 |
| This photo was taken while driving by Round Barn Merinos near Charlotte, VT. |
Greetings from our home to yours...
This
has been an exciting year. We were able to see our "Kentucky family" 5
times and our Michigan family 3 times, plus Gordy's parents were able to
come out for a visit mid-summer. We have a new grandson named Jedidiah
Matthew. We have a wedding to look forward to this coming May 4th. We
have been able to sing in a church choir again and continue to worship
in a Bible-believing church.
The
house is getting quieter, but Gordy & I have experienced more time
just the two of us... discovering each other in a deeper way by reading
together, reflecting, contemplating and searching for God's continued
leading in our lives. We have read the Word together (more than we ever
have), but still need to make it a higher priority. We have walked & biked together, but have probably exercised less than
we have in past years. :( We have gathered & stacked wood,
cleared brush and worked on our bedroom remodeling project together.
Probably the most consistent thing we have done together as a couple
(other than eat, sleep & breathe) is pray together every morning &
every evening. We have prayed for our sons/spouses & grandchildren, our parents, God's provision
and our church family, but we realize we need to pray for ourselves (our flaws
& attitudes), our friends, other believers, AiG, those around us who need
Christ, and our country more often.
 |
| Ilex berries at the Creation Museum. |
We
didn't make the trip to the Maine coast this Fall, although our hearts
were tugged in that direction. We both feel it is one of God's most beautiful created places. Instead, we stayed home and tried
to keep busy on other projects. Maybe another year...? :)
The
house is listed on the market and at the moment we have a steady job, a
roof over our heads, food on the table and our gracious Lord to sustain
us.
God
has bestowed His love, His grace, His correction, His mercy & His
provision, etc. to us again this year and we need to be more thankful
to Him every day.
We also must mention that our beloved friend, Richard Hawes (affectionately regarded as "Uncle Dick" by our 4 sons) went to be with the Lord on May 1st. He was a faithful, giving, tender-hearted man. We thank God for his Christian example to us, even to the end. We will miss him, but know he is at rest and in the presence of our loving Lord. His widow "Aunt Velma" has accepted his passing and continues to be a prayer warrior for our family. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
February: Since Stephen's 24th birthday came on our regular book study night, we had "surprise" supper for him with Charity's family and some of the group. A couple weeks later "The Foundations" Psalm 11:3 was completed. This DVD series was one of AiG's new studies, and we were glad to glean from it with some of our friends.
 |
| Birthday supper for Stephen with some of the study group. |
Later in the month Brandon Baptist Church again willingly hosted our Winter Couple's Night. The following morning Gordy and I drove up to a large church in Essex Junction for the men's "Iron Sharpens Iron" conference. The Lord graciously provided the exhibitor's fee through some friends, thus we were able to bring Answers in Genesis resources to the conference.
 |
| Couple's Night (one table of friends) |
 |
| Gordy manning AiG booth at conference. |
|
|
|
March: Stephen began his orthodontic treatments with Dr. Ciavola in Rutland. His pallet expander was put in and his "bands" soon followed. Unfortunately, it wasn't as fun as he had hoped. :)
 |
A baby food grinder to help puree his food. :)
|
Karen and Laurie Bassett kindly offered to host a "Ladies Appetizer Luncheon" at their home. Karen brought the devotional on "gardens of the Bible" and Laurie gave a short demonstration on "starting seeds". We had a special time together with several ladies and their daughters.
Many more of Stephen's ewes delivered healthy lambs. One lamb needed to be bottle-fed overnight, but it's mother gradually accepted it back within the next few days.
 |
| Holding mother still so the new lamb can find it's feeding place. |
 |
| Lambing time is fun, but can bring weariness when they come in the middle of the night. |
 |
| Audrie, Noah & Nicholas |
 |
| Showing Charity his lambs. |
On the 24th, Gordy and I were pleased to help as VCC's at the women's Answers in Genesis conference, at Essex Alliance Church. Dr. Georgia Purdom was their speaker and did a wonderful job of communicating. Many women mentioned at the table afterward that they were encouraged in the truth of the Bible from this conference.
