One Month Later

• We have moved into the house, settled in, unpacked most needed boxes, and immediately resumed our studies
• been welcomed by our church family
• three families from church have invited us into their homes for a meal and fellowship
• one family from church has come to our house for a meal and fellowship (we invited another family as well, but they had to cancel as a work emergency interfered)
• We've had my brother and his family over for an evening of fun, a distant cousin and his family over, and a birthday party with grandparents from both sides and two siblings with their families.
• Spent the afternoon in the home of a homeschooling family
• Went skating with the homeschool group

• went to a Valentine's party with my hubby where we had a blast writing our love story using names of candy bars and losing the Newlywed game
• Briana started attending the local chapter of Bright Lights and loved the lesson on learning to serve others
• I found a group of ladies beginning a study of the book of James
• attended a local Blues performance night

• I attended a prayer group evening and was richly blessed by the study and time focused on prayer
• The whole family attended a homeschool family fun and game night (dodgeball was the game of choice!)
• Briana and Destry attended a teen game night

• found a piano teacher for Briana and Destry (she's really challenging them--she retired from Simpson University as a piano professor there and they are already learning a great deal)
• attended a 4H meeting (to join or not to join. . .)
• found a violin instructor for Destry
• Destry spent a day snow tubing with some friends

• Spent a day at my sister's house
• Destry became a member of a youth symphony
• survived Alan's "bout with gout"  (and learned one should eat cherries, drink a horrid apple cider vinegar and honey mixture, drink lime water, and avoid nuts, rich meats, and high fat foods in order to avoid flare ups)

I think it's funny that he was reading Dr. Seuss's Foot Book to the kids
while soaking his poor, aching foot!

• Two families of friends from Missouri have each come up to spend a day and make sure we are getting happily settled
• set up a Bible study with a woman who is seeking knowledge of the Truth (pray for Kim that her heart would be open to the Word)

I would say it's been a busy but productive month since we moved!

The Pilgrim's Progress

 

We start 'em young here!  I think we have four editions of The Pilgrim's Progress in progressive degrees of difficulty.  Even my littlest ones like to read this picture book version with its eye-catching cartoon illustrations.

That burden on his back is so obvious in these pictures that they can imagine why he would want his sin removed.

And the depictions of trials and dangers and battles with evil grab their imaginations and I hope will stick in their minds throughout their adult lives as they live out their own stories.

For the fact that we each are living our own story is one of the reasons I chose The Pilgrim's Progress when Carrie asked me to select a book for her book club.  I think it's easy to lose sight of that fact when we get caught up in the day-to-day tedium of our lives.  We aren't able to comprehend the big picture of our lives as we are too close--our emotions, distractions, and myopic vision mislead us.  We are part of a great story--the ultimate story--that of good vs. evil.  If we could only keep that perspective each day of our lives, I think our lives would look very different.  We would perceive the fiery darts of the devil for what they are instead of obliviously focusing on this earthly life.  I'm counting on this allegorical story to remind me to focus on the big picture so I can live a more God-glorifying life each day.

I enjoy the allegorical aspect of The Pilgrim's Progress as the parallels to life are so clear, even as the story itself is enjoyable.  I haven't read the original, unabridged version for about twenty years, so I'm looking forward to visiting it with my big kids--it's time for them to graduate from the picture book, the version with mice as the main characters (this book is still packed and I can't remember the name of it!) and Little Pilgrim's Progress to the real thing!  I think it will also be good for them to realize where author John Bunyon's focus was when he was imprisoned for sharing the good news.  So often we are tempted to wallow in our self-pity and fear and SELF rather than immersing ourselves in the Lord and His Word when life gets difficult.  I am humbled and inspired by the lasting works produced by people like John Bunyon and Dietrich Bonhoeffer while they were persecuted for their faith.

You're invited to travel along with us and Christian through the month of February as we read The Pilgrim's Progress and journal your thoughts on your blog (post a link with Carrie!) or discuss them in the comment section. 

''There's no Discouragement,
Shall make him once relent,
His first avow'd intent,
To be a Pilgrim.''

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

When I read Carrie's review of Black Heels to Tractor Wheels:  A Love Story by Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) it sounded like just exactly the light read I needed.  The subtitle "A Love Story" would likely have put me off normally, but the review of the story sounded just a little too familiar and I had an inkling I would be able to relate to it.

