gratituesday #212

For the first time in 2018, I am caught up on work.  WOOT WOOT  This is obviously the lifting of a huge back-of-the-mind weight off my shoulders.  Sure, that's a mixed metaphor of body parts, but you get my drift.

Our co-op is going exceedingly well.  Every mother is responsible, positive, and kind. In my years of co-op observation/participation, the truest measure of the co-op is its mothers, not its children.  Good mothers usually have good children, both of which make for a good co-op.

Our local library is such a rich resource.  I use a library book almost every week at co-op; we read physical books daily; we access audiobooks via overdrive every day; and "books on tape" narrate most minutes spent in the car. Just this week I used the new scanner for the first time - how easy and fast!  13 pages with the push of a button sure beats 1 page/minute on my machine at home! Even if I went to the library just to scan, I'm convinced it would be faster than one page at a time at home. :)

Hazel got to play her first 2 games of soccer 2 Saturdays ago.  Of the 4 Saturdays scheduled for soccer, only 1 has actually happened due to the rain.  It looks like we'll be bunching up double headers for the remainder of the season.  She has a great coach (knowledgeable, kind, encouraging), she had 3 friends on the same team, and she's enjoying the opportunity to meet new girls.

Rain.  We've had so much of it in Sept/Oct, and it's amazingly green around here.  In years past I've heard that a wet autumn means brighter colors on the falling leaves.  Wouldn't that be beautiful?

I had a "personal" meeting last night with a student who is struggling in life and confused about her educational pursuits.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to speak honestly and faithfully into the lives of students at crossroads.  It's a trust I don't want to waste.

We're going through a couple of great studies right now: Praying the Names of Jesus and The Hole in Our Holiness.  Both have provided great weekly small group discussions and truths to ponder daily.

The windows and doors are open right now letting in the delicious cool air.

Wes and Zeke are planning a camping trip soon. I'm excited for the memories they'll make outside and the memories the girls and I will make while they're away. Those BOGO Dairy Queen coupons we got in the paper this morning will come in pretty handy, I think. ;)

Unlike last time, Betty neither pooped nor peed in Petsmart this afternoon while there to get her nails trimmed.  Phew.

gratituesday

My intention is to keep gratituesday-ing.  I think it's an important practice/pause.  We'll see...

We're 4 weeks + 1 day into 2018/19 school year, and things seem to be going well.  Starting in August means we really love ourselves in April when we can surrender to Spring Fever without regret.

While we really just homeschool, we're technically enrolled in Epic online charter school.  This only works because we have an amazing teacher who believes learning should be mostly hands on for littler learners.  She's vetted our system and trusts our process (because she can track our growth on quarterly tests).  Essentially, we're doing minimally more work for maximum rewards; for us, that's objective measures (those tests) which reassure me that we're on track and - what's really the driving factor for me - the learning fund which pays for piano lessons and the occasional art class.  A free day at Frontier City or Dodgers game is just the icing on the cake.

This year will be our 6th as homeschoolers.  I'm glad to be more certain and confident in the steps we're taking.  Listening to newbs who're trying to figure everything out reminds me of the mental exhaustion that comes with uncertainty.  It's not like we've got it all figured out, but it's much less a mystery these days, and that is so nice.

The kids are at such fun ages!  They can do so many things that make life easier (e.g., make a sandwich, put away their laundry, wipe their own hineys, etc), but they're still so easily amused and easy going.  I love how they are usually up for most anything.  Maybe it's because they realize they don't really have a choice and so they just go with it???  Not sure, but that's a good skill too. :)

Although I changed my schedule at UCO this semester this year resulting in one class not "making," I have plenty of work to do right now.  Out of nowhere home studies and updates keep me busy enough to make up for the lost income.

