Our Team

'daDad (38 yo), the Mama (36yo), FarmerBoy (19 yo ds), Gypsygirl (17 yo dd), Miss Petite (16 yo dd),LionHeart (14 yo ds), Red (12 yo ds), Belle (10 yo dd),Nae Nae (7 yo dd),Bunny (2 yo dd), Little Britches (3 months)







Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Update on Our House and Another New "House"

Well, last weekend the men from church came to work on the exterior of the house. It was wicked hot-104 degrees with who-knows-what for a heat index.(BTW, we are this week enjoying 80's for highs and 50-60's overnight.)
They got the front almost completely sided, and part of the soffit up. The south side is just over half sided. The North and west sides were already nearly finished, they are about ready for the soffit and fascia.
A lady from church came out for a little while to help put shelf paper in the kitchen cabinets. That was all the "girl" wok available. We didn't get to finish that job b/c we spent the rest of the day running for the men and helping set up and clean up after lunch. Several ladies at church planned and provided most of lunch. This was a real blessing for us. The older girls and I usually just handle it ourselves.
Last week we were privileged to attend a very special wedding celebration. One of the young men who did so much to help us get moving on the new house got married. The lady he married is also a friend to Gypsygirl. Part of what made it so special was their dedication to a pure, God-driven courtship and marriage. We got to sit on the groom's side of the room, and it was very difficult to see where the bride was going to enter, so I just made up my mind to watch him.
The look on his face was so awesome. You could see so many emotions sweep across his face, hidden by a boyish grin. When she stepped in, he actually took a step forward and then contained himself. He was eager to take his bride to himself. As I was observing all of this, I realized that is how Jesus feels about me (us), his bride. Just as S. had waited many years and had prepared a place for R., so Jesus is longing to be united with us and has been preparing a place for us. It just made me cry. What love.
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife,even as Christ is the head of the church:and He is the saviour of the body.Therefore,as the church is subject unto Christ,so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.Husbands love your wives,even as Christ loved the church,and gave himself for it;That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church,not having spot, or wrinkle,or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man yet hateth his own flesh;but nourisheth and cherisheth it,even as the Lord the church.For we are members of his body,of his flesh,and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery;but I speak concerning Christ and the church." Ephesians 5:22-31
It's going to be neat to watch them build their spiritual "house".
This week is fair time, so different members of the family will be involved in various activities. Farmerboy also started school. It seems to be going very well, but he sure is gone a lot b/c of the way his schedule worked out and the distance he travels. I'm glad he's so resilient, and able to try new things.
I was looking at a couple of other blogs today, and few mottoes stuck with me. "I'm going to miss this." -talking about the things that we get tired of that we'll miss when our children are grown. "For mothers the days are long, but the years are short."
Psalm 100-103 Proverbs 25

Friday, August 20, 2010

Tired and So Much to Do....

Last night I did not sleep well. Bunny woke up at 1:30 and I could not get back to sleep. Partly it was b/c I was hurting (did too much somehow) and also b/c I had too much on my mind. I finally got up, had a snack, and read for awhile. I looked at one of the local shopping papers, read this week's info from "Your Pregnancy Week By Week", and then read some from the Bible. My problem was focusing on some "what-if" situations. *sigh* I knew I needed to take my mind to God's word. The Bible I picked up happened to be The Evidence Bible. I remembered a section in the very back that I read right after the fire. It is called "Closing Words of Comfort". In it Ray (Comfort) talks about trials & fears and how we can deal with them in a Biblical fashion. I re-read this last night, and I was reminded that it really all boils down to trusting Him. So, sinceworrying won't make me any taller (5'3"), it won't change anything else either. As His children, we are promised that all things work together for those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose.
As for today, I need to do laundry, teach school,do some food work for the work day,go to the bank, do home blessing, and just take care of the normal things required everyday.( Did I mention I was tired :) I'm sure we'll get it all done. I say we b/c I don't do it all myself. Some of it only I can do,but I only have 2 rooms to "bless", some of the food stuff can be done by one of the big girls or even Lionheart. I really do need a nap later though, b/c we have plans this evening.

