A walk through Beaverlandia

Today we enjoyed a walk near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.  

Susanna turned 13 years old today!

As we walked along the trail, we noted signs of beavers at work.

Beavers are hard to find, and they obviously could hear us coming.

Trying to figure out the average size of the beavers based on the distance of the bark damage from the ground.

Joshie stays a step ahead.

Leafing.

The confluence.

At the flood markers.

"I thought we were going hiking."

Daniel spots the beaver!

There he is!  Just look at those chompers!

Happy belated birthday, Gideon!

Susanna holds baby Gideon

Gideon was born in Texas, during a very special time for our family.  Of course, we have had many special times in our family.  But anyway, this was a SPECIAL time.  Also, this pregnancy was about the most challenging of all my pregnancies, and the Lord really helped us and provided for us and everything turned out fine!  Praise the Lord.

Gideon turned 8 on our previous cocoaconf trip!

And here he is!  We celebrated on the road, on October 23, and Sarah packed up all the festivities so we could make it a mobile party!

"That's pretty good for a boy my age."

In keeping with our new tradition, here is a poem Gideon wrote relatively recently...sans proofreading.

God love you and me he is good he is great he knows what we do and what we need. God is love. 

God is good. He died on the cross and rose on the third  day and now he is in heaven. He is going to com back
   
It's  good to be a christian because you will not go to hell when you die. You will go too heaven instead. We need to tell every one

Happy birthday, Hannah!

Today, Hannah turns 17 years old!  Hannah was our number six baby, not quite our "half-way" point (which keeps changing).  

She was born when our oldest was 8 years old, and we still lived in California.  So she ate a LOT of cheerios off the floor.

The Blessings of Motherhood 

The blessings of Mothers are so many, 

They are so full, and they are free. 

God gave Mothers children, 

For us to enjoy, He did intend. 

God says they are like arrows, 

The same God who protects the sparrows. 

The blessing of Motherhood, 

They are so nice, and they are good. 

Children are made to bless, 

They shouldn’t be the cause of stress. 

But there’s one blessing indeed, 

To this fact you should give heed:

For God has entrusted you 

To do things that are true, 

And invest in the lives of your children 

Like the chicks with their hen, 

You can plant seeds in their hearts 

And help give them a good start. 

Then when they are gone away, 

They’ll do the same thing someday, 

And the cycle will go on and on 

Even when you are long gone. 

The blessings of Motherhood, you can see, 

Are intended for you and for me!

- Hannah Rose Klein, age 11

So Great A Salvation

So great a salvation; as great as the cost

The blood that was poured out for us on the cross 

As great as the Savior that died in our place

As great as the Father who is rich in grace

So great a salvation: for great was our sin

Great was the atonement that brought us to Him

So great a salvation; greater than our doubt

That would leave us fearing we will be cast out

Greater than the failures we make every day

Greater than the straying we make in our way

So great a salvation: great is the mercy

Great the love that bought us and that set us free

So great a salvation: great should be our praise

To Him who has given to us His great grace

Great should be our thankfulness to our Savior

Great should be our worship as a sweet savor

So great a salvation: what else can we give

To Him who saved us but the life that we live

-  Hannah Rose Klein, age 16

Happy 14th Birthday, Rebekah Eunice!!

Until Then

It's been an uphill climb from the beginning 

And I could never come this far on my own

My weakness fades when I see you coming

And I see again that I am not alone

You never said it always would be easy 

Or that the road would not be this long

But it's everything you made it to be

And in the end you are never wrong

You've called me to leave this place that I call home

To break away from everything I knew

And I have nothing here to call my own

My home is anywhere when I have you 

And then someday the clouds will part above me 

I'll understand it all when I see you

I'll know the why's for all the ways you've led me 

But until then, I know you'll bring me through

- Rebekah Eunice Klein

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: 

but this one thing I do, 

forgetting those things which are behind, 

and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

I press toward the mark for the prize 

of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13,14

Happy 22nd Birthday, Abigail Michelle!

Baby Abi with Grandma Jemelie,
who is spoken of in the letter below

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

If Heaven was a Paradise 

of sweetness and delight

With every want I’ve ever had 

and not a care in sight

With mountains high, clear sunny skies, 

and sandy ocean shore

All natures beauty pure anew, 

as Eden was before

My favorite food, my favorite drink, 

and comforts there for me

No sickness, pain or sorrow, 

no death I’d ever see

If all my friends I missed so much 

were with me once again

To join me in a life of bliss 

that wouldn’t ever end

I wonder - in a place like this, 

a Paradise so fair

Could I be satisfied in Heaven 

if the Savior wasn’t there?

- Abigail Michelle Klein