January Days

In years past, January's felt like such a 'blah' month. This year it hasn't, and I am thankful. Even as I notice the drab grey and brown world outside, I'm getting excited about spring bursting forth in a few (okay, so maybe more than a few!) months.

My husband and I were raised in Texas, but have made Kansas City our home for the past 16 years. We love it here: the people, the city, the four distinct seasons. I have come to appreciate the ugly-winter parts of the landscape, simply because they provide such a contrast to the beauty that bursts out in spring. I tell my kids that we don't appreciate good things as much if we always have those good things around. We humans need the contrasts around us to open our eyes to beauty and blessing.  The Lord knows us and made us this way. We need the drab winter to feel pleasure when green comes. We need times of sickness to feel thankful for health. We need to at times experience loneliness and loss to value the loved ones in our lives. We need to see glimpses of darkness in ourselves and the world around us in order for Christ's perfect light to be precious to us.

As I get older, I'm starting to think that these contrasts, and the good they can do for us, are part of what we can "give thanks in all circumstances" for.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, 

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Thoughts on Cooking

Being a homeschoolin' Mama to eight requires, as my friend Barb says, 'wearing a lot of hats.' Over that past two or three years, I've found myself resenting/dreading/slacking in the area of cooking for my family.  It just seemed like one more task to try to fit in, and often I failed to plan, so after a successful day of homeschooling, at about 4:47, I'd suddenly think, "Oh--DINNER!!"  Cooking felt like an endlessly-undone task.  I was simply trying to stave my begging children off for another 2.3 hours every time I fed them.  My husband has come home some weeks asking innocently, "So, what kind of frozen pizza are we having tonight?"

Plus, I've never been one to really enjoy cooking. My Mom was too kind and gentle on me as a teenager, and I was never required to do much of anything in the kitchen, including cleanup.  I distinctly remember calling her during my newly-wed days, asking her how to make tea.  I kid you not.  My Mom and Mother-in-law were surely snickering behind their hands, but were gracious to give me tips, recipes, and ideas over those first years.  Kevin was blinded by love and endured a lot of sub-par food.  Ask him about the tuna casserole event.  

These days, the world seems full of people who love to cook and create in the kitchen, but maybe there are some of you out there who feel as I have.  Recently The Lord has allowed me some insight that has really helped my attitude and motivation, and maybe it will encourage you, too.  

As a child, I remember having a certain feeling when my Mom was in the kitchen cooking or baking.  There was a sort of anticipation, and a sense of security.  Though unable to articulate it at the time, I felt loved and cared for.  Even when the menu included something I considered gross, I never doubted that dinner would be on the table and perhaps if I ingested the gross stuff, there would be dessert. I liked it when Mom was in the kitchen.  

Even as an adult, food has clearly communicated love to me at times when I've been on the receiving end of a nice meal.  After the birth of each of our children, kind friends have showered us with dinners to give us a helping hand.  Probably near a hundred meals, if I were to figure ten or so for each child's birth.  What a simple but powerful way to put love in action for a tired and sore Mama and her adjusting family!  

So, lately it's helped my motivation and creativity to remember that I'm giving my children that same subtle feeling of security when I'm creating something in the kitchen. There's so much more involved in making a home for your family, but food is a big part of it. I certainly no gourmet cook, but I'm hoping that even my small efforts will communicate love to my clan.

Catechism Songs!

I'm so excited that I just discovered these CDs of the Westminster Shorter Catechism questions and answers set to music.  The kids and I have been participating in our church's memory work for the past couple of years, but I plan on focusing on the Catechism next year instead of memory work.  We shall see how far we get.  But, I think the songs will definitely help!

Do you memorize a catechism with your children?  What tools have you found helpful?

Leading Gently

No, we actually don't do our schoolwork on slates.  

Rowan was practicing her times tables at the one-room schoolhouse at Deanna Rose.  

Last week I asked one of my older kids to take over leading a portion of our memory work practice while I was unavailable for about 30 minutes.  After I came upstairs later, I was met by several children with animated accounts of who wasn't cooperating, who had a bad attitude, and who was irritating assorted people and in what ways.  This didn't really surprise me, as I know it's hard to submit to authority, period.  But especially when that authority is your not-that-much-older brother or sister.

