Trivia Tuesday!!

The answer is...........

Noah & Elizabeth

(17 months apart)

And the new trivia is...........

If Mom grew up on Long Island, and Dad grew up in Kansas;

Where did they meet???

Trivia Tuesay!!!!

The answer is.................

Mom!!!

The new trivia is.........

Which two Ulmer children are closest in age???

Trivia Tuesday!!!!

The answer is...............

Andrew and Rebecca!!

The new triva is...............

Name this Baby!!

Shepard Trip!!!

Last week-end Noah and I enjoyed a short visit with Andrew & Rebecca & Justice. The goal for Saturday was planting; bushes, shrubs, mini trees, flowers, trees etc.....

Justice is growing up so fast, and I got a little shutter happy. :)

Justice resting in the shade after some 'hard work planting'.

Justice found this water-gun at a garage sale and fell in love with it. It was nearly as big as him, and impossible to carry once filled with water!! Don't worry, you'll grow into it Justice!!

Justice on the dirt pile.

"We have lotsa projects for this dirt. But right now it's just for fun."

C-U-T-E!!

Wheelbarrow full of plants.

Justice wasn't convinced that he wanted to hold the gigantic worm we found!

Justice loves helping, he has his own set of tools!

Digging.

Helping Uncle Noah.

Smiling Boy!

Helping move manure.

Taking a moment to empty the dirt out of his sandals.

Sunny Smiles.

Lil' Helper.

Inspecting owies.

Transporting plants.

Justice loves riding in the back of the trailer!!

"Why are we planting 'pricklies'?"

Carrying plants.

Where's Justice??

Strong boy!!

Planting.

Apparently, Andrew and I are better at babysitting than we are at planting. :)
Rebecca is a very precise gardener. She has a spot for every single plant, and has her gardens color and size cordinated (although you'd never guess, it just looks as if it grew that way!!). "Oh, could you plant that just 1 inch to the right??" We planted a zillion plants and 4 trees. After we had finished and were standing back viewing our labors, she let out a sigh. "Oh, I just realized that one tree is taller that the other one.................." Sorry dear, there's not much we can do about that. :)

The finished product.
(I forgot to take a 'before' picture, but it was previously a bare patch of dirt.)

Thanks for the wonderful visit-- we're looking forward to coming again sometime!!

Eastern Travels.

Very early Wednesday morning, our Grandma (Mom's Mom) went to be with Jesus. Gone from the world forever, she now sits at the Throne of our Heavenly Father!!!

Currently our family is in a flurry of packing and tying up things here at home to accommodate a 7-10 day trip. The funeral will be Sunday night in New York, so our family plans to leave early this evening and drive straight through to our Aunt's.

While we mourn the loss of Grandma, we are looking forward to the family time!! We're excited to see the cousins, Aunts & Uncles and spend time with them all.

We're also looking forward to going into New York City and to the ocean (the first time for our younger ones!!) while we're there.

---Prayer Requests---

• Comfort and Peace for Mom and her siblings as they grieve the loss of their Mother.

• Scheduling and Travel Plans: With multiple work schedules and commitments in our family, planning the trip on short notice is a bit challenging. Pray for wisdom and flexibility.
  
• Rebecca and Lydia are currently flying out to attend the funeral and be with the extended family during this time. This will likely be the last time they get to see cousins and family from Mom's side. We're grateful that they will be able to be there. Pray for their families as they spend a couple of days without Mom.


• Traveling Safety: We're anticipating a 48 hour round-trip, with extra driving time in New York City. Please pray that the Lord would bless and protect us as we travel, and give our drivers attentiveness and alertness. With 5 drivers, it'll be a much faster trip than in the 'old days' when Dad and Mom were the only drivers.


• Mechanical Soundness in the Bus: The bus is just out of the repair shop, and ready for the trip. Pray that the bus would run well with no mechanical failures, and we wouldn't be delayed by car trouble.


• We are currently in the midst of our busy chicken season and have 600 birds on the property. Many of them are outside in pens, which have to be monitored closely for predator invasions. The chores are time-consuming and can take up to 4 hours a day, just for the chickens, not including the other animals we have here on the farm. Our neighbors have graciously offered to take care of chores for us while we're gone, and the boys will be doing them when they are home as well. Pray that things would go smoothly; that there wouldn't be any predator problems and no major bird losses while we are away.

Thank-you for your prayers!!

Olive Shattes Homan.

Our Grandma is now with her Savior.

July 29, 1923~ June 10, 2009

In 1997, Grandpa and Grandma moved from New York City, to a nursing home not far from our family. Grandma's health was deteriorating so rapidly, Grandpa, whose own health was fading, could no longer care for her on his own. Grandpa passed away in 1999, and we wondered if Grandma might swiftly follow.

Her eyesight was gone, her body racked by diabetes, and her mind so heavily clouded by Alzheimer's that she ceased to know her children, grandchildren, and all those whom she'd once loved and cherished. Our visits went unheeded, save for the occasional days when she seemed to recognize our voices, and seem to almost remember us.

