My daughters very messy room… (The Before shot)
The After shot…what a nice mom to accomplish this…
For more photo hunters head over to Tnchick.
Happy New Year Photo Hunters!!
Photobucket has blacked out all my photos and is holding them hostage. I’m slowly cleaning up my posts to remove the ugly black and grey blocks that photobucket has inserted instead of my photos.
For my Show and Tell Friday I’d like to share this old family photo. We do not have many photographs with my maternal Grandfather. I love the photos that we do have of him. God blessed these families with a way out of Iran to the United States and blessed them with faith in Him that has sustained them over the years. My little babushka (grandma) as we lovingly called her was a prayer warrior for our family and her friends. I look forward to being reunited with her and meeting my maternal grandfather for the first time in heaven…
My mother was a Shvetzov before she married my father. Her brother Paul married Nina Katkov. This is part of the Katkov family and part of the Shvetzov family after my parents had already immigrated to the U.S.A. The Katkov’s and Shvetzov’s spent much time together at many meaningful events through the years in Iran and in the Los Angeles Area in the U.S.
In the front row you have Vera (Katkov), Nicolai Katkov the Patriarch, Manya Katkov the Matriarch, My maternal grandmother Vera (Shergaev) Shvetzov and my Grandfather Feodor Shvetzov, Zena (Katkov). My cousin Alex Shvetzov at my grandparents side.
Top Row: Vasilli Katkov married Zena, she’s holding their oldest daughter Tamara, Nicolai Katkov, Lida (Katkov) Titov, Alexsei Katkov, my Aunt Nina (Katkov) Shvetzov and my Uncle Paul Shvetzov.
Everyone in this photo eventually immigrated to the U.S. from Iran except for my grandfather who was stabbed and killed in Iran. He was a Baptist minister in Iran. My Babushka immigrated as a widow and lived with my aunt and uncle for many years until she got her own apartment a couple buildings away from the Russian Baptist Church in L.A. A few of the other widowed Babushka’s also lived in this same apartment building including Manya Katkov who lived right next door to my Babushka. My family started attending this church when we left the Russian Molokan Church. Only 4 of the people photographed here are still alive. My Babushka’s last days were spent in my parent’s home.
For more Show and Tell head over to Kelli’s.
4th in Bothell, Washington.
6th at Baba and Deda’s sharing the day with Aunt Nina and cousin Stephen both born on the 27th too.
10th at the Skating rink where your dad broke his wrist…
12th bowling with fam and Hiller’s
13th with Jamie, Kristen, Heidi, and Christie (sorry Christie this was the only photo I had)
14th with Jamie, Heidi, Kristen, and Christie (very nice photo this time Christie!)
15th with Kristen, Heidi, Christie, and Katie K.
19th ~ the year of the ice cream cake…
20th ~ The year of the maple bar cake!
21st the Spice Bundt cake and another small crowd with Kristen, Christie, Jamie, Heidi, Ben and fam.
22nd will be another wonderful celebration with Bowling, Tacos and another Spice Cake!
We love you dear Katie and are so happy that God brought you into our lives 22 years ago. May your birthday and everyday be filled with an awareness of who created you and who you are in Him.
Photobucket has blacked out all my photos and is holding them hostage. I’m slowly cleaning up my posts to remove the ugly black and grey blocks that photobucket has inserted instead of my photos.
A huge thank you to Lana G. at Above the Clouds for my new header. The header is from a photo that Dear took from our Bed and Breakfast bedroom window in Conwy, Wales, May of 2006. The B & B was right next to one of the walls of the castle. Conwy is in North Wales. You can see more photos of the castle here.
I am so thankful for all the love from family and friends that has filled my life this past week.
Today (December 27th) is our daughter’s 22nd birthday and we are so thankful that God blessed us with a little girl 22 years ago and that she has grown into a lovely young lady.
I am thankful that God continues to shower us with His blessings and extends His mercy to us each day.
Praying that God will fill your life with His love and Joy this coming New Year!
For more Thankful Thursday Posts visit Lynn here.
The First Noel
The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay tending their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Refrain
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
They lookèd up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
Refrain
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Refrain
This star drew nigh to the northwest,
Over Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Refrain
Then did they know assuredly
Within that house the King did lie;
One entered it them for to see,
And found the Babe in poverty.
