Werzinski Family

An Interesting Twist

2010-06-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Today Shauna was in the garage cleaning up a little. Chris was in there with her just looking at her. All of a sudden he said " Whatsoever you laughing at me?". We think the King James Version of the Bible is sinking in:)

Kayla

Finally Back

2010-06-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

Well, from all appearances our blog had been abandoned. Due to moving, dial up Internet, no camera and life, we have not been at all consistent with blogging. Hopefully that is about to change. We have found that dial up works great...from about 4:00pm to 6:30pm. Therefore any pictures that we want to upload have to be at that time. We will do our best to keep everyone up to date on what we're doing but this is a trial run. Our blog may end up "dead" after all.

Completely Optimistic,
Kayla

Moving

2009-12-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

One of our many piles of boxes.

***

There's a lot to moving that we kids hadn't realized. Eleven years ago when we moved, our job was pretty much limited to playing "Pussy Wants a Corner" in the empty rooms while Dad and Mom did the work. This time, though, we kids helped pack, label, tape, clean, and carry for a couple weeks. The move took longer than expected because our old house closed first, necessitating a move to our friend's property for the intervening five days. We were very blessed by all of our friends through the move, with them helping clean, letting us borrow a trailer and storage space, offering places to stay, and moving us, even if it meant driving four hours in a day. Since we have moved, the Lord has also blessed us with meeting many fellow believers in our community who are very friendly and welcoming. In a later post, we'll show how we like the house:).

We're Back!

2009-12-08T09:18:00.000-08:00

Hello, friends! No, we have not fallen off the face of the earth, and yes, we do still have internet in this far off farm. The internet, though, is dial-up, so posts will probably be coming a little less often (after I get caught up), and there might be fewer pictures. But for now, we are still blogging.

Walking in the Mud...

2009-10-29T14:33:00.001-07:00

...has some consolations. We are enjoying the process of becoming country girls, and getting the new accessories!

We're Moving

2009-10-29T13:58:00.001-07:00

As most of you know, we are moving "to a big home, in the country". The house we are moving out of is the place were everybody has lived the longest. The longest Mom or I had lived anywhere before was 22 months. Dad had lived in one place a little longer, but all of our lives were fairly mobile until September 1998, when we moved in here. It has been strange to see the moving boxes again, and actually be a help filling them (last time we moved, Mom, not impressed with an eight and ten year old's packing skills, sent us outside). So here are a few farewell photos of the house that has sheltered us for eleven years.

One of the quirks of this house was the electrical system. I don't think we yet have all of the switches and lights matched up.

Goodbye! May the next owners be as blessed as we were.

Happy 20th Anniversary, Dad and Mom!

2009-10-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

Pictures of the celebration are coming soon!

Chicken Butchering

2009-10-22T21:38:00.001-07:00

Jordan has begun to raise and sell meat chickens, and over the summer he was able to get three batches from chick to freezer. He has learned a lot (like the cat's food bowl has to be full or a chick will completely disappear), and gained experience in what he hopes is his life work. He was also able to have some friends over for three butchering days, making the job much faster.

One wouldn't assume that chicken butchering would be fun, but with the right group of guys, it is! From watching Chicken Run the night before to cleaning up after all the dirty work is done, these guys make it a great time, even when it takes a fifteen minutes standing over the sink per bird. The Amazing Chicken Plucker that David made and brought this past time made it even better, since the plucking went down from thirty minutes a bird to thirty seconds.

After the last bird is plunked in the freezer, though, the enjoyment takes on a whole new level. Being a family of mostly girls, watching guys interact (and celebrate finishing early with the Chicken Dance) is quite entertaining. We are very glad that Jordan has such good friends, knowing that the chicken business wouldn't be seem so appealing if he only had us to help him.

County Fair

2009-10-21T09:10:00.001-07:00

This past Thursday we spent a fun day at the fair with some friends. We all had a great time seeing fluorescent rocks, examining the crafts for the names of people we knew, and wandering through the animal pavilion. Our little ones were very interested in seeing goats and chickens, since Jordan and I talk about ours on our friend's property quite a bit. Chris especially was excited to see the chicks hatching. He can't wait till we get to move into our house in the country, so he can get some of his own.

A Walk in the Fall

2009-10-06T15:30:00.001-07:00

How Old Are You??

2009-09-28T17:42:00.000-07:00

This evening after mom had left to take Jordan to college, Erin was tyring to figure out who the oldest one at home was. She looked at Raylene and said,"Since Mommy and Daddy are gone, Nicole is the oldest right?" Raylene responded that no she was the oldest one home. Erin, apparently, did not think Raylene understood, therefore she repeated her question. "Is Nicole the oldest one?" When Raylene explained to her again that she was the oldest, Erin looked shocked, like she had never heard that before. Apparently the age confusion for our family is not just to those outside of it;)
Kayla

Homemade Art

2009-09-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

Forty Days for Life

2009-09-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

IF thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death,

and those that are ready to be slain: If thou sayest,

Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart

consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he

know it? and shall not he render unto every man according

to his works?

Proverbs 24: 11-12

Forty days for Life is a time when Christians, all across the nation, set apart their time to pray and fast outside of abortion clinics. Last year sixty babies were saved, in our city alone, by the Lord working in the hearts of those women through the Right to Life workers! We are asking everyone to join us in this fight for life! The forty days goes from September 23- November 1.

There is a link below to the website to give you more information. Our family will participating in this event, so if you would like to come with us just let us know.Please prayerfully consider what the Lord would have you do through this time.

Kayla

www.40daysfresno.com

My Son

2009-08-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

MY SON
God gave my son to me:
Christ died for him, and he should be
A man for Christ. He is his own,
And God's and man's: not mine alone.
He was not mine to "give." He gave
Himself that he might help save
All that a Christian should revere,
All that enlightened men hold dear.

"To feed the guns!" O torpid soul!
Awake, and see life as a whole,
When freedom, honor, justice, right,
Were threatened by the despot's might;
With heart aflame and soul alight
He bravely went for God to fight
Against base savages, whose pride
The laws of God and man defied,
Who slew the mother and child,
Who maidens pure and sweet defiled;
He did not go "to feed the guns."
He went to save from ruthless Huns
His home and country, and to be
A guardian of democracy.

"What if he does not come?" you say;
Ah well, my sky would be more gray,
But through the clouds the sun would shine
And vital memories be mine.
God's test of manhood is, I know,
Not "Will he come?" but "Did he go?"
My son well knew that he might die.
And yet he went with purpose high,
To fight for peace, and overthrow
The plans of Christ's relentless foe.
He dreaded not the battle field;
He went to make fierce vandals yield.
If he comes not again to me
I shall be sad; but not that he
Went like a man – a hero true –
His part unselfishly to do.

