It's catch-up day.  Whew, it was quite a weekend.   Saturday two othe ladies and I organized a bake sale to raise funds to help with adoption expenses of little Charis.   So starting Wednesday, I baked quite a bit.  Kept needing to run to town for things I forgot.   By Friday night everything was packed and priced and ready to go:

- two pecan pies

- two chocolate pecan pies

- four vanilla crumb pies

- two crumb-topped apple pies

- four pumpkin rolls, cut in half so there were eight

- double batch of mocha truffle cookies, drizzled with chocolate.

A friend brought over bread, rolls and buicuts.   So Saturday morning after a notsogood night, I dragged myself down to the church and Emma and I started setting up.   Got the tables set up in the lawn of the church and it started to rain.  so we took them under the awning by the front door.    I made signs.  people came to drop off more baked goods.  We sold a few things.  and sat.  And sat.   So finally I packed up half the stuff and took it to Milford to set up in front of Karen's bookstore.  And sat.  And sat.  People drove by us and stopped at the yard sale two houses down.  *sigh*.   Mom packed up at the church and brought everything down.  Most went into the freezer for later use.   It was very discouraging to say the least and I was down in the dumps all the rest of the day.  We were able to give them $250, but there was probably almost a grand worth of food there.. all good stuff. Thanks again to those of you who helped.. couldn't have done it alone!!

Yesterday was communion at church - a sweet time.  I appreciated the messages, and the time to just shut out all else (as welll as one can with four wiggles on the bench) and let the Spirit of God minister to me and revel in gratefulness to God for His gift to me.

Today starts H1N1 vaccinations in DE public schools.  Daniel had the option of getting one and we consented.  I don't know if it was the best thing or not, but I guess we'll let him.   I think that for the most part it's just a huge scare.  It's not worse than the normal flu for healthy people.  The doctors are saying to treat it the same way as the other flus.  Don't know why one would even want to know what specific flu it is, unless one really is terribly sick or needs to be hospitalized.    There are lots of conspiracy theories out there too.  Kinda crazy.   We really need to be level headed in times like these - consider all options and views, be knowlageable and balanced.

Just some thoughts.

Today I'm happy about:

- the promise of sun tomorrow!

- 3 happy girls here today

- a clean kitchen floor!

- GRACE

- kitties on my back porch

- laughing with my husband

Yesterday I did applesauce.

Now some of you may consider me a bit spoiled to fuss about this, but I have never done it alone.    I've always had someone to do sauce with, and most often I've done spaghetti sauce and/or greenbeans with someone too.   Corn is always done with my parents.    But yesterday I was alone and though it went very well, I missed the company.    

But I was rather proud of myself too.  I didn't grow up with canning and preserving things.  Not really.  We lived in Canada with the short growing season and stored what we could in the root celler.    Canned goods were done here and sent up on the donation trucks.  If we were on vacation during the summer, we "got"  to help.   So I do have memories of husking corn and shelling peas and snapping greenbeans out under the big tree in Grandpa's back yard.   But the actual methods of preserving escaped me so I've had to learn as an adult.   And it's been fun, actually.  I love eating my own stuff and feel good about having things store away, knowing what's in there, knowing it's fresh and good for me.  

But until I was done yesterday, I was zonked.   (Does anyone else use that word?  Meaning absolutely exhausted?  Wondering...)   Anyway, besides the 27 quarts of sauce, running to Byler's to pick up the apples, stripping our bed, hanging out the sheets, remaking the bed, two other loads of laundry, school runs, making dinner for Marta and Krista, homework, three loads of dishwasher, and all the other stuff that gets in the way, I really was zonked.

And I slept really, really well last night.   And I feel good this morning.

There's a bit of breeze today and it looks like it won't rain afterall.  So off I go to wash blankets and get them on the line!

We are on our way to Indiana!   It's pretty neat the way this trip all worked out.   We were supposed to have our church retreat this weekend.   But due to several things beyond our control, it got canceled.  That was disappointing.  Very.

But it opened the weekend up.   Daniel had off school,  Kent had taken vacation days yesterday and today and Sarah worked extra so she wouldn't have to bring work along.    And Monday is Labor Day anyway.   We were going to try to go later this fall, but it's best to go now, I think.    It will be so good to see Grandpa again.  He's almost 90.... I feel very blessed to have him still with us and want to make time for him when we can.  

The children have done very well.  Right now they are all sleeping.  Yeah, that's right.  All four at the same time!   It's a pleasant 78 degrees so we are faring well without the air conditioning.    We're in the middle of Ohio and have only stopped twice.   We have good travellers!

School is going well.  Sarah tends to daydream but is working hard to overcome that habit.   She has had more homework than Daniel;  I think it's good for her.     They both like their teachers and I think we are settled in for a good year.    The little ones are doing well.   They do tend to get into stuff and without my helpers, they find more naughty things to do.    But for the most part they are happy and contented.   

So when we get back, it's finishing tomatoes, potty training (ug, but it's my last one!!!) and sewing.   Fall is here, folks!!   Are ya ready?