We're Gonna Meet Them!

Finally! We get to go meet our children on the 2nd! The whole family gets to go, and Daddy and Mommy will meet our four new children on Friday, and if all goes well, we kids get to meet them on Saturday. We can't say much about the specifics right now, but after things settle a little, we will be able to tell the whole glorious story of how God prepared us for them and them for us.

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After we get to meet them where they live now, they probably get to come up here for a visit sometime soon. Then, they will move in. All of the timing, though, is subject to a lot of change, as even this upcoming visit has been changed around several times. God has brought us this far, though, and He will lead us faithfully to the end (or new beginning).

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God has shown us His faithfulness in so many new ways since we found out about the children. Our friends have prayed for us, many friends and acquaintances have been generous with gifts for the children, and He has given us peace while the visit situation was unknown. We do thank you all so much for the prayers, and continue to covet them as we embark on this new journey with the children.

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This is the LORD's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Psalm 118:23

My First Knife

Hello y'all, it's Renaissance Man here.This is my first post so I don't know exactly how to do this but here goes.This is the process of making my first knife, offered for the instructio(or warning!) of others.This is the stock steel I used for my knife, I salvaged it off

an old wheelbarrow and I have no idea what kind it was.

It was over a foot long, about two inches wide, and 3/16" thick.

The steel has now been rough cut with a hacksaw
(this takes a long time, but since I don't posses a cutting

torch is was the only way to do it).

I have now ground the edge to the required bevel using my father's angle grinder.When you do this be careful that you don't burn the steel, or turn it blue by leaving the grinder in one spot for to long. By the way if you do this don't touch the blade! It will be extremely hot, as in 900'F .

The blade has been sharpened and I'm cleaning up the steel. After this I extendedthe bevel much farther up the blade and left it in the rough grind state, then wrapped the handle in waxed thread.

The finished knife! Its not a beauty to be sure, but it works.

Have a Happy Clappy Day, and good luck!

Renaissance Man

Raylene's Pictures

My dear friend Sally and I recently spent a day exchanging photography skills. I went out to her family's home and we spent well over an hour wandering their property, climbing ladders, benches, rocks, and hills for the correct angle and the perfect background. Sally did a beautiful job, and I ended up with many pictures that are so much better than any studio photos I have ever had. Thank you, Sally!

Wheelbarrow Fun!

I promise! It really is fun!

Quite a comfy ride.

Getting (gently) dumped out.

Thank you, Kayla! This is fun!

What a bounce!

Creativity In Action

This was our project for Columbus Day. Since Daddy was off of work, he and Mommy decided to give us the day off of school too. Shauna has had this dollhouse for a while, but today she, Kendra, and I (Raylene) got out the paint to make it suitable for the six girls dolls living there.

Shauna and Kendra are so creative with their dolls. They have made all six of the dolls that live in this house, sewn matching clothes for them, and made couches, beds, tables, and chairs. The dolls are quite comfortable in their old-fashioned house with cheery colors, carpet (after the paint dries), and numerous pillows, which double as cushions for the wagon when they go to church. Since Mommy has done so many projects like painting the rooms and sewing clothes, the girls have plenty of left-overs to work with, and have put them to good use.