I Almost Missed It

I was in the bathroom unloading laundry from the hamper. I finished that task just as my youngest was finishing up on the potty. While he pulled his pants up in the way that 5-year-old boys do (simultaneously tugging on the waistband while standing on the legs of the pants) he chattered away at me about things he'd been measuring this morning with the measuring tape.

"Hmmm. That's nice," I answered absentmindedly.

As he was struggling with his pants and chatting happily, my home manager's brain thought, "If I hurry, I can get my hands washed before he gets ready to wash his hands. Then I won't be stuck doing the whole hand-washing song and routine he still likes to do with me. That way I'll have time to start a load of laundry before I get lunch on the table..."  

Can you believe I almost missed singing "This is the Way We Wash Our Hands" with my sweet son ~ for laundry?

I almost missed those precious little soapy hands in mine, sharing the cool water from the faucet, our faces almost touching above the sink. I almost missed hearing his high voice singing along, and his soft, slippery hands cupping the water till they are full, then sloshing it onto mine to rinse. I almost missed the last verse that helps us remember to dry on the towel together. I almost missed the kiss I get every time we finish that song. Can you believe I almost gave that up?

I almost missed it, but I didn't. Thankfully, God tugged at my mother's heart just in time and I felt a catch in my throat when I realized what I'd almost done. I'm so grateful He did that for me. I kicked the laundry aside for later. Then I savored those few precious moments together, just the two of us, bent over the bathroom sink singing and soaping.

But I almost missed it.  For laundry.

The Garden Grows...and Grows

On Monday we picked the first few red,

 juicy tomatoes and some shiny fresh peppers.

Then we picked some more gorgeous peppers.

Then we dug delicious potatoes until

 the buckets were too heavy to carry to the house.

 Next came bunches of plump,

 sweet onions to be hung to dry.

Then we tackled the squash vines ~

 already out-of-control and growing gigantic zucchini!

 The children call these "baseball bats."

The whole haul for the day.

Yum!

On Monday I layered sausage and thinly sliced potatoes in a dish and baked it, and we had a side dish of sauteed squash and onions, plus a green salad with fresh tomatoes, baby squash slices, and sweet onion slices. Tuesday's supper was beautiful stuffed green peppers, roasted hot pepper poppers and baked butternut squash served with cornbread. Wednesday's menu will include baked potatoes and fresh cabbage in a Cabbage Roll Casserole. We'll finish with zucchini bread for dessert. I haven't been to the grocery store in a long time, and I'm lovin' it.

Shhhh...

Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea)

The kids found this gorgeous little fellow napping on a leaf of Swiss chard in our front flower bed. Doesn't he look comfy? 

Memorial Day

The Heritage Foundation is

 one of my favorite resources.

On this Memorial Day they shared

 this beautiful tribute to American soldiers

from the Evergreen Freedom Foundation.

Thank you, brave soldiers. 

Sunday Singing

This Sunday, we focus on the tremendous sacrifice of Christ on the cross, where He paid the price for our sins and bought our freedom. 

In memory, with gratitude ~

Night With Ebon Pinion

by J.H. Jameson and J.P. Powell

Night with ebon pinion,

Brooded o'er the vale;

All around was silent,

Save the night-wind's wail,

When Christ the Man of Sorrows,

In tears and sweat and blood,

Prostrate in the garden,

Raised His voice to God.

Smitten for offenses

Which were not His own,

He, for our transgressions,

Had to weep alone;

No friend with words to comfort,

Nor hand to help was there,

When the Meek and Lowly

Humbly bowed in prayer.

"Abba, Father, Father,

If indeed it may,

Let this cup of anguish, 

Pass from me, I pray;

Yet if it must be suffered,

By Me, Thine only Son,

Abba Father, Father, 

Let Thy will be done."

Gift for Grads

I was honored to have a story published in Hello Future from Howard Publishing. It's a nice hardcover gift book full of inspiring stories, quotes and scriptures. Hello Future makes a fun, easy read for any graduate, and is a great way to encourage the grads you love to make the most of the amazing life God gives them. 

