Category Archives: 2 Mi Familia

All things family-related. My husband and me, the children we made, the grandbebes that thrill us now. Our whole great big, loud, messy family. Love! *sigh…

Cry for the Children

1 Christ is All, 2 Mi Familia, Stuff I Actually Think, , , , , , , ,

My family (children and MJP) has been going to The Home of Refuge for several years.  The kids have raised countless dollars and helped teach, preach and build playgrounds and remodel kitchens and have just carrried the torch for this particular orphange.  Heaven Fest and WWM has made the Homes of Refuge a major focus in ministry and giving.

A few days ago, the government took the property over and bussed the children off.  We have been praying for the children.  It has become clear that there is an enemy assignment against the leaders of the ministry and the orphange there.  The government has threatened this for years, but is finally carrying some things out.

Below is an e-mail from Mary Jean Powers  that I just got today with the most recent news of Tony and Rosa and The Home of Refuge in Venezuela.  We have been weeping over the children.  Join us in prayer, please.

Hey Everyone ~ I realize that this is the first news some of you have received regarding the recent attack on Home of Refuge in Venezuela. I will make this as brief as possible because I cannot include all the details that I just got from Rosa by phone. I will be sharing everything at a prayer meeting tonight (Monday December 15) specifically for HOR and Tony and Rosa. The prayer meeting will be held at  611 Pheasant View Dr. in Frederick, CO at 7 pm.

Here are some details and a correction: First of all, the orphanage in Honduras WAS NOT ROBBED. HOR Honduras is doing great.

 It was Home of Refuge in Venezuela that was robbed at gunpoint last Monday, by 4 men who were hired to kill Tony. Tony was not there. 

Three government agencies came to the orphanage the following Thursday to take over. They have taken possession of the property, and sent almost all of the children away on a bus – we do not know where they are. They have forbidden Tony to come to the property, at the risk of being imprisoned.

Four of the most severely handicapped children were left behind at the facility. Big Luis and Yesica were at school; they are safe. Gabriel, Lillie and Carla, Edixon and a 5 yr. old new kid are safe, as well.

Right now, Tony is at the airport in Caracas, trying to fly back to Miami. He went to the Ven. National Guard for protection, and they advised him to leave the country asap because there is a price on his head.

As I said, I will give all the details tonight. Please do your best to keep these details accurate as you pass them along to other intercessors. I was able to pray with Rosa today, and I believe that God is raising up an army of intercessors on behalf of these orphans. One intercessor said that she had a dream of Jesus praying for our kids at HOR! Please pray what Jesus is praying!

OK, here is the most important thing to pray about (besides the obvious protection, etc. for the children):

  • PRAY DIVINE PROTECTION FOR TONY’S LIFE. These hired murderers will stop at nothing.
  • PRAY FOR COMFORT FOR THE CHILDREN, TONY AND ROSA.
  • PRAY FOR ROSA’S HEALTH
  • PRAY THAT TONY GET TO MIAMI SAFELY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
  • PRAY FOR WISDOM FOR TONY AND ROSA.

MOST OF ALL, PRAY FOR TONY’S SAFETY. PSALM 91. PROVERBS 14:26. ISAIAH 54:13-17.

Peace on Earth,  Mary Jean

pictured: Tony & Rosa

Half Baked

2 Mi Familia, 4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, 7 Keep Christmas, Stuff I Actually Think, , , ,

It was Christmas baking day!  It was a mad flurry of flour and sugar, creamery butter and sprinkles. 

  

We had sent 63+ e-mails back and forth over the past two weeks (this may or may not be an exaggeration) in anticipation of Baking Day.  This is why I now know that approximately half of our concoctions are actually not baked at all.  It is amazing how many of the things we like are dipped in melted chocolate or blended and rolled into balls or cooked on a stove top before adding a certain snap, crackle and pop ingredient to a non-bake cookie.

Better-than-Girl-Scout “Thin-mints”/chocolate-dipped pretzels/peanut-butter balls/caramel cookies (can you possibly go wrong with a cookie that encases a Rolo and is topped with bits of Heath Bar??)/caramel popcorn balls/cookies-on-sticks/butter cookies/raspberry ribbons/decorated sugar cookies/peanut brittle (we always and ever have to throw the first unsuccessful batch out-what is up with that??)/Strawberries (which actually aren’t at all – not even in flavor)/royal icing/butter-cream icing/peanut blossoms-with-kisses-instead/almond bark/chocolate chips of every persuasion/peppermint/vanilla/almond/mini-cheesecakes/brownie assortments – all these and more threaten to throw us all into sugar shock.

