A Special Family Supper

A Special Family Supper...

     Valentines was over and I had happened to go to town one Friday and they had tons of Valentines stuff for like 90% off. I decided to make a special meal for my family. I don't do it near as often as I should. My family loves when I just light candles with our meal even if it is just sandwiches or pizza.

     This night in particular I decided to go all out for my family. I challenge you to do the same. Does your family know how much they're loved?  Do they think everytime you set the table real pretty that your having company? 

All excited and ready to eat!  If mom hurries up and
gets the pictures taken!!

How I had the table set! Each of the children had a
lollipop and Moine got a choc. rose!



The 5 Love Languages

    I've been thinking alot lately about the 5 love languages and also the 5 Apology languages.  I find these test interesting. Moine & I had taken it a few years ago but it seemed like due to life's circumstances my 5 love languages had changed.  After a dear brother from church talked about it around Valentines Moine & I decided to redo the test.
     Sure enough mine had changed! My primary love language is Words of Affirmation. Then the next 2 were only 1 point different and that was Quality Time and Physical Touch right underneath that. 
     I'm pretty sure my quality time has become so much more important to me due to the changes in our lives.
      Moine's love language...while lets just say I have it pretty easy. His primary love language is Physical Touch but only 1 point less and it was Words of Affirmation. And the next 2 were only 1 point apart again which was Quality Time and Acts of Service. So I can use almost any of the languages and be safe.
      My Apology Language was tied with Expressing Regret and Accepting Responsibility.  Making Restitution was the next following.
     I found this interesting!  I hope to do the one on my children sometime but I haven't yet.  
     I'd encourage you to take the test as well.  It's only 30 questions for each test.  I will include the link so that if your interested you can just click on the link and it will take you straight to the testing page.  Best wishes and I hope you all enjoy. I'd love to hear what your love language is but thats up to you.
     I hope you all feel loved today!!!
http://www.5lovelanguages.com/assessments/love/

Brenda Diane Martin

Brenda Diane Martin

It is time for me to introduce our 3rd child but 2nd daughter.  Brenda is 4 years old.  She can be quite a hand full but she is also alot of fun. She is the type that you would call "The life of the party!"  Shes a hard worker though. She love wash dishes and fold laundry and to be honest sometimes she is my encouragement to keep busy! She doesn't like to be out done and will sit through Kindergarten with her 2 siblings. Brenda knows her ABC's & sounds and she can count to 29 no problem then if you give her another number here and there she can count to 110!  She has also conquered the vowels! She is a very determined child. She has also learned Psalm 23 and loves to recite it.   Brenda loves to play doll and sing. Most times when you see her she is singing away or reciting verses!
She loves to wash dishes and fold laundry.   She is also my little couponer and will take any coupons that I will allow her to have.  She is also very moody! Moine says, "As moody as she is now I'm scared how she will be when shes a teenager."  Brenda is kinda a tom girl but yet shes not!  We love her for who she is and wouldn't trade her!!   A highlight for Brenda is when she gets daddy time!  She is also full of expressions...Ive only shared a few!!

Flower Girl in Aunt Anita's wedding.

Just showing one of her many
expressions!

She loves to lick the spatula.
Especially when Auntie is making it.

Brenda with her Martin cousins.
Auntie Elona made them matching
dresses for Christmas.

Brenda enjoying Uncle Elwynn!
They miss him!!

Wearing her Peterbuilt shirt!!  She
loves this shirt. Sorry its sideways :(

Brenda loves being with daddy!

Just another of her expressions!!

playing in the dirt!!!

Folding towels!!

Strawberry Jam Day & 4 Muskateers....

Michael taking a stab at cleaning
strawberries with a knife. scary!

My big helper! She did a super job.
I was amazed!

It's done!! Ready to put in the freezer!

The girls processing them. They each
had to push a button.

Enjoying some of the straws with
ice cream and choc. cake.

The straw. jam and getting ready to
add my pectin mix to the
strawberries & sugar.

Filling the jars & conatiners with the
strawberry jam.

