Above Rubies Retreat

Last evening mom and I arrived back home from the Above Rubies Retreat. I really enjoyed the weekend away, and learned a great deal of things that will be most helpful as I look forward to being a mother.
Sharing a room with 3 teen girls and 6 ladies resulted in little sleep, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself! I just ended up sleeping in a bit today!
We stayed at a camp near the Gulf in Alabama. The facilities were really nice, and there was a beach by the bay right down the hill! Needless to say the girls and I spent a great deal of time there! I had forgotten my camera, but Bekah T took some great pictures, and has promised to make a CD of them for me. It will probably be about two weeks before I get them, but I will be sure to upload pictures as soon as possible. There were some really pretty pictures! As Miriam said, the background was so pretty it looked fake! The beach was absolutely gorgeous, and it was warm enough to wade a little! There was also a pier, gazebo and picturesque bridge!
The car rides up and back were interesting to say the least! Crazy things happen when you put 10 ladies in the car together! :) Memories were definitely made!
The teaching by Mrs. Nancy was really good. She taught from the first few chapters of Genesis, and it's amazing how many truths you can learn straight from the beginning. Pearl and her daughter Meadow sang, and it was absolutely beautiful! My favorite song was one entitled Annabelle about how some little girls mother their dolls and dream about being a mother and having babies. I loved it so, because that is exactly what I dreamed about when I was little, and what I still dream about! Motherhood is definitely the highest calling a woman can have! I pray that one day I will be a blessed mother with many children! Even though I do enjoy ballet, I don't think that I will go on to be a professional ballerina. I think that just learning all I can now, and then teaching my girls and maybe other girls someday in dance to glorify the Lord would be very fulfilling. Even the Christian ballerinas don't always dress with impeccable modesty, and I do not want to compromise myself in any way.
Well, I have finished school work, but I must practice flute and make supper, so I shall be going! Hope everyone had a blessed weekend!

Off for the weekend

Hi all! Mom and I are about to embark on a journey to the Gulf! We (along with 4 moms and 3 teen girls) are going to an Above Rubies conference this weekend! I cannot wait! Not only will it be interesting to learn more about being a woman of God, I shall also have an opportunity to be with my friends, which doesn't happen much these days. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Missing my friends!

I sure am missing my Bekah T!

And my Lizbeth and Bekoh!

And my Trudi!

And my Miriam!

Can't wait 'til we're all together again!

Miserable again!

Yes, it's happened again. I caught yet another cold! I have been miserable for the last 3 days, with a horrendous sore throat, and a runny nose, and at times a slight fever. The sore throat was so bad I barely ate anything for 3 days! On Thursday James and Sara left, so it got a little quieter and I was looking forward to being able to sew and catch up on school. However, I was also feeling a little tinge in my throat. By evening, it was clear that I was getting sick, and during the last few days I have felt "Like I was at death's door", like daddy says. Well, I guess this is just one more cold to go down on the record. I'm not completely well, but feeling a whole lot better, and since I can eat without my throat killing me I feel considerably stronger. Praise God for small things!

Oak Mountain State Park

On Lydia's last day before she left for Africa, we took a hike at Oak Mountain State Park with the Hudgins family. We went to a waterfall and it was really pretty!

Water sure is pretty!

Strong little Sara!

Sara really wanted to touch the water, so Miriam
holds her to make sure she doesn't fall in!

Lydia and Mrs. Lori talk and enjoy the pretty sight

Pausing to pose on a tree that had fallen over the trail

Mr. Doug with his walking stick

Yours truely in front of the falls

The beautifull waterfall

Mrs. Lori crosses the log so that she can see the
falls better

James and Sara

James Paul, watching Bible Man!

Grandma reads to her grandchildren

Sara Rose is tickled pink!

Sara Rose, such a sweetie!

New Memoir Look

As you can see, I've change my memoir to be hosted by Blogger. It's easy to use, and will allow me to put photos on the page. Elijah's program worked well, but this is easier to use, since it was made especially for blogs.
Today went well. Sara woke up about 3 times I think, I don't remember exactly, my brain being kinda foggy! :) She got up kinda early, so mom took over with her, and allowed me to go back to bed, since I was so tired. I'm not exactly used to waking up in the middle of the night to comfort a toddler! I did some school work today, all that I could fit in while Sara napped and the house was kinda quiet.
Well, I'll be putting Sara to bed soon, but maybe I'll try out the picture uploading first.

