Proud Mommy Moment

Indulge me, 

will you?

We have three amazing children.

Young people now, really.

The one I talk most about 

is the one I spend the most time

with....that girl of mine.

Chelsea.

Chelsea has gone through 

two years that have been the hardest

in her life and in ours.

Anorexia was the enemy.

It was awful!

There is no other way to put it.

Anorexia sneaks in and hijacks

relationships, lifestyles and happiness.

Well, it tries to do that.

Sometimes the people involved are

stubborn enough to resist.

We are pretty stubborn.

But even so

we endured a very hard and 

very stressful couple of years.

But, the one who had it the 

hardest was Chelsea.

She had to learn to eat again.

She had to learn to accept the body

that her DNA and Creator

provided her.

Chelsea had to learn to fill the 

emotional needs for love and acceptance

with her Heavenly Father.

To look outward and reach to minister to others.

She endured being let go from a job 

because they thought she was not 

outgoing and confident enough

to handle a Summer Ice Cream rush.

Can I insert here that upon 

receipt of her driver's license this 

was one of the first places she drove

by herself just to say hello

and show how strong and outgoing

she has become.

While I wanted to send a scathing 

letter to that former employer telling 

them what I thought of their heartless

treatment of my girl she said no.

A year later she handled it herself 

in a way that set it all right

and left her on good footing with that 

former manager.

What.a.girl!!

Chelsea has a wonderful employer and

managers at Sight and Sound Theater.

Interestingly they have her on one of the

busiest registers and tell her all the time 

that she does

a wonderful job.

They recently asked her to work

more hours and increased her pay.

Confidence problem?

Bad employee?

I don't think so.

I have a lot I could say...

but suffice it to say that yelling and 

screaming at teenagers does not build 

their confidence.

Her former employer could take lessons

from Sight and Sound!!

The formal treatment for Anorexia is done.

Chelsea has reached her healthy weight

and more importantly has had a change of 

thought processes.

Our girl is well.

But it was an internal and spiritual change.

One that she expressed so well on an 

application for YWAM.

Yes, that is in the works.

In a little over a year our little 

girl will, Lord willing, be on a plane

headed to Australia.

She will go to Descipleship Training School

there and then off to Cambodia or Thailand

for her mission trip.

Working with girls and women

who have been rescued from slavery.

She will be gone from here

at least 5 months.

Gulp!

God has lit a fire in the heart of our

Chelsea.  She is reading, studying and learning

so much about missions, the world

and its conditions.

The contrast to our lives of one year 

ago today is amazing.

I am so very thankful!

And....as I told Chelsea yesterday...

I wouldn't trade her for ANYONE!

Nope!

She is a gem.

Made by God to be just 

who she is.

With experiences that will shape

her future.

And which provide her with 

compassion and understanding

beyond her years.

As for me....

there are bottles of hair color that 

can restore that which I have lost.

LOL

I'll be forever thankful 

that we did not lose our daughter

physically to death,

or in relationship,

during these hard times.

Praise God for His 

grace and mercy

in our lives.

We are blessed!

Twitter Anyone?

As I mentioned in an earlier post

my friend, Nigel, is building a web site 

for Good Neighbors Candle Co.

He has decided that I should have a Twitter

account ticking away on the right hand side of

the header.

O.k.

That's probably fine.

I'm sure it is a great idea.

But, I'm going to have to learn about this

particular form of chatter.

Should be easy as I seem to think 

in short spurts anyway.

But what is up with those signs and symbols?

I have no idea of the proper way 

to use them. 
What if I accidentally say something

I didn't intend to?

It so totally 

could, and likely will, happen.

Bear with me.

If you are on Twitter

you can follow me.

As if you wanted more information and

details about my days.

Good grief!

But, here we go.

On to Twitter.

Maybe I'll be the next Ashton Kutcher

and have millions of followers....lol.

NOT.

But, hey if Nigel says it will help my 

web site...I'm there!

He's very sharp

about things such as these.

@beckypfa ~ signing off.

I Need An Air Traffic Controller....

IN MY BRAIN!

(I left that wide open for
your jokes, didn't I?)

 

Yikees...there is way too much

going on in there.

I want to do this project 

and that thing over there.

