Today is a new day...

I often wake up saying these words to myself, as sort of a mantra. Sometimes life will hurl problems at you from every direction. I praise the Lord when I get up the next morning. Ms. Bea, in my Bible study says, "God didn't take me and the devil won't have me, so I guess I'm doing alright." I love that. Some days you just need that new start. Some days, that fresh pot of coffee, just makes you smile, knowing that yesterday is done, and now the journey continues.

Today was a day like that for me...

After my last long post, I had many phone calls from good friends, checking on me. What a blessing it is to have true friends. I had to assure them, that, yes, I was fine. And I am. Just continuing on my journey...pressing on toward the goal. Yesterday was a beautiful day here in south Texas. The weather was PERFECT, sunny but not too hot, a slight breeze that didn't knock you down, a great day to be outside. Noah and I took schooling outside. It filled me with such joy to see him reading his book on Paul Revere, on the bench in our yard, while Aiden ran back and forth, back and forth... I felt blessed to be there in that moment with my two favorite boys. It was a pure moment of true being. Anyone who has studied the acting theories of Eric Morris will know what I'm talking about...what, there are none of those people following my blog? Anyway, I just had a warm feeling about the day and about my boys and about homeschooling and being able to enjoy this day with them. Well, today I got up with my "today is a new day" attitude, leaving behind any negative thoughts or feelings and was greeted by sheer joy at the ridiculous hour of 8:36.

Aiden woke me up early - like before 7:00am - I know you public school moms are not feeling sorry for me, but in my book, that is early! I put on a pot of coffee and began my morning rituals, turn on Blue's Clues for my addicted son, make sure everyone had something for breakfast, etc. etc. etc. I was about to change Aiden when I wandered over to the window seat for a diaper (no, now is NOT the time to tell me that diapers don't belong on window seats and that you can't believe how messy my house is, and that you can't understand how I can live that way), when I looked at what I thought was the remnants of caterpillars passed when I noticed a little wiggle. I was so excited to see ANY sign of life that I immediately yelled for Noah and Caitlyn. By the time the two had scurried over, the butterfly was starting to emerge from her cocoon (Caitlyn insists that it was her Lovey that had changed first). I was filled with excitement at this miracle that I was about to behold and began to shout, "It's coming out, it's coming out!"

I was immediately transported back in time to the delivery room when I was having Noah, my first-born. I felt as though I didn't get to enjoy the miracle as much as Chris did, what with all the pain and all. I can remember when Chris saw Noah beginning to crown and the look on his face was utter excitement as he said, "I can see him, I can see him!" as if to say, hurry, hurry, here he comes! At that particular moment I wouldn't exactly characterize my feelings as excitement, as much as relief; so I felt a little gypped of my feelings of extreme excitement. Well, today, I felt it, just as Chris had when I gave birth to Noah. I couldn't believe that God not only was giving us the gift of life in the butterflies, but also allowing me to WITNESS it. Wow, how good God is. It was at the EXACT moment that I walked over to get that diaper, that the butterfly was emerging from her cocoon. That my friend is not coincidence, that is a NEW DAY.

2 Corinthians 4:18 "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

To this!!!!!

From this...

Noah breaking the board at his last belt test.

He earned his red belt!!

Jessie Kabotz and me...

Caitlyn at the awana awards...

Grief measured in caterpillars...

You know, grief can be a strange thing. Difficult, unpredictable, unreliable. You can work through your "issues", feel like you're in a better place one minute, then something so minuscule, like say, a caterpillar or a cup of them; can just throw you into a tailspin and leave you wondering where this latest wave of grief came from.

You see when we lost our Emily almost six years ago, it was devastating. You can't imagine the impact that a tiny baby who only lived a few short hours, could have on your heart. I had never felt such grief before. It enveloped me. It changed me from who I had been to someone new. I had a new "normal", which I hated. I wanted to be the naive woman I had been before. I wanted to worry about my hair and my how my skin looked, instead of pondering eternal questions, seeing small white caskets. Slowly I began to create my new self. Day by day I spun my web, wrapping myself up in my new identity. Wishing all the while I could go back to my former stage. I know what you're thinking, right about now. You're saying to yourselves, "Ah, I see she's weaving a metaphor about herself and the caterpillars..." Well, you're wrong. That's not it at all...

