Brent, Alicia, and Tirzah Susan's visit February 10-16

We thoroughly enjoyed the Susans coming to visit us this past week. We had a relaxing time together, played games, had music, loved on Tirzah, visited and solved all of the world's problems. Here are samples of the many pictures we took while they were here.
Tirzah lovin' Grandpa Rowen

Tirzah having "personal 'votions"

Alicia and Emily playing hymns together

Alicia enjoying some hot tea.

Lincoln and Tirzah reading Bible stories together.

Grandpa Rowen terrifying Tirzah in a giggly sort of way.

Alicia teaching Tirzah Spanish

Beth reading to Tirzah before bed

Jason playing "Stacking Hands" with Tirzah at McDonalds

Tirzah telling Jeffrey all about it!

Emily and Tirzah

Tirzah getting ready to play a special song for us.

Family picture taken on our walk around Johnstown Lake

Some of us on the pier.

Last picture before heading to the airport with them!

The Master's Fine Art Gallery in Loveland

While the Susans were visiting us, we took them to the Master's Fine Art Gallery in Loveland, CO. It is a favorite place that we like to go because the art is uplifting and we don't have to worry about what our children are being exposed to there. It is all Christ-honoring, and that is why it is named the Master's Fine Art. All of the art there celebrates Christ as the Creator of "all things wise and beautiful, all creatures great and small." Linda King, the curator, is a warm and friendly person. I want this post to be an advertisement for the beauty she is waiting to share. Click on the link for the hours she is open. There are many other beautiful and unique pieces of art besides the pictures I have posted.



Linda always tells us that children are allowed to touch the sculptures.







Nearly everything there is for sale. Notice the card giving the name of the artist for the pottery. We think it is very special that a lady artist has part of my name and Rowen's as her real name! We bought a piece of this pottery the last time we visited, just because of that fact. Raku is a special technique used that makes each piece of pottery unique from any other.

We were glad Brent, Alicia, and Tirzah got to enjoy one of our favorite places with us!

Beth is home from NC!

In January, Beth spent 3 weeks in Eure, NC with her cousins, Shari and Eric Earhart, helping after the arrival of their newest blessing, Miles, who was born December 22. Here is just a sample of the many pictures she took while she was there.
Beth with baby Miles

Eric with his quiver-full of blessings piled around him!

Shari and Missi

Beth, Mandi, and the quilt block Beth got to make, to be included in the quilt Shari is making for Mandi!

We are glad to have Beth back, but we know her helping hands are missed in NC!

Tubing with the Petersons

On January 27, our friend, Lexi Peterson, had a birthday. She invited Jason and Emily to go snow tubing with her and her dad for her birthday. They went to Beaver Meadows, a place we have gone many times through the years for cross country skiing and tubing. It was a beautiful day and they had a great time.
This is the tubing hill looking down from the top.

The birthday girl on her tube.

The double tube option!

Lexi and Emily starting back up the hill.

Lexi's dad, Kevin, the adult sponsor of the fun!

Coming down!

Warming up with hot chocolate!

Jason took a lot of the pictures, so he didn't get in very many.

Emily and Lexi making friends with the bears!

Emily, looking sweet and happy!

The Rest of Rowen's birthday

We went over to Greeley to Rowen's sister, Esther's house for an special meal the day after Rowen's birthday. Mary, Rowen's older sister who was visiting, and Esther, made the delicious food. (The salad was All-American, as was the apple pie we had for dessert.)

Rowen wore his new birthday shirt, especially made for him and brought to him by Mary when she came. I wore the shawl that she brought for me this trip.

The cousins sang Happy Birthday to Rowen.

It was a wonderful evening with our extended Albertson family.

Rowen's 53rd birthday (January 21)

This is a gift Jeffrey gave Rowen.

It is a new Swiss Army knife; Rowen lost his down at Federal Heights a few weeks ago when he was shoveling snow at the church where we do children's ministry.

We all love and appreciate Rowen so much for being a wonderful husband, daddy, and example of Servant/Leader to us. He always puts all of us ahead of himself. He is one of the most unselfish people I have ever known. When he does voice a preference, we want to honor him by doing it. He loves fruit pies, so this is his birthday dessert. Apple pies. We will eat them at a family gathering today with two of Rowen's sisters and family in Greeley.

I thank God for the gift that Rowen is to our family and his family. When he was in the womb, his mother was 42 years old. She also had a grapefruit size tumor in her uterus. Nowadays, she probably would have been advised to abort the baby for her own health. I told her many times while she was living, "thank you" for giving birth to Rowen. He has been such a blessing throughout his life. His sweet, loving, patient, forgiving attitude is so special. He has always been a great teacher, passing on the things he learns to me and our children, as well as those with whom he works. I am thankful that he gave his heart to God when he was young and has lived a godly, consistent life.

Birthday bathroom project

Rowen's birthday was yesterday and something happened this week to give him a project to do on his birthday. He would rather have a project than a party, so Jason obliged him by actually fainting in the blue bathroom on Monday morning, and his head busted this hole in the wall! Of course, it was not intentional, and we were very relieved that Jason is okay and did not hit the tile floor or the ceramic "furniture" and have to have stitches in his head.

Rowen cut the hole into a nice square and covered it for a few days with this political sign leftover from some town election. (We have used political signs several times in our projects; they are great!)

Then he patched the hole with drywall.

And mudded it. Ever since we remodeled this bathroom in 2004, we wished we had put tile on this wall also, so since this accident happened, it was a good time to tile the wall.

Rowen took off Friday, his 53rd birthday to do the tiling. I thought about calling this next picture "Homeschooling in the bathroom." When we have a project to do, the kids get to observe and help and it is practical homeschooling. (They did their book learning in the afternoon.)

Jason got to cut the needed short pieces with the tile saw.

Jeffrey helped Rowen place the tiles until he had to go to work.

This was after the tiles were all in.

Today, Rowen and Jason grouted the tiling.

It turned out really nice. Rowen found another piece of trim for the bottom, already stained and varnished and leftover from the 2004 remodel. So that is a great find!

This next picture shows the wall and wallpaper after the new tiles, but before repainting.

This is after the grouting was finished, floor trim installed, and the bathroom was repainted, with decorations back on the wall. We have not yet added a wallpaper accent. We will wait and see on that... The paint color is matched as nearly as we could, but the paint is supposed to be an improvement over the paint we used in 2004. It is Benjamin Moore Aura Bath and Spa matte finish, bought at our favorite Johnstown ACE Hardware Store!