Oh, The Things You Can Do With Driftwood!

There was tons of driftwood along the coast where we camped last, and besides using it for fuel for the campfire, people found other creative ways to use it! Here are but a few examples:

Fill it Up!

When was the last time you saw gas below $4 per gallon? We did this weekend (out in the boonies of Eagle Creek, Oregon, of all places)!


Who knew I'd be celebrating $3.99 when just two and a half years ago I was fretting over gas being over $2 per gallon and giddy when it went to $1.99!

Three Years

It has been three years today since I first began blogging. I waver back and forth about continuing since I often lack the time to post the things I want to, but my blogs have become such a resource for me that I've decided to just keep on blogging despite my sporadic posting. Some is better than none! Even if no one else reads them, I can't count the times I've looked back through my posts to find a piece of information or a date when something happened.

However, I have decided to make a significant change in the way I blog. I am going to try combining Ryan's and Abby's blog into this one. I think telling the story once instead of two or three times might help me keep up better. I will keep their blogs up and may occasionally add a post, but for the most part they will be just archives (or for a backup plan if I decide I don't like having them combined afterall!).

For those of you who have persevered in reading my blogs over the years, thanks so much for visiting! Your comments have been encouraging, and even those of you who don't comment, I always like to see your visit show up on my site meter!

Favorite Moment

In addition to Ryan's and Abby's posts about our camping trip, I was hoping to post a few pictures here too, but I have run out of time for today. In lieu of pictures, I'll share my favorite moment from our trip:

Cute Comic

We went camping this weekend and today was spent cleaning everything and putting it back in order for our next camping trip (hopefully next month). The kids and I washed the van as well and all the while I kept thinking about this comic strip and decided I had to post it. (I swiped it from Beth over at Family...Food...Fun. Hope you don't mind, Beth!)

How Was Your 4th?

We made these cute shirts last year but when I washed them the fabric paint all came off, so we tried again this year hoping they will last better.
Before arriving at our destination for the 4th of July celebration, we did a few geocaches. We haven't been doing much this year, and it was fun to get back to it. The kids especially liked this cache site and had a blast climbing all over the rocks.


Some friends of ours that we met long ago when we lived in Memphis invited us to spend the day with them. We spent the 4th with them last year and were so happy they invited us back again this year. Their kids are fully grown, but they were there along with their friends. It was an added bonus that one of their friends played with Ryan and Abby for hours rough-housing and goofing off. He even spent quite a bit of time scouring the grass looking for tiny flowers just to please Abigail!


We grilled out, played games and just generally had some nice fellowship. At long last it was dark enough to finally light a few fireworks before calling it a night and driving home. We left at about 10:45 and there were still area fireworks shows going off till the finales at 11:00 (it gets dark LATE here!), so we enjoyed those as we made our hour and 15 minute drive home.



(Once we arrived at our friends' house, I completely forgot about my camera and only got a couple of pictures.)

Nostalgic Ice Cream

With summer finally feeling like it's here in the Pacific Northwest, we decided to try out the local ice cream place. It's been around for about 50 years and reminded us a lot of Jerry's, a favorite place we would go during our summers in Memphis. The kids thought it was great fun, and the grown-ups enjoyed it too, especially reminiscing about our trips to Jerry's.

Abby sporting her most recent black eye.
Jerry's Sno-Cones & Car Wash was just around the corner from our house in Memphis. We loved the place! If I remember correctly, it was only open in the summer, but it was so much fun to walk down there and get one of their dozens of different flavored sno-cones, milkshakes, or other frozen treats. It was tiny, and you could wait in a long line during the hottest summer months, but it was worth the wait.


Jerry's Sno-Cone & Car Wash - Memphis, TN
One of our favorite memories is being there with a group of friends from church and watching the now-famous white Bronco O.J. Simpson chase on the tiny television inside of Jerry's. We couldn't hear the television, but were all huddled around trying to see and every time they would mix a shake the screen would scramble and we couldn't see what was happening. Finally, the employees got tired of it (tired of us?) and shut it off, so we all had to go home and watch the rest on TV. Ah, memories! Oh, and we never did try out the car wash.

