I Keep Forgetting...

I keep forgetting to post that Kevin feels he's 'out of the woods' as far as layoffs at Sprint go. So, Praise God! And, thanks for your prayers! For the record, I am in no way comparing my husband to Dwight Shrute. But you just gotta love this motivational poster.

I Love My Hubby

I remember praying in high school for a husband who would be a Godly man. (Velvet, do you remember doing that together?) All I can say is that God answered that prayer above what I could ask or imagine.

Thank you, Kevin, for loving and leading our family.

An Idea for Moms/Grandmas with Little Ones

Sometimes people ask me what I do with the little ones while I am working on school with the older ones. We have lots of different activities that I rotate them through, and I wanted to share one in particular that Lily and Rowan enjoy. I save all the junk mail that we receive, and once a week or so I pull out a shoebox full and the girls have a ball ripping things open, writing on the papers, and re-sealing their important documents. Sometimes they add stickers, and they always enjoy getting 'credit cards' to add to their repertoire. (Hmmm...I see a teaching opportunity coming on...). Anyway, just thought I'd share a fun way to entertain your kids, and actually have a purpose for wasteful junk mail.

Ramblings

Well, it's back to normal here. It's great to have the kids back and be getting back into our routine. Right now the kids are working their way through their morning responsibilities. I'm trying a new system. Instead of sending them off to do each thing and reminding assorted children several times to do such-and-such, I've been writing a list on a whiteboard for each of them to check in the morning. I list their chores and any schoolwork they can complete before we get into our 'official' school time. So far, so good. I think the kids have their mother's obsessive gene and enjoy marking things off a list.

Please pray for us especially this week. Sprint is completing layoffs, supposedly by Friday. Yesterday Kevin was busy, since he's in network security, making sure all was safe from potentially disgruntled ex-employees. He said it was a bit sad to see people getting 'walked off' campus. We know that we are completely in God's hands, so neither of us feel especially anxious; however, it seems to us that Kevin's job is a good one...but we have pretty limited views of God's plan, don't we? If anything happens, you'll hear about it here....

Speaking of Kevin, he likes to let me know (read: rub in) when he gets to go to great restauruants with coworkers, knowing I am here dining on pb&j or macaroni and cheese. He was taken out to lunch yesterday at J. Alexander's, one of the nicest restaurants in Overland Park. I'm sure the company and conversation here were much better, though. :)

On a very important note, some of the kids and I went to Wally World yesterday afternoon to get a few things, and I was scouring the Easter clearance aisles for one thing: Peeps. Can you believe that there were NONE left? This is a tragedy. You don't know how many times this weekend I've said, "Can Mommy have another one of your Peeps? I'll buy you some more." or, "I ate some of your Peeps while you were napping, but, never fear, I'll get some more for you after Easter when they're on sale!" Now who feels like a terrible candy stealer.

Next year, I'm making mySELF an Easter basket.

Home Again

This morning we'll go to OKC to pick up the kids from Kevin's Mom. We have had such a great week; lots of time together, with friends, and working on projects.

One thing that we've been doing in the evenings is watching Dr. Emerson Eggerichs' 'Love and Respect' DVD series. It has been SO good. I know that he has written a book by the same name, but if at all possible, you should get your hands on the video. He is an amazing communicator and hilarious to watch at times.

Here are some pictures of Noah's bunk beds that we worked on refinishing this week. I had to throw the cute one of Annesley in there, too. She supervised and sounded the alarm when it was break time, also known as 'time-to-give-the-baby-some-attention-time'.

Improvements to the Shoe and Other Fun Things

"It is most important habitually to contemplate our work in its proper character as a “work of faith.” As such, it can only be sustained by the active and persevering exercise of this principle. This is what makes it a means of grace to our own souls, as well as a grand medium of exalting our Divine Master.

It is faith that enlivens our work with perpetual cheerfulness. It commits every part of it to God, in the hope, that even mistakes shall be overruled for his glory; and thus relieves us from an oppressive anxiety, often attendant upon a deep sense of our responsibility. The shortest way to peace will be found in casting ourselves upon God for daily pardon of deficiencies and supplies of grace, without looking too eagerly for present fruit."

Charles Bridges

This morning I ran across this quote. I love the hope and peace that comes from 'casting ourselves upon God for daily pardon of deficiencies', don't you?

