A Time For Every Season....

Samira - from Burkina Faso A  few years ago our family adopted a little girl from Africa. It began as a way of teaching the kids about other cultures - specifically that most people in this world do not live privileged lives like we do in America. Last year we learned about poverty and fresh  water and hygiene practices to supplement some school activities. We prayed often for Samira and her family. Over the last year Drew and Samira have been writing letters back and forth. The latest letter brought about some great dinner table conversations. Samira had written and asked if we celebrated Easter, the Christian Mission Alliance of Tampouy had put on Easter programs and had spent a lot of time talking about what it meant for Christ to die for us. She then said her parents are Muslim and do not celebrate Easter - she asked us to pray for her parents salvation because she wanted a christian family like Drew has. Drew is so faithful to pray for Samira, he prayed for her pare...

Lego Creations around the kitchen table - Drew did this one with very little assistance! Fun times reading about inventions. The past few days gave flown by, my mother has been helping with the  boys a lot so Abby and I have had more time to prepare some fun lessons. Our frogs are multiplying and my kids seem to be fascinated with just about any topic these days so we've had a lot of fun painting and coloring and writing and working on Math. We also are learning a little about Vietnam and their culture. Here are some of the highlights of this week as we anxiously await Daddy's return. We did a colors project this afternoon, I read the boys Mouse Count and we mixed colors together and then mommy painted the boys with the new color. We then made pictures, Drew made one of flowers to send to his sponsored child in Africa. It is so sweet how often Drew things and prays for Samira. He verbalized a letter last week that we sent off to her - Drew answered her quest...

John just e-mailed, texts' and Skype'd to figure out what worked from his hotel  - they all did! Isn't technology amazing! John spent the last 24 hours on a plane and is now settled in a hotel. It was around 1 am when he called and he had to be back up at 6:30 for a breakfast, then opening ceremonies and then he will begin his 1st of 4 talks over the next 3 days. Please pray for him, that he would not be tired and would be bold and courageous to speak with a passion for the disabled. I couldn't imagine flying half way around the world, sleeping very little and talking in front of large crowds- my husband certainly is courageous! Thank you all who supported this trip - it has been a great lesson in faith for our family.   The boys are I are keeping busy and pressing on with summer fun. My mother is helping out a ton, she took Gabe overnight so Drew and I could spend some time together. Drew's idea of a great evening with momma - a Wild Cratz show...

It seems to  this momma that John has left the planet, since he is going so far away! But, John has actually left our continent and is off to Asia, first stop is Japan, then Hanoi Vietnam. The kids and I took John to the airport this morning and said our good-byes. The boys cried and begged to go on the big "777" with Daddy. Gabe really wanted to climb in his suitcase, but sadly had to come home with me instead. When the boys were crying in the car on the way home I tried to comfort them and tell them that Daddy was doing God's work and needed to obey - just like they obey us, Daddy must obey God. Then I said, "God is sending Daddy to share the love of Jesus with those who do not even know the name and who haven't read the Bible." To which Gabe cried, "I haven't heard of Jesus either so he needs to come home and be with me!" Drew piped in, being the ever so smart one and replied "Gabe, you hear about Jesus ever day and Daddy r...

It is sweltering hot in Texas these days and I haven't quite been in the mood to bake yummy scones and drink hot tea. So we changed it up a little bit and made...... smoothies! I think the Sunday Sabbath is still a hit despite the weather! I've been trying to read the boys Sara Plain & Tall this week,  they aren't quite as excited as I had hoped. Maybe it is because they are boys? Sara Plain and Tall was my favorite book when I was younger, I'd hoped they would have been as excited to listen as I was to read it to them. Oh well, they were still excited about the smoothies!  Abby enjoyed her smoothy too, but I think in all my eagerness to clean her up I forgot to get a picture.

Drew is our little inventor - he loves taking junk and turning it into something. So this July he spent a week attending Invention Convention camp! Drew was in his element. What a fun time he had learning about inventors, how animals have contributed to science, atoms, aerodynamics, and much much more. Drew created his own invention, a tube  that takes a marble down to the bottom of his giant roller coaster, smack down into a cordless phone holder. His task was to invent something out of the recyclable material available. Drew did have some help from an older child because his teacher said, "he had so many great ideas that he couldn't focus on just 1." That sounds like our boy! On the last day we all went and saw what he had been learning. I am excited that this unit will feed into the inventors/invention unit we will be doing in the Fall. Such a fun summer! After invention camp we took a week off and then the boys both attended gymnastics camp for a week. The...

