SSMT #10

I have to admit that I'm lagging a bit in my memory work. But instead of beating myself up, I'm trying to apply myself more. I'm not giving up for sure!

Psalm 86:5 (NIV)

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love to all who call to you.

As I Get Older...

I was fitted with my first pair of prescription glasses when I was eight years old. Since then I grew steadily more nearsighted (myopia) each year. When I hit my 30s, I used to look forward to my 40s, thinking that when I started to get farsighted (presbyopia) the two would cancel each other out and I would miraculously be able to see! Yeah, that didn't happen. Instead I had to have bi-focals.

Now that I'm approaching 57, my vision has gotten much more complicated. The good news is that my prescription for nearsightedness is actually improving a little. The farsightedness is not. Neither of those prescriptions work for stitching (mid range vision) or the computer. So I now have four pairs of glasses. I just got new ones, so I thought I'd show them off.

The bottom line is: I'm thankful for my eyesight!

My computer glasses

They're single vision so I was able to buy plastic frames, I love them!

My stitching glasses

They're single vision so I was able to buy small, lightweight frames

My sunglasses (obviously)

They're bifocal progressives

My lenses are so thick that they're not able to grind them down 

If you were to see me in person, you'd see that these are truly coke bottle lenses

My everyday glasses

They're bifocal progressives, but in a clear lens they are able to grind them down quite a bit.

Thank goodness!

Grandkids

On Saturday we drove down to Mesa to celebrate Ashley's 23rd Birthday. It was such fun to visit with Zach, Ashley, and Skye,,, and of course we took pictures! Then yesterday my folks came over for a play date. You guessed it, more pictures!

I just love this photo of Skye

What a happy face

Helping mommy open gifts

Zach, Skye, Ashley

Of course Grammy always has to steal a kiss

Papa (my dad) playing with Thunder

Sunny serving Gigi (my mom) dinner at her "restaurant"

What a sweet photo

Thunder dropped in for a bite too - more interested in the fake food than in smiling for the camera!

SSMT #9

Here is the verse I've chosen to memorize:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12 NIV

Not only will I be working to memorize this verse, I'll be working to live it!

Stitching Update - Week 17

For the past three weeks I've been primarily working on our afghan project. If you've been reading me for awhile you know that my daughter, Jessica, my DIL, Janel, and I are stitching afghans. We each chose a theme for our afghan and are stitching them in a rotation. We each stitch three squares on the one we're working on and then we rotate them to the next stitcher. It's so fun and I just love seeing the squares that the girls stitch on mine. We have completed one year of this rotation and will be switching in May to start our 2nd rotation. We've each been stitching on our own this time around.

For some reason, I got way enthusiastic and stitched more than 3 squares on mine. It is so colorful! And it's fun to see the squares filling up. The theme of my afghan is the months of the year. Some of the months have two extra squares and some of them have one extra square. I tried to find patterns that would compliment each month. Jessica and Janel pick the extras that they're going to stitch and it's always an awesome surprise when I see what they've chosen. Here's photos of my squares:

The April month square - L*K pattern

April extra from an old xstitch magazine

April extra - freebie found on Internet

February month square - I need to find one extra to stitch for this grouping

October month square - one of the girls will stitch two extras for this grouping

Summer Basket - extra for the August group

Extra for August group - freebie from Internet

What a Week

As if Tax Day on Monday, April 15th wasn't enough, we had the bombings at the Boston Marathon. Once again innocent people were targeted. Standing in the crowd, watching friends and family cross the finish line, three people died and almost 200 were maimed or injured.

The next day, as we're still dealing with the shock of the bombs, came the news of the Ricin letters. Questions start to bubble up about the security of our nation.

Late Wednesday evening brought the news of the fertilizer plant fire and subsequent explosions which killed and injured the residents of the small town of West, Texas. More questions, more concern.

Then the news of today. More death and injuries related to the suspected perpetrator's of the Boston Marathon bombs.

What a week, indeed. But through it all, we must remember that "the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does." (Psalm 33:4) Let's keep our focus on Him, not on the chaos around us.

Have a peaceful weekend!

SSMT # 8 (oops, I'm late!)

I meant to post my verse on Monday, but between the grandkids, Dan working on the computer, and then the huge distraction of the bombs in Boston, it totally slipped my mind until now.

Here's #8:

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 NIV