It's For Freedom

Today, freedom has allowed me to enjoy: 

Love

Family

Friends

My Faith

Forgiveness

and Food  ; )

Basil Limeade

 

Caprese Salad

 

Barbequed Chicken

 

and Flag Cake

 

Hope you are enjoying the day and the gift of freedom!

 

 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Gal. 5:1

 

With gratefulness,

Victoria

 

 

Everyone's in the Pocket!

This past weekend I flew out to VA to receive my Mother's Day gift from

my oldest son. As part of the time we spent together,

I got to see him graduate from Firefighter School.

He received the honor of being top student!

 

The next day we went to his training school so he could show me where he had done practice burns, jumped out of a window onto a ladder, and crawled through very narrow pipes with all his gear. I gained a deeper appreciation for all those willing to train and serve as firefighters.

The training is super intensive and the on-call risks are truly sacrificial!

 

 

Because he knows I like Harper's Ferry, we went up there to visit for a morning.

The last time we were here, we hiked up to the top of those rocks. Unfortunately, it was too humid to do it again this time. The view is spectacular!

 

 

The Jefferson Rock

 

Looking back on the town and where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet

 

And this is John Brown's fort, where Brown took possession of the armory and the first rumblings of the Civil War started.

 

Sunday we drove the 14 hours home, talking, laughing, and listening to a little Josh Turner.  

I spent a good part of that drive time getting back to work on this: 

I am so very thankful for the fabulous gift-trip!

 

So now for a brief time everyone is home.

We've been catching each other up, laughing a whole lot, and working together too.

My oldest son was glad strawberry season is so late here so he could help pick.

 

 

 

Before I know it, the pocket will be emptying out again as one leaves for college in 5 weeks, one gets married in 8 weeks, and one leaves for his next step on the path of career and service.

 

In the meantime I'm going to stitch some memories of special family moments in my mind

and treasure my full pocket!

 

Simply,

Victoria

 

 

 

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Good Morning! It is yet another rainy day here. The sunny summer days have been few and far between I am sad to report. So we are staying dry and working on projects inside. This also keep us safe from the plague of hummingbird-sized mosquitos we have in our yard!

A couple of weeks ago I was telling you all about my son's high school graduation and his senior presentation that he and his best friend did. Well, I begged and pleaded and cajoled with him to let me share it with you. (No, not really! I just asked a couple of times ; )  My rationale was if it is on Facebook and Youtube why can't I post about it on my blog?  My son was not so sure. Respectfully, I was not going to share because I get his reserve. But, last week when his friend was I over, I asked him how he felt about me blogging about it. I didn't want to pit my son's friend against him. I really wanted to know what he thought. He said go for it. I think that made my son realize he could be ok with it. Permission was granted.

These two guys have been goofing around filming and making home movies for awhile. My son's friend has been studying videography on his own and will be attending film school in a year. My son may join him. While I share this as a proud mama, I also share this because there is some real talent here and such fun elements put together. Look out Hollywood! There are a couple of Christian filmmakers on the rise!

So, without further ado, here is "Dear Mom and Dad." Enjoy!
 

Blue Jeans

My oldest daughter LOVES blue jeans. She loves wearing them. She loves buying them. She even loves repurposing them. Way back when, I helped her make a purse out of a pair. For earning a high school home ec credit, she sewed a quilt with jean patches and a soft flannel. She even attempted turning jeans into a skirt once.

 Her latest creation is an idea from Pinterest. She has been collecting a bagful of old jeans, worn out from her dad and brothers, or outgrown or unloved from someone in the house.

 

She had a great mix of light and dark, using front and back pockets as well as some side seams. There are even a couple with rips in them. Silly us, we have been saying things like: "Oh, I remember you wearing those." "That was my favorite pair." "There was your jean skirt." "Look how outdated those light ones are."

 

Here it is all sewn together:

The seams are to be on the top side.

With time the seam will have a really cool frayed look.

