August 27, 2009
August 26, 2009
August 24, 2009
August 21, 2009
Things accomplished —
This has been a good week, although tiring as usual.
Here is what we have accomplished.
4 cleaning jobs
dog sitting for T and L
finding a bridesmaid dress for Melody
test run on the reception bouquets
purchasing more of the candles, votive holders etc..
purchasing the flowers and items to make the hair wreaths for flower girls
going though dresses to find my dress…. actually have two to choose from, one is black which I would pair with pink shoes and pink shawl, or a blue one with beading on the bodice and empire waist. I will model that for the girls later today and get their opinion. Pray for me….. I face a tough crowd!
returned almost all of the dresses we have tried. I know this sounds wasteful but we live 100 miles from malls and stores so this has worked the best for saving time and money in the long run.
we have Kristi all signed up for Liberty University and she starts classes on-line Sept. 21. She is going for her bachelor of arts in Education. She can get her degree fully on -line for $30,000 where to attend a state school it would be $64,000, let alone the price of a Christian college or private university. She may only do the on-line for a year or so but the savings will be substantial.
Dealt with a second inner-outer ear infection for Annie. Her doctor told her she can enjoy the rest of summer but only up to her neck….. so no getting her head wet at the beach. Bummer!
Canned green beans from our garden.
Melody blanched and froze 4 bags of broccoli from our garden, all by herself! Not bad for an eleven year old.
Took Mandy to dinner in Green Bay and got to spend some time with her.
thoroughly cleaned out our closet and bagged up clothes for Goodwill, and I even kept myself from taking a second look through the bags! Ridded myself of a number of shoes I cannot wear, except for a couple high-heels for fun nights out on the town! Otherwise it is Birkenstocks for me, very satisfying for my “inner hippy”!
Checked in a very grumpy couple to our cottage and stayed happy and pleasant despite their bad attitude!
Delighted in rain for our gardens, good fishing, my sensible and wonderful husband, flowers on my dining room table, beautiful daughters, happy son, cooler weather and God’s faithfulness.
Been blessed
Joyce
WE are bat killers!
For the last month we have had an unusual sound in the stove pipe of our wood stove. Rick and I both knew what was going on….. we just did not want to admit it. Yes, bats!
It was two years ago that we dealt with a bat infestation at one of our caretaking homes and in the process learned much about bats.
They do have a leader that they follow, they can fly down a circular opening, but they cannot fly up and out of the same opening, they will fight to live. I think that last one is the grossest. Is grossest a word? I am not getting the red line so maybe….. anyway!
A few days ago I noticed the twittering had become very loud as I was heading to bed. I mentioned to Rick that there was a lot of noise coming from the chimney. This activated my man and he jumped up asking for duck-tape, as any good midwesterner would! 
Now, to my knowledge there are few things that make my man react like this as he is not one prone to over-reacting or fear (that would be other members of our family) but I will tell you a few other things:
A snake being found in the house, on the porch or on our acreage.
A possum being found on our property.
Maybe a cop coming to our front door ( we have never had that happen except for the horse incident)
Definitely a DNR officer at the front door.
Definitely any young man who may show up wanting to ask one of our daughters out!!!!
There’s the list……. now you know!
So, I found duck-tape and he sealed the wood stove vents, small cracks, air-holes… you get the picture. We went to bed knowing that thanks to duck-tape we were safe.
The next day the girls and I returned from our cleaning job to a dining area which was warmer than usual. Rick was sitting in front of the woodstove with matches and newspaper. He needed more newspaper and asked Annie to go find some for him. Annie, our little animal lover, said that she could have no part in the killing of animals, especially in her own home. This was said with quite a bit of drama, so entertaining!
Rick said that the other option would be to let the bats go free in her bedroom.
Annie went and found newspaper!
Rick got a roaring fire going in the woodstove. Would that be the equivalent of a bat hell?? Just wondering.
Wish I could say that was the end of the story but three days later he had to do it again…
Yes, I would say he enjoys it!
August 17, 2009
Been Bawling thanks to Guy Penrod!! :)
This time of year, after 3 months of physical work, I get a little worn out. Last Sunday our pastor had us meditate on the sins listed in Eph, which grieve the Holy Spirit. I got convicted about being crabby. I am not sure that crabby is listed in those verses but I am sure it fits in! Now, I am not a ranting person so most of my crabbiness is kept inside, but, I know what I am thinking as well as the Holy Spirit does. It is hard for me to function well when I am tired so I really have to ask the Holy Spirit to fill me up every day, which, is also what the Pastor has preached on the last few weeks. Is this coincidence or God using him to speak to me? Sometimes I wonder if others in church get convicted by sermons preached at me???? Do you?? Just wondering :) I came home and told Rick that I was convicted of being crabby toward him, he feigned being shocked so I added ” you know, like when you get crabby with me!” To which he replied that he does not get crabby with me…. GET REAL! Always the saint :) It is good to get our hearts tenderized by the Holy Spirit, He does the work so well, and so completely……….. when we let Him.