I was right.  There were so many parallels between Ree's love story and my own that I got all sentimental and took my own walk down memory lane.  Her style was funny and easy to read and considering the recent stresses of moving and changing jobs and all that stuff, it hasn't hurt a thing to be reminded of those days when love was fresh and new.  Some of her stories took me back more than twenty years.

• I wasn't really planning to marry Alan.  We started dating the end of my senior year and I thought we would date through the summer, then I would go off to college and get on with my life.  Like Ree, I found it more than a little difficult to move on to a life that didn't include him.

"Logically I knew I couldn't possibly allow this new man to derail me from where I really wanted to go in life.  But it would take a little more time for me to work up the gumption to put the brakes on our ever-increasing momentum.  I simply wasn't finished kissing him yet" (43).

• The summer before we got married, Alan came to visit me at the apartment I shared with my friend, Heather.  At that time, Heather was moving progressively toward vegetarianism, but she would eat chicken and turkey.  I had the bright idea to cook them supper instead of us (poor college students!) going out.  I don't know what possibly possessed me to put ground turkey in a can of cream of mushroom soup and call it supper, but they gamely tried to eat my horrible concoction.  After I took one bite, however, I pronounced it inedible and whisked their bowls away (and we ordered pizza, of course!).

"I watched as he dutifully ate my dinner, unaware that, as I later learned, throughout the meal he seriously considered calling one of the cowboys and asking them to start a prairie fire so he'd have an excuse to leave" (44).

• Dare I share the story of my love visiting me at college and as he prepared to leave (amidst some kissing and a close embrace) I whispered that he smelled so good, I wished I could hold that smell forever.  He ever so romantically (giggle) drew away from me and whipped his shirt off over his head in one smooth motion.  He leaned back in for a quick peck and left me with his shirt!!  Oh, how that memory makes me smile.  I thought he was so romantic, as I pictured him driving all the way back home with no shirt on.  I put that gray Tshirt (oh yes, his infamous gray Tshirt, worn a size small to emphasize those broad shoulders I so admired) on a bear he had given me and slept with it, my nose nuzzled into his smell, for many nights afterward.

"I'll miss the smell of his shirt" (45).

• Then there was the time, shortly after we had begun dating, that my friend Angie and I were driving a bit too fast down a gravel road near his house and I lost control and ran off in the ditch.  We hitched a ride with a passing neighbor to Alan's house and he and his dad brought the tractor over to pull my car out.  As we reminisced over this event recently, he grinned as he told me "I'd have gone out and rented a tank to get you out of there if I had to, you know."  awwwwww  His dad called me "Crash" for some time after that. . .

"My car was stuck, the right two tires wedged inextricably in a deep crevice of the earth on the side of the road.  On the list of the Top Ten Things I'd Want Not to Happen on the First Meeting Between My Boyfriend's Mother and Me, this would rate about number four" (84).

• I couldn't believe my eyes my husband's frequent phrase popped out on the page!  Seriously, who says that?!

"Time to make the doughnuts," he said, peeling back the covers (275).

• My hubby grew up on a dairy farm.  Sometimes I have been thankful for his matter-of-fact approach to. . .sensitive. . .subjects as a result of this upbringing.  The man simply doesn't get embarrassed or uncomfortable.  There are topics, and have been situations, that I find embarrassing and uncomfortable to talk about or share, but my farmer husband takes things in stride and that has made many situations that occur in marriage, childbearing, sickness, etc. a little easier to experience with him.  Thus I couldn't help but laugh in commiseration at the advice Ree received shortly after delivering her first baby.

"'You know, you need to be careful not to get a sour bag.'  I sat there, staring blankly ahead.  Little did I know it was but one of the many times my brother-in-law would draw a parallel between me and livestock" (303).

There were lots of fun parallels in our lives that made the book enjoyable to read, especially at this season of my life.  I laughed out loud several times--both because I could relate and because she is simply a wonderful storyteller.  But I was surprised at one experience we shared that was no laughing matter and which Carrie didn't mention (obviously, it just didn't stand out to her in the same way it did to me).  Ree's reflections on  her parents' divorce were particularly well-written even as it wasn't a commonality one would like to share. 

"I'd worn that label like a badge, that pride of being one of the minority of twenty-somethings whose parents' marriage was still going strong, whose family's foundation hadn't been shaken by divorce.  And just now, in the blink of an eye, all my illusions of a stable, perfect home life had been shattered" (87).


