Happy New Year

Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever. ~Mark Twain

People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas. ~Author Unknown

New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights. ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
~Edgar Guest

Merry Christmas Tyler

Tyler got a Mule for Christmas

A Sunnie Christmas Story

Last week three days before Christmas Sunnie brought me a game piece that was a multi-sided die with letters of the alphabet on it. When rolled or dropped one letter would be on top. Sunnie wanted to make up a game to play, so we started rolling the dice and then thinking up three words about Christmas that started with the letter we rolled. We went through several letters fairly easily, and then I rolled an A. I said "angels"and then went blank. I said, "Sunnie, I'm stumped, what begins with an A concerning Christmas? With very little hesitating Sunnie said, "how about ache?" I wasn't sure that I heard right. "What did you say?" She replied, "you know, ache, like when you're aching for Christmas to get here."

Ronnie

Happy Birthday Bradley

Today is Bradley's 13th birthday. Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday the nurses at TMC brought you to your Mom in a Christmas stocking.

Christmas 2006

Bethany Jeff and Jeff's Grandmother
Tyler Ben Bradley Caleb and Sunnie Kay acting a little crazy.

John Bradley Carmen Ben and Sunnie Caleb Misty and Tyler. I missed getting a picture with Wade in it. Sorry Wade!

Ben and Sunnie after church and being sweet!

Christmas 2006 was a wonderful time for our family. Here are a few pictures. One little one was missing our "little China girl". This time next year we should have her home. Merry Christmas from us to you.

Our Adoption Site is Ready!! Click Here

This link is where we will be posting more indepth information about our adoption. The site is called China Hope. We have a hope that someone reading this site might begin to see that adoption is something their family is being drawn to. There are children everywhere who need a forever family, in America, China, Russia, and Guatemala just to name a few.

This site will also be where we update as events happen over the next few months and during the time we are in China. Feel free to share this link with anyone who might be interested.

Becky

Christmas Quotes

In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!' ~Dave Barry, "Christmas Shopping: A Survivor's Guide"

Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money. ~Author Unknown

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through! ~Author Unknown

Oh! lovely voices of the skyWhich hymned the Saviour's birth,Are ye not singing still on high,Ye that sang, "Peace on earth"? ~Felicia Hemans

Sunnie's Christmas Brunch

Sunnie had some friends over Saturday for a Christmas brunch. They were all dressed up and had lots of fun. Ronnie read them a semi-original Wolfhill Tale. After brunch they opened up the beautiful ornaments they had brought to share with their friends. This little Christmas party is beginning to be a tradition. Pretty little girls all dressed up and really LOUD. Merry Christmas girls.

Okie in a Winter Wonderland Take 26

Here it is...Just what you have been waiting for. Ronnie, Bethany, Carmen, and Sunnie Kay performing "Okie in a Winter Wonderland".

Mom and Dad's Anniversary

The Day After The Day of Infamy


Mom and Dad were married on December eighth, nineteen fifty one. Since Pearl Harbor Day was the day before, it should have been easily remembered. It was… for Mom. For some reason Dad had a mental block about it. As much as he loved Mom, that was the one thing that he just could not remember. He was almost, you might say, faithful to forget about it.

Dad was the Sunday School superintendent for several years at our church. One of the traditions at that time was that the superintendent made announcements to the congregation between Sunday School and the Church Service. Among the announcements that were made was to ask if anyone had a birthday or anniversary during the preceding week. On one particular Sunday, that just happened to be December eighth, Dad faithfully asked the congregation if any had had a birthday, or an anniversary. Mom sat in the pew gritting her teeth, wondering if anyone else in the church was going to remember and remind Dad.

When Doris and I were grown, we took it upon ourselves to remind Dad at least the day before that his anniversary was upon him. Mom began to get cards and gifts from Dad, for which she always thanked us.

Coming Soon

Be sure to check back over the next few days for a special musical tribute to our "Okie in a Winter Wonderland"...

Quotes

"I get to go to lots of overseas places, like Canada." - Britney Spears, Pop Singer

"We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out." - Decca Records Rejecting the Beatles, in 1962

"The doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing." - Dizzy Dean explaining how he felt after being hit on the head by a ball in the 1934 World Series.