Myron had to help too. He is using

one of those orange peelers and trying

to dig the tops off.

I'm flipping through the advertisements and all of a sudden I realized that Meijer had Strawberries for 10 for $10 and get the 11the one free. They were 1 pound containers. Wow, this was an awesome deal! I called Moine discussed this with him and he was in total agreement that with the 4 children and that cheap of a price that it would be best to just go buy a bunch to make strawberry jam this year. I did!  I got 44 lbs of strawberries for $40. I decided to take photos as we progressed but I did miss a few photos that I wish I had but so goes! Over all it was a good day! By the way sorry my boys don't normally run around with out shirts but for whatever reason their shirts were in the dryer and they had none in their drawers.  I also apologize that their not in order. I'm not the smartest when it comes to setting up a blog and I still don't have it figured it out.  The children loved helping me. This was our Strawberry day last week!!  Children will only learn with hands on experience. It wasn't my first pick this day but God gave me the Grace to allow the 4 Muskateers to help in each step one way or another. !! 

The boys processing them. They each
had to push a button as well.

Opps...I made a few bags of
strawberries. And one fell when I was
stacking them in theg freezer

All the strawberries cleaned and
washed!

The boys turn to fill the processor
with strawberries.

I then got them processed and ready
to make jam.

Our Love Story ~ Part 5 (The Final Part)