You see I was awoken this morning to Caitlyn's scream, "AIDEN --You've made the caterpillars NOT turn into butterflies!!!" I knew immediately what had happened. Just yesterday I had marveled at the little changing caterpillars myself. I have been awe struck through out this entire last week, watching them grow and grow, getting ready for their big change. Just yesterday the first one hung himself up on the top of the cup, and the others were soon to follow, they would probably be up there this morning...and they were, before the tornado got to them. I ran into the living room to find Caitlyn's little hands wrapped around the cup, "Mommy LOOK!" Aiden had thrown down the cup and had dislodged all of the crysalids. They were now lying in the muck of food and whatever that stuff is...I was immediately struck with sadness. I had so been looking forward to watching the entire life cycle of these little critters. I was so anticipating watching them emerge from the cocoon and having that beautiful moment with my children. Then it hit me. That was exactly the feeling I had when I found out that our beautiful Emily would not make it. I had so looked forward to first steps, dance classes, reading books, the prom, her wedding and in a flash it was all shattered. Her "life cycle" was cut short by some strange twist of fate and here I was this morning experiencing it again...Wow, what a way to start a day. Most days I am in a good place with her loss. I know it sounds crazy, but I know she is with her Savior and has been made whole and really I would not have it any other way. But, every so often I am taken back to that place in which my life was forever changed, and the feelings well up again, such that I must take a moment and embrace that grief.

So what did I do? Well, I spent the afternoon (crying and) scouring the internet trying to figure out how to save those little caterpillars. I followed the directions that I found, carefully removing them from their comfortable, little cup to a new, foreign habitat. I'm still not sure if they are going to make it; but at least I tried.

Caitlyn said, "Mommy, I think they are just asleep right now. I think they will be butterflies." Bless her heart. She is such an optimist. I praise God that He saw fit to bless me again with another sweet girl. I am so lucky.

I may not be the woman I once was, and I may struggle at times, but I know that after the cocoon is the final, beautiful stage. For now, I'm still tightly woven into my little cocoon, no longer the caterpillar, but in a delicate process looking forward to that someday when maybe I'll be a butterfly...
(okay, so I'm a sucker for a good metaphor)

The Foster trio...

Spring has sprung in my heart...

Not too long ago I ordered Anna Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study and eagerly awaited it's arrival. From the moment I cracked the spine, I knew it was true love. I am my father's daughter, and as such, I just adore nature. Being close to nature reminds me of the wonder of God's creation. I feel blessed by every tree and flower, even when they make me sneeze. As I held the book in my hands, I had this overwhelming desire to read all 900+ pages from cover to cover in one sitting. Knowing that at some point the baby would cry, Noah or Caitlyn would also need something, I resigned myself to simply go at a snail's pace, but soak in every moment of it. I want to bask in every "nugget of knowledge" that she has for me about this wonderfully complex gift that God has given us. When I first started reading it, Chris asked me, "Why are you reading that?"


Shyly I answered, "Um, because we're studying rocks soon."


"But why are you underlining stuff?"


This one caught me off guard. What could I possibly answer without sounding totally nutty.


"Um, because I want to remember it," I answered with a questioning inflection in my voice. You see, I didn't have the heart to tell him that I actually LOVE learning about nature.


There are so many topics of conversation that I am simply ambivalent about. I could really care less about the stock market (although I know I should and that it does affect me). I am only mildly interested in pro football. The current fashion can only hold my attention for so long; but a nice flower, now that is something to look at.


The other day the kids and I took a trip to Houston. On the way we marveled at the bluebonnets in bloom. I am so going to miss March in Texas. A nice field of bluebonnets can turn even the worst day into a success. We stopped in Refurio at the TXDOT building and there right beside one of the palms was a nice little patch of bluebonnets. I made the kids all jump out and pose for a picture (which consisted of just getting the older two to sit, while I chased Aiden down, placed him in the picture, then quickly snapped a shot). Chris would have thought I was crazy. He's always so pressed to get to where we're going by some self-imposed arrival time. I know where he's coming from, as it is only a matter of time before Aiden begins to scream, "Out, out, out". But on a day like that, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to enjoy such beauty.


