Baby names...funny

This is a big problem. Steve and I cannot think of a name...now we really better think harder. We don't want to run into this guy!! HA

Awesome book! Debi Pearl

For sometime I have been reading this book. And sometime is a long time trust me. :) But the reason is, it's a lot to handle all at once! This is the BEST book I have ever read as far as this subject goes, how to be a good wife and a help meet. Very practical, although not always easy to apply. I totally encourage anyone to read this book. I love it and I know you would too. We have been going through it in our womens meetings we have with the church ladies. That has been really good too. What promises we have from the Lord when we are willing to follow His plan. There are many true stories of the lives of women who have changed their marriage around following some simple steps found in God's Word. It's awesome...did I tell you that! HA Anyway, I know I have a long way to go to be the wife Steve needs and deserves but by God's grace he still loves me! :) And I will continue the journey with joy and excitement and lots of love!! And I will continue to read this book until I get through it. Then I will probably read it again.

Today

A few older pictures of the two Oregon Thorps.
Can't forget the dog that had to stay at home! Sorry but I have no other pictures of the other animals that held down the fort at home!! LOL


Vickie and Travis came over today. It was a nice surprise. (Well...I was still in my jammies, and had not taken a shower yet) But for me it was a great treat Not so sweet smelling or looking for them HA! Vickie downloaded PSP (paint shop pro, a picture editing program) for me on my laptop! I am so glad to have it. It is a great tool for editing pictures and creating headers. I made Collin and I a new header tonight. It's fun. Travis was helpful too. He showed me some stuff on this blog, under HTML ahhh scary! HA He also made Collin have three roes on his blog. And that is cool I think. Anyway, the kids got to skip most of school and have some fun with Vickie and Travis. They went to the creek and played soccer. Which was just fine. Call it a PE PC class day! Yeah that is it. The beauty of homeschooling.
Well, gotta get these "olders" (Alex, Collin and Anna) off to bed. They get to stay up a half hour later then the "youngers" (Cassie, Mailee, Murren and Will), because they are all over 10 years old....but of course it is two hours passed their bedtime oops.

Cute story

I had to tell you all what Emma said to me the other day. She asked me how I scanned the picture of my baby? "What" I said. She said, "On the side of your blog you have your baby, how do you do that? Can you see if it's a boy or girl?" Oh, she thought that was really my baby floating around! How funny huh!! So to get things out straight and clear, that is not my baby just an animated baby the same size as mine!! :)

Happy Birthday Emma!!

Today we get to remember the glorious day Emma was born!! Wow, she has been a blessing to the family now for a whole 11 years! Happy birthday to you sweetie! Emma, is so great at whatever she does! Our "little Ruby" we like to call her. She loves dogs, and is great with Rockie her little Pomeranian. She is always so determined and gives her all in anything she is doing. Emma has written some very beautiful songs, and I pray she will continue to use this gift. What a pretty voice she has to glorify her Heavenly Father! She is absolutely awesome in speech and we are all glad that she is in our family!
Happy Birthday Emma Victoria Kruse! I love you very much!!!!

This is an older picture of Emma (in fact it was her birthday cake back in 2005) but she is still as cute as this and I, beside I could not find another picture right away. :)

Please pray for the family

Ethan 4 yrs. and Emerald (who would have been a year old today) Robertson perished late Thursday night in a fire at a cabin where they were living. This is such a sad tragedy for the family. I just thought I would post to let people know to pray for them.
The mother went 20 feet from the cabin where the children were sleeping to brush her teeth (she even took a baby monitor to listen too) and when she came out the cabin was in flames. May God help this family and all the friends.

Oh memories....The Price is Right!

Card fun!!

When mom got back from BoraBora she not only brought back a great tan, lots of beautiful pictures, but also the coolest card game ever! Nerts! We have been having a lot of fun playing this game. It's great because it is played with lots of people (or you can play with just two) and we can play together with the younger and older kids. It's a fast version of solitaire...sort of. Mom was really good and would beat everyone...but ummm well we all are getting pretty good now too! HA
Anyway, thought I should mention Kolten and I won tonight after church!!!! Oh yeah!! :) Collin and Liisa thought they would win but you know someone needs to be the first loser!! Oh I am just having fun you guys...you did OK. Kolten way to go partner!!! See you again in the winning circle.
(I know pride goes before a fall...and I am sure to lose terrible next time). Oh no. I am just teasing!! It is fun to play though and everyone is sooo good and very fast! It is a must game for us all to play when the whole family gathers again. So think shuffle, fast and NERTS!!! LOL