God has also been using a CD that we just received. About 10 days ago we got the latest CD by Guy. I was so unsure about how this was going to turn out as it was going to be a change musically for him. So I prayed and prayed.
We got the mail as we were heading to Sister Bay for groceries. We put the CD in the player and drove off. Within minutes I was bawling… and I did not stop until I got to the grocery store and pulled it together to go inside. This time of year it is unnecessary to look totally together in public when I see a local because they too usually look disheveled, call it our Midsummer face! Anyway, we hopped in the car to head home and again the songs, the words, Guy’s voice, just brought me to tears. I love the truth in the songs, nothing hokey like so much of country music. I especially love the song about forgiveness and the title cut Breath Deep. So good. I have not listened to the CD once yet without tears…
You can get your CD at www.GuyPenrod.com
I am excited to say that hopefully this week we will have Guy booked for a concert here in Door County in Sept.. Stay tunes folks!
I am off to harvest beans and broccoli from the garden, try and dominate the laundry, care for Sammy and get school organized for Melly who pulled out all of her books and started school last week by herself! Talk about motivated learners :)
It is going to be a good day.
Blessed
Joyce
August 1, 2009
This is for you Mom!
My sweet mother has been hinting to me that I have not written a post, I have just been throwing pictures at this blog instead. She is such a support to me and so today I am responding.
This also gets me out of doing all those reports to my left on the desk and the pile of forms at my back, and the kitchen that looks like a bomb went through it or taking down the clothes on the line that went through the night out there….. you see my life
I will do summaries of events.
Nephews:
We had the most wonderful time with our nephews while they visited the first two weeks of July. They are WONDERFUL guys. They came on a weekend when all of our children and Jason were home as well, due to the 4th. This was planned and not supposed to be a problem…… but, as my life tends to roll, the shower that we ordered to go in the bathroom so it would be decent for guests……….. didn’t arrive. So, 3 days before the boys arrive Rick came home and needed to tell me something. He walked to the other side of our eight foot table to tell me that the shower did not come on the truck. This may give you the impression that I am a violent person, on the contrary, I am not. Rick just thought that if there was a limit that I could be pushed to where I might get angry, well, this might be it. I did not. I just started to let my mind think about 11-12 folks all using our master bath for four days…. then I decided I had better not go there either. So, everyone arrived and we made shower lists where you had to sign up for a time slot and stick with it. Of course there were a few who did not sign up as in Alex and Rick!!!! Always a few rounders. They had to sneak in between gaps. Sunday morning was a hoot to say the least. We survived.
I enjoyed the guitar playing and Matteo singing a beautiful song while playing his classical guitar only to find out the song was an Italian love song in which I believe a Maffia leader had an unfaithful wife and she had to be killed!!!! The music was SO beautiful and then to find out the story line was such amazed me. So, don’t be taken in by some handsome Italian singing some beautiful music… the lyrics might be fatal…. Just Saying!!
We took the boys to the races, to Lifest for their first concerts and mosh-pit experience! One of my favorite memories was coming home from either of these places. We were driving north of Sturgeon Bay and the boys were in the back of the suburban and they were raising their hands as if they were on a roller coaster ride. Alex explained that in Miami it is flat, as in absolutely flat without hardly a small hill or bump in the road. Here we were driving 60, I mean 55 ;) miles per hour over our rolling hills and they said it felt like as roller coaster ride. So cute!
The boys cooked us a wonderful Italian meal for which they will be forever welcomed in our home, as long as they promise to cook like that again! :) I enjoyed times of talking and discussing things like politics and books that Matteo read from my library, or music etc.. These are intelligent guys and we enjoyed hearing them share their knowledge with us. They also have girlfriends so it was fun to see them looking for a spot in our home where theit phones would get a signal so that they could call their girls! Verizon people, Verizon!
I am missing their voices, Alex constantly tattling on the girls for picking on him… poor baby. Alex walking, or should I say strutting through the house with only a towel on…and hearing a boy’s perspective on life in the Johnson house. I miss looking at the boys and seeing their Mom and then missing her, and Floriano too! I miss their help as they were a great help on one of our huge job sites where they showed some muscle and worked for hours doing landscaping. I miss their humor and banter between themselves and our girls, it is so good to laugh together. I thoroughly enjoyed the boys challenging their Uncle Rick to a racing competition on go-carts in which Rick showed them that although he lives with a bunch of females he can dominate testosterone as well!!! Fun, it was just plain fun. The girls loved having the guys here and we hope that they can do it again!
Door County:
Living in Door County in the summer as a local is always a trip.. a long one. For the months of May- Oct. all three of our businesses run at full speed. It is good as we like to be busy and we want out children to have a good work ethic so these businesses give them the chance to learn it well!
It is not all work, our days are filled with friends visiting from all over. As each friend makes their yearly visit, we scramble to connect with them for coffee or a cook-out at our house, time snatched away from the normal hours of work to grow these precious relationships with those we love. It is a joy to be loved by so many :) You know who you are !