"As an adult, watching the marriage of your mother and father implode and disintegrate is like watching a train wreck happen in slow motion.  And your parents are the conductors, and the passengers on the train are family, and many lifelong friends, and all the future grandchildren, and a community, and memories and hopes and dreams.  And they're all about to die in a fiery, deadly accident.  Oh, and you're on the train, too.  But you're also watching from outside the tracks.  You want to scream, to try to warn the operators of the train of the devastation that's about to come.  But it's a nightmare, and your voice is squeezed and squelched and nothing comes out.  And you're powerless to stop it" (114).

 Overall, I enjoyed this light read, although I will borrow Carrie's phrasing to warn the reader of a few "steamy make-out scenes".  This is not an account of God writing a love story, I don't want to mislead anyone, it is simply her story which instigated my own little stroll down memory lane.

Moving. . .With Children, Part Two

A friend's questions have inspired a short series about moving with children.  In regards to moving with young children, my advice would be

DON'T DO IT!

But sometimes a person just has to.  And Laura "would love to hear about the things we did to make the move with the kiddos."  Unfortunately, I have no good advice to offer.  We neglected routine, implored the children to "go play" while we packed, and temporarily assumed the "putting out fires" method of parenting.

I've been paying for it these last couple weeks as we've been getting settled and are trying to re-establish routine.  The little ones are whiny, clingy, disobedient, and won't get along with one another.  It's exhausting!  So while we're getting settled, I've been trying to focus on training.  My little ones are being tomato staked, staying close to mama so I can address attitudes immediately.  We're dealing with selfishness, arguing, whining, unkindness, and all sorts of unacceptable attitudes.  I don't know if this is a result of the upheaval of moving to a different house, different town, different church away from friends or if it's a result of our neglect of training during the busyness of moving or just what.

I've been trying to focus on character training in specific, and am using some resources from The Learning Parent that I really appreciate.   The above book has short stories illustrating character traits including obedience, patience, honesty, kindness, responsibility, gratefulness, contentment and so on.  They use lots of nice photos of the children (who are all cousins and since my own children love, LOVE their cousins, it's even more enjoyable to them) and are applicable to young children.  One of my favorite things about this book is that they teach the character traits in a *positive* way, rather than negative--the children are praised for obeying by staying away from the horse while waiting for Grandpa, for example, rather than punished for disobeying.  I think it's good for our children to see other children modeling positive behaviors

The flashcards below each have a copy of a photo from the corresponding story in the book with the definition of a character trait on the front and a Bible verse on the back.  We are working on memorizing the definitions of the character traits and use these flashcards to briefly review the traits we have focused on previously.

These resources seem to be helping, or maybe it's as much due to the fact that I am being intentional in patiently training them in these areas rather than focusing on *correcting* them in these areas.  It is much more pleasurable to sit down each day and read a story (or three or four--they beg me to read more) to the children and praise them for finishing my leading sentence "obedience means. . ." with "doing what is expected of you cheerfully, immediately, and thoroughly" than to deliver consequences for disobedience.

I also can't help but wonder why this move seems to have been so difficult and disruptive for them.  As an adoptive parent, I wonder if the drastic change subconsciously reminded them of losing their first parents and having to adapt to an entirely new situation:  the new sounds and smells of a new family, new parents.  Children are very adaptable, yes, but there are aftershocks as a result of change.  I am recognizing a heightened sense of neediness, perhaps even some insecurity, as my younger children just seem to need me in sight, to need reassurance that I am there, even to the point of acting out to make sure they have my attention.  I don't want to take this too far, to the point of making excuses for misbehavior, but I also want to be perceptive and aware of needs, so this is something I'm trying to discern in the midst of everything else.

I'm afraid the whole situation isn't helped by the way we removed them from their old home.  I asked a good friend to watch the three little ones on the day we loaded the UHaul, then we met them that night at my older son's violin recital and drove to the new house to camp out on the floor.  The next day the little ones went with Alan's parents for the day while we unloaded everything.  So, they weren't actually present for the moving process.  They left a house (their home) full of their stuff and never went back to it. . .then were brought to a different house "miraculously" filled with their stuff.  This was effective to keep them out of the way so they wouldn't trip anyone or get stepped on, but I wonder if it contributed to the behavior afterward.  In hindsight, I wouldn't recommend moving this way with little ones.  I'm not sure how we'll do it next time, but I'm pretty sure it won't be the same.  Meanwhile, I'm spending lots of time on the floor, playing with little ones, reassuring them of my love and presence, and reminding them of proper attitudes and behaviors.

