A quote from an "Apples to Apples" Bible edition card

"Preach the Gospel always. If necessary, use words."

-Francis of Assisi

(1182-1226)

Introducing our pets...

I have meant to do this for a while, because my sister Abbie took some lovely pictures of all our pets a couple weeks ago, and I wanted to post them. :)

This, of course, is Shanni, who got the first picture post on my blog. A deceptively innocent looking bundle of fur who wreaks havoc and laughter all over the house. Love her to pieces...most of the time. She's fun. We've definitely been blessed with interesting pets. Not one of them lacks personality!!

Next is Bear, our 10-year old Golden Retriever. You can see the white beginning to show around the eyes. Beautiful dog! BIG dog. :) Both his parents were 90-100 pound retrievers. In this picture, Bear is still growing out his hair after a summer haircut. He's a sweetie. Abbie loves taking him out for walks, so they're good buddies.

This pretty fellow is Tyler's 4-1/2 year old Sheltie, Pippin. :) He's a very sweet pup with a great disposition. We all love him dearly. Though he haunts the kitchen and comes running at the sound of cereal being poured or chips being put on plates. There's always the chance that some tasty morsel will fall to the floor. And I guess we do it enough that he hasn't given up the practice.

This is our sweet new parakeet, Pearl. Well, its full name is Pearl Justinian van der Hoeven. Sam wanted its first two initials to be PJ. But Pearl is what has stuck. Our last bird was a mean and aggressive little thing that would peck at you if you so much as touched the bars of his cage. Pearl, however, is being diligently trained to sit on fingers.

Last is our sweet little Netherland Dwarf, Archie. Pitch black with tiny ears and the cutest little face. :) A cuddle bunny for sure, though he has bitten me once or twice. Not maliciously I'm sure, but still...not exactly the way to build trust. Hmm, and writing about him reminds me I need to trim his nails tomorrow. A VERY nerve-wracking job, since his nails are black and you have to use a flashlight to find the quick, and avoid cutting into it. Yikes!

So those are our pets! We have a tankfull of fish and a frog too, but they're not very photogenic, and the frog is camera-shy. But what fun pets are. There's just something home-y about seeing a cat sleeping in front of the fireplace, a dog sitting at his master's side, and to hear a bird chirping cheerily in the corner. Such a variety of little critters that bring joy to the heart. Mostly. ;)

Discipline

"Strive to choose, not that which is easiest, but that which is most difficult. Do not deprive your soul of the agility which it needs to mount up to Him."

--Saint John of the Cross

From "Discipline: The Glad Surrender" by Elisabeth Elliot

Day 3

This slideshow is of our 3th day exploring Yellowstone. The day before this we stuck near home, doing laundry and exploring all the gift shops in Gardiner. Nothing very picture-worthy. :) Although I suppose our stacks of laundry were large enough to be worth a picture or two. I didn't take any though. Sorry. But on this day in Yellowstone, we explored the Canyon side of Yellowstone (east side). Such different scenery from the west side! Lots of waterfalls and amazing overlooks.

Reputation and Character

"The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character. Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are. Reputation is the photograph; character is the face. Reputation comes over one from without; character grows up from within. Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away. Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character is built in a lifetime. Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like the oak. A single newspaper report gives you your reputation, a life of toil gives you your character. Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable. Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; character is what the angels say about you before the throne of God."

William Hersey Davis

Yellowstone Highlight

Here it is. The Petrified Tree. Cool, huh? The boys wanted their picture taken with it so they could preserve the memory of their favorite landmark forever. After seeing it for the first time, we talked about it the rest of the trip, since we passed the turnoff to see it nearly every day. How difficult it was to pass it up each time!! Tyler and Sam in particular just begged to be allowed to see it one last time before we left, but because of our tight schedule, it just never worked out. Thank goodness for cameras, eh?

With all sincerity, I thought it really was pretty neat. This redwood tree was probably petrified during the flood! Which means it's...old. I love old things. And history. So it was my kinda landmark. Years ago, there were supposedly 2 other stumps just like this one, but they were slowly chipped away by visitors looking for souvenirs. Hence the bars. We did get to bring home some petrified wood though, since we found some in a river we were playing in. :) So much variety to be found here!

Day 2

More Yellowstone pictures! These are from our second day in the park. We visited Mammoth Hot Springs, and traveled across the northern section of road, stopping at anything and everything we wanted to. Including the petrified tree, which was everyone's favorite (who doesn't like a stump of dead wood behind bars?) Well, I thought it was cool, anyway. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of that most noble of tree stumps...or at least, it turned sideways when I tried to put it into the slide show. It may have to get a separate post all to itself. *grin*

The new look

This is so fun! All I did was send the picture to my blog-header expert friend, Michelle, and she turned it into something beautiful!! Still fine-tuning the other blog colors (background, type, borders, etc.), but this looks much more fall-ish. Thank you so much Michelle!! I LOVE it!!

1993

I found a picture of the same little jumper! This was taken on my 4th birthday. And okay, forget what I said about the curls. ;) These were special birthday sponge-curler curls. Not quite as natural as Hope's, but I loved when Mom did them. Don'tcha love the hairbow?

In my search for a picture of me wearing that blue dress I found another one that many of you will enjoy, since it's a family picture when we were only 6. Hee hee. Just Mom, Dad, Luke (6), me (4), Tyler (2), and Sam (4 months).

I love looking through old photo albums!!

Little Cutie

Little girls just belong in dresses and tights. :) And just look at that sweet smile! Think she's had her picture taken a few times? You'd be right. The delights of being the adorable baby sister. By the way, that jumper she's wearing was MINE 16 years ago. My mother made it! It was my favorite because it was made of ever-so-soft midnight blue velour. Maybe I'll have to find a picture of me wearing it those many years ago, to see if Hopie and I look similar. I certainly didn't have those curls!!

As for the sweet pup, that's Tyler's dog Pippin (for those of you who have never met him). The cutest little Sheltie in the world!

Heart's cry

O For a Heart

O for a heart to serve my God

A heart that's ever broken to His will

Oh for a heart to serve my God my king
A heart that's ever delighting Him.

Oh that I would be made pure

That I would strive to love Him more

That every work of my hands

Would accomplish His plans

So that He would be glorified.

That I would place no other above

That I would die to lift high my God

That every gift I enjoy

Would always be employed

In the service of my faithful Lord.

--Keith Getty & Margaret Becker

"O For a Heart"

Day one

After our 2-day drive, and 1 day of resting up at our cabin, we entered Yellowstone for the first time! We drove all the way from the North entrance down the west side to Old Faithful. The geyser was the main attraction of the day, but we stopped at a few other neat hot springs, waterfalls, and beautiful picture taking sites along the way. :)

Walnuts

An ordinary pile of Autumn odds and ends?

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I THINK NOT!!!
Meet Walnuts.

Piper on Purity

"Christian purity is not the mere avoidance of evil, but the pursuit of good."

-John Piper

(The Passion of Jesus Christ, pg 91)