Chiara Went On Vacation

A Fellow Blogger went on Vacation in Italy. And while she was gone, she sent us these! :)


Aren't they cool! The girlies were very excited to get postcards from Italy! :)

Happy Anniversary Deary!

This Picture was taken EARLY this a.m. :)

Today is our 21st anniversary. I am thankful to be married to the love of my life.

Thank you dear for 21 years of adventure!

A Soap Box

I am really tired and weary of the absolute uncaring attitudes towards those in need. We as a nation have become so distant, so turned upside down. We have hardened our hearts against the widow and orphan, the poor and needy.

I remember long ago hearing a sermon about Sodom and Gomorrah.
Of course everybody goes straight to the issue specifically mentioned in the Genesis passage that called for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, but in further study, you will find in Ezekiel 16:48-50
There was more to it:

"As I Live Declares the Lord God, your Sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. SO I removed them when I saw it."

There were no righteous living in Sodom and Gomorrah, all were living lives to please themselves. They were prosperous, they had excess of food and they were prideful and haughty.
It seems America isn't much different.
I was reading responses this week to several news articles and I was appauled at the callousness of the hearts of Americans responding to the situation in Pakistan, the terrible massacres in Africa, even the little boys who were killed here in the U.S. and then the general attitude about those in need. Pakistan was compared to people who were "suffering" because they couldn't pay their debts. Really folks people are dying of disease, women are giving birth is squalid conditions, some having C sections with NO pain medicine or anesthesia at all. And we are comparing that to losing a Mc Mansion?

Have we really become that blind?

I am sickend.

Off soap box.
Back to Family Blog.

We Have Declared Summer Officially OVER

Even though it is still so stinking hot outside. It is over. We are moving on to bigger and better things! SCHEDULES and earlier bedtimes so we can wake earlier and get our day going.

We slipped into the lazy days of summer during the past 6 weeks quite easily. Rising in the morning was later and later, and bedtimes in the evening were later and later.

So today, we flip flopped. :)

6:00 a.m. UP AND AT IT!




YAH! :)

So I'm SUPPOSED To Be Green

Not green as in Kermit green.... but green as in caring about pollution and what we use and throw away green.

I have gotten lazy. It is SO EASY to just throw away plastic, paper, magazines, boxes, cans, instead of recycling. We have no recycle bins in our area. It would make it easier if we did. In FACT, I'm going to do a little research for our area and find out for sure that there is nothing.

Nobody around here recycles. They even dump cans and trash in our ditch when they drive by. Makes me think of the stereo types for country people are sometimes true. :(

One of my Biggest FAULTS in this area is to use paper plates. It has been my staple china for a while. I hate it, that I have used these instead of real dishes!

So I am turning over a new leaf! For the past week, we have used paper plates VERY sparingly and now, we are OUT! The dishwasher is getting filled with more plates than normal, and I'm glad to see it! I am hoping we all withdraw from our old "Chinette" to our new "China" (not real china, just Target dishes) and continue to care about how we can do our own part to care for our planet.

After all, God gave us this place to live. Shouldn't we keep it as neat and clean as possible?
Did you know it takes oil to make plastic containers?

I wonder, how much we really are dependent upon oil, and don't even realize it.
Is there a place I could find a list of products that use oil?
I think that would be a fun project for school.

I like learning right alongside the girlies. :)

Time to google!

Children Of The Living God

This is our school song every morning. I just love this worship song. I wish I had a better video for the tune, but this is the only one I could find. Enjoy. :)

CHILDREN OF THE LIVING GOD

Verse 1:
Children of the living God come and sing sing out loud children of the living God Sing to the Living God

Verse 2:
Sing of the wonders he has made bird in flight falling rain
Sing of the wonders he has made sing to the living God

Chorus:
How he loves us with great love he who sits enthroned above for our lives he spilled his blood sent his spirit like a flood Children of the Living God sing to the living God

Verse 3:
Sing of his gentle healing hands how they found the lowliest man sing of his gentle healing hands sing to the living God

Verse 4:
Sing of the mercy that he gives though we sin he forgives sing of the mercy that he gives sing to the living God (Chorus)

Verse 5: (strum chord once)
Sing for the morning when he comes in the clouds glorious son sing for the morning when he comes sing to the living God (Chorus)

"Be The Flashlight"

I was thinking over a few things related to a Heather Forbes- Bryan Post- Eric Guy- BCLC- conversation.
Some of the discussion was that, "They are off".