My heart will feel exultant pride
That for humanity he died.

"Forgotten grave!" The selfish plea
Awakes no deep response in me.
For, though his grave I may not see,
My boy will ne'er forgotten be,
My real son can never die;'
Tis his body that may lie
In foreign land, and I shall keep
Remembrance food, forever, deep
Within my heart of my true son
Because of triumphs that he won,
It matters not where anyone
May lie and sleep when work is done.
It matters not where some men live,
If my dear son his life must give.
Hosannas I will sing for him,
E'en though my eyes with tears be dim.
And when the war is over, when
His gallant comrades come again
I'll cheer them as they're marching by,
Rejoicing that they did not die.
And when his vacant place I see
My heart will bound with joy that he
Was mine so long-my fair young son,
And cheer for him whose work is done.

Written by James D. Hughes, WW1

www.iwvpa.net/hughesjd/

A Fowl Occurence

2009-07-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

First you must know that I despise birds. Their beady round eyes, their unsanitary feathers, and their unnecessary flapping all contribute to an animal that I don’t like and am slightly afraid of.

When I was asked to house-sit recently, I agreed with no qualms, though I knew that part of my responsibilities would be caring for the chickens. Our family having chickens, I have learned that most of the time these birds run from people unless food is coming. I did not then realize that roosters are completely different from hens.

The first morning that I was house-sitting, I walked to the chicken pen, unthinking, in my sparkly flip-flops (when I told this story at home, everyone reminded me how foolish that was, and I told them that I now know that from experience). I opened the gate, slipped inside, and as I was fastening the latch there was a tornado with claws at my feet! At this point, I was not slightly afraid, I was terrified. I don’t know how I got the rooster away from my feet, but as he stood posturing I looked for a weapon to keep him away. The only thing I saw at that moment was two dried out oranges, which I grabbed as I walked to the chicken coop. I watched the rooster, and when he began to come at me again, I threw the oranges at him, only hitting him once, but that gave me enough time to get to the rake. This rake quelled his fighting spirit for the time being, but I made sure to keep my eye on him and my hand on the rake.

The next day I remembered that I had not checked the chickens water that morning, and it was nearing one hundred and ten degrees. I was tempted to just leave them, but the poor hens had not attacked me, and the rooster wasn’t mine. So I went to the pen, after putting on some boots from the house. Opening the gate, I grabbed the rake which I had left right by the entrance. The rake was still required if I did not want to be attacked, and I kept the full length of it between the rooster and me. Because he still looked nasty, I pushed the him away from the water until I was done being near it. As I walked from the pen, I saw him rush to get a drink, and I thought that maybe the next morning he would be a bit more agreeable out of thanks.

Maybe not. As soon as the rooster saw me the last morning, he began to posture and crow, threatening violence. I hurried through the chores as quickly as I could while grasping the handle of the rake. I was no longer terrified of the rooster, but I was becoming thoroughly disgusted with his bad manners. I left the pen with defiant glance, glad that for the time being I was done fighting him to gather eggs and feed his brood. When I came home that afternoon and looked out the back window at our chickens, I realized that maybe the female version of the chicken family was not as bad as I had thought. Of course, with such a comparison, anything would appear wonderful!

2009-07-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

Radical Christian - Paul Washer - Sermon Jam from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

This man is quickly becoming my favorite preacher. When I listen to him cry out about sending his son into the worst part of the battle I wonder if I have the same courage to pray this for my sons (or daughters for that matter). My wife and I have for some time now been wondering, where is our cross supposed to be? Where is our suffering supposed to come from?
We have it too easy in this country. I am ashamed of my behavior when I hear about people like the young man in the video. What more should I be doing? How should I be teaching my children? I would hope that they would relish a chance to proclaim the gospel--to make that the focal point of their lives--and I would hope that I would encourage that, whatever the cost. The major question I have is this, is the greatest mission field our own city, or state, or country? I'm beginning to think so. I pray that my children will be willing to give their all for the cause of the gospel, but how can I pray that for them, when there are times I feel trepidation for something as simple as giving thanks for a meal in public sometime?
For those of you who read this, we covet your prayers for strength. The time is coming, maybe soon, when we may have an opportunity to make life ending choices; but pray for us that we can make the harder choices. The ones that will require us to live an example to the world every day. It's harder to live through a long, tedious trial than it is a short dramatic one. I hope this video inspires you. Make the hard choices well, and please pray that we would do the same.

Dad

Behold the Goodness of the Lord!

2009-07-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;

Yea, I have a goodly heritage.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth:

My flesh also shall rest in hope.

Thou wilt show me the path of life:

In thy presence is fulness of joy;

At thy right hand are pleasures forevermore!

Psalm 16:6,9,11

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

Her whole mind seemed to be lighted up by that thought. This is what it means to be free. It means, you have to be good. "Our father's God, author of liberty-" The laws of Nature and of Nature's God endow you with a right to life and liberty. Then you have to keep the laws of God, for God's law is the only thing that gives you a right to be free.

Little Town on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder

Driving Home

2009-06-29T12:37:00.001-07:00

As we left the conference Sunday afternoon, we had ninety minutes to complete a sixty minute drive to the airport to drop off Katherine. It was difficult to find the way out of the city, so we were behind already when we got on the freeway and it started to hail. It was actually a huge storm, with five tornadoes going in our vicinity, but all we saw was hailstones the size of marbles (still pretty impressive to us California girls!). God provided, though, and we got to the airport in plenty of time for Katherine to catch her flight.

Sunday night we stayed at my grandparent's house in order to get an early start Monday morning. Our uncle, aunt, and cousin came over to visit, and we enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by my grandma.

Down in the basement that evening, we girls had a calm evening of talking and sharing, starting to digest and apply what was taught at the conference. Well, mostly calm, but there were a few exciting moments, like when the foot-rest of the chair flipped open unexpectedly, and just about startled us out of our skin. We were a little edgy, being so tired:).

The next two days were too long when we thought about wanting to be home, but not anywhere near long enough to solidify the sweet friendships that the Lord began to build on Him. The Church is one of the most precious things in life, and that week was a taste of Heaven in the fellowship, shared prayer, and encouragement.

My younger siblings had prepared a special surprise for all of us at home. They not only put a welcome sign on the sidewalk, but made a special one on a poster with each girl's name decorated uniquely. We felt very loved. Then it was time to separate, each girl to her own home, hoping to bring the encouragment of the Lord to her family. May He be praised in what we do!

At the Conference

2009-06-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

We got to the conference late afternoon Friday. After setting up our rooms and walking to dinner (some of us taking the longer route:), we went to the first session. It was a powerful teaching on repentance, God’s glory, and holiness. The lights were dim, and God sent a thunderstorm to back up the anointed teaching on His majesty. There simply are not words to describe the greatness of God’s character that was revealed to us that evening.