We began another book study with 2 other families. This time they chose the book, "Worldliness, Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World" by C. J. Mahaney.
 |
| Meeting in McLaughlin's home. |
|
|
Our winter weather was unusually warm. We hardly had any snow to talk about. :) We might have used the snow blower twice...? Spring weather arrived early, which could have been a severe threat to the orchard's apple blossoms. Thankfully there was a good harvest in spite of the danger to the crop.
April: Gordy was able to till the garden early and we transplanted some red raspberry plants, along with black raspberries.
We had a nice breakfast with Nicholas' family on Easter and enjoyed singing songs together as a family.
 |
| Finishing up our breakfast |
 |
| Noah |
 |
| Audrie |
 |
Grandpa & Noah
|
Gordy and I enjoyed a hike up Snake Mountain, and we captured some photos of wild woodland flowers along the way. It was great exercise and a lovely view awaited us at the summit.
 |
| On the trail. |
 |
| The Champlain Valley from Snake Mtn. |
Stephen grafted a couple of twigs from our next door neighbor's "Honey Crisp" apple tree onto our "Cortland" apple tree. It was interesting to watch the process.
Later in April we traveled to Michigan by way of the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY. Charity was able to travel with us, and she & Stephen enjoyed their first camel ride together led by brother, Greg. :) Ben gave us a tour through the art studio later in the afternoon, then we had supper at Greg & Emily's apartment.
 |
| Ben at his desk in the art studio. |
 |
| Showing us the progress on the "Lucy" exhibit. |
The next morning, Greg, Emily & Ben caravaned with us to Michigan. It was a blessing to be able to visit with our friends, Dick & Velma Hawes together as a family. We were privileged to spend some time with Uncle Dick as his health was quickly failing. We reminisced, joined together in song, had a time of prayer and embraced them both. God orchestrated this gathering and we will always cherish it in our hearts.
 |
| Ben & Uncle Dick |
 |
| Greg & Uncle Dick |
 |
| Stephen & Uncle Dick |
The main reason for our trip to Michigan was to gather as family and surprise Gordy's dad for his 80th birthday. This celebration had been in the making for over 6 months. It was nice to gather again with the 4 siblings after almost 9 years, and fun to have the surprise complete.
 |
From right, oldest to youngest: Steve, Doug & Kathy (twins) & Gordy.
|
 |
Mom & Dad were delighted to celebrate with all of their children present. :)
|
We also were able to spend some time on the farm with Valerie's side of the family. Greg was able to introduce Emily to Grandpa & Grandma Telfer, and Stephen was glad that Charity could meet them both too.
As we were getting ready to leave & travel back to Vermont... Stephen, Gordy and I began to feel somewhat sick and feverish. In fact, Charity was the only healthy one in our vehicle on the way home. When we arrived back home, the house was toasty with a warm fire and the bedding was pulled back for us to collapse in. Nicholas & Beth had kindly done this for us, plus had left a meal in the fridge. What a huge blessing! We had high fevers, bad coughs and needed to rest for several days. Gordy missed 5 days of work, so we were relieved when the sickness had finally passed.
May: As mentioned earlier, Uncle Dick passed away on the 1st. Ben was able to drive up from KY and represent our family at the funeral the following weekend. Later he shared what a deep blessing the service was to him. We were glad.
Nicholas turned the "ripe old age of 30" on the 13th. He continues to bring us many smiles & chuckles with his light hearted comments. Stephen often says, "ole St. Nick keeps us jolly". That pretty well sums it up. :) He always has a story to tell, a song to sing, or a scripture to share.
