August 2018

Okay, just a warning, this post is really mixed up. I just downloaded the pictures as I found them. August was a crazy month. So far September is too. I find my myself too busy to answer text messages and phone calls let alone post on the blog. So, this is a humble, and quick attempt to catch up!

We had some help getting ready for the maze this year. Hosanna's dear friend Nate Bladine and his sister Marty came up to spend a few days right before we opened and we couldn't have done it without them!

Silas stopped by a few times to lend a hand and he helped Arthur finish up the bale mountain by throwing up a few square bales.

In August we also had Farm Camp. This was a fun group of guys! Not only did they work hard, they heard lots of great preaching from different men in our church. 

Miriam tried on our "Pumpkin Princess" outfit!

Hosanna and Priscilla were at camp all summer and we took a weekend off and headed east to go visit them and to check out Hosanna's "friend"! We actually know Nate's parents from college so we have a few alma mater ties and its where they were at camp. Nate is a great young man with a heart for God and serving. We look forward to seeing what God has planned for their lives! 

There were these pretty waterfalls along the road and stopped to get a picture of the girls. It's a man made waterfall and I think I'd like one in my yard! Arthur wasn't as excited!

Another picture of Silas and his family at the maze. 
Some years the thought of doing the maze again is really depressing. It means months of the year with only one focus. It means forgetting the yard and garden after about mid July. It means no time for anything else. It means a lot of money going through our hands. But then there's these grandchildren of ours! They love the maze and beg to work there! They can play for hours there and beg us never to quit. So continue we do, year after year! Some year it will be our last. We always said if one of the girls gets married we will quit. So we'll see. Meanwhile, if God wants us to have the maze, having the maze we will do. If any of you have extra time to pray, please pray that it will be a blessing to the families that come. That no one will get hurt and that we will have the stamina it takes to finish the season. Pray that the tracts we give out will reach someone who needs it.

Meanwhile, Miriam did find time to can some tomatoes and pickles. No weeding though! Somehow God blesses it even when we are too busy to weed and the weeds grow tall! The girls are home from camp and busy with maze stuff. Hosanna pretty much takes care of the food and Priscilla runs the store. I keep everyone going with schedules, printing stuff, etc. Arthur runs the farm and gives never ending hayrides! Not having a herd of cows to milk has made it much easier for him this year! Miriam makes sure everyone eats, that the house stays somewhat clean and that we have clean clothes! We are busy but I'd rather be busy than bored!

Well, that is my catch up post. It gives you a little idea what we are up to anyway.  Take care everyone, and take some extra time to pray for our country too!

All in Their 20's!

The 'kids' were all over tonight with their families so we took a "All in our 20's" photo.  I am so thankful for these young adults!  I'm really happy that they get along including spouses and grandchildren! They've been talking about getting this photo for a few years now, and it won't be long before Naomi turns 30, so then it'll be another ten years before this happens again.

Left to right, oldest to youngest - Naomi, Amos, Isaac, Miriam, Hosanna, Silas, and Priscilla. (Samuel would've been between Silas and Priscilla.)

Our Family Christmas

We had Christmas with our immediate family on Saturday. I made sure to get a picture of each family this year and so here's Silas and his family.

Isaac and his family.

Amos and his family.

Us!

And Naomi and her family.

The last few years we've gotten together for brunch but this year we did a noon meal. These four loved that they had their own special table, customized with Arthur "made" stools!

Remember all those stockings? Well, the kids had great fun finding out what was in them. 

Sunday night we headed west to go to Aaron's church's Christmas program where they had two of the cutest angels around!  Anna did have a crown and sash but I caught her after she was already taking them off.

So, that leads up to this week and next, which are going to be really busy. We have some overnight company coming so we're cleaning up the house, finishing wrapping up gifts, etc.

Yesterday we had a cow get her leg stuck in a round bale feeder. Not sure how she pulled that one off. Anyway, Arthur got her leg out, and it doesn't seem to be hurt bad, but the cow won't stand up now. If you think of it, would you mind praying that it gets up? We sure would like to save this cow.

The weather has warmed up for a little bit, and so we're getting a little more snow. It's actually nice having it too cold to snow!

Have a wonderful Christmas this week, everyone! Remember to take time to celebrate the baby, our Savior, the one who left His home in Heaven, came to earth as a little baby. Lived, and died, and rose again for us!

Silas, Karen, and Samuel

With Silas and Karen's permission, I am posting some adorable pictures of their family that Jessica and Krystal took.  Enjoy!

Isn't he a cutie?!!

Y'all have a great weekend and don't forget your church needs you tomorrow!

It's a Boy!

Samuel Paul
Born last night!
8 pounds 3 oz.
Adorable!!!

Little Samuel is so cute!!  He has quite a bit of dark hair, which makes him look a more like the J. side of the family.

This little guy has eighteen aunts and uncles!! 

So sweet! Karen had a difficult time with him, was induced, and it took a long time. However, things went okay although she's still not feeling great yet which is why I don't have a picture of the baby with her.

Happy Grandpa!