I have a couple of orders to fill,

stores to supply

and 

designs to complete.

I have a house that desperately 

needs my attention 

and 

responsibilities at the church that

I should, and want, to attend to.

People to visit.

Cards to send....

Friends to hang out with 

and places to see.

Getting these things done would

not be a problem if I could just 

focus on them one at a time.

There is not one thing on the list 

that I have no desire to do.

They are all worthy and will

bring much satisfaction at their

completion.

It is just about a plan....

and the execution of that plan.

Do you ever feel like this?

How do you make it happen?

I think for me it will take a list.

Writing it down so it can 

be quantified and put to a plan.

Otherwise I spin my wheels and do a 

bit here and bit there but never 

fully complete anything.

It doesn't help that Warren 

is in his very busy time at work

and is working all kinds of odd hours.

Completely throws me off

my routine.

Oh well!

In March the new show

at Sight and Sound Theater

will open and things will 

calm down for him again.

Jonah!

It will be soooo great!!

You'll just have to come and 

see it..........

Kennett Square...as a Destination

Most of the time when I think

of Kennett Square

I think of 

Longwood Gardens.

That has been our reason 

to head that way.

However, 

on January 6th that changed.

Mom, Georgia, Chelsea and I 

went to the historic town of Kennett Square

to poke around and see what we could see.

It was a perfect day with clear blue

skies and weather that was definitely

more Springlike than Winter.

We began our tour at the most convenient

restroom facilities we could find....

The Public Library.

And as we were seeking information

about a Farmer's Market to be set up 

that afternoon it seemed the perfect

place to gather those tidbits as well.

Then we were on the hunt for a 

lunch location.

We decided to try a brand new restaurant.

A Mediterranean Bistro.

I enjoyed a sandwich with 

steak, olives and cheese.

It was scrumptious.

We were fascinated by the fact 

that we were never asked for a 

drink order. 

They simply serve water 

and that...is that!

After lunch we explored shops 

along the way.

What fun.

Everything from high end clothing stores

to jewelers line the way.

We poked into the most eclectic ones

we could find.

The General Store was certainly not 

what we were expecting.

It turns out the General Store is a compilation

of donations benefiting those with 

Traumatic Brain Injury.

The man who runs the store was a priest 

in Philadelphia who was attacked and 

has suffered a brain injury.

Nothing is priced...

it is all by donation.

He was our favorite "person of the day".

He offered us advice and information

on many of the places in his town.

He insisted we visit the French Bakery

while we were there.

He was so right....

it was the last place we visited that 

day and it was just perfect to 

seal a wonderful afternoon.

I enjoyed a puff pastry 

filled with a chocolate cream.

Delightful!!

I loved that while in the Bakery

we noticed that they serve soup from the Bistro

and other items from the neighboring shops.

You definitely get the sense of community 

in Kennett Square.

It is a town where they all work 

and play together.

Our favorite shop, 

by far, 

was Mrs. Robinson's Tea Shop.

An old fashioned store where tins

of teas line both walls front to back.

More than 150 varieties.

Full strength on the left 

and 

Decaf on the right.

In the middle sat a table with 

four pots of brewed tea for your

tasting pleasure.

We did test and enjoy.

Then we bought.

Of course.

This was the only shop that 

caused us to return for a second

visit on that day.

We decided that a gift for Mrs. Rabe

was in order in congratulations on their 

new Shop Owner Status.

She loves tea.

Sadly, in her preferred brand they only

had decaf....so he'll be reordering

and Deanna said it will be wonderful to 

have on hand for guests who are partial 

to decaf.

I had some time to sit and enjoy the 

view in this store dedicated to mushrooms

while Mom and Georgia went downstairs

to a consignment store.

You see, Chester County, is famous for its

mushroom production.

You only have to be a few miles into Chester

County before you smell it.

Not a very pleasant odor, 

I admit.

But unique to the mushrooms.

And so as you tour Kennett Square

you will find much about Mushrooms.

There was a small mushroom museum 

inside this shop....

The Farmer's Market ended up being a bit small

but the produce found there was gorgeous.

We were very happy campers.

We returned home tired 

but satisfied and vowing 

to do that trip again!

Chelsea Caught the Animals....

In waiting....