  

Sadly, it was a balmy 108-degrees outside Saturday (another possible exaggeration), so we were shedding layers and had the doors and windows opened wide, drinking ice water like the dog days of summer.

  

In the end, even though my grandfather was a baker extraordinaire and owned a bakery for many years, and even though my other grandpa’s last name was “Baker,”  I don’t think I am one and I believe only 1 1/2 of my girls actually are bakers.  Maybe next year, we’ll let the 1 1/2 of them have a pre-baking day to really bake and we’ll have a non-baking Baking Day to eat their stuff and roll our tidbits in chocolate and that will be better.

  

Ended the day with the guys and kiddos joining us for the biggest pot of chicken and dumplings I have ever made in my life, because you know, we needed more flour and eggs. ;>[

Cup of coffee and some cookies, anyone?…Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF:  Get more Rubbermaid-pronto!

PICTURED (all thumbnails, click to enlarge): Top row ~ raspberry ribbons and other cookies; second row ~ some of the cookies in front of the homemade ornanament “memory” tree, the kids and Grandpa decorating cookies; third row ~ Gemma, Averi and Hunter with the biggest Santa in my collection; fourth row ~ Gav with Santa, niece, Elise with Averi and Stormie konks out after a long day of baking and fun.

Heard on High

2 Mi Familia, 7 Keep Christmas, Stuff I Actually Think, , ,

A large, loudly-squawking flock of geese flew over the backyard early this morning, heading south with a fury.  There is a snow moving in on us from the north today, I hear (even though it was nearly 70-degrees yesterday).  Apparently they had missed the announcement that 22 days before Christmas is kinda late for the travel plans they should have made.

   

Another “free gift” for you: fun times in December with the kiddos!

 

A downloadable book with teaching and cut-out decorations for creating a tree that teaches the true meaning of Christmas:

www.jesustreedecorations.com

Crafts and fun times with the kids and advent activities:

http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/christmas_crafts.htm, http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/christmas_advent.htm

A cool teacher’s site:

www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/christmas/christmas-symbols/index.html

This is one of the most fun websites ever: 

www.familyfun.go.com!  Check out the Christmas page and the Arts and Crafts page.  Great card-making ideas and how-to videos.

I don’t know how I ever raised my children without all these great resources.  Aren’t you excited about all the free gifts I am giving out? *smile…

Hope you’re having a holly jolly day…Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF:  Tomorrow is grandkid day…plan fun stuff!  And…this is post #400, odd as it is.

pictured: last year’s hand and foot prints (before Averi was born).  I may have to subject them to this annually, hehehehe…

A Thankful Tree, the Flu, a Light Snow and a “Blogoversary”

2 Mi Familia, 4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, 6 Looking Back // Memories!, 7 Keep Christmas, Stuff I Actually Think, , , , , , , , , , ,

    

Thanksgiving.

Can I just say the sooner the leftovers are gone, the better (except for Stormie’s pumpkin pies)?  But all delish.

We did a “thankful” tree on Thanksgiving, everyone filling out little “leaves” and hanging them with things for which we are grateful written.

Thumbnails (click for larger image):

  • The Thankful Tree
  • Wrex, whose medium was colored pencils, wanted his art on the “family art wall.”  The picture was drawn by Amy Jo Becker and includes the lyrics to a little turkey ditty (Five Fat Turkeys are We) to the tune of a song from The Mikado.
  • Turkey-bread by Stefane (who, as a devoted Texan, also introduced us to “Armadillo Eggs”-which are fabulous!)
  • Fake Thanksgiving-food cupcakes by Tredessa and Stormie for Jovan, who does not like one thing  – not one  Thanksgiving-related food (not turkey, not dressing, not mashed potatoes, nor gravy…not green bean casserole, not cranberries, not even pumpkin pie!)!  So the girls made cupcakes (which she loves) that LOOKED like Thanksgiving food using icing, white chocolate, Starburst candies and melted caramel.

    •  

    The Flu.

    In the middle of the night following Thanksgiving, I got hit with a full-on, horrid stomach flu, complete with fever, chills, and wrenching.  I won’t say more.  If it hadn’t been for the entire Kelley family having contracted and suffered through it just before Thanksgiving (Gavin does go to public school now – germ breeding grounds!), I’d have been thinking food poisoning.  But no, just a very untimely stomach bug!  So I spent Friday, while my husband and daughters were all shopping madly, in bed – when I wasn’t running to the bathroom.  Truly a “Black Friday” for me!

    I wish the google image above really did reflect my 3 a.m. view Friday morning!

