HAPPENINGS! condensed for review (add 3 cans of water, stir briskly - enjoy!)

Spike and Myron

at

WAWONA!

Scary, but true -

my future son-in-law and dear husband

having the time of their lives(And there are more such pictures, but I've been told that one is painful enough.)

ah, Max back to normal, with Jenny as Eliza (My Fair Lady)

Our fall retreat's talent show brings out those theatrical inclinations.

Perfect, just perfect! The finer points of marshmallow roasting, by Kaylee.

Some guys, some girls - a happy weekend at Wawona with friends.

Connor's unfortunate run-in with a wolf at Magic Mountain.

And then there's........ "A time to dance...."

Max and Sally and the swoosh of a skirt.Lovely girls taking a break from swooshing.How Kaylee decorated her hair.

How Lilly decorated hers.Ah, the love of "the littles"

(Connor and Jacob above, Jaelyn and Grandma Sandy below)Uncle Simon with Jaelyn

And on a different day -

Brothers, friends, soon-to-be "son/father".

A blessed event as Max was baptized and also became a member of

First Reformed Presbyterian Church, Fresno.

Many reasons for great thanksgiving these days - and we did have a

GREAT THANKSGIVINGScott Parish, Master Turkey-Carver

(Heinz did not pay us to advertise here. Tho I love Heinz above all ketchups, I don't recall any of us using it that day, despite it's prominence here. It was NOT the reason for the lovely red below.)Exquisite beverage - with raspberries and spices.

And that glorious Parish tradition that finds the men at the kitchen sink. Such things can soften hearts of stone, bring tears to the most arid eye, and in general give the ladies a much appreciated break.

And there was "Grandma time"and then time for a walk around the orange grove.

Jenny, Max, LillyThe great gift of "sisters" (maybe not by law, but certainly in their hearts)

Kaylee and Sallyand more "sisters"

Jenny and KendraIn training for that big day. Dress-up. Probably a universal pastime for little girls.

JayniAnd don't forget the games! No, this was not a serious study of the Book of Psalms for Singing, tho it makes a great shield for those whispered team conferences.Tim and Simon surveying the land and Simon's fence-building.

"Such delightful times were had by all!" (at least that's how we interpreted Olivia's grins)

And another November highlight:

The annual trek to THE LICHTI'S CABIN (well, actually Kim's parents' cabin)

Kellie, Kaylee, Katie, Jenna, Melissa, Samantha

Friends since they were just little. Wow. Time passes.

And then, in need of a more compact tree than the cabin's property yields, we head to the tree farm, where we soberly pledge ourselves to the task of finding that perfect evergreen.

FAST FORWARD ONE WEEK:

Jenny's Bridal shower!

What?! Is our firstborn truly getting married? In less than a month now?!

Yes! And tho' nostalgia and sentimentalism settle in and bring tears as we sort through her belongings and take a moment to read those first books again (Goodnight Moon, The Goodnight Book -- guess what we were praying for in those days... a good night of sleep!), we thank God for His faithfulness and His timing in bringing Max to us.

And tho this doesn't look like a bridal shower below, it is.

Our church was decorated beautifully, under the planning and direction of Kaylee and Sally, with the help of Kendra, Sandy - who cut greens for us at the lake - and Simon, Connor, Tim, and Jacob Holly, who graciously moved all the pews and set up tables and chairs. HOWEVER, the pictures of the lovely decorations didn't turn out very clear. So, here's what you get to see: Kaylee handing Jenny yet another piece of gum for her incorrect answer to another question about Max.

Delighting in that fresh minty taste.

And the lovely home that will accomodate the many gifts Jenny and Max received from generous and loving friends:

(Thank you to our friends, Paul and Gayane Atmajian, for offering this special little cottage to them)Doing some moving in and setting up after the shower.

The delights of organizing a kitchen. It just warms a girl's heart.

Well, there you have it. A quick summary of many delightful days. Maybe it wasn't so "condensed" after all -- but it's awfully hard to leave out fun pictures for the sake of brevity.

We pray that you all are encouraged by the goodness of God, and His great kindnesses. And may you know His peace and His great care even if the path you're walking right now is filled with more distress than delights. May you find Him faithful.

-Lori