The Ans and the Boards =)

Well, it's here - the last day of February - annnnd you probably know what I will say next ;) ...

I simply find it completely and utterly mind-blowing to comprehend that tomorrow is the first day of March! =O

Howevah, no matter how much I find that difficult to believe, reality it is. =}

*pondering*

Similarly, it doesn't matter just how much those in this world choose to deny or reject Jesus ... He still is, and always will be. <3

Yein,

{that is one of my new words...it is German, and means both yes and no! Oh I have been waiting for such a word! ;) Thanks awfully, AV, for enlightening me! In my vocab, it serves the same purpose as 'anyhoo' =}

we went *drum-roll* snow-boarding, the day before Valentine's, with a group of friends (that's always the best =)!

Happy, happy I tell you!

Ah, part of the group =)

{okeefenokee, Julie, we must get our picture at some point! =}

There were slightly more scrapes and bruises this time; but, that's a good sign, right? It means that I was more brave and adventurous. =} I even gave in to {friendly} peer-pressure and went over a jump! =O I'm glad I did. =) Now I won't be as petrified to do it next time {I hope ;}... praise the Lord for safety!

We were all justly tuckered for the ride home. =]

Ah, and here we have some memories from the visit of my sweet Banana-Ans! =D

I can't tell you how excited I was that this Georgia-pal was able to spend {roughly} two days with me! <3

She is a kindred spirit, for definitely. What an encouragement this dear girl has been in my life!

She's so full of cheer and Jesus' love <3

Banana & Monkey

We were determined to fill our shedual with as many happinesses as possible. +D

Amongst them: making snow- ice cream; many hugs; eating yummy soup by nice toasty fire; painting nails; and Nans and Heidi-kinz were the best chums ever to play-act Robin Hood and Friar Tuck. =) I love you both so much! Making 'cinematic productions' {with my trusty iPod, Lawrence}, as it were, with friends is undoubtedly a favorite past-time. =}

It snowed especially for my Georgia-pal's visit =)

Loved having you, Anslers! <3

[just for clarification: her name is Anslea...but, hey, why call someone by their real name when you could call them by a nickname, right? ;]

It was certainly a blessed weekend!

Hoi ... next, I'll have to update you on Valentine's and the Cousin visit! =D

Pip-pip,

Phia

*Psalm 27 ... a special hug from God <3

Post-script:

Praise the Lord! I now have my driver's permit!! =D Thanks muchly to all of you who were praying for me. =) I've driven. It's surreal. =]

Sunshine is a Smiley Thing, Yes?

And we are one step closer to being 'caught up' on this February month! ;P I tell you, I've never known February to be so very ... social? =) It's been grand! My past February behaviors have been to basically hibernate and only come out of my leetle groundhog-hole once or twice for Valentine's happenings (excepting church, naturally =) ... and as it was, last year, I was sick with bronchitis for 3/4 of the month - so, I wasn't even able to leave my home for church! ='( It was lonely, quite, at times; howevah, God is certainly a god of balance! Since last year's February held hardly any happenings, this year's has been happening left and right and up and down! =] I hardly knew a month who loved being so happening-ish ... =}

At any pace, here we are in sunny Flo-REE-da! =)

::the lovahlee establishment with palm trees::

::the location of the wedding (which was, of course, the reason for me being there =)::

::the Duggars played and sang before the ceremony::

::Olivette played with a group from HQ::

::the radiant bride!::

::David & Priscilla::

::one of the adorable flower girls::

::stellar people who were attending::

::*sigh for happiness* I like these people, I really do ... ::

::Lyddie and Serena::

::ah, the red golf-ball::

::my traveling buddy! who played Name Chase with me for 20 hours ... =D::

[if Name Chase you have not played, you must needs come to my house and it shall be remedied =]

{Aitlinca, ankstha osa uchma orfa etha andgra imeta! Ophiasa goodbye =}

Of a truth, this wedding was one of the most spiritually uplifting and refreshing weddings I've had the privilege to attend. God was certainly glorified, and I was incredibly blessed to have been there! God bless you, David and Priscilla, as you continue to glorify God with your lives and share your testimony with others. <3

This month, several of the girls and mothers at my church have been memorizing Psalm 57 together {thanks, Neecole, for your loving inspiration!} - I cannot convey to you just how meaningful it has been, not only the added enrichment that one enjoys when memorizing with others; but, most importantly, reflecting on how exceedingly privileged we, in America, are to have God's Word in our possession. We can have the joy of hiding His Word in our hearts! Not every Christian can say that - and to think of those who do have the Bible, but they take it for granted.

O dear Christian, may you and I never be accused of taking the Word of the Lord for granted!

Pip-pip,

Phia

Next up: hitting the slopes {yet again =} and my time with Ans!

St. Valentine Goes Bowling ...

It would be enormously difficult to find a past February to compare with this year's!

God is so good - it is beyond my mortal capacities to fathom His love. <3

There are so many happy memories already made, within the past two weeks, that when I think I've found a place to start sharing about, I am immediately struck with a smile from a memory that came just before the one I was going to begin with ... *sigh* I suppose I shall simply have a go at summing up my month thus far (for, already there is planned more happiness for this weekend!).

First weekend: I went to FL! For the happy wedding of David W. & Priscilla K. (now W. ;) ...

