I decided to use the dark meat & giblet gravy from Thanksgiving to make a pot pie for supper.  But since Mom doesn't like giblet gravy, I made up a nice concoction  to make a second pot pie with some of the white turkey meat.  The two pies turned out beautifully, and they both received rave reviews from those who ate it.  Here is the before supper picture.

The second picture shows how much Mike, Mom, and I ate.

As you can see, my photo turned out kind of fuzzy, but you get

the idea.

I am so glad that we are inside of our nice warm house.  It is 19 degrees (but with a chill factor of 4 degrees. It snowed most of  the day, and we are supposed to get more overnight.  I am always concerned for our older son on these cold nights, especially when it is nasty out, too. He delivers pizza.

Due to our mobility issues, we plan to stay home from church tomorrow morning. {Mom has to walk with a walker; Mike is totally blind, but has very firm footing; I have post-polio, and walk with braces (& do not do well in ice and snow) ... though I do very well getting around otherwise.

However, my brother will pick us up so that we can all go to our church's special Christmas program (one showing at 2 p.m. & one at 6 p.m.) He will let the three of us out at the front porch of our church.  It will be nice to go together all four of us. Here is the link to the site of our church's musical program.

I will post pictures of the cold outside world tomorrow, or sometime soon.

Hope you all have a blessed Sunday.

p.s. - If you like to listen to Christmas hymns played on the piano,  I recommend this blog.  Cory shares his talents with piano teachers and piano students, as well as with those who enjoy all sorts of other piano music on his YouTube site.

1. How do I make sure that my Xanga account stays active after my current subscription is  expired– supposedly in 3 days?

2. I can’t find a way to pay & update my account. Also, I can’t find the “Profile information” – about people on Xanga as I used to be able to do with the older Xanga. Is it osomewhere that I just haven’t located yet?  Finding out if a person’s gender, country, interests, etc.

3. If I want to ask to follow a person who has a lock on their blog, how do I request that?

I have lots of other questions, but I will stop here for now. Thanks for your help.

   This is a really well done, informative piece of work done by one of my cousins, about being responsible recyclers of e-waste. The video needed to have at least 100 views by Wednesday, December 4th, but it has over that now.   I learned a lot from it, so I'm posting it here for anyone else who would like to see it:   VIDEO

A few collages from the past two weeks.

I. Thanksgiving meal was fixed by the whole family (except husband Mike, whose contribution was to stay out of the kitchen until dish-washing time).  In addition to Mom and us, were my brother Don, and our daughter-in-law Amber (who with our son Tom live in our downstairs apartment)....  poor Tom had a migraine.

II.  Carolyn's Kitchen: I try to provide lots of variety and yummy meals that will please most everyone. Sometimes I take pictures of the meals that I create.  Mom likes to cook and especially to bake, and so she has contributed as well!

III. Grandchildren cuteness:

IV. Inspirational quote & picture

"Leave the broken, irreversible past in God's hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him."     (Oswald Chambers)

 Comedy Warriors -- Healing Through Humor -- Meet Stephen Rice

My nephew Stephen Rice, one of the Comedy Warriors

My family has had a history of being soldiers -- both my Dad and my Father-in-Law, some uncles, my brother and some of my brothers-in-law, our younger son, his wife, her dad, & sisters, and many more who could be named.

I didn't grow up having an immediate love for the country of my birth.  As a child of missionary parents,  I left the country as a 3-1/2 yr. old, and other than one year (third grade) ... I didn't live in this country again until I was a freshman (the top grade in junior high school): 1967 -1968.  I had quite a  culture shock!  Not only did I see a different culture than the country in which I grew up (the Philippines - both in province and small town, as well as larger towns, & cities), but by the end of my first year back in the U.S., there had been two high profile men assassinated: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy.

Also at the end of that year, I had three major post-polio surgeries, and was housebound for the next six months.  When I attended my high school for the first time in January, 1969, I was attending a very nicely integrated school in southern IL, and there were were many race riots going on all over the U.S., and even some in my school ...  sometimes encouraged by grown men coming across the River from St. Louis.

