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. =]

February the 32nd, 2012

It is a comforting thought, indeed, to know that there isn't a Blogger Constable (whose name is Orville) that keeps tabs on all the blogs in Blogdom, and bestows gentle prodding when there's a blog that isn't keeping it's readers up-to-date ... orrrr, perhaps that would be better on behalf of the greater good - for then one would have even more incentive to stay on schedual, eh? =}

As it is, I am glad there is not a Blogger Constable Orville (today at any rate ;), for I have been remiss of late and have missed one of my posts - and for that, you are all awarded the prize of Most-Patient-and-Understanding-Blog-Readers! =)

January was quite a happy (and shockingly warm) month - being filled with friend-visits/calls; a stay at the DLH; delighting in the privileged freedom to worship my Jesus every day<3; thinking day-dreamy thoughts about getting my driver's permit - 16 days from now only(!); going off on a snowboarding expedition; drinking many mugs of tea; babysitting cute little kid-links once a week =); playing family games, all sorts; taking many walks and some bike rides (in the absurdly warm weather) ... yes, no - January has been grand. =) And now February the 32nd, is upon us, doncha-know! *gasp* How the time does fly in the neighborhood of my life ...

A Friend-Visit =)

More Friend-Visits ~ Sister Days =)

My family has recently been blessed to watch several sessions by Jamie Lash (an immense 'Thank you very much!' to the B family =), from his series This Was Your Life ... I tell you, it certainly hits home! So, one of the sessions was on humility, and a {para}phrase that really stayed with me (after S helped me put my thoughts into words ;) was, "Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less." He made the very fine distinction that humiliation is not humility - one does not go around humiliating oneself to obtain humility. Humiliation is just the opposite end of the pendulum - with pride on the one side, taking yourself on an ego trip (focusing on YOU); then we swing to other side and are welcomed to the self-abasing pity-party (also focusing on ... YOU) - we need to be earnestly seeking the Lord, shifting our focus off of self and onto Him, seeking to serve others as unto Him ... then we'll find that when we are so focused on God and others, there's no time for that limelight-seeking old flesh of ours - and we all say, most emphatically, "Good riddance, to you sah/ma'am!" Disclaimer: along with batteries and fruit not being included, Satan will most likely try to feed you some sort of sugar-coated lie, such as, "Ok, you've been focusing on others for a good one or two weeks already ... now let's have some YOU time, eh?" As you try to refuse the repulsive mush, he may even try to pull the old 'Here comes the aaiiirrplaaane!' trick, just like your mum used to do, in an effort to get you to consume your wegetables like a good kiddie should; however, you must not succumb to this tactic when he's at the opposite end of the spoon (when it's your mum, please do her the kindness of obliging =). No, no - do not compare yourself to the norm ... compare yourself to Jesus - He's our Standard, Whom we should ever strive to be like.

I'm leaving for FL on the morrow ... yes, yes, another spontaneous road trip! This is quite becoming my habit, I say. =} I am grandly excited and in a sort of daze, all at once - I've never been to FL during the month of February. =) There's always a first for everything, wot-wot!

Again, thanks awfully for your patience in regards to my now {regrettably} infrequent posting habits - you're peachy chums, all of you. =)

God go with you!

Pip-pip,

Phia

A Painful Past-Time ...

What is it, you ask?

Snowboarding

Who first thought of strapping one's feet onto a board, and decided that it would be a good idear to travel at a face-chilling speed down a slope, I wonder ...

The day after I go snowboarding I always try to remember exactly why I chose, of my own free will, to participate in this painful {not to mention c.o.l.d} winter activity - then when I find myself, yet again, at the top of the slope ... I remember. =)

Quite honestly, I am not a proficient at it; however, I do enjoy it muchly.

Because I did not think to take that many pictures, Olivia was kind enough to let me share some of hers. =)

We went with a group of friends - it's the grandest!

{photo credit Olive}

I promised myself that the next snowboarding trip I take, I will wear a face-mask - no more Arabic scarf-wrapping ;}

The facility was quite nice =)

{Olive's}

At the end of the day, I stopped not because my muscles were aching, but on behalf of my frozen hands and face. =P

{Olive's}

Thanks awfully, R, for your kind patient instruction. =)

A good sister-bonding activity - knocking each other out as you endeavor to get off the ski-lift gracefully. ;)

I have been enjoying some hand-crafting recently. =)

It really is quite delightful ...

January is at last beginning to behave itself - within the past two days we have been blessedly snowed-upon {after tolerating 50-some degree weather}! ;) Actually, it was amusingly fun to take a bike-ride in the middle of January ... I can't say as I've ever done that before. =)

I hope that you are having a fantabulous first-born month of the year!

Pip-pip,

Phia