Cookie Decorating

Last Saturday we had our annual cookie decorating party together, though it was a bit scaled down compared to previous years.  Yet it was still a lot of fun, and it was great having Grandpa join us this time!

It's always interesting to see how the youngest capable child handles this activity.  To many smiles and laughs, as soon as Grace was handed a cookie and helped in adding some icing to the top, the sugary treat immediately went to the mouth!  Oh well!  Maybe next year the concept will be better understood... :)

As Essie, Benjamin, Sarah, and Hannah grow older each passing year, their cookies reflect maturing creativity and skill.  

Something we all enjoyed using this year was decorator's bags!  

One of Essie's creations:

Grandpa's surprising hidden talent :)

A snowgirl!  How cute is that?!

One of Benjamin's creations:

And even Hannah took a turn with the decorator's bag, adding a mountain of icing that any kid would enjoy!

Little Samuel was at the party, too, but enjoyed snuggling in Mommy's arms.  Next year he'll be at the table joining the fun!  Doesn't he look just like his brother, Benjamin?

And here are some of the happy campers.  What a fun afternoon!

Statehouse Prayer Service

The Statehouse Prayer Service is next Tuesday, January 6, 2015!  Governor Pence, First Lady Karen Pence, Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann, Speaker Brian Bosma, Attorney General Greg Zoeller, and other state leaders will be present with us.  I hope you can attend!  Feel free to spread the word!

Wisdom's Words

When you run away from the Lord, you never get to where you are going, and you always pay your own fare.  On the other hand, when you go the Lord's way, you always get to where you are going, and he pays the fare.

-Donald Grey Barnhouse-

Christmas Day

~ CHRISTMAS 2014 ~

We had a fun afternoon together yesterday celebrating the Christmas holiday!  While we waited for the Turner clan to arrive, we enjoyed a quiet morning as some studied and others prepared for the coming festivities.

Here was our dessert table which consisted of: poppy seed bread, cinnamon swirl cake, candy cane cookies, gingerbread men, chocolate pixies, peppermint blossoms, mint chocolate chip cookies, sandwich cookies, sugar cookies, and white chocolate-covered Chex mix.  Oh so yummy!  I had a really fun time with my holiday baking this year!  (And just for the record, we didn't eat all of this in one night, nor did we keep it all for ourselves.  I did make up 11 cookie plates to give to friends and neighbors!)

When Ben, Laura, and all the little ones arrived, we proceeded to open gifts.  It's always so fun and rewarding to watch children's faces light up with delight and hear exclamations such as, "This is exactly what I wanted!" or "This is so pretty!"

Rachael had a surprise gift for everyone which involved taking little Samuel upstairs for a few minutes.  He came down looking even more cute - which I didn't think was even possible. :)

He didn't quite fill it up all the way even though it was a newborn size...  Eat up, little guy!

Sarah was thrilled to receive her own American Girl doll, which she promptly named Sarah.  And sweet sister Essie sewed both of them matching skirts!  

More scenes from the afternoon:

Benjamin got what he really wanted - animal crackers in a teddy bear container!

Benjamin was so pleased with their gift for Grandpa - individual pretzel bags for his lunches.

For our Christmas dinner this year, we defied all tradition and made homemade pizza.  I had a great helper getting it ready to bake!

With an array of dessert choices, it was fun to watch the children try to choose what they wanted to eat.  Even Grace somehow managed to toddle into the kitchen with her own cookies of choice in hand since she really wanted to handle this matter unsupervised like her siblings, too.  And that was after her Aunt Jenny had carefully selected what she should eat!  

It was a pleasurable afternoon being together and having some fun!  We thank the Lord for each other and for the memories He's continuing to allow us to build each year.

It's Beginning to Feel Like Christmas...

Well, even if you're ready or not, I guess Christmas is tomorrow!  Today, Rachael and I did some last minute baking of our favorite family Christmas treats:  candy cane cookies, gingerbread men, and poppy seed bread.  We also decorated a few sugar cookies for the little ones who are coming over tomorrow.

Since Kathy was studying for and taking a mid-term exam this morning, we couldn't listen to our usual Christmas music as we went about our baking.  So Rachael took it upon herself to serenade ourselves by coming up with her own song - and singing it loudly in the house for all to hear.  It brought about several laughs...no wonder her middle name is Joy!

We hope you all have a wonderful time with your family and friends in the coming days.

Memory Lane

Around this time of year, it's difficult for me not to begin walking down memory lane.  Tomorrow, December 21, is the five year anniversary of Dad's attack - a powerful display of God's mercy in staying the hands of his assailants from killing him and allowing them to be apprehended just two days later in a high speed chase through downtown Indianapolis and brought to justice.  Talk about a surreal experience!  Christmas 2009 for the Blankenship family will certainly never be forgotten.

From the moment this tragedy happened to the sentencing hearings almost a year later, our desire has been for those involved in this violent crime to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.  In the courtroom at the conclusion of both trials, Dad was able to look at these young men straight in the face and point them to the cross, to the everlasting forgiveness found in Christ. 

Though it has been five years, we haven't lost contact with these guys.  As I ponder afresh all that God did for our family through that entire ordeal, I am given renewed zeal to continue to pray for them.  One in particular has written Dad several times this past year and given him the paper work necessary to come and visit him in prison.  Even if it's only one soul, the pain of what we endured will be well worth it in seeing another person acknowledge Jesus as their Savior!

Will you continue to pray with us for these two young men?  God has brought them into our lives through some rather creative means, but we love them and care for their eternal destiny.  We long for nothing more than to see God's gospel purposes fulfilled through our suffering.

As I walk down memory lane, my eyes are opened more and more to behold the beauty of God's wisdom and ways. Only God can take pain and suffering and turn it into a display of his power and faithfulness.   We thank him for his grace and look forward to seeing how he continues to write this story to the praise of his glory.

December Happenings

Life continues to unfold at a fast rate of speed!  It really is hard to believe that the year 2015 is just around the corner.  Here are a few highlights from the last weeks:

The ESL graduation at our church was December 10.  It was a lovely time being together with all the students and celebrating their accomplishments from the semester.  Mom and Kathy were able to come and meet Rumana, a young lady from Bangladesh with whom I've been spending a lot of time every week.  It has been a joy to get to know her this fall!

Essie, Benjamin, and Sarah all participated in their very first music recital on December 11! They did a great job!!!  Even Ben got up on stage and played Twinkles with Essie.

We also celebrated Dad's birthday on December 12!  At the dinner table that night, Sarah exuberantly shouted to Grandpa way on the other end of the table, " I LOVE YOU!!!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  YOU ARE GETTING OLD!!!" =)

The kids made him a big gingerbread cookie, one of his favorites.

There are always excited helpers when opening gifts.

Dad's birthday party was the first time for Samuel to come to our house.  He is a precious little guy.

And big brother adores him!

And now the holidays are upon us!  We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!