A Father's Love

Being the parent of a special needs child has its joys and challenges to be sure. My challenges are pretty minor compared to what many parents deal with on a daily basis, but there are still days when I feel overwhelmed and not cut out for the job. Sometimes I get tunnelvision and can't see anything but the hill I am trying to climb, and today was one of those days. Abby began a "bad cycle" last Friday, and as I was trying to pay bills and get caught up on some housework after being sick last week, I began feeling the dark fingers of despair gripping me as I was having to stop every couple of minutes to redirect, discipline or rescue my little girl. Finally, I sat her down next to me in my big chair and we looked at some blogs and checked email. This is what was in my inbox:



Here is an additional video with more background information on Team Hoyt.

I've seen this before or at least have heard of Team Hoyt, but today this video was just what I needed to help me gain some perspective. By way of quick background, this father's son was born with cerebral palsy. Once his son told him that "running" made him feel like he wasn't disabled, and ever since he and his father have run in marathons, Ironman events, triathalons, etc. It makes my "hill" look pretty small and makes me want to be be a hero to my daughter (and son) the way this father is to his son.

Ouch!

Hubby filled up my minivan with fuel this evening. It was a little more empty than I usually let it get, and it cost $77 to fill it up!

Punctuation 101-Lesson 2

Rule 5 under Apostrophes in the Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation says:

Do not use an apostrophe for the plural of a name.

Examples:
We visited the Sanchezes in Los Angeles.
The Changs have two cats and a dog.

Retro Food

After sampling some of astronaut food last week, I began reminiscing about one of my favorite childhood snacks: Space Food Sticks. Anyone else remember them? I particularly loved the peanut butter ones, and I can still remember the smell, look, and texture of them...yum!


On a whim I Googled it, and much to my surprise and delight, I found out that they are being made again. It seems I am not the only one to have fond memories of this odd snack. There is a whole website devoted to them and the story of how they came to be produced again so many years later. Once we have recovered a bit from our current financial pinch, I think I'll order some and share a fond memory with my kids!

Unexpected Blessings

We typically go out to lunch after church on Sundays, and we almost always go to our favorite local restaurant, which happens to be Mexican. We know the server and he knows us, so much so that he brings us our drinks even before we order. Last Sunday we debated whether we should go out or just go dig something up at home since our finances are hurting a bit lately. We ended up going ahead as usual. We ordered, discussed the sermon, and quizzed the kids about what they learned in Sunday School and had a nice lunch. Then as we were waiting for the check, our server came over and asked if we knew the man who was sitting next to us. We told him we didn't and he said, "Well, he just paid your bill." What?! We were incredibly blessed by his generosity and kindness!

A second blessing came last Thursday. Our hubby called to tell me he won a $100 gas card from the local radio station! Now that is something that we definitely can use!

When we had to cancel our camping trip we had planned for next weekend, I was a little discouraged about our finances and even lost a night's sleep stressing over money, but by the morning I was finally able to turn it over to the Lord and have peace. Then these events happened and were just two ways I felt like the Lord was encouraging me to be anxious for nothing. "I own it all, your medical bills, car repairs, and rising gas prices aren't a surprise to Me."

I know that God is trustworthy even if we were to lose everything, that financial provision is not guaranteed, but this week I felt the Lord's tender mercy and grace toward us through these unexpected blessings!

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habbakkuk 3:17-18

Exposure

Sometimes I get discouraged when I read some blogs where the families seem to have it all together, there's one success story after another, and everyone is always in harmony with never a hint of strife or chaos. I know that's not the way anyone's life really is, and it certainly isn't the way my life is. I try to keep Ryan's and Abby's blogs fairly positive because I don't want to seem like I am "tattling" on my kids or putting their sinfulness on display, but it's uncomfortable sometimes because on the other hand I don't want to seem like I'm bragging or that we don't have struggles. I know at least one of their birthparents read the blogs (I've made it known and available to all of them) and I want them to see how incredible their children are and what a blessing they are in our lives!

The intent of this blog originally was more of a journal of my thoughts, struggles, and things along the way that God is teaching me. I've tried to be transparent about some of my struggles and frustrations, but it's hard to dig deep and expose myself. I'd much rather people only saw the bright side, the parts where I'm growing, and the successes, and from most of the blogs I see, that's how most people feel too.

