February Hot Happenings

It is hard to believe that one day makes all the difference, but February has lived up to its standard of being the shortest month of the year! It is hard to believe that it is already over and it is time to plan for March. But before we do that, lets review what February looked like at our home.

We have kids around here that are growing like weeds! We celebrated Justin’s 15th birthday, and Stephanie celebrated her 19th from afar. Despite the changing ages, things proceed normally around here…

Judah is now 3 months old, and developing his own personality. He broadcasts it every day! He does a great job with his hands and already loves to “play” with toys. He gets frustrated if he can’t reach things. His sisters can make him laugh quite often and he has discovered Sheba...he just can’t wait until he is big enough to really play with her!

He loves to read books...it is really quite something. He will normally sit and let you read an entire book to him! Oh, and look...he already loves this special book I picked up:

Speaking of reading, I’ve been doing some of my own reading this month (continuing my practice of 2 books per months for this year)

Gift from the Hills is a unique book, but one I have greatly enjoyed! It is the story of a small handcrafting school in the hills of North Carolina, how it came to be, the many people that made it possible, and fun, one-of-a-kind stories that could only happen in the NC hills. :) Take this excerpt for example:

“We were sitting on the long front porch when one of the men inquired quite innocently if any of us girls had ever been snipe hunting. None of us had.

“It ought to be a good night to go,” the young man observed. I felt suspicious of a certain tone in his voice, but I looked at dependable, loyal old Mr. Wyatt, and when he spoke I knew I had been wrong to suspect the visitor.

“Yes,” Mr. Wyatt agreed, with a drawl, “this ought to be a good night for ‘em to be runnin’.”

“The men told us that we should hold the tow sacks with our lanterns at the mouths so that when the snipe came down they would see the open mouths of the sacks and run into them in the belief that they were escaping into dark caves. (!!!!) So they hunted up the sacks and we trudged down the hill. With absolute faith in Mr. Wyatt’s solemnly proclaimed view on the fitness of the night for snipe-hunting, we took our places in the old road. The men went off to chase the snipe down to us.

Well, we stood there, bent over, holding those open-mouthed tow sacks until our backs ached and our arms were numb. Finally it began to dawn upon our trusting minds that the joke was on us, and we decided to take our bags and head for home.

That was my first and last snipe hunt.”

Consider yourself forewarned! :) (Who knew that snipe hunting existed in the 1920’s??) That and many other delightful tales make this book extremely interesting and fun to read. There are some great historical facts and details about things in the Mitchell and Linville counties that I never knew before! I enjoyed reading about the details of hand weaving and how this small, “hick” school kept that tradition alive!

The other book I read this month was “Overcoming Being Overcome,” an up-beat, encouraging book written by a Pastor’s wife here in Nova Scotia. Written to women in any walk and station of life, this book helps us to take whatever life throws us, whatever we face even in the mundane day-to-day, and use it to make us overcomers for the cause of Christ! It is a book I would recommend especially to any ministry lady as a great source of encouragement. This neat passage was a blessing to me, even though I am not yet a mother:

I Corinthians 13 of Housecleaning

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place, but have not love, I am a housekeeper - not a homemaker.

If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements, but have not love, my children learn cleanliness - not Godliness.

Love leaves the dust in search of a  child’s laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love is present through the trials.
Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.
Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child.
Then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.
Love is the key that opens salvation’s message to a child’s heart.

Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God’s perfection of my child.
As a mother, there is much I must teach my child,
But the greatest of these is love.
Author Unknown

Isn't that sweet?

I have continued the practice of reading a chapter to my siblings at each noon meal, and we are all enjoying it! In fact, they get quite put out if I am not home for lunch on any given day. ;) Here is what we have been reading:

 We finished "Nancy and Plum," and we all enjoyed it. The girls got quite angry at some of the "convenient" places that I left them hanging! (Thats the fun of it, right?) This is a delightful kids book.

When we finished that, we started "Farmer Boy," the next in our series of Little House books. I just love reading about Almanzo's family and how hard they worked to provide everything they needed to survive. It certainly carries some appeal with it! They worked unbelievable hard, but were rewarded with everything they could want in bountiful supply.



There were a lot of activities that went on in February!

We celebrated Justin's birthday
And Valentines day (including my Pinterest Project)
(Holly and I tried to help some of you fellows out for the big day.)
I've been doing a whole lotta sewing (and loving it)
I took my brother to a winter retreat (where we actually saw some snow)
I contemplated joining Google+...and I still haven't, BTW. One of these days.
The 40 days of Lent began this month.
I re-organized my "nightstand"
And I tried to stay warm!
Oh, and we had a flock of these on our front lawn:

Yup, those are Robins! Hard to believe, in February! That is just how warm its been. I'm hoping they don't get snowed on!

February was full and busy and fun, and I am sure March will be the same. Crossing my fingers for WARM WEATHER! Wouldn't that be fantastic?

How was your February? Any big plans for March? Who else is excited for SPRING???!!!!