Day Full of Blessings...

Wow!! Sent Trystan off to Kindergarten, after a breakfast of corn pops and pop tarts, courtesy of Ninnie. The kids were already thinking it was the best day since Christmas. Made a run to walmart that went quickly, but in the middle of it had our socks blessed off to see Chuck and Colin Baker.

Colin is one of Isaac's close friends, and last night Colin was taken to LeBonheur children's hospital for bleeding from the eyes and nose. Scarry, but he was sent home last night, and was to undergo a ct scan this afternoon and possible surgery tomorrow for a retrograde hemorraghe. We were praying for Colin all evening yesterday, and Isaac was trusting God, but of course very concerned about his friend, so you just can't imagine the way it blessed our hearts to see him walking around in walmart, waiting to be scheduled in for his ct scan. Thank you, God, for honoring my son's heart for his friend with this incredibly uncoincidental meeting.

Trystan had a great day at school, and is getting better at writing his letters everyday, although he did cut a hole in his new pair of pants during scissor time. Had a delay while trying to get in to the doctor's office, so went to Goodwill and found Isaac 3 pairs of jeans, and 2 for me for about 20 bucks. Awesome. I was really scratching my head on pants for Isaac this year. 12's are snug in the hind end, loose in the waist, and dragging the ground a little.

We spent some time at the park by the library, and the kids had a great time. Then we stopped by the pet store, and they were able to pet the resident store dog, Bubba, that they all adore. We also spotted a lost dog today, and were able to follow her in the car while we called the owner to come and get her for a succesful rescue. Totally awesome. Now we have to conquer TaeKwonDo for the night, and hunt for some dinner.

How do YOU communicate?

Friday night at our Living Free ministry, we were teaching the kids about the role communication plays in conflict resolution, and the different types of communication that there are. The kids had a great time showing examples of communication, like stomping out of a room and eye rolling, and temper tantrums. So at the end we are sitting in a circle and reviewing and Trystan lays down on his back in the middle of the circle and tells us "I know what communication is. My friend Addie and I communicate with our MINDS, and then we communicate with our EYES, and then some times we talk..." I just put my head down, because I was trying not to shake with laughter, and my co-teacher, Niki tells him, "Trystan that sounds like flirting to me." Trystan just smiled his biggest smile and said "YES, IT IS."

He must be like his Daddy...

The other morning before kindergarten, Trystan comes to me with a piece of paper held to his chest and asks desperately, "Mommy, how do you spell going home with?" I told him letter by letter as he wrote it, but as he was writing this I see that on the top of his paper he has written 'Addy' and on the bottom he has written 'Trystan'. We went through 2 pieces of paper until he felt he had it correct, this forgery he was so sure was going to get his teacher to send his friend home with him in the afternoon.

My mom picked Trystan up from school for me, so I sent her a text warning her that Trystan was going to try to sneak home a girl in the car. Apparently she wore a blue dress on friday, just for Trystan, since it matches his eyes... He is working on another version of the note that he is certain will work. I told him that he couldn't bring her home and he said, "Why not, Mom? Addy doesn't make a mess and she is a good cleaner." I'm so glad he has his priorities straight at five.

Fizzy Corn... aka density experiments

You can have alot of fun with some water, baking soda, vinegar, and popcorn kernels.

The kids measured 2 Tablespoons of water into a clear cup (at least 8 oz in size), and stirred in 1 Tablespoon of baking soda. Then we counted out 14 popcorn kernels and dropped them into the cup, observing whether they sank or floated.

Then we added 1/4 cup of vinegar, and.....FIZZZZZ. After the fizz dies down we were able to observe the newly formed carbon dioxide bubbles adhering to the popcorn kernels. This lowered their density, allowing them to FLOAT.

Trystan was at kindergarten, so we reapeated the experiment with our little pirate when he came home.

You can find this, and many other fun science experiments in the BackYard Scientist series.
Happy Day, science experiment that was scheduled for Wednesday finally completed! Now let's see about math and lapbooking!

Homeschool Happenings...

We have been adjusting the last couple of months and are finally starting to pick up some steam!

Isaac has been working on time4learning.com during this time, and we have been adding in other activites as our schedules and sanity has allowed.

This week we have been reading the classic Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. Honestly, this was a move of desperation, because Isaac had been grounded from all electronics, and the kids were climbing the walls. So, we pulled it out WAY ahead of schedule, and I have been surprised by their level of attention. We read 9 chapters the first day, and 11 more yesterday. That sounds like alot, but the chapters are short, and I am reading from a truly ancient copy that was mine as a child, and has ink illustrations on every other page. I am amazed, and challenged to find and implement more things that are above their "level". Even Alyza has paid attention and enjoyed storytime.

I am ramping up Isaac's bible reading, requiring 3 stories a morning from him. He is still doing his time4 learning work, and at this pace will likely finish most of his 3rd grade requirements (math not included) by the end of this year, or shortly thereafter. We are using alot of different sources for our materials this year, and it is very challenging to cohesively implement it all. The Lord is stretching me, and helping me go over things for a few moments the night before, and that helps hit the ground running with play by plays ready in the morning, and can get Isaac started before I get the COFFEE. We are definitely a work in progress!!

I give...

Thank you, Lord, for not giving up on me when I throw up my hands! Help me to see what areas of my heart are unsurrendered to You, and take me deeper in this dance with You than I have ever been before!

I give you my health, for you are my creator and my healer. I give you my finances for you are my provision and my provider. I give you homeschooling for you are my teacher and the fount of all wisdom. I give you my heart, for you are the all-redeeming lover of my soul. I give you my life, for time does not hold you, and you see past this aging form.

I give you my entirety, for You, Lord, are my eternity.

Endless Gifts October 5, 2009

...61. A grey and rainy day outside that is so soft on my recovering eyes 62. Your reign inside, that dances my soul 63. Boy eager with smiles 64. love on our lips 65. praise in my heart 66. house half cleaned already 67. my man home and smiling 68. bonds of Your love between family and new friends 69. precious burdens of prayer for my sisters in Christ 70. the way you hold my heart in Your hand 71. stars spinning on the breath of your lips.....

What is this??

Apparently part of mothering male children is finding strange things in your freezer.

Today we found a bowl of frozen brown gray icemuck, that we have now successfully identified after several rounds of "What is this?" and boy laughter. They are very creative. I admit that it has never before occurred to me that the water bowl sitting beside your paint tray could be frozen. It is not a pretty looking sight.

Last week Isaac conducted his favorite experiment with ice cubes and salt, but then froze the briny results, and for days I wondered what on earth Jeff had set in the freezer!!

Maybe I should give him his own shelf!

Unbreakable

I find myself stunned at the overwhelming mantle of my king.

He is titanic in scope and complex in nature, involving himself in every single aspect of His creation. How can one respond to a God like Him? Aaahhh, what a space for humility!! At His feet, led into the shadow of His wings, hidden in the warmth of His breast; there I can rest in He Who Is. He keeps me in peace as I walk in contemplation of who He is, He gives me other sight - all the chains of this world look so different to a vision burned with the imprint of the Starbreather!

How thankful I am to be drawn into relationship with my Everlasting Creator, who desires me so intimately!! love, adore, worship... these words are so small against the mountain backdrop of the bond He has forged unbreakingly between Himself and I.

Holy! Holy! Holy!!!