Then the following week, my friend Jody and I took the kids to a local church that has a nice bluebonnet patch for more pictures. I can't express the joy I felt watching the kids frolic through the field. That my friend, is what homeschooling is all about. I love the fact that my kids get to go out and experience nature instead of making paper models of it in the classroom. There is no substitute for experiencing nature first hand. It is the beauty of which Anna Comstock speaks so eloquently in her book, and why I am so enjoying this book with my kids. I have been searching high and low for some sort of science text book to use with them. Today after our nature lesson, I realized, I don't need a text book, I just need nature (oh, and Comstock's book).


Today was such a wonderful school day. No we didn't finish our math; no I didn't get to that story that I wanted Noah to finish writing; but oh, the discussions of nature that we had today were simply priceless. Our discussion began with the purpose of flowers - the fruit (see my last blog entry about the fruit). We began talking about what a plant needed to feel "comfortable". Caitlyn was very attentive as she has also been covering plants and flowers at play-school. We acted out what a wilted plant looks like, how it's leaves, flowers, and stem droop. Both kids enjoyed this activity, by the way, which surprised me a bit. We talked about the direction that the roots and leaves grow. Then, after discussing the different parts of the flower, we headed outside for some hand's on lessons. I took out several different ziplock baggies with different items listed on them: roots, leaves, flowers, seeds. I sent the kids in all directions for each of the items listed on the baggie. It was so neat to see all the kids looking for interesting leaves. They scoured the yard (ahem, and the neighbor's yard - sorry Doc Tom). Even Aiden got into it, examining every handful then bringing me the evidence. We had an especially nice look at one of the flowers from our "hummingbird tree". I'm not sure of the technical name for it (sorry Anna), but I did get some nice pics and will post them soon. I also had Noah and Caitlyn sketch the flower in their nature books. We even had the chance to discover the "milk" from milkweed and that stickerburrs are actually soft when they are just beginning the bud.


After all of this we headed into the house for a snack; but our up-close and personal look at nature was not quite over. Noah and I noticed that a squirrel had made it's way onto our porch and couldn't seem to be unable to get out. We have had many birds fly in there, but never a squirrel, to my knowledge. So I ventured out there, giving Noah express instructions to call 911 if I suffered any giant gash from teeth or claws, and the little one was startled and found his way out. I thought he had learned his lesson; but he returned later, feeling ever more confident than before and this time he was brave enough to walk along the tile, eyeing us behind the French doors, instead of scurrying along the ledge. As it turns out, he was in search of our bird seed, the little rascal. So, I guess we will have to find a bin with a lid to hold our seed so that we don't end up with gnaw marks all over the porch from our curious friends.


We have recently put a bird feeder in our tree that is viewable from our dining table and that has provided many moments to enjoy birds that had not previously visited out yard. Noah and I commented how glad we are that we have invited more variety in our yard.





So, there it is...I'm a nature junkie. I've said it. I won't be ashamed anymore. People have always suspected my green-ness. Now they know for sure. Thank you Anna Comstock for encouraging me to release my inner nature lover and enjoy these post-Easter blessings anew.

Birthday girl

Or maybe this is the triple threat...

Triple threat on the milkshake...

The birthday girl

Lainy's party at Fudruckers...

At the Houston Zoo...

Focusing on the fruit...

The other day I was reading in The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna
Comstock and I came across a quote that struck me. She was discussing
the gentle art of introducing your children to plants and she
remarked, "the children's attention should be focused on the
developing fruit instead of the fading and falling petals." I stopped
right there and read the line again. I underlined it and put a star
next to it. Could she have been talking to me? There it was, my
truth for the day, right in front of me. I have spent the last few
months of my life constantly thinking about my fading and falling
petals! I look in the mirror and wonder where my beautiful hair went,
when my prominent chin fell into my neck, and when I morphed from a
girl with NO junk in my trunk into a woman who now sports junk
EVERYWHERE. What happened to me? I used to be pretty, smart, quick
witted. Now I feel like the only time I'm quick is if one of my kids
are running into traffic. The other day it took me well over 30
minutes to come up with the word planetarium (and now I'm not even
sure if I spelled it right)! Then I had the moment of realization, I
may have lost some of my appeal (praise God for my awesome husband who
loves me dispite my metamorphasis), but look at my developing fruit!
I know my petals have faded and fallen because I've been busy growing
fruit. I can't preserve those petals, no matter how much Botox Tricare
might approve. And you know what? I don't want to! Beautiful,
fragrant flowers and fruit are much better than petals any day in my
book! I just hope I can nurture those little buds so that they can
grow as big and beautiful as God has planned for them. Lord, help me
to nurture those little buds!