The Lord continues to provide for their needs between his dental business & their Golden Retriever business. He continues to volunteer with the Whiting Fire Dept. and faithfully takes courses toward his certification. He remains busy with his farming efforts, and still loves to hunt when he has the time. Nicholas, Beth and their children are a great blessing to us, and we pray for the Lord's help & guidance as they raise their family!
 |
| Noah, Audrie & Grandma |
 |
| Nicholas' family with set of triplets. |
 |
| Noah, wearing a home-sewn outfit that Nicholas wore 29 years ago. |
..jpg) |
| Rejoicing that they are expecting # 3. |
 |
| Father's Day. |
 |
| Giving Uncle Stephen a "high five"! |
 |
| Feeding Grandma peas from the garden. |
 |
| Feeding Daddy peas too. |
 |
| After a morning of fishing. |
 |
| Making Noah laugh. |
 |
| Relaxing on a summer evening. |
 |
| All garbed up. |
Mid-May there was a weekend event commemorating the opening of the Crown Point Bridge. We walked the bridge & watched the parade. It was a nice celebration.
 |
This blue car caught my eye. :)
|
On Memorial Day our family experienced some exciting news. Stephen & Charity were engaged. :) In the afternoon, Charity's family hosted their annual picnic/softball game, so everyone that came rejoiced with them.
 |
Giving Stephen a big hug.
|
 |
| Rejoicing together. |
 |
| Showing the ring. |
As mentioned earlier, they are planning a Spring wedding on May 4th, so please save the date for their happy celebration in Panton, Vermont. Please pray for them (and the families) as they make preparations.
Here are a couple of our favorite photos of the happy couple with Stephen's lambs...
June: We hosted another "Couple's Night" in our meeting place (old Gift Shop). This time around it was a smaller gathering, and we enjoyed a delightful "turkey dinner" with all of trimmings. We all celebrated the news of Stephen & Charity's engagement during the evening.
 |
| Stephen & Charity with her parents, Dean & Judy. |
Ben's dog "Barrett" turned 7 years old.
Gordy and I began attending Brandon Baptist Church (non-denominational) on a regular basis.
We are grateful that they have welcomed us into their fellowship. :)
Earlier in the season we prepared an area in our flower garden for our lettuce seedlings. We enjoyed fresh greens throughout the summer from 3 separate plantings.
At the end of the month, Gordy's folks came out for a visit. It was fun to have them here. They enjoyed getting to know their great-grandchildren too.
July: We went to the annual Brandon fireworks with Nicholas' family. It was fun to view them from their motor home, and we avoided most of the mosquitoes that way. :)
Gordy and I helped with the book tables at the AiG conference in Schroon Lake, NY. Ken Ham & Buddy Davis were the speakers.
Audrie celebrated her 8th birthday. She is a joy to our lives. This year she has excelled in her cross-stitching/handwork abilities. At Christmas Audrie presented us with a lovely framed hand-stitched picture. Her thoughtful gesture gave Grandma a "red-nose". She also loves playing with her younger brother, and likes animals & nature.
 |
| Big frog & a little frog. |
Also this month, Stephen began an electrical apprenticeship and the house went on the market with Lang McLaughry Spera realtor's (Middlebury) in mid-July. Meanwhile the garden flourished in the summer heat.
August: Our neighbors once again allowed us to use their tandem bike, so we enjoyed some exercise together when time & weather was in our favor.
Gordy was able to install a new bedroom window and add some trim. We washed the walls, added the primer and began the task of painting our bedroom a warm "reed" color.
One of our front pine trees with struck by lightning during a thunder storm.
Stephen & Charity had fun competing with their horses at the Essex County Fair in Westport, NY.
Later in the month Charity and her family visited her older brother, Seth in Virginia, so Stephen gladly went along. We cared for his sheep while he was away. That was the weekend of the serious hurricane that devastated the mid-Atlantic shoreline and surrounding area. We were concerned for them as they traveled, however they arrived home safely.
September: Stephen went to Old Orchard Beach, Maine with the McLaughlin family for a few days, and we worked on our painting project at home.
Gordy and I began singing in the church choir (ensemble). It had been many years and it seemed good to be involved in music again.
Since Beth was due around Gordy's birthday, they invited us over to celebrate our birthdays a little sooner. Nicholas surprised us with a brightly colored cake that he had decorated for us. :)
 |
| Audrie colored us a special picture for our birthdays. |
 |
| Mom & son. |
In thinking about the Fall and entertaining family & friends, we decided it would be beneficial to clean up the brush on the ledge near the fire pit in our backyard. Stephen & Charity willingly helped us one Saturday. Together we made a lot of progress.
