Wormy Hot Dogs

Just for fun, we decided to try the wormy hot dog idea for lunch one day.
Easton and Kiana were very serious about cutting up the hot dogs. . .
and poking the raw angel hair pasta through each piece.
Then I boiled it all in a large pot until the pasta was done.
They weren't quite sure what to think at first--I think they were a little surprised at how they turned out.
I made a cheese sauce to pour over the pasta and hot dogs and served it with cooked carrots and grapes. It was a huge hit (and I even have to admit it didn't taste too bad!!).

Bonding and Building For a Lifetime

As I closed the cover after reading the last page, my daughter interrupted the silence.
"Now go back to the beginning and start it again!" My fourteen-year-old son agreed.

It's time for the gushing review.
Back in August I read Uncompromising: A Heart Claimed by a Radical Love by Hannah Farver, (a copy of which I actually WON from Carrie's blog) thinking I would preread it before handing it to my fifteen-year-old daughter. I enjoyed it so much, however, that I decided I wanted to experience it *with* her, and I thought it would benefit my son as well so I read it aloud to them when we could steal a few moments, a chapter or two a week.

I have read more books about raising daughters for the Lord and being a godly young woman than the average Mom--probably because I am so aware of my own shortcomings and mistakes and I want so desperately to guide my firstborn in a path toward the Lord. Let me tell you, there is a plethora of books out there on this subject, and they espouse a myriad of different philosophies. Some of these books are, in my opinion, pretty extreme--some are extremely "conservative" (read: sheltered, controlling, limiting, legalistic) and others are extremely "liberal" (read: worldly, feministic). I pick and choose a little here, a little there in my attempts to figure this path out as I meander along seeking the ever-elusive track of moderation.

This book is so refreshing! I don't have words to express how much we loved it!! Hannah is our friend now--her voice comes through loud and clear in her writing, and we feel like we know her. She doesn't lecture or pontificate or condescend, yet she is real and. . .well, uncompromising. She writes as one who is beside the reader in the trenches rather than with an air of self-righteousness or as if she has it all figured out. Oh, and did I mention that she is funny?

With almost every reading we had to pause for a moment to laugh along with her as she shared her thoughts and experiences in a delightfully humorous way. This makes her relatable--not only because she was humble enough to share her mistakes, but especially because she invited us to laugh along with her. We've all been there, we can all relate to those embarrassing moments, and we are more willing to listen to what she has to say when she's not above sharing herself.

I love the way that she gently addresses the teenager's tendency to focus on self. I think all of us who have been through that season understand the tendency to think life is "all about me" and *I* want to be loved and *I* want to be popular and *I* want to be beautiful and *I* am insecure or unhappy or emotional or ready for the next stage. . .As a mother to two teens, I am reminded of my own self-absorption at that age as I see that same self-centeredness in my children and their friends. Over and over again she gently steers teens toward their purpose, their "Cause" to die to self and live for Christ.

As to the content of the book, she begins by pointing unashamedly to the Lord. We tend to get distracted in this life by all sorts of causes, whether we are pursuing academics, athletics, beauty, love, success. . .whatever, but Hannah consistently points us to the Cause for which we were created and which should inspire our passion, our purpose, our mission. Then she spends the rest of the book addressing other causes which tend to get in the way, such as the pursuit of love and acceptance from peers or boys ( or the opposite sex in general) and the pursuit of beauty and self-worth.

Why do I love this book so? I think it's because over and over again she points her reader back to Christ. You want to talk about trying to attain your self-worth by pursuing the cause of the world's standards of beauty? She points you back to God and how He made you and determines your value by your usefulness. You want to talk about modest apparel? She points you back to who you are in Christ and how modesty portrays the gospel. (Eve realized her nakedness when she sinned and she desired to be covered--Christ covers our sin with His sacrifice. Don't we want MORE covering, not LESS???) Femininity, purity, the desire to find "the one," friendship. . .she addresses it all under the umbrella and Lordship of Jesus Christ. She doesn't list extra-biblical rules and guidelines to bind on other people; instead she shows how each common struggle, each potentially distracting cause, can be brought under the control and "Cause" of a life lived for the Lord as we keep Him in His rightful place.

I especially appreciated her overall spirit and approach to addressing young ladies in the process of becoming women which she summarizes in an "interjection" regarding legalism.

