Helena seemed to be distracted by the lights.

This is a typical Helena face.

Such kissable chipmunk cheeks. And just look at those ears!

Oh, and I got a new haircut, by the way. It itches.

Such is the life of Helena and Meg on a lazy afternoon. I’m off to make tea.

~Meg

P.S. My mother is an impeccable housekeeper, so don’t let the books in the background fool you. Its just the only room in the house where they don’t fit on the shelves .

It’s actually very beautiful out there. The sky is grey, clouds have brought the horizon closer into my house then it usually is. The park, about two miles down the road and up through what to New Mexico counts as a valley, is shrouded in mystery, the huge trees look quite imposing and strange even though it is not yet nine in the morning and I have not quite digested my breakfast, so it’s a little early for that sort of thing. I shall think of happier things.

I think I will take a moment to show you the place I’m going to live in when I become wealthy and famous and/or marry Prince Very Very Rich/Charming.

Tada! Which is situated beside this:

And when I am not busy eating cake or gabbing on the tellie with the Ol’ Queen Mater I shall be reading in here:

And I shall wash my imperial toesies and gracious finger nails in here:

After which I will procede to take my evening nap in here:

And when I’m quite refreshed I shall party all night with Cinderella and Belle in this room:

And when I’m completely absa-bally-pooped I shall drop my charming self into this bed right here until lunch time:

 I am, after all, just a mortal, and a 14 year old female one at that. So forgive me my flippancy and smile benevolently on my whims.

~Lolly

PS: Here’s the link to this lovely place, so dream away. But remember! It’s mine. My Castle.

N.C. Wyeth-The Nativity

“It’s queer,” she said; “I see the light

As plain as I beheld it then,

All silver-like and calm and bright-

We’ve not had stars like that again!

“And she was such a gentle thing

To birth a baby in the cold.

The barn was dark and frightening-

This new one’s better than the old.

“I mind my eyes were full of tears,

For I was young, and quick distressed,

But she was less than me in years

That held a son against her breast.

“I never saw a sweeter child-

The little one, the darling one!-

I mind I told her, when he smiled

You’d know he was his mother’s son.

“It’s queer that I should see them so-

The time they came to Bethlehem

Was more than thirty years ago;

 I’ve prayed that all is well with them.”

<><><><><><><><><><>

by Dorothy Parker

There she goes, cross-eyed again!

Without the nasal canula on her face for the first time I can remember, it’s like seeing her in a whole new way. And I like it .

Helena often gets dizzy when she’s upright or loses her orientation (part of CHARGE syndrome) so it took a while to get used to being in the carrier. I heard Mom call her “Little Gracie”…shocking! When we’re supposed to be calling her by her first name!

(Speaking of first names, Helena is a slight variation on Helen, my Grandma. Judith Anne was named for my other grandmother, Nanny.)

Look at her little eyes! It’s something amazing- how they seem to be looking at you and expressing so much when she can’t even see.

And what are the rest of the kiddoes up to? Sorting socks and getting crumbs on the table.

Duncan spent the whole day walking around in his flight suit saying “I’m Daddy! Back from work!”

I can’t believe Christmas is so close. This fall was a whirlwind, and things have been sneaking up on us. Merry Christmas, everyone, and remember that God came as a baby. And babies are awesome.

~Meg

I was reading in John the other day, when I came on the passage about Jesus washing the disciples feet. I had to stop and think about it for a minute. We’ve all read that story, probably a million times. We all know that it was a beautiful and amazing act. But have you ever thought of yourself in that place? I don’t know about you but I have secrets. Filthy secrets, ugly bits of me which I try to hide from sunlight. Things I try hard to hide from God. I’m a Christian, I follow God and it is my aim to give him glory, but I can’t even give him me.

Jesus washed the disciples feet, the smelliest worst place, he made clean. He washed them himself, with a towel around his waist he got on his knees and washed these men’s feet. We’re talking about the God of the universe. Thought about the universe lately? Well, do now. Huge, I’m not even going to go into describing it because I can’t. God is King of that easily. He’s outside of it, it’s his creation, his handiwork. And he washed these men’s feet.

God is not going to be suprised by your ugliness, you’re actually alot worse than you’ll probably ever see,  but that only means that his grace is bigger than you’ll ever see. And let me tell you, if you keep it from him, try to hide it, cover it up, it will rot and infect everything else. You can’t give God part of you, it’s all or nothing. And you will end up a quivering little mass of tears if you try to give him everything… except that little piece that’s too nasty, or too fun, or too much a part of you. God knows it’s there, he sees it no matter if  you want to hide it or not.

I don’t know if you are or not, but I’m serious about wanting to follow God, because if I’m not then my life is wasted. That means making an effort. Yes it is completely grace, but it’s not a free ride to heaven after you pray once. It’s a life lived completely differently than it used to be. I’m working on this now, changing my whole life, giving him my thoughts as I fall asleep as well as my actions around my friends. Let me tell you, actions are alot easier to control.

Let him wash you, he wants to, in fact you cannot be his until he has. CANNOT. That’s simple, it’s in the Bible, it’s true. God has to have everything or nothing. If you’re luke-warm you get spit out. I don’t want to be spit out, and I don’t want to call to him after the end and hear him say “I never knew you.” It’s scary, and it’s very real. Think about it.

~Lolly

Just kidding. There was a little flour, sugar, and butter involved too. This is my favorite fast afternoon tea treat for when company comes over. Pretty much just add lemon zest to a simple shortbread recipe, and make a glaze of lemon juice and powdered sugar. Guten appetit.

~Meg

Duncan said incredulously: “Is DAT Henena Drace?” Yes, actually, it is.

She does this fabulous cross-eyed thing which I am still trying to capture on camera. It’s really quite cute.

Here is a better view.

It’s been a long haul, seven weeks in the hospital. Praise God for grandparents that take care of you, friends that tirelessly encourage you, doctors who know what they’re doing, and a church that loves you.

~Meg

~Meg

And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security.
Job 11 :

What else could a girl want?

~Lolly

Now he’s kind of a running joke in my family, thank you Meg. My Aunt claims she has eloped with him and my brother thinks he’s pushed him into a canyon. Of course I know that they are not actually talking about my Fred, so I take it graciously.

While we were at camp, somehow or other (thank you again Meg) we started talking about him in our room, so all the girls there know about him. Well the other night at church when the youth were assembled, we decided we needed to name our new computer. Our last one was Wellington (named by Meg), and this time the girls wanted to name it Julian. But our Youth Pastor objected. He said:

“Why does it always have to be something complicated like Julian or Wellington? Why can’t we name it something simple? Like Fred.”

At his last remark all of us girls sat bolt upright and collectively squalked. Slightly taken aback Seth asked:

“What’s wrong with Fred?”

“You can’t do that!” Said one of the girls “that’s Alice’s true-love!”

I sank into my chair as the guys closest to me turned with raised eyebrows, or smirks.

I timidly raised my hand in self-defense and said:

“He’s entirely imaginary!!”

Honestly, Fred does not look anything like I thought he would. All the tall and fair thing has completely vanished, and his nose is lacking the Roman profile I had imagined. Oh well, I’m sure he has a good explanation. Perhaps he was turned into a computer by a wicked witch. All I have to do to save him is kiss him. I’ll just have to find a time when none of the guys are around and go for it.

~Lolly~