 

I can tell you that as calm as they appear

they would be up and thrilled if someone 

picked up a toy and offered to play!

They just put in their time

on the couch.....

waiting for the fun to start!

Only in the winter would you find this.

Oliver is outdoors during the Spring, Summer and Fall 

months....coming in for warmth and comfort only

when it is cold and wet outside.

He happened onto a piece of my 

packing paper.

He can have it....

no putting that one in a box.

Take a lesson....

rest up.

Fun times are just around the corner!

Thanks, Chelsea...

for the photos!

Blue Monday - So Beautiful

Linking up with Smiling Sally

who has been so very faithful to 

host Blue Monday!

Thanks, friend.

I miss being here.

I spend too much time on Etsy these days.

Peeking here and there.

Finding things to love.

Well, since I can't buy much of the things

I see and love I make them into Treasuries....

collections to visit and enjoy.

This is one I made with blue glass.

So delicate.

So many forms.
Each item is a link to a larger photo.
Look and try not to drool.

That blue and green plate is one
of my all time favorites...
but then I love the whale too
and think that Warren might need
that for his desk as he works
on the new show,
Jonah!

Enjoy.....

Grandchillas Sprocket and Evo

 

Perhaps it is because 

so many of my friends have

become grandparents over the past 

year or two.

I find myself looking forward 

to the day

we have grandchildren of our own.

I don't wish for my children to become

parents until the time is right.

That is a given.

But, when Mikey used money received

at Christmas to purchase 

chichillas I found myself

calling them my Grandchillas.

I mean, 

I was in a store and saw their 

favorite treats....

raisins.

I told Warren

I had to get them for my Grandchillas.

It just slipped out.

He looked at me strangely

but a term was born.

I came home all excited and told

Mikey I had gotten the raisins.

He nearly burst my bubble by insisting

on reading the label to make sure 

they were safe for his babies.

What???

There are bad raisins?

Sold for human consumption???

Yep!

But mine passed the test.

Preparation for days ahead when 

the kiddos bring their kids over 

with gobs of instructions to not 

do all of those things that were 

safely done with them.

I remember going through that 

with our parents.

Dropping the kids off with car seats

and swim floaties.

Instructions about this and that.

Only to have them roll their eyes and 

tell us that they had parented us and we

had survived.  

Back in the day seat belts were for 

sissies....let alone car seats.

Thankfully the law was on our side

for this one! 

LOL

I mean...

Warren still has a scar on his

forehead from his 

wild unseatbelted days.

Scary, I tell ya.

How in the world did we survive????

So...

I am officially in training.

And I love my Grandchillas.

I can hold them, 

pet them....

feed them treats and

send them home.

To Mikey's room.

Where they keep him awake at 

night chewing on the cage door

or running on their wheel.

Sigh....

that is so sweet.

Hey Mikey!

Let me know when they run out

of sweets. 

I want to load them up!!!

So, That Was Cold

I have been blessed with the gift of 

a free web site design

by a college student who is using

Good Neighbors Candle Co

for his project.

What this means is that the process

will likely take about a year

and there will be lots of stops and starts

but I'm really ok with that.

My young friend is very creative,

invested in the project and thorough.

We met yesterday to take some photos,

buy the web space and work on text to be 

included on the site.

Not the best day to be outside shooting

video and still pictures.

Our fingers were stiff!

The candles flickered....

well, actually they more than flickered

because not only was it cold.

It was super windy too.

My friend is very capable with 

photo editors and will make these 

photos look great in editing.

He will potentially use them as part of the 

header with an actual flickering flame.

Think video loop.

I am now officially excited about the 

end result.

New candle options for you.....

Juice Glass Candles

$7.00 each.

These are soooo pretty.

You choose the scent and I put it

in the glass, leaving the wax white!

