Happy Birthday, Janet the Planet!

Today is my sister's birthday!

Now, if you don't have a sister, Janet is the one you always wanted. She is 6 1/2 years older than I, which means I got to get into all her makeup and stuff, and play her Beatles 45's when she wasn't looking.

Her nickname was Janet the Planet, which means nothing, except that there is no other word which rhymes with Janet. This, of course, is opposed to my name, Barbara...oh, well, never mind.

On Janet's fifth birthday (November 21, 19*53), my Daddy bought a television set. It was the very first day tv's went on sale in our town. I heard the story so many times during my childhood, that I thought maybe it was an urban legend or something. Then, in 2003, Channel 33 ran a documentary about the 50th year of television: "We went on the air November 21, 19*53..."

Janet is a Svengali--she could get me to do anything. Got me to clean the boys' "offerings" around the base of the toilet by saying the Outside was not as bad as the Inside, which she cleaned with a brush. Offered to play Clue with me, but she always cheated. If she won, I had to kiss her toes.

Other than usin'-and-abusin' us, she was the Funnest. Sister. Ever. She has lived far, far away for over forty years (married an Air Force guy), so I don't see her very often. But, since we both know the Lord, that doesn't matter. Our relationship is sweet, like she is.

Janet is coming to see me next week! I am getting her Happy Box ready. (this is a collection of things I find during the year...I'll post about them next week, and you'll see why I call it a Happy Box.) It's going to be a great week!

Happy birthday, dear sister. I love you. But I'm *on to* your tricks now. Next time we play Clue, you won't get me to close my eyes. And I'm sorry about the time you had all those stacks of Girl Scout cookies in our room, and I ate one cookie out of each of about twelve boxes. And that time you caught me with your eyelash curler in your hand, and I said I didn't do it? Well, I did.

However, that time someone gave me a piece of a Hershey bar while I was walking home from school, and later you accused me of getting into the Oreos, and I said I didn't, and you made me open my mouth and saw chocolate, and told Mother I lied? Well, I didn't.

Na-na-na-na on You. I know you feel bad now.

Catsup Time

If you're old enough, you might remember Hunt's Catsup. This would be opposed to Heinz Ketchup. As a child, I was concerned, because they were one and the same product, but my family pronounced it "ketchup," so spelling it that other way seemed a little silly to me. So instead of saying "Catch-up Time," as I usually do in these bloggy situations, I thought I'd do something Just A Little Different.

After making a nice little resolution to take the month of November to be thankful for something every day, I fell off the wagon the very first day of the month! So, here goes with Thankful, part deux...

Monday, November 2

Today I am thankful for my brother Rick. He is just fourteen months younger than I, and was born four days before Eisenhower was elected for the second time. (gollee, does that sound old!) He and I are very close, and always have been. I can't remember a single instance of sibling rivalry with him, though I'm sure there are minor incidents here and there. Our relationship was cemented when I was pregnant with Violet at nineteen, and living at home. In the middle of the night, throwing up in the bathroom next to his room, I'd wake him up to commiserate with me. He never complained. We still speak about those times, even though there is *so* much more life we've lived since then. Love you brother, and a very happy birthday to you!

Tuesday, November 3

Today I am thankful for our beautiful miracle baby, Myra. Go here to see a new photo. I do, however, need to choose a blog-name for her, as my custom is to use fictional names for the family.

Myra shares my middle name, Annette. With one person in my life, I have the nickname Nettie. (you can read about *that* here.) So I thought Nettie would be cute. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Johnny Tremain and Lily had discussed the same nickname for Myra in real life! So, Nettie it is!

Thank you so very much for all of the prayers for Nettie. I think of the verse, "the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much." So, so true. Please continue to pray for stomach issues--she acts colicky, and possibly is bothered with acid tummy. (it all plays out the same in her fussy times!) Otherwise, she is gaining weight, and growing in all those beautiful baby ways.

Wednesday, November 4

Testimony time! You may or may not know that Charming and I went through a major, major marriage crisis early in our marriage. We have spoken a number of times in marriage classes and marriage retreats, giving our testimony of God's restoration. And you know, when God fixes something, it is better than it was before it was broken!

Last night, Rocky Balboa brought Blueberry and Oxford over to see Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop for a few minutes. Rocky was so, so excited he could hardly speak. He had shared our testimony with a woman at work who thought her marriage was over. Things are very bad, but the woman wants to come to church to find out what the Lord can do in her life. Hooray! Thank you, Lord, for Your healing work in our lives, that You can use to help others!

Thursday, November 5

Two things today: today is Winnie's birthday (see "Nettie" link above to find out about Winnie.) I thank the Lord for Winnie, my dear sister-friend.

The other thing I am thankful for today is Indoor Plumbing. (don't laugh)

I have often said that I am richer than Solomon ever was, because I have indoor plumbing. Think about it. You'll agree. But I was up in the middle of the night, making my way to the bathroom in my centrally-heated house. And I thought about chamber pots. Good at their purpose, but of course they needed emptying each day. That led me to think about....

Laura Ingalls. Chamber pots. "The Long Winter." Whoa.

I know you'll be thankful too, today, for your indoor potty.

So now I'm caught up!

Oops...

(Violet took me shopping and bought me this outfit.)

Okay, so I forgot to put the REST of my post in earlier. I was going to put the little poem down, and then put *my* view of November. Ditz-brain-fog settled in, and I pushed "post" after the poem.

Sorry.

November is a very nice month. As in, November is Nice! My sister's birthday is in November, as well as my next-to-me brother's. Not to mention Alvin Fernald's--he'll be turning fifteen. November is the month of Thanksgiving and all that beginning-of-the-holidays-getting-closer-to-Christmas thing.

In fact, I had a homeschool friend of mine tell me she was making November an entire Month of Thanksgiving. So I'll try, every post, to be thankful for something, 'kay?

November 1st: Gotta go with God's provision. Charming has been out of work for four months-plus now. We still have our house and all of its utilities...ON. Still eating. Still wearing clothes. What is that verse?

So if we have food to eat and clothes to wear, therewith be content.

And thankful! God is not moving at my requested pace (so, when does He ever?) and I am trying to learn. Trying to not-worry. Trying to praise Him for His goodness in this situation.

Because He IS good. Yep, all the time.

Thank you, my Father, for your bounteous provision.

November--No Way!

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,

No comfortable feel in any member--

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds,

November!

--from a poem by Thomas Hood