    Snow at Last.

    At about 11 o’clock last night, we looked outside to see the most beautiful snow.  My nephew Zach from Montana, living with us while he completes a ministerial internship here, had just asked 2 days ago, “Yeah-so when do you guys get snow here?”  I am not a huge fan, but since it has so politely remained largely at bay this year so far, it was a welcome sight.  This morning the grass is almost covered and every branch has a puffy white coating and it is lovely and makes you want to watch Christmas movies and wrap presents.

    This is the snow-on-the-branches view out the back door this morning at 7:15 a.m., just after the bunny rabbit, who’d been looking in at me, hopped away.

    Blogoversary.

    Teena from Toronto left me a “Happy Blogoversary” message this morning and I realized that, yes, it is indeed my “blogoversary.”  How did she know that?

    Two years ago today, I started blogging.  The kids found and bequeathed the image that adorns my blog banner to get me started.  They all said she looks just like me, and I am happy they understand the inner me, for surely that is what they see. 

    To blog was both exhilerating and trepidatious for me.  I was so afraid to hit the “post” button back in those days, fearful of what my words would reveal of me, but also needing a place to tell some truth and speak some words I was struggling to communicate, especially to my children.  I was so cautious and agonized over how much to say, carefully wondering how much I could really tell truthfully, lest my truth hurt some one else.  You can read my very first blog here. (from 11.29.06)

    Now I blather on with both spiritual epiphanies as they come (they are for me, anyway) and the torrid, word-filled minutia of my life (like telling you about my stomach flu, for crying out loud!!).  This is my 398th post and I have 30 drafts in the folder waiting for me to finish off and publish – there is no end in sight, people!  And I always wonder about when I am gone – if my offspring should really ever begin to read this stuff, investigating it as they look for meaning and understanding of their past and their own lives – how really weird will they think I was? 

    It all remains to be seen…from the ever-graphomaniacal Jeanie

    NOTE TO FAMILY:  To all the Rhoadeses in every direction-hope Thanksgiving was warm and wonderful for you.  To the whole Moslander bunch, far and wide, always think of you and miss you on these days. 1991 was our last everyone-together Thanksgiving, and that does not seem right!

    So Thankful

    1 Christ is All, 2 Mi Familia, 4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, Stuff I Actually Think, ,

    Redemption…a Savior…my lover and husband, Dave…the five children I carried to birth – watching them become the people God intended…Giving Thanks…the 5 grandchildren who call me Nonna and run into my arms in front of people making me look really good…parents who raised me for God…my siblings and the people they married, the nieces and nephews they share with me…music…The Word of God…gardening…tomatoes….flowers and green, green grass…cold water…thunder and lightening to go to sleep by…the smell of a cleansing rain…a harvest moon…Grateful…my amazing American Down and Feather  pillow…So Blessed…caramel…pumpkin spice lattes…long kisses…foot rubs…something that makes me laugh out loud…really good and loyal friends…the 3rd Thursday women…Thanksgiving Dinner…Charmin triple-ply, extra soft…Ephesians…Gavin’s red hair… Averi’s chunky legs in white tights…Gemma giving the dog orders – and being obeyed!…Guini’s soft hugs and kisses…So Appreciative…Hunter’s m&m toes…hot coffee on cool mornings…for over 300 sunny days a year in Colorado…Dave’s dimples…the comfort of the Lord…the healing of the Lord…being loved by the Lord…having enough to eat…getting to eat with friends and family at the convivial table…the quiet God has provided to write and dream and create…the noisy family dinners…the promises of God…Counting My Blessings…the sidewalk that leads to the world’s nicest neighbors…the strength represented by the mountains…the fact that the mountains help me keep my bearings, direction-wise…the artistic, creative types who color my world…getting to help produce Heaven Fest…getting to invite people in to 24/7 worship in the metro-area…the nearly 100 sunsets I have watched this year-the most in my life-because they have been amazingly beautiful and healing…my summer of love…this year of worship…God is Good…new friends…people that stand by you through thick and thin…re-acquainting with long-time friends…having any friends at all…God is Faithful…a song that ushers in the Presence…a powerful sermon…the ministries I am a part of…new mercies every morning…spiritual daughters and sons…a good church home…provision…rescue…deliverance…mended relationships…Jesus – the center of my joy…joy

    Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney sang this in the Movie White Christmas, 1954

    When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
    I count my blessings instead of sheep,
    And I fall asleep counting my blessings.
    When my bankroll is getting small
    I think of when I had none at all,
    And I fall asleep counting my blessings.

