Our Week in Review

Did you know that the Alamo and the events depicted in Les Miserables took place during the same year?

Yep, they did.  1832.  We studied both of them and for Friday night movie night we introduced Little Man to the wonders of the 2012 Les Mis movie (we had him cover his eyes for two scenes).  His siblings had all seen it previously and go around singing the songs quite frequently, so Little Man could sing along with almost all of them even though he was seeing the movie for the very first time.  We are big Les Mis fans here, so it was a delight to share that with our youngest.

Do you have a favorite Les Mis song?

I am so in love with home schooling!  God has been renewing my home schooling joy this year, and I am so, so thankful.  There are always new things to learn, and it is such a delight to learn together with my children.  I am doubly thankful that after 17 years God is giving me fresh excitement for the task of teaching my children at home.

When looking at the big picture we are definitely in the home stretch.  Only 5 more years after this one and Little Man will graduate.  I know these next 5 years will fly by.  So my focus has shifted from active teaching to facilitating and cheerleading as my children take on the responsibility of learning for themselves.  Our days (and my priorities) have changed so much over these past 17 years.  It's kindof surreal and awesome and humbling to reflect on this journey we embarked on 17 years ago, and see God's faithfulness to us in so many ways.  He is good!

Little Man, checking his math with dad one evening.

And me, on a college planning lunch date with son L.  We had a very productive time, gaining clarity on a direction to pursue, if not a specific college yet.  I love him so!  He wants to be effective for God's Kingdom, and I love that about him.

We also got to attend another wonderful wedding this past week.  I love weddings!  They are such a beautiful picture of God's love for us (which of course is what God's Word says they should be!).  When I am at a wedding I spend as much time looking at old married couples in the audience as I do at the young couple up front.  Young love is beautiful and exciting and sweet, but old love is deep and rich and has gone through intense heat to make it more pure.  Older couples who have lived out their vows through "richer or poorer" and "in sickness and in health" inspire, challenge, and bless me.  I am thankful this beautiful young couple has such good examples of marriage to pattern theirs after!

In other news, son C's winter soccer season has begun.  This is not indoor soccer, which is played on a smaller field and you can hit the ball off the walls.  This is outdoor field sized soccer which happens to be played inside a big dome.  His select team is playing winter soccer for the next 4-5 months, until the outdoor fields are ready to be played on again in the spring.  So....in some ways it will be a long winter. ;)  This is a new team for son C, and he has lots of new things to adjust to.  But he is excited because this is a dream of his, and I just want to support him any way I can ("facilitate and cheerlead", remember?).

One day this week I looked out the kitchen window, and there in the back yard were Little Man and 18 year old college man (son G) choreographing a light saber battle with two lit up light sabers.  I just stood at the window and watched them for a long time.  It was something that probably wouldn't have happened if we weren't home schooling (and hence Little Man being home during the day around son G's college schedule).  It made my mama's heart very full and so, so thankful.  We are rejoicing that son G has TWO part time jobs now!!!  He had experienced quite a few closed doors of employment before these two opened, and we are (again) thankful!  So very much to be thankful for.....

What are you thankful for this week?

Long Overdue Update

Well, I have terribly and sadly neglected my blog.  So much to say.  So little time.  So few good words.  This school year is actually going quite well for us at home.  But in some ways it is just plain hard.  I am a glass half full kind of girl, so I try to focus on the positives, which makes it difficult for me to adequately articulate the negatives without feeling like I'm being whiny.

We have two seniors this year.  One is graduating from our home school, one from a public charter school.  One is graduating with honors.  One is not.  One is headed to college right away.  One is probably not.  These two children get along very well, which is so great and I am thankful for that.  But there is often a lot of tension surrounding all the senior year stuff with the one who is perhaps not yet college ready.  I feel it beneath the surface all the time, waiting to gush unexpectedly like a geyser at Yellowstone.   Every morning I wonder what kind of a day it will be....a geyser gushing day?  Or a geyser quiet day?

You may have already guessed that one of our seniors is daughter H.  Her senior year stuff is layered on top of the already emotionally charged relationship that she and I have.  I live in constant comparison to her bio mom, my motives, words, tone and facial expressions weighed and judged.  No conversation is easy.  Her perceptions continue to skew all that I say so that what she hears and what I mean are almost never the same thing.  It is exhausting.  For both of us!

But we keep trying.  We keep going.  We wake up every morning and start again.  And every day God gives grace and strength and wisdom.

Here are a few highlights of the past two months:

Little Man turned TWELVE!  I asked him if he wanted a different nickname than "Little Man," and he said no!  He told me that when he is a grown man he will still want me to call him Little Man.  Ha!