"It's not about what you do," she says, "It's about whom you do it for. There's nothing more exhausting than not having genuine affection for Jesus Christ and trying to obey all the rules" (59). "Even biblical behaviors can quickly turn into little "c" causes themselves that distract from the main Cause if we lose sight of the Reason for our obedience" (62).

It is sadly necessary to address this subject as I've certainly seen the effects of living life "by the rules" rather than "for the Lord". Her thoughts on this subject and her humility were simply outstanding.

I also enjoyed the many "rabbit trails" we chased in our Bible studies as we read this book. Two of my favorite passages my children shared (among the many we jotted in the margins) as we discussed the book are quoted below.

"Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you." I Samuel 12:24

"Should you then seek great things for yourself ? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the LORD, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life." Jeremiah 45:5

So, we resisted the urge to start back at the beginning and we're passing the book on to a friend with two teen daughters (who I'm sure will be greatly blessed by its message) and then to another friend with a teen daughter. When it makes the circle back to us, however. . .yes, I think we'll start it all over again. It's *that* good.

(and the time we spent together tying heartstrings--PRICELESS!!)

Ridiculously Excited

My friend, Jenn, invited me to be part of a busy bag exchange this Saturday and it's almost embarrassing how much fun I've had with this! I made fifteen number wheels and labeled clothespins for kiddos to match the correct numeral with the wedge containing that number of dots. Easton and Kiana both love playing with this activity and I just can't wait to share the bags with all the other little kiddos.
I found so many cute ideas online and just couldn't wait to have more options for my little ones, so I printed off a sheet of practice letters and numbers and shapes, put it in a page protector and stuck it in a bag with a dry erase marker so we had two activity bags to keep them quiet in church. This went so well, I decided to pick up a few paint sample cards and make the shades of color activity so the children could practice matching different shades of the same color.
I thought this would be especially good for Kiana who sometimes gets confused when confronted with a lighter shade of a color, but Easton thought it was great fun too.My very favorite idea that I came across was the Clothesline Busy Bag, but I groaned inwardly at the thought of cutting out all the clothes for fifteen bags/children. Briana and I had fun, however, cutting little dresses, shirts, pants and short out of her fabric scraps for Easton and Kiana.I am not exaggerating when I tell you the little ones played with this bag for HOURS! We just tied the yarn ends to two chairs, handed them the clothes and pins and told them to "please do the laundry."They worked ever so intently and thought they were really big stuff.I like some of the suggested ideas to extend the life of this busy bag, including telling the children to hang the clothes in patterns (dress, pants, dress, pants) or letting the children use a couple washtubs with soapy water and rinse water to wash the clothes before hanging them, but my children haven't had need of further suggestions yet.They even came up with the idea on their own to take the laundry down, put it in a little tub (laundry basket), then carefully fold all the laundry.I guess they've been paying a little more attention than I sometimes realize--and perhaps it's time to assign them more laundry responsibilities!!

I can't wait to see what other fun bags we'll be adding to our collection after the busy bag swap.

Unbroken--Don't Miss It

I recently finished what might very well be the best book I've read this year: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I kept reading rave reviews by fellow booklovers, and saw it on many of the "Fall reading lists," so even though it wasn't on my original list, I just had to read it anyway.
Were I to summarize my thoughts on this book in one simple sentence, I would say it's a riveting tale that's marvelously told. This is one of those books that makes me glad I'm a reader--and it's also one of those books that show all that other twaddle for what it is. Books like Unbroken make me picky and I'm now longing for another book of the same caliber.

The story told in this nonfiction, historical narrative is that of Louis Zamperini, Olympic runner, World War II bombardier, and prisoner of war. I've heard a couple people say the first part of the book isn't very good, and one of my book-loving friends actually even started the book but never finished it (!!!!), but I was hooked from the first few sentences. I think the beginning of the book, which paints Louie's turbulent and rebellious adolescence, perfectly sets the scene for a man who would need a strong will in order to live the "story of survival, resilience, and redemption" his life would become. I was also captivated by his mother, whose love for her family coated every line, even as she passed her fiery temperament to her son who pushed and tested every rule around him. I bled for her as she made a quick sandwich to send with her son as he "ran away from home" and again when a mysterious rash broke out on her hands the entire time her son was MIA.