Fishing continues to be exciting, what a life of faith where God continues to be faithful over and over again. Our dream of being debt free is getting so close and we can’t wait. While he was here, Matteo mentioned how diversified Uncle Rick is in his work. That is something we have prayed for and one of Rick’s qualities that I am so proud of. My man can do SO many jobs and it has lead to many avenues of work and meeting so many different people who hire us which has brought more opportunity to bless and influence! God is SO cool. While the boys were here Rick was dealing with political issues as he is the elected representative for Commercial Fishermen before the local DNR, State DNR and the Governor. When new legislation is being worked on that may effect fishing, our home and email is inundated with messages and people’s opinions and conference calls of which Rick has to head up and use discernment as he speaks. It is interesting to hear him in action but I learned years ago that there are some areas of his life I am not to give my opinion on unless asked. This is one of those areas!
Gardening:
It has been a wonderful summer, but the coolness has had it’s toll on the garden. Many of my first seeds did not sprout, What did is doing beautifully and my second plantings are doing very well. I also have an issue with some insect that eats my plants in June, but later plantings do not get bit at all. Over all things are looking good thanks to many waterings. We have started canning so from now until Nov. canning jars, rings and lids will be a permanent sight in our kitchen. I will be doing raspberry and cherry jelly this afternoon. Love it!
Wedding:
As you know, we have a wedding in the making and that is going well. Quite a new experience in EVERY way. Jeni and Jason are really doing everything themselves as far as decisions. Then, I find out what we need to work on and go from there. I have learned lots. Last weekend Jeni had her first wedding shower given by Jason’s mom at their church in Zion. The girls and I drove down to be with her and work on wedding things. We stayed at the home where Jeni works as her family always tells her to invite us down and use the house. WHAT a treat. This beautiful home is so peaceful and we enjoyed it so much. Jason and Melody played the WII together which made her day, he is so loving to all of our girls! We stayed up late singing around their grand piano in their living room. The acoustics were perfect for three part harmony!
One of the things we worked on while there was making the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets. We bought two different types of roses and I wrapped each set ending in colored ribbon. We then set them in water to watch them unfold. I am glad we did this little test because we have a really good idea of the time frame for making them and it won’t be last minute as we had thought. This will also save us hundreds of dollars for the wedding. They turned out beautifully and we got so excited to know that we can pull this off. We also listened to a song that Jeni had chosen for the wedding and the words are so powerful about the commitment of marriage, it will be beautiful. The shower was lovely and so much fun. I had such an emotional moment that morning as I was thinking about one of our six treasures being taken in to another family. Jason’s family is wonderful and love Jeni so that was not the issue. In fact, I can’t explain it as my husband can attest . Our treasure being given. Rick and I are not materialistic in any way…. well maybe I am about my library…. anyway, our children are our treasure, that’s it, they are what matters most and nothing compares with them. So, there is this deep emotion in the letting go and having her under her husband’s care and authority. It is a good feeling as Jason is a wonderful, strong, leader who loves God, but it is a force to be reckoned with none the less. All the letting go through the last 6 years was really practice for this time when the “two become one.” God is good, His ways are perfect, He can be trusted, He is our final answer and He will be their final answer and, ultimately they are God’s treasure first and last, He has much more at stake in them then we could ever. It is all good even when it is emotional.
P.S.
Yesterday Rick and I went to Green Bay to pick up some things for that never ending bathroom project. As we headed out I mentioned that we needed to go and buy a good suit for the wedding. Rick kicked into high gear about all the reasons that he did not need a suit, would never wear the suit again, blah, blah, blah as only he can reason!! Now don’t get me wrong, I believe in being a submissive wife, but every wife over the years of marriage learns that moments come where we have to take a “little” stand on things and tho the husband may mutter under his breath, he will be glad things get done or decided. This was one of those times. So, after wandering Home Depot making decisions and frying my brain on cabinets and tiles of which Rick and I are complete opposite in taste, we headed to Men’s Wearhouse.
Rick just about broke into a sweat when we walked in. He hates shopping, hates being measured, you get the picture. After an hour of trying on black suits, pants, shirts and shoes, we walked out with a beautiful black wool suit and new shoes. Everything was on sale, and tho it was slightly more than renting the tux, he owns it!! He will wear it again, and it should last for years. Might I add that he looked stunning. He may steal the show at the wedding…. Just Saying! :)
Dad:
My dear Father is home, being cared for by my Mother. We talk as often as I get a chance. His spirit is sweet as ever although his voice is weaker. He has been fighting an infection for 2 months that gets better for a few days and then reappears. It is not easy on either of them but we continue to pray for God’s will in all of this. We are hoping Mom may make the wedding but nothing is for sure in that. Thank you for all the prayers for them.
So, life is busy, fun, challenging. It is good and we are blessed.
Joyce
I will now put on my accounting hat and deal with these papers floating around me!
