A Blessed Life

What a blessed life we live!! God has shown himself to us in so many ways...really all of our life together, but especially this past couple of years as we have struggled with moving. My moving to SA was a great decision, and I don't regret it for even a second...God meant for Bill and I to be together heart, mind and body and we have really reveled in our time living together again. Of course we miss our children (we count our daughter's-in-law as children), and our grandchildren...I could really obsess about how much I miss them, but God has assured me they are in great care in the arms of their parents...my children are AWESOME parents!! And the ones who aren't parents are AWESOME uncles!! Wow...who would have thought that my children linked with God could do all of this without me?!? I say that very tongue-in-cheek because no one knows better than I what a control freak I can be...and another blessing is revealed...when I give in and allow God to control, it all turns out much better. [and I don't cry all the time]

Tonight in place of our regular Wednesday night Bible Study, we had "Praise and Pie Night" so we could all come together and pray for each other and our families who will be traveling over the holiday weekend!! Doesn't it sound great?? I mean you have Praise (which is always great), and PIE...what more can I say?! And let me tell you...there are some bakers down here! Bill and I work with the Fellowship Committee, which consists mostly of retired couples, and we love each and every one of them! They treat us like their own kids, love on us, joke with us and have really made us feel at home here. We just absolutely love this Church and love being a part of it...you can feel God's love, guidance and presence.

We will be leaving tomorrow night on our drive to Searcy to join our son Levi, daughter-in-law Laura, grandson Gavin and brand new granddaughter Carrigan for a Thanksgiving Feast at Laura's mother's home along with Laura's sister and niece and our son Andy. We can't wait to see them, hug, visit, laugh and make memories! What a blessed life!!

Our other children, Cliff and his son William, Carl, his wife Crystal and son Camden, and Zeke will be eating with some of my brothers and their families and my Dad and Judy. We will miss them, but they will be surrounded with good old fashioned family-love and making memories too.

Praying that all of you have a safe, joyful and memorable Thanksgiving.

My Kindergarten Boy

William is doing so well in school!! Cliff went to his first parent-teacher conference a couple of weeks ago, and William's teachers all bragged about how well he has adapted to school life and how well he is processing everything he is learning. He has had such good behavior that his daddy let him choose some toys as a reward!

Great job William!!
Keep up the good work!

Halloween munchkins

I have such good memories of Trick or Treat back in the "old days", when you could go from door to door for hours and would get home made treats from all of your neighbors and not be afraid to eat them!! We lived in the country, so we would walk for miles (ok, I know I really sound old now), and would drag our bounty back home, sort it, trade for our favorites, and then HIDE IT to make sure the older boys didn't make off with any of it! Our neighbor, Melba Carmichael, used to make popcorn balls every year and invite us inside her house for hot cocoa, a sampling of the popcorn and send us off with at least one popcorn ball in our bag. Such fun times!

I received pictures of each of my grandchildren in their halloween costumes, and you just have to see how adorable they are!!

William as "Rock Man"Gavin the "Dinosaur"

Carrigan the "Friendly Ghost"

Camden the "Horse"

Who wouldn't want these little goblins to knock on their door?!?

Beautiful Granddaughter

New pictures of our beautiful new granddaughter Carrigan.


























































She's so perfect, and so expressive already. We can't wait to meet her on Thanksgiving, and hold her and feel her downy soft skin!

Look, she's wearing the felted clogs grandma made for her!

Cherokee Home for Children

Bill and I took a trip with some couples at church to hang out with the kids at Cherokee Home for Children in Cherokee, TX. We rode in Friday night to the high school football field at about 8:45pm and I got the biggest cup of hot chocolate I've ever seen...I was freezing!! I guess I've already gotten soft in this warmer climate :) Cherokee is a very small town, only about 110 students in the school system. We watched them play 6-man football, which was very exciting and fast paced!! When you only have 6 guys on each side and one of them breaks away running toward the goal, it moves very fast. The game ended at 78-70, Cherokee down. A couple of the boys from the home played on the team, and some of the girls were cheerleaders. The concession stand had home-baked items for sale which looked pretty yummy, and almost odd since you don't see that in our schools. Everyone was very friendly, and you could sense how close the community is.