Sent from my iPhone

Happy 2nd Birthday, sweet Aiden!!!!

My Dear sweet Aiden,
Two years ago today our lives were changed forever, for the better! I can't believe how quickly time has flown. It seems like just yesterday we were loading 3 kids into our van for the first time. How exciting that was! Life with two kids was very, well, settled. We had the boy, we had the girl, now we should have been content, right? Well, if we wanted just a comfortable, settled life, yes. But, I for one, have never been good with comfortable or settled. Daddy and I like excitement! We like a challenge. So, we decided to have you. And boy, oh boy has life been exciting since then!

I remember so well the day you were born. We were so ready to have you here. We had a brief moment of panic during your delivery, then we were holding our little angel in our arms. We have praised God for you since then. Even when we struggled with your tongue tie, and feeding issues, I was determined to give you the best and praise God still through the trials for you. Can you believe that we made it 23 months of nursing? That is my second longest record! Who knew we would push through so many trials to succeed? I guess you did, right? I think that is a nice look at what is to come in your life. Your determination will be an asset to you, my dear one.

You hit 16 months and FINALLY learned how to walk. Then came your next phase...the TORNADO phase (your current phase). You seem to toddle around the house like a runaway train, leaving messes in your path. But, anytime I get frustrated with you, you just flash that dimpled smile and my emotions subside and again I am captivated by your sincere joy. You have such a love and joy of life, it is difficult to be upset with you even for a little while.

I have loved you being such a mommy's boy, but I can say that it has been nice to see your love for your daddy growing as well. The other night Daddy came home late after a long day of flying. You had almost been asleep in your chair and I had just planned to pass you off for a quick hug before tucking you into bed. Once you got into Daddy's arms, you gave me the hand and said, "Uh uh!" So Daddy sat with you on the couch and you fell asleep on him. Such a sweet time.

As we move into your third year, Caitlyn's fifth year, Noah's ninth year, we have an exciting time ahead of us. We will be moving this next year and I anticipate that will come with its own set of challenges. But, I am so glad God gave you to us, Aiden. You have blessed us more than we could have imagined! Carry on my little tornado boy. I hope that we will be able to keep up with you this next year!

Our Chinese/Japanese day!

Quick snapshot from a few weeks ago...

Basho and Haiku...

This week we are rowing The Grass Sandals (as well as A Pair of Red Clogs, for Caitlyn) and have been enjoying studying Japan and some Japanese traditions. Today we studied Haiku and Noah tried his hand at writing some. He really does have a gift of writing, if I do say so myself. Don't let me color your opinion, though, see for yourself!

Dewdrops on the webs shine
Beauty is everywhere
Plants look toward the sun.

Leaves are shuttering
They're shadows in the night moon.
Water flows into streams.

Notice that inversion in the first line, a natural I tell ya'!

Introducing..."A um"

Aiden learned how to say his name today!!!!! Yipee! I'm so happy. It's sort of like the turkey sandwich incident when he learned to eat. Any time you fear there is an issue with one of your children, when you are proven wrong, it is a wonderful day. So, today Aiden said his name, "A um" and we couldn't be happier for him!

They will be elible, Mommy...

Last week we went to the science museum for a much needed field trip. I just LOVE the fact that my kids feel so at home in the museum. It feels like a home away from home for them. We were about to board the Columbus ships when Aiden got a sudden case of vertigo. He would go up the ramp to the ship then run back down telling me, "Uh, uh!" Anyway, Caitlyn joined us on the last run back down and she became facinated with these little seeds that were from some pods off a local tree. She began collecting them, scooping them up, pile by pile. She then informed me that we could could cook them for dinner after we washed them, then they would be "elible". I thought it was wonderful that her vocabulary included the word edible, even if it was Caitlyn-ized! Good job sweet girl!

Noah riding for the first time by himself!!!!

More iPhone pages...

Homeschooling fun...

Look what we did today!

A little messy...

Sometimes everyone needs preschool!

I've come to the conclusion that...

