Closed for the Season

Well, for a time this little blog will be rather quiet. It's time to focus my attention elsewhere for awhile. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure how long of a break I'll be taking. So if you are interested in returning once posting starts back up again, you might want to sign up for a feed through bloglines (see sidebar) or some other preferred site. That way you can know when new posts are up without having to check back. Feel free to get in touch with me through commenting because that goes straight to my email. Thanks so much for taking an interest in our family and our adventures. We love you!
Kristie

Who's Anniversary Is It?

Ours?

Theirs?
Or both?

8 Years Ago

Eight years ago today, when I was about 38 weeks pregnant with Josh, I was having a lot of strong contractions. They weren't very painful, but still long, frequent, and consistent. I had experienced contractions like this before and had even gone to the hospital to get checked. After a lecture from the dr. (not my OB) about how to know when you're in labor, I came home very discouraged. Now here they were again. This day however was my 2nd anniversary and there was no way I was going to ruin our day with another trip to the hospital for the joy of another lecture. I was too proud and wasn't going to budge. My mother and Matt were both encouraging me to go, but I didn't want to. (Beautiful submission, eh?) So even though the contractions would sometimes take my breath away, I stubbornly continued to get ready for our date that night.

Finally, Matt and Mom convinced me that I could get checked before we went to the restaurant. Jennifer (Trent) Lowe came to babysit early - what a sweetie. I Packed a bag - not because I thought I was going to deliver, but simply because I was 38 weeks and it was good to have one ready - and we called the Dr. The office was closed already so they sent us on the hospital.

When I got the hospital (we didn't even take the bag in with us) the nurses laughed at me and told me to go on to the restaurant. They said if I wasn't in pain, I wasn't in labor. Well, Matt and I decided to stay and get checked anyway. My Dr. came over since her office was right beside the hospital, checked me and said, "Well, girlie, we're having a baby!" Within 25 minutes the painless contractions had turned into very painful ones and after about 20 more minutes I was holding our second baby boy, Joshua.

When the nurse asked us if we wanted to take a picture of him before his bath, we realized that hadn't even brought our suitcase in yet! We didn't have a camera in the room! Well, we didn't make to the restaurant for our anniversary dinner, but what a wonderful anniversary gift.

Happy Birthday Joshie Otter!!

Joshua is such a gift to our family. He has such a tender heart and sweet affection for others. Anytime I'm discouraged Joshua notices and comes with encouragement in the form of kind words, a sweet card, some humor, or even a reminder to pray. I think his tenderness and humor are what make him so appealing to younger children. He has always enjoyed playing with and caring for babies and toddlers, and they absolutely love him.

Not everything comes easy to Josh. There have been times in school or in sports that he has had to persevere through a difficult task. At first I wanted to protect him from this and try to find an easier way, but now I see that God has been using these times to teach him humility, self-control, perseverance, contentedness, and patience.


Josh has a sense of justice that I love. It has not always endeared him to his brothers, however! I was initially afraid that Josh would follow wherever Samuel led, not learning to be a good leader himself, but this has not been the case. Many times when there is conflict or abundant sin going on in the brotherly ranks (and when isn't there?), Josh steps forward to encourage change or confession and is usually the first to repent or apologize.

Josh loves the Bible, and he thinks long and hard on the things he learns, usually asking very difficult questions. Recently he asked us about God's omnipresence. He wanted to know how God could be everywhere and yet our sin still separate us from Him. Fortunately for him and for us, Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology was on the bookshelf! Never expected to be using that with my 7 year old.

Thanks Joshie for being such a blessing to our family. We love you! (more pics below)

More Pics

Cute Conversation

Our local Target closed yesterday because another much larger one is opening nearby. As we walked through the aisles this past weekend looking for bargains, Noah picked up a Magic 8 Ball.
"What's this, Mom?"
"Oh, that's just a silly little game. You ask it questions then shake it and it gives you answers."
Noah, then precedes to ask it a question, shake it then look for the answer.
"You're right, Mom it is silly. It doesn't work at all!"
"Why?"
"I asked it, 'What is a walrus?' and it just said 'yes!' It's silly."
"Yes, dear, I agree."

