Devotions, Fire Fly Catchin' and Miss Kittie Winkle Update

It was a great day today. The girls finished their English book. They have 1/2 lesson left in history and 1 in science. We are winding down. During the summer time, we plan to work on Hand writing, spelling and math.

I am letting the girls stay up a little later. They have been so great. I have watched them just SHINING lately.

Last night we continued in our devotions in the Proverbs. Each of the girls listened and participated intently. They each prayed the most precious prayers, pouring their little hearts out to our Lord. It was a wonderful sight to see.

Erika thanked the Lord that she had been in the orphanage for 7 plus years and then adopted, because had she not, she may not have heard about Jesus. It was a precious time.

Miss Kittie Winkle is doing fabulous. She started eating Solid foods yesterday, but still loves her bottle. She cracks me up laying on her back like a baby. Anna has a way with her. She is the only one besides me who can feed her a bottle. :)




The girls were enjoying the pleasant evening and we are staying up a little later now. I caught a few pics of them enjoying "Fire Fly Catchin'"
Sarah has been looking forward to it all day!

Understanding!

Today, I gave the girls an assignment.

Pick a topic and write some facts down about it that you find in the encyclopedia.

Well, Erika in true fashion asked for an explanation.

What do you mean by facts?

She was going to write about Cats. I replied, "Where did cats originate from, what are some different types of cats, (wild or domestic) what are some things that all cats have in common, etc.

A few minutes go by and she says, "I can't find anything about Cats and Orgies!"

I said, "WHAT?"

"You know, Cat's and orgies!"

"No I don't know what you mean!

"Do you mean where Cats originated from?"

Oh, yes, that is what I mean. :)

Yikes!

The Exploration of Miss Kittie Winkle

I think Anna is going to be a great mama someday! :)

This Puts New Meaning To

Family Basketball!






I think Erika was winning for a while, and dad decided to use Sarah for a guaranteed basket! I'm not sure she appreciated it too much. :)

Miss Kittie-Winkle update 2

She is doing great. Exploring all over now. We guess she is around 3 weeks old. She isn't on solids yet though we are trying to present them to her. She just poo-pood them in perfect kitty form. She loves her bottle and it is a comedy session watching her drink. She will get into this weird fit of teething, sucking and clawing. Look out for the poor person holding the bottle she attacks!

Here are some photos of this a.m. Mike needs to clean his shoes! LOL

This Is What Happens

When you fall asleep on a warm Spring afternoon, with little girls in the house:


AHHHHH!

The Issue of Abortion

I have been mulling this over for a couple of days, and decided I would go ahead and write about it. After all, Abortion has everything to do with Adoption, and everything to do with Orphans, the homeless, alcoholism, out of wedlock pregnancy and many, many other social issues of today.

I read that a young person's creative idea to spread the word that abortion is an awful thing, was to have a t shirt made up with a picture of what it looks like. I couldn't help myself but respond, as I find the idea to not only be immoral, but repugnant. To put a precious life, torn apart on a Tshirt with a slogan is just an awful representation of what is wrong in the American Church.

Let me first say that I have strong issues with abortion and I believe it should not be legal, period.

However, it IS legal in our country and there are many, many people who are desperate, frightened, traumatized, confused, poor, unmarried, who seek out abortions. What good is a T shirt going to do them? If they were to be walking down the street and see this shirt, is it really, REALLY going to cause them to change their mind? Or is it going to cause them shame, and sadness and re traumatize them from the lie they have been told?

I strongly believe that instead of clever bumper stickers or fancy Tshirts, if we set our ACTIONS to show the compassion and LOVE we are COMMANDED to show in scripture to those in need, we would see fewer abortions.

I am also irritated that the very same people who scream about no abortions, are also judgmental to the single mother who has her baby. You can't have it both ways. You can't demand a person not have an abortion, and then ostracize them, because they didn't. I see that all the time. The view of, "you made your bed, now lie in it!"
It isn't our job to punish. It is our job to uphold truth, share the gospel and disciple.

If we truly care about the baby, we are also going to truly care about the mother.
We really need to put our actions with our words, which includes supplying the needs of babies whose mothers keep them. With supplying counseling, parenting classes, baby formula, diapers, food, etc. we will be showing Christian love to the neediest in our society and thus have opportunity to share the gospel. There is no relationship or opportunity to share with a bumper sticker or a t shirt.

I am saddened that abortion is legal. I am sad that so many are effected by it. Not just the babies, but the mothers too. It is a silent shame, to a silent scream.