For his party he and four friends went to see Rogue One.  We have it made for his December birthday, as I believe a new movie in the Star Wars franchise is scheduled for release every December for the next few years!

New Year's Eve at our house with the relatives.

And even though these pictures are always blurry every year, I can't help posting them.  Our annual "Just Dance" party is such a hoot!

Last month my wonderful husband and I got to celebrate 25 years of married bliss together!  I feel so blessed to have reached this milestone, and to have reached it with HIM.  He is such a perfect match for me, and makes my life so much richer, deeper, and more fun.  He surprised me with a night out at the Symphony Orchestra (which I LOVE).  Here is a little story that shows how sweet and tender hearted he is.  The week before our anniversary I found him one evening wiping tears from his eyes. When I asked him why, he said he felt so bad he couldn't take me on a fabulous trip for this milestone anniversary, that it wouldn't be a "big" celebration.  I told him that reaching 25 was it's own reward. :) How I love that man!

In other news:

The indoor soccer schedule is kicking my behind.  Mostly 7:00 a.m. games on Saturday morning!  But son C gets up at 6:15 with no problem, eager to go play.

Hubby's job is going well.  He loves the work, the location, the people (though he is slow to know very many well).

I got one of these for Christmas and I love it!  Made the most delicious pork loin for dinner tonight.

Son G is still working at a fast food restaurant, slowly but steadily saving up for a car.  We opened a checking account for him so he is learning the joys and responsibilities of using a debit card.

It is rather fun and sometimes awe inspiring to be the mother of several young men.  I have tall, handsome boys!  They attract girls.  They are handling this well.  Sometimes when I drop them off places and watch them walk away from the car, I marvel that these tall good looking young men came out of my body.

I started another sugar fast today.  Day one and no cheating!

I am considering registering for another 5k, just so it will force me to train, but have not yet done it.  Probably too chicken, but I blame my hesitation on my knees.

Daughter G is having a great sophomore year at college.  She got to go to Florida for a class during J term and had a great class during the day and fun sticking her toes in the sand at night.

The end.

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 24 ~ Love

About six weeks ago my 95 year old father in law had a stroke.  It was not life threatening, but it was life altering, rendering him incapable of swallowing or speaking.  He has had dementia for the past several years, and his two remaining pleasures in life were eating and the ability to joke around with people.  It just seemed plain cruel that these two pleasures were taken from him.

Last week he and my mother in law celebrated 58 years of marriage.  We set up a little "party" (without cake and ice cream!) in a room at the nursing home where my f-i-l now lives.  All available local relatives came.  We wore party hats and played kazoos and sang to them.

Like relationships can be, theirs has been a mixture of good and bad.  Honestly I have not always found a lot in their marriage that I wanted to emulate.  But you have to be doing something right to make it 58 years.  My m-i-l is watching the deterioration of her beloved happen before her very eyes, and she is doing it with incredible courage.  For all the things that have looked, from the outside, to be "less than", what it boils down to is love.

She loves him.

He loves her.

He cannot speak to her, comfort her, laugh with her, or advise her.  She gets nothing from him in this current state except the pleasure of being in his company, him whom she has loved for nearly 60 years.  She comes to the nursing home every day and sits with him for several hours.  Talks with him.  Does crossword puzzles out loud.  Watches TV and talks about it.  Chats up all the nurses and nurse aides.  She is working out her marriage vows.  She is loving him "in sickness" and "for worse."

In this very difficult, final stage of their marriage, I am finding quite a lot that I want to emulate.

A Beautiful Bit of Happy

With the possible exception of our niece's wedding last summer, we recently went to the FUNNEST WEDDING EVER!

It is such a joy to celebrate the marriage of two people who love Jesus whole heartedly and who are starting out "right."  A marriage that makes people glad and gives them no reservations.  What a blessing!

 

The reception was held in the bride's parents' yard, and what a beautifully decorated yard it was!  I loved the casual, vintage theme.

Our boys consider the groom a good "older buddy." 

He, his brother, 

and his sister have all been role models for my children for many years.

 

 And the groom's mother is my dear friend.

We danced....

and danced.... (this little guy didn't stop for about 3 hours!)

and danced.

We talked.  We laughed.  We celebrated with and for people we love.  It was a beautiful bit of happy!

Twenty One-derful Years!!

...with the love of my life!!  I love you sweetheart, more and more each day.  How I thank God for who you are, and for the life He has helped us build together.

(this was the happy day we got engaged ~ don't you love the big hair and the short shorts??)