We will not have a Christmas tree this year, sigh...but, I know it is for the best, as Aiden (the destroyer) has already unleashed his fury on my friends' decorations. So far the list includes: prickly pine cones, shiny Christmas balls, a very unsuspecting shepherd, several felt baby Jesuses, and the list could go on and on. I guess I am okay with it. I sure miss putting up the tree; but I'm not sure if we even did it now, it would even be worth the hassle (or carnage, as it were) for the two weeks that we'll be here. I warned my mom last night on the phone about the little menace and she suggested that I just tell him no, humm, I hadn't thought of that one, ha ha. I told her obviously it had been 30 years since she had dealt with a toddler in the house! I'll let her try the "no" thing and see if it works for her, ha ha. Oh, well. I am planning a "treasure" hunt for all the pieces of the nativity set. This year I finally broke down and bought the Little People one. I guess it is best that it is plastic, at least the shepherd will not lose an arm and the baby Jesus might stay in one piece on the Twirlin' Whirlin' Garden!

Baby Jesus takes a ride on the twirlin whirlin garden...

A precious conversation...

Last week while Chris was gone and Caitlyn and I were snuggling in her bed, the following conversation transpired:

Me: Caitlyn, when you get older and have your own family, will you still need me?

Caitlyn: Oh, yes, Mommy.

Me: You will (feeling very special)? What will you need me for?

Caitlyn: To clean my house (giggle giggle).

Is anyone else on twitter?

I just thought I'd join the twitter craze, mainly because I want to keep up with Sue Sylvester's tweets. I just need a little Sue nugget to get me through the week. I think she's hilarious and I need a little more hilarity in my life. My username is rishfoster (how original, right?). Anyway, become a follower and you can keep up with my life. Maybe I'll even use that format to bless you with hilarity or wisdom each day/week. Who knows?

A favorite of ours...

We have recently found a favorite site for homeschooling activities, Fortunately for You Books.
We thoroughly enjoyed the Thanksgiving projects that we worked on, so I recently purchased some Christmas activities for us to work on as well. I have gotten the sticker stories and the grammar by the book products. My son has trouble with handwriting so these products (a cut and paste approach) are perfect for him. Also, the literature with which the exercises are associated are perfect for the whole family, a double bonus! If you are looking for a literature based approach to comprehension and grammar, these would be perfect for you. I can't wait to try their other products!
Their Christmas products are featured on their home page. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Well, today is the day for an update. I should be cleaning my house, you see, and well, you know the rest of the story.

Thanksgiving was a great time with Chris' family. Chris' mom was nice enough to watch the kiddos for us so we got to go out and eat Indian food, yum. We also got to browse leisurely around Best Buy, which I haven't done for years, I think. I'm so used to chasing around kids that sometimes I just get a little antsy when it is just Chris and me. I guess it is so rare that we do things together alone, that it is strange; although being with Chris alone is great. It reminds me of the good old days. I love my husband. I know that someday when our kids are grown we will enjoy that stage of life too, just the two of us. I wish the kids had been better for Curtis. I think Aiden cried the whole time and Caitlyn was sassy. Oh, well, what can you do, that's kids for you, right?

Today Aiden came to me patting the front of his diaper. I asked him if he needed to go potty and he said yes (raising his eyebrows). I took him to the potty and he went. I praised him and he leaned over and gave me a kiss. Again, I am so glad that I didn't have him first. Even though we have had some trials with him, overall he's VERY easy. He definitely is a mommy pleaser. You see, if I had had him first, the others would have been such a shock to my system! Not that the others were bad. Overall, they all have been pretty easy (except Noah and potty training - NIGHTMARE). I just feel so blessed as a mother. Over the holiday I found myself much of the time, on the couch with two kiddos hanging off of me and I stopped and thanked God for those moments. The sound of my children's laughter is the music of my soul. I can't imagine this life without them. Thank you, God, thank you.

Who loves mommy?

Aiden and the dinosaur...

These past few weeks...