When I look at my most frequented blogs, I find that they are not the ones where everything looks perfect. I am strangely encouraged when I read about other people struggling with similar issues that I have and when I see people who do not have it all together but they are still fighting the good fight, people who fail and repent and get up and try again. That's where I live, not in the glory of success day after day but in the fight against sin and pride and complacency with glimpses of victory here and there.

Just on the off chance somebody else likes to know that others struggle, here's a list of eight things I fail in regularly. Some are outright sin, while others are just ways in which I am not meeting my own standards.

• I yell at my kids.


• I still haven't finished reading through the Bible in a year that I began September 2006.


• I snap at my hubby.


• I often avoid a particular neighbor instead of sharing Christ's love.


• I have never mopped the floor of my laundry room in the 29 months we've lived here.


• I have unrealistic expectations of people, particularly Christian leaders.


• I avoid homosexuals whenever possible.


• I am four years behind in scrapbooking my kids' lives, even though I have all the supplies.

Be encouraged:

The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him." The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently For the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:22-26

Date Night

We don't get many "date nights" in our home. We have no family nearby who can watch our kids or friends that we feel comfortable imposing upon too much. Our neighbors are good to watch them when we have an appointment or a meeting or something where we absolutely need a sitter, but I don't like to ask them too much so time alone with hubby is what gets left out. Sometimes I will put the kids to bed early, make a dinner for two, and have time alone at home, but it is nice to get out of the house as a couple sometimes. Whenever my mom comes, she always insists we go out together, and we usually do at least one time. But she can only visit once or maybe twice a year.

We also find other creative ways to have some time together where we can have some adult conversation or just enjoy each other's company. We have taken the kids to McDonald's and let them play in the play area while we talked or played a game together, and most recently, we took them to our newest attraction, Out of This World, and let them play for hours while we talked and played a game together.

So last month when my dad came we asked him if he would mind watching the kids one evening so hubby and I could go see a movie and have dinner together. He agreed and for the first time in 16 months, we saw our first non-kid movie! We went to see the new Indiana Jones movie and then went out to dinner. It was so nice to have such a relaxing and quiet time alone. Thanks, Dad!

New Fence

We've been planning it for two and a half years, but last week we actually put our fence in!


Hubby took Friday off and rented an auger to drill the post holes. We live on a rock bed and even with the hydraulic auger and even with Ryan's great help, we weren't able to finish the holes all in one day.


Friday evening we picked up my dad from the airport. He is always so good to come and help us with projects! Thankfully, Saturday was a mostly dry day and we were able to finish the post-hole digging and set the posts in concrete.


We stayed home from church so we could finish the fence, but we got rained out fairly early on. We packed up the kids and took them to Out of This World for a few hours, and when we got home the weather had cleared a bit and we were able to get the cross pieces put up.


Memorial Day was spent putting on the dogear boards. It took most of the day, but we got it done! Unfortunately, the gate kit was not in stock, so we are waiting for that to arrive. When it does, it will be a half-day project to get the gate up. We also need to stain the fence, but it needs to be dry for a couple of days first. That hasn't happened yet.



Once we get the gate hung and the fence stained, I'll post some final pictures. It feels so good to have the backyard enclosed, even without the gate. But I can't wait till the gate is hung and I can send the kids outside to play and not have to worry about them!

Temporary Isolation

I have been having a problem with my wireless adapter for quite a while and need to have my mother board replaced (again) on my laptop. Since our PC died last week, I will not have access to my email or my blogs or the internet until I get my laptop back (horrors!). Hubby brought home a spare computer from work to use for a while, so hopefully he will get that connected soon, but until such time I will be out of contact with the cyberworld.

Heartache

My thoughts and prayers have been with Steven Curtis Chapman and his family today. They suffered a breathtakingly tragic loss yesterday. Their youngest daughter, five-year-old Maria, was struck by a vehicle and died of her injuries. Though he is probably best known as a Christian musician, he has also been a champion for adoption in many ways, setting up Shaohannah's Hope and themselves adopting three little girls from China. They have set up a blog to remember her, for people to share their condolances, and where you can view a cute video of Maria if you so desire.

I know I will give my five-year-old (and six-year-old) an extra hug tonight.