I think sometimes, what we are afraid of, we attack. So, here is yet another post, to bring out some of the benefits that I think one could get in a BCLC approach to parenting, and a few observations of my own.

No one approach is perfect, unless of course it perfectly lines up with the Word of God.
It is our personal responsibility as parents to ANY child, to be the parent God has called us to be, not just the easy one, but the troubled and difficult one too.

Scripture calls for us to Love. It calls for parents, to not exasperate or embitter their children. I know there are times where I have done the very thing scripture tells me not to do. It is wrong, and as a Christian, I see it as sin.

I am thankful to the wonderful wisdom I have been able to glean from, both from the pulpit, from books, from scripture, and from parents who have walked before me.
There is a rich treasury, a wealth of knowledge to be had and understood.

If I want to know about raising girls in particular, I might find my good friend who has raised girls and has a close reltaionship with her girls, to pick her brain and see what she did right. For boys, the same thing.

When it comes to the traumatized or adopted child, I might pick a different brain, because the circumstances and situations are very, and VASTLY different.

The toddler who screams NO! in rebellion, may look exactly like the toddler who screams NO! in fear, but how you parent the fearful toddler, vs. the rebel of a toddler is vastly different.... YET, many things can be the same.
(how's that for a wishy washy statement) LOL

BCLC is not about changing your child so they can fit into your family. It is about changing YOU so you can reach your child.

Really, as I was reading Colossians 3:18- yesterday, there is a part of chapter 3 that says, "Wives, submit to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord, Husbands love your wives and treat them gently, do not provoke your children to exasperation lest they become discouraged, children obey your parents as it pleases the Lord...... What ever you do, work heartily for the Lord and not for men!

It was interesting to me that each relationship mentioned was to be pleasing to the Lord.

In not exasperating my children, treating them gently, I do please the Lord. In Proverbs there is the famous vs. that says, "A soft answer turns away wrath". It is so true. Why is it so hard for us to put away ourselves and follow it.

One of the things that the BCLC paradigm presents is using a soft answer to DE-Escalate situations with traumatized children.

It is curious, how some will get upset because they want the RIGHT to not be gentle and tender, when their child isn't gentle and tender. It is more of an "eye for an eye" kind of parenting. Only the strongest and fittest survive that kind of house hold... or do they?
Tenderness and Discipline are not mutually exclusive statements.

One of my favorite parts of the BCLC approach is that Love Never Fails. It doesn't.
I was listening to a Margaret Becker song this a.m. called "Never for Nothing".
It isn't for naught when you love somebody and receive nothing back.

Eventually, that nut will crack, that hard shell will crack, that heart of stone will turn into a heart of flesh, but it takes TIME.....
And if you never saw it in your lifetime, that doesn't mean it was for naught.

When our children who come from such awful backgrounds are brought into our homes, their hearts are closed to such a bright light. That light of love, reflecting on them closes their eyes and hearts. It is too bright! And they can't see their way out of a very dark place.

If we would stop shining the light IN their face, and BECOME the light and shine the light in the direction out of the darkness and into the light, they may be able to open their eyes and follow us. They may even hold our little flashlight hand along the way. :)
They may need to take baby steps,allowing their eyes to adjust slowly, or they may run, to a new reality of love, compassion, acceptance and relationship. But it is up to us to adjust for THEM, not them for US.

Model that light to them. Don't shine it in their face. Walk in the path and direction you want them to walk, and point the light at the goal! Let them peer at what is to come.... and comfort them in their fear.

As they begin to see, that little window of tolerance that is mentioned so much in BCLC will begin to open, and then it will open WIDE! And then, you can be all the more tender and loving and gentle with the special gifts that God has given you.

So would you rather be this?



OR This?

Sweet Saturday Morning

I love it when the children are so happy in the morning. We were all lounging around, that place half way between awake and asleep, when the business phone rang. UGH.
We like it when it rings, but too early makes you lose the lounge. :)

So, Sarah jumped into action!

She went and made coffee for her tired ole' parents. :)
She did a great job!

FRIDAY!

And after a hard week's work, we are thrilled to watch "Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief".




