Picture This: Learning about Lewis and Clark

Lewis and Clark Museum:  Nebraska City

Counting His Gifts....

The weeks have been a bit long around here lately...
Daddy's been gone alot... the little guy has been a bit sick... calendar seems full...

But it is in weeks like this that I need to remember the gifts from Him... the gifts He gives to remind me of His love for me, the way He seeks me out, and how as my Father, He loves to give good gifts.

Thanking Him tonight for...

a warm house on super cold days

watching a little brother and sister play together for an hour

homeschooling

grace and forgiveness in my parenting

a job my husband loves and is extremely good at

His Word in the mornings

making cupcakes with my little two... something I don't do enough of

the way she decorated each one special

super warm sweat pants

singing about snowflakes being chocolate bars and milkshakes with my Coop preschool class at the top of our lungs

breathing medicine

an early surprise for my friend in California... a new son... NICU doctors... the precious gift of life

praying with a friend

a new framed verse for my kitchen window reminding me to renew my mind and encouraging me to hide His Word in my heart

the delight on his face when I brought his red car in from the garage to play with inside... and the giggles that have come from him in the days since

finishing a book *gasp!*  (don't ask me how look it took me!)

tucking my biggest in at night and admiring the Lego work of art he created

organizing our school room

the "gift" my little son made for my big son... and how he placed it in his room for him... just so.
(of course it has to be green!)

singing with my children

her door... her wall... her desk... the way it drives me crazy and at the same time makes me love her more each time I walk past... her creative mind... her love for fashion... her need for all things art... and that God knew I needed this splash of pink in my life...

at the end of the day, hearing my baby pray to Jesus... thanking Him for monster trucks that crush white cars, car transporters, for Jesus loving him, and for watching him and keeping him safe

good, good gifts... from a good, good Father...

S-P-E-L-L

Liam has always loved spelling.  Since Kindergarten this has consistently been named as one of his favorite school subjects.  So when I asked if he would be interested in doing the Omaha area Homeschool Spelling Bee, he was all in. 

I told him that if we were going to do this, that he would have to practice the words and put a little time and effort into it, and he was ready.  So for the last two weeks, we spent time going over around 450 second grade words that he might be asked to spell.  Only a few times did he or I have a little "mini meltdown" about how we didn't want to do this... *wink* But by the time the day came last week, he was ready to go!

I, on the other hand, wasn't so sure!  I am not a good speller.  I would have NEVER done this as a child in a million years, and even as an adult, this made me nervous.  New situations that I've never been to make me slightly nervous.  Add onto that the fact that I was nervous for him, I really wanted him to do his best, have a good time, and come away glad that he did this.

He is so much like his father in the fact that he wasn't nervous at all.  I didn't want to ask him too many times and make him nervous, but he was as calm as a cucumber!  I asked a few times that morning if he wanted to look over his words and practice a bit more, but I was met with a, "No mom, I'm good!" 

The woman who organizes the Spelling Bee said that for some reason registration was really low this year.  Usually there are 10-15 kids per grade that participate.  This year second grade had three.  But three was a good number for me for our first year of trying this!  *wink*

Liam did awesome!  All three of the second graders knew their words well.  They soon had to move up to the hard list and all three did great!  Soon the first misspelling took place, and a bit after that, Liam got the word, "anything" and forgot the "y".  I just had to smile because I had told him that even though we worked on all the hard words, it usually is a word you know well that ends up tripping you up! :)

Liam was so proud of himself... and we were super proud of him as well!  He got 2nd place and was thrilled about his medal!  Of course in true Liam fashion, he said, "I'm glad I got second place... because the gold metal really looked like a bronze one!" 

After the Spelling Bee, we picked up Ainsley and Kallan and headed to Pizza Hut for a celebration lunch!  It was a fun way to celebrate!

In the end I'm glad we did the Spelling Bee, and I learned so much about myself, myself as a mom, and myself as a teacher.  I also learned so much about my son... and that I love him so much!

 

We are proud of you Liam!  Good job Buddy! 

100

It is not every day that you get to celebrate 100 years of life of someone you love.

I have been blessed... as I have had the privilege of doing it twice...
Once for my Great Grandpa Gloystein who turned 100 when I was in high school.
And yesterday... for Tim's (and my) Grandma Vanderford who turned 100 years old.

Wow... 100. 

It's an amazing thought to be blessed with 100 years of life from God.  She is an amazing woman.  She still lives out on the farm where she has lived for at least the last 60 years. 
She loves her church and can be found there every Sunday morning. 
She loves people well and enjoys having little "inside jokes" with everyone. 
She love to say "Ta-Ta" for good bye. 
When Tim was little, one of his favorite memories about her is that she would make "surprise bottles" for them... which were little Rolaids bottles filled with small goodies. 
(Nothing can beat a good surprise bottle)!
She loves to tickle the great grandkids on the back.
She is a great card player and plays a mean game of Phase 10 and Rummkub.
She had a gentle and quiet spirit that is just precious to me.
She lives well... she loves well... and she has such a special place in our hearts!

So yesterday we got to celebrate her!  Last year we had a big old party for her 99th birthday... but this year she was determined for it to be small and simple... just how she likes things. 
(Although Tim kept teasing her that we were going to take her sky diving instead of doing a party!)

We ate.  We sang happy birthday.  We had cake.  It was perfect.

(don't worry... my nephew was just crying happy tears for grandma turning 100! *wink*)

 

What is special about this face... is that it is so out of character for her... and yet so her! 

 Sweet and quiet... yet with a little spunk!  Precious!

For her gift, Ainsley decided to make grandma a card with 100 smiley faces in it.  She worked hard on it, and it was the best card she could have made for her. She was so excited to give it to her!

 

(her cousin, Abigail, had to count to make sure there was 100...)

 

 Grandma was thrilled to get 100 smiles from her sweet Great Granddaughter!  A precious memory...

 

I love this grandma... and she is such a special part of our family.  In the past year, her life has reminded me to live well, and love others deeply.  To take each day as a gift... as you don't know how many days or years God has ordained for your life.  Whether it is 1 year or 100... don't leave things undone... don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today.... and use the live God has given to you to touch others and be a blessing for His glory. 

 

Happy Birthday Grandma Vanderford!  We love you!

 



Knowing Him

"Those who know Your name trust in You,

for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."

Psalm 9:10

 

Knowing Him...

Trusting Him...

Seeking Him...

He never forsakes...

 

Thanking Him for His Word and His truth this morning...

camping on this verse for today.
~smile~

him...

Just because I can't get enough of him right now...

love this boy...

A New Year...

"Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 

Mark 4:40

 

Sometimes when entering a new year I feel afraid. 

It's new... a fresh start... what if I mess it all up?  

It's the perfect white canvas... what do I do with it? 

What if the year before me isn't what I planned or thought it would be? 

 

But He whispers in my ear just like He told the disciples in the boat...

Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith? 

 

He's always been faithful... He's always been good... why would this year look any different?

 

Jesus knows my heart so well.  He is faithful, and in Him I have hope, I have grace, and I have a year ahead of me that He has planned in His perfect goodness just for me before I was ever born.

 

I don't know what this year will bring, but I know the One who knows.  And it will be a blank canvas that He will turn into a beautiful piece of art... because that's what He does.. He makes beautiful things.  I may not see the whole picture now... but I trust Him that the whole picture is amazing!

 

"The Lord will do great things for me,
and I will be filled with joy!"

Psalm 126:3