The day after Gordy's birthday on the 27th of September, Jedidiah Matthew Iocco was born. He came right between his Grandpa's Iocco's birthday and his Great-grandpa Telfer's birthday. It's nice that he has a day of his very own. :) Nicholas, Beth & children were very grateful for a safe delivery and another precious life. In the days to follow, we had an opportunity to see and hold him several times.
October: Gordy began installing a new insulated floor in our bedroom, then he stained and finished it with polyurethane. What a delight to have our bedroom all painted and the new floor finished. Now we just have to hang the 2 closet doors and do a little more trim work & painting, then it will be completed. :)
 |
| I figured out how to tea-dye the curtains, thanks to Ben's encouragement. :) |
We hosted a Couple's Cook-out in early October. The emphasis was on marriage and we had around 30 folks attend.
The following weekend Greg, Emily and Ben came back for a visit. They were looking forward to meeting their new nephew and seeing the other 2 children, plus Emily was hoping to experience a bit of "leaf peeping" season. We had a grand time.
While they were here, we hosted a "surprise 25th" birthday gathering for Stephen. Yes, he was born in February not in the Fall, but we wanted to give him a party while his KY family were home. Stephen (and Charity) thought the gathering was planned so Greg & Ben could see their old friends while they were back in the area, but little did they know that we all had something else "up our sleeves".
In the afternoon there was a volleyball game, and Greg & Emily led a "treasure hunt" for the children. For supper there was a cook-out/potluck, however prior to the meal Gordy announced the real reason why all 65 of us were gathered together.
Now they know the surprise. :)
Our sons, the McLaughlin family and many friends were in on the surprise, so it was fun for all of us to see Stephen's face when it all unveiled. :) Charity didn't know beforehand and she seemed delighted. We all were tickled that the surprise worked.
After we ate we all sat outside and watched a special slideshow that brother Ben had made up for the occasion. It was a pleasant evening. We appreciated everyone's participation and help.
 |
| The happy birthday boy, with Charity's parents. |
In the days to follow we enjoyed being together as a family. Some had a new experience learning how to ride the tandem bicycle. Nicholas, Greg, Emily & Ben were able to hike up Snake Mtn., and they enjoyed some fun at the top. :)
 |
| Learning to ride the tandem in the sheep pasture. |
We all laughed when we saw their pictures. It looks like they had a lot of fun.
On the last day Emily had her first experience jumping in the fall leaves. It was a joy to have the family together again. What a blessing!
 |
Our 4 sons...all together again.
|
 |
Saying good-bye.
|
November: Greg & Emily celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary on the 5th. :) Also, recently they have started a independent marketing business (www.amway.com/ioccomarketing), and are excited about opportunities for their future through this endeavor. Meanwhile, Greg works at the museum's petting zoo and Emily works in guest services (and helps in the petting zoo sometimes). It's fun when they can work together. As you can see by the photo, the camels absolutely adore them. :)
 |
Photo compliments of Elaine Monroe.
|
Due to many different factors, Stephen decided to step back from the apprenticeship program and returned to work as a pruner at Champlain Orchards. He continues to raise & sell lamb products at the farm market and also to private customers. We pray for the Lord to lead & provide as Stephen seeks direction for the future.
Our Christmas trees & wreathes were set up for sale a week early this year as we decided to join Valerie's family back in Michigan on the farm for Thanksgiving.
 |
Our Thanksgiving celebration here before our trip.
|
We drove through the night to Kentucky making some stops for a few short naps along the way. We arrived about 2 pm. and met Greg & Emily at Ben's place to unload our luggage. Then we all went on to the museum. Ben was there working on the new "Christmas Town" set which incorporated the new outdoor Ark exhibit. He was able to show us some other new exhibits, one being the "Lucy" exhibit that he had been working on for many months. Later, Greg & Emily prepared a delicious dinner for us at Ben's home and we enjoyed some time with the family. The next morning they invited us to attend a "staff meeting" at the museum before we headed for Michigan. The devotional and prayer time was a blessing to us. It was on the timely subject of "Thanksgiving".