Refrain
Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon the knee,
And offered there, in His presence,
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Refrain
Between an ox stall and an ass,
This Child truly there He was;
For want of clothing they did Him lay
All in a manger, among the hay.
Refrain
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord;
That hath made Heaven and earth of naught,
And with His blood mankind hath bought.
Refrain
If we in our time shall do well,
We shall be free from death and hell;
For God hath prepared for us all
A resting place in general.
Refrain
The First Noel is unknown in origin but is generally thought to be English dating back to the sixteenth century. There is a misconception that the First Noel was French and it is believed that this is because of the French spelling of Noel as opposed to the olde English Anglo-Saxon spelling of the word as in Nowell. After England was captured by the Normans numerous words were adopted from the Norman French language and Noel was re-spelt as Nowell, early printed versions of this carol use the Nowell spelling. The First Noel was first published in 1833 when it appeared in “Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern,” a collection of seasonal carols gathered by William B. Sandys.
Here’s some more fun for Saturday, scroll down below this post for a quiz…
I want to share one of my favorite cards and card illustrator Gordon Fraser. This card was printed in England. Whenever I’m in Canada I search the stores for any of his cards. I love the little hedgehogs, mice and other animals on these cards.
The card reads To Wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. To all Bloggy Friends that celebrate Christmas my wishes for you are the same with added blessings too! I hope my card makes you smile.
Photobucket has blacked out all my photos I was storing on their site and they are holding them hostage. I am working on updating my more than 4000 posts.
So it’s Saturday and for anyone who has time for some fun I’m posting this little quiz for you. Dear arrived safe and sound from LAX (LA) to SEATAC (Seattle) last night. It is so good to have him here. Today he’s doing last minute shopping with our daughter and bending a hoop for Dan’s rollcage (Blazer restoration) while I walk my 6 miles with my buddies. Hope you have a light and merry heart today!
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You Know a Lot About Christmas |
 You got 6/10 correct You know tons about the history and traditions surrounding Christmas. When you celebrate the holidays, you never forget their true meaning – or all the little fun details. Random Christmas fact: Thomas Edison has the first Christmas lights, three years after he invented the electric lightbulb. |
How Much Do You Know About Christmas?
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So here we are at the end of Fall and it’s time for true confessions. I did read some of the books on my list.
Holy Bible ~ year long ~ I’m moving along in my yearly reading. I’m in Ephesians right now and I’m being blown away!
Hood ~ Stephen Lawhead ~ This is going on my Spring List
The Documents in the Case ~ Dorothy Sayers ~ Fabulous! I highly recommend it.
The Dean’s Watch~ Elizabeth Goudge ~ I thoroughly enjoyed this and Goudge is on my new favorite author list! Here’s something I wrote about it when I finished it.
“I just finished the last page of this book and I’m so sad that the story has come to an end. Elizabeth Goudge is fast becoming my new favorite author. She has a great descriptive style. The same appreciation I have for George MacDonald and how he weaves a true loving relationship with God contrasted against a cold religious relationship is growing as deep for Goudge’s fiction. I love MacDonald’s Scottish Countryside settings and I love Goudge’s English countryside settings”
Faithfulness and Holiness ~ J. I. Packer ~ Meaty and I will be reading this one again.
Peace Like a River~ Leif Enger ~ This is going on my Winter list…
Taste and See ~ John Piper ~ I’ve just started this…
The Tale of Beatrix Potter ~ Margaret Lane ~ As usual the real story is different from what you saw in the movie. I’m looking forward to going back to Lake Country in England to check out some of the inspirations for her stories.
Pierced by the Word ~ John Piper ~ I really have a huge appreciation for Piper but this one isn’t one of my favorites…
Books added along the way…
The Scent of Water~ Elizabeth Goudge ~ I’ll be trying to get my hands on more of Goudge’s books. I am thoroughly enthralled by her writing…
What I learned this time around is that there are authors out there that I still need to discover. I’m so happy that the bloggy world has introduced me to some of my new favorites.
Thank you so much Katrina for hosting this great challenge! To see more wrap ups head over to Callipidder Days on Friday.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 