I truly didn't "get it!"  I had grown up in my earliest years as the only white child in my town, and in many places that I traveled, and many of the people in the U.S. who were called "Black" did not have much darker skin than some of the people whom I lived with and loved as my own self. Why did everyone not get along? What was the big deal about skin color and the "racial" differences?

For much of my adult life even, I still felt very much divided -- not a true American nor a Filipino either. ( More on that in another post.)  But as I continued to learn more about this country -- that I now call my country,  too -- I did grow to love it, and to especially feel honor and pride towards those who serve this country in the 5 branches of the U.S. military services.

FIVE BRANCHES OF THE U.S. MILITARY - from Wikipedia - public domain photo

I began this post by showing you my nephew Stephen, my sister's son. He lost a leg while rescuing one of his men in Iraq.  I shall end the post with some pictures of Dad, Brother, and Son (who represent the Navy, Marines, & Army National Guard).  I also want to show my son Shaun's family since they had to sacrifice their husband and daddy as he has been deployed three separate times.

My Dad, Clinton Bonnell, who served in WWII

MY BROTHER DON BONNELL -- IN MARINE DRESS UNIFORM -- who served in the 80's.

Tristen's pure delight of having her Daddy back home after his 3rd full year deployment.

So I want to say a huge thank you to all of my family and friends, and also to those whom I do not know -- for the sacrifices that you have all made so that this country can be whatever we want to make of it -- freedoms that we must never  take for granted.  Some of these freedoms are (just to name a few) -- worshiping and voting as we please, speaking out for what we believe, living and traveling where we desire, etc.

There is so much for which to be thankful every single day!

1. I am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. . . for a Home in Heaven where someday I will see my dad again, for my Bible from which I know what God wants for me, as well as for prayer so that I can share with Him.

2. I am thankful for my family: Mom being with us, our three children, three grandchildren, and the most wonderful hubby in the world! [And sisters, brothers (incl. in-laws), nephews & nieces, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.]

Thanksgiving, 2009: Last family photo of Mom & Dad and  their four offspring.                                                                                   

My husband Mike and me

Three happy grandchildren, with their dog Ruger who is their self-proclaimed protector.

3. I am thankful for my many friends (including friends from my Xanga, Facebook, in person, and church family)!

4. I am thankful for this country in which I live (the U.S.), as well as other countries around the world. It's so wonderful the variety that God put into this world.

5. I'm thankful for health, good food, a nice home, and many things that make life fun and easier: books, t.v., music, computers, etc.

BE THANKFUL IN ALL

CIRCUMSTANCES . . .  (I Thes. 5:18a)

On one or two different days, I decided to take some pictures of the beautiful trees and sky in our greater Springfield city area.  We live just north of the city in a suburb, and often go into the city (about three minutes south of us).  What enjoyment I received! What a great, creative Artist is our God . . . no human can match His work!  

Our city is proud to be designated as a "Tree City."  Here is a website that explains all about it. TREE CITY   

When I see the  trees ... so beautiful ... I think of: 1. a Bible verse from Isaiah 55:12 (the whole chapter is wonderful!) ~ "You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!"                                                              - and  2. a poem by Joyce Kilmer 

Trees                                                              

I am still journaling from back in October.  One weekend, Mom gave Mike and me a very special gift.  She paid for us to stay at a hotel so that we could have two days with our grandchildren. So we spent some time with the family,  held our baby girl Quinn, and then took the two older children to a McDonalds for supper AND the fun playground there.  When we returned the kids back to their home, we received permission to have Tristen spend the night with us at our hotel, and enjoy some swim time with Grandma.

Loving on baby girl Quinn.

Tristen & Brogan saying hi to Grandpa & Grandma who are sitting at the table down below them.

Enjoying supper at McDonalds (in between playing on the equipment.

Tristen made friends each time she was in the pool and hot tub, but a good part of the time in the morning swim, she had the pool & hot tub to herself. She enjoyed doing all sorts of tricks for her Grandma!  (And I took a LOT of photos of her hamming it up!)    

Smiling her pleasure at the evening swim!

