April Recap

April flew by without a weekly update and now we are into May so I thought I had better catch up on the past month so I could have a fresh start on the new one!

It was a month of travels for the older kids and Mr. They were gone almost 3 out of the 4 weeks to horse shows.

In an effort to maintain my sanity with the little ones we did lots of fun things while the rest of the family was traveling including a trip to the zoo. I bought a zoo pass last year and it has more than payed for itself. The zoo is under major construction which was dissapointing. The majority of the zoo was not open but we look forward to all of the improvements.

This photo captured everyones personalities pretty well!


Little Man reached in and actually fed the goats!

First time in pig tails! She looks so big!

A PROUD MAMMA MOMENT
This is a picture of the girls ensamble from our church. They earned a first in the TFC choir competition. They sang so beautifully but more important they all honored Christ. From the practices, to their conduct that day Christ was glorified.

At the end of the month our oldest daughter was home for 5 days. It was quite the trip; down a mountain, a ferry ride, a taxi ride, three airplanes and an unexpected 7 hour delay before her much awaited arrival. We skype, and text, and talk on the phone but there is something about being able to touch her and look at her in person that does this momma's heart good! It will be 4 months before we see her again. I was so happy that preschooler and toddler responded well to her visit. They were thrilled to see her and sad to see her go. She got to meet the baby for the first time.

The two young adults in our house participated in the Easter Cantata. It was named "The Call" and performed by our church's youth group. We are so blessed by our youth pastor and his wife! The Cantata was wonderful and I was so proud of our children's participation! Unfortunatly I was unable to get any good pictures to post. My hands were full with the baby and toddler.

School was on hold for the month due to the kids travels and our oldest daughters visit. I met with both of the kids last week and we figured out what goals were needed to be able to wrap up our school year by July 1. Meanwhile I am planning for next year and looking forward to our homeschool conference in June!

A million and one little goals accomplished in April including renewing my drivers liscence.

Being Thankful

One of things I have been focusing on in my personal devotional life and in prayer is gratitude. Just plain being thankful and expressing that thankfulness to my Creator who has given me every good and perfect gift! In may be quite a shock to hear me say it, "but I can be a bit of a negative nelly." I have not become a Pollyanna by any means but being grateful and practicing that gratitude has change me and has changed my prayer life! I started writing this in February, so these are not current situation but recent ones and I felt that they reflected a busy, and stressfull time well. I forgot about being grateful this week and it was a terrible week. Mr. is gone at a show and although it is in town he is leaving two hours earlier than normal and not coming home until late. I have been flying solo 24 7 with the little ones. Their routine was thrown off by the show and I have been dealing with significant behavior problems during the day. Four out of the five children in our home have had walking pneumonia and the baby has had a double ear infection causing her to not want to eat, turning every feeding into a screaming fit. This coming swiftly after several rounds of colds, one child with croup, and a bout of stomach flue. I am behind on so many things like grading and paying bills. The weeks to do list is still hanging on the refrigerator with only one thing checked off and I am exhausted from getting up at night with the baby. It was our anniversary on Friday and we did not spend even five minutes talking together. In truth I have felt discouraged all week and my mental voice has been filled with words such as bad mom and bad wife. Then this morning I realized that what was missing in my week was gratitude. Thank God for the opportunities He has provided Mr. this week for his business. The business which allows me to stay at home with our children. Thank God for 22 years of marriage. Thank God that I have the privilege and opportunity to care for this baby and that she is here in my arms able to scream! Thank God that the little two are so attached to Mr. that they notice and do not like that his schedule has changed. Thank God that in each case we caught the illnesses quickly and that the children recovered well. Thank God that none of the children had to be hospitalized! We thought one of them might be at one point. Thank God for friends who are praying for me and caring for us as we walk through our days! Thank God that HIS strength is made perfect in my weakness! Thank God for the discipline issues because they will show the children their need of a savior!

Simple Woman's Daybook

Simple Woman's Daybook

Monday April 4, 2010

Outside my window the wind is blowing and the high temperature for the day is going to be over 40 degrees cooler than yesterday.

From the learning room: "traditional school" is on hold for the next couple of weeks as the kids travel with their dad. They will be learning lots of business skills and working along side him. They run the cash register, talk with customers, help price and set up for the shows as well as tear down for the shows. When the show involves sharpening they help with that process as well. Every year, we are blessed to hear compliments from people who work with and observe our young adults. They have an awesome testimony for Christ.

From the kitchen

The kitchen is closed. We will be keeping is simply for awhile.

I am reading: curriculum descriptions as I try to make some decision about next year.

I am hearing: toddler outside the bathroom door yelling that she has to go potty. She figured out very quickly that this was a sure fire way to get into the bathroom when I am getting ready for the day. She never actually goes. The older kids are fixing breakfast and managing the younger ones while I get ready for the day.

I am praying: that I would not "just" survive the next couple of weeks but that we would thrive. That God would be glorified in my weakness and for Mr. and the young adults that their time would be a blessed and fruitful.

One of my favorite things: Our coop's performance was a huge success. I think the best performance we have done yet! Everyone did so well and I was so proud of the kids!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Kindermusic today. One day this week I think I will take the kids to the farm to see the horses. We will hit one of the malls for their play place. I am still formulating it so that we can be out of the house for a little bit every day. Other ideas include the botanical center, zoo, backyard adventures, if the weather is nice some local parks. I also have quite a few projects that I would love to get done but knowing how long it takes to do the simplest things around here I am not holding my breath that any of it will get done!

