Snowy Days

This year, instead of barely tolerating the snow, Danny wanted to walk around in it and enjoyed himself.

Delly did very well too. She's a tough little girl.

For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour. Job 37:6

Brought to you by: Rebekah Benner

Delly's Birthday

We took Delly Jean to Build-a-Bear for her birthday.

Then I made a skirt for the bear to match Delly.

Delly and Mommy also have matching outfits!

Daddy bought her flowers!

For Del's cake, since she doesn't eat a whole lot of food yet, I made her a fruit bouquet with a chocolate sauce and cream cheese dip.

She got to try pineapple, banana and chocolate all for the first time.

And of course, she had to try out her presents too!

This is Delly Jean...joyous but quiet and oh so persistent!

Happy 1st Birthday, baby girl! 

The king's daughter is all glorious within. Psalms 45:13a

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—  but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 1 Peter 3:3-4

Brought to you by: Rebekah Benner

Adele is One!

One year that flew by so fast...

From this little baby:

to this crawling baby:

to this walking baby:

...all in one year!

One year old pictures.

The patch of red is her baby hair that has grown out. =)

 You are a wonderful gift from God!  Love you, precious Delly Jean!

I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Your works; and that my soul knows right well. Psalms 139:14

Brought to you by: Rebekah Benner

Esther Visits

From the St Louis Edition:

Es came to see us for a week!

We found a fun coffee shop in Old St Charles. 

We enjoyed a cup of coffee together one evening.

So artistic!

Danny loves water and greatly enjoyed having his own cup. It consoled him from not having his own cup of coffee.

Steven ordered an espresso.

Danny says "cheese" for pictures very emphatically!

Beautiful Es

Sisters

Es with the babies! They loved having Es around and we were

all spoiled by her. 

Coffee is good to the last drop!

And so are sisters...!

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Brought to you by: Rebekah Benner

From Washington To St. Louis

                A visit to Steven, Bekah, and our babies

  So...here, several months later, are some more pictures showing the last leg of my trip to and from WA. On the way back home, I flew to see Bekah, Steven, Danny, and Del. I had a wonderful time with them and the visit was all to short.

I saw a pay phone while I was waiting for the shuttle that
would take me to the airport. It's been quite a while
since I've seen one of those. 

Since we were on an Island, I got to take the ferry for the
 first time. I quite enjoyed it.

Returning to the main land

And thus begins my shortest flight ever (at this time) 5 hr.

Isn't it beautiful?!! It's so amazing to me that God can see and take care of
the whole world and at the same time, looking down at that earth, He can
see each individual person, know each individual thought, each individual
need, and take care of each of those individuals without being too busy for
any one of them! We truly serve an awesome God!! 

"God is my refuge and strength an ever present help in trouble. Therefore will
not we fear, though the earth be removed; and though the mountains be carried
into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be toubled, and the
mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. (Think about it.)" Ps 46:1-3

The lights of St. Louis

I've arrived! Look at them. Aren't they SO cute?!!!

Danny Boy loved taking pictures with my phone.
He called it cheese.

Danny Boy with my "cheese". That became the name of my phone.

"My "cheese" is in my pocket."

Baby Del is one of the happiest babies I have ever been
around. She's such a joy.

She loves her mommy.

Danny doing his evening "chore", sweeping. Looks like this
evening it's a collective effort.

Delly's favorite place in the whole house, the front door window.

Bekah with her babies. :)

One day, we went to Grant's Farm with some of the other
moms and children from Bekah and Steven's church.

Delly's enjoying herself.

We took a tram around the farm, pet farm animals, and saw an elephant show.
My favorite part was the tram ride. 

The elephants

Discovering grass. "What is this itchy stuff?"

Back at her favorite haunt.

Saying cheese

One evening we went to a coffee shop in St. Charles, Picasso's. They have
really good coffee, if you ever go to St. Charles. 

Delicious black gold, oh, but with foamy milk in it.

Mother and Daughter

Danny LOVES coffee and was very happy
to get sips from Aunt Esther's cup.

Bekah, Steven, and Danny

Bek and I - wish the missing three could have been there too.

Darling Delly!

I think I have some sleepy babies on my hands.

Look who joined her at her favorite haunt. I think,
he is waiting to go outside.

Worn out

And, of course, no visit is right without a game or
tournament of  Catan. But it looks like it's more
than Delly's little head can handle.

       It was so good to see y'all and it was SO much fun! "Goodbye for now. See you again next time." (Can anyone guess where that quote is from?)

          "Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; 

     and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would 

     declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Ps 40:5

From: 

     The Traveler