What we learned through the weekend-

Useful definition: Flirting is drawing attention to myself.

We have entered a covenant with the King of kings: He gave His life for us, and requires our life in return.

It is the life that has no time for trifling that counts. Amy Carmichael

No matter the outcome to us, even if it were hell, God deserves all the glory that comes from our full obedience and surrender.

Inactivity or entertainment is not rest and refreshment. These only come from Christ. “The times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19b

We may be able to get to Heaven without the extreme and full surrender asked of us, but that is not the point. Our Lord Christ deserves our all and everything. In the light of His sacrifice, nothing we give can compare to the glory He deserves. Our joy in giving back to Him surpasses any enjoyment we might get out of what we hold back.

We must trust God to fulfill the desires that He has given us, pleading with Him in prayer.

The Christian life is not about us. (So simple, yet so hard to grasp.)

God’s desire is the poor, hungry, sick and needy; what He desires is worth my life.

I have a claim to all of Christ; He has a claim to all of me.

Day Two

2009-06-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

Friday morning wasn't quite so early a wake-up time. We didn't have to leave the hotel until 10am, so there was time for a nice walk along the canal. After reloading the luggage carrier, we were off on the remaining four hour drive.

The scenery kept getting more beautiful as we kept driving. There were so many chances for wonderful pictures, which kept those of us who were awake busy while the others rested.

Lap luggage

We were very blessed to be lent a luggage carrier for the top of the van, but with fourteen ladies in a fifteen passenger van there were still items needing to be stowed on laps. It was an adventure unloading and reloading the luggage carrier every evening and morning (one girl on top of the van, one on the wheel, and one standing on the rear bumper), but by the last day we had mastered it.

More beautiful scenery.

Part of the group of very excited girls who can't wait to get to the conference!

Where We Have Been

2009-06-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

Last weekend the Lord took Momma, Nicole, Kayla, and I with a group of ten other ladies on an incredible journey. We went to Colorado for a conference on set-apart femininity, driving four solid days and receiving scriptural teaching that was life-changing. I was expecting a conference on ladylikeness, but it was so much more than that. The truths we heard were hard-hitting, challenging us to surrender everything to God, fortify ourselves against the enemy's attacks, and then stand in the gap for others. We received teaching on the glory of God, and were told that He deserves total and complete submission, no matter what the cost to us, and then received encouragement that joy does come through surrender. We left refreshed, having seen God work in marvelous ways.

Day One

2009-06-14T20:42:00.000-07:00

Schedule for the first day: Get up at 4:00am. Well, we started out off schedule, but early! Our big dog decided that we needed an extra half-hour to get ready, so after our barking alarm clock, we got up and ready between 3:30 and 5:00. It ended up that we needed that thirty minutes, because with pictures, girly talk, and good-byes, it was 5:13 by the time we backed down our drive-way.
So we were thirteen minutes behind, but not too bad. The drive was beautiful the entire way, and cameras were clicking the whole time. We started chattering after everyone knew everyone else's name, and then stopped about two hours from home for breakfast.

At our first stop was were we started to see God's protective hand. When we stopped for breakfast, I locked the keys in the car. Mrs. Callis called Triple A, but instead of just waiting for who knows how long, we girls tried to do something about it. One of our windows doesn't latch shut, so we were able to pry it open, but it was a window that only opens three inches sideways. We tried to stick a couple things in the window to reach the lock on the other door, nothing worked until Eden reached in with a cord and lassoed the lock. After a quick yank, the door was unlocked, but we then faced another dilemma. That door does not open from the outside. God does still work miracles, though, as was proved by the fact that we opened that door (though we haven't for months, and cannot now).After that show of God's protection on us females, we had a fairly uneventful, though long, day. We drove through five states, switching seats at every stop in order to get to know all of the girls in the van.

At 11:30 that night we pulled into the hotel parking lot, tired, but excited. God had used conversation to begin to knit our hearts together, and encourage us in Him. And this was before we even got to the conference!

12 & 3

2009-06-01T17:46:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday, Shauna and Audra! Our "little" girls are growing up. Shauna is close to joining the big girl group, and Audra insists that she is not baby Audra. May God guide your journeys to maturity.

Shauna's Pictures 2009

2009-05-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

Kayla's Pictures 2009

2009-05-28T14:58:00.000-07:00

New Camera!

2009-05-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

I was able to get a new camera recently, and it has been wonderful! The colors are much more true to life, and it has many different settings, of which I have figured out two. It isn't so difficult as the manual makes it seem, and Jordan has been trying out the more specialized settings. These are my favorite art shots that I have taken so far.

End of the year Choir

2009-05-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

As this school year has come to a close there have been several performances following one right after the other in quick succession. Since five of us are now in the PSCA homeschool choir that is what has mostly filled our time over the last two weeks. These pictures are a little backwards but this is at the policeman's memorial on Tuesday. It was sobering to hear the names of so many officers that were killed in action and gave me a real appreciation of what they do for us everyday.

Since Jordan and I are the tallest boy and girl in choir Mrs. Clark (our director) let us stand by one another for the memorial.

This picture is of Nicole in the community choir. They sang It Is Well but unfortunately since our choir was next, Jordan and I could not hear it because we were standing in the hallway waiting to get on stage:(

This was the debut of the guy's ensemble and they certainly made the most of it. They were the best performance of the whole night, and got the audience on their feet!

This is a picture of their choreography. It really added a lot to the singing and made it incredibly masculine.

Being in girls ensemble has been such a blessing! All of the girls are so sweet and it has helped me with my voice very much. This was a sad performance though because 10 of the 17 girls are graduating this year, so this was our last chance to sing together:(

Shauna and Kendra have really enjoyed being in children's choir this semester, And Kendra got to sing a high note only a few of them could hit:)

Shauna got to know the girls around her and is glad one of them is going to youth choir with her next year.

There they are. The entire senior class! They sang Hear My Prayer for us on the last day and did a beautiful job.

The girls ensemble practices in the copy room at the church and have many fun and girly conversations before we actually practice:)

Every Tuesday these girls and I eat lunch together out in the shade at People's Church and I think that is the thing I am going to miss the most. Whether the conversation was serious or not you could tell all these girls love the Lord.

Kayla

Kendra Pictures 2009

2009-05-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

Kendra has grown up so much in the past year. I love the way photography has given me a way to spend one-on-one time with my siblings and document their growth and maturity. This time Kendra has no bangs, and earrings. She is definitely moving up to the big girls.

Happy 6th Birthday, Sarah!

2009-05-04T16:50:00.000-07:00

May the Lord bless you with a hunger and thirst for Him that cannot be quenched by anything else. Have a wonderful sixth year!