Sweltering Cold

Today's high is forecast to be 53 degrees (with showers), but just five days ago we had a high of 95 degrees. This time of year usually has some diverse temperatures, but more than a 40-degree swing is pretty extreme! Personally, I am hoping the Lord will give us a long stretch of 70-degree weather soon.

Humiliations Galore

My six-year-old son just put me in checkmate after a scant four moves. I know I should be really proud (Okay, I am!), but I think I'm more humiliated than proud.

I recently checked out the book Chess for Kids from the library for him, and apparently he's actually been reading it, not just looking at the pictures as I had supposed! Maybe I should put it on his wish list, or then again maybe not. I don't know if I want to suffer many more humiliating losses! (Just for the record, I DID beat him the next two games.)

Summer Gatherings Begin

This Saturday we had some friends over for fellowship and a BBQ. Though just a few days earlier our temperatures were in the 60s, on Friday it was 95 and Saturday it was 91! That is really hot for our part of the country, especially when you've had no time to adjust to warm weather.


The kids helped by washing off our patio chairs and then decided to clean all their outside toys as well! They had fun splashing and getting wet. In fact, I had to change Abby because she got completely soaked.


While the coals heated and we waited for our guests to arrive, Daddy played catch with the kids. Ryan is learning how to throw really well!


After lunch, the kids got on their swimsuits and cooled off in our tiny wading pool (One of the best $6.99 I ever spent! This is the third summer we've used it.) Our friends got their little girl (also named Abigail) into her suit and let her get into the pool for her first time.


Though I ended up feeling sicker as the day wore on, we had a nice visit and time together. We have several more of these days planned this year, but hopefully the next ones won't be so hot!

Foster Care & Adoption

Since this is National Foster Care Month, I wanted to get another plug in for the kids who are waiting in the system for someone to open their hearts to them. The adoption agency we used, Bethany Christian Services, has a new program called Project Open Arms which is aimed at the children in foster care in Michigan:

Bethany is reaching out to thousands of children in Michigan who are in foster care and waiting for adoptive families. Bethany has received more than $1 million in private funding for Project Open Arms, an initiative to find loving, permanent families for foster children by recruiting families through churches in Michigan. Project Open Arms' bold goal is that Michigan will be a state where no children are waiting for adoption. With more than 12,000 churches in Michigan and 6,000 children waiting for adoption, Bethany needs to find a family in just 1 out of 2 churches to adopt 1 child. In the future, Bethany hopes to expand this program into other states to find adoptive families for the more than 100,000 children waiting across the country.

Can you imagine how incredible it would be to have all of those children in Christian homes? I can't think of a better way to glorify Christ and to live out His commission to make disciples! I will be praying for this project and for God's leading as to what else He is calling our family to do.

Punctuation 101-Lesson 1

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation says:

Periods and commas always (emphasis mine) go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.

Examples:
The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
She said, "Hurry up."
She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"

National Foster Care Month

May is National Foster Care Month, and to highlight it I thought I'd make yet another movie recommendation. Have you seen Martian Child? It is a story that is loosely based on true events about a single man who adopts a boy from the foster care system who thinks he is from Mars. It is a heartwarming story that I think you will enjoy. Who knows, maybe it will cause you to consider fostering or even adopting one of the thousands of kids that are waiting for a home. Could God be calling you to take a little "Martian Child" into your heart?

Mother's Day Prayer

Reposted from Mother's Day 2006

As I was enjoying a rare and blissful pleasure this morning, an uninterrupted shower, I was praying and thinking about Mother's Day. I find it peculiar that now that I am a mother, I don't have the unreserved joy on Mother's Day that I had once thought I would enjoy once I attained the illusive title, "Mommy."

Maybe the joy is muted by the memory of the many babies I never held or the lingering scar of years of infertility and childlessness. Maybe it's the knowledge that this day holds pain for some that are precious to my heart. I think of those who fear they may never know the joy of raising a child, those whose arms are empty because they loved a child selflessly enough to trust another mom to give what she cannot give, those who are separated from their mothers by death or estrangement or many miles, those who find it hard to celebrate a mother who seems unworthy of praise, those who don't have food or shelter for their children, those who are suffering the pain of watching a grown child make devastating choices, or those who fail to be the kind of mother they know God is calling them to be.