Diligence to be a Prov. 31 Women

I just read a great post on diligence by Nancie Wilson, Doug Wilson's wife. (Doug is a pastor I have really enjoyed for awhile now thanks to Kenny sharing his stuff with us). Anyway, in this post she went through Prov. 31 and pointed out the practical ways we women are to be diligent. It was very good, but a bit lengthy, so I won't post the whole thing although here is the link to Nancie's blog for you to check out for yourself if you would like. http://femina.reformedblogs.com/2007/05/02/diligence/ After Nancie posted this lady wrote to Nancie the following and Nancie wrote her back. I thought what she wrote was so good. So that is why I wanted to post it too. Enjoy. This was a great encouragement to me. God is awesome to use people in our lives so we may better be used for His glory!
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Any practical tips for getting and staying motivated to be diligent on the housework front…especially for those of us who live alone? I can spend all day at a friend’s house, working hard and staying on task and pushing myself to get just one more thing done. But at home, where there’s no external accountability, I just plain forget to care what the house looks like unless there’s company coming. Having company more often is therefore one obviously good motivator, but I find I need more help with self-spurring in the lulls between guests. -Valerie

Valerie,
A couple of thoughts. If you cultivate a love for beauty, the natural result is a desire to have your surroundings beautiful. This means that you won’t enjoy yourself nearly so much in a messy house as in a clean one. A table covered with papers and dirty coffee cups is not nearly so lovely as one with a vase of flowers on it. This could mean some paint and some new throw pillows, etc. But our homes reflect our worldview whether we like it or not. We can’t export a reformed culture if we don’t have a healthy one at home. And as my husband is so fond of saying, “Your theology comes out your fingertips.” What we believe about God is seen in the way we keep our homes. That is where you need to start, and then you’ll have use for “helpful hints.” The reformed community is generally very eager to pursue truth and goodness; but we lag behind in the pursuit of beauty. Women get to explore this in their homes, and once we have learned it there, we will have something good to spill out into the community and the world. -Nancie

Good Days Ahead

Things are going great with homeschooling. The kids are so awesome, I love working with them. It is amazing to see all their different personalities even in school stuff. In their writing, coloring, stories and paperwork. Being a part of the speech club this year is awesome too. Mom is so sweet to come and watch the grandkids. They sure do love her. I am excited to see all their speeches and stuff flourish these next few months. It's so fun. The twins and Will are loving going to Vickie's! They feel really special and she is doing great with them. Very happy. I am a blessed mother!
Now, it is late and all the kids ARE in bed, so of course everything is beautiful now...right! HA No, everything is good. Not that there are not hard days, but we are all moving ahead, learning, forgiving when needed, and loving life!
Oh, another great thing, the nausea is pretty much gone now for me! Praise the Lord for that!!! It only gets better from here. Or should I say I only get bigger from here.

Sugar cake baby....amazing

Cute song girls sang at church!

"The Middle Girls" Anna, Ellie, Emma, Esther, Cassie and Mercy.
Before they sang this song all the girls talked a little about how much fun they had with Grandma Dot. It was really cute. (Check out my mom's site to hear all the stuff they did...it was a fun packed weekend) Sorry my camera does not take good video's like Uncle John's does. I was given a camera that was awesome, and took great video's but my sweet little twins lost it a few days after dad gave it to me boohoo! Enjoy the clip anyway.

Baby Has a Heart!!!

Yesterday I had my first midwife appointment!! And praise God, we heard our little ones heartbeat!! It was so awesome, tears came to my eyes when I heard the sound. It is such a miracle what God does in creating life. I am so very excited! Steve and the girls (Anna, Cassie, Mailee and Murren) were all in the room too so they heard it as well. I was awesome! Everything else looked great too the midwife said. I am a little bigger then I should be...shhh Jodi does not like to hear that. HA I am sure it is just because I have have so many babies....but trust me I would love to have twins again! At the birth Jodi will be the assistant to the midwife, and I am very happy about that. She will more than likely catch the baby...she has caught many of mine already and never dropped one yet :) Of course we will have my mom, Liisa and my dad there too. As always...my favorite people around me and praying for me during labor. Yes, that is a ways down the road still I know. Well, for now this little blessing will Lord willing continue to grow and become healthy and strong.

Yeepee!! Thanks Kenny!

Tonight I get to go to the Casting Crowns concert, thanks to my big brother Kenny for buying me a ticket!! I love concerts so much! I was very surprised that he bought one for me....as well as Kaila, Destiny, Karissa, Jodi and himself!! Wow, who could ask for a better brother!! (At least one here in Oregon...I got another Awesome brother in Washington too!! And I would go to any concerts their too Troy!! HA)

Jodi called me this morning and was playing the CD of Casting Crowns real loud in the background while she was working out! It was so funny. She said she was listening to their new CD so she would know the songs tonight! HA At least she was up and working out, what a girl...I was in bed sleeping still...and DON'T ask what time it was. It was late! LOL Oh well I will be rested up for tonight! God is so GREAT!!!