Family Pictures 2009

2009-05-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

Once again, we have the Callis family to thank for these beautiful pictures. We are so blessed to have such talented and gracious friends. Eden and Philip did a wonderful job posing us and getting almost everyone to smile at the same time. Now we just need to write a letter to send out with the pictures:).

All photos copyright CFPhotography 2009

My Harp!!!

2009-04-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't beleive it! After waiting for as long as I can remember I finally have a Harp! Daddy found one on craigslist.com and suprised me with it. I knew nothing about it until Tuesday night when Daddy asked me if I would be interested in a 3ft tall 22 string heather harp. I was so today Mommy and I piled into the van with everyone younger than me and drove to Visaila to look at it. It was perfect! We brought it home and I have played it almost constantly since.

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord: and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To show forth thy lovingkindness every morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an insturment of ten strings, and upon the psaltrey; upon the harp with a solemn sound. Psalms 92:1-3

Kayla

Raylene's Pictures 2009

2009-04-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

Mom surprised me with a photo shoot for my birthday, done by our friend Philip Callis. The pictures all turned out so well that I had a hard time deciding which ones to use!

Mom's favorite.

Shauna's favorite. She wants to find a gazebo to use in her pictures:).

My favorite.

All photos copyright CFPhotography 2009

21st Birthday Party

2009-04-13T11:35:00.001-07:00

Our friends the Smiths very graciously offered to host my twenty-first birthday party at their beautiful property. The front lawn was perfect for games and visiting, and the refrigerator was just big enough for all the cold food!The spread that Mom, Jordan, and the girls put together. We found out that four carrot cakes is too much for one hundred people, especially if there is cherry pie as well, but thankfully it does freeze well.Kayla, Jordan, and Mr. Callis inspecting the house before the party.Some of our beloved littles.Grandma time.Great-grandma time.

We enjoyed an afternoon full of games, singing, dancing, and talking. It has been such a blessing to have fellowship with the friends that God has given us, and we were so glad that so many of them were able to come and celebrate with us.

Tim showing off his double dutch skills during the relay.Daddy said a blessing over me, encouraging me to look to the Lord for and in my future. Praise God for daddies like mine! We would be lost without them.

All us girls.

Me and my guys.

We were blessed with the presence of two babies at the party, and almost all of the younger girls time was taken up with pushing strollers, watching the babies sleep, and longing for the time when they are big enough to hold a baby while standing up.

The babies changed hands fairly often, but remained good-natured the whole time. One even stayed asleep when he was taken from his stroller.I did claim birthday girl privilege a little to get to hold the babies. It's necessary with so many girls around:).

All photos copyright CFPhotography 2009

On top of the world

2009-04-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

New Arrivals

2009-04-09T11:15:00.001-07:00

Daddy has been full of surprises recently. A couple of days last week he arrived home from work late with cardboard boxes in his hands. We children knew about the first box, which was a surprise for Mommy. Five ducklings were in Mom's box. These are a breed that lay many eggs a year, and their wings are short enough that they can't fly away. We have two males and three females, so we will be raising ducks to butcher as well as lay eggs.
Dad surprised Shauna and I with our own rabbits. Shauna's is Albany, a very fluffy albino that is rather skittish, but very sweet.

Mine is Petra. It was going to be Peter, but since it is a girl, we thought that Petra might be better:). She is full of energy and attitude, and will snuggle up very quickly.

***

A little girl I babysit came over a while ago, and we were telling her about all of our animals. She asked how many more we had to have before we became a zoo. I think we might qualify now!

We've had a Birthday!

2009-03-28T15:45:00.001-07:00

Both Erin and I had significant birthdays this year. She turned five, the official Werzinski pancake-flipping age, and I turned twenty-one. We have loved sharing a birthday, trading "Happy Birthdays!" all day long. Erin is prepared to be a big girl now, doing school and activities just like Sarah, Kendra, and Shauna. She knows that she is growing up, and she is beginning to take responsibility.

I actually feel younger than I did last year. Maybe it's denial:), or maybe I am just beginning to realize that I never was as mature as I thought I was. In any case, I know now that grown-up life is harder than it looks, but the Lord is faithful, and my parents are very wise counsellors. I hope this next year's lessons are as valuable!

Why We Don't Blog More

2009-03-25T18:35:00.001-07:00

Pies to bake.
Jewish dancing and hula-hooping to practice.

Games to play.

Parties to attend.

Songs to perform.

Chickens to butcher.

Friends to visit with.

* * *

That being said, there should be some blog activity in the next week or so. Here's hoping:).

Do It Heartily

2009-03-03T09:58:00.000-08:00

Our family verse is Colossians 2:23 "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." This has been proven to be an appropriate verse for us, as we never do anything half-way, however advisable that might be. We do things like adopt four children at a time, own ten animals at once, and preserve 90 bushels of apples in four days. We also take our sack races rather seriously.

When we were at a friend's birthday party recently, we were told to line up for sack races. There had already been a relay race, enough to get our Werzinski competition adrenaline going. Sarah and Erin began to race, and we began to cheer for them both. Daddy didn't think that Erin was trying hard enough:), so he ran out to help her make her hops longer. Nicole immediately saw that this put Sarah at a disadvantage, so she raced out to show her how fast sack races could be. Erin ended up winning that race (Nicole says that it is only because Kendra was hanging on to her and Sarah to slow them down), but that was only the beginning. Mr. Smith had bumped up a few spots in line to be able to race with Kayla, and by the time they turned around and began to return to the starting line, it looked like he was going to win by quite a margin. That's when he began to gloat, hopping in front of Kayla, and turning around and teasing her. That's why he didn't see Daddy coming. Daddy flew out into the racing lanes, intending (I think) to hold Mr. Smith still until Kayla won. It didn't work out quite that way. Daddy hit a wet spot on the grass, and when he realized he was going down, decided to take Mr. Smith with him. Daddy held Mr. Smith down while they both caught their breath, hoping that would be enough time for Kayla to win. Kayla, though (along with everyone else), was laughing so hard she couldn't move, so she crossed the finish line just slightly behind Mr. Smith.

There was some friendly competition, though. Shauna decided to help our friend Joy, since she is smaller than Erin, and Joy's brother Tim helped Erin when she began to fall behind. The only thing was, Erin thought that Tim was going to carry her the whole time, so when he put her down, she didn't hop. Oh, well. Winning isn't the point (really?!?), and we got the chance to put our family verse into practice.

Thanks to Philip Callis for the pictures for the last few posts.