I did my best to sort out what happened and talked to the offenders about their behavior, and then I pulled the child that was the designated leader of the memory work aside.  "You need to make it easy for them to follow you.  Don't lord it over them and be too bossy.  Be gentle, and kind, and they'll respond to you so much better. You might still have some problems, but you're automatically making them not want to obey you by your attitude."  A few minutes after giving this little talk, it suddenly occurred to me that I need to be reminded of that message, too.  (I'm a little slow sometimes!)  Do my children want to please me with their obedience?  Do I make it pleasant and easy?  Do they feel a sense of sadness when they disobey, or is my anger stirring up their own?

    Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
        sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Proverbs 16:24 ESV

I'm always struck by stories (usually written in the 19th century) that portray children feeling deep sadness when they've disappointed their parents.  Now, I know these are fictional accounts, but I think there's a truth there: when you love and respect someone deeply, it hurts you when you hurt them. Ultimately as Christian parents, we are pointing our children to Christ.  We want our children to cling to Christ, to know that they are loved and accepted by God if they are truly saved.  We want them to want to obey the Lord, and to feel godly sorrow when they fail, leading them to repentance.  As a Mom, my job is to model these concepts, this love to my children.  I am to be a loving leader, a gentle guide.  This is my prayer, and has been for so many years: to be a gentle Mother, pointing my kids to the Lord.  Certainly my kids see the reality of a sinner saved by grace daily!  And I rest in that.  But I also want to grow in this way.

Lord, help us to lead our children gently, lovingly.  Help us to not be so busy or hurried that we lose sight of the most important job we have:  Loving you and loving others, starting with the little people right in our own homes.

Go to Church to Be the Church

Much has been written on this topic, and I actually haven't encountered anyone lately who has used the 'be the church/don't go to church' phrase, but I think the things contained in this succinct article are so valuable.  If the statistic it mentions--60% of self-identified Christians don't attend worship--is correct, this is needed teaching and encouragement. 


"Church membership is a gift and a duty. It’s sort of like making your children eat their dessert."

Plans and Reflections

Wow. I feel so out of the loop with homeschooling right now. Before we moved two-and-a-half weeks ago, we took a few days off to hit the packing hard. Then, the week after we moved, we took a not-so-relaxing spring break settling in. Last week we did lots of running to and from standardized testing, yesterday we had CC commitments, and today we had a fun day with friends. It's been a working vacation from normal school, for sure! I am really looking forward to being home tomorrow with a focus on school--not unpacking, cleaning, or planning for anything else. I can only take so much erranding around before I start to feel worn thin. I love to be home, and need to be home to make it 'run'. Do you find that, too?

The Lord has been convicting me lately about a specific sin in my life. I was discussing this today with my lovely friend Tara. She expressed how hard it is, but how good it is, when the Lord shows us some ugliness in our hearts. So true. I am seeing, by God's grace, how I tend to rush my children, not really take the time to listen to them; how my schedule, productivity, order, and peace are often idols in my heart. Ah--it makes me tear up to think of the times lately that I have put off a child needing my undivided attention because I was too busy with 'more important' things. Lord, thank you for revealing this area of sin in my life. Please help me to die to my own desires, to tear down those idols that hurt my loved ones and displease You.

Will you pray for me? How can I pray for you?

Boxes and Books

About a week ago, we spent a fun afternoon with friends. Big Sam shows little Sam his lizard.

I can't believe that real, official spring has arrived! I kept waiting for winter to come, which never seemed to happen, and now, here we are: trees blooming and grass greening and mild rains watering everything. I love it!

Our move has been pushed back a week from this Saturday to next. I'm ready...I think! I can say confidently that I am ready to banish the sight of brown boxes and tape from my sight, but between here and there, there's much work to be done. I'm not stressing about it though. We have lots of able little bodies around here and about a week and a half yet to get it all together. We've decided that even though we are moving to another rental house, we are going to adopt a 'settled' mindset, and really unpack all those boxed in storage, and live like we're staying for a while. The kids are so excited about seeing all their books and toys and dress-up clothes that have been in storage for over a year. I'm excited about getting all my serving and cookware out. And who knows? We may actually be there for more than a year. We'll just have to see how it all works out...




I have to tell you about a couple of books I've read recently/am reading now. The first is by Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, and it was a quick, light, funny read. She tells the story of how she met and married her husband and all the changes that happened in her life. Not too deep, not any big life lessons here, but I recommend this book because of what I took away from it: it made me think about Kevin and I and our dating days and what life was like in the beginning. Sans kids. It made me remember and appreciate why I fell in love with him, and it made me want to give him a big smooch. Plus, it made me laugh out loud a few times. So, get a copy and curl up; it's a fun break from 'heavy' books.