Waiting

We entered a season of waiting over a year ago and have watched as prayers have been answered and our lives so blessed by our two newest children. God has truly been Good to us! The waiting continues as we fall in love with a little sweet baby in our care and wait once more for God's plan to be unveiled to us. Waiting is hard. Harder still to know that God's plan may not be the plan that our hearts desire. He could very well ask us to let go of that which we have grown to love so much and in the dark of night we question, ponder, and wrestle in the spirit. We confess our fleshly weakness and pray for clean hearts, hearts that seek God more than our own will. Hearts willing to surrender to Him. What I liked about this poem is its reflection on my own experience. I have learned more about who God is in the last year than in the previous ten. While I still don't understand prayer, I prayer fervently and have felt the result of a deepening relationship. God uses everything, including and maybe especially waiting to His glory! Waiting On The Lord Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried. Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied. I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate, And the Master so gently said, “Child, you must wait!” “Wait?’, you say, wait!” my indignant relpy. “Lord, I need answers, I need to know why! Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard? By FAITH I have asked, and am claiming your word.” “ My future and all to which I can relate Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to WAIT? I’m needing a ‘yes,’ a go-ahead sign, Or even a ‘no’ to which I can resign.” “And Lord, you promised that if we believe We need but to ask, and we shall receive. And Lord, I’ve been asking, and this is my cry: I’m weary of asking! I need a reply!” Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate As my Master replied once again, “You must wait.” So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut And grumbled to God, “So, I’m waiting. . . for what?” He seemed then to kneel and His eyes wept with mine, And he tenderly said, “I could give you a sign. I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun. I could raise the dead, and cause mountians to run. All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be. You would have what you want . . but, you wouldn’t know ME.” “You’d not know the depth of my love for each saint; You’d not know the power that I give to the faint; You’d not learn to see through the clouds of despair; You’d not learn to trust just by knowing I’m there; You’d not know the joy of resting in me When darkness and silence were all you could see. “You’d never experience that fulness of love As the peace of my Spirit descends like a dove; You’d know that I give and I save . . . (for a start), But you’d not know the depth of the beat of my heart.” “The glow of my comfort late into the night. The faith that I give when you walk without sight, The depth that’s beyond getting just what you asked Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST.” “You’d never know, should your pain quickly flee, What it means that ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’ Yes, your dreams for your loves ones overnight would come true, But, oh, the loss! If I lost what I’m doing in you!” “So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see THAT THE GREATEST OF GIFTS IS TO GET TO KNOW ME, And though oft may my answers is still but to WAIT.” “And though oft’ My answers seem terribly late, My most precious answer of all is still, “Wait.” ~Russell Kelfer~

Where does time go?

Today is Zach's 14th birthday! Where does the time go? The thing I have always appreciated most about Zach is his heart. He is a soft touch. I love how he plays with his new brother and sister. I also love that he enjoys music. His guitar and piano playing are a daily blessing to me! The other day he mentioned becoming a music teacher. He loves to laugh and loves joke books! Happy birthday!

SImple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window: it is still dark. Up and on the run early today!

From the learning room: YAS (previously known as DYS) is looked up to by his younger preschool brother. YAS plays piano so not only does is preschooler want to play piano he practices just like his brother requesting a timer be set. He has his own piano book he used to "practice" and always turns the light on. Immolating his brothers style. We recently purchased a new guitar for YAS and preschooler is now unhappy with his guitar because it does not a have a case like big brother. What a tremendous influence YAS has on his sibling!

Friday: homemade pizza

Saturday: leftovers

Sunday: roast, potatoes and corn

Monday: we will be eating out

Tuesday: egg casserole

Wednesday:panninis

Thursday: I am reading: Unplanned by Abby Johnson. This is the story of a woman who worked as a director of a planned parenthood clinic in Texas. She is called upon to help in an ultrasound guided abortion and because of that experience has a crisis. It was really hard to read the first part because she really describes the experience in detail.

I am hearing: frantic running around as everyone tries to get ready for the day.

I am praying: for dear friends who have a heart to adopt and have had two foster children whose placements have not worked out. God has a great plan for their family and they have great hearts for God's children!

One of my favorite things: We rented this bounce house for our adoption party. It was a blast! Plus we could not beat the price! It was so much cheaper than going to a party place and we could have as many people as we wanted.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Kinder music this morning. So glad that we are doing that! Tonight is our co-op performance of Mr. Toad and Company. A play based on The Wind in The Willows. YAS is playing Rat and YAD is playing a weasel and part of the company. YAD spent hours painting the scenery and it looks fabulous. They have worked so hard. I can't wait to sit back and enjoy the show! YAS's birthday today. Not much the rest of the week. Hopefully a play date with some friends. Then Mr. is off on the road for a weekend trip before he and the older children are gone to trade shows for the next two plus weeks.

Happy Birthday Toddler

Toddler is 2 today! One of the things that we enjoy about her is her sense of humor. She finds things she does funny and she finds things we do funny. I love her laugh!

We looked back on her one year old pictures and find it hard to believe how much she has grown. She is a little thing with lots of personality!