Valentines Day Dance

2009-02-25T14:46:00.000-08:00

Valentine's evening was a family dance for us this year. After a dinner for our parents, we got ready and loaded everyone in the car. Chris, Sarah, and Erin were so anxious to go that they nearly jumped off of the couch each time we walked through the living room on our way to get hairspray or dancing shoes. Daddy and Kendra, trying to form a big enough bridge for the taller dancers to get through. She and Chris did a good job dancing, even though the first dance Chris did was switching partners every minute.
Nicole and Richard Dunia.
Richard's dad is a ballroom dance instructor, and Richard has inherited his dad's talent for dancing (and making it fun).

David Callis and I practicing the waltz or the foxtrot.

One of the three long lines of dancers. Since it was Valentine's and a Saturday, there were about one hundred people in a room where twenty-five normally dance. It made it a little more confusing, and a lot more enjoyable.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Be Prepared

2009-02-25T13:15:00.000-08:00

"Be prepared" could be said to be Jordan's motto, especially when it comes to knives. He carries them everywhere that it is legal, just in case a cause might come up that is deemed worthy. He seems to need them the most at parties.

Last summer we were at a graduation party, and of course, Jordan had his knife. One of his friends asked why in the world he would need a knife at a party. Jordan replied that he didn't know, but it was better to have it than not. Turns out that Jordan used his knife to open the sparkling cider bottles when it was discovered that the bottle opener was missing.

In January we went to a surprise party for another friend, only this time it was a very formal, girly party. Jordan came as a server, with his knife on his belt. This time he found some kindred spirits (see above photo), and ended up using his knife to repair a table. So he is convinced never to leave home without his knife, and he may have convinced some of his friends, too!

WHOOHOOOOOO

2009-02-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

WHOOHOOOOOOOO!!

I Jordan Werzinski have bought my own Honda Rebel 250 . I haven't gotten my permit yet but I am set to take the test soon. Then I take my motorcycle safety course, receive my motorcycle permit, and I'm free to roar around town on the coolest bike in the world, (which by the way my Dad refers to as the "baby bike" his motorcycle being the "papa bike").

WHOOHOOOOOOOO!

Check out that shine!

What Is That Smell?

2009-01-21T17:02:00.000-08:00

Audra has begun to make cute comments that come from experiments with language skills. A couple of them recently have had to do with scents.

At Christmas, Nicole gave each of the younger girls bath fizzies. Audra opened hers last, and as she saw what it was, her eyes opened wide. "Bath stinks!" she gasped. We don't know if this came from a mispronunciation, or from the fact that the other girls had taken their fizzies around so everyone could smell them. Either way, the name has stuck.

When Daddy got really good news at work one day, Mommy went to get some food to celebrate. Audra asked what was for dinner, and I told her steak. "Stink?" she said, her nose wrinkling slightly. I don't think she was impressed.

Finally Finalized

2009-01-16T22:20:00.001-08:00

Today was the day! We got to go to court and sign the final papers that say Christian, Sarah, Erin and Audra were finally and for always Werzinskis. Of course, we already knew this, because God's hand has been so apparent all through the process, but it is nice for the state to acknowledge it, too:).
We got to the court early in the afternoon, and were very blessed to be the second family in line. It was obvious that all of the court workers enjoyed supervising a pleasant case, and it made our family appreciative of all the nastiness our judicial workers go through for justice.

Little friends.

God introduced us to the Parish family in time to go through the end of their adoption and all of ours. They have been such an encouragement to us, and it is wonderful for our family to have friends that are walking this particular road with us.

One through ten.

Mommy's parents were also with us at the finalization. They think we are a little strange, but they love us and support us in the work that God is doing in our lives.

One big, happy family!

Quotes from the day: Erin - "That man (the judge), he say 'drop (adopt) the children, Christian, Sarah, Erin and Audra.'"

Sarah said "So what do we have to do now that the adoption is over?" When someone said nothing, it was like being born and it was all done now, she paused. "But Daddy said after the adoption we would get a pool!" They knew we were a forever family, and all the papers meant was that we aren't under anyone else's rules!

Happy Fourteenth, Kayla

2009-01-16T22:14:00.000-08:00

Kayla's graciousness and compassion have added much to our family in the fourteen years that we have been blessed to have her. Her carriage and maturity cause many people to think that she is the oldest of us children. May the Lord bless and guide her as she grows in Him.

Sixteen

2008-12-22T12:18:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday, Jordan! May the Lord bless you and keep you as you continue your journey of manhood.

More Pictures by Shauna

2008-12-12T17:15:00.000-08:00

Shauna

Stair Sliding

2008-12-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago the younger ones rediscovered a past-time that we older ones loved when we first moved into this house. Shauna was only a year old when we moved in, so instead of walking down the stairs, she slid. Kayla, Jordan, Nicole and I quickly joined in, and it was an activity that we showed to all of our friends when they came over. It was the number one attraction of our house for several years. Shauna and Kendra showed the four little ones, and they have enjoyed trying out different variations of slides.
Sitting up, laying down, on their stomach and on their back.

Nobody has tried face-first yet, and we are hoping that they don't.

Happy Fortieth!

2008-12-03T19:25:00.001-08:00

Daddy turns forty today! Whatever he says, don't let him fool you into thinking that he is getting old. He acts much younger than most of the people his age (maybe it is the ten children:), and he's only about five years older than the couples Nicole and I babysit for. We love you, Daddy!

Shauna's Experiments With Portraits

2008-12-02T19:19:00.001-08:00

Civil War Re-enactment

2008-12-02T18:50:00.001-08:00

In October we had the opportunity to go to the largest Civil War Re-enactment west of the Mississippi, right in our home-town. We had been several times before, but this time was better for several reasons. Jordan was one of the blacksmiths, showing the visitors old-fashioned skills. While he made fire-pokers and nails, we wandered around visiting the other stations. We talked to the ladies that took care of the soldiers by doing the washing and mending, and Sarah, Erin and Audra got to wash socks with washboards and home-made soap. We also talked to the Navy men, and discovered that not much has changed since the days of the first iron-clad. Then the Navy had good food, no marching, and it deafened the sailors by degrees. Daddy having been in the Navy, he can attest that all that still happens.One of the other high-lights for our musical family was a concert by the 97th Regimental String Band. The violin above is an actual, playable violin made by one of the members of the band. He told us that soldiers often took their instruments with them into the army, and since violins are fragile, it was not uncommon for them to be broken. If just the body of the violin was crushed, a cigar box made a convenient replacement. Kendra playing the violin.

Shauna played "Twinkle, Twinkle," and one of the band members accompanied her on the mandolin.

Apples to Apples (and Applesauce, and Pie Filling...)

