Today is my mom’s birthday! We are celebrating by going out to eat and then heading over to a Russian concert (Rachmaninoff) where we will delight ourselves in a lovely aroma of music.

I am her first and last child, born later in her life. Being an only child, and for a time with just a mother’s love, we grew very close. We get along wonderfully and we know each others thoughts. She has always made decisions for my safety and welfare, which were sometimes very hard. She has made sure that I grew up with respect towards others, and has always kept me within distance for a hug. People have called me over sheltered, yet I call myself loved. And when we started home schooling we grew even closer. I thank the Lord for a loving mother who cares for me.

Go wish her a happy birthday, or go hug your mother!

Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls!

For a while now, my dear cousins have been using their God given talent to further spread the kingdom of Christ with their amazing new series of paper dolls. They are top of the line, well constructed, and very effective. The artwork will enrapture you and I am positive that young girls, who are seeking to serve their Creator will find these paper dolls encouraging. I wish I had these when I was younger

See the official website here. They are now available!

You can follow them on twitter. Or become a fan on facebook!

I love you gals!

The lack of posting here at Painter of Words has been due to a slight change of schedules. Instead of book learning this week, we went camping. We left Monday afternoon and stayed through Thursday morning. Those three days were peaceful, a bit dirty, but enjoyable and a much needed get-a-way.

Our campsite was 373, a different spot than where we camped before. Let’s just say that it is a nice spot to camp, and therefore many people have camped there, therefore the grass has been worn away by constant use. We cordially named it “The Desert”.

The pregnant dog did really well with only a week to go. This is her “I want food” face.

We took walks on the nearby nature trails, spotting many mushrooms. And if you’ve read the About Me page, you will understand this picture of my feet.

On Tuesday evening Uncle Rob, Aunt Robin, Breezy, and Emily Rose came to visit us, along with my Granny. We haven’t really camped without them before so it was kind of different watching them leave as we stayed. Some of my best memories have been camping with our two families. Another unexpected experience happened that night. You can read about it here.

My parents made excellent camping companions. Chess games, reading aloud, Bible study, bike rides, walks, etc. were so much fun. Mom worked on practiced stitching leg warmers while I read from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Sunken Ships and Treasure. Fascinating accounts.

I also worked on a few crossword puzzles.

We saw beautiful clouds, which I think of as the columns of the skies. Showing a grand designer, majestic structures, and a fleeting stability of a stronghold.

We also had delicious ‘over the fire’ food. Hot dogs, hamburgers, salmon, potatoes, fried apples, dough boys, and pork chops. *yum*

Our camping trip went splendidly, with no bitter weather. Although, I did get 10 big, infected mosquito bites on my right foot. These were the biggest I have ever gotten, and my whole foot was red, swollen, and itchy- not a good combination when you try to sleep at night. When we returned home, we soaked my feet in Epsom salt, which stung like crazy, and now my feet are on the mend. The only unpleasant reminder of the camping trip is now fading away.

On Saturday our family ventured to the rodeo, which has been held at our local fairgrounds for a few years. My parents went last year, but this year I decided to go. It had been incredibly cool for August around here, so we ended up taking our wrist warmers, scarves, and a blanket. The slight drizzle of rain made us feel like die hard football fans out in the cold rainy bleachers. The entertainment was fair, with the exception that Mom said it was better last year. It seemed as if no one was cooperating- the animals or wranglers, ropers, riders, etc.

Most of the pictures ended up looking like this.

But Mom and I did end up taking pictures of us and the family.

I am having a bittersweet moment. My sweet cousin, with whom I have grown up, is a graduate. She is now finished with her education, as far as elementary book learning. This moment would be such an excitable moment for anyone, yet a week ago, I had a dream that brought the future in a new perspective.

In my dream, Breezy, Emily, and I were all grown and they were engaged to be married. I broke down crying and proclaimed that we were just children. It brought back our memories of camping in the rain, birthday slumber parties, holidays, and walks in the fields. It suddenly hit me that we were growing up and our childhood days would soon be only memories and not “just yesterday”. I feel like Jo March when she realizes that Meg will soon marry John Brooke; she wants to remain sisters and keep their childhood days near her. She doesn’t want change, and neither do I. We have never been just cousins, we three have been sisters which is a bond that I cherish deeply.

I realize and know that soon we will be grown and with families of our own, Lord willing. And as much as I want to raise the next generation, I don’t want to part with ours. I want to keep us closer than ever. Our conversations will one day be of children, marriage, and the future-instead of books, dresses, and history. Our lives will change, but I pray our relationships will not.

*You can see Emily’s post here.

The light, the spell-word of the heart,

Our guiding star in weal or woe,

Our talisman-our earthly chart-

That sweetest name that earth can know.

~

We breathed it first with lisping tongue,

When cradled in her arms we lay;

Fond memories round that name are hung,

That will not, cannot pass away.