They did great this week, turned in all their work, and had wonderful attitudes.
Thanks girlies. :)
Love,
Mom

More Amputee Humor

This a.m. I was telling daddy about a dilemma I was dealing with. Erika was listening in, and after we were done, I was talking about a decision I would have to make.

Erika said, "I'd hate to be in your feet!" ROFL.....

Are You Ready to Die?

Not the typical topic of early morning breakfast, but this is the question Sarah posed to me this morning.

I asked her, "Are you just asking to ask? Or do you want my more "philosophical" answer?
She said the "philosophical" one....

So, Here is what I told her. It is honest.

I am not afraid to go to be with the Lord. In fact, I look forward to it! I know that I will be with Him forever, and I know that it will be great. However, it is that getting from Point A to Point B part that makes my stomach quiver abit.
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night because of a "sinking" in your sleep? It is a scary feeling. Thinking about a plane crashing and all the folks perishing in an instant, I don't think if I were going down in a plane I would be "fear free".....
even if I knew intellectually I would be obliterated in an instant.... that instant must be sorta painful. And what about the "Mac Truck" that could take you out on the highway? Sorta scary and painful to think about....

So on the one hand, yes, I am ready, not because I am perfect and do all things right, but because of what Jesus did for me. I am ready.....
But I am not ready, when it comes to getting from point A to Point B....

"Do you get the point?"
Sarah's response.....
I was just askin'.... and then she finished her breakfast. :)

LUNCH

YUM! I love being able to make healthy lunches for the family every day. One of the benefits of homeschooling, is a good healthy lunch at a great price!
Cucumber 44 cents
Tomatoes 1.00
Onion 35 cents worth
50 cents worth of cheese
and pennies for the rest.
We fed 5 people for less than 50 cents each AND it was gluten free :)

What is your favorite, healthy, economical lunch?




Cucumber sliced
Roma Tomatoes sliced
1/2 White Onion sliced
Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Garlic
Pepper
Dash of Sea Salt
Parsley

Sprinkle with freshly grated Romano and Sunflower Seeds

Arthrogryposis

Arthrogryposis is a very rare condition, yet, today, I have read about a baby being born to a precious family, and she has Arthrogryposis, and two other families are adopting little ones who have Arthrogryposis.

It is unusual to see people who have Arthrogryposis. Even when going to the hospital, you don't always see it.

I am so encouraged that these families, each and every one of them are lovingly welcoming their children into their families, with all the love and tender care that all children deserve.

And for anybody who thinks Arthrogryposis limits: Well, it does.... but not totally. Erika's arms are effected and her hands are effected to a degree, but she is very good at knitting.


And though she can't bend her legs, she can use the knee board behind that boat just as great as anybody else! (better than mom) :)


But one of the best things about my Erika, is she LOVES HER MAMA! And I love her too!
I love them all. :)

"My Little Women" :)

Micah 6:8

I love this verse in Scripture.

"He has shown you, Oh Man! What is good and what the Lord requires of you!
But to do JUSTLY, and to love MERCY and to walk HUMBLY with your God!"

For the Sake Of His Great Name

I have added a blog back to my "Blogs I like to read" list. I have always loved reading it, but I had switched it to a ministry blog list, and now I forget to scroll down there and read it.

The Denny's are friends of ours from Church. They live in Senegal where Wayne teaches at the seminary. Their blog is funny, and real, and exciting, and can give all of us a real taste of what it is like to be a missionary in another country, different culture, and under extraordinary circumstances.

Here is a recent excerpt from their blog:

You know you live in Africa when...
You are so excited that the power has been on for the last 20 hours that you don't even care that it's off now.

Your 3 year old routinely shouts out "Power's off!" or "Power's on!" as it goes off and on.

The same 3 year old puts her baby doll to bed and is sure to put a "mosquito net" over her so she doesn't get bit.

You learn to go to sleep to the sound of fans, your neighbors generators, and the other neighbors sheep.

You go to the grocery store and say hi to everybody who works there, not just say hi, but have a conversation with everybody as well.

You are actually expected to go meet your neighbors when you move in and they love having you come in whenever you stop by.

You see sheep riding on the top of taxis.

You have people come up to you on the beach and say "You're really white, you're not from here, are you."

You know the wattage of every appliance in your house so that you know if you can run it on your back up battery system or not. Fan - yes. TV - yes. Microwave - no. Iron - no.