2008-12-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to some friends, we recently were blessed with fresh apples at 17 cents a pound! We ended up getting ninety gallons of apples, entirely filling the trunk of our car, plus some in the back seat. When we brought them home, they covered the couch, the dining table, and the floor of the back entry. Since we brought them home two days before Thanksgiving, we had work to do to have enough room to make and eat the feast on Thursday. Wednesday, thanks to the help of some other friends, we got sixty quarts done up into pie filling and applesauce. There are still many to do, but since apples don't get soft like other fruit they are keeping long enough for us to get to them.

These are the jars for the first day.

All finished (with the first batch)!

Concerning the Election

2008-11-04T08:59:00.001-08:00

And Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" And he said "No; but I am commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come." Joshua 5:13b-14a

* * *

"When Jesus comes back, he isn't coming back to take sides. He's coming back to take over." Dr. Patrick Smith

Sisters

2008-10-10T12:36:00.001-07:00

"A sister can be seen as a person who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves-a special kind of double." Toni Morrison"How do people make it through life without a sister?" Sara Corpening"What's the good news if you haven't a sister to share it with?" Jenny DeVries"Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some means of enjoyment in their power, which no subsequent connections can supply." Jane Austen
"An older sister helps one remain half child, half woman." Unknown

"You can kid the world, but not your sister." Charlotte Gray

"Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation and kindness and caring-quite often the hard way." Pamela Dugdale

"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost." Marion C. Garretty

"A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life." Isadora James"Sisters are different. They heard the sobbing in the darkness. They lived through all your triumphs, all your favorites, all your loves and losses. They have no delusions. They've lived with you too long. And so, when you achieve some victory, friends are delighted-but sisters hold your hands in silence and shine with happiness. For they know the cost." Pam Brown

"A sister shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams." Unknown

"The mildest, drowsiest sister has been known to turn tiger if her sibling is in trouble." Clara Ortega

"Never had to have a chaperone, no sir: I'm here to keep my eye on her" White Christmas

"Sisters share the scents and smells-the feel of a common childhood." Pam Brown

"A sister smiles when one tells one's stories-for she knows where the decoration has been added." Chris Montaigne

"Our siblings. They resemble us just enough to make all their differences confusing." Susan Scarf Merrell

"To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time." Clara Ortega

Harvest Time

2008-10-09T21:09:00.000-07:00

Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year with goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. Psalm 65:9-11

New Favorites

2008-10-08T21:31:00.000-07:00

What a surprise! Owen brought this beautiful bouquet of

flowers home last week. They are my new favorites. He has been

working many hours of overtime, getting up at 3:45 in the morning

and not getting home until 7 or 8 at night, yet he took the time to

make me feel special.

We all enjoyed these remarkable flowers. They bloomed

all week. The little ones kept a constant count of how many

had bloomed and how many were left. They were gorgeous in every

stage. I told him he has set the standard pretty high in case he is

thinking of buying me flowers again. Amazingly enough he always

finds a way to top himself.

Jordan's Music Stand

2008-10-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

Details
Jordan made this entire music stand by hand with his blacksmithing and welding expertise.

The finished product.

Kendra's Eighth Birthday

2008-10-08T21:20:00.001-07:00

When we Werzinski girls turn eight, we get our ears pierced, so it was Kendra's turn a couple weeks ago. Luckily, there were other less painful parts to the birthday, too!

Uncertainty

2008-09-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

Anne's horizons had closed in since the night she had sat there after coming home from Queen's ; but if the path set before her feet was to be narrow she knew that flowers of quiet happiness would bloom along it. The joys of sincere work and worthy aspiration and congenial friendship were to be hers; nothing could rob her of her birthright of fancy or her ideal world of dreams. And there was always the bend in the road!

"God's in heaven, all's right with the world," whispered Anne softly.

Anne of Green Gables, L. M. Montgomery

A Bantam Book, pg 308-309

"I stand upon some dreadful brink, and it is utterly dark in the abyss before my feet, but whether there is any light behind me I cannot tell. For I cannot turn yet. I wait for some stroke of doom."

The Return of the King, J. R. R. Tolkien

A Ballantine Book, pg 259

A part of us feels as if something is spiritually wrong with us when we experience circumstantial uncertainty. But that is precisely what Jesus promised us when we are born of the Spirit and start following him. Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: adventure.

Wild Goose Chase, Mark Batterson

Multnomah, pg 2

And he said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you...

Acts 1:7-8a, KJV

Can't a Dad Brag???

2008-09-01T09:24:00.001-07:00

This will probably be the only time I post in this thing, but my kids really impressed me the other night. We have been in the practice of memorizing a portion of scripture for quite a while now and quoting it on the last day of the month to each other. Last month we were finishing up Proverbs 3. Well, in order to finish it up, we only had to quote verses 25-37, but everyone took it upon themselves to refresh themselves from previous months and quoted the entire chapter (except me--bummer).
It was a pretty good night, so I took everyone to Sonic for a shake to celebrate. The carhop couldn't believe it when I ordered 12 ice cream products. He repeated the number several times before he realized I was serious.
This month we're starting a passage in Mark, we'll see how that goes. They just keep surprising me. Being a dad is really a pretty good job.

A proud, and somewhat chastened dad.

Pigtails!

2008-08-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today was apparently a day for matching hairstyles. And, of course, any reason to take pictures of some of the cute smiles we have around is sufficient.

Blacksmithing

2008-08-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

Jordan has been doing blacksmithing for a while, and is getting good enough to practice on his own. Just recently, he bought all the materials to make his own forge, and it is now in working order in the backyard.

Beginning to mix the mortar.

For a real job, you've got to get messy.

Every job around here has an audience.

All set up. Yes, he is using a hair-dryer as the blower. That's one of the advantages of having eight sisters:).

Going at it. The first night he made a fire rake and a hot cutter.

Chris was working on his own forge. He wants to be just like Jordan, and he is not going to wait until he grows up.

Happy Birthday Two You!

2008-08-23T21:55:00.001-07:00

Nicole is now eighteen, and beginning to enjoy privileges like teaching and no schoolwork herself.
Chris is loving being as old as Kendra (for a month, at least). The day after his birthday, he came out of his bedroom rubbing his belly. "I think I'm gonna get big today. My tummy's growing."

Random Pictures

2008-08-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

I thought you all might enjoy these random shots since nothing out of the normal has been happening around here. This first one is not a prank. Raylene was upstairs getting ready to vacuum and found it on the ground. None of the pictures were really good but this one is the best. I guess even our rubberbands go along with the family theme of music.

Daddy found a place were we can get peaches incredibly inexpensively, so we (Mommy, Raylene, and I) have been canning a whole lot. Final count was somewhere between 50 and 60 quarts.

Daddy got a St. Bernard mix a few week ago and she has been growing like a weed ever since. She is already as big as two of our other dogs and still growing!

The other night we were all playing our instruments in the living room when Daddy picked up Shauna's violin and started playing songs by ear! He has always said he had no talent, but now we know he does, he is just humble about it.

