We have a room off of the back of the house, off the kitchen, that was built on by the previous owners. I understand it is called a "Florida" room. This is interesting to me because it only feels like Florida out there in the middle of summer here, which seems very unhelpful to me. Anyway.
The Florida room is where Eric decided to put the corn stove he built a few years ago to assist in the heating of our house. The stove heats water which then runs in lines through our furnace which pulls the heat out of the water and pumps it through our vents. He is working on getting more and more of the heat from the stove into the water lines, but because it really heats, the result is that the Florida room, when the stove is running, is toasty warm. When it is not running, you might as well be outside in that room.
Because of a redesign of the water tank, the stove has not been operational this fall/winter. Thus, once it got cold, my mantra began: "shut the office door" (Eric has his office out there). "Shut the door". "Don't forget to shut the door!" And etc. We keep most of the winter coats and boots out there because they were too big and bulky to be in the pantry, so every time they were getting their snow gear on, they had to be out in that room. "SHUT THE DOOR!"
So this past weekend, Eric got the corn stove going. Ahhhhhhh. And now the Florida room is warm. However, if you leave the door shut to the Florida room, it starts to feel like the equator out there and we don't get any of that great residual heat for the house. So -- you can see this coming, right? -- now that 3 months of constant repitition has finally sunk in, I have spent the last 3 days doing a 180: "open the door!" "Don't forget to leave the door open!" Jesse, who always takes the longest to remember a "rule", had just started shutting the door with consistency, oh, about last week.
Childhood can be so confusing.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
January hike....check!
After a long day of auctions and errands...a snowy hike was the pefect antidote to a boring Saturday. Deciphering animal tracks ("are you sure that's not a bear, Dad?"), moments of silence to listen for what else might be in the woods besides our noisy selves, and, of course, being a little "lost" when mom and dad had a slight disagreement on which marker to follow (okay, okay...he was right!).
No, we're not cold!
On the boardwalk before the "real" trail...
No, we're not cold!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
In the Mind of a Cold 8-year-old
Our homeschooling lesson of the day, discussing which birds migrate south for winter, was perfect timing: the snow was coming down thick and we were cold.
"Geese. Ducks. Cardinals?" said Sara, with some uncertainty. Then, before Jesse could jump in with correction on what she knew was probably a wrong bird in that list somewhere, she continued proudly. "And they all fly in a 'V' shape as they go south, which stands for 'vacation.'"
"Geese. Ducks. Cardinals?" said Sara, with some uncertainty. Then, before Jesse could jump in with correction on what she knew was probably a wrong bird in that list somewhere, she continued proudly. "And they all fly in a 'V' shape as they go south, which stands for 'vacation.'"
Friday, January 7, 2011
Looking forward...
...in 2011 to:
- spending more time "learning" Jesse and Sara. Asking them to do more with us alone, so we can talk and see what is going on inside those heads. Not allowing Delaney and Levi to speak and decide for them as much.
- helping Eric work on his fish/greenhouse idea
- at least one family hike per month, with at least 4 new trails
- “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you." (Luke 14)
- paying. down. debt.
- writing more. I'm not certain yet of what this will look like, but I'm feeling the inclination. Should it be on here? Simply through the little PR/newsletter work I do? Something new?
- to be continued...
- spending more time "learning" Jesse and Sara. Asking them to do more with us alone, so we can talk and see what is going on inside those heads. Not allowing Delaney and Levi to speak and decide for them as much.
- helping Eric work on his fish/greenhouse idea
- at least one family hike per month, with at least 4 new trails
- “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you." (Luke 14)
- paying. down. debt.
- writing more. I'm not certain yet of what this will look like, but I'm feeling the inclination. Should it be on here? Simply through the little PR/newsletter work I do? Something new?
- to be continued...
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Looking Back...
2010 was not a good year for me. Did we face some hard circumstances? Yes. But nothing out of the norm for life; nothing that God has not told us we could expect. But somehow all these circumstances combined with my response to them and general habits have me looking back and being not very happy with myself. If I can be a little "new-agey", I was out of balance. Probably slightly depressed. Did not take my circumstances and depression and bad responses to the Lord nearly enough, but instead I just got stuck.
The good thing is I feel myself coming out of the fog; God is gracious and patient and never-changing. He is FAITHFUL. So I have used this relatively-quiet December to rest in Him, and I remember now that hard years are not to be forgotten. I want to remember what I have learned this year. I will focus on coming plans, goals, ideas, months, soon; today I will write what I want to remember from 2010. Some are just memories, some are lessons, some light-hearted, some not, all random.
(Written to my future self)
1. Your husband was able to take care of himself in long-needed ways through 2 surgeries this year. He had employment and time to do this with peace.
2. All that back-of-the-mind worry about your neglect of Leah's one-on-one teaching time was for naught. She picked up her siblings basic chapter books sometime mid-summer and announced that she had read them. You didn't believe her until Eric asked her to read the Bible passage one night and she did it. You're pretty sure the homeschooling police cannot arrest you now because you have taught all of your children to read.
3. Your kids were (eventually) excited about moving to Missouri. They could envision themselves starting over and look at it as an adventure. Even though it didn't happen, they have the experience of preparing themselves to do something completely new.
4. Speaking of trying new things, Delaney sewed the skirt, did the judges interview, and walked up and down the stage at the fair without tears or hatred toward you. Between that and two piano concerts and soccer, her confidence has bloomed this year. Your pushing was not too much.
