Happy, Happy Birthday, Jennifer!

Jen singing "Mary Did You Know?" at our Christmas eve service.

Today, January 14th is Jennifer's birthday! Wow!! How well I remember her birth! I think even more than Jason and Jodi's. Probably because it was shorter and I was more "alert" for it - not as many drugs and she came fast at the end!! Dale even got coerced into going into the delivery room (the nurse gave him scrubs and said, "suit up"! No ifs, ands or buts!) I was very happy he was there for the support and for being able to see her as they cleaned her up. She wasn't crying and I was worried, but he said she was kicking, so that made me feel better. She has been a real joy to us and I think to her brother and sister, too. I'm so glad they all get along now as adults and we all have such a great time together. Saturday we are celebrating her day at their place. Birthdays are big with us - I guess that is my "fault", but my family always made a big deal, so what can I say. I always felt sorry for Jen having her birthday so close to Christmas, but we still always tried to make it special for her. It was great last year when Jodi and I went up and spent the weekend with her. Now she's here and we don't have to go anywhere and that is super special, too. I love her and love how she loves Craig and the heart she has for the Lord and the things of the Lord. He gave her a very special talent - her singing - and I love that she has always used it for Him. God bless you, My Jen and thank you for being my daughter! I thank God for that special gift, too!! Love you lots!!

Looks aren't everything!

( This is the view from my front window)

"Baby it's cold outside!" I think this will be our mantra this winter. I am up already (it is 7:33 a.m.!) and listening to my poor industrious husband as he snowblows the sidewalk outside our window. The temperature is -19 with a windchill of -33!!! Too cold for me!! It is very quiet here, as there is nothing on tv. I am also hearing the "chewing" noise I hear quite often coming from the kitchen. We can't decide if it is a mouse, rat or maybe the refrigerator. Anyway, it is annoying and I wish we could figure out what it is. I hear it right behind the fridge and I am sure it is a varmint of some kind. Aaargh!!! As long as it doesn't gnaw its way into the apartment, I guess I can live with it. About being up so early - well, Dale and I have been going through stomach troubles - not really bad, but enough to wake us up and all that fun stuff. So, I was awake a few times after 5 and couldn't go back to sleep, so decided to get up. Dale came in and said it was "ugly" out there, so I imagine Jodi will have fun taking the kids to school this morning. It will probably be as cold at noon when I take Bethie, but it seems better if it is daylight. I have to tell you about a movie I watched on Sunday. I like watching movies on Turner Classic Movies - because they are usually old and run without commercials. This one was called "Marty". I have heard of it, but never watched it. It won best picture the year it was out - 1955 I think. Ernest Borgnine had the lead and if you know who he is, well, he wasn't your typical hollywood "star" - especially back then. He was usually a criminal or tough guy or some such, because he wasn't all that handsome. So, the movie was about someone who wasn't a "looker" as they used to say back then. I found if very poignant and was really cheering for him at the end of the movie. His costar was Betsy Blair (who? don't remember ever seeing her before), pretty, but not "va-va-va-voom" and the right pick for his costar. I said to Dale, I wondered if they felt a little sad that they had been picked for their roles because they were plain. Oh well, it was really a tale of perception. Ugly or plain guys figured they had to have "dolls", but the "dolls" didn't want them. So, when Marty meets Clara who has just been dumped by her blind date because someone prettier comes along, his friends think he's dating a "dog" and should forget about her. Like they were so great looking! Well, it reminded me of my teen years. I was not a cheerleader nor anywhere near perky and cute, so most of the guys just looked past me. It was that way with most of my friends also. How shallow people are! Well, I'm glad the Lord brought Dale and I together. I thought he was a pretty good looking fella when I met him (except for the sideburns!) and I guess he thought I was pretty good looking, too. (he says he did and still does - aaahhh!) Kind of wish I'd gone to one of my class reunions to see what the "va-va-va-vooms" ended up with! Ha! "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart". Hope you have a great day!!! P.S. Happy birthday yesterday (12th) to my daughter(in-law) Sandra!!