Christmas Eve 2010

Family Ornament 2010~Crafted by Catelyn

Christmas Emma
Miss 'G'
Sleep in heavenly peace...

Twas the night before Christmas

& all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even...Emma

Samuel...

or Ben

The Calm before the Storm

Momma Clause put out the gifts...love that woman!

Ben is still clutching his candle - he couldn't wait to light it but fell fast asleep right before we did it...maybe next year little buddy

Stellar Picture by Elizabeth - We make beautiful babies

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My wife had a great post on Christmas Eve.

This year was a bit of a rush job for me as I ended up having to work some major hours at the funeral home. That has been a fascinating experience & I'll have to post on that soon. Suffice it to say, the Snows staff are consummate professionals who really know how to help a family navigate the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

I got home at 5:30 Christmas Eve - just an hour & a half before the service. I had the whole thing planned & the Advent poem written. What I hadn't been able to do was to practice a couple of key songs. Zack has really improved in his piano skills in just a few months under his tutor - Roxie Adrian. He was able to get all the songs together & just nail them. He really put feeling into his playing.

I read pertinent scripture then read a section of poem that I wrote from those texts.

Zack, Dave, Andy, & Dad did all the prep work in the sanctuary as well as Joseph & James Creath & Paul Jr. They evicted the bats (we think, hope, & pray!) My Mom did a bang up job decorating the beautiful rustic sanctuary.

God just showed up & showed out. We had many new faces from the community there. What a blessing.

The children's bell choir did great on Silent night. All in all it was wonderful.

Some old friends were there as well as some new ones. It really is a new day for our Church & I am looking forward to what God is going to do for His glory through our Church. We had a time of precious candle lit silence with the instruction to listen to what God would say to you personally. I actually did 'hear from God' in that time. As I looked around that sanctuary it was as if God said, "These are your people - love them, lead them, for my name's sake". That thought really didn't come from me as I was thinking about the logistics for the closing song. God just kind of broke through my frantic thinking & 'spoke' to me. I felt a love for that congregation just flow over me. Oh that God would help me nurture that command & to lovingly lead my little flock to love Jesus more & live out the gospel every day.

Vintage Ben

Ben is his own man...even though he's still a little boy. I took him hunting last Sunday evening. We sat for 3 hours in a cramped & rickety stand. He did great! At one point he heard some leaves rustling & said, "I hear a deer!" I figured it was an armidillo as they sound like an elephant coming through the woods. Sure enough it was. I watched Ben as he first spyed the armor plated pest. He 'wispered' - "look Daddy, a piggy!"

Gotta love that boy!

Big Shoes To Fill

Every boy love to wear his Daddy's shoes. Ben loves my boots. So here he is in my new hunting boots. They kind of work like waders for him. He knows how to turn my hat light on without looking just like an old hunter.

I may take him hunting with me before the year is over but after taking Sam the other night, I'll need a few weeks to forget.

What Did He Say?

Ben, Sam & Ellie Meet Emma Grace

Ben is being 'prepared' for the new arrival of a little sister in the not too distant future. We talk about Emma Grace & ask him where she is etc. Well, He has caught on & He talks about his new sister, "ELMO GRAPES".

I have several concerns with this new moniker.

1: I am very fearful that the name will stick. How unfortunate for little Elmo, I mean Emma

2: I fear that Ben is expecting a red furry puppet from sesame street & that he's going to be mighty disappointed in the real Emma Grace.

I thank God for little boys who keep a stressed out Daddy laughing.

What are you trying to say?

Ben, my 2 year old son, was sitting on my lap the other day. He patted my stomach & said, "Hi baby Emma". Most of the family was in the living room at the time & they witnessed it.
I suppose that's a sign that its time to shed some excess pounds.

First Fruits Sunday

Mr. GQ! He was so funny. Sam had it going on!


Ben informed His Momma that he did not want to wear 'baby shoes' & that he wanted a suit like Sam! Too funny! That kid walks like John Wayne...with swagger.

My younger two thirds.

I asked the Lord to give me ugly daughters or sons who could shoot straight. I got the latter. Those girls are scary pretty.

The four younger children got all dressed up for First Fruits Sunday as we celebrate the defigning difference between our faith and all others...Our Redeemer LIVES!

Life as of Late...

Vintage Ben
"Stickies"

Garrett aka "Safety" & that waskilly wabbit

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Just some pics of life in the Dziadul Cave as of late.

Haircuts

We were all WAY over due for a good haircut...especially Ben. My Dad had to hold him while I cut his hair with the flowbee. He screamed the whole time, "I'm scared, I'm scared!" I managed to give him a pretty decent & manly hair cut.

Ben's Turn

I guess Ben decided it was his turn for a late night run to the doctor. He really should have been in bed but we were all enjoying his antics so we let him stay up. About 9:15 pm, I heard a scream in the big boy's room. Then I heard Zack say, "Ben's cut pretty bad". He comes out carrying Ben & blood is dripping all over the floor.
I'm hoping for a superficial cut but to no avail. The a/c vent cover in the big guy's room cracked when they rolled an office chair over it so they took it off. Well Ben fell in it with one leg & apparently it had some sharp edges. His heel has a long curved cut that bled the most but wasn't very deep. The small inch long cut on the back of his calf was the one that would need stitches.
After waiting nearly 2 hours, the Doc came in & said the calf cut would need stitches. I asked if he could use the dermabond glue instead & after looking at it again, he agreed.
They had to put him in a papoose to keep him still. He did NOT like that. I've never heard him scream that loud or long. His little face was cherry red & he was soaked in sweat. Then came the tetanus shot.
Suffice it to say, he got out of there a lot better off than his brother's trip. The Doc felt bad & gave him a 'sucker' which he enjoyed all the way home.
Then end (I hope)

The Famous Dziadul Tongue

My Dad has always stuck his tongue out & to the side of his mouth when doing something strenuous or that required great concentration. I too, have been graced with this odd habit. I believe it is in the DNA of the Dziadul male. Well, it appears that Benjamin is also the recipient of this gift as evidenced by the above pics. Zack was 'playing dodge ball' with the little boys & this was Ben's game face. The Dziadul Tongue reigns supreme!

Benjamin & the Bubbles

My Son "Sven"

Well, we love our little "Sven". Allow me to explain. We are having the hardest time not calling 'Ben' 'Sam'. We'll start to call him Sam then we'll catch ourselves & insert the proper name 'Ben'. It comes out sounding like "Sven". Poor kid. He's going to think that's his name. Beth was talking to him the other day & called him Benjamin Isaac - again, that's Sam's middle name. Benjamin Robert Anthony. I suppose if we were true rednecks, we'd have named him "Ben Bob Tony". His middle names are after his Grandpas. I know you're wondering about the picture of the dog. Well that is Trigger as many of you know. The reason he's in the post is because we used to talk baby talk to him (and still do but not as much when you have a 'real' baby around). I'm ashamed to say the Ben doesn't have it so bad...We used to call Sam 'Trigger' all the time! Now that's bad!