We stopped at the museum bookstore before we left and purchased a couple of special books. One was called, "How Do We Know the Bible is True"? (Volume 2) by Ken Ham & Bodie Hodge. Greg had the privilege of editing 2 chapters in this book, and his name is listed in the credits... http://www.answersingenesis.org/store/product/how-do-we-know-bible-true-2/
The other book was called, "The Genius of Ancient Man" by Don Landis... http://www.answersingenesis.org/store/product/genius-ancient-man/
Ben's artwork (previously used in the Answers magazine) is on the cover. At the time of this writing, Ben is working on another assignment for an upcoming magazine issue, so we are praying for the "work of his hands" in this endeavor. We continue to pray for our 3 family members who work daily in this vital ministry.
 |
| Part of the "Christmas Town" set with Doug Henderson |
 |
| New Ark exhibit |
 |
| Cubit |
 |
| New construction at petting zoo. |
 |
| "Lucy" Exhibit |
 |
| Serving up a delicious supper. |
 |
| In the morning, before work. |
 |
| Saying "good-bye" to Emmy Lou after the staff meeting. |
On our way to Gordy's folk's place we stopped and visited with our dear friend, Velma Hawes for a few minutes, then in the evening attended a Thanksgiving service at Gordy's parent's church. The next morning we traveled over to the farm in order to stuff the turkey, etc. Gordy's parents later joined us for a delicious meal with the Telfer family.
Valerie's brother, Vaughn, his wife Cindy and their sons traveled through the night from Missouri. They brought Phillip's fiance, Kyla, and Josh's girl friend, Rebecca, with them. It was a special blessing for us to have Ben drive up from KY on Thanksgiving morning and join the festivities. Together, we enjoyed time reminiscing and talking about Phillip & Kyla's courtship, wedding plans, etc. On Friday, the guys assembled the folk's 49 (plus) year old nativity scene in their front yard. At the end we took photos as a family. Lord willing, perhaps you will see one of the photos on our 2013 Christmas card. It was a fun memory for all of us.
 |
Mom, Cindy, Dani & I had fun adding recipes to these recipe books.
|
 |
| Saying "good-bye". |
 |
| On display for the 2012 Christmas season. |
Our grandson, Noah, celebrated his 2nd birthday at the end of the month. He is such a sweet little guy. He doesn't say too much, but is full of expressions and smiles. He loves to say "yeah" and he understands the conversation around him. Lately he has learned to bark like a dog when he sees Barrett. One day when we went out to his house for dinner, Noah ran to greet us with a big smile :) In his hand he tightly held a big green grasshopper and wanted to show us. It was cute, but kind of yucky. Noah is a brave boy!
 |
| Noah with the grasshopper. |
 |
| Noah's 2nd birthday celebration. |
 |
Two tiny knitted bunnies...
|
 |
| ...that go inside a cloth carrot. A fun gift we found from "Etsy". :) |
 |
Hugs to Jed & Audrie too.
|
December: The weekend after we returned to Vermont we presented "Live Nativity 2012" (our 6th year). That was a busy week. Again, we were so grateful for the 30(+) dedicated friends who helped us with this ministry.
 |
Bringing down the donkey & horse for the nativity.
|
 |
| Cast of Live Nativity 2012 |
The weekend after the nativity was completed, we received word from Greg & Emily that Ben had fainted after the museum's "Christmas Town" presentation and needed to head for the ER to be treated. He ended up with 3 fractures in his face. This accident happened on the evening before Ben's 27th birthday, so that wasn't much fun for him. He was off from work for a week and was limited in lifting heavy objects, etc. for a while. It was hard for him to chew, as you can imagine with a broken cheek-bone. He told us he was over-whelmed with the love & care shown to him by his museum friends. We were so grateful. :)
We took our friend Kathryn Crockett out for our annual Christmas supper together in Poultney, VT. The O'Connells were able to join us. We had a hearty meal and happy visit together.