Hair Bows

Over the years I've made dozens of pretty hair bows for my daughter, but I've always just made it up as I go. Recently a friend sent me the link to this page with some great instructions and tips on making cute bows. I wish I'd found it before. Enjoy!

Sunday Singing

This song is so special to our family. When we started our evening routine of Family Time many years ago, our children were very young. This was the first hymn we studied and learned to sing as a family. We have precious video of them singing it to the glory of the Lord when my middle son was just barely beginning to talk. He got some of the words wrong, but with all his heart and much cuteness, he sang out "Dressing Obey." 

Trust and Obey

by J.H. Samuels and D.B. Towner

When we walk with the Lord

In the light of His word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will,

He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, 

Not a cloud in the skies, 

But his smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt nor a fear,

Not a sigh nor a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet

We will sit at his feet,

Or we'll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do,

Where He sends we will g0 ~

Never fear, only trust and obey. 

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Sweet Serenity

Starting young

A few books to read on the drive

Reading a story to his great-grandmother, Mom

Reading with big sister

The love of learning

The sequestered nooks, 

And all the sweet serenity of books.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Curiosity killed... the conversation

We took a field trip to the Mayborn Museum this week.

 Our Family Pass to the museum is our all-time favorite, and most-used gift.

The kids were playing nicely

 with some new friends, then it happened.

 Again.

 A total stranger saw my family,

 put on her dunce cap,

 and approached us.

 With a determined look,

 she began her mission.

I smiled and said hello.

"Your boys are adorable. Are they from China?" she asked. "We have some friends with a daughter from China."

"Oh, thank you." I replied. "No, they were born in Korea."

She looked more closely at the boys. "Are they twins?"

"No. How old is your son?" I asked, hoping against all hope that I could steer this conversation away from where I thought it was headed. She didn't take the bait, ignored my question about her child, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. People are so predictable.

Here is where I wanted to use my super-powers to freeze time and remove the dunce cap from the woman's head so she would have sense enough to taste her words before speaking them. I hoped she and I might continue our conversation and talk about one of my favorite topics in the world~ adoption. I wished we could chat and I could share information and tell her about the blessings our family has experienced through adoption. Or we could talk about the beauty of Korea, or how wonderful big sisters are. Or gardening. Or the newest museum exhibit. Or the weather. Or shoelaces. I'm up for just about anything.

But instead I get a familiar knot in my stomach while she studies my sons. Unfortunately, I know exactly what's coming.

"Well, are they real brothers?" she asks,

 and my sons turn and look at me. 

"Yes," I answer with a practiced smile.

 Then I move away from her, toward my children.

 This conversation is over for me.

When my sons were toddlers they didn't pay much attention when people asked if they are "real brothers", but they certainly pay attention now.  And do you know why I split as soon as I've decisively answered the "real brothers" question? Because that is just the beginning. I've seen where this conversation goes if I stick around for more.

"They aren't twins?" they inevitably ask.

"No."

"Well, how far apart in age are they?" they ask.

"Two months," I answer,

 silently willing the curious person to shut up

 before they blurt out what comes next.

 It rarely works.

"Oh, so they are NOT real brothers, then." 

The stranger is now satisfied.

 They've confirmed for themselves

 and everyone within earshot

 that my children don't share DNA.

 They always seem so pleased

 to have us all figured out.

I just smile,

 look over my shoulder

 and leave them with a parting shot.

"They are now."

I pray I will never be so insensitive to a child, about anything. I pray I will never ask things that are none of my business. I pray I won't ever be so desperately and stubbornly curious, that I won't pause to give my brain one-half of a second to analyze exactly how my questions or comments might sound to someone else.

And I pray I will be a good example to my children when people around us continue to speak while their brains, and hearts, are disconnected from their mouths.

Gray Fox

"I love to think of nature

 as an unlimited broadcasting station,

 through which God speaks

 to us every hour, if we will only tune in."

George Washington Carver

Mike walked down the sidewalk 

 and found this  gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

loudly crunching and eating pecans in our driveway. 

