Growing Up with Dolls

Growing up is wonderful. Getting new responsibilities (whether ya like'em or not!) and being able to do new things is great. But one downfall of growing up: saying goodbye to old friends. Now I don't mean humans; I mean stuffed animals and/or dolls. Above are my dolls from L to R:Top row: Elizabeth, Kathleen, Violet, Felicity. Bottom row: Hannah and Kelly.

I got my first 'real' doll (Kelly) when I was five years old. I received Hannah as a birthday present when I turned six (I needed a playmate for Kelly). I took a break from doll collecting until I was nine years old, when my mom purchased an AG Felicity doll off of eBay. I literally counted down the days until she arrived! Then the next Christmas I got Felicity's best friend Elizabeth from my grandma. I can still remember opening the wrapping paper and seeing an AG box the exact size of a doll. Throwing the top aside, I screamed in pleasure when I pulled her out. Then I took another break for a year, then (out of my own money) bought two ALOF (A Life Of Faith) dolls: Kathleen and Violet. I have doted on these girls for hours on end, have collected furniture, and whole wardrobes that would rival a dress shop. So what is the problem, you say? I'll tell you: losing interest. Yes, I feel terrible and am ashamed to admit that these will be the last pictures of my dolls before they head to a new life up, tucked snuggly away in a box, in our attic.

For all you doll-lovers who still play with them, I say: wonderful. Among all the 'Bratz' dolls and even Barbie dolls, young innocent girls are thinking it's okay to flash their midriff to the world (as if we cared to see it!) or to have boyfrieds at age nine. Classic 18 inch dolls are the key to little girl's innocence because they can be cute and have nice, modest clothes, but without the leggy, pouty lipped, big-chested dolls that are out there today.So I say, "Hurrah!" to dolls, keep on preserving innocence one prairie bonnet at a time!

Answered prayer and solitude....

Oh, goodness...the answered prayer was that none of us would get this particularly nasty stomach virus until after Christmas...thank you, Lord, for answered prayer!

But...Meghan fell victim to it yesterday...staying home with an upset stomach...today is recovering, but wiped out. Now for the solitude...with a family of 6, usually we all get something like this...one after the other. I'm feeling 'queasy' today...for a couple days, actually, but thought it was simply all the different foods that I'm not used to eating.

I guess the Gorecki family will have some solitude for a little while...some of us are just not feeling up to par, and the main reason is so that we don't infect anyone else!

God is so good to us that way...sometimes, our greatest times with the Lord are when we are forced to stay home...as a family and with Him....without outside distractions and commitments. Last year, right after Ronnie's surgery, when he was in his body cast, we all got the flu...the real flu...fever for 5 days, terrible chest colds, body aches...the works....well, needless to say we were ALONE for quite a while until everyone was over that...then we were still home until his cast came off.

So...knowing that even though we really wanted to see family and friends over the next week or so, that the Lord has other plans for us...and we're simply going to accept His plans, change ours and thank Him for giving us what we need when we need it...even enforced "quiet time" at home, with each other and especially with Him. ~Sue

God's grace, cousins and the gift of laughter....

This beautiful woman with me is my cousin, Kim...she is actually married to my cousin, John...but she is one of my very dearest friends as well...and she laughs.

By God's grace, Kim was feeling well enough for Ron and I to take the kids over for a visit. Kim has a very rare auto-immune disease called relapsing polycondroitis and is on high doses of prednisone and chemo...and she laughs. She has always laughed at life as long as I've known her...I have so much to learn from her! She has always looked at life and family as gifts...to be enjoyed everyday, no matter what. And, there is no one that Kim laughs more at than herself...she is truly joyful. Even thru this ordeal...while lying in bed fighting nausea, losing her hair, trips to the hospital...she counts her blessings...and finds something to laugh at. She is amazing and I admire her so much.

Here she is (with the oldest of her 5 children, Maria) wearing a hat and 'dreadlocks' someone gave her...and she insisted on wearing them for the picture. We laughed so much all night!

Here is my dear cousin, Kathy....she lives a couple of hours away, so it is a treat to spend time with her...and if you can tell from the picture...we laughed!!!

Here are Sara and Maria...they are only 3 months apart in age, and we have so many pictures over the years of the two girls, I had to post this one.

Here is Timmy with Ronnie...Ronnie looks up to him so much and Tim is so sweet and kind with Ronnie...he really takes an interest in him and enjoys spending time with him...they had a nice visit.