After the game, we went back to campus (the Home) and hung out in the rec hall playing fooseball, pool, cards and snacking and talking. The high school girls all went on an annual "Girls deer hunt". I really showed my ignorance when I said "with guns?!" I guess down here even girls have their first guns around their 5th birthday!! Yahoo!! The men all spent the night at hospitality quarters on campus, and the women went home with the administrator and his wife about 2 miles down the road. The next morning we all ate breakfast together and then some stayed on campus with the older boys who escorted them all around campus and played games. Some of us went with the younger kids to watch them play pee-wee football (also 6-man), and watch the girls cheer. After lunch, and some very lively conversation, back on campus with the older boys in their cottage, we headed home.

As happens every time we go somewhere to meet with Christians, we met new people who knew old friends in one way or another...this comforts me more than I ever realized it would. I am so homesick sometimes for my friends, and always for my kids and grand kids, that when I feel God's family ties I don't feel so far from home. I would love to be able to be with, hug, comfort and support our kids and grand kids every day, but that is not on God's agenda for us right now, so we are going to try to be with, hug, comfort and support some of God's other children who are in need.

The ride home was gorgeous and warm. We took a road that crossed several ranches that are all open-range. You see the wildlife, deer, cows (and their horns) up close and personal!! They just wander all over, including right in the road. Got home about 6pm tired and happy.

Carson-King Family

Some great pictures of Levi, Laura, Gavin and Carrigan. Bill and I couldn't get the computer powered up fast enough when we came home Saturday after being away overnight to see pictures of Gavin and Carrigan...and their parents of course ;)









Doesn't Gavin look ornery?!? It's so funny to see how quickly they figure out they are now "top dog" as the oldest!




She's so beautiful, I can just imagine how soft those little cheeks are.




















Gavin's first day of being a big brother was a lot of work!!

Carrigan

Here's our first peak at Carrigan and Daddy. We don't have any pictures with Mommy or Gavin yet, but as soon as we do, we'll post them.

Daddy sure looks proud
doesn't he!

Oh my goodness...It's a

Girl!!!
Born October 23, 2008
8:53 am
8# 1 oz
21 inches
Carrigan Carson-King
(no middle name yet)
daughter of Levi and Laura
sister of Gavin

Granddaugher of Vi Carson and Bill & Laura King

It's time...

This beautiful family of 3 will become a precious family of 4 within the next few hours!! I got a call from Levi at about 9:00 tonight that he and Laura were in the car on their way to the hospital with contractions about every 2 minutes. He called again about 10:45 that they were in their room and Laura was at 6 cm. I'm betting this second baby is going to make an appearance before Gavin eats breakfast tomorrow morning...
Gavin and Mommy












Gavin and Daddy









Maybe Gavin picked this one for his new sibling...He's going to be a great Big Brother!

William's birthday

Monday, October 6, my grandson William will be 6 years old! When he was visiting me in San Antonio and watching me knit (he calls it "yarning"), he said several times that "he would need a sweater pretty soon to keep him warm when the air turns cold...and not a scratchy one." Within just a few days of him leaving, I found some very soft hand spun cotton yarn and went in search of a pattern. Having never made a sweater before, I had no idea if I could pull this off, but I kept hearing his sweet voice in the back of my head and the pleading look in his eyes, so I ventured on. I finally found a pattern, sucked up all my courage (with the encouragement of my sister practically on a daily basis and a couple of SA friends) and started on the journey of my first knitted sweater.

I decided to use closures rather than buttons because I thought William would like them...and I don't know how to make button holes!!















I really cherish the time I spent working on this as William was always in my thoughts...we have so many memories from the past 6 years, and I treasure digging them out and reliving them in my mind.

Of course I worried he might not like the color, or that it wouldn't fit (who really measures?), and I don't want him to have to wear something he doesn't like. Yesterday he received his birthday package from G'ma Laura and Papa Bill, and even though it was a couple of days early, his daddy let him open one of the presents..Happy 6th Birthday William!!
I miss you and love you oodles and gobs!