The next book is so wonderful, and I am gleaning so much encouragement from it! I'm not quite finished with it because a) I'm taking my time and trying to soak it all in, and b) I only read it when I'm not too tired and can really focus on what I'm reading. So, you understand why it's taking a while, right? :) I do feel as though I'm coming out of the fog of the first weeks of life with a newborn, but still, Elijah only sleeps for four to five hours at a time at night...sometimes less. Anyway, back to the book.



I keep reading things I want to share here because they are so true and profound. And let me just say that I know your time is precious. I rarely read long blog posts for that reason. But this is good stuff, and I think you'll find it worth your attention and contemplation.

...I'll tell you about a problem I had responding in godliness when Phil, my husband, came home early from work and interrupted my writing. I'll admit that I was irritated that I had to stop doing what I was intent on. I didn't yell at him or throw my laptop across the room, but I'm sure he knew that I was unhappy that he had interrupted my train of thought. My problem with Phil's early arrival was, at its core, a problem of unbelief. It was a faith problem, because at that moment I simply refused to believe that God loved me and that he was lovingly ruling over my life. I doubted that being interrupted was a good he had planned. I failed to believe that he is kind, wise, and powerful. My primary sin was that I failed to believe that God is good and that his plans for my life are good, too.

In addition, in my unbelief I was taking pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thess. 2:12). I cherished the thought of living life without God interrupting me or messing about in my affairs. I know that none of us would just come right out and shout, "Stop meddling!" at the Lord, but we frequently say it to those God has placed in our path. "I wish you'd just stay out of my way. I have to get this done!"

In taking such pleasure in unrighteousness, I prove myself not only unbelieving but also an idolater. It's not that trying to get my work done is sinful in itself. No, I believe that God has called me to accomplish this task. It becomes sinful when thoughts of an uninterrupted, self-determined day captivate my soul, when accomplishing my goals means more to me than grateful obedience. My plan has become my god; I am an idolater. I worship my idea of a successful day, my right to decree how its every moment will go.

-Because He Loves Me, pp 128-129, emphasis mine

Wow. Are you saying 'ouch' like I did? Especially that part about allowing thoughts of a self-determined to 'captivate my soul'. I read that and thought immediately about a picture I saw in a magazine the other day. It was a stunning photograph of a woman and her husband sitting together in their rustic gazebo (which he built) in the middle of a scenic wood. The woman had a beautiful shawl over her shoulders and a glass of wine in her hand. She looked so...rested! I don't particularly like wine, and I don't forsee Kevin building us a gazebo, but something about that picture made me discontent. Perhaps I'd changed one too many poopy diapers and had to mediate one too many arguments that day, but I wanted to be that woman in the magazine! For a few minutes I wanted to trade what God has given me for something else. I briefly made an idol of that 'other life'. What a needed reminder to rest in the goodness of God as He brings 'interruptions' and works the circumstances of our lives for our ultimate good (Rom. 8:28).

Ah, there's so much more good stuff in this book. Thanks again, Lora, for putting a copy in my hands. Hope you all have a blessed day, and I hope you all meditate on the truth above with me: God is good, and his plans for my life are good, too.

7 Quick Things 2/21

1. We are finally on our own here at the Dennis house: My parents have come and gone and Kevin's Mom is back home, too. We loved having them, but now it's time to figure out the 'new normal' with a newborn in the mix. Elijah is doing well. He is starting to smile occasionally which is so much fun!

2. Last Thursday we took the kids to Cherry Berry to celebrate not having to show houses any more! (Did I mention that the family we are renting from sold their house?) The kids worked so hard so many times over the past year and a half, dropping everything to clean, organize, stage, and leave quickly for a showing. It has been so nice to not have to have the possibility of a showing in the back of my mind anymore!

3. The Lord has provided for us so wonderfully. We have a place to move to! A single man in our church is moving away and doesn't want to sell his house, so he has agreed to rent his home to us. It's large enough for our family and very close to our church, so we'll be saving some gas money, too! We found out recently that most owners of four-bedroom homes won't rent to a family of 10 (max of 2 children per bedroom), so we most likely would have had a hard time finding anything affordable for our family. Thank you Lord! We will move on April 24.