"Gratitude for the seemingly insignificant—a seed—this plants the giant miracle." A. Voskamp 990. Husband who renovates the laundry room so we can have a desk for the kids downstairs. I don't like that my computer is upstairs and if the kids are playing on it I don't like leaving them unsupervised, now I can get some things done in the kitchen while Drew works on his phonics. An added bonus - a quiet place to work on school work that will have fewer distractions - our kitchen table breeds lots of business and activity. 991. I purchased the new Fernando Ortega CD and can't stop listening to it!  There is something so peaceful and contemplative about Fernando's music. I've been waiting for a new CD for years!!!! 992. Dear friends, the Reed's,  over for dinner with their little  boys who ramble and run and raise a ruckus just like ours. It was such an encouragement to hear about their journey and trips and faith lessons. I especially enjoyed hear...

We were out running errands today and I made a mental note to remember the various conversations my children and I had over the course of the 2 hours we were gone, they are quite funny! Conversation #1 - "Mom, can I eat grass?" asked Drew "Um, you mean actually chew it like a cow?" I asked in confusion (that happens often!) "Yes, herbivores eat grass, just like cows" "Sure, you can eat grass!" I replied "How about pollen? Would pollen be ok?" "Sure Drew, if you can eat grass, then I bet you can eat pollen." " I'm going to eat some when we get home, maybe we can have pollen for lunch!" "I'm going to eat some pollen before I bring in the  groceries, ok?" When we arrived home Drew found a bunch of pollen on my daisies and ate three finger swipes, he thought it tasted rather bland and after seeing some ants on one, he decided peanut butter and Jelly sounded much  better. Conversation ...

Some days don't go as planned and include: Children who have bad attitudes & a mommy who is determined to make it a great day Trips to the dentist as we pray no teeth need to be pulled Important Fedex packages lost Steeling of chocolate chips - why do kids think they can get away with things, a mother always finds out! Chaotic household messes while we clean out closets and remodel the pantry A toddler teething and grouchy Unmotivated mother who doesn't want to get up super early and go to the gym Praying for grace and patience today Do you ever have one of those days?

I love summer, time for relaxation and  rest and lots of time for organizing and planning. This summer I've been researching and planning our school year for 2011-2012 - its so much fun to take what worked last year and add some new fresh ideas to our schedule. I also love it when the new books arrive in  the mail - it is taking all of my willpower to leave them in my closet. I can't believe Drew is going to be a 1st grader! How did that happen. I really thought we'd repeat Kindergarten again this year, but he has learned despite me!  Gabe will be in Preschool this next year ,2 days a week, but will start Kindergarten phonics and math at home. Gabe just loves learning and it comes naturally to him - he is such a joy - often asking to do school! Drew is a smarty too, he just takes a non-traditional approach to learning! Gotta love variety! Here is what is on the agenda for the Fall (Note: plans subject to change without notice and at the whim of mother)...

I was eight in the video's - carefree, attention provoking, loud and very boisterous. "Who is that girl?" I asked my now 31 year old self? "Surely that was not me? I am so different now?" Did my circumstances change me? I was nine when the familiar world around me fell apart and I wanted to be unknown. For most of my early years I  was smart and loved learning and had a family where I felt safe and secure. That life changed as the Winter of record snow fall gave birth to the Spring of my 3rd grade year. I always wanted to go back, to undo the damaged, to go back to the imperfectly good times of rural country life: with pets and family and  the teacher I'd prayed for and -- identity. Then we moved from rural to city, country landscapes to industry, a home to an apartment, and tragically -- I had to give away my beloved dog. For the completion of my third grade year I was sentenced to Mrs. White's class. She made no qualms about the fact that s...

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“ The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1) 977. Celebrating freedom with scones and clotted cream, James Harriot and a book about the statue of Liberty. 978. Visit from my dad from Seattle. 979. Helping John plan the remodel in our pantry - I'm so excited that we're getting a desk downstairs and cabinets so I can store all this school stuff I've collected. 980. The magnificent landscapes of God's creation atop beautiful snow covered mountains. 981. Picture Outtakes! 982. The simple rejuvenation of a day spent resting and playing - thank you Lord for the example of sabbath rest. 983. Husband  home for the summer working on projects and serving others. 984. God's provision for John's Vietnam trip -  we were blessed by so many! 985.  Giggly middle child who makes everything into a funny game. Gabe is the comedian in our home, always smiling and blessing us with his contented spirit. ...

The kids and I are reading living books on Christians who did great things for the Lord. Our most recent book was on David Livingstone - Missionary to Africa in the mid 1800's. One sad point about David Livingstone 's life was that he put his mission work ahead of his family. I was so saddened to read about his tragic life and the lives of his children who were ultimately abandoned because he refused to return to Great Britain to care for them after his wife's death. Livingstone was used by God in so many great  ways: to free slaves and bring the gospel to Africa, but at the cost of his most important mission field - his own family. What an example for me today - it brings me to my knees and I ask the Lord, "What can I do today to serve others - my children and husband and neighbors within the context of my family?" According to Niall Ferguson: "Empire: The rise and demise of the British world order and the lessons for global power". Basic Books, 200...