Still, as I enjoyed a pancake breakfast prepared by my husband this morning, I was overflowing with joy. It is a breathtaking privilege to look around the table and see the beautiful faces of two children I have been given the honor of raising. I am joyous this morning because of sticky hands and obnoxious noises that come from my two charges, and I thank God with all that is in me, again, for making me a mommy.

For those who are on the painful side of this day, I want you to know that you are not forgotten, you are loved and needed by many. And I prayed for you today.

Another Recommendation

I finished reading Nim's Island aloud to the kids this morning, and since we have a spanking new cinema in our little community now and since Daddy got home early from work today, we decided to take them to the matinee to see the movie. The kids liked it, and I really enjoyed it too! Okay, I admit, the special effects (particularly the CG) are not stellar and the story flounders a bit where they decided to stray from the book, but it inspires a love of reading and adventure and being courageous, all things we try to encourage in our children.

I was nervous about taking my kids to a PG movie that I haven't previewed (this is the first one they've seen that hasn't been filtered), but my apprehension was unfounded. I despise all the bad attitudes, potty humor and sexual innuendo that pervade so many movies aimed at kids, but that was missing in this one for the most part (the sea lion burps once and passes gas once).

When I finished reading the book this morning, Ryan said, "Can I read it now?" and when Daddy asked them after the movie if they wanted to see it again sometime, he said, "Yeah, I want to own it!" I think he liked the story, don't you?

Recommended

I saw this book at Target a month or so ago. It intrigued me, but I'm too cheap frugal to buy books at full price, so I went home and requested it from the library. Since it was brand new, they didn't have the book processed yet, but I was first to request it. I got the book yesterday, and began reading this afternoon. I couldn't put it down and finished it a few minutes ago. If you're looking for a great true life story and don't mind shedding a few tears, I would highly recommend this book! Not only is it an unbelievable story, it was encouraging to see God at work through the families involved and to hear them give Him glory despite unimaginable suffering.

Adoption Credit and the Stimulus Check

I just wanted to clear up something that had me confused for the last several weeks, just in case anyone else might be confused too.

If you filed your taxes and claimed an adoption credit, you may not get what you expected to get in your stimulus payment. I know we didn't, and it took some digging to find out why. The bottom line is if your adoption credit brought your tax liability down to zero, then you will only get $300 per person instead of the $600 you might have been expecting.

So our new fence will probably not be completed this month as we had hoped since we are $600 short of what we were hoping for, but at least we'll get it started and pray for the money to finish is sometime this year!

Boredom

I belong to a Yahoo Group for people using the homeschool curriculum that I use, and one of the moderators is wise and often funny too. Her solution for dealing with kids who say they're bored is priceless:

In the medical field, we ask patients to rate their pain on a scale of 1 to 10. When my kids complain of boredom, I ask them to rate it on the same scale. If they are approaching a 10, this is a true emergency! No amount of mindless entertainment can save them now. Only rigorous work can maintain the heart rate above asystole.

I have never had a child become so bored that I had to start CPR, but anything is possible once boredom reaches life threatening levels.

Once the patient says, "stop it mom, you are not funny", then you know you have successfully converted a code W (W stands for whining) to a normal rhythm.

Interruptions

This devotion from Elisabeth Elliot was in my inbox last Friday, and I have been pondering over it ever since.

We like things to go smoothly and as planned. Very often unexpected things intervene, and our plans go awry. We think we've got "problems." There is another level at which everything that happens is being engineered. "God has no problems," Corrie ten Boom said, "only plans." When ours are interrupted, his are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable) "toward the goal of true maturity" (Rom 12:2 JBP). Believe God. Turn the interruptions over to Him. He is at the controls.

I like structure and routine, especially when it comes to my day with my kids. My son particularly needs to know when and how things are going to happen or he doesn't cope well (he even needs to know how many pages are in a chapter before he starts reading it!). However, it's a rare day in our house when my plans aren't "interrupted" or changed, usually by my daughter. She still hasn't learned the self-control she needs to keep out of things and can make a mess faster (and more thoroughly) than anyone I've ever known. She also has a remarkable gift for knowing the exact moment that her curiosity will be the most inconvenient and irksome for me.