It was my intent to blog ALL about our camping trip; but alas, life got in the way. It has been tough since we got back. First, there is all the laundry, putting away, sorting, etc. Then, there's getting back into the school routine. After all of that, life really got crazy. There was a plane mishap last week with two instructor pilots in a T34. It is sitll under investigation; but it seems that they crashed into the Gulf. They are not sure what happend; but they have found the body of one of the pilots. They suspended the search for the plane and other pilot; but some civilian friends have been doing land searches this week. This really seemed to hit home for us. I'm not sure if it was because it was the same plane in which Chris flies, or if it was because these two pilots were veteran pilots, or if it was because they were from our base; or a combination of all of these. So it was a heavy dose of the reality of the fragility of life. I was taken back to another time in my life when I was thrust into the harsh reality that bad things can happen to good people. I have been thanking the Lord these last two weeks for the many blessings He has bestowed on me and my family. I realize that we do live in a fallen, sinful world and that life can change in a split second. I have recommitted myself to living fully in the moment of these blessings. I want to live thankfully every day for this wonderful life that I have. I also want to stand on the promise that Jesus will be there for me, no matter the turns that this life can take and that when my time is up in this life, I will be with the Father in Heaven (and Emily - what a bonus!)
To remedy the stress of these last two weeks we decided to go to the beach. It was a wonderful day spent with the people that I love the most, my husband and my three beautiful children. Hearing the waves crashing on the shore was like a balm of comfort. Seeing the kids digging, laughing, splashing was just what I needed to calm the turbulence of the world and to remind me once again of the important things in life.

Three reasons I get up in the morning...

The most precious kids enjoying the beach.

"Teese!"

Digging

Noah's ready for battle

On the island

Noah's turn

Caitlyn amid Seashell Castle

Nothing better than a peaceful day at the beach...

After a stressful two weeks we decided to go to the beach today. It
is very quiet and relaxing. Glad we came today.

Sent from my iPhone

Yesterday Part 1...

Well, I didn't anticipate being at Brooks City Base in San Antonio,
but today we learned a very valuable life lesson: Sometimes it
rains. Yesterday we spent hiking, rock climbing, and wading/soaking
in the river and anticipating another full day. Last night we had a
nice camp in (we cooked over the fire; but Noah was having a
particularly tough time with the flies, so we ate in the Rv - I guess
that is one blessing of the Rv!). We played some games before our
cook out. Noah, Aiden and I played the most precious game of hide and
seek you've ever seen. When it was Noah's turn to count, Aiden would
put his hands over his eyes too!

Sent from my iPhone

Pardon the technical difficulties...

Aiden hit the send button on accident. I'll have to finish that
thought when I get more time. We are heading home tomorrow. Hope the
rain doesn't wake the kids tonight!

Sent from my iPhone

Well, day two was both a success and a failure...

Day two was met with great anticipation and anxiety. There are so
many "might happen" things that you have to prepare for, thar

Sent from my iPhone

For those of you who don't already know...

We're off on our first camping adventure as a family of five. We
rented an RV and are enjoying Pedernales Falls State Park. More
updates later...

Sent from my iPhone

Day one and we're already appreciating the scenery...

Look at all thar goodness...

Aiden feeds Noah some pie

Noah and Aiden sharing the chocolate cream pie...

Mmmmm pie...

We had to stop at the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls, TX for some
pie. Ohhh it was good!

Making the most of today...

We have been visiting with my family this week in north Texas. The
cooler weather sure has been a blessing. Our plan was to go to the
state fair in Dallas, which we did, but it didn't turn our exactly as
we thought it might. We had a downpour that day which lead us to the
science museum. We had a great time there. The older kids and Pap-pa
took in an Imax film on dinosaurs while Aiden and I played in the
kids' section in the basement. After that we went back out to the
fair and we played some of the games and each of the kids won a
prize. Caitlyn won a pink "catuar" which has been glued to her hands
since then! Today we are planning to have pictures made. We'll see
if that actually happens! But, I've had something else on my mind
today. I've been thinking about how blessed we are to be close enough
to the grandparents to share these moments with them. Whether it be a
TKD belt test, the rodeo, or a birthday, we've been able to enjoy them
together. Thank you to the Navy for that! But more than the
proximity is our comittment to enjoy the important relationships and
make the most of every day. You see there are MANY things that can
fill our days and times, but making the most of every day means
filling your day with the things in life that REALLY matter. I hope
and pray that we can continue to instill this basic principle in the
kids so they focus on the really important aspects of life-
relationship with Jesus, family, then everything/everyone else!

Sent from my iPhone

More dragonfly action

Noah and Caitlyn studying a dragonfly...