Congratulations, Silas and Karen!!!! We love you all!

Home School Tournament

Things have been pretty crazy around here and for me, on busy thing was the homeschool tournament yesterday.  I haven't done a total count but there were right around 100 students participating.  It was busy, and really fun too.  The whole family helped out.  Miriam helped me with registration and getting the awards ready as well as judged the speech category.  Hosanna did speed stacking judging in the morning and the airplane toss in the afternoon.  

Isaac and Silas and Karen ran the chess and checkers competition.  Arthur ran the lego challenge in the morning and softball throw in the afternoon.  Miriam and I were getting the lego sets ready and thought we'd have a race to see who was faster.  It was not as easy as children make it look because neither of us had any idea how to put the legos together correctly. We gave up timing it.

My sister Kim helped this year after lots of years of begging her to help!  She also homeschooled all her children's school years and she enjoy seeing all the new families and helped out with judging and with the awards. Thank you so much to anyone else who is reading this that helped judge!

Hosanna

Its been a couple of really rollercoaster weeks! 

Less than two weeks ago the maze finished. Its a relief because we finally can get some sleep, and yet there is so much clean up, bills to pay, things to put away, etc.  I think we've almost wrapped it up! Arthur's chopping the corn and I feel sorry for those that call about bringing a group to the maze.  Too late. Then we lost a son and gained a daughter.  Silas was my "baby boy" and it wasn't easy to see him get married, but what a joy to know he has a godly wife to stand by him!  I can't wait to see what God has in store for them! Naomi and Aaron moved to their church house.  We'll miss having them so close but how fun to see them make a church their home! Then Hosanna came home after almost seven months of being gone.  We finally had time this week to sit down and visit and then she left again yesterday.  Sigh.  I guess we can finish the garden now. She left some pictures for me to post.

This isn't the greatest photo but it shows Hosanna working in the warehouse packing up Bible Bee boxes. Maybe one of these boxes went to your house!

Hosanna's church in Ohio did the same VBS we did this year so we enjoyed comparing things.

Hosanna stays with a wonderful older couple and they enjoy taking her places.  I'm not even sure where this is but it sure is pretty. I think they had a family get-together at this park.

Hosanna also was in a cornfest parade. (Just can't get away from that corn no matter how far you travel!)  She was dressed up as an Operation Christmas Child gift box and walked in the parade.

Some of Hosanna's friends going on a hayride at a cornmaze!  

GraceAnn and Hosanna playing the maze game.  It was actually a large dairy operation that had a cornmaze with it.

Arthur and his dad took Hosanna to the Fargo airport yesterday.  She made it back to Ohio before they got home!  What a blessing planes can be! Today she left for Florida for the National Bible Bee to help get things set up. Being down there, I don't think she'll be missing us like we miss her!  A few more weeks and she'll be home again.

And back at home, Isaac took some of Rebekah's relatives out fishing this last week. They were up for the wedding.  Anyway, Daniel loves fishing and enjoyed catching some big ones! In fact, they got a lot of nice fish! 
Isaac also got his deer, a nice large doe, with a bow. (That was a few weeks ago but I think I forgot to mention it.) He also bought two pickup trucks to use or fix and sell. One might be made into his trapping truck.
 Arthur is getting the cattle closer to home to vaccinate next week.
 Silas and Karen are on their honeymoon and we've been cleaning up and working on their home-sweet-home along with J. family members. Yes, we've heard from them. Even got a text picture of Silas at none other than, a corn maze!
I must be getting rested up because I'm starting to plan my next project - the kitchen!  It needs help so bad!  Well, you all have a wonderful day enjoying the beautiful fall weather God is sending us!

The Wedding!

Silas and Karen told me to post some pictures, so here they are!

What a sweet couple! Hannah Hanson took this photo and the other wedding pictures.  The other pictures in this post, our family took. It was a beautiful wedding!  Karen, with her mom and sisters, did a wonderful job at organizing everything and making everything so beautiful and special!

Karen's brother Robbie and Naomi's oldest daughter Esther were the ringbearer and flowergirl.

Exchanging the rings.

Lighting the unity candle.  Karen's sister-in-law sang during the candle ceremony.

Mr. and Mrs. Silas Krahn!

This was taken at the reception right after they introduced the wedding party. 

Cutting the cake.  Naomi made the cake and it was so pretty, tasted great too!

Our family picture taken after the wedding.  We are thrilled to have a sweet, new daughter to add to the ranks!

And the wedding party.  Isaac was best man with Karen's brothers, Nathan and Caleb as groomsmen.  Karen's sister Jessica was maid of honor with her sister Krystal and Priscilla as bridesmaids.

The wedding party shocked at them kissing!  Cute :) I should've cropped this so you could see the facial expression better!

And the older brothers in black.  Handsome aren't they!  Amos and Jonathan were ushers.

So, it was a wonderful, fun wedding. Thank you to everyone that came and helped out.  It was a day we looked forward to for so long. A couple that desires to serve the Lord. Please pray for them, if you think of it, that God's will would be done in their lives. For safety on that honeymoon too!