So Many Friends Greet Our New Year!

We've felt so happy and blessed the last few weeks over Christmas and New Years.

Of course, there were our new aunt and her friends from California, pictured here with Grandma and pa Lucas at Kissing Camels, near the Garden of the Gods, with Pikes Peak and Red Rocks Canyon in the background. 

Amelia, the tall young lady in the white jacket in this photo forwarded me this photo along with others of Uncle George's wedding.

And then there was my sister Iva, who came up for New Years Eve. I got a quick snap of her and Kenn here.

They stayed overnight, and we let them have the use of our room. It was a great excuse to do some deep cleaning, dusting, and arranging for company.

Sunday after New Years Day, Crystal, Sam and Danny traveled up to Federal Heights to keep in touch with Crystal's friends, (L-R) Joy Johnston and Emily and Elisabeth Albertson. 

We are grateful for all our friends.

In the evening at our church, Ned and Judy (Hunt) Sherman with their new little baby were sharing about their mission work in Detroit. 

They were also in the morning service where Bro. Hunt preached, but I ended up minding some restless new children downstairs so the dad could stay and listen to the message, and missed hearing it. I really felt bad to miss it.  Then in the evening, I was disappointed to miss hearing Ned and Judy speak because I had a flareup of a physical issue that sent me home somewhat incapacitated. We were glad we'd been able to eat with Judy and Ned at the potluck, discuss what work needs to be done at their mission in relation to what Mission Helps construction crews might be able to help with, and then get this photo. 

Thankfully we had more than one vehicle there that day because of splitting up in the morning, and so Jonathan and I could head home but leave the children for the missionary service.

I praise the Lord that I feel he touched me that evening later. 

I felt sure it was partly an attack of the enemy because God has been helping us with reaching out to folk around us, and I was exhausted with picking up new folk, minding very antsy kids and all that Sunday.

I told the Lord I didn't want to give the devil more attention than was due him,

but I felt this was an attack,

and aren't You, Lord, stronger than the enemy?

Within a short time of home remedies, the pain was gone and I felt completely comfortable again.

God deserves to be praised!

Then later the next week, Jonathan's brother Dave and wife Ruth surprised the family by coming for New Years Eve and Day. The day after, Dave and Ruth and Jonathan and I got together for a meal

at a Mexican restaurant in town.

I ordered a "molcagete" which arrived in this huge castiron dish!

That is one of my favorite Mexican dishes.
And then we came home, and were greeted by this sloppy kiss from a steer who was grandly out and about
out of the pasture.

It's past time to put him in the freezer.

Here's a fun meal we had recently, baked potatoes with cheese and bacon on top.

Here are the lovely hot mitts the girls sewed for me for Christmas, and one of the pretty dishclothes they knitted. The other was already being used!

Timmy has been learning to use a scroll saw to cut out figures.

He made something special for several of us for Christmas--lighthouses for Grandpa and ma Lucas,

a cardinal for his mother who misses Pennsylvania cardinals so badly,

an eagle for his daddy, a violin for Carrie, a train for Danny,

and a whole cowboy scene--cowboy on a horse, mama cow and little calf.

He prints figures off of the computer,  cuts the figures out with his scroll saw, and then woodburns the details onto them.

And of course, a little family of baby bunnies was born a week and a half or so before Christmas, 

the best Christmas gift of all! The children spent so much time holding and playing with the six baby bunnies. They had them all over the house until mom had to put her foot down!

Sunday morning hug before leaving for church!