The story continues through Louie's personal growth as he finds an outlet and self-discipline in running, then as he is drafted to fight in the war. As his plane crashes in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and he endures starvation, shark attacks, and Japanese bombers, the reader is compelled to stay up into the wee hours of the morning until those eyelids simply will no longer stay open. Life is stranger than fiction, a fact borne out in this story which just keeps on going even as I was sure I wouldn't have been able to endure one more thing.

While I can't fully imagine what it would be like to be a prisoner of war in the hands of the merciless Japanese of this time, I have a new appreciation for those who experienced this tragedy in the service of my country.

The Pacific POWs who went home in 1945 were torn-down men. They had an intimate understanding of man's vast capacity to experience suffering, as well as his equally vast capacity, and hungry wilingness, to inflict it. They carried unspeakable memories of torture and humiliation, and an acute sense of vulnerability that attended the knowledge of how readily they could be disarmed and dehumanized. Many felt lonely and isolated, having endured abuses that ordinary people couldn't understand. Their dignity had been obliterated, replaced with a pervasive sense of shame and worthlessness. And they had the caustic knowledge that no one had come between them and tragedy. Coming home was an experience of profound, perilous aloneness (349).

Even more magnetic than the story, however, is this author's amazing gift for research and writing. As much as I was dying to turn each page to find out "what happens next", I couldn't help but savor her word choices, the way she phrased events, and the comprehensive research which made the story even more compelling. For example, as Louie and the pilot, Phil, were stranded in the Pacific Ocean, they killed an albatross, and Hillenbrand references a popular poem of the day, "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge to explain their misgivings about this act. Talk about attention to detail that brings depth to a story!!!

I was so intrigued by Hillenbrand's talent that I wanted to know more about her. Imagine the increase of my respect when I learned she suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which is so debilitating it frequently keeps her homebound. The amount of research which is clearly evident in this book boggles my mind and her gift with words makes me a wee bit jealous but mostly inspires my awe and respect.

I also learned that Universal Studios plans to make the book into a movie, but there is simply NO WAY a movie will be able to capture the depth of character and attention to detail as Hillenbrand has in this masterpiece. Please, I implore you, read this book before you see the movie.

Oh, and in my typical "lifelong learner" fashion, I noted some new-to-me vocabulary words. Aren't these words fun? This just gives you a small taste of Hillenbrand's gift with words--she knows the exact word needed to convey the full connotation, and that's something that can't be taught!

obstreperous--noisy and difficult to control, rambunctious
anodyne--not likely to provoke dissent or offense, uncontentious
gracile--gracefully slender
excoriated--censure or criticize severely
raconteur--a person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way

I borrowed this book from the library, but as soon as I have opportunity, I must add it to my personal library! Now run out and find a copy to read for yourself.

A Busy and Productive Week

I can't believe all the school we got accomplished this week! I'm not going to add up the hours because 1) I might feel sorry for my kiddos, 2) it might make me even more tired than I am already, and 3) I don't keep track of the hours we do school with Easton and Kiana yet (law says age 7, I start recording at age 6), so it wouldn't even be an accurate reflection.
It was a fun week, too. I pulled out the Geosafari we bought used from another homeschooler last Spring so the older kids could review their Biology vocabulary words in a fun new medium. Even though it says it's for kids 8 and up, Easton and Kiana found a couple games they could play and were thoroughly captivated by it.
As we ended the little kids' study of the moon, I brought out some "space sand" I had set back. This sand was coated with a silicone substance which gave it the characteristics of sand from Mars which is very dry and doesn't absorb water. All four of the older kids (and Dad!!) had great fun playing with this sand in the water and feeling how dry it stayed.
We also read some fun books about the post office with the little ones and they got to go on a tour of our local post office.
The Postmaster was great with the kids and answered their questions in great detail. She even had them bring letters to mail to friends and showed them where their mail came through the slot, how it was sorted, and let them watch as their stamps were canceled.
Then we started our unit on apples.
I'm not sure why Easton found it necessary to wear swimming goggles while cutting out part of the apple tree! :)
This was the most darling craft idea (and super easy and quick--five stars from this mama!). We just traced part of their arm and their hand on brown construction paper and cut out an oval from green construction paper. They glued the oval on blue paper, then glued the brown paper on top and painted red dots for apples all over the tree. (The book said to use fingertips, but Easton is a neat freak and cotton swabs seemed easier for mama as well.)
The kids made a few of the apples fall to the ground, and their projects were complete.
We made and ate applesauce and started reading a huge pile of books about apples.
I think we'll still have plenty to keep us busy through next week!

