Still Dark!

It is all mental.
I don't care that I lost an hour of sleep last night because of the time change.
I am just happy that I when I look at the clock and see a 7, it is still completely quiet in my house.
Everyone else is still asleep.
Aaahhh.

Yesterday we had somewhat of a family work day, which means we cleaned the garage and some of the basement.
The garage had gotten so bad that even WE didn't want to look at it.   And now, it is soooo clean.
I'd kind of like to pull out a chair and just sit in it.
Right in the middle.  And enjoy it while it lasts.

We also started our garden plants yesterday.  Pictures to follow.

And, today is a big day.  There will be an open house at the site of the future church plant.  We're excited about that.
This thing is really happening!

Trade?

What a life!  Spending some time in the afternoon in a tent with a pillow and blanket,  listening to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  Wouldn't I like to trade places with him!

It has been a while since I found a new book that I don't want to put down but I've got one now- The House at Tyneford.  A little blurb at the top caught my attention and I was sold:  

"Fans of Downton Abbey and Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden will absolutely adore The House at Tyneford."

So far so good!  

In a Wednesday

Today I took a suggestion from Dr. Oz's newspaper column and made "apple chips."  Yum.  They made the house smell good and they tasted good, too.  We thinly sliced several apples then tossed them in lime juice and water.  The recipe said lemon juice but I didn't have any.  We laid them in a single layer on a non-stick cookie sheet, sprinkled on some cinnamon, and baked at 150 degrees for 2 and a half hours.

And for some recent pictures:

Kayla told me tonight that she loves just being near Lucy.  "Even when she's sleeping I like looking at her."  I really hope they always love each other like they do now.  Their relationship is so sweet to watch.

Lucy got herself all set to read to her baby.  

One shot from Jack's birthday.  10 candles!!

He decorated his cake himself...a lego ninja cake.  I think it's kind of like ninja training camp.  I like the tree on the left.

Sunshine and Shade

A day's sunshine in a shady place

"What sunshine in a shady place was Aunt Jane to Rebecca!"

from Kate Douglas Wiggin's Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

We are all thoroughly enjoying this book.  It is delightful.  In it, I think I have found one of my favorite quotes from a novel yet.

How Many More?

"Mama?"
"Yes, Kayla?"
"How many more Sundays do we have left at Grace Covenant?"
For a moment I could not answer.
Partly because I had to do a rough calculation! (20ish)
Partly because my emotions rest at the surface lately where the church plant is concerned.
Mostly, though, because her question took me by surprise, showed me a little of what's going on in her heart, and made me consider something I don't like to think about.
Loss.
I love our church.
It has been a place of grace, love, and growth in the gospel for us, in many ways like no other.  We love the people.  Our kids have been well loved there.  We are blessed that we have something to lose, to miss.  Wouldn't it be sad to not miss our church family when we leave???
And- leaving is not safe.
It is risky.
But that means it must be done out of faith and that is a good place to be.  Faith not in ourselves but in the God whom we believe is calling us to plant a new church.
Will it be hard?
Yep.
Will it be a lot of work?
Sure will.
Will it hurt sometimes?
Oh yes.
(Kayla's next question was "Can Geneva please come with us?"  How we all will miss some dear people.)
Will it be worth it?
Absolutely.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all time, you may abound in every good work."  2 Corinthians 9:8

A Decade

Sometimes I don't even know what to say.  How did you go from this little baby with a head full of black hair to this guy, 10 years old.  A decade has passed.  When did that happen?

I do love watching him grow.  He is who he is.  A reader, always.  Legos, soccer, being outside with his friends.  Making us laugh.  Irritating his sister (I had to throw that in).  These are the things that we think of when it comes to Jack.
Other things make me need to take a deep breath, remind me to take it all in while I can.  In another 10 years, might he be gone from here?  Gone to college somewhere?  The time is short.  So short.  If he can go so quickly from the cuddly baby content in my arms to the boy who quickly hugs and is off to the next thing, I can't even think how fast the rest will go.  I pray for this one, as I do all of them, trusting that the God who made him so fearfully and wonderfully will keep him and guide his steps all of his days.
Happy 10th Birthday, Jack!  You are loved.

Birthdays and A Book List

It's Read Across America Day!
We don't really need an excuse to settle in with a good book but if we did, surely this would be it!  We did go to the library this morning and load up.  And this afternoon is turning out to be perfect for reading.  It's dark, cool, and pouring the rain right now.  So, I  have called a break from "school" in favor of an afternoon of reading some quality literature.  (I know- that's really not a break.  That's probably one of THE best things they could be doing.  But the kids think they're getting away with something and they like it!)  I keep thinking I'd like to make a list of some of our favorites.  It would be hard to do but worth a try.
In other news, today is Jack's last day as a single-digit aged kid.  Double digits tomorrow.  (inward sigh...)
I remember a lot about my tenth birthday- in particular a $10 check from my grandparents and a beautiful silver-blue ten speed bike from my parents.  I loved that bike.  And I loved all the "10s."

If you're looking for something for your kids to read, here are just a few suggestions for chapter books.  I'd love to hear some from you!

Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit
Homer Price by Robert McCloskey
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis
The Adventures of Ali Baba Bernstein by Johanna Hurwitz
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
Carry on Mr. Bowditch by Jean Latham
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
A Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson
Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit
Lumber Camp Library by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh