Piano Recital

While waiting to get the time (and energy!) to actually write a new post, we've been busy with play rehearsals, piano recitals, a visit from Grandma, and trying to wrap up our school year.  Jim, Rebekah, Noel, and Anna are all in a local production of Annie, but I haven't been able to get any good pics, as my camera can't do well in a dark theater with no flash.  But Anna, Noel, and Elijah had their piano recital (Anna's first one!), and here it is.  :)

Day 23

For the past 2 to 3 weeks, I've been dealing with grueling insomnia.  I'm getting bleary...can't even remember if I've already blogged about insomnia at some point during the last couple of weeks.  This is a struggle I've had off and on for the last 10 years or so, but fortunately I'd been sleeping really well for months...until now.  I'm finding it hard to keep up with everything, so blogging just hasn't made the list.  I'm hopeful that I'll be able to write soon about more that I've been learning over the last week or so, but in the meantime, thought I'd post a couple of pictures from our time at the beach.

Blessings!

We Interrupt This Message for....

A post on the lighter side!  The floor re-finishing project has left the house a wreck for a couple of weeks.  I really struggle sometimes to conquer the "tyranny of the urgent"...the desire to stop everything and battle the current mess, for instance.  I am so tempted to even stop doing schoolwork in order to put the house in order.  I've been trying to resist the temptation, and to remind myself that I want to "make the days count".  So the house is still a mess.  But on Sunday afternoon I played.  I played with the kids, and I played with my camera.  I played "Set" (a card game), jumped on the trampoline, "ooohed" and "aaahed" over frogs and tadpoles caught in the creek, and captured a lot of it on film.  And I can honestly say that the messy house felt a little less...disturbing.  God really does change hearts, and I am overwhelmed at His capacity to do new things in me.  :)

So here's some photographic evidence of the day.  I know, I know;  I'm not in any of the pictures.  Next time I'll turn the camera over to Rebekah while I'm jumping on the trampoline.

 

The First Day of School

Okay, I'm super proud of myself that it only took me three days to post these pictures.  Three days of Algebra, Logic, Physical Science, Vocabulary, Grammar, Spelling, Writing, Handwriting, Math, Medieval History, Astronomy, Reading/Phonics, Piano, Violin, etc., etc., etc.  Whew.  But it's totally worth it.  Here ya go:

Yes.  That's a giant chocolate chip cookie.  

By the way, I'm trying to renovate the blog...I have some new plans for its use.  But the start of school has sort of waylaid my big plans. The start of school, and...well, baking giant chocolate chip cookies and other stuff like that.  More to come soon.  :) 

Here we go again...

Jim is off to Ethiopia this morning, along with a close friend who also happens to be a deacon at our church.  They're on a vision trip with Children's Hope Chest, with the purpose of prayerfully seeking a Carepoint with which our church can partner.  We're super excited about the prospect of that partnership, but meanwhile another more personal partnership is also being forged. Well, it's not really being forged...I believe it was forged long ago by a God who has seen every one of our days before a single one of them came to be. Jim will be meeting tomorrow with an Ethiopian  young man who has become a trusted friend, and who has orchestrated something that seemed impossible to us two years ago.  A chance to meet with a woman we love with all our hearts without ever having laid eyes on her. An opportunity to speak words of love and esteem, in person, to someone for whom we've prayed and longed.  To embrace her, along with her young daughter.  To share with her and cry with her.  To thank God that He works all things together for good...even when those things include loss and suffering.

The flight departed this morning at 11am.  They'll arrive in Addis Ababa at midnight our time, which is 8am Addis time.  I don't know for sure what time the meeting will take place.  God knows...and we'll just be praying all day.  Join us if you're willing, please.  Honestly, my heart is breaking that I won't be there.  My tears at the airport this morning weren't only because I was parting from my husband. I was almost physically aching in my longing to touch and hug this precious member of our family, and for our tears to mingle.

Meanwhile, here are some pictures I sent along.  It's been two years since MJ and Y left Ethiopia...longer than that since she's seen them. They're almost unrecognizable compared with the pictures I have of them then.  But she'll know them.  

Thanks for your prayers...more updates to come.  Jim is in Ethiopia until March 30.

By the way, if there are any Blogger experts out there...what happened to my header?  I haven't posted since December, and when I opened it up this week the header was messed up.  I don't even remember how to change it!

Advent

Last Sunday evening was the first Sunday of advent. We have some special traditions for advent that we've  practiced over the last few years, and we really look forward to the beginning of this special season.  We did have a couple of small changes to our routine this year.  First, though we have used an advent wreath for many years, in the past we've generally made it from pine and holly branches.  I admit, I've never really enjoyed making the advent wreath, and I've lived in fear every year that it would eventually catch on fire as it dries out through the weeks of advent!  We've always planned on designing and making a wooden advent "wreath" ourselves, but never got around to it.  Finally last year, during the "after-Christmas" sales, I purchased one.  I had almost forgotten about it, and was happy to find the box in the attic when we pulled out the Christmas decorations.  Every evening during advent, we light the candles and do our advent readings. 

We've used lots of resources for advent reading over the years, usually using a "Jesus Tree" or "Jesse Tree."  Last year I found one that has become our favorite (I didn't even look for something new this year).  This devotional at A Holy Experience captured my heart. (I knew it was the right one when I cried every time I read it.)  Below is our version of a Jesus Tree, with the first few "ornaments" already in place.  There's a reading and an ornament for each night of advent.