You sometimes drive on the dirt part next to the paved road because there are less potholes.

You tell people how to get to your house by saying "Turn left between the 2 pink houses after the 2nd speed bump..." or "Just drive to the back of the high school and call me, I'll come find you."

During the rainy season, you change the route you take certain places because you don't have 4 wheel drive and you know you won't make it through the puddle that covers the entire road.

We're still learning, and every day is a new adventure here!

Please read and enjoy, and don't forget to hold this special family up in your prayers. :)

A New Mattress

We have needed to put a new mattress on the bottom bunk bed for a long time! When the girlies were younger, they stepped on the old one to climb up top and it had broken down over time. This new one is much nicer and I'm sure it will be more comfy!

It is the mattress from Anna's room. We will be putting up the Iron Bed, which is a twin bed in Anna's room.

The Iron bed has a long history. When we moved into our house, it was outside buried in the dirt with bricks built up around it. Somebody used it for a "Flower Bed". I dug it up, cleaned it up and had it painted white for Anna. Then, when Sarah came, we switched to a double bed and sent the Iron bed to Katie. They just moved to NM, so now we have the frame again. So, it has worked it's way back to Anna. :)

I am SURE however, it will never work it's way back to being a "flower bed". :)

FRIDAY NIGHT SLUMBER PARTY

Anna was using a flash light to finish reading her book.

Daddy is already zonked out! :)

We have had this tradition for many years, (like 21), of having a slumber party on Friday nights all together. Years ago, it was the boys, and us, all falling asleep in the den. They had sleeping bags. But this ole' body can no longer sleep on a floor. So, with the girlies, we moved it to our bedroom. We have two cots, and the floor. We are looking for another cot to go on sale, and then, we will have 3 for everybody.... so far, somebody has to stay on the floor. Today, it is Erika's turn.
It was actually Sarah's turn, but Erika told Sarah to sleep on the cot again, and she'd take the floor. She is such a sweetie.
Sarah took advantage of the offer. :)

We love our Friday night Rituals. We go to sleep to the Movie, "The Secret of Roan Inish"... mainly, because we love the music so much. The story is fun, but the music is great! :)


What are your Friday Night Rituals?

Week 1 of School DONE!

YEA! I love starting on Wednesday each year. That way, the week doesn't seem so LONG when we are used to playing. :)

We really had a great week. The girlies followed their schedules and really enjoyed each subject.

We are doing long term "delight directed" projects for the semester.
The girls could choose what ever they wanted. They will be required to write a 7 page
paper, with bibliography, art work, cover page, and a hands on project.
It is due the week before Christmas Break.

Sooo, what did they choose??

Erika- The History of Guitars
Anna- The History of Cats
Sarah- The History of Horses

This should be interesting. :)

Sleeping Surprise

I went to check on the girls before bedtime, and they were both missing! Sarah and Erika sleep on a double bed which makes up the bottom bunk. Anna is experiencing her own room right now, so the top bunk is not being used.

I looked a little closer and this is who I found on the top bunk all snuggled together!


Now, how in the WORLD Erika was able to get up there, I have no idea! And, before I went in this a.m., she had managed to get herself down too!

That girl amazes me! :)

Diving Into Math

I have been asked a few times about what we are using to help us with math. Several years ago, when teaching our boys, I switched to a geometry program with a video teacher.
The guys didn't like it so much, but I didn't feel equipped to teach geometry. It was a good decision.

Since that time, a group of CD's have been made to go along with Saxon Math. We have used Rod and Staff math up until now, and have switched to Saxon this year. One of the reasons we switched, was because Saxon has changed their format and now has a SEPARATE Geometry Book between Algebra 1 and Algebra 2.

The CD's cost is around 50 dollars. You do not see the teacher, but hear his voice, and as he talks, you watch him work out the math problems for each lesson. He is interesting and fun, and the girlies are really excited about watching.

One of the things I loved hearing him say on the first lesson was, "You can have the best math curriculum and the best teacher but the most important thing is a good attitude." :)

The CD's can be purchased for all of the math through Physics, and I noticed on the website there are more for Chemistry and other subjects.
Here is a sample of what the screen looks like. It is a man's voice and he works out the problems as you watch. You can even hear him writing on a chalk board... :)


Here is a link to the DIVE website.