[I am going to dedicate a separate post to that weekend =]

Weekend the 2nd: My very sweet and darling banana-friend, Ans, came for a visit!! <3 And it was a most grandly memorable weekend with you, dear girl. +D

[Again, there will be another post on the happenings we had together =]

The same very happy weekend, Heidel and I attended a delightful Valentine's tea party

{Kaitlyn and Sarah =}

My little Kaitlyn-friend gave me this cookie. =] I enjoyed looking at it; but, I bequeathed the taste-enjoying part to someone else. =)

This was, indeed, a triple-ly happy weekend on account of ... my darlingest sister, brother-in-law, and nephew came to visit! =D

{this photo does not portray it justly; however, the most adorable elf-y hat is courtesy of the gifted Polly B. =}

We went bowling, doncha-know - and what merrification was had all 'round! =)

{heh heh I just read the top sign now ... does stopping to take a picture qualify as loitering? I hope not ... =P)

Tim and the sleeping boy =)

Dad used to play on a league - it was an enjoyment to watch him play his game. =)

It was jolly to have the entire crew go bowling!

{Andrew, Dad, and Tim soundly beat the rest of us ... =}

Look at our wee Ga-nomie (gnome)! He can get around on his own now ... *happy/sad sigh*

In between the weekend and V-day, the gang went snowboarding!

[separate, individual post for that later =]

Ah, here we are - St.Valentine's Day <3

Mum and Dad attended their couples Valentine dinner; thus, the five single siblings had their own Valentine dinner at home. ;)

{Thanks to MRM for the grand valentines and idears! =}

[surprise! ;) there will be more regarding V-day in a later post =]

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him ... Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." ~ 1 John 4:9,11

God's Love ... it truly overwhelms me. <3

(Since you probably heard it a lot yesterday, I decided to save it for today ...)

Happy Valentine's Day, belated! =D

{I love the flower, Polly! =}

Pip-pip,

Phia

Do You Have a Birthday Buddy?

This is the story of a little girl, Evangeline, who, for her 3rd birthday, prayed for a baby brother ... and sho 'nuff she got one! While her birthday party was being held in the basement, in another part of the house, her baby brother arrived! And this is the story that is told every February the 8th. =)

Yes, I am return-ed from the jolly state of FL (thank you to those of you who were praying for Olivia's and my safety =)!

And I will do a post about that...maybe next week or maybe this week; however, I must again ask your patience - because, you understand, today is my family's very own birthday-twins' ... Birthday! =D

I love you, Evy and Andrew - Happy Birthday! <3

[2008]

These are the only pictures I could find of them together =P

[2008]

This pretty much sums up their relationship ;)

[2010]

Four children, ages 4 3/4 and under!

[1994]

{Olive-3, me-1mo., Evly-4, Andry-1}

O Evy ... the memories and adventures we share together! There are no words that do them justice. =P

[2007]

Let it be said that Evy and cameras are kindred spirits. =}

Ah she is just so fun and cute! =)

[2007]

The Adventures of Duncan the Dragonfly and Evy the Girl ;]

I think that she is simply the cutest and beautiful-est wife and mum =)

Though physicians have not yet diagnosed her condition, she suffers from a paper-eating disorder ... jk =}

{yes, that is straw in her hair - she's our wild child ;}

Even though she told all of us kids that we were adopted; pushed me into an elevator when I was 2 (so that I got lost); would frequently threaten to eat me; scared me out of my wits over the imaginary monsters that lived in our basement and water system; and even though she prank calls me monthly...

I love her...

Because, she's the one that led me to my Jesus; she would offer me refuge from the imaginary monsters; she sings with me at the piano; she knows how to make me smile; she would do week-long lemon-cleanses with me so I wouldn't be doing it by myself; she taught me how to play volley ball (not to mention a host of other things!); she taught me how to ride a bike with no training wheels; she's our gang leader; she has an amazing eye for decorating/photography/design/style/you name it!; she's so lovely at including everyone; her and Andrew are the ones I dropped 300ft. free-falling with; she cuts my hair and takes my pictures for free; she's hilarious!; she gives me hugs and writes me notes, even though that's not her love-language; she's my big sister. <3

Happy 22nd in 2012, Ev!

Ahndjoo!

This is my big brother, folks - his name is Andrew; but, mostly I don't call him that ...

it's mostly:

Ra-ra

Ahndjoo

Ramus

Francis

and Andyroo =)

[2007]

Andrew is my sibling buddy ... there's Evy and Olivia, Andrew and me, then Erik and Heidi. =) So it was weird when he graduated and started driving, and I wasn't. 0_0 Howevah, that shall soon be settled, on both accounts, come next Friday - huzzah! ;D

Awe, he's such a jolly laid-back, happy-go-lucky, comical sort of fellow (and quite athletic, I might add) ... if you don't know him, I am sorry for you - for you will never meet another like our Andrew. =)

[2007]

Some of his past-times include: hunting; video/computer work; making people laugh (he's quite a proficient, I tell you!); lifting...people (or weights, either way ;); jumping; sports; snowboarding; music (he plays a mean cello and banjo; however, he also favors the fiddle, piano, and guitar with his attentions =); coffee; and Evin. =)

[2009/2010/2011]

{notice Andrew is on the farthest right =}

Andrew promoting Crazy Love ;)

[2011]

Andrew is a godly, talented, hilarious, kind, astronomically-patient young man, and I can't tell you how much fun it is to be his younger sister. =) It's really quite convenient, because each of my siblings are my very own personal counselors (with Dad and Mum, of course), and they all have their own Counselor names that I have dubbed them - Andrew's is Francis. =) He always gives me such good, common-sense advice ... I am greatly appreciative, A. <3

I also used to be virtually the same height as him ... never again, dear reader. ;/

[2008]

The Halo-Wearing Child =]

[2010]

Happy 19th (even though you're supposed to be older than that), Ra-ra! <3

*sigh* I love my siblings ... that was, erm, quite the long post. I might get a ticket from Oswald for going over the un-written blog-length! ;] So, I'll just stop, okeefenokee (that is my new word - be warned)?

Pip-pip,

Phia