The Christmas tree is Jim's department.  In the past, he has never considered a tree to be truly worthy unless  acquiring it involved traipsing through the woods with a handsaw.  We've spent some long, cold afternoons hunting for just the right tree, finishing up with hot chocolate to warm up cold hands.  But for the last two years we've traded all of that in as we've sought to keep the advent season a bit more simple.  The last two trees came from....Lowe's.  Here's the finished product this year: (Jim wants to add that this is squashing his pride).   :)

 This is my favorite part of the Christmas decorating; the nativity.  We bought this one at a craft sale years ago, and it just fits us.  We have a Playmobile nativity that we get out the day after Thanksgiving for the children to play with, but this one plays a central role in our Christmas day routine.  Notice that the baby Jesus is absent...but he'll appear on Christmas morning.  We'll move the nativity from the mantel to a small table in front of the Christmas tree.  It's the first thing the children run to on Christmas morning, with candles all around,  flickering in the darkness of the early morning.  And we'll read the Christmas story from Luke. And sing O Come, All Ye Faithful. And we'll worship. It's the sweetest part of Christmas day. I've kind of always meant to have a collection of nativity scenes (like Noel Piper), but somehow this simple one has sufficed for many years.

 Okay, here's one of our advent traditions that's not very....traditional.  Beans and rice.  Rice and beans.  Every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We eat rice and beans, and we're saving the money we would have spent on more sumptuous meals...so that someone else won't be hungry.  We generally keep a strict grocery budget, so it's easy to keep track of how much money we're saving.  On Christmas morning we add it up, along with contributions the children make by earning money for extra chores during advent.  Last year the money went to World Vision, this year it will likely go to Children's Hope Chest.  One pound of black beans costs $.99.  One pound of rice; $.85.  So our family of 8 can spend less than $2.00 for dinner.  Okay, I'll confess; we generally do put a jar of salsa on the table, which makes the beans and rice a bit more palatable for some of the children when the novelty wears off (after about a week).  Still, even with the salsa thrown in, it's pretty effective.  We all get a very concrete picture of our capacity to sacrifice, give, and impact others.  We also have a much better perspective on how much we have...how truly blessed we are.  Having beans and rice every night...a luxury to much of the world.  And we know that Christmas is coming. Both literally and figuratively, we are waiting for a feast.  We want to share it.

 Oh, and one more thing...not exactly a tradition, but certainly a familiar occurrence at our house at Christmas time.  Someone singing, "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth."  When that second top front tooth came out last week (and when A and I were going out to get her the Chick Fil-A peppermint milkshake I promised her if she'd let me pull it out), I was thinking that I'd be sad someday when there aren't any more toothless smiles around here...at Christmas time or any time.  But I'll enjoy it while it lasts.  Gotta love that smile.  :)

A few more of our favorite advent traditions:

• Visiting Bethlehem (or as close as we're likely to come to the real thing!)
• Reading lots of Christmas stories, and in particular John Piper's advent stories and poems.  The Innkeeper is one of my favorites, and you can read it or listen to it here, or here (but have a tissue handy if you do).
• "St. Nicking" our friends (on St. Nicholas Day each member of our family chooses a couple of families to surprise with a plate of cookies.  The children take turns sneaking up to leave the cookies, ringing the doorbell, and running.  This year we even bought a Santa hat).

 So far this advent season, the best part has been...the mornings. I'd been struggling for awhile to get up early enough, and I'd really been feeling it.  The effects of not having enough time alone with Him.  But I've discovered a wonderful benefit of jet lag.  When I got home from Ethiopia, my internal clock was such a mess that I was getting up crazy early (one morning I was up at 2am!).  I've been able to keep it up so far (well, not 2am, but a reasonable 5:30 or 6), and the time...with the One we're celebrating during advent...has been so sweet.  I'm already looking forward to getting up tomorrow...just to be with Him.

Wish I could hear all of your advent traditions...I love, love, love this time of year.

Our Adoption Video

I've been wanting and intending to make this video for the last 18 months. I guess it was just not the right time until now.  I know that my heart, and our family, are not the same.  My perspective, and my view of all that God has done and is doing, are different than they were 18 months ago.  So here's the story...for now.  :)

Moving forward, Looking back

Is anyone out there?  (I think I heard an echo...)  A friend asked me ...a few weeks ago...why I hadn't posted cute pics of the kids having summer fun, so here they finally are.  I know I haven't posted since Easter, but at least I'm getting to the summer pics before fall officially arrives!  We do have some big events coming up this fall that I want to share about, but first I'll wrap up the summer.  We had a full summer, so here's the first batch, with another post to come.  (Enjoy, Grandma!)

First, a camping trip (the first of the summer)

 For E, it wouldn't be summer if we didn't catch any reptiles or amphibians!

Some of E's friends taught him how to make sushi this summer, and he taught his dad.  We're all fans!

Cow Appreciation Day!  (Free food from Chick-Fil-A for anyone dressed like a cow)

This is how we spent most of our summer (at least 3 hours/day, five days/week): at the pool.  All six children were on the swim team.

The second camping trip of the summer:

I'll finish up the summer on the next post!