Ferraby's Top and Worst 10 of 2010!

Ferraby Top 10 of 2010

10.  Ferraby’s finally joined the 21^st century! We pooled some gift money and some income from Shannon’s businesses and now have a flat screen in the living room! Yes, I am sure I have in the past said that I would NEVER do that….and, would you believe there is an x-box 360 attached to it?! I actually won it from Burger King! People really win those contests! (No...Shannon still does not carry a cell phone-let's not get carried away!)

9.  Finding Burt’s Bees Champagne Lip Shimmer on clearance and buying the whole case! I love that stuff!

8.  Mommy, Teagan and Reilly started taking Mommy and Daughter clogging classes! Don’t laugh! The teacher says, “Mommy is a natural!” Ha!

7.  Found Lilla Rose at a homeschool convention. Yes, I was supposed to be attending sessions-can’t stay away from those exhibit halls! Love the clips-wear them every day and the business is taking off with minimal effort! Also, encouraged by friends to start It’s a Blessing and who knows-it may become the financial means for Marc to get back to AIS.

6.  Found a local, Christian homeschool co-op and attended this fall. Making some new friends and enjoying that!

5.  Liam started ½ days at a local Christian middle/high school. Loving it and doing well!

4.  Liam’s crippled chicken is so far surviving Ohio winter! Up to 5 eggs a day! Don’t know why this is so exciting in our family-but it is! Each day we all cheer when he comes in and tells us how many eggs he’s collected!

3.  Mommy turned 40 and received a beautiful spinning wheel from loving Marc who spoils me rotten! Mommy is determined to pretend she lives on Little House on the Prairie (minus the outhouse!)

2. Started fostering children for respite weekends and in December welcomed Jack and Jason to our family!

1.  The top of the top is our visits from family and friends! This year we were blessed with visits from my parents and gram (who is 88 and still can make the trip out here!), Marc’s parents who took us all to a fun water park and it was a highlight of the year to see Mum zooming down the giant funnel and screaming her head off! Really-she loved it!!!, The GOT and Care team from Joy-we love and miss everyone there so much! The Fransisco family-great times-great friends! And a surprise visit from the Friesans! What a blessing to be encouraged and have time with those we love!!!

Ferraby Worst 10 of 2010

10.   Ferraby’s finally joined the 21^st century! We pooled some gift money and some income from Shannon’s businesses and now have a flat screen in the living room! Yes, I am sure I have in the past said that I would NEVER do that….and, would you believe there is an x-box 360 attached to it! I actually won it from Burger King! People really win those contests! (yes-I realize this is on the worst and best list..still undecided!)

9. Dog got loose-and came back-at least 100 times! You get to decide which part is the “worst” that she got loose-or that she came back!!!!!!

8.  Not going home for Christmas as planned. Not our fault that NJ folk can’t handle the snow like us Ohio folk! J

7.  Brogan broke his arm…Teagan got braces (yeah, that could be a good thing-but she would insist otherwise!)

6. Six full weeks of illness-quarantined in our home…strep throat..ear infections, mersa infection, impetigo, stomach flu..you name it-we had it!

5. Lots of time and some money trying out square foot gardening…They looked great! The plants grew..and grew..and grew..but then-nothing. No veggies…a flop….we’ll try again next year.

4.  Mommy falls down the playground ladder while holding Caeleen. Bangs her back all the way down, has some numbness in limbs…scares neighbors silly who came running to help, but otherwise ok.

3. Caeleen has an allergic reaction to peanut butter and rushed to ER…too small for an epi-pen-so several more accidental exposures led to some Benadryl doses..but otherwise she’s ok.

2.  Caeleen’s top teeth rotting away but due to strange disease (bullous mastocytosis) can’t have surgery to fix them. Doing the best we can to hold off further damage.

1. The worst memory of the year…the day our dog attacked Liam’s baby chickens. He had 3. They were outback in a pen. The dog got loose-broke through the pen and in front of all our kids and a neighbor child started viscously eating them. I heard screaming, come running and here is the scene…Liam is screaming at the top of his lungs, “I’m going to kill the dog!” over and over, the neighbor is crying and trying to grab the dog to save the limp, already dead, chicken, all other Ferraby children are crying loudly and in shock, the neighbors come running and take Caeleen from my arms as I stand in shock, holding onto Liams’ shoulders and screaming over and over “It’s Ok! It’s OK! It’s OK!”. Can you picture the madness? It was an absolute nightmare. Now, I know, some of you are thinking…”It was just a chicken, what’s the big deal?” But, I tell you..it was mass hysteria and I have never in my life seen children so scared or upset or in shock!!!! (now, you get why #9 is debatable depending on who you ask!)

Top and Worst 10 disclaimer:  This is just for fun….the truth is…we know we should…

“Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  I Thes. 5:18  And we must….

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2 and

“Every good and perfect gift if from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

Happy New Year Everyone!!! May it be a year filled with joy, perseverance through trials, thankfulness, and faith in Christ Jesus!!!!!