Peanut at 14

This cool cat turned 14 at the beginning of April.    His birthday this year was abit overshadowed with COVID19 and so no one came to share dinner and cake with us in celebration but he took it like a champ, as almost-men are wont to do. 

His body has stretched to surpass his Mama (that's a feat!) and his feet have grown to surpass his Papa's.  He gets paid man wages for mans' work and does the job well. He recently pruned a neighbors entire orchard in exchange for a shotgun.  He is passionate and enthusiastic about new things- he dove right in to making maple syrup this year.  He handles the cow with the ease and comfort of an old cowboy.  He does quite a bit of the mans' work around here, even when Matt IS home...like bringing in wood and mowing the lawn and splitting kindling.  He's just a reliable guy.

I love all these things about him.

 I also love his grin.  His magnificent EYEBROWS!  The fact that he can make any one of us die laughing with his sense of humor and impersonations.  (He really could be Tim Hawkins' double.)  The times that he is infuriating are far less than the times that he is hilarious.  That he still kisses me good night and hugs me goodbye.  That he still comes and finds me to talk about...whatever.  AND the fact that he is cool enough to wear his little sisters' handmade birthday hat- just for her! 

  I'm sitting here, all melty like.  I do love a little person, big person gift exchange.  I love the look of excited anticipation on the little people.  I love the grace and goodness of the big people in accepting humble offerings.  I'm a puddle.

Grandpa and Grandma did a drive by birthday gift throw onto the porch. 

I exaggerate.  (But only slightly. ha!)  

Andrew's requested birthday cake was FUNNEL CAKE!  And LOTS OF IT.

May the Lord continue to grow you, my boy.  In both strength and goodness.  

May you be a sharpened arrow to serve the King, all the days you are given.  

Eastering

“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told."  Habbakuk 1:5

In a world that seems dark and scary and even  hopeless right now to so many, Jesus sits enthroned on high, the Light of the world, Creator of daffodils and microbes, Ruler of rulers, Redeemer of Nations and Peoples, Orchestrator of all good.  

We need not look far for Hope.  We need not look far for freedom from fear, from pain, from sadness, from sin.  Jesus bore it all and then He conquered it.  What a reason to rejoice.   We have Jesus.  And that changes EVERY SINGLE THING.  Not every single thing 2000 years ago.  Every single thing 2000 years ago and every single thing today...and every day in between and every thing to come.

It changes how we look around us.  It changes how we LIVE.  It changes how we look into the future, free from fear and full of hope.  This Easter, like every other Easter...and every other day- there is reason to REJOICE!  

And so we do... we hope you did too!  Happy Easter!

Pictures from the day:

While the face of this boy is a delight... it would be a shame to miss the incredibly impressive legs dangling down.

He has neither knees NOR ankles- and he is STILL charming.

I spent all day on Saturday cooking food ahead of time which meant that there was time to spare before the actual Easter feast.

Like 5 minutes.

Ever notice how no matter how early you begin preparations, you always work right up until a party?  Yup.

HEY!  No whispering secrets at the table!

Bonus points if the baby color coordinates with the tablecloth.

This little speed demon found all her eggs before I could snap a picture of her hunting!

I did the hunt in rounds- with little children going first, then middles and then the biggles hunting last.  When children found 15 eggs, they checked their spoils and the next group got started.  It worked well because the hardest hidden eggs were left for the biggest kids.

Easter clothes were a sad state of affairs for anyone over the 4 year old age range.  We all just scoured our closets for SOMETHING to wear.  Adele' and I both had a hard time finding something that fit us in our closets.

Adele', because she is growing UP.  Me, because I am growing OUT.

There was a bit of a panic in the morning- and then Corynn passed the blue dress torch down to her sister, saving the day.

I never had a chance to get a family picture- or even one of all the children together- but I did try to get at least one snap of each of the children.  As soon as I pointed the camera at her, Corynn did a silly dance.  And SO...

let this be a lesson to them all.  

Doing a silly dance does not equal no blog photos.

It just equals SILLY blog photos.

(PS.  I love that grin.)

Baby gets extra photos because I just love me vintage baby outfits.  Moses and Ineke both wore vintage clothes bought for a pittance at a flea market and Salvation Army.  Moses' outfit I have since Andrew was a wee one.  It makes me happy to have a new boy to squeeze into those special duds of days gone by.

Also- WHY aren't clothes nowadays so classy?!

 After our meal, I sent these three children off to give an Easter feast and flowers to some neighbors, while I cleaned up the kitchen.  

I love it when bigger brothers hold hands with littler ones.

It is kind of amazing that I got this photo.  Or ANY photo of Moses these days.  And here's why:

View this post on Instagram

It's hard, people.

A post shared by Rebecca (@thehopesteadhome) on Apr 13, 2020 at 5:42am PDT

Happy Easter

 

I spent all day today doing feasty things, because ain't no way, no how I am gonna let a little thing like a global pandemic spoil or overshadow our celebration of Easter.  

In fact, I am gonna do Easter like I've never done Easter before.

We may not have any fancy Easter clothes or spiffy new church shoes to wear for the occasion...we may not gather with the Church outside of our living room, but tomorrow is OUR DAY. 

(And I am pretty sure, at the bottom of that not-yet-folded-but-clean-clothes fort, there is SOMETHING for us to wear.)

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

First Food

As if his thighs weren't chubby enough...