And it is a very LOUD shame for Christians, if we sit in judgment and do not help those in need. Crisis Pregnancy Centers are a great place to donate or volunteer precious time.

Our Beloved Texas

Our Beloved Texas...

This is a must read for all Texans, used-to-be Texans, adopted Texans
or wanna-be Texans.

JUST TEXAS

Pep, Texas 79353
Smiley, Texas 78159
Paradise, Texas 76073
Rainbow, Texas 76077
Sweet Home, Texas 77987
Comfort, Texas 78013
Friendship, Texas 76530


Love the Sun?
Sun City, Texas 78628
Sunrise, Texas 76661
Sunset, Texas 76270
Sundown, Texas 79372
Sunray, Texas 79086
Sunny Side , Texas 77423
Want something to eat?
Bacon, Texas 76301
Noodle, Texas 79536
Oatmeal, Texas 78605
Turkey, Texas 79261
Trout, Texas 75789
Sugar Land, Texas 77479
Salty, Texas 76567
Rice, Texas 75155
Pearland, Texas 77581
Orange, Texas 77630

And top it off with:
Sweetwater, Texas 79556
Why travel to other cities? Texas has them all!
Detroit, Texas 75436
Cleveland, Texas 75436
Colorado City, Texas 79512
Denver City, Texas 79323
Klondike, Texas 75448
Nevada, Texas 75173
Memphis, Texas 79245
Miami, Texas 79059
Boston, Texas 75570
Santa Fe, Texas 77517
Tennessee Colony , Texas 75861
Reno, Texas 75462
Pasadena, Texas 77506
Columbus, Texas 78934
Feel like traveling outside the country? Don't bother buying a plane ticket!
Athens, Texas 75751
Canadian, Texas 79014
China, Texas 77613
Egypt, Texas 77436
Ireland, Texas 76538
Italy, Texas 76538
Turkey, Texas 79261
London, Texas 76854
New London, Texas 75682
Paris, Texas 75460
Palestine, Texas 75801

No need to travel to Washington D.C.
Whitehouse, Texas 75791

We even have a city named after our planet!
Earth, Texas 79031

And a city named after our State!
Texas City, Texas 77590

Exhausted?
Energy, Texas 76452

Cold?
Blanket, Texas 76432
Winters, Texas

Like to read about History?
Santa Anna, Texas
Goliad, Texas
Alamo, Texas
Gun Barrel City, Texas
Robert Lee, Texas

Need Office Supplies?
Staples, Texas 78670

Want to go into outer space?
Venus, Texas 76084
Mars, Texas 79062

You guessed it. It's on the state line.
Texline, Texas 79087

For the kids...
Kermit, Texas 79745
Elmo, Texas 75118
Nemo, Texas 76070
Tarzan, Texas 79783
Winnie, Texas 77665
Sylvester, Texas 79560

Other city names in Texas , to make you smile......
Frognot, Texas 75424
Bigfoot, Texas 78005
Hogeye, Texas 75423
Cactus, Texas 79013
Notrees, Texas 79759
Best, Texas 76932
Veribest, Texas 76886
Kickapoo, Texas 75763
Dime Box , Texas 77853
Old Dime Box , Texas 77853
Telephone, Texas 75488
Telegraph, Texas 76883
Whiteface, Texas 79379
Twitty, Texas 79079

And last but not least, the Anti-Al Gore City...
Kilgore, Texas 75662

And our favorites...
Cut n Shoot, Texas
Gun Barrell City, Texas
Hoop And Holler, Texas
Ding Dong, Texas and, of course,
Muleshoe, Texas
Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about folks from Texas ...

If someone in a Lowe's store offers you assistance and they don't work
there, you may live in Texas ;

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in
Texas ;

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed
a wrong number, you may live in Texas;

If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of Dallas for the weekend, you
may live in Texas ;

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Texas;

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may
live in Texas ;

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both
unlocked, you may live in Texas;

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use
them, you may live in Texas ;

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph --you're going 80 and
everybody's passing you, you may live in Texas ;

If you find 60 degrees 'a little chilly,' you may live in Texas ;
If you actually understand these jokes, and share them with all your
Texas friends, you definitely live in Texas ..

Here are some little known, very interesting facts about Texas .