I was up late trying to knock out some semester preparations when I lifted a book that had my phone inside which was plugged into the charger whose cord was behind a glass that got knocked over ONTO MY KEYBOARD spilling tea everywhere.  Panic stricken, I turned my laptop sideways to drain the liquid off the keyboard and used my robe to wipe off/mop up what I could.  I had just read a story about a lady who had spilled her drink on her laptop and how everything seemed to be A-OK until 10 minutes later when she got the blue screen of death.  I immediately backed up the stuff I was working on and started copying everything most important over ASAP before going to bed with thoughts of "...bet that won't be working in the morning..." rolling around on repeat while I fell asleep.  Thankfully, here I sit 4 or 5 days later on that very computer having lost nothing.  Some of the keys were a bit gritchy the first day or two, but even that seems to have straightened itself out.  Whew!  That was a close one!

Oklahoma therapists/counselors are privy to a national pilot program resulting in 28 free continuing ed credits, and the training is actually really informative.  The goal is to increase adoptive/foster competent professionals across the nation, and the material is just so good.  I'm so glad it's worth the time invested.

Perennials.  I'm hoping our investment this year will pay off next spring.

Hazel had her first soccer practice last night.  This is our first foray into team sports, and it should be an interesting experience. :)  The beauty is that we're playing at the Y (hoping to avoid the most serious club team-type play), our coach is a close friend, and Hazel has 3 good buddies on the team.

I'm reading through 66 Love Letters by Larry Crabb, and it's providing an interesting walk through the 66 books of the Bible and the themes that run throughout.  I love just about anything that highlights God's creative ability to intricately weave His inerrant word using 40ish humans over thousands of years that is as applicable today as it has been at every point of history.  Incredible.

Our neighbor calls us when her mobile pet service is calling on them so that Betty can jump in and get her nails trimmed in a trailer across the street.  Not only is it convenient, it's proven very helpful in figuring out that Betty's nails had remained too long before we got her and now we can course-correct the issue (that would otherwise lead to skeletal issues in her legs) by getting her nails trimmed every 2-3 weeks.  We've already got her back feet in good shape, and her front paws are on their way.

The Stallings, some dear friends of 20 years, are moving to Wisconsin tomorrow.  It has been a possibility for years, but it has all actually happened in a startlingly short amount of time - 8 days from accepting the job to actually leaving.  40+ friends were able to gather Saturday for a "see ya later" party, and I was doing just fine (not really thinking about it) until the end of the night when Rachel hugged me long and hard and then pulled away with tears in her eyes.  I know it won't change MY day-to-day interaction with her since we haven't lived in the same city since college, but it's hard to see a good friend do hard things so far away.  Rachel said she'd told Monty that she'd be back in OK for our shared birthday in a few months, and I'm looking forward to it already.

Speaking of looking forward to it, after not having flown anywhere since 2013, I've made plans that include flying TWICE in the next two months!  I'm beyond excited.  I'm headed to Chicago with a couple friends in September to catch a live recording of a podcast and eat a good meal or 2.  That's literally all we'll have time for as we leave town Saturday morning and will be able to eat lunch with our families after church Sunday morning!  Wes and I have booked an anniversary trip to Oregon in October, and I'm beside myself with anticipation.

thank You thursday

These little ones have been hearing for months about some church friends who are headed for Kenya this summer to spread the Good News.  They've been brainstorming about how they could raise some money to help cover expenses and decided a few weeks ago that come a nice hot day, they'd set up shop in the front yard to catch some families who might be thirsty for some lemonade after school.  The day finally came yesterday!

They were so excited when we were setting up but became discouraged quickly (as in within a couple minutes) when they hadn't seen much action.  Forget that school hadn't actually turned out yet so no one was walking by...  The bells finally rang, and things got exciting!  I'd like to think our twizzler straws drew some extra attention, but really, it was probably just the cute kids and some kind folks.