4. I am plugging away to finish my 2011 Bible reading plan. I have not been very consistent, but I'm not giving up! I probably have another two months until I'm able to complete the whole Bible. After that, I plan on delving into a few books of the Bible more in-depth with commentaries. There is so much I don't understand or know about God's word. It is so rich and deep--I think I'll spend my whole life learning more and more.

5. Now that we aren't receiving wonderful meals from friends that come with delicious desserts, and now that Valentine's Day is over, I am without excuse when it comes to getting serious about tackling my baby weight. Right now I have roughly twenty extra pounds, and I am asking the Lord to help me honor Him with my eating: for health, energy, and losing that extra weight. So often I don't think of eating as a spiritual issue. But it really is. It's about self-control and caring for this body so I can serve Him better.

6. While my Mom-in-law was here, I found myself self-concious about my impatient and unloving tone with the kids. This is not something new; I have struggled with this my entire career as a Mom. I think just knowing someone else was listening, too, made me more aware! I'm devoting myself to prayer about this and asking for growth in this area. One of the things that I love about Michelle Duggar is her calm and gentle voice with her children. I want that to characterize my mothering, too.

7. I'm reading a fantastic book right now. I could share so many different quotes that have encouraged me, but I'll just pick one.

When a friend gives a wonderful gift, it is right to examine and relish the gift. But it isn't right for the glory to remain on the gift itself, no matter how wonderful it may be. The focus belongs on the generosity of the giver....The gospel is good news for us, yes, but the goodness of this good news is not primarily about us or even our new identity. It is good news about him: his mercy, his faithfulness, his holiness and atoning sacrifice. It's a report about his great condescension as he traded his glorious identity for our shameful one. It's about his flawless character and infinite compassion. Even though he has become our life, the emphasis belongs on him, not on our identity, our sin, our standing, our successes, or even our joys. As wonderful as the gift of an entirely new, clean identity is, we won't spend eternity rejoicing in it. We'll spend eternity rejoicing in him. p. 61

'Be the Church' or Go to Church?

This is an excellent article on the Lord's Day. It's a bit long, but well worth the read.

December Goings On

It's hard to believe that its been three weeks since I've blogged! Well, it's been a busy time, as I know it is for everyone this time of year. Lots of fun stuff's been going on, so here are lots and lots of pictures...probably too many! :)

My little Joe turned six, and we enjoyed a low-key family party, as last year he had a big friend party. We're trying to go for the every-other-year party thing.




It was a treat to hear Keely play a Christmas duet at Crown Center in downtown KC. I love the look of concentration on her face!

The boys are excited that we'll be getting some sort of Lego store/play center next year, though you can't tell it from looking at Joseph's face. :)

We had a fun time at our church's Christmas brunch. Noah is in the back on the right.

Here's Keely (second from right) with some of her buddies from church. We are so blessed to have so many neat families at our church!

Annesley won't officially turn four 'til Wednesday, but we celebrated a bit early to give her some space between celebrating her birthday and Christmas. This was her first friend party, and she did great, though we did have some explaining to do about why there was no 'goodie bag' for her!

Lily and her friend Audrey sang beautifully at the Christmas party!



The kids paired up and decorated gingerbread houses this morning after chores.



Aldi had the best price on gingerbread houses I've seen: I think they were $6.99.

Our rental house's living room is way too small for our normal Christmas tree, so we bought a little bitty one this year. I was a bit sad at first, but the more I though about after-Christmas cleanup, the happier I became. :)

While the kids worked on their gingerbread houses, we had to occupy Sam somewhere else. He helped Daddy clean out his car in the garage, mainly by spilling his snack bag in the backseat, and creating toddler fingerprint art on the freshly cleaned windows. You can forgive almost anything if one is this cute, right?







I hope you are all enjoying the magic of this time of year, and loving on those little people in your life! I must admit that I have struggled this past week with patience and kindness with the kids, and I'm going to the Lord a lot for His help. Here's one of my favorite quotes. I hope it encourages you like it does me.

“Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.”
― Jim Elliot

Let's Try This Again...

Ahhh. We have emerged from the virus relay here at the Dennis home. Everyone took the baton except hardy little Rowan. We're hoping that we are finished with it!