1. Beaumont to El Paso : 742 miles

2.. Beaumont to Chicago : 770 miles

3... El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas

4. World's first rodeo was in Pecos, July 4, 1883.

5. The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America
built over water.

6. The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was
the first full-time coach at Rice University in Houston .

7. Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in
North America

8. Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America's only
remaining flock of whooping cranes.

9. Jalapeno jelly originated in Lake Jackson in 1978.

10. The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was in 1900, caused by
a hurricane, in which over 8,000 lives were lost on Galveston Island .

11. The first word spoken from the moon, July 20,1969, was "Houston,"
but the space center was actually in Clear Lake City at the time.

12. King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island ..

13. Tropical Storm Claudette brought a U.S. rainfall record of 43' in
24 hours in and around Alvin in July of 1979...

14. Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY, (known as the
Constitution of 1845 by the Republic of Texas to enter the Union )
instead of by annexation. This allows the Texas Flag to fly at the same height as
the U.S. Flag, and may divide into 5 states.

15. A Live Oak tree near Fulton is estimated to be 1500 years old.

16. Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.

17. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period in Dr Pepper..

18. Texas has had six capital cities:
Washington-on- the Brazos, Harrisburg , Galveston ,Velasco, West
Columbia and Austin ..

19. The Capitol Dome in Austin is the only dome in the U.S. which is
taller than the Capitol Building in Washington DC (by 7 feet).

20. The San Jacinto Monument is the tallest free standing monument in
the world and it is taller than the Washington monument.

21. The name ' Texas ' comes from the Hasini Indian word 'tejas'
meaning friends. Tejas is not Spanish for Texas ..

22. The State Mascot is the Armadillo (an interesting bit of trivia about
the armadillo is they always have four babies. They have one egg,
which splits into four, and they either have four males or four females.).

23. The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome in Houston.


Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in

Fairlie , Texas :
(1) Just one God.
(2) Honor yer Ma & Pa.
(3) No telling tales or gossipin'.
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.
(5) Put nothin' before God.
(6) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(7) No killin'.
(8) Watch yer mouth.
(9) Don't take what ain't yers.
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff.

Y'all git all that?

It's Not Raining Anymore....

It's Drippling! :)

The Blessing of Children

I thoroughly enjoyed Mother's Day yesterday. I don't make a big deal of it myself, because everyday is Mother's Day, but it was nice visiting and hearing from each of the kids. I am the proud bearer of a new necklace from the girlies and daddy that says, "The less we see with our eyes, the more we see with our hearts." We also have have beautiful flowers sitting on the counter from other kids. I loved hearing from everybody. As our family gets bigger and bigger, it is so lovely just to sit and observe the Lord's blessings in our lives and in the lives of our children and grand children.


What an amazing journey life is, with its twists and turns and surprises, both in pleasure and heartache. But all in all, God is in control. What a peace that brings upon my heart. :)

Here is 4 year old Lilly explaining how daddy got out of gramma's tummy. :)

Happy Mother's Day

Anna says she is "Jumping off the walls with excitement!"


I have three little mischevious girls keeping secrets around here.:) They are full of joy and excitement at being able to go to the store with daddy and pick out a surprise. They have been running around and sneaking around with blankets on their heads... I assume so I can't read their lips? Not sure. LOL

As we were sitting around talking today, I told them, "Mommy doesn't need anything special", every day is Mother's day. You bring me joy every day. They were like, "BUT MAMA! WE WANT TO!"

And you know what? I think it is good for them to want to and equally good for me to receive their good and precious gifts. Giving goes both ways. Receiving gifts with graciousness is a way of giving back. It makes the person who gave the gift feel so special; and they are!

I do not like obligation, and I think many times days like this cause obligation or heartache for those who are struggling with relationships. I can relate to it actually.
So I have mixed emotions about Mother's day. For those who are reminded of infertility, I feel pain for them. For those who are blessed with children, I feel joy for them. For those in bad relationships with parents, I feel sadness for them. For those who have great relationships with their parents, I am happy they are celebrating with family! And for those who's children cannot yet let go and fully give themselves over to their moms, I feel like being a cheerleader yelling, "IT WILL HAPPEN!" The time will come, and it will happen for them too. But the great thing is, it won't just happen as a Mother's Day Obligation. You will know when it happens and it will be a precious gift. The MOST precious gift. The gift of reciprocal love.

HANK The Cowdog

We happily attended the Annual Home school Book fair in Arlington Texas today.
I have gone nearly every year but 1 since 1992. It is amazing how much is still so familiar, how we see the same faces year after year, and then we get to see new faces.