5. Seeing Levi enjoy and thrive in his advanced choir brought bursting joy to your heart. Don't be too hard on him; there's a lot ruminating inside. Just don't let him be a slacker.
6. The $$ setbacks were many and out-of-the-ordinary. Let it go. Focus.
7. The barn sale. The barn sale. The barn sale. Unrestrained joy. The body of Christ, working for His glory, in more ways than can be counted.
8. All of the phone calls, the endless computer hours, the meetings were worth it to build community through soccer (and football) and help with a smooth season. But especially worth it for the deepening of relationships and new friendships. Now find a way to do it with less computer time.
9. The complete overwhelming undeserved blessing of Eric having 3 job offers from which to choose. Having your husband/their daddy "back".
10. "Hold Us Together" (Matt Maher)
"You are Mine" (Enter the Worship Circle)
11. The terror and yet perfect fun of belting out "Come on Up to the House" with dear Pam at South Boston. The leaky, cobwebby cabin that had no water in the morning, but making the best of it all. A perfect, quiet afternoon at Elk Creek.
12. Sister=pregnant. JOY!
13. Kenneth, Irene, Carrie, Robert, Doris, Janet, Zoanne, Shirley and so many more at the nursing home. Jesse, saying every single week, "I can't wait until Friday."
Thank you Lord, for all things.
The good thing is I feel myself coming out of the fog; God is gracious and patient and never-changing. He is FAITHFUL. So I have used this relatively-quiet December to rest in Him, and I remember now that hard years are not to be forgotten. I want to remember what I have learned this year. I will focus on coming plans, goals, ideas, months, soon; today I will write what I want to remember from 2010. Some are just memories, some are lessons, some light-hearted, some not, all random.
(Written to my future self)
1. Your husband was able to take care of himself in long-needed ways through 2 surgeries this year. He had employment and time to do this with peace.
2. All that back-of-the-mind worry about your neglect of Leah's one-on-one teaching time was for naught. She picked up her siblings basic chapter books sometime mid-summer and announced that she had read them. You didn't believe her until Eric asked her to read the Bible passage one night and she did it. You're pretty sure the homeschooling police cannot arrest you now because you have taught all of your children to read.
3. Your kids were (eventually) excited about moving to Missouri. They could envision themselves starting over and look at it as an adventure. Even though it didn't happen, they have the experience of preparing themselves to do something completely new.
4. Speaking of trying new things, Delaney sewed the skirt, did the judges interview, and walked up and down the stage at the fair without tears or hatred toward you. Between that and two piano concerts and soccer, her confidence has bloomed this year. Your pushing was not too much.
5. Seeing Levi enjoy and thrive in his advanced choir brought bursting joy to your heart. Don't be too hard on him; there's a lot ruminating inside. Just don't let him be a slacker.
6. The $$ setbacks were many and out-of-the-ordinary. Let it go. Focus.
7. The barn sale. The barn sale. The barn sale. Unrestrained joy. The body of Christ, working for His glory, in more ways than can be counted.
8. All of the phone calls, the endless computer hours, the meetings were worth it to build community through soccer (and football) and help with a smooth season. But especially worth it for the deepening of relationships and new friendships. Now find a way to do it with less computer time.
9. The complete overwhelming undeserved blessing of Eric having 3 job offers from which to choose. Having your husband/their daddy "back".
10. "Hold Us Together" (Matt Maher)
"You are Mine" (Enter the Worship Circle)
11. The terror and yet perfect fun of belting out "Come on Up to the House" with dear Pam at South Boston. The leaky, cobwebby cabin that had no water in the morning, but making the best of it all. A perfect, quiet afternoon at Elk Creek.
12. Sister=pregnant. JOY!
13. Kenneth, Irene, Carrie, Robert, Doris, Janet, Zoanne, Shirley and so many more at the nursing home. Jesse, saying every single week, "I can't wait until Friday."
Thank you Lord, for all things.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas!!
(Thanks to grandpa and grandma, we are so festive-looking!)"In the first quiet moments of this new day my mind is drawn to Hebrews 2. Oh, how His voice speaks into my silence! The incarnation. Jesus becoming like us and sharing our human nature (Heb. 2:14). What a wonderful truth this is! Veiled in flesh the Godhead see. Hail the incarnate Deity! God has lavished His love upon us, with all of our sin and rebellion and pride. That is how God acted toward us, and now we are called upon to demonstrate the fact that we are His children by having the same attitude toward others, including our enemies.
The identification of all of life with regard for the welfare of others -- this is the message of Christmas." -- Dave Black, Dec. 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
New Kid in Town
D: I'm going to grow out my hair really long and then donate it for wigs.
Me: Great!
Waiting...waiting....waiting
Waiting...waiting....waiting
D: How long is it now? Is it long enough to cut the ponytail?
Me: Nope
More waiting...
Me: I think it's long enough now! Do you want to wait until soccer is done and then cut it?
D: Yep.
Waiting...waiting......WAITING...for the team to lose : )
Me: Hair appointment next week!
Me: Right - your decision.
D (this morning): I'm ready, let's go!
And she did it! Proud of her and her attitude about the whole thing. Interestingly, she knew exactly what kind of hairstyle she wanted and she was right...it looks great on her.
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