The Reynolds Nation

My dad sent this picture to me yesterday..it is on a side angle, but it is the house that my dad grew up in. This is in Warwick, New York...my dad was born in Warwich and two of my brothers. I have memories of this house...not many, because my Nana died when I was almost eight. I still remember the stair case and I remember a Christmas tree one year. I would love to go back there and look through the house...I wonder if more memories would come back. My Nana was the best. I still remember going to visit her during the summer. By then she moved to a retirement apartment...but we used to play cards with her friends (I learned the game steal the old man's pack, but can't remember how to play it) and she used to let me sleep in her bed. I still remember her telling me that I kicked her in the middle of the night and if I didn't stop I wouldn't be allowed to sleep with her...but she never did kick me out! And because of her prayers I believe that is why I have such ...

I haven't been around all week. It just was one of those weeks where not much was happening and I didn't feel like blogging. My mood is kind of different...a bit introspective, but at the same time I am focused. My saviour is so rock solid...all my fears, pain, concern, joy, peace are under his shadow! I am resting in him...I will not be shaken. The house will be almost finished on the outside today. Hopefully next week the air and the electric will be put in...and then insulation and dry wall. This journey has been very stressful and tiring...I will be so glad when it is done. I hope you have a fantastic weekend. I am taking Bryn to a concert tonight in Orlando...looking forward to a night with her! 1. I am thankful for His love. 2. I am thankful for His grace. 3. I am thankful for His joy. 4. I am thankful that he renews every day. 5. I am thankful for Him...the one that is always consistent and ready and waiting for me!

I am so glad that it's Friday. What a busy week. The builders have been busy...we are waiting for the doors and windows to arrive to have them put in. The roof is being put on this weekend...the siding is mostly put up except around the windows and doors. Now, we just have interior stuff to get done. We are needing a miracle to happen this weekend with our mortgage company in regards to our insurance money...and I believe it is already set in place. I prayed this morning that God would lead our path today and I see it already. It is so awesome to have rest in Him...that is where the Freedom is that I mentioned yesterday! 1. I am thankful for William's prayers at mealtime...they usually go like this, "thank you for our food...and we like to go to co-op and the swimming pool and we hope to have a good day." He prays about what he has going on in his world (even if we haven't been to the pool in 7 months). What an awesome way to pray. 2. I am thankful for a great wee...

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17

I was coming out of the bathroom this morning, after my shower, and I didn't know that Matt was awake. The room was dark and the house was quiet...except for one little one. Matt said sleepily, "it is going to be sad when we aren't serenaded in the morning." Through the monitor you could hear Judah humming Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It was so sweet...our little man. The memories are awesome.

No new photos today...but the workman are making a ton of noise! Even though the weather was nice a lot of last week, we had to close our windows and doors and put the air conditioning on because they were so loud...the kids would like to take a school holiday, but the teacher disagrees! I am waiting for the inspector right now...two inspections to be done today...and then the shingles will go up. They just built the closets and setting up the trim. It is amazing how fast they are! So, we are shut up in the house (too many nail guns going off at the same time)...but it is worth it. More updates this week!

We took this tonight..still in love after 13 years! Esther and Daddy with her new bunny. The newest member on our little farm! What a crazy day it has been. We were up early this morning and out the door by 8:30 to head to the Osteen Farm Swap...it was 30 minutes away and it started at 8:00, so we didn't want to be too late, but at the same time I wanted to sleep past six! We headed over there...and brought home two male bunnies. We lost George, our bunny, last year and we wanted to replace him...but instead we got two...I guess with five kids, it is hard to share one bunny. So we got Butterscotch and Brownie (in photo with Esther and Daddy). Then we were able to pick out a new goat to replace Laverne (who died about 6 weeks ago). Poor Shirley has been lonely without her and we have been on the hunt. And after meeting our neighbors behi...

I am so tired. My body feels like I am shutting down...what an exhausting week. I just want to relax in my jammies and hang out...how about you? 1. I am grateful for a good report on Mia's leg at the vet today...she was released from his services. 2. I am grateful that even though Matt clipped Judah's curls this past week, the curls are coming back all over. Yeah Judah! 3. I am grateful for the family that we have at Rock Church...always there for one another. 4. I am grateful for quiet nights when all you hear are the snores of the children. 5. I am grateful for my love, together 12 years and 364 days...he is the love of my life!