As the years passed, she seemed to sink further and further into oblivion. Sometimes she'd sing, sometimes she'd cry, but still, she never knew us.

I never had the privilege of knowing my Grandma before Alzheimer's claimed her mind. I have a few vague memories of her singing, or of sitting on her lap, but I never got to know the strong, trusting woman she was. Through the years Mom has always commented how much I look like her, and how similar my personality is to Grandma's. I treasure these comments, even though I've been unable to know her fully as my Grandma; the testimony of the life she lived speaks loudly.

Grandma loved beautiful things-- not costly and expensive things, but simple things she could share with all around her--- like the brilliant flowers she cultivated in her yard; admired by the whole neighborhood, or the delicate paintings she created and framed to share with others.

Her creativity and zest for life, the wholeheartedness she poured into every endeavour is evident in everything left behind; the recipe cards, the song books; the flawlessly designed hand-made things she sewed.

The things left behind tell a strong, touching story. The pictures tell of a wife who loved none-other than her husband; their faces as radiant and glowing during the last years together as on their wedding day. Of a Mother wrestling with her sons, of a Grandmother who would get down on the floor to play blocks with her grandchildren, and who always had room for one more on her lap.
But through it all, she lived her life for one purpose, and one purpose alone; to glorify the Father. She didn't come to know of His saving grace until later in her life, but her zeal for Him, her love for His truth shines through everything that she did in those later years.

The hand-made Salvation cards she created to pass out to anyone who would receive them, the scripture verses and prayers sprinkled through the letters and cards that she wrote.

The tokens left behind weave a strong tale of devotion, hope, and faith. Her devotion was not for the things which her eyes could see--- eyes that clouded over time until her eyesight was lost completely-- but for Him who was hidden from her sight. Her hope was not in the strength of her body- which withered away until she was too feeble to leave her bed-- but in the saving Grace of her Heavenly Father. Her faith was not in the clarity of her mind, or her mental capacity-- stricken through the years by Alzheimer's until she knew no-one-- her faith rested solely in her Lord.

She believed that only He could carry her through all the dark stormy nights; only He could sustain her through each trial in life. Grandma trusted her life completely into the hands of her Maker, confident that He would complete the good work He began in her.

And now--- He has. Grandma has passed from this earth and into the Holy presence of her King. We rejoice in knowing that she is whole, she is well, she is complete. No more pain, no more sorrow, no more suffering; no more tears!!

We Miss you. We Love you.

"The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever."

Psalms 37:18

Trivia Tuesday!!!

The answer is..............

Noah!!

And the new trivia is..........

There was once a little girl, who we'll call Maggie, who had a friend, who we'll call Davey. Davey's family and Maggie's family would get together and all the children would play together. Now Davey and Maggie always had trouble when they would play together. They were not the very best of friends. More often than not, they were fighting or contending over something. Maggie and Davey's parents would make sure that they made things right if they were fighting, and 'helped' them to have godly attitudes more than once. Davey got Maggie in trouble a lot, and Maggie didn't like him at all. One time, Maggie was so frustrated, she challenged to Davey to armwrestling. Davey stood up to the challenge, but lost. Maggie had a long talk with her Daddy about armwrestling boys, and Davey had a long talk with his Daddy on how to treat ladies. Now as time passed and they grew up, they didn't see each-other very much. In fact, they didn't see each-other for over 7 years. Now after that time had passed, Davey went to a birthday party where Maggie was!! He remembered her as a little girl who talked too much. But Maggie had grown up and changed. As Davey started talking to Maggie, Maggie saw that Davey had changed too!! After the party, Davey prayed and talked to his parents. Then he talked Maggie's Daddy, and then to Maggie. Two years later, Davey and Maggie were married, and lived happily ever after!!!

Who are 'Davey' and 'Maggie'???

Ellie's Graduation!

Our dear friend Ellie Stangl graduated from High School in May.

Our family was glad to be able to join them for her celebration! They gave a short program followed by an afternoon of fellowship and fun!
So many little people!!

Ellie gave a brief speech during the program. She shared how she has made her parents and siblings her best friends, and how she loves working, playing and just being with her family.
"I could keep talking, but it's really hot out here." :)

Ellie's captive audience!

Presentation of her diploma.

It was a very sweet moment for Father and Daughter.

Happy tears.

Mother and Daughter.

Displaying her diploma.

Ellie and Lydia played a exciting duet.

It was delightful to listen to!

-Giggles-

The rest of the afternoon was spent visiting and playing sports. There was a huge number of volleyball players!!! At one point there was close to 60 people of all ages playing!! It took two nets and fast paced games of speed to include all those players!!

After the party was over, our family joined them overnight and spent the following day working on projects in the new addition.

Lydia and Tabitha made delicious lemon meringue pies!

-Working-

They had a blast, but they got a bit dirty!

-Visiting-

The younger ones made themselves a water slide to occupy themselves and cool them off.

-Fun-

Moses and Joe in the basement where they were building the frame for a closet.

Congratulations, Ellie!! We were so glad to be able to help you celebrate!! May you be blessed as your serve those around you in His name!!