Evidence That My Baby is No Longer a Baby

I know you expect a picture of Tyrell here, but the picture is of Kiana. She hasn't played with dolls for over a year--she hasn't liked them. When I have suggested she play with her babies she has responded "I don't like those babies, I like MY Baby Tyrell."
But last week she had the dolls out. Now that 15-month-old Tyrell is walking, starting to talk, getting into everything, and refusing to let her baby him (read: control him), I guess she has decided the dolls aren't so bad.

Incidentally, I think my little girl wearing her dollies in a sling just like mama is pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen!!

How Could I Worry?

As we continue through this season of my husband's job change, several people have asked me how we're doing and if we're "ok". Sometimes I feel like I should be worried or scared. Well, truthfully, sometimes I *do* feel worried or scared, but as God just keeps providing, I wonder *how* I could worry! I know the promise that "my God will supply every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19), and I've seen Him meet every need--even sometimes before I was aware of the need!--so how do I entertain even a moment's concern?

I find myself thinking about (and relating to) the Israelites. God provided for them, protected them, and delivered them time and time again, yet the Old Testament is full of examples of them worrying, complaining, or taking things into their own hands. I am comforted that God "remembers we are dust" (Psalm 103:14) so He knows we will sometimes focus on our fears rather than His past provisions. I think surely that is why He told his people to establish "stones of remembrance" so they would be comforted and reminded by His past provision when they faced a new (metaphoric) river to cross.
Joshua 4:20-22: And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' Tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground'" (NIV).

As this journey is more than a month old now, we've encountered some corners, but God has been around each bend. Alan was able to find a temporary job building powerline, which is what he originally went to school to do. A short time into the project, however, the other three members of the crew failed a drug test and were fired. Safety guidelines don't allow working with electricity alone, so he was supposed to be out of work until another crew could finish its project and come to complete this one.

He's a worker, however, of the ambitious and self-motivated type. He pointed out some work that needed done, such as cleaning and maintaining trucks, hauling equipment, and framing some poles so the work would go faster once the new crew arrived. The boss agreed that he could put in some hours on those tasks if he wanted to, so during that three weeks time when he should have had *no income*, he was able to work 68 hours. The payment he earned for those 68 hours covered all of our costs for the next few weeks with $18.11 to spare!!! When we finished working on the budget and paying the bills and realized how God had provided such a precise amount to meet our needs, we just stared at one another, amazed and humbled.

That is a boulder to add to our 'stones of remembrance'.

Then there's our envelope. When Alan sold a bunch of "junk" from cleaning up around the farm and brought over $200 home, we tucked it away in an envelope for "later, just in case." That envelope for "later, just in case" is getting fatter and fatter--and it's all clearly blessing from the Lord.

• A neighbor called (he called us, we didn't call him, we weren't looking for this) wondering if he could put his cows in our (harvested) corn field for a couple months and offered $300 in return.
• Alan had previously been invited to share a lesson at another congregation and received a generous thank you gift.
• Alan received a random call to help a moving company unload a moving van. The mover was so impressed with his quick and efficient work, he generously reimbursed Alan for the time and commented that he wished he could find such workers more often.
• He was asked to lead the singing/worship service for a "homecoming" of a former congregation we met with and received a monetary gift in appreciation.

Even as the Lord has provided these extras, He has simultaneously provided for our immediate needs. We have not dipped into this envelope because He keeps providing just enough work for Alan to do to take care of his family. We keep thinking this envelope will provide during an "in-between" time when there is no income, but the need hasn't arisen. Isn't that amazing??!!

Stones of remembrance. . .

Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen,
and named it Ebenezer, saying,
"Thus far the LORD has helped us."
I Samuel 7:12

That's enough, right? I mean, surely, that's enough. But wait, there's more! That tax return, that pesky little tax return that we've been counting on to pay off the balance of our adoption loan. . .well, it was delayed again and again. We filed our taxes back in February or March, then received notice that they wanted to examine each individual expense and needed us to send receipts and every documentation possible to receive approval by June. So we compiled and copied everything and sent it in and they kept moving the confirmation date back. Our most recent date to find out if they approved our expenses was October 14. We called them on Monday to learn. . .

our documentation is approved,
(they believe we really did adopt a child last year),
and the tax return will be in our bank account
by October 31 (with interest)!!