Workin' It

 Kiana cracks me up--she's such a little diva sometimes.  She has lately taken to wearing ballerina outfits with funky tights everywhere (and I do mean everywhere!) she goes.  She pulls it off, too.  Everyone looks at her and smiles, and many even complement her on the cute outfit.  I'm confident people know *she* picked it out, not me. :)

This is the ensemble she wore to the mall to get her ears pierced.  She was oh-so-excited and chose Hello Kitty earrings.  Here she is simply beaming as she checks them out.  She didn't flinch, say ow, or shed a single tear!

 As you can see, her hairstyle (which lasted nicely through packing and the move) was getting fuzzy, so that night I removed her braids.  I'm always newly amazed at her beautiful big-hair braid-out!

 What a gorgeous head of hair!

 So much hair for such a little girl!  But she's got big, big personality!  At Bible study this evening, she was talking with two elderly widows.  It turns out she was asking them when their birthdays are and how old they were!  :)  They were quite charmed by her, commenting to me afterward that she talks so well--like a little grown up.  I told them she was just sure she was as grown up as they are and one lady shared "Yes, she told us she used to be a little baby, but now she's BIG!"

Four sure is fun with Kiana Jayde!

Old Age and Elephants

I was going through withdrawal.  I hadn't read a book--just a fiction, take-me-away, read-it-for-fun type of book--since before we moved.  So Friday night I started Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen at about 10:30 and stayed up reading until I closed the back cover at 3 am.  I had seen this book on so many lists that I just had to find out what all the fuss was about.

Frankly, it's not one I would recommend, even as I found some thoughts worth chewing on.  The writing grabbed my attention in the beginning, but it wasn't quite as gripping later on (and no, it's not because it was the wee hours of the morning! ha).  There were also a couple of "mature" scenes that didn't add anything worthwhile, so that's another reason I wouldn't encourage everyone to go out and read it.

Having said that, I found the story interesting and really appreciated the aging theme which was neatly woven throughout the book.  She caught my attention in the first chapter as I've recently been reduced to subtraction when someone asks my age.  "Um. . .let's see, I was born in August of '73 so I'm. . .yeah, 38, that's right."  Glad to know I'm not alone (I guess).

"When you're five, you know your age down to the month.  Even in your twenties you know how old you are. I'm twenty-three you say, or maybe twenty-seven.  But then in your thirties something strange starts to happen.  It's a mere hiccup at first, an instant of hesitation.  How old are you?  Oh, I'm-you start confidently, but then you stop.  You were going to say thirty-three, but you're not.  You're thirty-five.  And then you're bothered, because you wonder if this is the beginning of the end.  It is, of course, but it's decades before you admit it" (5).

I love the ruminations of the 90-some-year-old narrator who spends a good part of the book in flashbacks to the pivotal season of his life.  They're rather sad and scary, on the one hand, yet they're insightful and poignant as well.

"I should know better by now, but somehow I still expect to see myself (when looking in the mirror).  Instead, I find an Appalachian apple doll, withered and spotty, with dewlaps and bags and long floppy ears.  A few strands of white hair spring absurdly from its spotted skull. 
 I lean close and open my eyes very wide, trying to see beyond the sagging flesh.  It's no good.  Even when I look straight into the milky blue eyes, I can't find myself anymore.  When did I stop being me?" (111).

"Age is a terrible thief.  Just when you're getting the hang of life, it knocks your legs out from under you and stoops your back.  It makes you ache and muddies your head and silently spreads cancer throughout your spouse" (12).

I was also saddened at the way others treated him--both his family and many of the staff in the nursing home.  I can't imagine feeling like I have nothing to offer, or that nothing happens to me anymore.  What must it be like to feel like you are not treated like a real person?

"My platitudes don't hold their interest and I can hardly blame them for that.  My real stories are all out of date.  So what if I can speak firsthand about the Spanish flu, the advent of the automobile, world wars, cold wars, guerrilla wars, and Sputnik--that's all ancient history now.  But what else do I have to offer?  Nothing happens to me anymore.  That's the reality of getting old, and I guess that's really the crux of the matter.  I'm not ready to be old yet" (110).

"I'm so used to being scolded and herded and managed and handled that I'm no longer sure how to react when someone treats me like a real person" (176).