He stuck around for so long we were able to

 round up all the kids and everyone got a good look.

 Absolutely beautiful.

 We just hope he sticks to pecans

 and leaves the chickens alone. 

Bright Idea

We love to play Geography Bingo for school. We've used this set for several years and the kids have learned facts about famous places like Machu Picchu and the Eiffel Tower and Petra. 

We have lots of extra game cards in the box~ the set is made for a classroom of 36 players. 

So I chopped up some of those extras into little playing pieces for another game involving our wall maps.

The playing cards are made of heavy card stock  so they they are sturdy. When cut out, they are just the right size for little fingers.

With a blob of that blue tacky stuff on the back, we had a great new map game that added a whole new dimension to our geography lesson. Now they can tell bits about each landmark, tell me where it is located, and place it on the map.

And since I believe we learn a lot by being surrounded by great information, those little pieces will stay up on the map for a while, to let their locations soak in. Then we'll take them down and play again.

Who said geography is boring?

Giant Beet

This beautiful beet from our garden made the kids think of the land of Canaan. Of course, there was no mention of beets in that story. But if Joshua and Caleb had found beets there, don't you think they might have looked something like this?

They Grow Up So Fast!

Mike has been out of town this week again, and the kids missed Daddy terribly.

 He got home this evening just as they were finishing baths.

 After big hugs all around he pulled out some surprises he brought them.

 I laughed so hard I could hardly take the pictures.

 I love my guy.

Zoo trip

We had a field trip to the Cameron Park Zoo last week and had a blast. The weather was absolutely perfect for us; that means it was cool and breezy enough to keep the insects like mosquitoes and wasps and bees away. Both of the boys are bug magnets and are terribly allergic, to the point that I carry Benadryl and an Epi Pen everywhere with us. So the bugs were kept at bay, and eldest and I just dealt with the bad hair.

I guess the wind kept the zoo visitors at bay, too, because we had the place to ourselves! We took as long as we wanted reading signs and filling out charts and maps I'd printed off for the kids. They classified animals as native or exotic, then labeled a world map to show where different animals are found.  Then they played with a few other kids at the zoo park. 

Paper or plastic?

Last night after the kids were asleep the house was finally quiet. Mike and I spread out some paperwork so we could catch up on some banking and budgeting. While I bent over the papers with my pencil, he went to the study to get the calculator. Then he came back and reported that our calculator wasn't in the study. Off he went to see if the kids had one in with their school stuff. No luck there either. After about 10 minutes of searching various rooms in the house, he gave up.

"I don't guess you'd consider using this, would you?" he asked.

I looked up from the papers to find him holding the kids colorful toy cash register, complete with fake scanner, credit card slot, and a tiny belt for groceries. At that point we couldn't be choosy, so we got to work. Fortunately the kids didn't wake up and catch us playing with their toy.

You really can figure the family budget on a toy cash register. And the beeps make it more fun.

Sunday Singing

Reflections on the livestock tank

For the Beauty of the Earth

by Folliet Pierpoint & Conrad Kocher

For the beauty of the earth,

For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth,

Over and around us lies:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our sacrifice of praise.

For the beauty of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale and tree and flower,

Sun and moon, and stars of light:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our sacrifice of praise.

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth and friends above,

For all gentle tho'ts and mild:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our sacrifice of praise.

For They church that evermore

Lifteth holy hands above,

Offering up on every shore

Her pure sacrifice of love:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our sacrifice of praise.

Beets, Beautiful Beets

Here are the gorgeous beets we harvested from the garden this week. All winter long we've picked the tops as salad greens. Now the tops are too tough and bitter, so we dug up the roots and let the chickens and goats gobble up the green tops we trimmed off. Mother told me to wash and cook the beets, then peel them. That is much easier than the other way around~the peel just slips off in one piece after they are cooked. They are delicious eaten hot, mashed up with a bit of butter and salt and freshly ground pepper. But we also love them pickled with apple cider vinegar, served cold from the fridge (sometimes eaten straight from the jar while standing over the sink!)