Wednesday, February 15, 2012


written by Elliot.
For the past week we have been getting a gas line run to our house because natural gas is cheaper than propane.

 expert ditch digger.
digging up our  front lawn.
.
.
digging a ditch to our house to connect the gas to it.

and  the gas company  found so many rocks that they had to bring in a rock hammer and smash all the  rock.
rock hammer.

                                       
 And then they had to cut out a strip of our driveway to get out all the rocks so that they would not crush the pipe.



there was a lot of choking dust.




it was very hazy(hard to get a good picture).
digging it up.
halfway there.
nice chasm there..

                                                 And soon they will fill it up back with cement.
now they are laying the pipe.
and now they are filling the driveway back up with cement.
    a cement layer who knows what he is doing.
nice new strip.
                                                        
                                       The cement has to dry for at least a week, so we will will have to drive on the grass to get out.                                                           


           It took them about two weeks for them to finish the job because of rain, and they had to wait for the right equipment.


Wednesday, February 1, 2012

posted by Mommy H.

Yesterday the following exchange was reported to me by a bystander-sibling:

Elliot: Benaiah, I'll buy your parrot for $5!
(This is a stuffed toy parrot)
Benaiah: Well, no. I have $25!
Elliot: I have $100, but I'll give you 5 and then you'll have more.
Benaiah : No. I want to be content with what I have.

The 4-year-old offers us all a lesson on contentment.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

posted by Mommy

Twenty years ago today, I was awaiting the birth of my first child, in our little rented townhouse in Sunnyvale, CA.
It was a cool rainy day, but full of bright hope for this first-time mother.
At 11:19 p.m., the Lord brought her forth, and we named her Gabrielle Kara:

Gabrielle : "God is my strength"
Kara : "dear one"

From a tiny 5 lb. 15 oz. babe with a swath of jet black hair and large dark knowing eyes, she has grown to be such a lovely woman of God, filled with grace, ever growing, working with her hands in delight, organizing, managing, and creating within her family sphere.

Happy 20th Birthday, my precious daughter! I love you more than my feeble words can convey. How blessed I am to have such a precious arrow in my home.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Posted by Gabrielle

The Hellwig Family
Daddy, Mommy, Gabrielle (19), Timothy (18), Arianne (17), Christianna (15), Elliot (12), Jedidiah (9), Tobias (7), and Benaiah (4)











Monday, January 2, 2012

by Gabrielle

Opa and Oma's visit was not our only visit from our grandparents this past year! We were thrilled that in the middle of October, our adopted Grandparents, Grandpa and Grandma Way, also from California, came out to visit. We drove out 2 hours to meet them at their townhouse on the coast and spend the day with them. I'll let the pictures below tell the story...mostly!

Studying maps and deciding where to go for lunch...

We decided on Southern Barbeque...yummy!

Most of us at lunch


Back at the house, looking at pictures of old time friends


We had homemade date bars and three flavors of ice cream for dessert...it was all delicious, and made even sweeter by the sweet fellowship!

And of course, a family picture on the back porch overlooking the pond

The beautiful sunset on the way home that evening

Thank you for taking the time to spend a day with us, Grandpa and Grandma Way! I so enjoyed talking with you both and getting to know you better. We'll remember this time fondly for many years!

by Gabrielle

As promised at the end of the last catch-up post, we re-decorated the living room in one evening because...
We had Opa and Oma flying in from CA to visit the next morning! This was a very exciting visit as we had not seen Opa in many, many years, and the little boys had never met him. For the week they stayed (late September-early October) we had lovely North Carolina weather and a wonderful time.

Timothy, Oma, Mommy, and Daddy, talking in the kitchen

Benaiah being silly!


On October 2nd, we celebrated Arianne's 17th birthday with both sets of grandparents!


 Talking and picking out the wax from the candles


Opening presents with Opa and Jedidiah looking on


Of course, before Opa left, family pictures were in order. Surprisingly, we got a good group picture on the first try.



We took some of the grandchildren with Opa as well!


Oma stayed on for a little longer to visit, and one of the days she was here was so beautiful, that we decided it was time for a morning at the park.


Benaiah, yours truly, Jedidiah, Tobias, and Christianna on plastic 'rock' archway, with picture taken by Elliot


Jedidiah, having fun


Benaiah, 'just hanging out'!

Thank you for visiting, Opa and Oma! We'll have fond memories of this time for many, many years to come!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Posted by Gabrielle


"O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here, 
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!"


"Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing."


"Come, Thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in Thee."


"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus,
for He will save His people from their sins."  ~Matthew 1: 21


"O little town of Bethlehem, 
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth 
The everlasting Light; 
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight."


"Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." ~Luke 2: 10-11



"When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy." ~Matthew 2: 10


"I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men."


Merry Christmas!