I'm not sure what I'll take from this book.  I love that the author researched circuses extensively and wove real circus lore into her story, and I appreciated the "surprise" subject of the secret the narrator kept for so many years.  But I think most of all, this book will help me remember that people are valuable, regardless of age.  In a society that doesn't value the helpless,  we need these reminders that "a person's a person no matter how small (or old!)".  (A great book which addresses the aging process and our society's reaction to it is Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers.  Reading Water for Elephants made me want to revisit one of my favorite authors!)

Town Dog, Country Dog

Maggie May is handling the move quite well.  When Alan got her for me about eight years ago, she started out in the house and she looooooves her mommy (me).  After we brought Easton home, she spent more time outside than in. And once Kiana came home, I got tired of cleaning Maggie up from rolling in donkey poop every other day so she could come inside and she became an outdoor farm dog.  She filled this role quite admirably running around the farm, barking at intruders (both real and imaginary), and even chasing passing trucks and tractors (sigh).

Now that we're renting a house in town, she's back inside.  She acts like she's never rolled in donkey poop!  I took her to a groomer and got her all cleaned up (I was embarrassed, but they said she wasn't really in that bad of shape) and she's daintily stepped her way back into Princess Pomeranian mode.

She follows me around the house all day long and looks at me--like this.  Her eyes beg "Pay attention to me mommy, please pet me, please play with me, please rub my belly, please sit down for a minute so I can sit on your lap."  (Because I don't have enough people wanting a piece of me!  Do you see why the addition of more babies pushed her outside?)  She brings her toy, a braided rope, and lays it before me.  When I don't cooperate, she pounces on it, then settles back on her haunches with one commanding bark and a wag of her tail.  "C'mon!  Let's play!"

I'm not really a "dog person", but I do love *my* dog.  There's just something about a creature who loves you unconditionally, who gratefully accepts whatever scrap of attention you give them, who follows you around adoringly, licking your hand.  I think there's a lot we can learn from this relationship as well.  In one sense, Maggie's adoration is a picture of how we should worship God.  One Greek word which is translated as worship is proskuneo (Strong's 4352).  It means "to kiss like a dog licking his master's hand, to fawn or crouch, prostrate oneself in homage, do reverence to, adore, worship".

Matthew 4:10--You shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve.
John 4:24--God is a spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Revelation 15:4--Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name?  For you alone are holy, for all nations shall come and worship before you, for your judgments have been manifested.

 I wonder if I am accurately reflecting this meaning of worship.  Maggie's day centers around me and what I'm doing.  Where I go, she goes.  She longs for me.  When she has the choice of anyone or anything else, she will *always* turn from the other option and run straight for me.

Is this the way we adore *our* Master?

Moving. . .With Children, Part One

Have you ever had a friend who challenges you to examine your life by asking hard questions?  A friend who you know loves you and wants the best for you, is great at helping you keep it real, and who provokes you to grow?

Yeah, I've got a few precious friends like that too.  My friend Laura has been asking some tough--but great--questions in the comment section in the last few weeks about moving with children.  This one was my favorite.

Still praying for you and would love an update on how your oldest are thinking/dealing with all this (and how you are including them or not in this process).

So the other night I sat down with my teenagers and played journalist, interviewing them about the move, their feelings, things they've learned, what they wish we had done differently, etc. (I must say, it was actually kind of fun and I can't help but think they are really NEAT kids!)

Q:  What have you learned from this whole experience?
B:  It hasn't been easy, but it has given me the experience to see God's faithfulness and that He's trustworthy, which gives me HOPE for the future.  I think of Romans 5:3-5 "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:  knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience; and experience, hope:  And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us."
D:  This world isn't everything, don't get too comfortable.  I think we can get too comfortable--to the point we don't long for heaven and we call this world "home."  It makes me ask myself "What do I value?"  Is it this life so I don't need to grow and this is good enough?  Or is it God's plan so that His vision affects how I live.

Q:  What has been the hardest thing about this whole process?
B:  Grasping the reality.  It was especially hard when we were in-between, not knowing where we were going.  It's hard to get used to something new when you don't know what new is.  And it's hard to say goodbye when you aren't leaving yet--you feel a need for closure.
D:  Leaving the farm.  And leaving people I admire and respect like Jeff (a man from church), Karen (his violin instructor) and Twila (his piano teacher).  (And may I insert that he has incredible discernment as these people are all worthy of his great respect--they are all fascinating people!)


Q:  What has been the best part of this experience?
B:  We're together.  We're going as a family, with the people I love best.