         On Nov.17th, Moine and I were looking at photos albums and at his dad & moms wedding album. And there was a reading there and at the very end of it, it said something about someday and it was underlined. So I just looked over at Moine and said real quietly "Yep someday!"  He thought it was so funny and instantly I wished I would of never opened my mouth. We did alot of talking and then I went off to bed.  I tossed and turned that night and was really restless. I did alot of praying. I had something very heavy on my mind that I felt Moine needed to know before we ever got engaged but I wasn't sure how to start the topic so I prayed that if it was God's will that before Moine ever asked the question that I would already have shared with him what was heavy on my heart.  I finally drifted off to sleep. Unknown to me at the time Moine was also praying!
        Nov. 18th, 2004, We got up and had breakfast with Moine's family at 7:15am. I was impressed Moine helped his mom set the table and empty the dishwasher. I could tell he was trained right :)!  After breakfast Moine and I looked at pictures and then we headed into town. We did a bit of visiting and then Moine took me to The Norweigen Coffee Shop (Noske Nook!)  we had a really good talk. Ya know one of those heart to heart talks. And we shared alot about our families and yes, what I had asked God to open the doors for me to share with Moine did happen and I got to share it with him. It was really an amazing time! We then went home and Moine asked me if I'd like to go out and see the 2~story tree stand back in the woods that him and his dad had built. I was like,"Yeah, I'd love too!" Moine and I walked out to the woods and climbed up into the tree stand. Let me explain how this  tree stand was built. You climb up to the first story and its all open and then you can climb on up to the second floor and the 2nd floor was all enclosed. They had a heater in there so you could sit and play games or sit and talk & stay warm and they had windows all the way around the 2nd floor also so that they could open the window and shoot deer from the 2nd floor as well. We were having another good conversation when all of a sudden Moine said,"Ya know I've been thinking about taking our relationship farther but I'd like to know how you feel about it?" By this time I pretty much knew it was coming and had felt a very strong conformation from God that Moine was the one and whenever he asked it was okay to answer Yes. So my reply to Moine was,"Yes, I'd be ready to take our relationship farther."  Moine looked at me with the most handsome blue eyes and the brightest smile and said,"Well then, Will you marry me?" I replied,"O, Honey Yes!"
        We stayed out there and talked for awhile longer then headed to the house for lunch. We were beaming! We ate lunch with Moine's mother (Evelyn). She made some wonderful taco salads. I think she figured out what took place before we even set down to lunch but we never said a word about it.  We were so excited and could hardly wait to head into town again. He wanted to go buy me an engagement present. He bought me a kitchen aid mixer which i'm still using today. I love it and I think of him each time I use it!! We then went on to Ashland, Wisconsin to the visitors center. We took a tour there and some of the favorites there were The Northern Voices in the theater and walking the board walk together. We then went down to see Lake Superior too. We then went back to Moine's place and changed and conformed Moine's mothers suspicion.   Moine then took me out to Lumberjacks! Its a really neat restaurant and the food is served on china dishes and they use goblets and they have a fireplace lounge where you can  sit and visit if you want too. Its just really nice and cozy.  Moine's good friend's (Bryan & Elaine High) happened to be out on a little night out and happened to be at Lumberjacks so I got to meet them that night along with Moine's Aunt Lavina. We then went to Walmart to get new rook cards and Moine bought me a dozen of red roses as well.  They were beautiful! We then went back to Moine's place and played some golf with the company that was there. Moine and I then excused ourselves ourselves and went upstairs to talk. I tried calling home but got no answer.  We started making plans. Finally got a hold of my parents. My dad said,"Thats no surprise!"  We had another good heart sharing time as well before we separated for the night. It was hard to sleep that night as we were all so excited! 
          At this point is when it got really hard to stay hands free like we had agreeded  to do.
I will be honest for the next day we struggled. We both did. Yes, we held hands quite a bit that next day. Moine's mother asked him that afternoon how it was going and his parents encouraged him to stay strong. I was personally battling with in my heart and Moine was as well. That night as we were getting ready to go our separate ways Moine said,"Before we go our separate ways tonight I want to apologize for over~stepping our bounds." We apologized to each other and prayed and asked God to forgive us and to give us strength to continue in the way that we had agreeded on. In saying that I want to add we still struggled but not like we did those first 2 days after being engaged.  I'm sure to some of you this seems far out but it was how we felt and it was how we were convicted to do it. If I had it to do over again "Yes, I'd still do it the same way!"  
          I can't remember for sure but i believe it was Nov. 23rd when Moine and I packed up the car and headed to Kokomo, Indiana (to my home.)  On the way home we made calls to friends that we wanted to tell our special news too which included Moine's sister (Evangeline) from Oregon.  We also called my parents again and told them we'd like to take them out for supper one night while Moine was around as this was only the 2nd time that Moine had come to visit. We ended up taking my parents to Golden Corral and had a wonderful time. I should add here that on our way home we stopped in Chicago where MacDonalds is in the middle of the toll roads for a bathroom break as the weather was getting kinda bad. I was in this long line and a lady and I start to talk and this lady asked me if I knew what the weather was like towards Kokomo. My reply was, "My sister said its Kissling (for those that don't know kissling is Dutch for hailing.)"  The lady looked at me really weird and said, "Uh, What?" I then realized what I had done and tried to correct myself. Yes, I still get alot of ribbing about this one too!
After this I'm not sure what all happened and I will try to recall it the best I can as I quit taking notes or even journaling. I guess I got to carried away with wedding plans.  
           Nov. 28th Moine had to head back home. Now this was the first time I really had to leave him cause if you recall the first time he visited was also the first time I ever met him and so it wasn't near the struggle that I had this time. We both struggled. It was so hard even though we knew in a couple weeks Moine would come back for my dad's side Christmas get~together. 
          We did lots of talking. Many phone calls and late nights and alot of texting as well. One week Moine's cell bill was over $600 and my was higher then normal but not near that bad so Moine told me its just time to get married. :)
         December 17, 2004 Moine came back to visit and to take in the Christmas gatherings.  We had a wonderful time. I then packed up and took all my wedding plan stuff with me and left with Moine and went back to Wisconsin with him. I was there for 2 weeks. These 2 weeks included Christmas and New Years. 
        The beginning of January 2005 found Moine moving to Kokomo, Indiana! Moine had a trailer and packed everything inside there that he could and pulled it to Indiana with his truck while I followed him in his car. We had hand held radios so that we could communicate back and forth. Neighbors of mine had a place that was 2 miles from my parents place and so  Moine and I made arrangements so that Moine could live there until we got married and then we'd continue living there once we got married. Moine came to my parents place almost every night for supper and we worked on wedding plans most nights. 
        The weekend before our wedding my bridesmaid (Vylene) brought the bus to Indiana and we picked her up and then my sisters and my mom went out for supper and then most of us ended up at a motel for the night. And had one last fling. We went swimming and laughed and had a good time.
        Feb. 14th finally came. Moine took me out to Great Wall (a Chinese restaurant) for supper. The full busy week had begun. Moine's sister (Evangeline) and her family from Oregon arrived so on Feb. 17th Moine's family was all around and wanted to go out for supper together. We went to Ryans. It was good to get to know his family a bit better before the wedding but I hadn't felt good all week. We asked our photographer (Delisa) if she would be willing to take photo of Moine & I on Friday afternoon so we didn't have so many to do Saturday. It was awful and I wouldn't wish anyone to be sick during this time. We managed to get it all decorated and all set up.
         Febrary 19th, 2005  finally came! The day I had longed and dreamed for. I married my best friend! We shared our first kiss on this day as well!! And I wouldn't trade it!!  And here we are 7 years later. Alot has happened in those 7 years and maybe I'll share more anther day!    