WONDERFUL anniversary trip!

We had a fabulous 29 hours away on our anniversary trip! It was so, so, so, so, so worth the hard work of getting ready to go. We have done several anniversaries "at home" in recent years, and while those are special in their own way, there is something to be said for getting away from the normal rhythms of life and being able to focus on just each other. I am so thankful for the means to be able to do that this year.

We stayed in an asian-themed hotel and ate dinner at a wonderful Japanese steakhouse. We took naps, talked and laughed, cried and prayed, saw a movie (Mission Impossible, Ghost Protocol ~ we really enjoyed it!), ate out, did a bit of shopping. So relaxing and so fun. We came home refreshed and ready to take up the mantle of daily life once again.

I'm thankful to my mother-in-law, some friends, and our daughter, for covering child care and transportation while we were away. And so thankful for my man and the opportunity to focus on him and on our marriage.

Whoo-Hoooo!!!!!

It took lots of work and arranging, but anniversary overnight trip, here we come!!!!!!

Twenty Years Ago

Today....

I made a new plan for the schoolroom, got approval for the plan from my better half, and began rearranging furniture

Felt hopeful about being able to use the schoolroom sooner rather than later!

Took my two oldest boys to their first guitar lesson

While waiting for said lesson to be over, read several books to Little Man, assuaging some of my guilt at not spending much time with him lately

Did some work for the women's group at church that I'm in, and made some arrangements for this weekend.

But twenty years ago......

I excitedly put on a beautiful white dress with my mom, sisters, and closest girlfriends helping me.

Tried to eat something but had a hard time with that because I was so excited and nervous.

Asked my sisters and girlfriends to check the auditorium to make sure that people were actually showing up.

Knew in my gut that it was so much more than the fun of getting ready in a room full of excited females, and that I was about to take a permanent, life altering step.

When I was ready in my wedding finery, I joined my husband-to-be in the sanctuary for picture taking before the ceremony. I was thrilled that my man seemed to be completely overcome with my beauty! haha We kissed briefly, had a few private moments together, and then gave ourselves over to the photographer to work his magic.

Later I walked down the aisle on the arm of my dad, who until this day had been my number one male hero, and pledged my life, love, and loyalty to my new number one hero.

Honestly, I've glanced back once or twice since then, but by God's grace have never turned from the covenant we made together that day.

Honey, this year has been rough in ways that the previous two years of financial hardship were not. Sometimes the pain and struggle of our loved ones has been so hard to bear, and I know there were times that you and I both wished we could sortof walk away for a while, not necessarily from each other, but from life. For a short break. It is in this testing that I have come to more fully appreciate your integrity. Your unwavering commitment to do and be what God wants you to do and be. You are wise, unselfish, compassionate, and so so generous. I love you so much more today than I did twenty years ago, and I'm so glad that we both said "I will." I would marry you all over again!

Happy Anniversary sweetheart.

And oh yes, my husband had a birthday too!!

Yesterday we celebrated my husband's birthday ~ it's been quite a week of celebrating around here!

We missed our daughter, first time she was not present at a family birthday celebration, but somehow we managed to have fun anyway. We spent most of the evening at a music concert at a local park. The boys danced around, played in the fountain (got soaked), and hubby and I bounced in our chairs a bit. :-) We came home and had strawberry shortcake.

I am so thankful for this man! My life would be so much more boring without him! I love that he loves me, that he is such a great father to our children, and that he loves God with all his heart and mind. I love that we got engaged on his 29th birthday, so every birthday is also a celebration of our life together. I love loving him.

"Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of celebrating another year with my man. Thank you for bringing him into my life 20+ years ago, and for all the ways You have shown yourself through our relationship. Bless him with a good year of spiritual growth, and grant him the wisdom he needs in all the various roles he fulfills. Lavish your love on him, Lord!"

On a Much Lighter Note.....

My sweet and wonderful husband did about the best thing he could do for me last Saturday and that was.....


scrub our stovetop and microwave until they were sparkling clean!!


Can you see the shine? Seriously, they look brand new. I was both super excited and super nervous to use them ~ didn't want to get them dirty! This has been on my "to do" list for the entire school year. SUCH a way for him to bless me!

I don't know what our immediate future holds, but at least I am facing it with a clean stove.

:0)

19 Years Ago Today.....

my husband and I were married in a beautiful stone church overlooking the bay that I grew up loving. It was a late afternoon ceremony and the sun coming in the colored windows was just right.

Engagement Day!