    This is what I am singing…Jeanie

    NOTE TO SELF:  Be more purposely thankful and grateful, for the love of Pete.  No whining!  I am blessed.

    Table of Grace

    2 Mi Familia, 4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, Stuff I Actually Think,

    This is a beautiful table.  These are my colors, but it isn’t mine. (Where do you find a pumkin like that?  Ha!)

    On mine there’ll be some mix and match dishes because we’ll have a bigger crowd (16 and maybe more?).  And while fresh, sauteed green beans are much better for you, one of my girls will fix that once-a-year-cooked-and-soup-saturated-into-oblivion Green Bean Casserole with the crunchy french-fried onions on top.  It’s just a part of the day.

    There’ll be cranberry juice and Sprite spritzers, pretty and festive.  All of the usual food suspects will be here.  We’ll hang our “thankful leaves” on our little centerpiece “grateful tree.”  Even with both leaves in the table (making it 9 feet long), we’ll add on and cover a card table and pull out all the folding chairs we can find for extra seating.  Sometimes I think about getting some fabric chair covers to pull it all together, but then  realize – the beauty of my table won’t have come from Pottery Barn or Williams and Sonoma.

    The radiant beauty of our convivial table this Thursday will be the faces seated around it: my kids and grandbabies, good friends, a niece and a nephew (one from South Dakota and one from Montana – on loan to me from their parents).  The beauty will be the abundance of the food (we are so blessed) prepared with love.  It will be the laughter and understanding between strong-willed and passionate people, choosing to honor those all around them.  And for  for Dave and Tara and Hunter who are travelling in the Pacific Northwest this week and next – absent from us physically, they are deeply planted in our hearts and will be missed.

    The house will host some awkward transition decoratively speaking with gourds and pumkins adorning various surfaces while the big tree is in mid-decor and Christmas boxes will be marching in throughout the day.  I’m always so excited to see what I got last year on clearance after the holidays.

    Today I read David’s words of awe when the LORD established an everlasting covenant with him and his house:

    “Who am I, O LORD God, And what is my house that You have brought me this far?”  1 Chronicles 17.16 NKJV

    And I concur and wonder the same, with great thanks…Jeanie

    NOTE TO SELF:  Give thanks.  Because God is good and establishing my household at a table of mercy, a table of grace.

    A Very Happy Thanksgiving to You and Yours!

    2 Mi Familia, 4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, Stuff I Actually Think,

    OK. This is what happens.  You spend years making ridiculous amounts of food for Thanksgiving.  Then one day you realize: NO ONE needs that much food at one meal on one day EVER.  So, you say to the now-grown children, “Let’s simplify.  Let’s do less.  L:et’s decide to fix only what we must positively have to create the Thanksgiving feast of our dreams.”

    And when all is said and done and everyone has made their decisions – we are still having too much food! 

    At least now they all pitch in, so my life really is easier.

    We’re pretty traditional.   I am roasting the 23.18 pound turkey.  I’ll just create the fabulous dressing on the side because that whole stuffing-inside-the-turkey thing is still a bit scary…you never know.  I will also mash 10 pounds of real-butter-and-heavy-cream potatoes with just the right amount of garlic.  They are to die for, if I must say so myself.  And I am an amazing gravy-maker.  There’ll be some dips and hors d’eouvres (gotta have the shrimp cocktail with Bookman’s sauce) and that is it!  The rest of the sides and pies and must-haves will come from my kiddos.

    What are you eating Thursday?…Jeanie

    NOTE TO SELF:  Better check Martha’s website to make sure I’m up on the latest turkey info…

    Mr. Christmas

    2 Mi Familia, 5 Songs I am Singing, 6 Looking Back // Memories!, 7 Keep Christmas, 9 TV & Movies/Books & Entertainment, Stuff I Actually Think, , , , , , , , ,

    I love my Dave.  And he loves Christmas. 

    For 28 Christmases now, he has worked hard, planned, created, wrapped, shopped, baked, played, decorated and done whatever else is necessary to create a magical, love-filled, memory-made Christmas for our family.  Christmas mornings at our house are legendary feasts of extravagant indulgence and convivial love banquets of gifts and good smells and laughter and mountains of giftwrap and the music of Christmas and the love of the most incredible husband-father-grandfather.  It isn’t about the money spent, for often there has been precious-little of that, but it’s the thoughtful generosity of spirit, gifts that remind the recipient: you are loved, cherished and appreciated-this is my token of that.  But – wrap all of that in a huge Christmas bow and you have the gift of the season that my husband puts much great effort in to.