1. Lily and Rowan were able to take a trip to West Virginia last week with my parents, and they had a great time. It was their first 'big girl' thing to do by themselves, I think. I was pleasantly surprised that they seemed to get along swimmingly, as those two can sometimes clash. (If you know us in real life, you are snickering right now at that understatement!) I missed them, and I love the spice that each child's personality adds to our family. It was strange to set the table for seven instead of nine. Glad they're home.

2. I'm reading a very moving book right now: Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. It's a bit graphic in parts, but fascinating as well. Fitting for (around) Veteran's Day. War is so ugly, and I hope my sons never have to partake in one.

3. I can hardly believe that I have only about nine weeks to go in this pregnancy! This is the first time that I actually feel that it's gone fast. I'm enjoying all the kicking and elbowing and tap dancing on my bladder, and imagining who this little one will be. We have our names, for a boy and a girl. All I'll say is that they both start with an 'E'. And, I picked up a pack of newborn diapers the other day. I couldn't wait to get home to pull one out and marvel at how little it was! The girls all oohed and ahhhed and squealed with me, which made it even more fun. :)

4. This weekend Kevin and I were able to attend a marriage conference at our church. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Ever heard of nouthetic counseling? I hadn't either until a couple of years ago. I am so delighted and excited to know that there is a movement made up of Christian counselors who reject the worldly psychology that conflicts with God's word. Over the years I've heard several Christian women talk about how they need more than a 'couple of Bible verses thrown at them' to really deal with problems. This attitude has always grieved me because either we believe that God's Word is powerful, active, and sufficient, or we don't. Not everything is a 'disorder'. Sometimes--often--it's just called sin.

5. Oops. I stepped onto my soapbox! I was going to link to the sessions we heard about marriage by Dr. George Scipione. He's very entertaining and lively to listen to, as well as full of good solid wisdom straight from the Bible. Aww, rats. They aren't on Sermon Audio yet! Here's a link to his other stuff, though. I'll check back later and update when the conference is loaded.

6. Kevin just put a Ron Paul bumper sticker on our van. I'm not sold on all of his opinions, but I do think he makes the most sense. He's so un-politician-y. I feel queasy when some of the other slick guys talk. Blech. Substance, please? I'm dying for substance after 3 years of President Obama.

7. We're still renting our friends' house, and occasionally showing it for them. We keep an eye on the listings, too, and occasionally go check out a property. So far, we haven't found the right place. Several factors will have to converge (price, enough property, not too far from church/Kevin's work, house that will fit us and not need too much major work), so we are trusting the Lord to show us when and where to go. We aren't discontent, but are very much looking forward to a quiet place in the country, with a few chickens, dogs, and cats. :)

Say 'hi' if you have a minute! I love to hear from you!

Protection

Today I found my almost-two-year old had climbed out of his napping crib and had returned to bed with an (unopened) bagful of pennies (from my elementary 'math' bin) for closer inspection....

A little while ago, a child came upstairs reporting that my three-year-old had tied something around her neck and was crying. Thankfully by the time I got to her she'd gotten it off and we (once again) had a very serious talk about never putting things around your neck or anyone else's...

Twice recently Sam has gotten out of the back yard and into the front (or side), where one of the kids 'happens' to see him and rescue him...

These things got me thinking: how often does the Lord protect us from danger, and we don't really even realize that those small scares could so easily have become really serious situations? He is so good, and I must remember that each breath we take is a gift from Him. Thank you, Lord, for your protection.

Blogging, Marriage, and the Goodness of God

Blogging's a funny thing. There are some inherent dilemmas that come with it. How much do I share? How can I be 'real' and not give too much information? Even though I might be comfortable sharing this with some people, do I want to put this out for anyone to know? What's the balance between honesty and over-sharing? Am I able to present a realistic picture and not a false one? And then, there are motives to examine. Do I not want to share something because I'm too proud, or is because of wisdom and a desire to protect the others in my life? Am I intentionally putting a 'together' impression out on the web to cause others to think better of me?

These are questions I struggle with, and I'm sure I've erred on both sides of the balance before. It does help me to discern what to write when I consider my goals for this blog. It's not an online diary, as I don't share a lot of really personal things not fit for public consumption. But it does serve as a sort of record of our days, with pictures and anecdotes for far-away family and friends, and tips and helps I discover along the way.

However, I would say my main goal for this endeavor is summed up in one word: encouragement. I want to show what living for God's glory covered with God's grace looks like. I want to show how a sinner saved lives and struggles and learns and relies on the Father for daily help and joy. Like everything else, I'm not going to do it perfectly. But I guess that furthers the goal of a realistic picture.