I have been asking God to give me patience for the daily chaos that seems to be the norm around our house, but maybe it's not so much patience that I need as much a new perspective. I know that her character and love for Christ are so much more important than learning her alphabet or getting housework done, but I don't act like it when I get angry or impatient with her for squirting toothpaste all over the sink (and walls, and mirror, and floor...) or some other such "interruption." I pray He will give me the grace I need to see these interruptions in a new light, to see them as a Divine appointment to show love and grace and mercy to my sweet little girl and perhaps to train her in the way she should go.

Late Night Welcome Home

Not so patiently waiting.
Though Ryan was mortified to go into the airport in his jammies, he was willing to make the sacrifice to get to greet Daddy when he got off the plane (or as near as they let you get nowadays). Hubby's plane didn't get in until 10:16 pm, and we live an hour away from the airport, so I was very glad they were dressed for bed when we got home after 11:00pm last night...even Ryan was happy he could crawl directly into bed. Both kids fell asleep about five minutes before we arrived at the airport and had to be awakened, and though Ryan stayed awake most of the way home, Abby was out within a few minutes after leaving the airport.


We're all so happy to have him home again!

Visiting Special Friends

We are all missing Eddie around here, so it seemed like a great time to go visit some dear friends. We met this family at church when we lived in Memphis and were delighted when we learned they were moving to Oregon almost two years ago. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to get together very often, but I enjoy it when we do. The kids adore their youngest daughter, but unfortunately she wasn't feeling well yesterday so we didn't get to see much of her. Also Ward works evenings and we only got to see him for a few minutes as well. However, we spent eight hours or so visiting with Cindy, and it was nice to catch up with her.

Thanks, Cindy, we love you all!

Saying Goodbye

My hubby left for Florida last night. He'll be gone for a week, and we are going to miss him! We got to the airport a bit early, so we all went inside. The kids played on the play structure for a while (playing Captain Horatio Hornblower!), while Eddie and I had a chance to talk a bit. As we were waving goodbye, Ryan said, "If Daddy leaves again, I'll split apart!" He loves his Daddy and his little heart is already missing him greatly.


Have a good visit with your dad, but hurry home, Honey!

Petition for Re-hearing Granted

I got an email tonight from the Home School Legal Defense Association with an update on the recent California Homeschool ruling:

On March 25, the California Court of Appeal granted a motion for rehearing in the 'In re Rachel L.' case--the controversial decision which purported to ban all homeschooling in that state unless the parents held a teaching license qualifying them to teach in public schools.

The automatic effect of granting this motion is that the prior opinion is vacated and is no longer binding on any one, including the parties in the case.

Good news for all of us homeschoolers and especially for California Homeschoolers!

He is Risen!

I hope you all had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday! We were blessed to have my mom visiting from California this Easter, which made it special for us. We traditionally make Resurrection Cookies Saturday evening, but though the story is neat and opening the oven door Easter morning to find hollow cookies is fun, we don't really like to eat them and end up throwing them away.


This year I decided to try a new recipe for Resurrection Buns, and we loved them! I made them Easter morning and served them with scrambled eggs and bacon, and they were a hit! It was fun to open each one up to see if it was hollow (they all were!), and it was even more fun to eat them...yummy!

Most importantly, it's incredible to know and celebrate that Jesus' tomb was truly empty some 2,000 years ago!

California Homeschool Update

California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell comes to the defense of homeschool families.

"The California Department of Education policy will not change in any way as a result of this ruling. Parents still have the right to homeschool in this state."

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is still preparing to fight the recent ruling in hopes of getting it overturned or depublished, but the superintendent's statement is encouraging and a relief to many homeschooling families.

New Look

I've been working on designing a new blog template from scratch, but due to my slow learning curve it is taking a long time. So until my own template is completed, I went with this one designed by Annie at BlogU. It's a bit trendy for this plain jane girl, but I'll pretend I'm on the cutting edge for a while (even if hubby dislikes the label cloud) until I get my new template done. Hey, by the time I get it done, this template will be so out of style that it might just suit me!

Parental Rights and Homeschooling

I have been putting my blogs on the back burner lately, but I really wanted to post about the new ruling that was handed down in California last week essentially making homeschooling illegal in California for anyone who doesn't have a valid teaching certificate (probably 98 percent of homeschool families).

