Ebenezer Forest Farm: November 2010

Monday, November 29, 2010

Thanksgiving 2010

Last Thanksgiving was (what's the word?!) a hectic one! If you remember, our water pump broke so we didn't have running water for three days! Fortunately we were able to spend it at a friends house... so we didn't have to do all the cooking! :)
I must admit: we are very thankful for running water now!
But this Thanksgiving Daddy was working so it would be a little different... or so we thought!!! But he ended up cutting his finger while we were getting wood. (It was SO cold!) Since his finger had stitches in it, was bandaged up, and had a big splint on it there was no way that Daddy could get his fire gloves on... no less start an IV... and well, you get the picture!

Anyway, our dear friends the Bisceglia family, invited us over for Thanksgiving and we were quite thankful that Daddy could join us!

Unfortunately, we were enjoying ourselves so much, that we actually forgot to take that many pictures! (I know, big surprise!)

So here is what we did get...

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Noah (right) was very excited to show Jordan his snake.

Jordan, on the other hand, made sure we all knew that he's "not a snake guy"!

We all played and sang some hymns together, which was very fun because there was so many musicians!

But I'm pleased to announce that us violinists out numbered the rest!

While Jordan and Sarah played piano, Judah found this little drum and carefully kept time for us.

Shiloh enjoyed seeing Janna play the harp. It's been a dream of hers!

Krista played her recorders.

I enjoyed playing violin and listening to Kathrina play... she's really good!

And Judah had fun sampling the many instruments that just "happened" to be at his very fingertips.

He didn't want to stop!

Unless, of course, it was to have a seat with his buddy Noah!

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After we did worship, we all played some Thanksgiving games. One, which we learned last year from our friends, kept us all laughing!

The parents reading their funny story.

Kathrina reading her teams story... while everyone else laughs!

And me... well... laughing instead of reading!

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Over all we had a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!

"Thank you, Bisceglia for the wonderful time!"

Our family has SO MUCH to be thankful for. We are blessed much, much more than we deserve. It's humbling to think of all the things that God has given us. To Him be the glory and honour forever!!!

Psalm 106:1 "Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."

The perfect ending to the perfect day... a group picture of all the "young 'uns"!

("Thanks Eden, for taking the other pictures!")

Posted By:

~Bethany

Sunday, November 21, 2010

A New Violin...

For my 17th Birthday, my parents took me to an amazing place! Geesman Fine Violin Shop, for a new violin!

After playing on my old violin for three years, enduring the squeaks and the scratchy sounds I'd make, (which was more my fault than the violins!) it was high time to upgrade.

So off we all went to the Violin Shop.

Enjoy these pictures!

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Violins... waiting to be tested.

This shop was crowded from wall to wall with violins, violas, cellos, and even a few basses!

But I got to test the violins in a very special room!

Mr. Geesman set me all up with a few violins and then let me try them out.

Meanwhile Eden just "happened" to find this cello... and well, consequently fell in love with it!

And in the other corner, Shiloh and Jordan checked out the basses.

Oh, but Jordan said he didn't fall in love with it!

(He looks like he liked playing with it, though!)

And Judah decided that maybe the bass wasn't the best instrument for him, being that he couldn't even reach the fingerboard!

And me... well I was just enjoying playing and exploring SO MANY different sounds and tonal colors that those violins had! I think I played about nine violins; more than I ever have before!

But one question remained. With all these fine violins...

...How would I ever make up my mind?

But after some careful listening, testing, and ideas from my family, I finally made my decision!

A beautiful, brand new, 2010 violin made by Mr. Geesman himself!

Wow! And that violin actually ended up in MY case!

So now I was "out with the old...

...and in with the new!"

And I was so excited!

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In closing, I wanted to say a big thank you to my parents for this wonderful Birthday present!

"I love you both!"

And also, special thanks to my family who helped me find the perfect violin and who have (and still do!) endured my practicing without cringing!

"Thank you so much everyone!"

I am very thankful to the Lord for what He has blessed me with!

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So was I sad to see my old violin go? After all, I've made so many good memories with it.

Well, I'd have to say: sort-of. I'm definitely glad to have a better instrument but am still thankful for what I used to have!

In memory of my old violin, I'm posting the video of my very last performance with it.

(By the way: to those that remembered us saying that we would post more videos of our Gimmicks... well here is yet another!!!)

This is Brahms "Hungarian Dance No. 6 and 5".

Enjoy!

Oh, and see if you can pick out "Happy Birthday", "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", and "Amazing Grace".

Psalm 150:4 "Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs."

Well, I'm off to play my new violin!

Posted By:
~Bethany

Monday, November 15, 2010

What Are You Thankful For?

On our End of the Matter blog we have joined a challenge to Purposefully and publicly thank the Lord for specific blessings in the two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving day.

So, head over to End of the Matter and enjoying reading our "GREAThings 2010" posts. Feel free to drop us a note and let us know what you are thankful for too!! :)