Full Time Sister

I know...it's been a while...like a LONG while! But we've been busy! A very good busy, and I'll post about that next. But right now...I have brothers on my mind...

N. Pl. Brothers:

1. A male having the same parents as another or one parent in common with another.

Well, I have 4 brothers. Ranging from 5 years older than myself to 14 years younger than myself! And I have a good and unique relationship with each one. I've been a full time sister for 25 years. And I love it! It's been an wonderful experience and I intend to keep it up, God spare life, for as many years as I'm granted. Oh, I know that time will change the face of each relationship, but the foundation will remain. Here are some thoughts....

One: Cook their favorite foods. I'm not saying the only way to man's heart is through his stomach. I am saying you should know and cook their favorites just because you love them and it's a way to show it. :) Yesterday I made egg drop soup for lunch because Silas loves that stuff. And last night for supper I made meatballs. Because Miles loves that meal! And you should have seen their faces! :)

Two: Listen to them. Sometimes that means listening about subjects that you may know little and understand less! Sometimes it's about silly stuff. But listen to them. You'll come to understand them and see things from their perspective.

Three: Sit with them (without expecting them to talk or pay much attention to you, it's about them!) Sometimes they don't want to talk. Sometimes they don't want you to talk! They just want to sit and let their minds be completely blank. If you ask them what they're thinking and they say "nothing", believe them! And just sit quietly with them.

Four: Be honest and never back down from the truth. They may get mad at you if their head is briefly messed up, but they will come around and see the light and hold on to the solidness of the truth you are standing for.

Five: Always love them. Even if it means tough love at times. They will never forget that love. Tell them you love them. They will love you back, even if they don't say it. Because boys love differently than girls.

Six: Cheer them on. Cheer for them when they do 10 dead hang chin ups, just as much as you cheer them on when they graduate from school. Just because you don't think something is your priority doesn't mean its not cheer-worthy!

Seven: Be happy with them. Be goofy, tell jokes and laugh at their jokes. Laugh for no reason...with them. :)

Eight: Help them stay focused on Heaven. Pray for them, encourage them, and most importantly, be faithful yourself. And practice agape love on them.

So...if you have brothers, start working or maintaining your relationship with them. It's vital to both of your lives. It's never to late to start.

I am so thankful for my brothers! <3

The Importance of being Ernest

Tonight Dad and Mom had an engagement so we kids had a fun evening together.

It went something like this....

It started out with breakfast for supper. Biscuits, gravy, bacony eggs and peach jam. Simple but very tasty. We all love a good breakfast for supper!

Next, Anna got some music going and we did the dishes. Some might call dishes a chore, but when we're all in the kitchen, working together and singing together...it's fun! You should try it sometime!

Oh and don't forget the part where Naomi plays the annoying part of the Netherfield Ball from Pride and Prejudice...Starting with "My mother bids me bind my hair...." and ending with a brilliant rendition of the Turkish Rondo! How does she manage that?!

"Let's play a game!!" And whist was the choice- yeah, that's a new one we've learned! It takes an even number of people and there are only seven of us. So. We have a problem, Houston! *drum roll please* Nathan to the rescue! *dum ta dum!!* He'll just split his amazing personality and be two people at once! (I helped him with the name) So Anna, Miles, Naomi and Nathan were on one team and Emily, Silas, myself and Ernest were on the second! We all sat at the table and had a blast! Let me just insert that Nathan's team and Ernest's team both won! What's with that?! ;)

(I wish you could have seen him hopping up, trotting to one chair to be Nathan, then running back around to be Ernest!! Hehe...he's cute!)

So then we watched a move and had a nice relaxing evening together. :) I know we're crazy but I love my family and I'm so thankful we can have so much fun and good times together!!

"Bingo!!" "Scrabble!" -You would have had to have been there!!! ;)

Holiday Memories, Part Two

This holiday season last year I was sitting pretty cozy in my house in Arkansas, with a lovely fire and hot tea. This year we are sitting in our nice house, with the windows open and the fans blowing! With iced tea! Well, I still drink my hot tea, I know...I'm a strange old bird! ;)

You see, the Trinis spend their Christmas Day at home, with their families, and since we spent Christmas Eve at home as a family we took advantage of the almost clear streets and went to the almost clear beach! It is very difficult to find a beach that is not swimming with indecency, so it was a treat to go and enjoy a rest.

(This is a photo I found online) We went to Maracas Beach on the North edge of the island. It's a beautiful spot.

There was a rain cloud that kept chasing us and it was so lovely coming over the hills. Have you ever seen the ocean during a rain shower? It's beautiful. Especially when your dry towel and clothes are sitting high and dry under that yellow life guard station! :)

The waves were boisterous and fun to play in and mesmerizing and lay-out-on-the-pallet-and-veg-izing too!

Mmmm....Have I mentioned how much I love the ocean, how beautiful it is?

Here's what Nathan did for the longest time...his finished work was really quite impressive! I helped by digging a hole for him, which he turned into a lake. Playing in the sand must be a universal joy.

Silas enjoyed himself, he was the last one out! But he's more the stay on the edge, closer to the beach type. I just loved watching him play. :)

We had a delicious local sandwich for lunch. It's called Shark and Bake- a fried shark in a flat naan type bread. It's part of the whole Maracas beach experience, so they say!

After lunch we headed back home and had a nice evening relaxing. It wears you out having a nice break at the beach! What a fun day and a great memory! I'm thankful we had a safe trip...we'll be treasuring those memories for the future!

I hope you had a great holiday yourself!