 

She thought it would make the perfect Fourth of July, watching-the-fireworks blanket.

What could be more Americana than fireworks and blue jeans?

 And the perfect blanket for her husband-to-be and her to have alfresco lunches on!

 

BTW, we did wedding dress shop last Tuesday and she found "the one!"

Oh, so pretty and such a special time together with her sisters and me.

Now it is on with some of the stressful decision making...

 

We'd love your prayers with all that and also your thoughts or creations that you have made out of repurposed jeans.

I wish you all a joy-filled day!

Victoria

 

Yesterday's Joys



Yesterday BNH and I celebrated our 28th anniversary. Vickie had asked what BNH stood for. It's "Brand New Husband!" I wrote that on the card I gave him on our wedding day and have used it ever since. : )  As is our tradition, we took an overnight and stayed in a bed-and-breakfast. This year we coupled it with our trip to Naperville, Illinois for a  homeschooling conference. We had a great time walking the beautiful river walk and spending hours talking, uninterrupted!

Another joy of yesterday was that our oldest got engaged! Her fiancé thought it would be special to propose on our anniversary. How sweet! He's a blessing and an answer to prayer. We are so happy for them!!

 



While I had hoped that this summer would allow me to spend some time continuing in cleaning out and spending some good time stitching and scrapbooking, I know none of those things, however much accomplished, will compare in value to the time my daughter and I spend together talking about marriage and being a godly wife. She told me last night that she can't wait to talk to me about everything and help her in the planning. I am blessed and honored that she wants me involved.

Well, all that's to say that I have not had a bit of time as of yet to send out the patterns that I wanted to share with you. I am happy to say that for everyone who expressed an interest there is a pattern for you! The joy of having a small group of followers!  ; )
So, Parsley - Psalm 145, Cucki - Simple Joys, Tricia - Good Tidings, Fiona - All is Calm, and Barb - Pumpkins 4 Sale, if you are still interested in those patterns, please let me know and leave your email in the comments. No emails will be published.

I'm off to stitch a bit tonight. Tomorrow may be a cleaned closet or wedding dress shopping!

Joy to you all!
Victoria

4 Down - 2 To Go

How does it happen?
 
How does a woman, who thought she'd "try it for a year," homeschool 4 kids at that time with her husband's help? 

How does "trying it for a year" suddenly become 16 years?

How does this sweet, little dimpled darling...

                    ...become our next homeschool high school graduate?

 The simple and only answer is by God's grace.

It's hard to believe that 4 of our 6 kids have gotten to this point already.

 Saturday was an amazing day. Great service, great party here with 70 peeps, no rain! My husband was chosen to give the address. I always love it when he speaks! But another highlight of the service came during the senior presentations. My son and his best friend made a movie. We had no idea what it was going to be about or even the title, "Dear Mom and Dad." It was absolutely perfect! I was laughing and crying!! Lots of talent and creativity! 

 

  Right now 11 more years seems daunting at times. But, it's going to be that very same grace that we will depend on to graduate 2 more.

 

And, if I am still blogging then, someone please remind me that His grace will enable then as it did yesterday when I got out of bed feeling like a steamroller had driven over me 4 or 5 times. ;)

 

Simply,

Victoria

who is amazed how the days seem to drag by and yet the years fly by

Because

Because I needed to do something while BNH watched the Indianapolis 500 yesterday...

Because it rained today...

Because I haven't touched a needle in 2 weeks...

Because I am a little weary from fighting against the Second Law of Thermodynamics*...

Because all work and no play makes Jill a grumpy girl...

I had to start a new cross stitch : )

Lizzie Kate

Time for God

 

This is a nice one that doesn't require lots of concentration and let me get refreshed a bit.

Tomorrow it's back at it!

 

Have a blessed week, friends!

Victoria

 

 

*The Second Law of Thermodynamics is also called the law of entropy. In my super simplistic definition, it means that anything that was organized tends, with time, to become disorganized...just in case you were wondering ; )