Q:  Think about the way we (mom and dad) handled this whole situation.  What do you wish we had done differently?  What did we do that you liked?
B:  Well, we knew you were the leaders and you would make the final decision, but you were open with what was going on and we felt included.  I think you had the right balance.

Q:  Describe your feelings about moving.
B:  I think at first I was numb.  I was just surprised and shocked.  My friends would cry, and I felt bad about not crying.  I was just matter-of-fact about it.  I mean, I was also sad, but I just didn't see the point of wallowing in it, I had to move on.  Now that the move is over, I have some excitement and anticipation for "what happens next?"
D:  Overwhelmed.  But learning to take one thing, one day, at a time.

Q:  What advice would you give parents who are going through a similar situation as far as how to deal with it with their kids?
B:  Stay optimistic.  Focus on hope and thanksgiving and count your blessings.  Enumerate (giggle, she is my daughter!) God's provisions.
D:  Be open with information.
B:  You don't have to act like you have it all together.  It helps the kids relate because they are feeling the uncertainty, and it helps them to know they're not alone.
D:  Keep the proper attitude.  "What's right is what's best."  (I had to think about his little aphorism for a few minutes, but upon reflection, I think he's got a great point.)

So, there you have it, Laura!  We handled it the only way we knew--with honesty and prayer.  I'm glad in hindsight that they felt secure through the whole experience, because even as they knew we didn't always know the next step, they knew that we believed God would take care of us all.  Really, that's one of the main lessons I want them to learn in this life:  people are fallible, don't rely on mom and dad because we WILL fail you.  God alone is our Rock and our Salvation.  So my piece of advice after going through this is the same as my most important piece of parenting advice:  point them to the cross.  That's what it's all about.

Whining and Pouting

Several days ago, in my chronological Bible reading, I revisited the story of King Ahab.  This time through his character really stood out to me.

• (After being reprimanded) "The king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen" (I Kings 20:43).
• So Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers."  And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face (the NIV says sulking) and would eat no food. (I Kings 21:4)
• (Even as he repented after another rebuke) Ahab tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. (I Kings 21:27)
• (When asked if there is a prophet from the Lord he could ask for counsel) The king of Israel (Ahab) said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil." (I Kings 22:8)

I don't know about you, but those adjectives are not words I would like to have ascribed to me.  Vexed (or angry), sullen, sulking, dejected. . .I even imagine petulance and whining as he talks about the Lord's prophet, don't you?

"I HATE him, (crossed arms) for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil" (pouty lip and hmmph). (Hey, I have little ones, this is just a little too easy for me to imagine!)

Yet I wonder how often I act just like King Ahab.  Sometimes things don't go my way.  Sometimes I have to submit to authority.  Sometimes I don't get what I want and sometimes I don't like answers I get.  Sometimes life is hard.

To tell the truth, just this morning I had a little pity party for myself as I cried in the shower.  I felt overwhelmed with all my life's recent changes, we have some decisions to make that I don't know what is best, my little ones are w-a-a-y out of a routine, people keep just dropping by (what in the world?!  I suppose I need to be more flexible, but I'm telling you, I just don't think I will ever grow to like this!), I've moved from a "To-Do-List" to a "To-Do-Notebook" (not even kidding), and to top it all off, I am just not feeling supported in our decision to homeschool the kids.  I recently realized that someone close to me who I *thought* supported me was really just tolerating it, I guess, and while I know that shouldn't bother me because it's really just between our family and God. . .well, I was sullen, dejected and sulking about it.  Add in there that I've been wasting what I consider precious time in the education of my children jumping through the hoops of Iowa homeschooling law this week and you're guessing right if you're concluding I even had some Ahab-style vexation going on.  (I am showing tremendous restraint in leaving that right there, I hope you understand.)

Then the Lord reminded me.  Life is not easy.  I can't control what goes on around me, I can only control how I react.   And how did God say to react?  "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life."  (Philippians 2:14-15)

Ah yes, scripture I've taught my children--it always seems to come back on me!  So I'm choosing to stop acting like Ahab and maybe one of these days I'll grow to be a shining star instead.

Grandma's Gal

 One fun thing about moving is going through stuff and finding things to throw away.  While I'm not generally attached to "stuff", I also am not an incredibly organized person (I know, I know, my sis and sil are laughing right now--understatement of the year, right?) so "stuff" does tend to accumulate.

