Projects Are Contagious

Beware the project bug. It is highly infectious, and if you aren't careful, it will not only bite you, but it will also bite your children.





Maryn wanted to make a blanket. She picked out her own fabric. Then, she decided she wanted to HAND SEW it! This mama was thrilled!


She worked on it for THREE HOURS STRAIGHT. She almost finished it, but we had to wait until the next day.





Her stitches were so cute. I wish they were on the outside so I could still see them.


We top stitched it as a team.


And voila!!! Her first sewing project!!!! COMPLETE.


Sam also got bitten. His aspiration was a pillow. He pinned it up after he chose the fabric.


Don't worry; he was supervised. :)


Time to stuff it!


Ready for a nap? Sam's first project--FINISHED. WOW.


Kids are capable of a lot more than many of us tend to think. Give your kid some freedom to create; you may be surprised at how awesome they are!!! I sure was!

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The Books Are Back

Since having the twins, I haven't been able to read nearly like I normally do.  I have always loved to read, and when I am sleep-deprived and going non-stop, I just don't have the time.

And when I'm nursing twins (mostly early on), I had a hard time concentrating on much...and the Facebook app on my phone kept me entertained, and I didn't have to think.

That has all recently changed.  Thank the Lord.  I have missed reading.  I have completed two books this week and started another.

1.  I started reading this back in March.  It took me awhile since I have still been in "baby fog" land.  I just finished it, and I LOVED IT.  I can't even put into words how fantastic this book is.

Buy one.  Buy some more for your friends.  Read her blog.  Be blessed, and be a blessing.

One Thousand Gifts

by Ann Voskamp

This book has helped me to really SEE.  To SEARCH.  To BE THANKFUL.  To BE A BLESSING.

To realize HE IS GOOD.

2.  I am in a discipleship group in our church.  Our pastor leads the group, and he asked us to read this next book.  It's pretty popular right now, though I don't know why--its topic is not a popular one.  I'm just going to trust the Holy Spirit is moving and using this little book.

Radical

by David Platt

The ideas and concepts in this book (discipleship, multiplication, wartime lifestyle, Great Commission) were not new to me.  In fact, I had three years of training in these ideas back in college.  I've lived as a mobilizer in the past, we regularly give to missionaries and have committed to long-term service overseas, we support a child with Compassion (that's her in the photo--Umutesi).  But, for the million things I'm NOT doing, this book was a GREAT reminder.  I didn't feel guilty when reading it, instead, my zeal for giving my life to the Great Commission was renewed.  I feel recharged and encouraged to press on.  There are companion materials online as well.



3.  The book I am now reading is to help prepare me for homeschooling.  I homeschooled Samuel last year, and we were successful.  He learned what he needed to, he blew me away with his brilliance, and unfortunately, we fought a lot.  This year, I will be homeschooling TWO kids.  Maryn will be in kindergarten, and Sam will move on to first grade.  And then there is busy 2-year-old Lucy and the baby twins.  I turned to my friend, Annette (who is a missionary is East Asia with 6 children that she homeschools), and said, "I want your advice."  THIS is the book she told me to read first.

For the Children's Sake

by Susan Schaeffer Macauley

I had been curious about Charlotte Mason, the woman whose ideas this book is patterned after.  She was a teacher/philosopher in the late 19th century.  I had read bits about her and how she viewed children as persons, not merely as containers to be filled with information.  I am excited to see what I learn from this book.  So far, I am enjoying it, and it is helping me to look at my children differently--each as unique creations by God with their own ideas and personalities.  I think when it comes to school, it is easy to lump them all together and do the same thing for each.  The beauty of homeschooling is being able to play to your child's strengths and to meet them on their level--to listen to them and learn from them as well.

I've been informed about a couple of online communities that espouse the Charlotte Mason philosophies:

Simple Homeschool

Ambleside Online

Thank you, Melissa and Laurel, for your suggestions.  I can't wait to spend more time on these sites.


Finally, I have another Charlotte Mason book (the Companion, actually) that I am going to read/peruse (cuz it's so big!!!).  And for fun, I am going to start with the first of the popular, new trilogy, The Hunger Games.

Happy Summer Reading!