Nephew and Neice

Currently my nephew and neice are here. James (4) and Sara (almost 2) are here to stay for a week. They came last Thursday, and will stay until this coming Thursday. My sister Maria and her husband Ron are on a cruise, so we're keeping the children. They are a joy, but also tiring! It is preparing me for motherhood I'm sure! Sara sleeps in my room, and last night she woke up 4 times! She kept somehow managing to crawl half-way off her pallat on the floor, while she slept! Sara's such a sweetie though, and James is all-boy, and full of information!
We saw Lydia off today at the airport in Atlanta on her way to West Africa. She'll be there on an internship for 6 months to a year. I'll miss her.
On the way home from Atlanta, I got to drive on the interstate for more than an hour. It was surprisingly easy, especially because I was driving an automatic! I would have driven longer, but I got a cramp in my leg from the position I had to keep my foot in, so I let dad take over.
Currently I'm listening to a musical on cd about the Biblical Nehemiah entitled The Amazing Jerusalem Makeover. It's extremely entertaining! However, if were to ever do it with our church group, we'd have to recruit more boys from somewhere!
I found a really pretty and beautiful skirt at Walmart! It's denim, and is tired and really long. I'm wearing it now, and it's extemely comfortable and pretty! It's so nice to find long skirts somewhere!

Fun But Tiring Sunday

Today was really fun, but tiring! Church met here at our house today, which meant there were 36 people here! Needless to say, that was a lot of food to make! Everyone brought something of course, which helped. And we have a lot of taco meat put away in the freezer!
After service this morning, us girls (Bekah T, Bekoh, Lizbeth, and I) talked a lot in my room, as well as during lunch. God has blessed me so abundantly by giving me friends such as those. We we weren't entirely complete though, because our beloved Miriam wasn't here!
After lunch, Ben and Elijah really wanted to play volleyball, so we headed off to play. We played 3 games, and my team one two out of three! We hadn't played in a long time, so some of the attempts were quite hilarious! I'm quite worn out from it all, because falling into the splits at least 10 times well playing really takes it out of one!
After volleyball, the older girls and I again went to our room, where we dressed up and took pictures until they had to leave. We had funny and fabulous moments, and I shall enjoy looking at those pictures!
I shall now be going!

Creative Memories

Today I did a lot of creative memories! I actually finished up all the pictures I had printed, ending with the Heroes of Today pictures. Now, I've just got to wait to get the pictures I sent to Walmart back so I can do those. Creative Memories is a lot of fun! Although work now, I know I will enjoy sharing them with my husband and children sometime in the future. Plus, they're fun to look at with my friends now!
I had another relaxing Saturday, which was nice. I wrote Anna and Trudi, as well as Miriam and my Circle of Friends group in our notebooks. We're having church here tomorrow, which will be really fun! The Olms, Turners, Paces, and Simons are coming, so we'll have a full house! I'm really going to miss Miriam Hart though, I wish they we're coming!
I'm almost over the cold I contracted from James last Sunday. It was so horrid, it put me in bed all day last Monday! I wish I didn't get sick so often. I try to console myself saying "One cold now is one less cold later on!" However, with the 100+ strands of cold out there, they seem inexhaustable! Maybe I won't get sick so much when I'm older though...
Well, I should be getting to bed, tomorrow will be busy. Hope everyone has a blessed Sunday!

Beaten Again

I have just been beaten again at Risk. By whom? Why Elijah of course! Ever since Luke left home, he's been the undisputed ruler of the world!
This ends the last weekday of my school break, and I shall miss the relaxing time, and all the books I got to read. However, I do need to settle back into a responsible routine. Although busy, it is quite rewarding.
The time with family has been wonderful! Luke and Michele and family came from December 29th until January 2nd, and Maria and children came from December 29th until January 5th. Needless to say, things were quite hectic and noisy, but quite enjoyable! I really got to know my neices and nephews and siblings better. That was the first time in a long time that all 7 of us Lofgren siblings have been under one roof! Even though we're all siblings, we're very spread out. So spread out that Luke (the oldest) and Jubilee (the youngest) have only lived in the same house for one summer! I had a wonderful time, and will miss everyone immensly. Danielle (6) has grown up quite a bit, and is such a sweet girl. Alex and James (4) are all boy, and rough and tumble. Zach (2) is such a sweetie and both he and Sara (almost 2) just melt your heart! Sara is so cute and such a little girl. And Nate (10 months) is such a delightful baby to tote around!
Well, this post was interrupted by Elijah and Miriam needing to use the computer, so now it is so late I should go to bed. My other post tonight got lost because I entered the wrong info, so that's why I haven't been so posty lately. However, I must go now. Au Revoir!