This year, was a new face, but his books are not new to our family.
John Erickson started writing Hank books a long time ago. When our son was in 5th grade, I was still having trouble finding things for him to read that he really would love. He had dyslexia and struggled with reading. Our other son, had brain damage and he too struggled with reading.

One thing we would do was before starting a book was to see if there was a movie or a tape that could help the kids get an idea for what they were reading, thus giving them that extra picture in their minds would help with comprehension. That was the idea anyhoo.
It seemed to work great. I found a Hank book at the book store along with a tape. We listened to the tape first and found it to be quite funny. Then our son read the book.
Then something magic happened, be begged for another one, and another one, and before I knew it, he was willing to spend his OWN hard earned money on another one!

27 books later, his reading had so much improved, he could read anything, but I truly have Hank to thank for that. :)

Today, Mr. Erickson talked about his popularity among special needs students including Autistic children. He said he constantly gets letters from greatful mothers and teachers telling him the kids wouldn't read, but they will read this!

I found his observations very interesting. He said,he couldn't figure it out, and then a mother of an autistic child said, my son loves your books because they are orderly.
They all start with the same words; "Its me again, Hank the cowdog!" They all have 12 chapters, they all end with the phrase, "case closed". It made perfect sense to her, why her son would love his books. :)

Our daughter has dyslexia too. Guess what she LOVES to read more than anything? Hank.
hmmmm. I'm seeing a pattern here!

Of course today, Mr. Erickson gave his testimony, talked about how all his books are observations of life on a ranch while he was working his way through seminary. Hank makes loads of mistakes, but always pays for them. If he does something good he is rewarded. And I thoroughly enjoyed his seminar.

I might add that he was saddened that his first books were used for a cartoon and the books ruined. He said the cartoon does not reflect his books at all.
He said he learned alot from that mistake and won't make it again.

Our son stopped at number 27. There are now 53 and counting. And now there is an official Hank Website, full of fun. :)

hankthecowdog.com

As soon as we got home, the girlies found their favorite reading spots and Hank became alive in their little imaginations. :)






Did I mention, it is unbearably HUMID and quite warm here? UGH! SAUNA!

Miss Kittie-Winkle and Her Mama

That is, her chosen mama for the moment. :)
Sarah is going to make a great mama. She is already learning to multi-task. :)




Miss Kittie Winkle now has her own blog label. :)

This And That :)

Tomorrow is the The Big Bookfair in Arlington Texas. Yea! We love going and seeing old friends, finding new curriculum, fun books and spending time just browsing. There is always something fun to see and a friend to talk to.

This A.M., Erika took her purse out of her desk and it sounded like a waterfall of marbles falling all over the floor. It was actually pennies. She is a collector of money. (good girl) I told her, "Take a deep breath!" She then said, "Whoever stuffed my purse into my desk, please don't do that again!" To which, Anna said, "yes maam.!"LOL

This is what happens when I go to the Grocery Store and Daddy is watching the girls.



Miss Kittie Winkle is doing Fantastic. She is starting to walk on all fours without that funny army crawl look. She is definitely cutting teeth and growing claws. She has graduated from the eye dropper to a Newborn Nuk nipple. Boy, when she gets that thing going, she is so funny. Her tummy gets fat she lays back and purrs. LOL She drank 1 and a half oz's. this a.m.!



Sarah says kitty peed on her and that makes her an official mother!



We found some great clothing deals at Kohl's for the girls. I really need to look and see what they have for me too. :) I can't believe how big they are getting. I can't believe how big I am getting! I gotta stop that!


Anna was combing the sale pages this a.m. She is looking for a locket.
They are all growing up! :)

Beyond Consequences Logic and Control

A nice person has asked that I label posts having to do with BCLC parenting methods with BCLC. I promise to try. :) Most of the parenting posts or attachment type posts or even adoption posts have to do with this type of thinking. But I will go back and try to label as I go. :)

Thanks for the suggestion.

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

I was reading this morning in 1 John. I just don't read that book enough. But today it stood out so clearly to me. Ever have those moments where you can read something several times, and then all of a sudden a light goes off and there is clear understanding?

In reading 1John 4:7-19. I was actually reading all of it, but this one part really caused me to pause and think.

It starts out with "beloved, let us love one another"....

Then in verse 16, "And we have come to know, and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love and the one who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him.

The part: "And we have come to know" stood out. How have we come to know? Through our relationship in Christ. He drew us close to himself and lavished his love on us, and we have come to know it.