The kids -all but the one dependent on the milk factory- are in Texas with the Greatest Grandparents Ever. And the Greatest Parents, I might add. I am so thrilled and blessed to have parents and a very special Mother-in-law who love pouring themselves into our kids' lives and blessing us with a 'break'. So far we have eaten out several times and spent two very quiet and enjoyable evenings together. Tonight we'll go to dinner with friends, after I spend the day shopping. Wooo-hooo! Can you tell that I'm enjoying myself?

Lest you think all this fun might be too much, let me assure you that I have several productive projects in mind, too. Yesterday I spent much of the day paining dogs and cats on the walls of the kids' bathroom, to match their shower curtain. I will post pictures when I'm done. I have to admit, though, for me, that kind of thing is just as much fun as shopping!

Encouragement

Last night I found this picture that Lily had made to surprise Row with. It's so nice to see that they really, deep-down inside, do not want to kill each other. Let's hope we see more of this kind of thing! And the picture of Joe I just couldn't resist posting. His inner little-old-man is trying to get out.

I'd Rather Have Been Scrubbing the Toilet

This morning I had an emergency root-canal. I know: Yucky. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says:
"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

So, here goes.
1. I am thankful that I have dental insurance.

2. I am thankful that my sweet and funny friend Beth watched 5 of my kids in addition to her two.

3. I am thankful that I made a big pot of soup last night and I won't have to cook tonight.

4. I am thankful for anesthesia. I think I should count this at least twice.

5. I am thankful for a husband who is going to baby me til I feel better.

6. I am thankful to be reminded how I need a greater empathy for people facing medical problems and procedures. Even this relatively small and routine procedure was scary for me.

7. I am thankful for the prayers of those who knew how wimpy and anxious I was feeling, and for a Heavenly Father who cares about all the little details of my life--and yours.

Yet Another Book Review

I am about three-fourths of the way through Family Driven Faith, by Voddie Baucham, and Kevin and I have started reading it together. We are thoroughly enjoying this book. Much of what Pastor Baucham has to say will be considered radical to some, but I have had to stifle some 'Amens' at times! Here's what he says:

The other day I looked at my teenage daughter while we were walking through the mall. Suddenly I found myself choked up as I thought how much time was behind us compared to the amount of time ahead. I just cried out to God and prayed, Lord, help me make the most of the time.

There are many worthwhile pursuits in this world, but few of them rise to the level of training our children to follow the Lord and keep His commandments. I desperately want my sons and daughters to walk with God, and I am willing to do whatever it takes, whatever the Bible says I must do in order to be used by God as a means to that end.

I think he really gets it right when he says that we, as Christian parents, have to take back the responsibility of training our kids in righteousness and making our home the center of their lives. Pastor Baucham gets very practical and specific about how this is implemented. This is a very readable book, and the author's writing style is funny and concise. I would definitely encourage all you moms and dads to get your hands on a copy. Let me know whatcha think.

Theological Discussion

On the way to church last night, I overheard this conversation in the van:

Keely was playing with the calendar on her iPod, finding the day of the week of everyone's birthdays. She sure let me know how looong it took her to go ALL the way back to 1976 to find mine...

Lily: Wouldn't it be neat to go back and see what day God was born on.

Noah: Lily, God wasn't born.

Lily: Yes, He was.

Noah: No, Lily, God is from eternity. He was not born.

Lily: YES, He was, Noah.

Keely jumps in: No, Lily, you're thinking about Jesus. He was born as a baby.

Lily, after a pause: But Jesus is God.

Keely and Noah both jump in with comments about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Lily: Nevermind.

Poor Lil! The trinity is a hard thing to grasp, even if you aren't five.

Longing for Spring

The kids and I decided that since no flowers are blooming yet, we would make our own. I found the idea for this cute craft online. You trace the outline of your hands, then cut out, curl the 'fingers' over a pencil, then fold the palm part into a cone. Add a straw or chenille stem, and voila! A beautiful lily. Everyone's hands are in the bouquet but Daddy's and Annesley's. Daddy was at work, and Annesley is into making very tight fists that are hard to pry open.

That Makes Perfect Sense to Me

Lily was examining Annesley's pacifier a minute ago, and she asked what was written on it. I told her "MAM", and she immediately responded, "Oh, yeah. Because it's for a girl."