My grandaughter, Alyssa, wtching TV in the kid's room. She's one of my bright and beautiful!

This beautiful ivy on the trellis was blown down by one of Arkansas' thunderstorms.

Our front porch before and after the snows of March.

There's a very large walk in closet, I am using for genealogy research. The black'n'white photo is 4 photos that Missy took grouped to look like one.

My bedroom cum office, soon to be repainted and redecorated. The afghan was made by my grandmother.

These built in shelves are at the entrance to my bedroom. Note Joel's self portrait and his girls' origami.

Here they are having a tea party there! Imagine! These are Julie's grandchildren!

Left to right, Madagan, Kiara, and Konner.

I love this special room for the kids, with a place to read, play games or watch TV. It even has toys for my great-grand children!

From the "sitting room" the view of the bedroom and doorway into the hall. She says "never try to go out a door with a mirror." They are all closets.

Watching Fox News Channel, reading, writing or dozing, Mama loves her special rooms.

"One can never have too many books." she says frequently. So we put in a few more shelves : )

From Mama's bedroom with the bookshelves into her sitting room, she has created her own mini-Blickling Hall. Note Queen Victoria.

When Mama and I saw pictures of these bookshelves, we knew God, Himself had designed this room just for her! The vacant spot is for our new Bose.

Here's our backyard where the kids play when they get together. This was our first powdering of snow.

The left door is the laundry room and the right enters the hallway from the kitchen. My son-in-law , Paul, made the wreath from local vines.

Where we spend much of oour mornings looking out on the 50 acre pasture and our yard full of fruit trees.

This is the hutch from England that cost Daddy about 75 cents! The clock is the one Grandma Fields bought for me.

This is Mama's china cabinet. It fits perfectly in the dining room and holds her Country Roses and crystal. The doors are to the kitchen and hallway.

The old German Grandfather clock in the corner came from our stint in Germany. It sounds awesome in the room with hardwood floors.

I love to see Jesus preside over the stockings. We had a wonderful time reading What God Wants for Christmas and singing carols.

Our front door with a Christmas Berry wreath. Isn't it awesome how the furniture just was made for the room color?

This is our view from the front door. We go here every morning to see what the Lord has painted that day!

Hey Andie!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!! Andréa, with an accent mark, is a Brazilian Portuguese form of Andrea. It means Warrior. Cyndle means Light. So I think you are a Warrior of Light. "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

AFTER

BEFORE

NEW BATHROOM

The old bathroom was barely functional for Mama so Henry Johnson (Rachel's Dad) and Joel set to work to build a new one. Demolition is Joel's forte so that was easy. The hard part was removing the old cast iron tub! But those guys did it and Joel even came back and carried it off in a pick-up to the salvage yard. The next surprise was about a foot deep rats nest under the entire length and width of the tub. The rats were long gone thanks to trusty ole Bobby who is a great hunter. It actually had not been a recently used nest , but had probably been there for years. Soooo, they filled a garbage bag and started tearing up the floor to work on improving the plumbing which was corroded pipe, no doubt the original from the forties. Then they put in a walk-in shower, a higher seated toilet and new fixtures for the sink. They had to build a little wall to make it all fit but when they finished it was looked great! We have a very good painter in the family, too. William, Jerusha's husband came and not only did a perfect job but also gave it a unique touch by adding a little blue to the light fixture. Paul, Julie's husband put up another towel rack and voila! La toilette! Mama is very pleased with it.

FARM

This is #63, our newest pet. I call her Beauty. Grandma Fields used to have a perfectly black cow with that name. She came with one calf and four friends with calves and an extra friend who must have lost hers. She was the boldest and came closest to me. I think she was worried about her calf which was the only one sleeping and not noticing my presence. She went over and woke him up. They roam our pasture, which is really not ours. What a blessing it is not to have to mend fences or herd runaways, but still enjoy the bovine view.

CHANGES

The first blog was from an email I sent everyone when we first arrived in September. I am just now getting around to making a blog so some things have changed.

CHANGING WEATHER
We've been through a gorgeous autumn. Our trees were all different colors and blanketed the lawn with God's confetti. What a change from Florida! Now it's cold and we've been hearing rumors of snow to come for days --with no results. But we keep hoping.

CHANGING VISITS
We've had lots of fun visitors since moving here. Willie & Lori, Rick & Debbie, Mare & Frank, Priscilla, Aaron & Stacy, Micah & Alissa with Jak & Annikka, Keturah, Rachel with Alanis, Trinity & Connith, our friends, the Welshes from Florida, and all my kids and their extended families. We're expecting Jess & Mary Lou soon and we're loving having room for everyone! If I left anyone out it was not intentional so don't be hurt just come again.

CHANGING JOB
I was able to work for Willie and Lori only a couple of weeks. It takes the FBI several months to process a state to state clearance for child care so I had to get a full time job at the local nursing home. Turns out it was just the right fit. Close to home, manageable work schedule with BSF, my Hebrew class and a $1500 sign-on bonus!

CHANGING FINANCES
We sold our mobile home, which helped with Christmas for so many and in the new year Joel plans to begin putting in a more accessible bathroom for Mama.

CHANGING CHURCH
We joined Hilltop Bible church last Sunday and Julie, Paul and Michael have also been attending regularly. We miss Circle Community Church, and all our old friends, but have renewed old friendships and we're making new ones.

CHANGING PET
We are still very happy here and Bobby the cat is growing like a weed. Not quite as afraid of us, but still easily spooked by others.

UNCHANGING GOD
He is so gracious and His plans are so --just the right fit!

NEW HOME

I never thought I would find a place where I would want
to live the rest of my life. God found it for me.

So.....We are well settled in our new home we call
Serendipity on the Hill. It is a lovely old country
cottage with modern conveniences. We are 10 miles or
less from all my children and 2 miles from the nursing
home where I have part-time job. The other part-time
job I have is working with one of my brother's
daughters, Estee, who requires some nursing
assistance. They live 25 miles from our house.

We are attending a small country church called
Hilltop Bible Church. It is non-denominational and
very missions minded. We have many friends from the
area who attend and mother and I have been very
pleased with the new things we have learned from
Pastor Bill Allen's exegetical teaching,

We are also attending Bible Study Fellowship in
Russellville, and have enjoyed renewing old
friendships there, too.

A little surprise that came with our home is a pretty
little half grown kitten. It's an outdoor cat and is
easily spooked though it let's me pet it when I feed
it. It's gray and white and has a nub of a tail so we
call it Bobby, We're not sure if it's a boy or a
girl so the name will fit whichever! Ha!

My kids and grandkids have all been helping me with
this acre of lawn and a push mower, (Maybe we'll all
lose weight!) It's been wonderful to have them all so
close.

Please feel welcome to come and visit. We can sleep
eight plus and there is plenty of room for campers or
tents. We miss all our old friends in Florida, but
we know for sure that this is where God wants us to be
and that's a very secure feeling. Love to you all.