Me and my sisters at the English tea personal shower they threw for me. Style-wise, keep in mind it was 19 years ago...... :-)

A bit prophetically, I prayed that morning what I have prayed this year. That God would help me to be all there ~ fully live in each special moment, and remember them later.

And he did.

So many special moments from the hour long ceremony and that whole day, etched forever in my heart and mind.

Our getaway car - with the "help" sign painted on the back which caused us to be stopped by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as we waited in line for the ferry!

Husband and wife ~ on our honeymoon

I remember so well the overwhelming feelings of love I had for my husband on that day. I couldn't imagine ever loving him more than I did then.

But I do.

Nineteen years later, we have lived love. Fought for it. Put it to the test through hardships of all kinds. The feelings of love have ebbed and flowed, as feelings do, but the practice of love has stood resolute and grown stronger.

Knowing what I know now, I would marry him all over again.

I love you honey. I'm thankful for the years we've shared, the memories we've made, and the truths we've discovered. May our love for God and for each other only continue to grow. Happy anniversary stud muffin!

Date Night

For our anniversary dinner out we went to a "new" SUPER NICE restaurant. It's not really new, been there over a year, but since we weren't in a position to go out last year, it's new to us. :-) It's the kind of place that doesn't list prices on their menu. Yeah. That nice. In fact, it didn't even have menus at all! That's because they only serve one kind of dinner. It's a Brazilian steakhouse, and everything they make is all you can eat. There is a salad and soup bar that was really good, and then servers come around with different kinds/cuts of meat on long skewers and slice some off for you at your table. There were about 12 different types of meat! On the front edge of the table you can just see two little round discs. They were stop and go signs. As long as the green side was up, servers would stop and ask if you wanted that particular type of meat. If the red side was up, they would pass you by, leaving you to eat and converse and relax with no interruptions. It was a very delicious and unique dining experience!

We had a fun, leisurely time, and then we went to see the movie The Blind Side, which I had seen before but my husband hadn't. We both enjoyed it so much! Our children were being watched by our good friends from co-op, and when we finally picked them up at 12:00, all but our oldest had been put to bed and were sleeping soundly. It was a late night for a Monday, but flexibility is one reason we homeschool! And it was soooo worth it. I had a wonderful time out with my hubby!!

Happy 18th Anniversary To Us!!!!

18 years ago..... younger, more idealistic, madly in love, dreaming of the future.....

And today......


older, wiser, more realistic, still madly in love, dreaming different dreams for the future.

I am so thankful for these last 18 years with my hubby! Through the joys, hardships, sorrows, and dailyness that make up life, the commitment we made to each other has been a constant. I love you, sweetheart.

We are going OUT to a new restaurant for dinner tonight. I am so excited!! First time out to eat alone since some friends sent us on a date for my birthday 11 months ago. Thank you for the means to go out, Lord.

Blessing My Husband

Tank is full of gas. Check.

Engine was primed. Check.

Starting out on flat surface. Check.

Why won't the mower start?

Lord, please cause the mower to start. You know how much I want to bless my husband, so he doesn't have to do this. This is the only time today I can mow. Please cause our lawnmower to start!

R-O-A-R!!!!! (imagine sound of lawnmower starting)

Thank you Lord!

Now why was prayer my last resort?

What have you done recently to bless your husband?

Happy 25th Anniversary Greg and Gayle!!

In the midst of my parents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration my sister and her husband celebrated their 25th. The actual day came and went with no fanfare so my parents decided to throw them a surprise picnic party with about 40 of their closest friends. They were genuinely surprised and it was a big success!! Since my husband and I met at their wedding, this was an anniversary of sorts for us as well (too bad my husband is back home ~ I miss him terribly!!) Happy Anniversary to two of my favorite people!

Their family minus their oldest son.

With Greg's grandparents, who have been married SIXTY SEVEN YEARS, isn't that amazing and wonderful??!!

The bride and groom with both sets of parents.

Scenes from our Parents' 50th wedding anniversary party

This will be heavy on photos and short on text. I am busy having too much fun and staying up too late talking, to have many brain cells left for blogging at the moment. But my parents' party was fun, exhausting, amazing, beautiful, meaningful, and a big emotional high. How thankful I am for their marriage and how they continually live out their love for each other and their faith in God. I got to see many people that attended church with us girls during our high school years, and it was such a joy to re-connect with so many dear, "old" friends. This first pic was taken after the party, when we were feeling a bit loopy. :-)




Our daughter G with her two girl cousins (both 19 and beautiful girls, inside and out!). These girls had such a great time rooming together for 5 days! (The one on the left is the daughter of my sister on the left in the above photo, and the one on the right is the daughter of my sister on the right).