And, here are all the cousins, minus my Meghan, who was home sick and missed the visit....which we will do again very soon, God willing! We all had such a great time...I forgot to get a picture of Ron and my cousin John watching the Penguins hockey game...between music and hockey...they enjoy spending time together as much as the rest of us do! Family is too important NOT to make the time for...and the memories that are made are so precious! Next party...Maggie's birthday! ~Sue~

Counting our blessings instead of sheep....

What a wonderful Christmas day we all had! It was quiet and calm...and thru out the day, Ron and I simply counted our blessings...the love and forgiveness of our Savior and His constant care and provision for our family...our 4 healthy, sweet children...our extended family...traditions.

One of our traditions is that we hide the children's presents and they have to follow the written clues that we leave for them to find their gifts. This year, Ronnie read the clues and everyone followed him...it was so cute! One of the clues was to look 'under the floor'...little Anna was the only one to think to look under the rug!

Ronnie reading the clues

Ronnie and Anna with Sara after opening their gifts from her.

Meghan, happy after opening a new sheet music book...she dashed right down to the piano after she finished opening her gifts.

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After our traditional Christmas brunch, we all went down to Ron's mom's house to spend time with Grandma RoRo...along with Uncle Sean who was in from Chicago, Aunt Maureen, Timmy, cousins Ben and his sweet wife Crystal, Jim B., Elizabeth and her gang...along with two of the sweetest Aunts and Uncles in the world.

Driving home after a wonderful day with family, we couldn't keep from (still) counting our blessings...and thanking God for bestowing them on our family.

~Sue~

The kindness of strangers...

Here is Ronnie...head to toe dressed in camo. When he had his first hip surgery in January 2008, we started a 'postcards for Ronnie'...an idea a dear friend had to send emails asking for postcards for Ronnie while he spent 3 months in a body cast...well, he has gotten hundreds of postcards over the last year...we are still in awe whenever we look at them...and we pull them out frequently and give thanks for the people who sent them...most from people we have never met.

One person who has been particularly faithful in sending postcards, is Col. Russell Smith of the USMC. We have received so many postcards from Col. Smith from all over the world! He included his email address in the last one, and we've finally been able to thank him and be in communication with him. A couple days before Christmas, a package arrived in the mail for Ronnie with a Marine Corp. 'boonie' hat for him along with a letter and pictures from Col. Smith...Ronnie was so surprised and happy...he has hardly taken it off since! The funny thing is, it arrived approx. 20 minutes before my dad, who was in the Marines himself. Well...Ronnie hurried and put on all his camo clothes and his new hat before his Zedoh (slovak for Grandfather) arrived. It not only made Ronnie's day, but my Dad's day as well!

We have been so very, very blessed by the prayers, care and concern from total strangers who the Lord has put Ronnie and our family on their hearts...we are still very humbled by His great love and the love of those who follow Him.

So...thanks, Col. Smith and all of you other 'angels' who have prayed for Ronnie and our family, sent postcards, meals, care packages...and have obeyed our Father's leading...we will be forever grateful! ~Sue~

Merry Christmas to all! May you be as blessed as I was on this Christmas morning while reading this devotional from "Streams in the Desert" ...and may your Christmas Day be peaceful, joyful and blessed ! ~Sue~

"His name shall be called Emmanuel . . . God with us." (Matt. 1:23) .

"The Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6).

"There's a song in the air!
There's a star in the sky!
There's a mother's deep prayer,
And a baby's low cry!
And the star rains its fire
While the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King."

A few years ago a striking Christmas card was published, with the title, "If Christ had not come." It was founded upon our Saviour's words, "If I had not come." The card represented a clergyman falling into a short sleep in his study on Christmas morning and dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come.

In his dream he found himself looking through his home, but there were no little stockings in the chimney corner, no Christmas bells or wreaths of holly, and no Christ to comfort, gladden and save. He walked out on the public street, but there was no church with its spire pointing to Heaven. He came back and sat down in his library, but every book about the Saviour had disappeared.

A ring at the door-bell, and a messenger asked him to visit a poor dying mother. He hastened with, the weeping child and as he reached the home he sat down and said, "I have something here that will comfort you." He opened his Bible to look for a familiar promise, but it ended at Malachi, and there was no gospel and no promise of hope and salvation, and he could only bow his head and weep with her in bitter despair.

Two days afterward he stood beside her coffin and conducted the funeral service, but there was no message of consolation, no word of a glorious resurrection, no open Heaven, but only "dust to dust, ashes to ashes," and one long eternal farewell. He realized at length that "He had not come," and burst into tears and bitter weeping in his sorrowful dream.

Suddenly he woke with a start, and a great shout of joy and praise burst from his lips as he heard his choir singing in his church close by:

"O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels,
O come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord."

Let us be glad and rejoice today, because "He has come." And let us remember the annunciation of the angel, "Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10, 11).