By the end of the day - or the half hour, I should say - the kids had raised over $54!  They were so pleased with the earnings they ran after their own money to see how high they could make the total climb. Zeke had collected a few dollars by selling kisses (to family only, so don't get any ideas!), and Hazel contributed her Easter egg money.  Their tally so far is $61.81, and they're hoping to earn some more before it's all over. :)

awana

This year marked the first that all three got to partake in AWANA.  I'm happy they made the effort to hide God's word in their hearts!

Christmas morning

I was so busy taking it all in - enjoying the scene as the kids gave gifts they "bought" at AWANA - that I didn't get many great pictures.  Oh well!

One of my favorite memories of this Christmas will be how Hazel decorated Wes's gift to me. :)

God Bless America

vbs

After waiting 51 weeks, Vacation Bible School finally came!  And to add even more excitement, Pearl had a "real" VBS shirt of her very own. :)

We did things a little differently this year, and by the end of the week, eight new little people joined us at VBS.

I was SO proud of these little shorties; they spared no friendliness nor Dum-Dums in an effort to coax new friends to come.  They kept up with no complaints and (mostly) waited to ask their (sometimes slightly inappropriate/impolite) questions about people who lead different lives when said people were no longer around. :)

thank You thursday

Finalizing our tentative summer schedule complete with tennis camp and a clay class for the bigs.  Pearl was a little upset when she first realized that she was being left out of some fun things, but I reassured her that we'd get to spend some fun time together "just us." She seemed appeased, but it wasn't until later when I heard her recounting the plan to our neighbor as she explained, "Me and Mom are going to Dunkin Donuts while Zeke and Hazel go to tennis."  Sounds good.

We met a neighbor couple this week, and they are as lovely and lively as can be.  I just love this neighborhood.

A 4-week online marriage class starts Monday.  It will be fast and furious, so I've tried to pre-schedule as many things as possible.  I am so thankful for these opportunities!

Unexpected play date today.  It's nice that the kids are old enough now that they actually play without help/intervention and we mothers can just sit back and talk.

Friends who trust God in the most trying of times.

Orange Pledge.

We have remained safe and sound during all the rains.  My parents experienced flash flooding (after years of drought), and they have spent countless hours (with more ahead) fixing, cleaning, etc, but they are safe.  Wes's folks haven't seen so much rain in recent memory, and they had to seek shelter from a nearby tornado threat, but they are safe too.  I'm so thankful for that.

I haven't had to water our flower garden or vegetable beds once since planting.

Perennial lantanas.

Healthy children.

Giggles.

Sweet tea.

Date night swap with friends over the weekend.

A hard-working husband.

Miss Kay brought us ranch dressing from Cattlemans.  She swears it is legendary with good reason, so we can hardly wait to try it.  Must. Get. Lettuce.

gratituesday: divine detour

Last Thursday the kids and I jumped in the car and buzzed up to the Chick-fil-a a few blocks from our house for story time.  We'd never done it before, and we heard they did some neat activities, so we were in a hurry and didn't want to be late.

In my haste, I locked my keys in the car.

Bummer.

 Pearl's face captured my feelings exactly.

BUT....

It was a glorious day, and we decided to take advantage of this divine detour.

After all, it's not everyday that you find leaves as big as your head.



And we are so fortunate to have such a pretty shortcut home.



And the poppies only bloom once a year in this neighbor's lovely yard.



I was reading about the fruit of the Spirit and learned that the patience spoken of there is talking about how we as Christians recognize that we - and the entire world - are on God's timetable, so the fruit of patience actively and presently acknowledges His plan and will for our lives.  I'm so thankful God blessed us with such a divine detour that day.

AWANA awards

Stormy weather did its best to flat out cancel the awards assembly, but we were finally able to celebrate another year of hiding God's word in our hearts AWANA style.

She wanted to make like the bigs, so she grabbed the closest object - a hymnal -
and mugged for the camera too.  Why not?!?

clive on love

source

thank You thursday: Charlotte Walter

I don’t remember a time in my life pre-Charlotte.  It’s as if she has always been.  My very earliest memories of her center around my fascination with her earrings.  I was astounded at the size and color of her earrings as a small child, and sometimes I was worried they were going to pull straight through her earlobes the way they weighed them down.  This memory may seem insignificant at first, but it reminded me of how Charlotte was colorful and not afraid to express her style.  I appreciate that about her.

