Chilson Family

I am finally gettting around to posting a family picture of  Daughter-in-law #2 shower!!! No, this is not the entire gathering at the shower, it is ONLY part of the family that was there. Back row::  Daughter #3, My Dear Sister and proud Great-Auntie-to-be, Daughter #2, Son #4, Daughter-in-law #3, Son #3, Son #2 (proud soon-to-be Daddy), Daughter-in-law #2 (Guest of honor and proud Mommy-to-be). Middle row::  Daughter #4, Daughter #5 Front row::  Daughter #6, Daughter #7, Me--Proud Mammi, Best Friend/Auntie, and Best Friend/Auntie (I thought I had more than this one picture.  Guess the others that were loaded to my thumb-drive did not make it!  Oh well!)

Today, Hubby and I celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary!  In our 28 years we have seen many joys and heartaches.  We have been through three loss of income, but God saw to each and every need and we never went without.  We have been through several illness--one that left Hubby very sick and off work for almost three months.  We have seen the birth of 14 children and cried at the loss of two.  We have watched 3 babies grow in the NICU when they should have been growing inside of me.  We watched as God gave us back our youngest son when he coded at home and no life was in him--and we were not sure if he would be "okay".  (Today he is 150% boy and a year ahead in school!)  We have graduated six of fourteen children from home school and have seen three of their college graduations.  We watched one child "swear in" to the Army and cried all the way home and for days afterwards!  We watched the same child graduate from boot camp. We have seen three out of four of our c

Generation follows generation--yet it lives. Nations rise and fall--yet it lives. Kings, dictators, presidents come and go--yet it lives. Hated, despised, cursed--yet it lives. Doubted, suspected, criticized--yet it lives. Condemned by atheists--yet it lives. Scoffed at by scorners--yet it lives. Exaggerated by fanatics--yet it lives. Misconstrued and misstated--yet it lives. Ranted and raved about--yet it lives. Its inspiration denied--yet it lives. Yet it lives--as a lamp to our feet. Yet it lives--as a light to our path. Yet it lives--as the gate to heaven. Yet it lives--as a standard for childhood. Yet it lives--as a guide for youth. Yet it lives--as an inspiration for the matured. Yet it lives--as a comfort for the aged. Yet it lives--as food for the hungry. Yet it ives--as water for the thirsty. Yet it lives--as rest for the weary. Yet it lives--as light for the heathen. Yet it lives--as salvation for the sinner. Yet it lives--as grace for the Christian.

In a large family it always seems like there is a birthday to celebrate!  Today is no exception. Today marks the last year in the 'teen years' for Daughter #2 as she turns nineteen! Happy 19th Birthday Daughter!!! 

I do not normally reveiw products.  But sometimes you come across something you absolutely love and just have to share it!  Like Stampin' Up!  Love it, the best!  Sorry, but this review is not about SU!  I'll save that for another time! This is a negative review!  Can opener!!!!  Ugh!  I think that has to be the MOST frustrating part of meal preparation if opening a can.  My 'best' can opener that came from "the kitchen store that comes to your door", gave up the ghost about 2 months ago.  So I settled for one of the shelf at the big "W" super center.  It cost about $3 and I got about 7 weeks use out of it.  It 'quit' working while opening a can while preparing supper. (go figure)  So a trip to the neighbor's home to open the can.  I purchased a new opener at the Super "T" store.  My gut told me NOT to buy the "Chef Mate" opener.  It was $2 and since we were between pay checks I thougt it would last a week!  WRONG!

It has been a creative Saturday.  Since Hubby worked today it left me with a little free time.  Okay, not really freetime, there are lesson plans, quiz and test reviews to work on, laundry, etc.  But NO SCHOOL!  Once the house was in order and I worked on school items, I sat down to make a quick card.  (Sorry, no photo!  I had to "chase" the mail-lady to get it out in the mail!) I also set out to embelish a onesie and make a skirt for our Daughter-in-law's baby shower next weekend.  This is the result! T he silhouette is a giraffe (just in case you could not tell).  I follow jones design company , she had a tutorial for silhouettes on T's, and I have been "itching" to create since reading it!  The pattern for skirt came from my little ol' brain.  I changed it in the process of making it.  Daughter #6 helped me sew the seams and iron the seams flat. The material is what I had on hand from making a pair of culottes for Daughter #4.  (Never, never thr

The day has ended for the new ten year old in our home.  It was a good day.  Daughter #6 received a Cobra Walkie Talkie with a 16 mile range.  (Why 16 miles?  I don't know, the siblings are always within a 20-30 foot range of each other!  Maybe she wants Daddy to take it to work so she can keep in touch with him!) Daughter #6 wanted an eclaire cake for her birthday this year, so an eclaire cake it was!  I don't know why I don't make it more often, it is so simple!  I had enough mix that I made the birthday girl her own little tub! I wanted to post a couple of pictures, but I am having trouble uploading from my thumb-drive.  Maybe tomorrow! The house is quiet except for the clicking of the keyboard.  Ahhh!  I'll enjoy it.  At 5:30 tomorrow morning I will have at least 3 nesters up with me.  I enjoy the early morning to myself, but love watching the nesters up and eager to do their devotions/Bible reading and then start tackling the homework that awaits for the da

Today marks a very important day in Daughter #6's young life!  She is officially "double digit"--ten years old!  D #6 was born exactly at 28 weeks.  She came into this world weighing 2 lbs. 9 oz. and 15 inches long.  (Her weight dropped to 1 lb. 14 oz.)  I only lasted 4 days on bedrest with preterm labor.  We spent 3 months in the NICU, 18 months on oxygen, and 2 years on a heart monitor.  By God's grace she is a healthy ten year old today, and we praise the Lord for His special gift to us .    HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY DAUGHTER #6!!!!! 

Sometimes things come into our lives that we would rather not deal with.  But life is always changing.  This one thing I know, I know the Unchanging God.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He knows my fears, greatest heartaches, and is concerned with the smallest things in my life.  The last several-plus weeks have been very trying and exhausting.  Some of it due to the start of school and getting use to a new routine--again.  Some because the nesters have taken turns sharing a virus that kept me out of church for five weeks.  Just when I can get back to church we find out our ONLY vehicle is too dangerous to drive!  We have to rely on our older sons to get Hubby to and from work...we are on week two!  Not to mention heart wrenching things that I can not change because they are out of my control. Despite all the above mentioned things and unmentioned ones, I will rest in the knowledge that God loves me and wants me to rest in Him.  When I take my eyes off Him and put t