         Here is a photo of that tree stand that Moine and his dad built and where Moine purposed to me at.       THE END!!!         

Our Love Story ~ Part 4

    It was Sept. 30th., 2004 I remember I was in the Bakery making 300 or so apple dumplings with my sister when my first call came. I was a nervous wreck. Would we hit it off?  I just didn't know what to think. I used the cordless phone so that I could go out in the garage and talk on the phone to be away from everyone (Is that even possible?) well it held a bunch of interruptions for me but out of the noise of the oven.  My dad had a golf cart that he drove around and it was parked in the garage and so I set on that for most of our conversation! Minus the first 10-15 minutes that I paced the garage. Before I knew it time had flown by and I had been on the phone with Moine for over an hour that first phone call. Actually i think it was more like an hour and half.  Moine wondered if he could come meet my family and I on October 15th. I agreeded that it would be okay.
     Four days later (Oct. 4th) I received my second phone call from Moine. He wasn't a bigger writer so he preferred calling but he did still send me mail :). On Oct. 6th I received my first text message!  Was I ever grateful for texting!!  Six days later (Oct. 10th) I got my 3rd phone call from Moine. I hoped we'd hit it off as while in person as we did on the phone. Oct. 13th I got my 2nd text  message. By this time I was anxious to meet this guy whom I had been communicating with but yet scared to death to see him face to face. 
      The day finally arrived I was to meet this guy that i had been communicating with and never met before. We had planned that when Moine got about 45 mins away that my parents would take me to meet him and we'd have lunch together. While, I was waiting for him to call to say where he was so we could meet him I started preparing supper. As it was a tradition in our family that when our boyfriends came to meet the family the first time that we as the girlfriend were responsible to make the food for that meal. Moine finally called, he decided to come earlier. He was excited and anxious as well and decided to just come early. My mom was busy working so we could not go meet him so he just drove straight to the house.  I was giving him directions how to get to our place. Our neighbors had, had a yellow house for as long as I can remember well just that past summer they put new siding on and changed the color to grey. I forgot that they had changed the siding so I told him that we were the house right after the bright yellow house that's real close to the road.  He finally put together that he was sure that's where I lived. I still don't live that one down either. He was right it wasn't yellow anymore. I felt real small when I realized what I had done. He likes to tease me that I still didn't want him to find me.  My stomach knotted as I heard the knock on the door and seen him standing at the door. I swallowed hard and went to welcome him in.  He said, I'll take you out for lunch and then we can come back and finish up supper. I told him I wasn't really hungry and he said he wasn't either so we decided to just go to Taco Bell for lunch. 
        I need to add in here that this poor guy had to bring his mom and dads van to come visit me as they asked him if he'd pick up a new mattress about 2 hours from where I lived and bring it back for them. Okay, so my family thought this was the funniest thing that he brought a van the first time he came to see me and that he had a mattress in the back of it. Yes, he got razzed pretty good. I felt bad. Let me insert here that even though it wasn't his first pick it showed me that he was looking out for his parents and he didn't always have to have his way. It spoke volumes to me even though my family razzed him. Moine handled it very well.
        Once we were done eating we did some visiting. When we got home I started to finish up supper. I don't remember what all I made for supper that night but I do remember that I had marinaded chicken& grilled it and then put sour creme & creme of mushroom soup in the bottom of the pan and wrapped the chicken with bacon and put some more of the sour creme mixter on top then cover in cheese. I don't remember what all happened but I do remember that my food ran over and it smoked up the house and made the fire alarms go off. I was horrified. My mom, told me to just turn off the oven and take the food to the oven in the Bakery. I was so embarrassed but went about trying to get the smoke out and getting the food to the other oven. As I walked out the door I just wanted to cry my eyes out. This was to be an awesome meal with no mess ups. All of a sudden I realized Moine is right behind me with the second dish of food for the oven so now I couldn't cry my eyes out. I just wanted to dig a hole and fall under the house.  Moine was so kind though and tried to be so comforting. Moine said, "Its okay, it will all work out. Don't feel bad! It will still be good!"  I still wanted the floor to open up and swallow me!  It did turn out okay. It was just humiliating but good for me! 