Okie in a Winter Wonderland

Lake Effect Snow Watch in effect from late tonight to Friday afternoonThe National Weather Service in Cleveland has issued a lake effect snow watch, which is in effect from late tonight through Friday afternoon.A fast moving clipper will approach Northwest Pa. today bringing more lake effect snow to most locations by early Thursday morning. The snow will begin late tonight and continue through the day on Thursday with anywhere from 4 to 8 inches of snow possible by Thursday evening. Winds will become Northwesterly Thursday evening allowing additional lake effect snow from Lake Huron to affect Northwest Pa. through Friday.Additional accumulation of 5 to 7 inches will be possible Thursday night bringing storm total accumulation to over a foot in most locations.-- National Weather ServiceFor more information, visit http://www.erieweather.com/ Last changed: December 06. 2006 9:11AM

The above forecast is for the area where my cousin once removed has moved to. She lived and worked for several years in northwest Arkansas and I am afraid she has been overcome by a malady that sometimes affects Texans and Okies who stay too long a little too far north of the Red River. It almost happened to Becky and me when we lived in Missouri for three years. We actually began to talk about buying property up there.

It has something to do with being deprived of the ultra low frequency waves of common sense that emanate from the Texas soil. After extended absence from this most needed force, the northern climes can begin to seem normal, and acceptable. Once this safeguard of Texas Force is lost, often the victim will range even further north with no regard to the obvious warnings of mother nature to turn back to the south.

So, after a few years in Arkansas, she has now moved to a place where when the wind blows out of the west a foot of snow falls. She writes for a newspaper up there, and I read some of her ramblings ever so often. Even though she has been away from this area for an extended time, she comes home often enough to keep most of her wits about her, and compared to the poor souls born and raised in the north, and entirely devoid of the benefit of Texas Force, she is a beacon of light in the cold darkness.

Ronnie

Mom - Comfort Food - & Sunnie Kay

This is a picture of Becky, Mom, and me that we submitted with our Dossier to China. The picture of Sunnie is one that was taken last year when she was all dressed up for an important job. As class favorite for her kindergarten class she got to carry the flowers for the Homecoming Queen. Sunnie really loves to get dressed up.

Sunday morning Sunnie came over early to get ready for church. We have been having some cold weather and she was all bundled up. I made her some cinnamon toast and hot cocoa. It brought back memories of when we first moved out to Wolfhill. The old farmhouse was pretty drafty. Mom and Dad heated only the living room, kitchen, and bathroom. The bathroom was isolated on the south end of a screened in porch.

Mom was serving my sister Doris and me “comfort food” long before the term was coined. We liked the cold weather because it inspired Mom to produce more comfort food. The colder the morning, the more determined Mom was that when we got on the school bus we were warm, full, and content. Mom made hot chocolate from scratch, and used a little condensed milk to give extra richness. A couple of big marshmallows were added, which would finally melt down to a soft mush in the bottom of the cup. She made cinnamon toast, French toast, and sometimes pancakes. Gravy and biscuits were often served, but we could count on the sweet stuff after a cold norther. We were blessed in the fact that Mom did not have to work outside the home and she made taking care of her family first priority.

Ronnie

Happy Birthday Tyler

November and December are busy birthday months on Wolfhill. Tyler had a birthday yesterday December 2. We celebrated today since he was feeling bad yesterday.

Tyler, Ronnie, Cousins Sunnie and Casey were having lots of fun with Tyler's new "Horseopoly" game that Grandma Ball gave him.

The cake was very cute, another Bull Riding Cake!! Jeff and Bethany gave Tyler 4 different PBR Bullriding sets. Misty used one set on the cake. Tyler did open that gift yesterday since Bethany had been hinting to him for months about what the gift was and he just could not wait any longer.

Also helping Tyler celebrate his birthday were brother Caleb and cousins Bradley, Ben, Sunnie, Tristan, Shayna, Robert and Casey.


We love you Tyler and are so proud of you. Happy 10th Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quotes of the Week

Patience is the companion of wisdom. Saint Augustine (354 AD - 430 AD)

You must first have a lot of patience to learn to have patience. Stanislaw J. Lec (1909 - 1966), "Unkempt Thoughts

A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains. Dutch Proverb