Curriculum Stuff

A couple of years ago, I was getting very frustrated with my search for a history curriculum. I wanted something that tied in other subjects with history for reinforcement; I wanted something that taught chronologically; I wanted something that would work with three very different boys, and I wanted something that was not intense (I was pregnant!) Well, I got a postcard in the mail from My Father's World and thought it looked interesting. I checked out their website and Matt and I decided to give it a try. We've used it for 2 years and have really liked it.

Now I not trying to talk anyone into this curriculum. It's not perfect! It has pros and cons just like all the others. It would definitely not be for everyone because thankfully everyone is different. But since I am the only person I know who is currently using this curriculum and most people I talk to haven't even heard of it, I thought I would let you know that they are coming to Knoxville to display their wares, so to speak.

Here's the info:
A MFW homeschool display and seminar in Knoxville, TN
July 24; Monday 10:00am – 5:00pm
Marriott Knoxville; 500 Hill Avenue S.E.

From what the flier said you can drop-in at anytime. If you're interested, they are having a couple of seminars: 1:00pm—Combining Classical Education, Charlotte Mason, and Unit Studies with a Biblical Perspective; 3:00pm—Occupying Preschoolers while Teaching Older Children.
I can email you the flier if you like - I didn't know how to get a copy of it on here easily.
If you check out their website and decide to drop-in, please let them know (if possible) at the following e-mail address: info@mfwbooks.com. Don't let forgetting to RSVP keep you from coming; they just want a rough number so they will have plenty of materials available.

Nephew Time

Sorry, for being so boring lately. Surely these pictures of "pac-man" will help! Don't I have an adorable nephew? (Oh yeah, he's Matt's nephew, too!)

Things Change and Things Stay the Same

When I used to babysit for the Bowmans, I had one weakness that got us in a lot of trouble when Mark and Terri would come home: bedtime inforcement. Matthew learned early on that asking me to read to him at bedtime was the same as a "get out of bedtime free" card. "One more chapter, please" or "Just a little more?" were requests I hardly ever refused. That all changed, however, once Matthew was old enough to suffer the consequences of not abiding by the lights out rule. Bedtime was strictly enforced from then on.

Now as a 9 year mommy veteran, bedtime has been pretty consistent. Of course, there are caregroup nights or other events that wreak havoc on the schedule, but overall it's been good. That is until this summer. Matt's work schedule has changed and evenings are a bit loose (to put it mildly.) It seems that the boys have gotten some secret information about me and my old ways. Tonight, for example, I heard the old pleas: "one more chapter, please" and "just a little more?" I looked at the clock after finishing an entire Boxcar Children book and it was 10:10pm - quite a bit after their bedtime. It was fun. I kinda felt like a babysitter instead of a mommy for a moment! Maybe I should give them soda and cookies in bed the next time I do that - NAH!

Sergeant York on Life

We just finished watching (in pieces) Sergeant York, a 1941 movie about Alvin C. York who was a famous World War I Congressional Medal of Honor recipient from Tennessee. In a bio that I read about him, I found an interesting quote. He had just become an elder in his local church, obtained for the first time a good paying job ($1.60/day), and was recently engaged when he got his draft notice. He describes the way it feels when you have your whole life mapped out and out of the blue something changes.

"Life's tol'ably queer. You think you've got a grip on it, then you open your hands and find out there's nothing in them. It doesn't go in straight lines like bees to their hives or quail from the covey. It sort of circles like foxes and goes back again to where it began."

Well said. I've been told by many wise men and women to hold life and it's "accompaniments" open-handed (because none of it really belongs to us anyway!) Thankfully, the One who does hold it all knows exactly where the bee, the quail, and even that circling fox (life) is headed.