A Merry Christmas

This has been strange Christmas this year for us. But even though we're packed into a little trailer freezing we are still having a good time. You'd think that after all the years we have lived in Michigan that we would be use to the weather, but it seems SO, SO, cold here. And it has been worm here for this time of year. I guess our blood was boiled well this summer in North Carolina.

I was going to post our Christmas picture here, but I only have my iPad with me and I haven't figured out yet how to post a picture on here with it.

But we wanted to wish everyone of you a merry Christmas, and promise that cards and pictures are on there way.

A Last Minute Trip

Right now we're cramming in all the last minute prep for our trip to Michigan. Not more then an hour ago we were joining in the voices of our church family in making a "joyful noise" for a beautiful little Christmas program, and now I am cramming to get all my stuff together for a 10 + day trip to a very cold place. And way this last minute trip to the "north pole"?

As many of you already know my dear and beloved Grandma passed away this passed Wednesday evening. So there is much awaiting us when we arrive in MI. For those you who wish to attend the memorial will be held at the Ludington SDA church Thursday evening at 6pm.

We would love to visit many of you along the way (as we'll be driving right passed your door almost,) but as we are crunched for time we'll have to pass.

We would covet your prayers as we take this journey.

Coming Soon!

A new issue of DBD is coming at last. We've had some trouble getting it out this time, and last of all our printer is installing a new printer so we are waiting on that. But it should be making its way to your home with in couple of weeks. I think it's one of the best looking issues yet. Em has done such a great job and has worked so hard.

A new website is on the way soon as well. All designed by our genius and very gifted little sister. keep checking for updates

Winter!

Winter has come to North Carolina at last. Well, not in the fashion in which I'm use to, but its cold non the less! There's no snow, but there's a variety of warm and cold, rainy days. 

We do find it amusing to see houses decorated for christmas with pink flowering bushes in the yard. What can you say! It's just a normality here. Strange for my upbringing.

Thankfulness.

Thanksgiving Day! It's all the word says, - a day for thanks. And I have so much to be thankful for this year. I guess that I started thinking about it when I cleaned out my closet. (That's another story.) I was sitting down to admire my now (and still!!), clean and organized closet, and began thinking on how many things I had to be grateful for. 

Here is some of the things I thought of

1. First off, I am so thankful to have finely figured out a way to organize my closet is it was completely functional and supper easy to keep clean. I've been working on that probably for almost ten years, and I finely came up with with a system that I LOVE!
2. I'm thankful for holidays and holiday traditions. I feel so into the holiday celebrating spirit this year. I so look forward to Christmas this year. I hope it turns out as well as thanksgiving.
3. I am so thankful for my family. My parents are by fare the best parents in the world, and care so much for each one of use even though they are so busy. And my sisters are the best sisters and siblings a kid could ask for. As I look around I see so many unhappy families and so much sadness in them. How much I have in a happy and unified family.
4. I'm thankful for my dear friend Jacky, (my dog). My parents, (mostly my father) have put up with my little rascal and sometimes my failed attempts at turning a savage into a saint. I can't thank them enough for trusting my with the care of this dear pet. Also for letting my long last childish dream come true, and let a beautiful friendship grow between Jacky and me.
5. I am thankful for all the little things GOd has blessed me with this year. Desires of my heart that at times seemed in no way able to come true. But my loving Heavenly Father gives even unnecessary gifts to us. He is so good!
6. I am so thankful for the beautiful place God has given us. I didn't think I'd like living in place that's so worm in the winter, but I love it!
7. I'm so thankful for the dear little church we have to work in. There is so many dear people. We love every one of you.
8. I'm thankful for blogs. This past year I've found many new friends through blogs. I've found several girls like me striving to be godly women and to follow God's "real" plan for the women of christian families today.
9. I am thankful for the walks I take with my sister Ashley every day. We have so many good talks and discussions.

There are many more things to be thankful for, but as it it growing late I will now give a glimpse into our wonderful thanksgiving.

Our table was loaded with all the traditional feastings. 

At the last minute we ended up with the Hickeys over for dinner. It was lots of fun.

What a wonderful day. 

We wish each of you a Happy Sabbath!

Thanksgiving Memories.

Thanksgiving has always been celebrated in traditional style at our house. Every year my mother would plan the menue, (not hard since the menue has stayed almost the same at our house for 25 years). Then the day before she, and who ever wanted to help, would spend the whole day cooking. We never bought pre-made anything, - nothing came from a box.

We never worked on thanksgiving. Mom made sure that even Dad would spend the day with the family. It was a holiday and was and is always going to be a day to spend with family and friends at our home.

The table was always decorated to the hilt, and with all our best dishes and silverware. No paper plates or plastic forks.

We always dressed up. Usually not is that style. But it happen on two different thanksgivings. 

We almost always had someone over too. When I was growing up it was Dad's Parents, but over the past five or so years it has included other friends and family too. This year we are having a family we are just getting to know from our church over. They have have two children that they adopted a couple of years ago. So it won't be a dull day. I promise that I will try to get photos this time and not neglect my camera like I did last year.

A Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving from Our House to Yours!

The Brinley Family

Fall Celebrations!

This fall has been full of many joyous celebrations. It started with a big fall party at our house inviting our whole church and then some. We were packed in here, but it was so much fun! I got some pictures of the prep, but I so busy being hostess that i totally forgot my camera sitting in the kitchen altogether.

Then came my birthday. Oh what a surprise my family had up their sleeve for that event! I began to get suspicious when they moved prayer meeting from Wednesday nigh to Tuesday night that something was happening. Of course a few other little things let me know something was happening, but like a good child I didn't ask any questions. 

Wednesday morning I woke up to my first set of clues adorned with pink and white roses and an innovation to a free breakfast at Amelia's Cafe. What a wonderful breakfast! Well I could rattle on and on here, but I'll carry on to the next interesting part of the day. We then packed up and drove to the ferry dock and waited for it to arrive. (The packing again was a curious matter but I didn't ask any questions. I just packed up my new little tote with the things I was instructed to and went on my way.) 

To hours later we arrived on the Ocracoke Island about lunch time. So we ate our lunch at the little park in town by the ocean.  then after another stop or two we went on the hour ferry ride to the Hatteras Island. Then we drove, and drove, and drove.  But making one stop at a very well known lighthouse, the Cap Hatteras Lighthouse.. It has appeared in lots of photographs and paintings all over.

 About 5:00 pm we arrived at the Surf Side Hotel. It was so nice. We got the cutest room on the top floor overlooking the ocean and in the hall you could see the sound. I had'ent seen the suitcases being packed so I had no Idea that this was an overnight venture. My family had bought me an adorable little zebra striped suitcase and packed it full of treasures. 

The next morning we started our journey home by way of the northern rout. We stopped at this museum and toured the full scale ship like one that came over back about the time of the famous May flower.

If you were a 12 year old boy you'd get the job of working the sales. But if you fell off they wouldn't try to save you because they could turn a ship around like today. and besides they could just get another one  at the next stop.

Dosen't she look swell!

Great mom!

Dad was totally into this stuff.

Lace was a good sport

I was not!

This is a game sort of like bowling

Then we went to the museum 

What a fun birthday surprise! Thanks to each and every one of you, my dear family. I'll treasure this event all of my life.

Now I can't wait for the rest of the holidays.