They watched and sketched it, but it flew away before we could snap a
good pic of it! It's a good thing that we have their drawings!

Noah's drawing of a dragonfly.

Caitlyn's drawing of a dragonfly.

Fun with the dogs...

Noah and Aiden love it here!

Aiden and the dinosaur...

Some days I'm just spinning my wheels, but then some days...

-Cook, wash, clean, teach, diaper, clean, diaper, repeat.
-Cook, wash, clean, teach, diaper, clean, diaper, repeat.
-Cook, wash, clean, teach, diaper, clean, diaper, repeat.
There are times that my day feels like this. Sometimes I feel like I’m on a merry-go-round that just spins faster and faster until I feel queasy in the pit of my stomach. Then, there are days, like today, when I slow down and enjoy this homeschooling journey. Today I slowed down enough to have a nice chat with Noah about why he loves the game Spore so much. I told him that I thought he really enjoys the creative aspect of it and that I think he got his crave for creativity from his mommy. I can so understand the need to have that creative outlet. We (Noah and I) are wired that way. Creative expression, for us, is akin to breathing. Without the proper outlet we feel stifled, stilted, settled, a little too much so. It was so nice for both of us to realize how much alike we are. We had mutual understanding today…priceless. The opportunity for our little chat is just one of the myriad of reasons I love homeschooling. Would I have been able to have that chat with him, had he been away at school all day? Maybe. We may have had this chat in the afternoon after he got home from school. Weekends may have provided another opportunity. But, I love the fact that I have so much time to REALLY get to know him, to figure him out, to explore his personality with him, beside him. It’s days like today that I feel like the luckiest mom in the world. Another wonderful moment happened later this afternoon when we were working on some art projects. We have been reading The Giraffe that Walked to Paris and so we were creating some paper giraffes. Caitlyn selected a jointed giraffe and Noah selected a different one. Noah usually complains about too much coloring or cutting (I know it is difficult for him), and at one point he was getting frustrated and wanted to crumple it up. About that time Caitlyn offered him a, “Noah you are doing a great job,” and he kept going. Another time Caitlyn became weary of coloring in ALL the spots (giraffes have lots of spots, you know) and she wanted to give up and Noah said, “Caitlyn that looks REALLY good, you’re doing such a good job”. What a proud moment as the mother of these two blessings. Now, don’t get me wrong, they have their moments of bickering; but OH the joy I felt today witnessing this loving exchange between the two of them. I mean any peer could have offered the same encouragement to them; but for it to have come from his/her sibling…priceless. Just to know that my kids and I are given these opportunities daily to learn and to love one another makes me feel so blessed by the whole homeschooling process.

Come back Shane, Come back...

Today I’ve felt like the little boy crying for Shane to come back. (Is there anyone besides my dad who knows what I’m talking about?) I’ve been without my internet ALL DAY LONG, and boy has it been a LONG day. I couldn’t even check email. (Oh, the horror!) I’m counting down the minutes until Chris can come home to fix the problem. I may not even be able to have it fixed before after we go to Awana. It did get me to thinking, though. How dependent I have become on my technology! Last week while I was at TKD with Noah, the internet on my iPhone wasn’t working properly (and why doesn’t spell check recognize the word iPhone, the NERVE) and I was so irritated because I wanted to look up a phone number while I was sitting there. I had to occupy myself with a BOOK! Maybe it’s time that I gave up my computer time during the school day. I mean even though I limit myself to the computer ONLY at break times, maybe I could be using that time better. Maybe I could be enjoying a good read myself. Maybe I could use that time for dishes, um, no forget that one. Maybe I could use that time to spend time in prayer about my priorities, about my kids, about my marriage, about school, about well, just about anything. I think I’ll think on this a little more and have a chat with God about it.

Noah's giraffe...

Caitlyn's giraffe...

Summer in review...