After getting permission from my husband, I'm going to tell you something I haven't been 'putting out there': The past several months have been a struggle for me, for us. We've been working through some tough marriage stuff. I remember thinking when I was twelve or thirteen that after a few years of marriage, people just kindof figured things out. I know, I know...what was I thinking? Even then, I knew families who were dealing with divorce and discord. But I suppose I didn't spend much time on the logic of my conclusion at that age! Marriage is hard work. It hurts sometimes. It daily reveals the sinfulness in our hearts and the selfishness that we will battle until we are freed from our bodies someday.

So, I'm telling you this to be real, but more, to encourage you. God is faithful. He's there even when your heart hurts so much that your body hurts. He hears your cries. He does work miracles. When we're waiting, and longing for things to improve, it can seem so hopeless. But cling to Him. As a dear friend who counseled me recently said, "Let God fill the hole you are feeling in your heart." Try to focus on pleasing Him, hard as that is when all you can seem to think about is your hurt.

Hope in God. I saw with my own eyes this past week how God works miraculously in the hearts of His people. He worked in mine, and in Kevin's. He is healing and building and growing us. Praise and glory be to Him! He is faithful.

In My Seat: A Pilot's September 11 Story

Re-post: 1 Corinthians for Homeschool Moms

I posted this link a couple of years ago, but I still love it and need to be reminded of these truths quite often. Take a minute and be encouraged to focus on the lasting stuff in the midst of your homeschool.

Preparing Daughters

two of our four (or is it five?) girls

I read a helpful book recently called 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter. It covered topics relating to sexuality, body image, culture, and marriage and family from a Christian worldview. Though there was a lot in the book I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing with my 13-year-old, there was lots of good information, too. I think the most helpful thing about books like this is that they inspire me to actually make it a priority to have pointed discussions. It's so easy for me to put this kind of thing off, or wait for the 'perfect' moment. I was convicted that I need to be intentional to meet with Keely (I don't feel the younger ones are ready for this particular 'conversation', though the book does suggest adaptations for different age groups of girls). Last Friday, Keely and I got up early and over coffee (for me) and hot chocolate (for her) we spent some time talking through the notes I'd made from the book. It was a great time of discussion, and I'm looking forward to our next meeting.

What books have you read that you've found helpful in training your daughter?

Colorado Pics

On our way out to Dodge City, we stopped to see some Santa Fe Trail wagon ruts...however, we had a hard time figuring out exactly where they were...those ruts? or the discolored grass over there?....oh well. We were near them, anyhow, and had fun visualizing all those covered wagons making their slow trek west.

Dodge City was interesting, and this primitave jail was a bit scary. No cable t.v. and a/c for those bad boys.

The kids enjoyed sasparillas (very sweet root beers) at Boot Hill Museum.

The girls waiting for the gun fight to begin. We had an interesting talk about the 'saloon girls', and how even though they were dressed in cute outfits for the reenactment, that their lives were really sad and their 'occupations' evil and shouldn't be romanticized.

Sam was very concerned when the shots began to ring out. I took so many pictures of him with this pensive look on his face.

There were beautiful flowers throughout downtown Westcliff, CO.

Lily and Kevin went horseback riding on Monday, and had a great time. What a treat for my horse-loving girl!

This is the view from our cabin's front porch. We tried not to wake the neighbors before 7 a.m, but it was hard. Yes, Sam has a sharp stick in his mouth in the background. No, we didn't end up with any injuries during camp week. :)

Our favorite thing about family camp was meeting so many neat people from different congregations in our denomination. A very close second, for me, was having someone cook and clean up three square meals a day for us! I almost felt a little guilty at first leaving our messes for someone else! I think if/when we go again, it will be helpful to bring our baby monitor. I felt a little tied to the cabin in the afternoons when the little ones were napping, and wished I could've had some more freedom to socialize in those hours.

The lectures on sin by Andrew Quigley were hard to hear, at times, but had the ultimate effect of reminding me how great Christ's gift of salvation is, despite the ugliness of our sin. The Lord was applying what we were hearing to my heart and Kevin's, as we worked through some wrongs we had committed against each other on our trip. Marriage is hard work, even on vacation!

We're back in the swing of school after taking Monday off to deal with laundry and grocery shopping. It's good to be home, and we're getting excited about beginning our homeschool community again in a few weeks.

Stay cool out there!