        October 16th, 2004 I woke up and realized that Moine was already at our house. He was early! He was sitting out in the living room talking with my dad and reading the paper. I was so embarrassed but hey he was way early. I quickly got dressed and went and made breakfast. I made biscuits & gravy. As we were eating I found out why he was so early. The poor guy couldn't sleep cause he was too cold. I think he was too excited too but he said he was freezing. Moine had spent the night at my sister & brother-in-laws place (Marcus & Lisa's) and thought he froze. Poor guy! So if you come to visit and your single trust me he will make sure you have plenty of blankets!  We did alot of talking and did some visiting. Tonight was the night that he was taking me on the first real date! He took me to Texas Rhodehouse but the wait was 2 and a half hours long so we decided that we'd just go to Pizza Hut. We had a wonderful time!  When we got home & walked through the door my dear sisters (Marlene, Anita, Crystal & Roxann) had fixed up a neat little table with cheesecakes, mints & a few other snacks & strawberry daquires & candles and flowers. They also had soft music playing.  It was very special! Once we were done we cleaned up our stuff and went and set on the counch and talked for awhile. He left around midnight and went to my sisters place for the night again. 
         October 17th, I got up early this time and was ready! Moine came for breakfast which was cinnamon rolls & coffee. Played some pool and then he left to go get ready for church. Our church was cancelled due to most everyone going to a wedding for a couple from our youth group (Kenny & Genny Graber.)  So we decided to go to the Dunkard Brethren Church. Then home for lunch. Now I have to insert here that as were eating lunch my brother (LaVern) says to Moine, "Now you  know I was adopted!" Moine's  reply to LaVern was, "So how many of these were adopted with you?"  No one ever seemed to be able to come back at LaVern and leave him speechless but Moine did just that. LaVern wasn't sure what to say. We all had a great laugh!  I knew right then that he would fit right in! 
          A conformation I had asked God for was that I would not have to ask Moine what his dating standards were but that he would start the conversation and also that we would both feel like a hands free relationship was best for us.  In the afternoon Moine asked if I'd like to go on a walk. I said, "Sure!" As we started out he said, "Rhoda, I'd like to talk about dating standards a bit. I feel like a hands free relationship is what God is asking of us but I'd like to hear your thoughts and feelings!" I said, "Well, thats a conformation! Yes, I feel very strong that it should be a hands free relationship.  I never dreamed how hard it would be to have a hands~free relationship but also never dreamed how rewarding it would be!
         I knew from that time on that he was the one and that I would marry him someday! How did I know I don't know it was just so real and such a conformation from God I just felt it so strong. We set in the living room andd talked with my parents before he left. He didn't want to leave. I didn't want him to leave but yet I did cause I needed to be able to think about everything and pray!  He left about 5pm that night and had to drive all the way home (Hayward, Wisconsin) and had to work Mon. morning. I talked to Moine around 9:30pm that night for awhile. And then again at 1:30am. At the end of one of the conversations he said, "I Love You!" I was speechless and shocked.  I don't think I even replied except that I told him by!  
         After that the phone calls were almost every night and texting was often! Moine finally asked me if I'd fly out to meet his family. He'd send me the money for the plane ticket and would pick me up at the airport in Minneapolis, Minnesota and then he'd bring me back home to Kokomo so he could be with our family for Thanksgiving! I was able to get a plane ticket flying out November 16th,2004!  It was a whole month since we first met and we were anxious to get to see each other again! I was nervous about meeting his family but I was so ready to see him again!  My dad told me before I flew to Wisconsin that I'd come back engaged. I was like whatever dad! He said, "No, I'm serious!" I said, "Okay, we'll see!"  
 STAY TUNED for part 5......(Sorry it was too long to finish up today.) 
       