~

We breathed it then, we breathe it still,

More dear that sister, friend, or brother,

The gentle power, the magic thrill,

Awakened at the name of mother.

by Fanny J. Crosby

Yesterday, after a trip to the vet, piano, a trip to the library, my mother and I went to our weekly gathering with my aunt G, cousins Breezy and Emily, Auntie Robin, and my Granny. Mom and I arrived first and while we were there Granny was taking pictures of the deer that had gathered, around maybe 15 or so, in her fields across the road. I was then given instructions to slither across and get some close up pictures. I went across the road, then a little farther, then a little farther, and then a little farther. The deer didn’t budge. Meanwhile my aunt G. was arriving and saw me across the fields extremely close to the deer. She decided to take pictures of me taking pictures- our family loves cameras.

This first pictures is humorous for there are multiple deer just in front of me and….what am I looking at?

I then straightened up and kept clicking away at the deer.

My mom is a quilter. She quilts by hand, machine, and love. Her excitable ties to fabric is just one of her loves about quilting. So, a few days ago, she decided that we were going to make a quilt together, since we have plenty of opportunities to be using our hands; readings during school, while watching movies, during our nightly bible reading, etc. So we began two days ago and have been cutting out 2 inch squares of fabric and sewing them together to make pairs, and then we’ll make fours, then eights, etc. until we have a big comfy quilt to let all of our cares fade into. We don’t know if it will go into my hope chest or in our blanket basket for everyday use.

We have only been working on it for two days and this is how much has been completed in a leisurely pace. We think it just might get finished before we thought…

To my dearest cousin Breezy:

On Tuesday, January 27, 2009 my elder cousin Breezy will be 18! Being older than myself she has been wiser, more ladylike than my childish ways, and a great mentor in certain areas that she has been through herself.

I must admit, I used to envy her artistic talent. I will confess that a few nights I would sometimes tear up at how I couldn’t draw or do anything really artistic like she did. I was the wanna be who tries endlessly to be the best…a little competitive I know. But after a while, I figured out that I was not blessed like she was in the arts, and I prayed to God to take away my envy and He did. Now I can see how beautiful she is, her art is, and her gift is without any regret that I do not possess the same items. However, I do still want to be able to draw, but I am more content with my limited abilities.

She and I are a lot a like, and yet in the same sense that we are similarly different. We have similar personalities, both with their loving quirks. Our humor makes a great conversation, and we can usually make a joke about anything. Our clothing is similar too, mostly because I am the hand-me-down cousin which works out perfectly; our colours are neutral browns, blues, greens, and tans. We both are extremely fun (I like to think so) and are both shy when it comes to the public. Occasionally, she and I will head on for a walk while Emily is taking pictures and chat about who knows what, but we always encourage each other in any situation.

I adore my cousin for more than words can express. I count her friendship immeasurable and her acquaintance desirable. Anyone who has the opportunity to know her is truly blessed.

And now a poem from her cousin (me):

“The artist is working, we should not disturb,

her face looks heavenly as she creates her creatures

who dance, laugh, and jump on her page

forgetting their lines that were once their cage.

Now they are free to let their master know

that the life she gives them is worth more than gold

for what is a painting that is dull and untold.

(Excuse the picture…Breezy stunning as usual… I look a little goony)

I am a day late in getting this Birthday post up for my dear cousin, but it is better than none at all I may assume.

Many of you know her as Vintagegirl or SimplyVintagegirl or Miss Emily Rose, but all of these names only describe part of this wonderfully inspirational young lady who I happen to have as my cousin. We have been enemies, best friends, indifferent, and little terrorists to each other in the past…but for the past seven or eight years, we have been getting used to each other.

As she described in my birthday post, we weren’t the best of friends, for we both thought the other would disrupt our way of life. To me, she was a year older and I had to be careful with my toys, but to her I was probably the ‘little one’ who could not be trusted…and I am not sure if I could.

But the Lord has been bringing us closer throughout the years…of course we enjoyed each other. Sleep overs were fun until we got into a fight over what to do, or who got the fancy phone when we were playing library. But since then we have matured, and can now solve a problem with a few chuckles and compromises and then it is over. And since she and I have discovered to get along we have been the most intimate of companions. We are Anne Shirley and Diana Barry, Marianne and Elinor Dashwood,  Jo and Beth March. We are entirely different but so similar.

So, in honour of her birthday which was Sunday, I composed this small excerpt for her:

“She is a young lady who is productive. Productive in her relationship where she keeps the emotions flowing and never stops her love for her family. Productive in her hands, which the Lord has blessed her with, where she can sew, stitch, and paste to bring about a new outcome of the homemaking arts. Productive in her life, living for the Lord, serving her family and elders, and not allowing trials to set her off her course.

She is beautiful. Beautiful in her speech, her thoughts, her temper, and her motives. She prays to become a wife and mother and raise many little ones, and she diligently prepares herself to be a Biblical helpmeet.

She is modest. She does not bring attention to herself, her talent, her actions, or her attire. Being a somewhat lacker of height, she is able to blend, but she does not soak the glory or the consequences of her actions in any way, but she is proud of what she is able to do: take photographs, sew, play the violin, cook, and many more.

She is real. She loves to have fun, joke, humor me, laugh, watch movies, go to conventions, converse, listen to my stories which can go on for hours at a time, listen to instrumental music, and play games. My dear cousin is an enjoyable girl with a great personality and a fondness for people…for she is a people person and somewhat thrives on human companionship.”

Happy Birthday Emily Rose!