probably even are wearing their PJ's
under all of their clothes.

It works for us
and saves us roughly $40 - 50 per kid finding
a good heavy coat.

Often they do get hand me down's.

LaRue is wearing the coat we bought for Vannan
when we lived in the North.
There we had roughly 45 - 60 frigid cold days and
around 100 frigid cold nights.
You HAD to have a good coat!

Jan 9 - Snow Day

LaRue wanted outside.
LaRue did not want bundled.

But she was really tiny when it snowed last year.

She loved the snow.
But not that it was slippery.
Or that it was cold.
Or that she was bundled.

Update on Tim 3 - 13

Tim is back  home - or at least continuing to rest at his parents house.  He was able to go home just after lunch this afternoon.

He has very limited internet.  But his cell phone works fairly good.

He still gets tired very easily - but seems in optimistic spirits.

Thank you to all who have sent money to help keep us fed, electricity turned on, and other odds and ends that come up.  Several have taken advantage of the Paypal button on our blog - and we are extremely greatful to all who have prayed and continue to pray for us and for those who sent a little extra our way.  We had enough to pay our electric bill this month (sizable since we are all electric) - thank you.

Tim Update : 3 - 12

There is not much news to report.

Tim says they plan to take out the IV's sometime this evening - maybe they already have.  I'm trying to let him rest and relax and wait for him to call me.

The only information on this second stay that we have been given is ... "sometimes some people just take longer to get their numbers on track."

So, maybe Tim was just pushing too hard to get back on his feet?
Maybe having 11 + kids underfoot and outside playing and making noise was too much noise?
Maybe his body was still getting use to the meds?
Maybe he wasn't drinking enough?
Maybe ???

Sigh.

Oh, and our hot water heater that a friend fixed on Tuesday? ... we just realized that there is no hot water again.

Overwhelming.

Yet, I know we are so much better off than most people in the world, even if looking at other American's we feel so very poor.  Reading Compassion or Voice of the Martyrs  magazines ... we have so much more than many in the world.

So, thank you Lord.

Vals new dress

Mom made me a new dress