After two days in the hospital, I came home to this!!! The workers have been busy beavers around here! The walls are up, the trusses are up and all the framing should be done by Monday. We can not believe that this is going so fast! We are quite impressed with the construction company's work and timing...they are here before light! It is very weird to walk in the building, but at the same time it is so exciting! We are going to pick out paint this weekend...so I a can start painting the front of our house, and then ready to start the addition also. Though the builders are doing a lot of the work, we are still doing some of the smaller things. More updates as they come in. Update on Caleb...We came home from the hospital yesterday. He is still very tired and he can barely eat. His mouth looks awful, but the swelling is down. He was officially diagnosed with PICA, which is what we thought he had. Now it is going to take a few weeks for the rest of the tests to come back....

No, I am not a fan of the golf legend...I am just sitting here with Caleb sleeping beside me in his hospital bed. We have been here since last night...after several hours at Bert Fish. Caleb swallowed something unknown in our house (from the bathroom, but he won't say what it was) and it burned the inside of his mouth and parts of his esophagus. They did an endoscopy today and found out that there is less damage than we thought. For those of you who don't know, Caleb has a problem with ingesting large amounts of food or inedible things...he has been doing it for years and we just were able to start getting help for him recently. Most doctors just brushed it off or didn't listen...so then we ask, where is God in this? We believe that this made the doctors listen! They now have us set up with the right doctors and they finally did the blood tests that needed to be done! No, we won't have any answers for awhile...but it is a start. So we believe that this the beginning of ...

Okay, you know those are the cutest kids...lol! Despite the fact that Esther has lost three of her top teeth and Will's hair looks quite unbrushed! You can even see our sight words on the wall behind them for school. The joys of my life. Here are the two of them with Matt's and Bryn's sunglasses...they thought they were so cool. 1. I am going to be vain for one moment...I just love my long hair...I know, totally not me...but when I was a kid, all I wanted was long hair, and now I have it! My hair looks so nice in the morning...before my race of a day and kids tugging on it all day. 2. I am so grateful for my new slab on the side of my house. God's grace has been all over this job, and we give him all the glory. I told Matt that we could stop construction and use the slab for wonderful parties...we decided against it...lol. 3. I am grateful for my sweet Bryn...one step away from a teenager, but still my little Bryn. 4. I am grateful for a great school week...

Sorry it looks so messy...but here is a picture of our new porch...just a small slab so that the kids can stomp their feet when they come in and not bring in a daily truckload of dirt! I wish it could have been wider, but our septic tank was only a foot away, so we had to make it a bit smaller than we wanted...but I am so grateful to have this!!! Today the men brought the trusses...the kids were so excited to see the truck...my chickens on the other hand were going crazy...I hope this doesn't affect their egg production! And the best part of all...the slab was poured on Tuesday...two days later than expected, but it is all done! It looks great. All the materials have been ordered for Monday...the survey company came out and they should be done with the elevation section today, which will allow us to put that in for the county...and we should hopefully be building next week. Our builder is eager to get started and so are we!!! More later...

Twelve years ago right now I was in the hospital in labor with our first child...Bryn Elisabeth Reynolds. She would be born at 8:44 pm, after a long day of labor. That day seems so long ago, but at the same time it feels like yesterday. It was the day that changed my life forever! It is my special day too...she made me a mommy today, twelve years ago. Out of all of our kids, Bryn is the most like me. She looks like her dad in many ways, but as she gets older I see more of me in her than her dad. She has a few curls left, but she doesn't have the straight hair like the other kids. She has always liked to be part of the crowd...never a loner! She is happiest hanging out with everybody and goofing off with friends and family. At the same time, Bryn has a fire in her...one that I have seen in myself. Thankfully she already has a love for the Lord, so it will be channeled in the right direction. We love to see the progression of her relationship with the Lord...so sweet and innocent a...