But how can I begin to think about her earrings without thinking about the wonderful face they adorned?  I honestly do not have a memory of Charlotte when she was not smiling that megawatt smile that made her eyes crinkle up - unless she was yelling at a ref, but I’ll get to that later.  Her bright smile and warm hugs were a constant.

Of course I won’t forget her presence in the choir.  Her voice was loud and sincere.  The thought of her singing straight to Jesus now makes me so happy.

When I was in grade school, Charlotte brought sacks and sacks and sacks of her daughter's hand-me-down clothes multiple times.  I had never seen so many clothes in one place, and they were all so nice.  How thoughtful of her to share them.

Several kids were fortunate to pass hot summer afternoons in the Walter pool, and I was always happy to be one of those.  I spent many happy hours in her pool with friends.

When I was in high school, I approached Charlotte in Sunday school one morning.  I flipped her the bird and asked her what it meant because I wasn’t totally sure but wanted to know.  I don’t remember why I asked her of all people, but I guess I thought she’d shoot straight with me.  I remember her reply as if it were yesterday.  She said, “It means that you are mad at someone.” It wasn’t until college that someone told me what it really  meant. I have thought about that exchange so many times since then, and while I’ll never guess why she answered the way she did, it always makes me chuckle.

I attended the senior prom with a large group of friends.  I don’t even know how or why this happened, but Charlotte offered to host us for a steak dinner before prom.  She and others set a fancy spread and fed us some great food.  It was so kind.

If I went to the football field or the old high school gym today, I could walk right to the spot were Charlotte sat for all the home games. I remember going to my first basketball game at the new gym; I didn’t pay too much attention to the actual game because I was looking around to see where all the regulars had taken up residence in the new place.  I was not surprised at all to see Charlotte there intently watching the game and letting everyone know how they were doing.  It has never escaped my notice that while she was not too shy to let the refs know when they could do a little better, she was nothing but positive towards the kids playing.  She was also a faithful stander-upper for the fight song and other cheers.  She was a great fan.

Charlotte opened her home to my friend Matthew when he served as a youth intern at the church.  She was so kind to him, and he loved her.

What I remember most about Charlotte is how much she loved her family.  She was so very proud of her kids and then her grandkids.  Her love and pride was evident to anyone within a mile. 

I bumped into Charlotte twice when I was home in the last couple of years, and both times, she shot me that bright smile and wrapped me in a hug.  I look forward to the day when we can do that again.

thank You thursday

Hazel is practicing piano just behind me as I type.  It is thrilling and ear-splitting at the same time.  "But Mom, I like to play it loud."

The rain/sleet/whatever that was that came while I slept last night.

The warm and sunny weather earlier this week provided lots of opportunities to be outside.  One day at the park the kids played a rousing round of "hide and Zeke." Zeke was it, and Pearl was just certain she had found the perfect place to hide.

I was originally quite overwhelmed with my classload this semester, but when I realized that I had set up one class with total student-led discussions (i.e., I don't have to prepare presentations every week for that class), I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The kids are satisfied - and even request - simple lunches like sandwiches or PB and crackers or tuna and crackers.  Um, can do.

Everywhere I turn grace is hitting me in the face - not literally, of course; that wouldn't be very gracious.... My friends showered me with grace last week as they kept the kids and even went to Sams for me.  A friend randomly sent me a message on grace, and I stumbled across a free 30-day devotional about grace throughout the Bible.  A podcast I listen to has had grace as it's central yet not on purpose theme for weeks now.  It's almost as if all this Grace is on purpose...

The interweb is full of free homeschooling ideas like this really cute valentine math pack.