Be blessed.
Psalm 101 Proverbs 20

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Crazy Busy

We have had a busy week. Monday, I had to pick my aunt up (27 mi one way) and bring her down here to get her eyeglasses fitted. Then, we stopped by the house we're living in, so I could pick up Lionheart and so my aunt could give my dad some papers and visit w/ our other children. After that I was supposed to take her back and then go grocery shopping. Well, that's not what happened.
When I got back here, Farmerboy said they had been visited by the police while I was gone! Apparently, there had been a robbery at one of the businesses behind the railroad tracks in the backyard. While investigating it, they discovered Lionheart's "fort" and decided to look further into it. Two officers questioned the three boys (praise God Farmerboy handled things perfectly, and stayed with his brothers the whole time!) and then requested that I come down for questioning. So, needless to say,I didn't go anywhere after that! I called 'da Dad and he decided he would call the pd and ask what this was all about. He really blessed me by doing that, b/c I'm kind of hormonal and pretty much nuts when it comes to feeling my children are being threatened! Anywho- all it boils down to is that they want us keeping an eye out for suspicious activity. It was very creepy to have them patrolling 6+ times the next day. That seems to have stopped, but we do have a lot of patrolling here anyway, b/c it's a low income area, and of course that has to mean crime (insert sarcasm here).
Can't wait to get home, town life is crazy. We have had 4 visits from police officers since we moved here. We never had 1 when we lived at home. Maybe that's because we aren't doing anything wrong?!
Tuesday, we went and picked grapes at a friend's house. With so many helpers it didn't take long. Then, we came home and I made grape juice. This same lady gave me the recipe. 1 c. of grapes and 3/4 c. sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals) and then boiling water to cover. This makes 1 qt. She said to just put the flats and rings on tight and they mostly seal themselves. Well, 2 of them didn't, so I water
bathed those for 20 minutes. You are supposed to let this set for at least a week, but I am planning longer. This is really more like punch to me, but I'm sure we will enjoy it. I may save some for after baby is born, as I always grape juice right after.
Last night, 'da Dad and Gypsygirl, Ms. Petite,and Lionheart, went to work on a project for the upcoming fair. I stayed at home with the 4 youngest and did dishes and sorted laundry. The laundry took quite some time, b/c there was 4 days worth (12 loads ?) to sort. Putting that away is priority 1 today, even before school.
Right now this is our laundry schedule:
Monday-Gypsygirl
Tuesday-Red
Wednesday-Ms. Petite
Thursday-Lionheart
Friday-Mom
Saturday(if we're home)-1 load each-Mom, Gypsygirl, Ms.Petite
Sunday-off (unless we're desperate)
3-4 loads must be done daily, and the person washing is supposed to wash the bedding laundry from their room on that day.
Farmerboy went up to the new house and did more dirt work, so it will be smooth for scaffolding this weekend.
Also planned for today, is school, Lionheart's laundry,making some phone call for dh (*me), Farmerboy is helping my brother this a.m., going to pick books up for school (starts next week), and finish his day completing the dirt work. He sure is blessing us with that. His dad is working so much ,that working this in would have been extremely difficult.
Tomorrow, we have all the usual things plus a wedding. We are all looking forward to that.
I need to get off here and get to inspecting their work.
Be blessed!

Psalm 100 Proverbs 19

Monday, August 9, 2010

What's Up

The men worked on more plumbing. I got the hinges cleaned and 1 coat of flat black paint put on them. They look much better.
I did not do any mending this weekend. I washed,hung, and put away a load of towels.
Yesterday, I made some beef broth (only b/c we had a roast for lunch) and another batch of kombucha. Mostly, we rested.
The children and I have been packing more non-essential stuff to be taken down to storage. Saturday, 'da Dad went down to the unit w/ me. It is getting pretty full, and I teasingly told him that when it gets full we have to move! He just looked at me & laughed.
Public school starts here on the 18th. That means going back to keeping the children in from 8-3. The last few days of last week I worked on switching them over to that schedule. There are good things about it though. Their house chores are usually completable during that time also, so when 3 o'clock rolls around, they are totally free.

Psalm 114

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Nothing Much

What to write about.......
Not much going on around here. Went to see the midwife and all is well with babe and I. Soon I will start collecting birth supplies. After my next prenatal, I will be seeing her every 2 weeks!
Some work will be going on this weekend at the house. I'll post more on that later.
I plan to sort laundry and do some mending today, if I can get moving :).

Monday, August 2, 2010

Bearing One Another's Burdens

The last few weeks I have been either the one needing wise counsel and/or a listening ear or the one listening. We all need to be able to be truthful about our pain,struggles,etc, with someone. We can always depend on God, He is our ever present help in trouble. There are times when we need a human face, someone we can count on telling us the truth (God's perspective) and who won't blab. I have a few of those people in my life, I hope you do too. In the Bible (NT), we are admonished to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. We should remember each other in prayer and consider each other's needs, challenges, and struggles. No one lacks these things. Often, we get so selfish and focus only on our life, how bad we have it and how Sister So-and So doesn't have any problems or worries. It's just not true. Last night, at church we had a time of prayer and share with the ladies. Everyone of them had their needs and problems, most of them I knew nothing about. I am so glad I know now b/c I can pray for them more easily and I can extend them more grace.
This last week we got more work done on the plumbing and the girls put in the last of the downstairs insulation. Maybe next week we'll get an indoor toilet :).
On a side note, Lionheart was weed eating the path to the "necessary" and hit a nest of ground bees! I don't think I've ever seen that child move so fast! Thankfully, he only got stung 4 times. I know that sounds bad, but this type of bee is extremely aggressive, so 4 is actually pretty good. We treated the welts with chewed up broad leaf plantain.
A few people have asked what we need to have done before we move home, so I am going to make a list here, and ask you all to pray it gets done so we can move home before baby comes:).
-siding and soffet on exterior of house
-back door installed
-kitchen finished
-downstairs bath finished
-upstairs walls insulated
-upstairs ceiling finished
-attic insulated
-attic fan installed
-floors sanded and painted
-one bedroom window upstairs fixed and installed
That's it :).
Also, the church men are planning on coming up one Saturday this month to finish the exterior of the house, so please pray for clear, cool weather for them to work in. Thanks.
Be blessed.

Psalm 87-88 Proverbs 2