We also celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary this year.
 |
| Photo taken by Judy McLaughlin at the Agway Pancake Breakfast. |
For many weeks, we had been thinking and praying about Valerie going back to Michigan to stay with her parents for a week or two. Valerie's folks have gone through some challenges these past 2 years because of her Mom's Alzheimer's disease. We thought it might give Dad a break to have some company while brother, Dan and wife, Dani, traveled down to Phillip & Kyla's wedding reception in MO. So after the trees sold, our Christmas celebration was complete, and Gordy got a few days off work, we traveled out first to Kentucky and then on to Michigan.
 |
Christmas Day 2012
|
 |
| Recipe books for the girls. |
Our visit to Kentucky was 3-fold (well, actually 4-fold)...
1) to see Ben and how his health was doing after his accident, 2) to see Ben reenact as Noah's son, "Ham" in "Christmas Town", 3) to surprise all 3 of our kids with our visit, and 4) to get a camel ride from Greg & Emily. :)
We had prayed for clear roads, and most of the way the pavement was free of ice & snow. This time, Gordy decided to stop over-night at a motel in Erie, PA. as driving through the night can get pretty wearing for us "old folks".
We arrived at the museum at 3:45 pm., and with out going into a lot of detail, just know that our surprise worked. All 3 were tickled that we came. We were thrilled that we had come too. We had dreamed of doing something like this for the last 3 "Christmas Town" seasons.
 |
Lots of snow at the Creation Museum
|
 |
A surprised pair in the petting zoo.
|
 |
| Lovely lights started to show in the gardens. |
Ben did a great job acting in the new "Ark" presentation and the message of "redemption through Christ" blessed our hearts. He made it through 3/4's of the reenactment when he noticed the two of us taking photos from the crowd. He briefly acknowledged our presence with a twinkle and a smile, but he didn't "skip a beat" with his part. Afterward we had to give him "hugs/greetings" quickly as another performance was about to start. We watched his presentation at least 3 times that evening. :)
 |
| Ben (playing "Ham"). |
 |
| Shem & Ham |
 |
| Shem, Ham & Mrs. Ham |
 |
| Ben, Lindsey & Brad in between performances. |
Greg and Emily worked together with the camel rides along with 3 other staff members. We were impressed with the ease of the whole operation. It was a safe & fun experience.
 |
| The 3 of us on the camel mounting platform,with Greg standing below waiting to lead the ride. |
We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the museum, and as usual it went way too quickly. Soon all the presentations and events came to a close, and we headed to Ben's place for a short time of conversation before sleep. It had been quite a day. :)
In the morning we traveled up to Michigan. Velma Hawes (at the Spring Arbor Assisted Living Center) awaited our visit, and we spent some time "catching up" on her life there. Later, we had a delicious bowl of soup & enjoyed conversation with Gordy's parents in their home before traveling over to the farm for the night.
The next morning Mom & Dad Telfer visited with us over breakfast. Mom showed us her wedding photos, etc. from over 59 years ago. We had a good day, then that evening we gathered with both sets of parents for pizza, while "Bonnie" the cat entertained us.
 |
| New Year's Eve with the Ioccos and the Telfers. |
Gordy planned on leaving for home early the next morning, but a few issues arose so he decided to stay after all.
The following week the Lord gave us some special moments together, and ample time to reflect on past memories with Mom & Dad Telfer. Also, we were able to see Gordy's folks a few more times. We were grateful for the time we had with all of them. They continue to be a great blessing to us. :)
 |
Happy New Year 2013!
|
Well, 2012 is now gone and will never return. However, we are reminded over & over that the Lord is present with us and is at work in our lives. He does mighty miracles on our behalf, and gives us each a new beginning every day. May our hearts always yearn to grow closer to Him.
This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,
"Therefore I hope in Him!"
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:21-26
P.S. The news is out... Greg & Emily are expecting their first baby in mid-September. We all rejoice with them. :)
..jpg)
..jpg)
.jpg)