The Baby Weight

I have a new theory.  Before I share, let me clarify a few of my beliefs.

1.  I think childbirth is a picture of Christ on the cross--the agony, the pain, the laboring, and then the new birth--I bring forth a baby; He brought forth the Church.

2.  I think women stress too much about losing baby weight (self included).

3.  I don't believe there is a certain time frame in which you must lose it (Ignore that "9 months to gain, 9 months to lose" lie.).


So, my theory?

I think a pregnant body and a postpartum body is beautiful.  Even though I sometimes struggle with the way I look now (usually a result of comparing myself to others), I do truly think it is a beautiful thing.  Why?

In the same way that Jesus' body was battered, bruised, torn, tattered, bleeding, gushing water, heart exploding, so does mine.

Now, I know you may be thinking that I'm crazy to compare the pains of pregnancy and childbirth to a crucifixion, and I get that--just hear me out--I, in no way, think I have EVER physically suffered even close to what my Savior endured on that cross.  But look at the similarities:

1.  He had stripes on his back from being whipped (cannot fathom that kind of pain).
     I have stretch marks.

2.  His body was torn by the cat of nine tails.
     Mine was torn by babies.

3.  He had blood pouring out of his body.
     I did too.

4.  When he died, they stabbed him with a spear, and blood and water gushed out.
     When my bags of water broke, the water gushed out.

5.  He labored to breathe.
     I labored with measured, meted breaths.

6.  His heart finally exploded.
     Mine exploded in JOY.

Now, I realize I may be reaching with this one, but I thought of it the other day after I'd been asked if I was pregnant with #6 (and I'm SO NOT)...which doesn't HURT my feelings, really, because I know my abs LOOK pregnant. And this has happened to me many times because twins just destroy the abdominal muscles.  But, I was mourning my pre-baby body, my pre-TWINS body, and then this thought occurred to me:

After Jesus arose, even His glorified body still had scars.  Why?

As proof?  For Thomas?  For me?

So, when I stand in front of the mirror and see my twin-skin, the stretch marks, and the separated ab muscles that could only EVER be repaired with surgery, I am going to remind myself of what I accomplished--

I brought forth NEW LIFE.

And so did He.  And for that, I am ever grateful.

Naming His Gifts

I love that as I thank God for the gifts He's given, I worship Him.  I'm telling Him that He is a good Father, a good Savior, a good Creator, and the list will never end.

"To name a thing is to manifest the meaning and value God gave it, to know it as coming from God and to know its place and function within the cosmos created by God.  To name a thing, in other words, is to bless God for it and in it."  Alexander Schmemann (For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy)


And so, today, I take some time here, in this bit of cyberspace, to name some gifts and bless Him for them and in them.

I bless Him...

for blue skies with white clouds,

for wild roses by my front door, 

for prequilted cotton for little girls' skirts, 

for a baby learning to crawl,

for a baby getting two teeth and still smiling,

for sharing the playmat,

for an eldest who daily surprises me with his brain,

for my vivacious sing-songy girl,

for those curls,

for sweaty, red-faced "Bright Light,"

for popsicles on a hot summer day, 

for boxes just her size, 

for wiggly guys...

who climb on each other, 

and think it's normal.

My Own Personal Bob Ross

Dave is creative.  He can draw, paint, write poetry, play the guitar...he's talented.  We've recently been watching a lot of Bob Ross with the kids on Saturday mornings.  We're fascinated with how easy he makes it look.  As I began thinking about what I wanted to get Dave for Father's Day, I first thought that a Bob Ross art kit would be perfect.  They're really expensive when you buy them at Hobby Lobby, but I got one for HALF online.  

He was so excited when I let him open his gift a day early (I have such a hard time waiting!!!).  He has painted with acrylics and watercolors plenty of times before, but this was his first venture into oil painting.  I am so proud of him.  I think he did a great job.

Here he is in action!

Smoothing out the bottom of the mountain to make it all misty.

Impressive, eh??

Rockin' it Bob Ross style!  

Adding the land and happy trees...

Time for some bushes and reflection in the water

The finished masterpiece!  

Happy Father's Day to my most talented husband!  The kids are gonna flip when they wake up in the morning and see this!!!