Fragrance List:

 Amazingly Grace (Type)
Apple Cinnamon
Autumn Magic
Black Cherry Jellybean
Blackberry Jam
Butter Pecan Pie
Balsam
Bayberry
Blueberry Muffin
Birds of Paradise
Caramel Apple
Coconut
Cappuccino
Country Bumpkin
Country Apple
Cranberry Balsam
Cucumber Cantaloupe
Cucumber Mint
Clean Breeze (Type)
Cinnamon Buns
Candy Cane
Citrus Infusion
Citrus Strawberry
Cinnamon Stick
Chocolate Milk
Chocolate Raspberry Drizzle
Eucalyptus
Fresh Linen
French Vanilla
French Lavender
Grandma's Kitchen
Home for the Holidays
Honeysuckle
Hot Buttered Rum
Hydrangea Heaven
Hot Baked Apple Pie
Lilac
Mulberry Spice
Nantucket Briar (Type)
Orange Clove
Oceans
Orange Blossoms
Pearberry
Potpourri Spice
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Rose Hip and Tea
Strawberry Kiwi
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Spiced Cranberry
Spearmint
Tranquil Sleep
Tangerine
Victorian Rose
Wildflowers
Wisteria

Just email me (beckypfa  (at) yahoo.com) or go to Etsy if you'd like 

to have me make one of these for you.

Have a great day...

we are shopping today in expectation 

of snow overnight tonight and tomorrow.

The boys have a bunch of friends coming in 

for the weekend...so food is a priority.

LOL

A New Hobby

Soup.

More specifically

potato soup.

I've found that I love making

(and eating)

potato soup.

I made one on Sunday morning 

to share at our Fellowship Meal.

I used our favorite sausage from

a local grocery store.

Yum-my.

I would tell you my recipe 

if I had one.

I kind of like to make it up

as I go.

But I think the secret is 

the red pepper flakes

and that 

Musser's sausage.

Of course the butter, 

evaporated Milk,

2 percent milk,

Tarragon,

Oregano,

Cream of Chicken Soup,
chicken boullion,

Potatoes,

Onion Powder,

Garlic,

Corn Starch,

Salt,
and

Pepper

might have 

had something 

to do with it too.

I might have to make more today.

Mmmmm....yum.

Just perfect on a blustery day.

And Then She Passed!

 

We pulled up to the waiting area

so that Chelsea could take her driver's test.

We expected the very nice man

who had registered us.

Sure enough, 

there he came....

and got into the car in front of us.

Uh-oh!

Then came another man.

This one all bundled up against the 

cold and unsmiling.

He demanded our paperwork.

He got in the car and away they went.

To the parallel 

parking area.

This was the area most dreaded.

I, having been booted from the car, 

was shivering as I stood against 

the building.... watching.

You have to understand that 

this particular part of the test course is

 the stuff of legends around here.

In fact, on any given Sunday you can 

go to the testing area and find parents and 

prospective licensed drivers

circling the building in order to 

practice their parallel parking.

You get just one shot at it.

Touch that curb and it is over.

The waiting list is long and you'll have 

another month or more to wait 

before you can take the test again.

We had not come here to practice.

Not even once.

Warren had taken her out one evening

and they did some practicing in our area....

then she had set up a trash can and I'd 

parked the Buick at my mother's driveway 

where she had practiced a while one

day that week.

This was it...

I did not have high expectations for her 

to pass this part of the test.

So, I watched.

She backed in and parked that car

like a pro.

They moved on to the next part of the course.

Before long they returned.

The proctor (for lack of a better word at the moment)

got out of the car and passed me silently as he 

headed back to the building.
I got into the car and Chelsea looked at 

me with tears in her eyes.

She said, "I passed!".

I asked what we were to do 

next and she didn't know.

Now I began to get worried.

Wouldn't he have told her what to 

do next if she had passed?

I asked exactly what the man had said.

"You made it."

That was it.

We looked at each other.

What if he meant she had survived the 

test and not that she had passed?

We decided that the only thing to do was 

to go inside and ask.

So...that is exactly what we did.

The same kind man who had registered

us was back at the desk.

He seemed surprised that she didn't know 

if she had passed and asked for her permit.

Sure enough, neither the pass nor fail were

marked.  There were, however, some numbers

written there.

He began chuckling and mumbling something 

about no one being bullet proof then told us 

to sit down and stay there.

After a while a familiar figure came from the 

back and went to a spot behind a desk along 

a wall.  I asked Chelsea if that was the man who 

had given her the test.

She wasn't sure...since now he had no 

coat, hat and scarf.

He did not even glance in our direction.

After another "eternity" he gruffly called her name.

We tentatively went to his desk.

