Madge has been keeping the trampoline warmed up. She flips and flops around constantly. We use to just jump up and down, that was a feat within itself. She practices her back hand springs/flips.
I think she has just about has it down pat.

After her jumping, our little friends came over, beings it was New Year's Eve, for us to do a few fireworks before they were to go to bed.

They were so excited even tho it was sooo cold out. Landon and DJ, along with Tre', were chasing the parachutes as they fell from the sky after being fired from a firework. Grady was the light holder for them to see where to light the fuse while Harold unwrapped more bottle rockets.

As the little ones had their fun, others were inside having theirs. Some caught up on the weekly news..

while kids gathered at our home to play some of the board games JoBea received for Christmas. Here they are playing Apples to Apples. They had us play later that night (11pm) and of course EVERYTHING is funny then. Glad to see them enjoy simple children's games.

We couldn't stall any longer from the cold outside. Madge & Carly decided it was now time for Harold to do THEIR fireworks. He loaded up the fireworks once again

to do the BIG ones. They started out small

then grew...and grew...

until it looked as if we had bombs going off.

Not everyone liked the noise we were making. When my legs didn't seem to be a safe haven, Trinity
decided maybe her doghouse wasn't so bad after all! She had given it to the cats, but on this evening she happened to LOVE it : )

As we enjoyed the New Year, we were celebrating with sadness on our hearts.

Most of you know we have 2 miniature dachshunds, CeCe & Thunder. They are siblings. At the end of 2009, Thunder was scared by something and ran to the highway and was hit...killing him. Our hearts were torn. More crying was done the next few wks. than any of us have cried. Then there was poor CeCe. They have ALWAYS slept together...did EVERYTHING together. That night came, her first night without her brother, she was ok. The next few nights she had realized something was very wrong. Now instead of sleeping in the cage they shared every night of their 11 yrs. together, she sleeps in the living room on a body pillow. CeCe is like a child now. She wants Harold or myself to sit in the living room while she goes to sleep. We are glad to oblige.

Madge was so upset, when a family needed someone to care for the pup they had, Madge told them she would. That night Madge cried and cried saying, "I thought having another pup would help but he reminds me of Thunder." She has finally now adjusted to Bruiser and the crying comes less with each day.

After sadness, God sends to us gladness in some form or another. God IS a loving God! His light shines on us.

It's with everyday I desire for my light for Christ, even on those small "light" days, that as I go through the day my "fire" and "light" for Christ will grow and grow so that others will see HIM and see that through good and bad God IS with us and continues to be the unchanging, loving God we NEED!

Have a LIGHT GROWING day for Christ!

God bless you....