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Butterflies, Koopa's and Pre-K

The last couple of weeks have been full of many different things. Thing 2 started Pre-K three afternoons a week and would love to move right onto college if I'd let him! He is very social and is always very anxious to get into the mix of things outside of home. He didn't even turn around and wave goodbye to hubby on his first day of school...ok then, confident and self assured, check! Yet still able to keep himself from jumping off the furniture - uncheck! Note the broken arm, the result of flying a bit too high off the couch two weeks ago. Thankfully he is a fast healer and just got his splint off yesterday.


The Things have also been busy catching butterflies and caterpillars, frogs and toads in our backyard. It is pretty fun raising them in a little bit of country. Eating copious amounts of raspberries and soaking up the last warm days of fall has also consumed their time.
Why, yes, Thing 2 does have a duct taped spiky box on his back...when he sees a box he sees his next project. This was his Koopa outfit that he made almost entirely by himself. (yay for independent projects!). It is amazing how many weapons and costumes can be made out of cardboard and duct tape. I had no idea!



Thing 3 is learning about a few important things in life - but just warming up to the idea really. Nothing major is underway in those departments.



After nearly 11 years of marriage and one month on sabbatical Hubby was finally able to finish off our bed frame that he started when we were engaged. It is absolutely beautiful and makes me want to sleep even more than chasing 3 boys does! Not sure if that is a good side effect but I'm not complaining.




A friend offered us some tickets to a football game and we had a great time! The Things mostly scurried around putting the cushions on the bleachers up and down but we did get to watch some of the game! It was not too cold yet to enjoy and fun to just be out as a family. Though admittedly after half-time I'd had my fill of squirrely boys and longed for that nice warm bed, so hubby got to take in the second half with his friends without us. All parties were happy with this arrangement.




Last week we were very blessed by some very good friends to go to CO last week without our kiddos. I'm somewhat proud (or should I be embarrassed) to say that it took a tribe to replace me for 3 1/2 days but it was really quite easy to line up all the volunteers to keep Things in order while we were away. Hubby and I attended an intense 3 day workshop assessing our giftings, values and personality types. We left having processed a lot individually and together and with a clearer picture of what we bring to the table and how to best apply it in our ministry. Thanks again to all the brave souls - esp. the two who stayed the nights with our boys - we couldn't have done it without you! And we hope all that time with our precious Things doesn't delay too much any parenting plans of your own! :)

Dinosaurs and Hypotheses

Thing 1 starts first grade last week! Sigh, sniff, sigh...that was me. "It's MY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!"...that was him when I woke him up.

His teacher is super great! We scored two years in a row now with wonderful teachers! Which is making it hard for me to build my case that he should stay home all day with me...more sighing.

He get's his own desk - no more round tables. Very exciting!


It was hard to be sad with that face beaming up at me!



I asked him if he liked his teacher. "Yes."
I dug further, "What do you like about her?"
Pause. Silence. "Umm, I don't have any observations about her yet!"

Okay then. Last week he correctly used the word "hypothesis" so I was curious.
"Where did you learn the words 'hypothesis' and 'observation'?"
"From Dinosaur Train."
Proof that letting your kids watch a little TV can really be educational!

In Search of my Sense of Humor

We are back from our trek out west with my folks and everyone had a GREAT time! Thanks again Mom and Dad! I considered leaving town the last week of August the "christening" of our sabbatical as this would never be possible in a "normal" school year.

The house my folks rented for us was perfect including a great big porch overlooking the pastures and mountains. It lived up to it's name of "ranch" in the smallest sense by having live cattle and horses for the boys to feed. They spent hours picking grass to feed the horses and we spent hours watching the owners chase one obstinate little calf that kept escaping back into the pasture. We named him "Houdini", the rancher had a few other names for him that I can't post here.

I spent many early mornings on that porch watching the sun peak up over the hills and enjoying time in the Word. God used that time to give me a bit more insight into what a sabbatical is all about (I think!). Below are a few verses I came across that I want to pray often for this season and I'd love it if you would pray them for us as well when we come to mind.
"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

I'm reading through a new devotional that I honestly can't remember if our supervisors gave us or if it came from our sabbatical training - it was all a blur, but to WHOMEVER - THANKS SO MUCH. It is GREAT! "Dare to Journey with Henri Nouwen," by Charles Ringa, shares many great quotes from one of my favorite authors along with some key thoughts on times of solitude. I'll share just one with you now - and maybe more to come...
"In our much doing we lose perspective, lose our energy, and more importantly, lose our creativity and sense of humor..." (To an ENFP losing my sense of humor seems close to a death sentence! Say it isn't so?!!!) Ringa explains that solitude, "is not simply a withdrawal from the world in order to be renewed and refreshed. It is also finding a new center of inner quietness and certitude from which we act in the midst of a busy and demanding world." Then we can can "again enter our world with purposeful engagement and joyful detachment."

My hope for this season is that by putting myself in a place where I have nothing to do but listen (outside of normal home-life of course) I can then again re-enter ministry with more "purposeful engagement" and be better equipped to serve Him.

Here are a few photos from our time in the Black Hills:

The Train Ride was a highlight for everyone - esp. the boys!





Gold Panning with Grandpa