"He comes to make His blessing flow, Far as the curse is found."

May our hearts go out to the people in heathen lands who have no blessed Christmas day. "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and SEND PORTIONS TO THEM FOR WHOM NOTHING IS PREPARED." (Neh. 8:10)

A (New) Sweet Memory

As the 'littles' sat at the table eating their 'ativities' (their edible nativities) this morning as Anna calls them, they were discussing the morrow-Christmas Day! They wished Mum a "Merry Christmas-Eve!" Anna, with part of a wiseman still in her mouth squeals delightedly, "And we get to open PRESENTS!" Ronnie wisely but sweetly said, "Now Anna....what's the real meaning of Christmas...do you know?" Mum and I were sitting in the living room talking but this conversation caught our ear and we began to eavesdrop, er, listen to the littles conversation. Anna, her four-year-old voice endearing to our listening ears promptly said, "We celebrate baby Jesus' birthday!" Ronnie, not satisfied with the reply says, "Aaaand?" We couldn't see her, but I imagine her tilting her head to the side and saying, "What?" Ronnie says, while munching on some 'hay' from his nativity, "Giving thanks....for God sending His son Jesus."

Mum and I both sat there in stunned silence. We were both beaming. We both said "Wow" almost at the same time and then Mum remarked in wonderment, "It does get through."

I so enjoy seeing the simplicity of things; the simple words Ronnie and Anna spoke are yet profound because that IS what it's all about! Not gifts (like Ronnie was quick to remind Anna of) not even traditions, not music, not Santa Claus. It's about God's love in sending His only son Jesus to live life as a man and die to save the sins of the world.

How silently, how silently

This wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

*Third verse of O Little Town of Bethlehem*

COOKIES!!!

This is our 1963 Betty Crocker Cookie Book. There is a little story behind this...my mom won the 'Betty Crocker Award' when she was in highschool in the 60's...( we still tease her about it!) and this is the cookie book that I remember her using when I was a little girl. Well, in the mid-nineties...she and my step-dad lost everything in a hurricane on the North Carolina shore where they lived...including this book. It was out of print by this time, and I found her a used copy...and was so thrilled to be able to give it to her. Of course, I had to get my own copy as well. Now, they have re-published it and you can buy it at any Barnes and Noble or Amazon...It has become a tradition that ever young lady in our family must have her own copy when she gets married...and I sometimes give them as bridal shower gifts or birthday gifts for hopechests as well. So.....the chocolate cookies below are from this cookie book called "Chocolate Crinkles"...these are the ones I remember the most my mom making when I was a little girl. The other cookies that are on this plate are my grandmothers "iced orange cookies"...they taste like little iced orange cakes and always remind me of my Gram!




These cut out cookies below are my maternal grandmothers recipe...buttery and crunchy...they are delicious! We used the 'paintbox cookie' recipe from the book to paint them instead of icing them...the kids had so much fun painting their cookies...and I was thrilled not to have any more sugary icing! The little gingerbread man was Anna's...she is so proud of him!

After a fun afternoon visiting one of our favorite families, the Skiles family...we had some old friends over to help us cut out and paint the cookies. These two young ladies have been friends since birth...as my friend Jamie and I lived across the street from each other and were expecting together.

Below is my friend Jamie rolling out and cutting out the cookies...it's been a while since she has done this...and what fun we had talking the night away while the kids had fun painting their cookies! What precious memories were made today! We're so grateful for the wonderful friends the Lord has blessed us with....old friends and new.

This was Anna's first year being quite so involved in the cookie process at Christmas time...I think she is a natural! She loved it!!!

Here are our finished products!!! Don't the painted cookies look pretty?! I was extremely blessed by a very generous friend today who blessed me with quite a bit of pecans....with the price of pecans right now, I thought that I would have to forego one of my favorite cookies, Pecan Tassies...I'm not sure if they will get made by Christmas...but I can guarantee they will be baked by Sunday! I love those cookies! God has also worked thru this generous friend before and again today by her blessing us with packages of organic beef...my favorite cuts, as well! I'm glad that he created us to have opposite tastes...and that he has blessed her with a generous heart...thank you, my friend!

Now...it's off for a well-earned rest. Meghan just finished sewing her gifts for Ronnie and Anna, Sara wrapped a gift for me, the coffee maker is set and we are all off to bed.

Tomorrow....Blintzes! I am so very blessed to have my older daughters helping me and doing things together...it makes the tasks go quicker and more fun to do them together with Meghan and Sara and tomorrow they will be doing a lot of wrapping for me...thank goodness...I don't know what I would do without them!

So to all....a Goodnight! ~Sue~