Okay, this is a BIG picture post!!!

Here are some pictures for you!

First of all, I wanted to show you some yarn that I dyed a couple days ago. it was alot of fun to do and I have a fun knitting project that I am using the yarn for (more about that latter :)

Some men came and delivered drywall for our certified kitchen! A friend of ours is coming on monday to start putting up the drywall... this is getting exciting!

I recently made some black bean soup. If you want me to post the recipe sometime, let me know! It is really yummy with either oyster crackers, homemade crackers, or saltine crackers (actually that is where Mama got the recipe years ago, was off a saltine cracker box :)

And, as always, I have been doing alot of reading!!

Now here are some pictures of what I was given for my birthday... (if anyone is interested! :)

On my birthday we went to my Grandparents house. I had a wonderful time with them. We also went to our friend Parker's house (who lives near them) because he has a really fun ice slide. We had fun going down it! I don't know why, I really don't, but for some reason I forgot the camera and did not get any pictures. Parker got a few pictures. He might might email them.

We had pizza, salad, and applesauce for dinner. Parker and his wife Darlene came over for dessert. Grandma made angel food cake for dessert we had it with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. It was really good.

My sister Grace knitted me the loveliest pair of mittens. They are so special! I think she did a great job on them... don't you?

Here is the palm-side of them. I flipped one of the thumbs down so that way you can see the designs on both sides. See the little heart?

The back side. I love the snowflake at the tip!

Perfect for...

...having fun in the snow!!!

Mama (and everyone) gave me a nice mug with a picture of me and my dear friend Olivia printed on it.

This is the back side...

Grandma gave me a bible bookmark...

Parker and Darlene gave me 16 quarters, 16 dimes, 16 nickels, and 16 pennies. Well, actually it was 15 pennies, because one of the "pennies" was actually a Zambia 1 Ngwee coin!!!

Here it is...

It was late when we got back home. We stopped by the mailbox to get the mail. I was almost asleep and I hear someone say "a package for Hannah from Jennifer ____!" My dear friend Jennifer sent me a lovely hand-knit neck warmer! I like it so much!

I got a nice card from my grandparents on Mama's side.

One from my friend Olivia...

And another card and a letter from my friend Margaret!

My oldest sister R. got me a candle holder that has a ring to go around it with holes punched in a heart pattern so that way the light can go through. She also got me a little box of Whopper's malted milk balls!

Now, just yesterday, I got a really special gift from my dear friend Beth!

When I opened up the box, I screamed when I saw what it was. I was SO excited!!!

This is what it was:

A calligraphy ink pen to use with real ink! It is the kind where you dip into the ink and then write with it!! She gave me some little ink tablets that you dissolve in water to make ink.

Also there was a very very nice wood and brass wax seal and red wax to go with it!!!

I have been having so much fun practicing writing with the pen! I feel like those little first graders that you read about in storybooks and they proudly bring home there blotted papers to show their Mama! When I was dissolving the ink tablet in water, it made me think of when me and Beth were little girls and we would take berries and dirt and pick it with water to make "ink". We would use the "ink" in our play houses in the woods! It was so much fun!

Oh I miss you Beth so much! I am glad we have such wonderful memories though... and when we do see each other it is always a very special time!

Here is a close up of the seal:

Thank you everyone for these things you blessed me with and for making my day so special!

I love you!!