    You are the original Clark Griswold, honey.  You are George Bailey and Father O’Malley ringing the bells of Christmas.  You are my handsome Jefferson Jones, my lover by tree-light.  You are Kris Kringle and Santa Claus.  You are the man described in “Holiday Inn” in the exchange between Jim Hardy and Miss Linda Mason (Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds).

    Linda:  You’re a lot like my father – just a man with a family.  Never amounted to much, never really cared.  But as long as he was alive, we had food to eat and clothes to keep us warm.

    Jim:  Were you happy?

    Linda:  Very.

    Jim:  Well, then your father was a successful man.  I hope I can do as well.

    Yes, baby, you are Mr. Christmas.  I love that you are.  I love that you are ever-committed to making merry for all.  I am smiling at how excited you are to be organizing the decorations – getting ready to haul them out in mere days.  You know where everything is and you’re planning, with a twinkle in your eye, to give us yet another wonderful Christmas.

    As the Carpenters once sang: Merry Christmas, Darling…Jeanie

    From Dickens’ A Christmas Carol~

    “…and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.  May that truly be said of us, all of us!  And so, as Tiny Tim observed, ‘God bless us, Every One!'”

    NOTE TO SELF: Love the Christmas keeper.

    characters above from some of our favorite Christmas movies, including: Christmas Vacation, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Bells of Saint Mary’s, Christmas in Connecticut, Miracle on 34th Street, Holiday Inn

    pictured: sweet daughter, Stormie did the graphic for me, from a photo of Dave and a Bing Crosby album.

    My Magoo

    2 Mi Familia, Stuff I Actually Think, , , ,

       

    Hunter’s mommy and daddy are off doing a ministry conference.  For two whole days and nights he is mine, all mine.  I keep him close.  I listen to him set up “meetings” on an old cell phone with his little playmates.  He thanks me profusely for the little “bed” I have created for him right next to me on the floor.  Just as I am dozing off, I sense his little face close to mine.  Leaning against the side of my bed with his head resting on his hands, he nonchalently starts a conversation as if it were 11:30 am instead of 11:30 pm. 

    “Do you want to cuddle for a few minutes?”  I ask.  “Yes, just for a few minutes, Nonna.”  He climbs into bed and wraps his arms around me.  We snuggle close, he is stroking my arm.  I close my eyes and breathe him in – and wasn’t it just yesterday that his mommy was this little, this near?  He is four and tomorrow he will be fourteen.  I am memorizing the softness of his face on mine, of his raspy whisper talking about this and that and nothing at all.

    A few minutes later I tuck him back in to his makeshift bed.  I can see his long lashes in the moonlight.  He will stay awake and watch me as long as I am watching him, so I know I must call it a night.  I place my hand on his chest and pray over him – for God’s favor and blessing to rest on him.  O God, make Your face to shine upon my little Hunter.  Guide his steps, direct his path.  God, bless my little man.  Bless Him, Lord.  Jesus, bless my Hunter!  I cry out with intensity in the darkness.  “Jesus bless you, Nonna!”  Hunter finishes.

    He has, Magoo.  He has!…Hunter’s Nonna

     

    NOTE TO SELF:  Work on my Thanksgiving list of all the things I have to be grateful for, thankful for, don’t deserve…my list will be long.

    pictured: Hunter with the mommy and daddy who are making him such a cool kid – jumping off a hay bail with total abandon; with his mom and dad; jumping off a train and being thrown 12 feet into the air-with glee!

    Just Like Daddy

    2 Mi Familia, Stuff I Actually Think, , ,

     

    Gavin drops in for a quick hello just before he goes to Kindergarten today.  He is sporting a faux-hawk and asks me what I think, as he carefully touches the pointed tips of his hair to make sure it has remained where it was carefully coiffed and coaxed with gel to remain.

    You look so cool, Gavin.  I love your hair!

    He peels off his coat, exhuberantly explains, “Look, Nonna!  I have on two shirts!”  He reveals a black t-shirt under a long-sleeved, vertically striped, button-down, dress shirt.  I respond with appropriate glee at how good he looks.

    “I have two shirts,” he finishes his thought.  “Just like my daddy.”  A resolute nod of his head along with a knowing look and the gentle smile on his lips – and I know that today, in this moment,  Gavin has attained his highest and most precious goal: to be just like his daddy.

    And I think of Tristan and quickly thank God that Gavin has a daddy worth emulating.  He is becoming remarkable, just like his unusually remarkable father.

    How full can one heart get?…Jeanie

    NOTE TO SELF:  Make my highest goal – to be like Father