In 1John 4:10 it says, In this is love, NOT that we loved GOD, but that He loved us and sent His son...."; and then 1John 4:19 says, "We love, because He first loved us."

Romans 5:8 says, "God DEMONSTRAES his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Is anybody seeing a pattern here? A model if you will for parenting our children?

If we are to follow Christ's example to us in our parenting, there will not be fear, because perfect love casts out fear. Our love for our children will make them feel safe and secure.
We will not cause them to question our love for them, but we will demonstrate our love to them. Even when they are not responding to us, or are so fearful they are acting out... we continue to demonstrate that unconditional love to them, and as they learn to ABIDE in our love, and come to know and trust us, they will then no longer act in fear of punishment, or fear of being cast out, but they will respond in a new and perfected way. They will respond in recriprocal love.

Of course, we are not perfect and therefore do not parent perfectly. However, I believe we can seek the fruits of the Spirit in our lives, praying for wisdom and direction, and God will grant that to us.
While God has no need to apologize to us, as He is perfect, there are probably many times we need to apologize to our children. :) I know some of the sweetest times I have with my kids is after I have not responded perfectly, and I ask them to forgive me. This gives them opportunity to show unconditional love to me in a reciprocal fashion, and helps them learn to forgive.

I am so Glad that God Loved me, before I loved Him. I am so glad that I have His words to abide in. I am so GLAD we have access to the scripture, for study, for reproof, for instruction. What a treasure it is.

Ahhh Saturday!

There is something about Saturday morning that is always just nice! Every Friday night the girlies have a slumber party in our bedroom. We get our bed,they get cots and the lounge chair. It is cozy.

When Saturday Morning rolls around there is no pressure to get up early... but I typically look at Mike and say, "coffee, STRONG coffee!" :)

This morning, we woke up to baby kitty meowing loudly wanting her morning meal. It is amazing how a kitty that weighs less than a pound could wake 5 people up, but she did.
Such Feline Power!

Sarah really enjoyed holding her.


Don't they look happy together? :)

After kitty went back to sleep, we had our coffee and played more Backgammon.
Sarah is a food artist. She made this for her breakfast. Yum....
If I ate veges for breakfast, I might be able to be thin too!

Studying Rocks

Part of our science lesson this week was studying different kinds of rocks.
I love the girlies science book. Abeka does a great job with explaining science to kids. It isn't too hard, and it isn't too easy.
There are also loads of neat pictures.

Did you know the "White Cliffs of Dover" are made out of layers of Chalk?

Our lesson was fun. We were able to hold some different kinds of rocks and try to identify them. We discovered our own chalkboard is not real slate.
(Our old one was true slate and WONDERFUL)
I had some VERY OLD Sand Dollars too, just so they could see how things form with pressure..... note VERY OLD...... with words of Be Careful when you handle them.

So, here are some pictures of the kids looking at rocks....


This is Sarah after she "carefully broke" one of the sand dollars... oh well. :)





On a side note, it really made me feel old when Sarah referred to "metamorphic rock" as "metamucil rock".

"Sorry mom"....

And then, when I said, "Don't be silly sticking out your tongue,

it wastes film." To which they said, "What is film?" I explained it and Erika kindly said, "Well, maybe not film but it certainly will waste batteries!" Thanks Erika. You are a dear. :)

Miss Kittie-Winkle

She is doing great. Once we figured out an eyedropper works better than a bottle, she is drinking away. Thanks Jeane. :)

Her official name is Julia, though I rather prefer Miss Kittie-Winkle. But, we voted and Julia it is. :)

She is much more rambuncious than she was 2 days ago. The girls couldn't be happier about that. :)

An Amazing Find!

The girls were cleaning leaves out of the boat. They pulled one of the seats up and thought they saw a baby wild animal. She is wild alright, but she is a baby kitten.
Maybe about 2 weeks old. We don't know how she got in the boat under the seat and immediately began to search for other kittens but there were none.

So, she is being mothered to death by 3 very eager kitty mommies. They are going to vote on a name once we are sure she is going to live. She sure doesn't like the kitten bottle, or the nuk bottle. But she is eating a little bit. Maybe a teaspoon at a time.

I remember raising our dobeman puppies, and I'm glad there is only 1 to feed this time.:)

All the girls immediatly were sad that she was orphaned and didn't have a mommy. But they are confident they can make her happy and secure. :)

4 years with Sarah Part 2