January 22, 2011 was the due date for a baby I miscarried 12 weeks along on July 7, 2010.  While it is hard to think about that would-be four year old, I keep reminding myself I have another reason to look forward to Heaven.  And in the meantime, I have more joy today than my 2010 self would have ever believed possible.

martha's disposition

“I’ve learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.”

Martha Washington

thank You thursday

Rising earlier.

Friends who help.

Friends who help even when you haven't asked.

Friends who help even when you haven't asked and then force you to accept.

Friends who help even when you haven't asked and then force you to accept with a smile on their faces.

Opportunities.

Learning the lesson (again) that "no" would have been a better answer.

Colossians.

Hardly anyone who hears the full story of Jesus and learns the true facts of his life and teaching, crucifixion and resurrection, walks away with a shrug of the shoulders, dismissing him as unimportant. People ignorant of the story or misinformed about it, of course, regularly dismiss him. But with few exceptions, the others know instinctively that they are dealing with a most remarkable greatness.

But it is quite common for those who consider him truly important to include others who seem to be equally important in his company-Buddha, Moses, Socrates, and Muhammad for a historical start, along with some personal favorites. For these people, Jesus is important, but not central; his prestige is considerable, but he is not preeminent.

The Christians in the town of Colosse, or at least some of them, seem to have been taking this line. For them, cosmic forces of one sort or another were getting equal billing with Jesus. Paul writes to them in an attempt to restore Jesus, the Messiah, to the center of their lives.

The way he makes his argument is as significant as the argument he makes. Claims for the uniqueness of Jesus are common enough. But such claims about Jesus are frequently made with an arrogance that is completely incompatible with Jesus himself. Sometimes the claims are enforced with violence.

But Paul, although unswervingly confident in the conviction that Christ occupies the center of creation and salvation without peers, is not arrogant. And he is certainly not violent. He argues from a position of rooted humility. He writes with the energies of most considerate love. He exhibits again what Christians have come to appreciate so much in Paul-the wedding of a brilliant and uncompromising intellect with a heart that is warmly and wonderfully kind.

(The introduction to Colossians from The Message (Copyright 1993) by Eugeen H. Peterson)

Seeing two old friends in as many days.

People checking in for no known reason.

Zeke combing his hair straight down over his forehead after he takes a bath.

merry Christmas!

birthday girl says Psalm 23

Hazel had Psalm 23:1-2 for her AWANA verse last week, but then when she came to say her verses to me, she had practically the whole chapter memorized!  I was astounded.  She explained why she had learned the passage so quickly: 1) "I listened to the verses on the Sparks CD a lot," and 2) "I figured out if I just say them out loud over and over that I know them."

We are SO proud* of her.



Most of these stops/starts are due to her mother distracting her and making things too hard: "Smile.  Don't smile that much.  Smile at the beginning.  Speak up. Use your big voice."

Oy, vey.

It's a wonder she's made it to seven with a smile on her face.

*If Zeke were with you when you were reading this, he would feel it necessary to clarify that our proud is "like glad" and not like "you think you don't need God because everybody needs God."

True that, little bro.

today's takeaway

thank You thursday

Good times with family.

Sunshine.

Banishment of a croup-y cough.

Online shopping.

Driving over a railroad crossing (where a train had just passed through) and looking to the right to see a dad who had pulled off onto the side of the road and let his boy climb up into the front seat to get a good, long look at the passing train.  It was so sweet.

Christmas cards!  Wes nary makes it to the mailbox these days without me calling out, "I've already got the mail," because I love the mail this time of year!

A great spot for our Christmas tree in the new place.

Hazel using her AWANA reward points to buy things for her siblings.

2014 ornaments successfully procured/created for each child.

Tomato soup + grilled cheese.

Gusto bowls.

A party at our house this Saturday night.

Advent.

I was reading about how incredible it was that Jesus fulfilled the prophecy so completely in the gentle way He came to Earth.

This fun series that talks all about Christmas in such a fun way:

Psalm 66:20