In Christ,

Kayla

Shauna

2008-07-23T16:03:00.000-07:00

Sarah

2008-07-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

Kendra

2008-07-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

Erin

2008-07-22T11:58:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

2008-07-22T11:51:00.001-07:00

Opening Door

2008-07-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

Yea, sloth would fain be at rest; but what stable rest beside the Lord? Luxury affects to be called plenty and abundance; but Thou art the fulness and neverfailing plenteousness of incorruptible pleasures. Prodigality presents a shadow of liberality: but Thou art the most overflowing Giver of all good. Covetousness would possess many things: and Thous possessest all things. Envy disputes for excellency: what more excellent than Thou? Anger seeks revenge: who revenges more justly than Thou? Fear startles at things unwonted and sudden, which endanger things beloved, and takes forethought for their safety: but to Thee what unwonted or sudden, or who seperateth from Thee what thou lovest? Or where but with Thee is unshaken safety? Grief pines away for things lost, the delight of its desires; because it would have taken from it, as nothing can from Thee.

Confessions, St. Augustine

***

I've only gotten two chapters into this book, but I knew that if I didn't share a quote now, I would have a very difficult time choosing which one to share. St. Augustine's writings explore subjects much deeper than anything that ever even occurred to me. It is like opening a door into a new world.

Answers

2008-06-25T13:12:00.001-07:00

Congratulations, Kaylee! She matched eight of the pictures right, so her baby picture might be appearing shortly.

Guess Who?

2008-06-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

Up for a challenge? If you can correctly identify these ten Werzinski babies, we will do a blog post dedicated to you (maybe with your baby picture:). In addition, if you live within driving distance, we will make you a dessert of your choice. If nobody gets them all right, whoever gets the most will get the prize.

Here's a hint - three of us are in the correct spot for age order.

Fathers Day

2008-06-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

The Highway Man

The semis, cars, and motorbikes, created a gusty brezz,

The sun beat down on blacktop, and on the scattered jeans.

First he picked up the clothes from the on-ramp, to make an honest buck,

Then the highwayman went driving

Driving,

The highway man went driving, in his old, bright orange truck.

Heed the hard hat on his forhead, and the orange vest over his back,

As he hangs a bent sign on the wood post, which was caused by a speeding jack.

Now he turns, and on his eye catches, a seemingly large bit of cash,

So the highwayman went striding,

Striding,

The highway man went striding, only to have his hopes dashed.

Disappointed, he turns back to his work, then finds a kitten small,

And he takes the cat home to his children, and pleases them one and all.

So he finishes work that day happy, with one real dollar to spare,

Then the highway man went driving,

Driving,

The highway man went driving to the corner to get a coke there.

One day taking roadkill from shoulders, it happened one still was alive,

He swung at that bird with a shovel, and it craftily tooka great dive.

But our hero did end up victorious, though that turkey did resist and duck,

And the highway man went driving,

Driving,

The highway manwent driving, with the bird in the back of his truck.

We love you Dad.

Deuteronomy 8:2-10

2008-06-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thoug knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat breadwithout scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

Turning Eleven

2008-06-10T14:34:00.001-07:00

Shauna is growing up so fast. Since she is the first baby I really remember, it makes me feel old thinking that she is eleven. But, her sense of responsibility and organization make all of us kids seem younger than her at times:).

Happy Second Birthday, Audra!

2008-06-05T16:51:00.000-07:00

She is growing up so fast she hardly looks like this picture that was taken only a few weeks ago!

We love you, baby girl!

My New Instrument

2008-06-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

For my birthday I got a new full-size violin. My birthday is on Saturday, but I got it early so I could have it for my lesson. I really like it. When Mommy and Daddy came home on Monday they gave it to me ,and I started to play it. I played all the songs I knew, and learned some more.

Shauna.

Chris

2008-05-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

New Pursuits, Successful and Otherwise

2008-05-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Recently, we older girls have had the opportunity to try several new household projects. Nicole made some wonderful vanilla soap, that smells great and is very gentle on the skin. Thanks to my friend Sally, I have started to culture some of our milk with kefir grains (the milk ends up like yogurt), making shakes, sourdough starter, and cheese. We haven't tried any of the cheese yet, because it has to age for so long, but hopefully it turns out well. This is the cheese hanging up for the whey to drain off.

We have had an experiment turn out rather nasty, though. I have recently been reading a cookbook called "Nourishing Traditions" that has a lot of good information on food and actual nutrients. One thing that the cookbook suggests is eating many fermented foods, like pickles. Since we don't eat much of that type of food, I decided to try the recipe for fermented ginger carrots. I got them prepared, then screwed the lid on the jar and set it on the back of the counter. Some of the family got worried at this point, since the carrots began to "squeak" every couple of hours, and leak a little bit of liquid. Since the recipe had said that the carrots would expand, I thought that maybe I just had not left quite enough room between them and the lid. Then, it came time for dinner on the third day after the carrots had begun to sit. I knew that the new dish probably wouldn't be a huge hit, so I asked everyone just to try one bite, figuring that Mommy and I would eat the leftovers sometime later. Then, I took the lid off. The carrots started running over the edge of the jar, and a horrible smell came with them. After I hurriedly found a larger container for them, I doubtfully set them on the table. I put a very small spoonful on my plate, not wanting to seem picky, but with the smell rapidly convincing me that this particular recipe was inedible. Daddy (best dad in the world!) still tried a bite, but the taste was even more convincing than the smell. The rest of the carrots were quickly collected and thrown in the compost pile. So, that try was unsuccessful, but happily the health of the family does not depend on ginger carrots. Other fermented foods will have to take their place.:)

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

2008-04-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Happy fifth birthday, Sarah. We have already seen you grow a lot, and pray that you will begin to grow in the Lord soon. We love you.

Our Baby Girl

2008-04-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

Here are Audra's pictures for this year. Sadly, probably our last "baby" pictures in this family, but there is always the next generation. "Aren't I cute?"

Her little hands are already busy much of the time in tidying the home. May she have diligent, generous hands as in Proverbs 31.

"Oh, I see!"

Information

2008-04-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know, anonymous comments are now allowed, so you can comment even if you don't have a Google id.

Family Time

2008-04-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month Daddy and Mommy surprised us with a visit from our uncle, aunt, and cousin from Colorado. Our relatives were in the state for a family wedding, and decided to drive five hours to visit us on a Wednesday. Daddy and Mommy were the only ones who knew they were coming until a couple of hours before they arrived. It was so much fun to see them again! Getting to know the cousins again.
Jordan and Justin enjoying some guy time.

Justin and Uncle Jerry, Daddy's brother.

Aunt Joelle is in the middle of the picture.

