Congratulations to Micah and Ruth!

Monday night, December 27, 2010 was a special celebration night.  I believe I have mentioned in a previous post that when Lucas and Bailey were saved and baptized, Doug & Wendy hosted a celebration banquet with the Bischoff's, Green's and the Wallace's honoring the decisions they had made.  Now it was time for Micah and Ruth.  Micah was actually saved and baptized last December, but it just had not worked out for the banquet until this year.  Since Ruth made her decision early this month and will be baptized when they get back to their church, we got to celebrate with both of them.

We all met at the Pasta House and had a feast of salad, lasagna, fettucini, bread, and chocolate cheesecake.  Doug asked for testimonies from anyone who wanted to share their salvation experience with Micah and Ruth.  Then Micah and Ruth read their testimonies.  So sweet, I wish I had a copy to share with you.  Then Doug prayed over them and we all visited a little more before we left.

Here's some picture memories:

The guests of honor....Micah Steven and Ruth Ann

 

Since Doug & Wendy & kids were leaving the next morning, everyone had to say their good-byes that night.

Then Bailey took a picture of me taking a picture of her.....

Tuesday morning at 7 am, they headed for home in Houston, Texas.  Always hate the leaving part, but sure do love the visit part.

I get to see them again in March, plus talking with Wendy on the phone just about every day helps a lot.

Love you all,

Mom

Time to Bowl!

The Bischoff Family arrived on Wednesday evening and I had potato soup and chili fixed when they got here.  We enjoyed visiting a while, then Doug took the boys over to spend the night with Mimi (Doug's mom).  Thursday evening we all went to Silver Dollar City....Todd & Heather's family, Matt & Mallory, Matt & Lindsay & Cael, Doug & Wendy's family, Karla, Gary & Me.  We had fun and pretty much stayed together.....saw the lighting of the tree, the parade, let the kids ride some rides.  Then we tried to find a place to eat, but everyplace that had inside seating was full....nobody had 19 seats available.  Everybody was so hungry, we decided to go find somewhere to eat on the way home.  Sorry, no pictures...forgot my camera.

Friday, we went to the theater to see Tangled.  Wendy and the kids had already seen it, but no one else had.  Carlene brought Allison and Nathan.  Beverly and Maxine came with Heather and the kids and Matt, Lindsay and Cael came....and me.  I loved it.  It was  the best and funniest animated movie I've seen in a long time.  Again...no pictures.....

Friday night was Christmas Eve services.  Doug & Wendy & kids went to Hamlin and had Christmas with Carlene and Gina & Tony & kids.  Matt & Lindsay & Cael went to Springhill with Lindsay's family.  Gary and I went to Glidewell with Todd & Heather & kids, because Jeanette had planned a special deal with Todd, Joel Childers and Matt Murray for the service and invited us.  It was very nice and we were glad we went.  No pictures....

After the Christmas Eve Service, we went to Todd and Heather's for food, fun and fellowship.  Steve & Cozy, Matt, Lindsay & Cael, John & Beverly, Matt & Mallory, Maxine, JC, all were there.  It was great fun!  One more thing I love about this time of year is that we get to spend more time with the in-law families.  We love all five of these friends and their other children and appreciate them so much.
 
Since I already wrote about Christmas day and Sunday was church day for everyone, I will skip to Monday.  

Carlene, Gina, Allison, Nathan, Wendy, Lucas, Bailey, Micah, Ruth and I all went bowling at Lighthouse Lanes.  What fun!  And I have Pictures!

Here's Ruth:

 

 

And Micah:

 

 

And Bailey:

 

 

And Lucas:

 

Carlene, Gina and I bowled the first game with them.  Then the kids bowled the second game.  They were just too good for us, but we sure enjoyed it.

Sure would have been nice to break 100.

Donna

Christmas, 2010

Christmas day!  Everyone is here for brunch....sausage and egg casserole, biscuits, gravy, scrambled eggs, coffee cake, ham & potato pizza, hash brown casserole, plus all the candies and cookies and special treats that filled one table.

So....after we eat....time for the kids to sit in front of the tree so I can get a picture of all of them together.

Then...time to open presents.   The children all draw names, so we started by letting them give the gifts they bought each other.

They were all so patient and waited for their turns.  I think they really enjoyed watching the other kids get the gifts they got for them.

 

After the kids opened their gifts, it was time for the adults to play a Trivia Game and exchange gift cards.  This year Lucas read the Christmas story and every time he said right, we passed the card right, and when he said left, we passed it left.  It was fun and I think everybody got a card that was useful to them.

Of course, I had to get a picture of Lindsay's baby bump (since I didn't get one at Thanksgiving).