Do you see how amazing our God is? His timing and His provision never cease to amaze me. By November 1, our adoption loan should be completely paid off. It could have been far earlier, but apparently it needs to be now--in the midst of this journey.

It's not an easy journey, and not one that my selfish heart would have chosen over previous security and comfort. But it's a root-building journey, a faith-growing journey, and the Lord is showing Himself as He leads us through it. I recently read the following passage in a new-to-me translation and it really spoke to my heart. May I trust in the Lord, making him my hope and confidence. May my roots reach deep into His life-giving water so I won't be bothered or worried nor ever stop producing fruit.

Blessed are those who trust in the LORD
and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8, NLT

The Zoo Field Trip

Last spring we bought a zoo and museum family pass which has been a huge blessing to our family this summer in visiting two science museums, a kids' museum, and the infamous Henry Doorly Zoo. We found it ironic, however, that we are past the days of summer and we hadn't used our pass to go to our "local" zoo. In one of my spontaneous moments, I decided to go up and visit my mom and her husband (who is nearing the end of his battle with the cancer mesothelioma), drag my mom off to the zoo for a couple hours, and meet a long-time online friend "face to face".
In a funny twist, my mom now meets with the same church as my online friend, Sunny. Isn't it such a small world?! Above are pictured Sunny with her two children and me with my kiddos, while below my mom joins me and the children.
The day was absolutely beautiful, the animals were active (even the big cats! and Tyrell was so cute yelling along with the tiger's roar), and the crowd was non-existent. This is yet another perk to homeschooling, by the way, as we get to take field trips to the zoo and have the animals nearly to ourselves!

My kiddos always rather surprise me with how much they enjoy the "petting zoo" area feeding animals that look suspiciously like our 30+ herd of sheep. Maybe it just feels familiar. . .
In case you're wondering about Kiana's attire, she received a "Princess Tiana" dress for her birthday a couple weeks ago and has worn it every day (on top of her other clothing) for about two weeks. It's looking pretty rough now, with the flower pulled off, the hem coming out, and the fabric stained.
This next picture is pretty boring as far as the animals and backs of children are concerned, but aren't those trees gorgeous?!

It was even "members ride the train for free" day, which made the little ones even happier!Tyrell was super fun to take to the zoo this time. He is just the right age to start enjoying all the animals, mimicking their sounds and saying "num, num, num" as he witnessed them eating.
I didn't get many pictures of the animals (and my kids took most of the shots I do have), but I got a few cute shots of new friendships forming. . .
and a really shadowy picture of my kiddos at the end of the day.
Other school news is busy, busy, busy. The big kids are plugging along through math, having fun growing mold in biology, studying their heads off with our worldview study, and enjoying our music appreciation class, among other subjects. Easton continues his cartwheels in between reading words and has finished his study of the moon with lil sis tagging along whenever she can. We are continuing to have a really enjoyable and productive school year, and I continue to collapse on Friday evening. It's exhausting, but the rewards are "out of this world" and I wouldn't trade these moments FOR the world.

From 'Fro to Banded to Lots of Braids

I love Kiana's hair, and I think it is absolutely gorgeous in all its curly glory in an afro. She plays (and sleeps!) really, really hard, however, so when I leave her hair down, it quickly loses its shape and becomes very tangled. This might explain why I frequently keep her hair in braids.
I read on a fellow blogger's site about banding hair before braiding it, so I thought I would try it. The object is to straighten the hair a little for greater ease in braiding.
I parted her hair into sections and banded the little ponytails with colorful bands.
To tell the truth, I thought this was a cute little style and she actually wore it for a couple days before I got around to braiding. I didn't find a noticeable difference in the ease of braiding, so I don't know that I'll make a habit of banding (unless I want her to wear it as a style first again!). It might be more beneficial for someone whose curls are tighter.
So the style we ended up with is a criss-cross cornrow headband across the front and top of her hair. . .
and a whole bunch of free-ended box braids in the back.
I think it turned out really cute and should last several weeks.
One nice thing about putting the back in box braids is its versatility. I can put all the braids into a ponytail or pigtails, or part of them up in one or two ponys. This picture quality is terrible, but I want to remember how sweetly even her braids curl up when I don't put extensions or beads on the ends. It's been a little over two weeks and the style is still going strong. I'll try to redo the headband section (either with criss-cross cornrows or some other kind of cornrows) and should get at least two more weeks out of this darling style.