Our three grandchildren                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Another special time with the children came the following weekend  when we went to Tristen's piano recital.  It was good to hear her improvement from the last time we'd heard her ... and she was good that time, too!    It was fun seeing Brogan playing with his dad afterwards, and spending some time with their other Grandma Diana, who is a very sweet friend to us.                                                                                                                                                                                   

Tristen waiting to play & then playing; the kids' other sweet grandma, Diana with Quinn; Brogan getting exercise & using his dad's head as a plate for cookie crumbs!

Some of you know that I grew up in the Philippines --  a child of missionary parents.  This is my other home country and people of my heart.  I know that everyone knows what my prayer request is .... it's in the current news continually. Please pray for the people of the Philippines, especially in the areas in which the worst damage has been done in Tacloban City on the island of Leyte.  The latest death count I've read is 4000, just in that city, and every structure in the city was destroyed.  Many organizations are collecting money and supplies, and are being taken to the people, but the supplies and help are very slow in actually getting to the people.  Two of the more famous organizations providing help are ~ 1. Samaritan's Purse  and  2. American Red Cross, if you would like to send financial help.

 This past Monday was Veteran's Day, and this year I have been attempting to tell each of my friends whom I am aware of being vets: "THANK YOU!"

THANK YOU VETERANS!

Much has changed in our home since I last posted on Xanga. Things didn't work out for Mom to go to the home we had planned for her.... and instead,  we moved her into OUR home!  So we spent three weeks -- 6 days a week, all day long, turning my office/classroom of the past 16+ years into an empty room that could be cleaned, have new carpeting and curtains, and ... Mom's furniture. We also had the bathroom remodeled to take care of  some termite damage, et al,  and to make it handicapped accessible. Then on Sept. 20-22nd, we drove to IL, and then brought her back with us to HER NEW HOME.  Here are a few of the adaptations.

Bathroom remodel: part 1

Bathroom remodel part 2

Bathroom remodel part 3

 

Mom at her desk in her new room.

 

Mom and her only son (& our only bro Don, who lives less than five minutes away from us), enjoying a casual chat at our dining table.

 

Mom's bedroom ... opposite side from her office in the room.

Dad's picture on Mom's file cabinet next to her printer and computer.

Mom has a couple of very special ministries.  She writes letters, and sends cards to inform, encourage, and bless the many people that she has on her contacts lists. She also is a real prayer warrior for many people... including lots of missionaries,  preachers, and lay people who are serving God wherever they are.

We arrived with Mom on a Sunday, and the following Sunday she went with Mike and me to visit and have a birthday celebration for our oldest granddaughter at a restaurant in the Pickerington area.  She hadn't seen Tristen since she was 4 (it was her 9th birthday!), and had never seen in person our other two grandchildren -- Brogan - age 3, and Quinn - age 4 mo.  Here are 3 pictures from that day.

Mom with Mike and I, our younger son Shaun, and his two older children, Tristen and Brogan.

Tristen laughing as she was being sung to by the restaurant staff.

 

I don't have a picture of Quinn from that day, but here is one of her that makes me smile whenever I see it. Her smile warms me, and brings me joy.

 I shall try to do a better job of updating and visiting you - my friends who read my blog.  My days of private teaching have been replaced with a different, busier type of busy ... but it is a wonderful busy! (Did that make sense to anyone?)  Next time I will share more of the great times and pictures that have kept me away from blogging. Meanwhile, I have my blogging friends (& FB friends, etc.) to visit. See you around!

Arranging for moving Mom closer to us!

Mom has lived in  the same independent living facility for most of the time since Dad's passing into Heaven one year ago this past January.  Our younger sister Ruth and a dear "adopted" sister Sharon have provided much of Mom's extra assistance as needed.  Ruth has moved out of the state to be with her husband, and Sharon has a grandson who has special needs, and even though we still have one sister and one niece with her family who live locally to Mom, my brother, husband, and our offspring and I have never had the privilege of having our parents live locally to us.   We prayed about this a lot, and God showed through many wonderful ways that this is the right move. We've been (& continue to be) very busy with all of the preparations for her move to Ohio  -- just about one month from now! And who knows, maybe we can get the rest of our family to move out this way, too!!