Even though they only got to stay for a few hours, we really enjoyed the visit, and hope we can see them again soon!

Two by Two

2008-04-02T20:31:00.001-07:00

More family pictures. Unfortunately, Jordan and Chris's pictures did not turn out, but the rest of them did.World's best looking couple (but I am a little prejudiced:)

Audra was done taking pictures by this point, so we never got a smile when she was with Nicole.

Two Birthdays!

2008-04-01T11:30:00.001-07:00

A few days ago we celebrated Erin's first birthday with us. She is now four, and very excited to be as old as Sarah (for a month at least). It is very neat to share a birthday with her, and we had a great time being birthday girls together. When we went out with Grandpa and Grandma for lunch, Erin said several times "Now I four!" Then she would look at me and ask how old I was. I would say twenty and held up my fingers twice, and she would look at her fingers and marvel at how old I was. It is great to have the little ones' perspectives!

Family Pictures

2008-03-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Esau took our family pictures the other day at the park. There are more to be posted, but this is already a significant post. Thank you, Mrs. Esau!

Thank goodness for digital cameras! This shot took about fifteen trys, but everybody looks pleasant.

There's Mischief In Her Eye

2008-03-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

Funnies

2008-03-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

This evening we were doing some cooking when the smoke alarm went off. Audra looked at Nicole with surprise on her face. "A bomb!"

"Not quite." Nicole assured her.

The Fool's Prayer

2008-03-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

After reading Luke 18:9-14 it reminded me of this poem. I thought it might bless someone else.
Kayla

The Fool's Prayer

THE royal feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: "Sir Fool,
Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!"

The jester doffed his cap and bells,
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon the Monarch's silken stool;
His pleading voice arose: "O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin: but Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"'T is not by guilt the onward sweep
Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;
'T is by our follies that so long
We hold the earth from heaven away.

"These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept--
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?
The word we had not sense to say--
Who knows how grandly it had rung!

"Our faults no tenderness should ask.
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;
But for our blunders -- oh, in shame
Before the eyes of heaven we fall.

"Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!"

The room was hushed; in silence rose
The King, and sought his gardens cool,
And walked apart, and murmured low,
"Be merciful to me, a fool!"

Edward Rowlard Sill
http://www.poetry-archive.com/

Pretty in Pink

2008-03-11T16:48:00.001-07:00

Drive Time!

2008-03-07T16:08:00.000-08:00

Nicole got her driver's permit today! She has been anxiously waiting since her sixteenth birthday, as have the people that she babysits for. She is out practicing right now in a deserted parking lot. Unfortunately for ease of learning, she must learn to drive in either a fifteen passenger van, a manual car, or a huge truck, but it will work out in the long run. After driving our cars, everything else will seem easy!

Puppy Love

2008-03-03T15:26:00.001-08:00

More preparations. Daddy cut down the tree in our backyard in order to make room for a shed for me to move into so Audra has a place in the house not in our parent's room. So since I am not going to be "in the house" anymore, Daddy got me a dog. Yes, me, the self-professed dog disliker. Maybe I don't dislike them as much as I thought:). Daddy and I went to the animal shelter today and got my puppy. His name is now Gyp, like from James Herriot, because he has a floppy ear and has not barked (yet). He is mellow, and he doesn't lick, so he is exactly what I wanted. But now I have to go see what kind of mess he has made....

Gardening Time

2008-02-29T20:52:00.000-08:00

Time for dirt under our fingernails, callouses on our hands, and scrapes on our knuckles. Now we have tomatoes and strawberries planted, and two planter boxes made in preparation for all kinds of vegetables and herbs.

***

"Only two things that money can't buy; true love and homegrown tomatoes"

Preparations

2008-02-29T20:47:00.000-08:00

There are preparations going on at the Werzinski house for something....
Can you guess what?

Recent Blessings....

2008-02-25T17:16:00.000-08:00

....the strong immune system of little ones.

....open windows.

....spring clothes in bright colors.

....a week without going anywhere.

....a family Valentine party.

....teaching Audra to give kisses.

....looking out the back window at sunset after a rainstorm.

....good books to read while sick.

They're Hungry!

2008-02-25T17:09:00.000-08:00

Apparently the chickens are not satisfied with the oatmeal, pellets, and a two gallon bucket of compost that they get every day.
We were afraid they might get stuck, but they didn't, and they even took turns. Maybe they think dog food produces really good eggs.

Not to Know

2008-02-20T20:30:00.000-08:00

All morning he was busy in the cornyard - preparing new stances for ricks with his hands, while with his heart he tried to content himself beforehand with whatever fate the Lord might intend for him. As yet he was more of a Christian philosopher than a philosophical Christian. He was working in the region of his imagination rather than the revealed will of God. If this should not be the will of God concerning him, then he was spending his strength for nothing. There is something in the very presence and actuality of a thing to make one able to bear it; but a man may weaken himself for bearing what God intends him to bear. The chief was being anxious about the morrow like an unbeliever - not without some moral advantage, I daresay, but with spiritual loss. We have no right to school ourselves concerning an imaginary duty. When we do not know, then what He lays upon us is not to know and to be content not to know. The philosopher lives in the thought of things, the Christian lives in the things themselves. The philosopher occupies himself with God's decree, the Christian with God's will; the philosopher with what God may intend, the Christian with what God wants him to do.

The Highlander's Last Song

George MacDonald

Experiments with Spring Colors

2008-02-09T15:38:00.000-08:00

The other day Shauna, Kendra, and I were outside enjoying the sunshine, and we took a few experimental pictures, trying out photography skills. Enjoy the glimpses of spring, especially if you still have snow on the ground!
Life triumphing over death.

Hawks

2008-01-25T14:57:00.000-08:00

This afternoon we had a very strange experience. Shauna and I were doing the dishes when we looked out the window at about the same time and saw a whole group of hawks circling our backyard! Raylene was sitting at the computer so we called her over to see then headed outside to get some pictures. For some reason unknown to us a total of 18 hawks circled and finally landed on a trees across the street from us. They stayed there about half an hour and then just flew away. Here are some of them circling our chicken coop. By the time they left all the chickens were under the house trying to hide, but nothing came of it.

This tree seemed to be the favorite, for most of them at one time or other landed on it.

Before we brought out the other camera to zoom in closer Jordan said he would like to get a look at them through a rifle scope. Kendra innocently asked why, and then was horrified when he replied "to shoot them!"

It was interesting seeing these wild creatures in the middle of the city.

Kayla

No Lid!

2008-01-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

Audra was able to have a cup without a lid away from the table for the first time today. She drank about four cups of water because she was so excited to have a real cup! Now every time she sees someone in the kitchen she says "Waller, waller?" Her tongue gets in the way of her 't's, but she gets the point across.