        

Our Love Story ~ Part 3

     About 5 minutes later the post master returned! She handed me an envelope and said, "Is this what you wanted?"  I looked at her in shock and replied, "Yes, thank you so so much!" and I flew out the door! As I sped down the road I tore the letter to shreds and let it fly out the window as I drove down the road a little here and a little there (yeah, I littered :( I just didn't want anyone to find that letter.)  I went home and I tried to go about my day but I was a wreck. I finally composed my first letter. I finally got the letter sent out on Sept. 8th, 2004 (which is his birthday by the way). Till he received the letter in the mail it was 3 weeks from when I got my letter. I had absolutely no contact with him or his parents during this time. And I had informed some of my family that if I heard from either of them before he got my letter that it would all be over. Yes, I know 3 weeks is an awful long time especially when its something like this. You also have to realize that I had never met this guy or seen him ever and I was considering dating him and possible marriage. It was no lite matter to me. Moine informed me later that it was the longest 3 weeks of his life. And that some had tried to get him to call me but he said, "He'd give that girl as long as it took!"   I don't know what all that poor guy faced during those 3 weeks but I can tell you he was PRAYING!  As I think his family was as well.
     In my letter I wasn't the easiest on him either. I'll admit it right up front. I'm going to share a few of the questions that I asked in my first letter and I know to some of you it won't make sense. Well to be honest he wasn't sure how to take all of them either and he wasn't sure what he was getting himself into.  As Moine and I have talked about this letter several times since he does see where I was coming from and totally understands now but I did really throw the poor guy for a loop at first.  Here are some of the questions:  1. Was it your choice for your dad to call my father and I or was it your dad's choice? 2. What kind of music do you like or listen too?  3. What kind of reading material do you read?  4. Do you prefer name clothing or is that not a big deal to you?  5. How do you feel spiritually speaking (like your growing or at a stand still or slowly sliding backwards?)    I then told him a bit about myself and my family and told him he could reply whenever he felt led. So in a sense I still did not give him a complete yes or no!  
      It didn't take him long to reply and I'm told he had a bit of a quicker step after he got the first letter and a bit of a brighter smile. His letter was dated for the 13th of Sept. so I believe he answered me the night he got my letter. And his return letter was post marked Sept. 14th, 2004.  I want to add here that he did take full responsibility for his dad coming to visit me at Camp Chippewa and also for calling my dad!!  
     Yeah, I know I made him wait awhile already while I didn't return a letter until Sept. 22nd,  as I was in Mississippi for a dear friends wedding.  When I got home I did write him another letter telling him that he was free to call me if he would like too. But since we had never met that my parents and I would like if he'd come visit so my family and I could meet him. But i told him as to when that was up to him, but to please let me know first.  I also included a photo of me in this second letter. Okay, I have to be honest here. I included a photo but lets just say it was not a good photo of me and defiantly not up to date.  I decided if this photo scared him off it was not to be. Yeah, he still teases me about that.  Moine told me that his parents reassured him that I didn't look like that, that I was much better. Poor guy, I know!   I was really curious if I'd hear from him again and if so would he call or write??   
   STAY TUNED for Part 4......