jamisons' apple orchard

Jaden's pre-school went on a field trip this week to an apple orchard.  It's a local orchard run by an Amish family.  It was a fun morning.

this is the Amish apple orchard

an old water wheel

a working saw blade, run by a smaller water wheel

we all got a fresh picked apple-mmm, they were good!

the garden for the apple orchard

peach trees

apple trees

jamisons' even has their own apiary for fresh honey

the kiddos watching Mr. Jamison wash green beans to sell in the store

Jaden's class: Hunter, Harper, Elliot, Jaden, Justin and Rylan

with their teacher Mrs. Whittle

grieving a sweet friend

My sweet friend died this past Sunday.  It was very sudden and unexpected.  She had a c-section last week and developed an infection.  Going in for a post-op visit, she never came home from the hospital.

She and her husband were shining examples of Christ's grace and mercy and love to me.  They let me live with them for a year and half when I didn't have a place to go.  She walked with Derek and I through some tough times.  She was my support when I needed someone's shoulder.  And now she's gone.

I'm thankful that God invites us to wrestle these things with Him.  Isaiah 1:18 says, "Come now, and let us reason together".  I can take all my emotions and my thoughts over my friend's death to Him openly and honestly.  And He listens to my cries.

He answered me with:
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts"~Isaiah 55:9
"Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none.  How precious are Your thoughts towards me, O God!  How great is the sum of them!" ~Psalm 139:16-17

Even though I am struggling with understanding the why of my friend's death, God has a plan.  I can't see it.  I don't know the whole picture.  But I do know that His word promises me that God had my friend's life planned.  Each and every day was written for her.  He held her in the palm of His hand, and never let her go.  He loved her so much more than I did, so much more than her husband and her children.

I'm clinging to these verses.  I'm praying the Holy Spirit will be comfort and strength and peace to her family and friends.  I'm thankful that I will see her again in eternity.

Please pray for her family.  Especially her small children.  Pray that they will find comfort in the Lord.  Pray for their week old baby.  Pray for her husband, who know has to balance all of these things by himself.  Most of all, pray that they continue to walk with the Lord, and find solace in Him.

a funny from this week

Jaden came out of his pre-school class today and we had this conversation:

Jaden: Mommy!  Harper brought some cookies that she made and let us all have one.
Me:  Oh, well, that's nice. Were they good?
Jaden: Um, no.
Me: I'm sorry.  That stinks when they're no good.
Jaden: Yea, well, the boys in my class and I all ate them and then we told her we were going to throw up.
Me: *a little chuckle*  next time, you should probably say it a little bit nicer. 
Jaden:  Why?
Me:  Because it might have hurt her feelings.
Jaden:  Girls have too many feelings.

=)  still laughing....

random stuff....

I have put off cleaning my house for a little while, and so today, I buckled down and cleaned!  Doing the work is not fun, but sitting down and smelling the nice, clean smells and looking around and seeing no clutter is definitely a nice feeling.

Some quotes from Jaden:

About girls-
*talking to another little boy on the playground*
You don't want a girlfwiend because they're expensive.

*talking to me in the car*
Jaden: Mommy, what's an apwopwiate age to have a girlfwiend?
Me: Um, I don't know buddy.  What do you think?
J: How about five?  I'll be five in November 16th and that would be good.
M: Oh, you think so?
J: Yep.  Gotta start pwacticing early. 

About Grandpa-
*driving to a wedding and stuck in traffic*
Grandpa: Hold on everyone, we're going a different way.
Little bit later....
Grandpa:  See, we bypassed all that traffic and now we're at the tunnel!
Jaden:  Wow, that's my amazing gwandpa! =)

About babies-
Jaden:  Mommy, we should get some ear pwug thingies that daddy has.
Me:  Why?
J: Because then I don't have to hear the baby cwy all the time..... =)

a couple good books...

This summer I did not have as much reading time as I would've liked. So, I'm thankful to have some down time this fall to kick back and read.  

I'm reading a book called Small Steps by Louis Sachar. It's the sequel to Holes. It is a fantastic read.  I'm finding it very difficult to put down!  It focuses on two boys from Holes who were also sentenced to Camp Green Lake-Armpit and X-Ray.  So far, it's a good read.

I'm also reading a book called 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson.  It's a youth fiction novel, but it's a great, quick read. 

I don't usually read two books at one time, but it's easy with these two.

What books have you read lately?

a new season

I'm thankful it's the time of year when summer fades and autumn comes in.  I think fall is my favorite season.  There's so much I love!  Leaves changing.  Crisp morning air.  Pumpkins.  Warm apple cider.  Jeans.  Cute sweaters.

I also like that with fall comes routine again. I am such a schedule oriented person.   I love having things start.  Like preschool for Jaden.  The kick off events for women's ministry and women's bible study.  I'm anticipating relaxing with other moms, drinking tea or coffee, and studying the Word.  I'm looking forward to a walking club that's starting this week-being able to get out and walk in the fresh air.

I am a little bit sad that summer is ending, but at the same time I am really looking forward to this season of life =)

"I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing." ~Ezekiel 34:36

 

 

First Day of Preschool

Jaden started pre-k this week!  This little guy loves it! 

It's amazing how quickly time flies with kids.  Sometimes, it feels like yesterday that Jaden was born.  And now, he's almost five and has started school!  We have been very blessed to have Jaden in our lives.  I'm excited to see how Jaden grows and changes this year.