Don't be decieved by the homeschooling "cloak" of this ruling for this is at heart an attack on the rights of parents to choose what is best for their children! We are blessed to live in a state that is currently friendly to parents and homeschooling. However, California is a bellwether state, and if this ruling is allowed to stand, it will eventually impact the rest of the country (not to mention the harm it will do to Californians).

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is gathering signatures to petition the California Supreme Court to depublish (make it applicable only to the family involved in the case) the decision. You don't have to homeschool or be a member of HSLDA to sign the petition.

Lastly, the Lord God isn't surprised by this ruling as the rest of us may have been. He is our hope and our shield! Let us pray and trust in Him.

Thorns or Treasure?

I stood a mendicant (beggar) of God before His royal throne
And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.
I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart
I cried, "But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.
This is a strange, a hurtful gift, which Thou hast given me."
He said, "My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee."
I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.
I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace,
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides His face.

By Martha Snell Nicholson

Sanctity of Life Day

(Edited to add: I had this post written a week ago, but totally forgot to post it on Sunday!)

I don't remember where I first heard about this video or how I ran across it, but I do vividly remember the face of Eliot and the joy of his special parents. Abby remembers too. She took a break from playing one day last fall to come check on me (she often does that) and found me sitting in front of my computer with tears streaming down my face. "What's the matter, Mommy?" she said, patting my arm. I couldn't even speak being so choked by the beautiful short life on the screen. I hugged my daughter and she too watched the video about this precious life. She remembers Eliot even months later. She still asks about him and wonders if she will get to see him in heaven.

In celebration of Sanctity of Life Day today, I wanted to share this powerful tribute to life and joy in hopes that if you have doubts that every human life is precious and valuable, you may be swayed to reconsider.

Spring Will Come

I dearly love having all the seasons (though summer could be shortened to a couple weeks and I'd be fine with that!), and even winter is enjoyable for me. Despite my love of winter though, I was excited to see our crocus bulbs that we planted last fall pushing their way to the surface today. There is just something special about the promise of Spring. Maybe it's because it reminds me of the new life I've been given through Christ, the new creature He's made me and the promises that go with that. Whatever the reason, seeing those small green sprouts sticking up through the mulch gave me such a thrill and peace knowing that God is faithful and the Spring will come again, just like it always does.

"While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease." Genesis 8:22

Lessons for Mommy

As part of his daily schooling, Ryan reads aloud to me one chapter of a book from our chosen curriculum. His latest book is called Little Prudy's Dotty Dimple and was written in 1865 by Sophie May. Today's chapter had the oldest two girls (nine and six years old) being humiliated and embarrased by their littest sister's naughty and rude behavior (three years old). I had to smile at the end of the chapter when the oldest said,

"I've been thinking it all over," replied Susy, "and I've made up my mind that God allows her to mortify you and me. You know we must have some kind of a trial, or we shouldn't grow gentle and sweet tempered."

"As mother is," added Prudy.

After having an especially trying morning with one of my darling children, this was a gentle nudge from the Lord for me. It's a wasted "trial" if I am not changed by it, not more dependant on Him because of it, and not growing more "gentle and sweet tempered" through it.

Christmas Cheer and Crisis

We had an especially good Christmas this year. I can't really put my finger on why, especially since so much of what I had planned didn't happen. Hubby had an emergency at work that began Thursday afternoon and lasted for three and a half days, and he got only seven hours sleep in 91 hours (I only had 11 hours sleep). We didn't get the gingerbread house done (for the second year in a row), we didn't have the usual homemade cinnamon rolls or dinner rolls, we had salad out of a bag (gasp!), we skipped some crafts the kids wanted to do, and the house wasn't sparkling clean like it usually is by Christmas Eve.

What I do know is that we worshipped God. We were grateful. We shared the gospel with our neighbors. The kids and I had opportunities to serve Daddy and minister to him. We weren't sure we'd be able to have him home Christmas Day, but we did and were so thankful for that. We had a warm and dry house to celebrate in. We were all healthy (despite lack of sleep). We rejoiced in knowing Jesus. We even had some snow! It was a memorable Christmas, and I know hubby and I will remember it fondly in years to come.