After research online by Ruth, my brother Don and I visited the top two contenders, we talked over the results each time with both Ruth and Mike, and then we narrowed it to the one which we feel is the right place for Mom. This past weekend, Mike and I took a 3-day round trip to IL to share with Mom that we were wanting her to join us in OH. We'd been very prayerful about each step, and especially as we were sharing with Mom about this next step in her life. She had always said that she didn't want to leave IL. I had prayed for Mom's heart to be prepared by God to be desirous of this change, and had asked others to pray the same likewise. When we shared with Mom, she was full of joy, relief, and excitement! Thank you everyone who helped to pray about this for us, and who are still praying as we continue to work through the process of making the arrangements for this big move for Mom.  (The flowers are some that was sent to Mom by all of her four children earlier in the week.

The pictures below are of ~ 1. The front of Mom's new home here in Springfield (from their website); 2. Brother Don standing just down the hall from Mom's new room, where he will be leading the moving crew to take Mom's things into her new apartment; and 3. the view outside Mom's window.

Reuniting with an "old" friend!

Over the years of our marriage, Mike and I have opened our home to many special people: college students, couples from church who needed a place to stay, missionaries, family members, etc. God has blessed us immeasurably for this, and we have dear friends whom we haven't seen in many years.... but when we do reconnect with them, that is a very special time for us. And thanks to Facebook, we have reconnected with some of these friends and are able to keep up with them better. This last weekend while we were at Mom's for the weekend we received a voicemail from Scott, a former student who graced our home each Sunday afternoon. After our church service (where he served in various capacities), and then after a home-cooked meal, a nap or time of study and play with our sons, etc. he would go back to church in the evening, and then head back down to Cedarville College (from where I also had graduated). We looked after his then fiancee Julie during her senior year and his first year out of college away from her, and then our sons and Mike and I were privileged to have a part in their wedding at our church when she graduated with her BA in nursing from college.

Skip 25 years later from that last time that we saw them, and Scott is a widowed, senior pastor who has reared their seven girls since Julie's cancer took her Home to be with the Savior whom she served so faithfully. Scott met us at a local Bob Evans restaurant, and we shared pictures, stories, hugs, and breakfast this past week. Such a blessing!  He was back this way (from Idaho) to bring his second eldest daughter to Cedarville (now University, & MUCH LARGER) ... to become a nurse, too. We look forward to meeting her soon.

Keeping up with everyone ....  Family and Friends by E-mails, Facebook, Xanga, Phone, etc.

Basically, I am behind. You aren't forgotten, I've missed birthday greetings and more, but I am hoping to get in touch ..... just maybe behind a bit!  When I'm not doing the stuff mentioned above, I'm resting up for the next bout of stuff... but I have been enjoying some t.v. & reading, and some solo word games... and have slept much sounder of late. Please DON'T GIVE UP ON ME!!  I  SHALL BE IN TOUCH!! 

In closing: Facebook swaps of our grandkids, and quotes from the books I'm currently reading: 

Our oldest grandchild, Tristen began THIRD grade this week! Here she is in her new outfit all ready for her first day of school. The younger two are seen "holding hands" -- while Brogan is watching Disney, Jr. (according to his mom he held Baby Quinn's hand and stayed put like that for over 20 minutes, which is unheard of for this active guy except when he's sleeping). The last picture shows Brogan in his more usual active mode with his "best bud" Alivia, his next door neighbor. 

From my reading of 199 Treasures of Wisdom on Talking with God -- (Quotes by Andrew Murray) ~ "I need daily, prayerful fellowship with God if I am to have His thoughts make their home in me."

From Spurgeon Gems ~ "(Christ) is no more a baby and He is no more dead! He sits on the Throne of God, reigning and ruling; and He will come the second time . . . the Living Christ is our hope! . . . 'Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.'" (Hebrews 7:25, KJV)

From Confucius Cat Says . . . , by P.R. Mason ~ "A closed mind is like a hooded litterbox with the door blocked. There's no way to use it effectively."

                   FROM:   https://www.facebook.com/FriendshipQuotesFriendsforever