I went through an old jewelry box which, yes, contained jewelry from my childhood, and I found a precious memory in the form of an incredibly cheap (even tacky) absolutely useless necklace.  I threw away everything else in the box and gave the box itself away, but this necklace made its way to my Rubbermaid "keepsake" box Marcy encouraged me to tuck in the back of my closet.

You see, I was blessed with the most incredible grandmother anyone could ever have.  I'm pretty sure there is a picture of her in the dictionary beside the word "meek".  She was the epitome of a Christian woman and radiated kindness and joy.  When she passed away four years ago, the line at the visitation stretched clear to the curb outside even though she was nearly 91 years old and had experienced the death of most of her family and friends--she was simply loved by all who knew her.

I am blessed to have many memories of time spent with her throughout my childhood.  She played with my sister and me, taught us to sing songs from the 20s and 30s as she accompanied us on the piano, and made the best hot dogs and macaroni and cheese when we went to her house.  I spent hours snapping beans with her and hearing Bible stories from her and all these moments are liberally sprinkled with the memory of her sweet giggle.

When I opened this old jewelry box and lifted out a necklace emblazoned with the name 'Gail', memories rushed over me.  Grandma had been shopping at Ben Franklin's and saw this necklace on a sale rack for just a couple dollars.  She bought it for me because she said it made her think of me since I was "Grandma's Gal."

Oh, how we giggled until the tears rolled down our cheeks when I pointed out that the necklace said "Gail" not "Gal".  I thought it was pretty funny then, but now I am ever so glad she saw it as "Gal" and bought it for me and that I, in my disorganization, had somehow never gotten rid of it so it would prompt this long-forgotten memory.  I enjoyed sharing the story with my children so when I die and they find a cheap, mis-named necklace among my treasures they will understand why.

We're Home, Come Tour Our House

We are moved, we're getting settled, and I finally have internet access! :)  Since I haven't taken pictures since we moved in, here are some pictures of our house before our 'stuff' is added.  It's a bungalow-style house rather like the house we lived in (which I loved) next to my friend Cindy for those of you who knew that house.

As you walk in the front door (pictured on the left) you come into a large living room.  I have this divided into two 'areas' and I love it!  The area I'm standing in to take the picture has a cozy little corner with a bookshelf, the entertainment center, and the sectional couch forming a little square.  The area in front of the fireplace is not yet finished, but I have a vision of an area rug, a vintage love seat (found it at a used furniture store and am doing the Dave Ramsey thing by pretending I don't want it as badly as I do hoping they will accept my offer, giggle, kinda fun) facing the fireplace, two overstuffed chairs on either side to form a little square with a big ottoman in the middle.  That's right, folks, this is my "book nook" just waiting for a friend to come over, kick the feet up on the ottoman, eat chocolate, and discuss some great read in front of the fireplace!

Then the door beside the fireplace leads into a sunroom which boasts another fireplace.  It's not a large room, and I didn't get a good picture of it, but this might give you an idea.  I was facing the east here, and there are windows all along the east, south, and west sides of the room.  This room is our hobby room and I am deliriously excited about it.  The piano and violin are stored and practiced in this room, and I have a 'sewing table' picked out (also at the used furniture store) to place along that east wall for Briana to set up her crafts or for Destry to build his Titanic model or with Legos and other activities which need protection from little hands.  The hobby room is for Briana and Destry to pursue their many interests.

The dining room just might be my favorite room in the house.  I think the woodwork is stunning and the built-ins like the buffet are like little treasures scattered throughout the house. 

 Below is one of the beautiful built-in storage cupboards in the hallway.

 

The kitchen is filled with cupboards and storage.  This house is so homey and full of character.  If it was on fifteen acres, I think we would be begging our landlords to sell it to us!

 

The girls got the upstairs bedroom along with most of the toys.  We've already had friends come over to visit and they had fun playing upstairs and sliding down the stairway on their bellies.

 These are the only rooms I took pictures of, but it will give you an idea and I'll try to get more pictures later this week.

I am feeling especially blessed today as the Lord has been providing so many welcoming opportunities for us.  I have connected with some great ladies from the local homeschool group and the children thoroughly enjoyed a skating party yesterday afternoon.  We are being richly blessed, welcomed, and encouraged by our new church family and Alan's job is very enjoyable and stress-free for him.  I have been so touched by all those who have welcomed us, invited us into their homes, brought us food, helped us unload and unpack, brought us cookies and a friendly smile. . .