The Love Chapter for Christmas

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,
strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls,
but do not show love to my family,
I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen,
baking dozens of Christmas cookies,
preparing gourmet meals and arranging
a beautifully adorned table at mealtime:
but do not show love to my family,
I'm just another cook.

If I work at a soup kitchen,
carol in the nursing home,
and give all that I have to charity;
but do not show love to my family,
it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels
and crocheted snowflakes,
attend a myriad of holiday parties
and sing in the choir's cantata
but do not focus on Christ,
I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love does not envy another's home
that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way,
but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love does not give only to those who are able
to give in return; but rejoices in giving
to those who cannot.

Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails.

Video games will break,
pearl necklaces will be lost,
golf clubs will rust,
but giving the gift of love will endure.

--Author Unknown

(Okay, I swiped this from Ann who has a knack of posting brilliant things.)

Local Flooding

This is the cute little town of Vernonia where Eddie often goes fishing.
Photos from KATU.com.
I am so grateful to wake up to a dry and warm home this morning. Not everyone I know is so blessed. I found out yesterday that one of the families in my homeschool group has been displaced from their home due to flooding. They have three children, one of whom is a darling little two-year-old boy they just adopted two months ago (Ryan LOVES this little boy who was being fostered by a friend of ours until the adoption).

I'm told the watermark goes about eight inches up the walls of their home, and to make things worse the sewer backed up during the flood and contaminated all the water so there will be few things able to be salvaged. They think they were able to get the beds up off the floor in time, but they lost everything else that touches the ground: their dressers, sofas, chairs, bookcases full of books, homeschoooling supplies, anything in the lower kitchen cabinets, etc. They will have to replace walls and floors and cabinets and who knows what else...and they had no flood insurance.

I am writing this not just to express my gratitude for the blessings I have but to ask those of you who are able "to go boldy before the throne of grace," to pray for the S****a family. They are believers and appear to be holding up well, but they will need strength and peace in the coming days, weeks, and months it takes to rebuild. I don't know what their church is doing for them, but I know our homeschool group is making meals, offering labor and childcare, and trying to do anything we can to help them.


Flooding of Highway 30 about 30 miles northwest of where we live.

Weather Report

I have had a couple of inquiries this morning about how we "weathered" the storm yesterday. We're doing fine, thankfully! Eddie came home from work pretty early yesterday morning since the only highway to our little town was flooding quickly and was closed in several locations. He did manage to get home, and this morning the roads look much better. We have a big branch down in the backyard, and Abby was up all night afraid of noises she was hearing. However, I'm very grateful we still have power and a warm, dry house!

Just Photos

Interesting

On a recent trip to the zoo I saw these two identical trees side by side. I found it interesting that only one of them had changed colors. Then a week or so later I saw these two trees. Again, they are the same type of tree living side by side, but one turned brilliant red and the other yellow. Don't have a clue why, but it sure looked cool!

Out of Commission

Edited to add: Hubby reminded me that we hadn't wiped my old laptop yet, so I dug it out and am back in business...sort of! At least I can check my email regularly and maybe even add a blog post or two.

My wireless adapter "disappeared without being properly prepared for removal" two days ago. We were told it's a known problem with the driver software, but my wireless card may be fried too.

At any rate, in the process of trying to get it going again, my system has had to be wiped and completely rebuilt, so I am out of commission for a while. I will try to check email once a day or so on our PC, but I probably won't be doing any blog posts until I get the issue fixed. Our PC is REALLY slow and cumbersome to use, as well as not having everything I need on it.

I'm sure it will do me good to be without a computer for a while, but it is more painful than I care to admit!

Time Change

Anyone else have kids getting up at 5:30? Sigh. My son has a sturdy internal clock, and he's always been an early riser anyway!

On the Sidebar

In case you haven't noticed, I thought I'd point out the poll I have on my sidebar. I am extending the poll for another couple of weeks because hubby told me he didn't notice it until I said something to him about it. This is a topic that has been coming up again and again for me the last couple of years, and I am curious what others believe about who God is and how He acts. So, if you've got an opinion or even if you're not sure, please take a minute to vote...I'd appreciate it!

View Out the Front Door