Christmas 2015

Our Christmas Day was filled with many laughs and memorable moments together.  One family project on the docket for the day was to make as many chocolate-covered pretzels as possible for Rachael's graduation open house this coming week.  Even Ben joined in the fun!

We had two teams:  one group covered pretzels in brown chocolate and the other in white chocolate.  The system kept things organized and moving along quickly!

Grandpa and Samuel enjoyed some snuggle time during the "pretzel factory."

Our Christmas dinner was kid-approved:  homemade pizza!  Only I wouldn't recommend using fat-free mozzarella cheese as it makes this classic dish rather dry and rubbery.  But as we munched we just imagined how many calories we were saving for dessert time. :)

Present time is always lively and fun with little ones!

Following present time we played games and did other things together.

What a special day!  I'm so grateful for the gift of family.

Merry Christmas!

May you have a blessed day celebrating the greatest gift ever given to mankind,

the Lord Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!

A Graduation!

The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. 

Psalm 126:3

The Lord gave us a very special day yesterday as Rachael graduated from the IU School of Nursing!  All the day's events were the culmination of year's worth of prayers, and we stand in awe of what God has done and all that he has provided.  He truly has done great things!  

Much to our surprise, Rachael was awarded several honors: The Honor Society for Nursing Sigma Theta Tau International, Highest Academic Distinction, Elizabeth Grossman Award, and Who's Who Among Students in Universities and Colleges.  As I said, God has truly done great things!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day:

Waiting for the graduate to walk the aisle...

Congratulations on a job well done!!!

Father and daughter rejoicing in God's rich blessing...

The little ones celebrating with the graduate.  They were SO very excited to have their aunt finished with school!!  Such a great fan club all these years. :)

Given Mom's recent health challenges, we were so grateful she had the stamina to be with us that afternoon.

We went home to a family party.  It was so wonderful to be together again!

And someone enjoyed trying on the graduate's cap.

We concluded the evening singing psalms together as a family, a very fitting way to express our gratitude for God's blessing and goodness.  

What a special day with many special memories shared with some very special people.  We rejoice in God's work and praise him for his faithfulness and grace.

The days are passing quickly...

It's amazing to me how quickly the days are passing!  The holidays are just around the corner, and I have yet to make our favorite Christmas goodies and pull out our Christmas china.

Several weeks ago, I attended a Christmas party for the Capitol Commission Indiana team.  It was an evening full of laughter, fun, and caroling together.

Posing for the judges for our Christmas tree contest...

And sharing laughs during the white elephant gift exchange...

Here's the entire team (from left to right,): Rachelle Myers, myself, Ruth Salmons, Debbie Magnuson, Lucas Holt, Pam Russell, Matt Barnes, and Miriam Barnes. 

Last week, we attended the kid's Christmas music recital.  Essie played the violin and Benjamin and Sarah the piano.  They once more did a wonderful job and are improving every year!

Renovations at my office were completed just yesterday, and I was finally able to move back in and enjoy the lovely transformation.  Kathy came home just in time to help me clean up from the dry wall dust and reorganize all the supplies closets.  Pictures are yet to come.  I can't to show you how beautiful it all is!

And now we are on to Rachael's graduation, which is THIS Saturday!!!  I can't believe it's almost here!  What a joyous day that will be rejoicing in God's goodness in her life.

Together Again

How grateful I am for the gift of sisters!

Statehouse Prayer Service

November Happenings

Well, it has been a while since I posted some family pictures.  The month of November actually holds four Turner birthdays, so I am a bit behind on my writing.

Our first November birthday is big brother Ben's, but unfortunately his kind of snuck up on us, and I didn't take any pictures...

But I had another opportunity for Sarah's and Hannah's party. We decorated with pink and purple for the occasion of turning 4 and 6!!

Big smiles while singing "Happy Birthday"...

And since one of us is 500+ miles away, we utilized technology while opening the presents.  Here we are talking with Kathy and showing her all the presents via FaceTime.  It was so good to see her again!

The very next weekend we celebrated Samuel's 1st birthday.  And we decorated with red and blue rather than pink and purple. ;)

We actually had our first snowfall for the winter that Saturday!  November 21 was a cold and damp day.

Here's the cute birthday boy.  I just love that smile!

He had to have lots of "help" opening his presents, and there were, of course, several little hands eager to jump in and accomplish the task!

For some other November news, our church finally has its new sign!  This process has taken an entire year as we had to first go before the zoning board with a petition.  Once we can do some landscaping this coming spring, it will look very nice.

For our church's Thanksgiving lunch last Sunday, I made Pumpkin Pie Cake.  It not only turned out really pretty, it also tasted good!

In the midst to some challenging days, it was encouraging for a friend to drop by with a surprise Thanksgiving floral arrangement to grace our table for the holiday.  It was such a beautiful gift from the Lord.

It's hard to believe the end of November is here and December with all its festivities is just around the corner.  Kathy flies home on December 12, Rachael graduates December 19, and her open house is December 30.  Not to mention the kid's musical recital, Dad's birthday, Christmas, New Year's, etc.  I'm really looking forward to being together as a family again and rejoicing in an important milestone for a special person who has worked very hard for many years.  So be looking for more pictures and updates!

1863 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer to our beneficent Father, who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to him that, for such singular deliverances and blessings; they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

-President Abraham Lincoln

We wish you and your family a very blessed Thanksgiving!

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 107:1

Plymouth Plantation

Massachusetts