It was a wonderful Christmas celebration at the Wallace house!  We have such a fun family!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Donna

Meet Rambo Wallace

I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our family, Rambo "Killer" Wallace.  We haven't had a dog for 10 years, so we are having to get used to taking care of this little guy....you know...potty training and such.  Rambo is a Shih Tsu and just the cutest, most playful little thing.  We picked him up on Wednesday before Christmas...the same day that Doug & Wendy and kids were to arrive.  So he came home to a new house and four hours later met the Bischoff family.  It really was a good thing, because he had been sharing a kennel with several other puppies and I was afraid he would miss them.  But he didn't have a chance to get lonely with all the people who would be loving on him for the next week.

Here are some pictures of our little guy:

 

Rambo's not so sure about the cat, Colby.  Colby's not so sure about him either.  Let's just say there was a period of adjustment.

 

 

Just look at this little face.  Oooohh!

Rambo, you have captured our hearts already!  Now let's get this potty training over with right away, okay?

 

The Camel Lot

Sunday night, December 19th was our annual children's Christmas play.  It was called "Camel Lot."  Really cute play that told the story of Christ's birth.  The children did a wonderful job.  They sang out so well.....  Here's Jadon in his costume doing his part to present the Gospel.

 Just loved every minute of it.  Thank you, Springhill children!

 

Ruth Ann's Big Announcement

Last Saturday, we got a call from Ruth Ann, our 7 year old grandaughter in Houston, Texas.  This is her message, "Mema, last night I asked Jesus to come into my heart."  Those are just the sweetest words to our ears.  sniff, sniff

Ruth has been thinking about this for a long time and asking questions and talking about it.  One time when Mimi was there, the other kids were playing in the cul-de-sac, but Ruthie stayed in the yard with Mimi.  She said that she wasn't going to play out there because she wasn't a Christian yet and she might get run over by a car.

Another priceless story:  One Sunday they were driving to church and talking about baptism.  Ruthie said she wanted to be baptized.  One of the other kids said that she can't because she has to be saved first.  She said,  "I want to be saved."  Doug said that they would talk about that.
Ruthie:  " Well...I do NOT want to be the only one in this family that goes to hell." 


So, one of the activities on our calendar when the Bischoff family gets here is to have a Celebration Banquet for Micah and Ruthie.  They did this for Lucas and Bailey when they became Christians.  We all gather for a meal at a place Doug and Wendy have chosen.  Both sides of the family share their testimony of their salvation experience with the honoree.  Micah was saved last December, but we were not been able to schedule a banquet for him last year, so we get to honor him and Ruthie at the same time.  It will be such a sweet time.

Praise the Lord for Ruth Ann Bischoff and Micah Steven Bischoff!

I love you,

Mema

OUR HONOREES 

 

33rd Annual Springfield's Live Nativity Pageant

Once again, we had the privilege to help present the Story of the Birth, Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ to Springfield and the surrounding area.  The scenes are set on the west parking lot of the fairgrounds and cars can drive in and park and listen to the narrator as he reads the Christmas story and to the choir as they sing familiar Christmas carols, while watching the story acted out on that hillside.

Our family has been involved in this Pageant ever since it began 33 years ago and our children played the parts of little angels and shepherds.  Wendy, at age 3, was the little boy Jesus that the Kings visited.  I blogged about the pageant in December, 2007.  Now, our grandchildren play the parts their parents played.  We are all involved in some way.  I have always been in the choir and Gary has always been a King.  The kids help out wherever needed.  Here's some pictures from this year's Pageant.

Wednesday, the first night, Gavin was the angel on top of the manger scene.

Cael was little boy Jesus and Lindsay was Mary.
 

Daddy is usually shining a spotlight on the scenes at the appropriate times.

Here's the whole family between shows.

 

The King and Baby Jesus.....

Here's Heather and her little angels on Thursday night........between shows.....drinking hot chocolate and eating cookies.


(With Sherrill Ivey)

 (Without Sherril Ivey)

Todd had class that night, so the rest of the family rode to the pageant with us. 
Here's little Jude Monkey Head.

 Gavin was so glad to get to be a traveler going to Bethlehem that night. 

 Saturday night Lindsay and Cael got to be travelers.

Todd and Heather and their kids were travelers on Friday night.  Todd and Haven were travelers on Saturday night as well, because Jadon was the angel on top of the manger and Heather and Jude were in the King scene.

Here's Mary and the little boy, Jesus...aka Heather and Jude and those are snowflakes around them.
 

Jude wanted to pet the donkey, Nip....
 

He was just so tired, he didn't feel like any more pictures, even with the King, but he did a great job!

I just wish I had a picture of Jadon on top of the manger, but he was down by the time I got out there.  The first three nights were so nice...still winds, decent temperatures.  But...Saturday night was not so nice.  Temperature was 22 degrees with a wind chill of 6 degrees and winds blowing at 20-30 mph and SNOW.  It was very bitter.  They didn't even put Jadon's wings on him because of the wind whipping them and him around.  So, after the spotlighted manger scene with the dancing angels, Ann brought him down and let him stay down.  I was glad to forfeit a picture and know that he was safe.

All in all it was a wonderful 33rd year.  Now I am ready for the Bischoff family to get here and for Christmas to come.

Merry Christmas everyone,


Donna