Holiday Memories, Part One

Our first Christmas holiday in Trinidad was so much fun! As I mentioned in a previous post, we each made a gift for the next younger person. So that made Anna my gifty person. And let me tell you, I had fun making this! I was a little afraid she might not like it, but she loved it! :D

I made a camera strap sleeve! It was very simple, in essentials, but you can really dress it up and make it neat! I didn't go for the ruffles, Anna just isn't ruffles! She loves black and white so this is what I ended up with! I did little tiny one inch black and white blocks, just like you'd do a quilt block.

Merry Christmas Anna! She's a great sister, she's a great photographer and I love her! :)

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Every one did such a great job! Emily made me a tiny tatted tea cup! It's precious! Nathan made Naomi a woven wall hanging and it's so beautiful! Definitely hope chest quality. And he's making me one too! ;) Maybe, well, I wish! Hehe!

All the gifts were great, but more importantly, we had a good and fun time together as a family.

And that was only Christmas Eve! I'll be doing the next post on what we did on Christmas Day....

Ohhh the weather outside is frightful...

...and a fire would make me have heatstoooooke...but since there's no place to go...let it snow, let it snow let it snow (in the areas of the world where it can!) Ha!

Happy Holidays from Trinidad! We are usually very low key around this time of year, and this year, we've done things very simply and we are loving it! Here is how we did the presents this year: Mom made Dad's gift, Dad, Emily's, Emily, mine and on down the line to Silas making Mom's! It was so much fun! All the little secrets and don't looks and please go to the other part of the house and don't look in that one closet! :)

We brought one of our outside plants in and decorated it just a little...it was cute and nice, even if it was a little pathetic! Hehe...I love my family, it's not about things being perfect, it's about being close and making do. :)

We're making a yummy dinner this afternoon: we found a turkey so we are having a turkey and dressing dinner! :)

Merry Christmas, friends! Have a wonderful day and enjoy your time with your family. :)

Happy Birthday, Silas!

Today was my youngest brother, Silas' tenth birthday! I personally find it hard to believe that he is 10 years old!! But he is and he's such a blessing to my life.

We go way back, Silas and I....I love being his sister...and he's a great little guy!

So we had birthday pancakes for breakfast, all the boys were very happy! Haha...they are so funny! Give them pancakes and you're friends forever!! ;) I love 'em! The treat I made him for lunch was limeade- We have a lime tree in our yard and he goes down there almost every single day to check on them and he has been wanting me to make some lemonade with limes as he calls it! So for a treat on his birthday, of course I did! :)

We always have such fun birthday suppers! I love the way our family can have so much good fun together. I'll always treasure these times! I made Silas a pineapple cake with fresh pineapple cream cheese icing....I'm loving (Silas is too) having these lovely fresh, ripe, juicy pineapples!

Anna and I found some trick candles at a little shop by our house....

<-it started out so lovely! He blew the candles out with one breath....

buuuut.......wait!!---> Something isn't right!!

His face is just precious!! He loved them!

Hurrah for birthdays! I just love them! :)

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What a great way to start the month of December!!

Home again, home again, jiggity jig!!

My last post was about the first hint of fall....it's just delicious how it's feeling more and more like fall! At least for me....I've worn my yummy old hoodie twice already! I love this time of year...the old summer is bowing out gracefully, autumn isn't coming to fast...just that fascinating time of year. Mmmm!

My family and I just got back from an eleven day trip through the old south....We started out by attending Polishing the Pulpit in Sevierville, TN. And I could stop right there and that would be enough. There is so much encouragement to be gained by attending such a powerful lectureship. Listening to the lessons, meeting new people, catching up with old friends....seeing 2000 Christians all in one place just lifts the soul! My life is incredible blessed by the time spent there. :)

And then we spend most of a day at the Chickamauga Civil War park in Chattanooga, TN. Now that was fun! Our family outings almost always include a picnic and this one was particularly nice! Picture all nine of us crammed around a picnic table...with lots of "pass the mustard please" and "Are there any more tomatoes?" "Please pass the pepper" etc. :D So then on to the park! We saw lots of neat sites, climbed a very tall tower, marched down to a bridge, took pictures and generally had a lovely time together!

We spent the weekend with the Madaris family and they're always a joy to be with! We worshipped with them Sunday morning and then drove up Mississippi and worshipped with the brethren at Second Street church of Christ near Red Bay, AL. What a wonderful day! Plus spending the evening with two more lovely families...what a refreshing time! But then it was time to say goodbye and drive home. I loved driving up from Fort Smith...that's always so beautiful, no matter the time of year! When we got in, my bed said quite distinctly, "I missed you!" ;) I'm kidding....

It's just good to be home. :) I'm thankful for the safe trip and all the good times we had.

How to have a successful shopping trip...

First: take your 12 year old brother with you. In case you don't know, this is my little brother Miles. I was 11 years old when he was born and I'm thankful every day to have him in my life! I guess I should say younger brother...cause he's definitely NOT little-er!

So he pumped my gas...(with a tiny bit of coaching)...he wasn't anxious to say it was his favorite thing to do, but I could tell he enjoyed doing a job he considers a grown up job!

Do you see that he is taller then I?! Ugh! What's with that?!

Second: pick out your vegetables and discuss Bok choy...

Miles- "Let's get Bok choy!"

Me- "Well, we don't really need it!"

Miles- "Oh."

Me- "Sorry..."

Miles- "What exactly is Bok choy?"

Me- "Chinese cabbage"

Miles- "Oh!"

He pushed my cart...you should have seen his face when I kept forgetting something on one of the aisles!

Third: He loaded the groceries up for me and laughed at me for taking another picture!!

Fourth: totally enjoy shopping for shirts and singing with the radio and just having a fun time with your brother.

Yep. I love my brother. He's a sweet guy! Everyday he blesses my life. He's funny, he's cute, he's sincere, he's thoughtful, and I've learned so much from him. :)

That's one way I have a successful shopping trip.