He held up her permit and requested that 

she confirm everything was correct on it.

She did.

He persisted...was she sure?

She was...but becoming more unsure all of the time.

He had her sign a paper.

Finally I told him that she still didn't know 

if she had passed the test.

Now it was his turn to look incredulous.

He said, "I told you that you made it.

What did you think that meant?"

I'm pretty sure Chuck is not an ogre.

But he surely enjoyed torturing my girl.

He asked her why she was so nervous.

It reminded me of my middle school gym

teacher who delighted in toughening up 

my tenderness.

While it may not have been as straightforward

as we would have liked it was definitely the 

desired result and one which we will not 

soon forget.

Calling her Daddy to tell him the good news.

Chelsea's first solo drive was 

to .....

Starbucks, of course!

Good Morning Friends.....

If I were Winnie the Pooh

I would tell you that it is a blustery day

here in the wood.

A steely gray sky

is actually very pretty against the green 

of the field across the street 

as the sun rises higher and 

brings light to the water tower

and hay rolls

visible from the picture window.

Today our Chelsea will find out 

if she can drive unsupervised.

Since we didn't get over to the test

area to practice parallel parking 

on the course we are unsure.

That gets most people the first time.

I have to say that Chelsea is a very 

good driver but I am still hesitant 

to want to send my youngest out 

there by herself.

So, I have placed the results

repeatedly in the Lord's hands.

Not that it really wasn't there in the 

first place...but for my sake

I just keep offering her up to Him.

He knows if she is ready yet.

Now I had better get ready.

We have to get some gas on our

way so that she doesn't run out

halfway through the test.

That would be embarrassing.

She would have to call out

for 

"Christopher Robin"

to get her out of a 

mess such as that.

These Turned out So Well

Every day the number one search on 

my Etsy site is Baby Shower Favors.

I'm not stupid...

slow maybe, 

but not stupid

so I've been keeping my eye

out for ways to vary my baby shower

favor options....

Yesterday Mrs. Rabe and I were out 

shopping through some wholesale

shops...

We found these pottery pieces with bears!!

Cute.Teddy.Bears!!

I was smitten and so we piled them

into pie plates that happened to be 

sitting nearby to get them to the register.

I couldn't wait to get to making them 

up this morning.

These are baby powder scented

on a tea light pedestal.

Now available in my 

Etsy Shop.....

and soon to be in the 

brick and mortar store,

Cape Cod Crafters at 

Rockvale Square.

If you are on Pinterest

please feel free to 

"pin them".

Smile....................

Fab Fashions - And Really Good Friends

If you know me you'll

know that I am not a fashion queen.

Not even close.

Clothes and accessories are a blur

on the periphery of my existence.

I wear them so that I don't get 

arrested and or make others ill.

However, 

I have some dear friends with a 

great eye for fashion.

If you read the blog Creekside Cottage

you know them too.

The Rabes recently shocked everyone who knows

them by purchasing a store owned by another

gentleman  in our church.

This store is called Fab Fashion.

So, by that very name you know they 

must know something about fashion 

or this was a very, very bad idea.

(grinning)

Of course they know fashion.

Mrs. Rabe and Emma 

are quite into it, in fact.  

This is the store as it looked on Friday evening

when we visited.

It is pretty much as our friend Denny left it.

Wise on their part since he is 

very good at business and had quite 

a following.

 

I had fun with my camera....

Very artsy shots, don't you think?

LOL

Lindsay was behind the register...

rocking this adorable hat!

It is not for sale.

And I did promise you laughter in this new year.

We ran into some new friends at the shop

and had just a bit of fun.

These young men were great sports to model

what we dubbed "Murses" for us.

Aren't they precious?

 

 You will not see these guys 

carrying purses

again...it was purely for fun.

But these bags are adorable and comfy soft.

Thanks Bradley and Drew.

We had a great time hanging out with you!

I urge you to visit Fab Fashion if you are

in, or visit, the Lancaster area.

It is near Central Market in 

downtown Lancaster.  

Very soon you will be able to 

shop for all of these well priced items

online.  The web site is just about ready to 

be launched due to Lindsay's special 

abilities with a camera and the computer.

That girl rocks both!!

Rabe family....

we wish you success and joy

in your new venture.