Here are some highlights of our past year. Noah has advanced in Tae Kwon Do to a green belt. He is learning at Lumampao Martial Arts in Corpus Christi. He loves the instructor and is having a blast. Noah also earned his sparky plaque. He worked so hard all three years of Sparks to ear it. In three years he memorized over 160 Bible verses. Caitlyn took dance last year with Tippi Toes Dance. She loved her dance class and did very well with her first dance recital. She earned her Cubbie Bear pin for her first successful year in Cubbies. Aiden progressed by leaps and bounds this summer. He learned to walk, then trot, now he's at a full out run! He is growing and developing so fast, it makes my head spin! He also learned new words like: Wowah (Noah), Dog-dog, ball-ball . So the kiddos are doing well and so are the parents. I'm loving being able to stay home with the kids and Chris is doing well at work. He found out in August that he will be promoted to Lt. Commander sometime next year! Yea! My next post will be recapping the first day of school! Stay tuned...After these messages, we'll be right back!

Okay, so just share...

Well, I was trying to post a video to my blog from a friend's facebook page and it didn't quite workout. I did post the video on my facebook page, so those of you who are my friends, can come on over there an watch it. It is a hilarious video (made by a homeschooled girl) that points out the difference between being homeschooled and homeschoolers. It gave me a nice chuckle. Anyway, I tried to post it here, to no avail. Maybe Chris will help me figure it all out.

Share

C'mon! NO NEW FOLLOWERS?

Okay, so I'm trying to be rational about this. I've sent my blog address to people. I've posted it on my facebook page. I've even ASKED my husband AND my best friend to become followers; but there she sits, my one little follower, lonely in the top right-hand corner (Thanks, Mom, btw). What does a woman have to do to get a follower around here?

All our Five in a Row lessons end with, "I love you"...

In my former life I was an English teacher. I love to read, love literature. I never in a million years thought I would be homeschooling. When I was faced with this, then daunting task, someone told me about Five in a Row. I borrowed a manual from a friend and it was love at first sight. I loved the format of it. I loved the literature in it. I loved the freedom of it. I loved that it made learning less complicated than other curriculums. But, most of all I loved the gentleness of it. It seemed such a natural way to teach my child, through conversation, as we had been doing since he entered this world. Since the beginning, my son has loved FIAR. Our first row with Ping went so well, it gave me the confidence that YES, I could homeschool my son. Over the last few years my son has made little comments like our FIAR lesson is the best part of the day; but what has been happening lately has really impressed upon me the fact that I KNOW we are on the right path. We've been rowing [I]Arabella[/I] by Wendy Orr. We live by the beach, so "sea" books are always a good choice for us. We have been enjoying the lessons so much that I've noticed at the end of our lesson we've been ending with an, "I love you." FIAR truly is the highlight of the day for me and my son. I can't imagine any other curriculum where it draws mother and child so close together. I feel so blessed to have come across FIAR. I am so thankful to the Lamberts for giving me this opportunity with my child. Thank you, thank you, thank you and may God continue to bless your family and your ministry to homeschooling families.

Hummingbirds...

Well, today was a wonderful day of exploring nature. We had the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with some hummingbirds. We traveled to Rockport to the annual Hummingbird Festival. We chose to go on our own self-guided tour of the homes. We visited two sites. The first was a public garden and we saw maybe two hummers. The second site was a private home that had several feeders and a lots of hummers for us to observe. The highlight of the day, however, came on our last stop when the kids got to experience the banding of the birds. This is where they catch the birds and record data about them and place a tiny tag on them. This allows them to track the birds for future data. After each bird was recorded our kids got to release the birds. It was AWESOME!! I love hummingbirds to start out with, but today I realized why I love them so much. They are so delicate and dainty, beautiful creatures. They are spry little creatures too, flitting here and there almost faster than your eye can take them in. They remind me of my beautiful children, also wonderful works of God!

For everything there is a season...

Thank you to my beautiful friend, Jody, for keeping me grounded today. It just amazes me how only a brief conversation with a true friend can change your perspective. In a short amount of time, I have come to know this friend so well, that she says exactly what I need to hear. God blesses those of us who are so transitory with others who share our "plight". I thank God for bringing her friendship to me. Today was a real whopper of a day, at least it started out as such. We didn't get through one lesson until lunch, actually, I'm not sure if we ever finished it. Sometimes you just have to MOVE ON! After lunch things got better. I instituted a new event into our school, MUFFIN TIN MONDAY. It is an idea I had read on another homeschooling mom's blog. Basically the gist is that you put little food items in a muffin tin for the lunch meal. What's the big deal? You're probably asking yourself. Well, I guess it is the inventiveness of it all. How creative can I get? Today, not very. I had some ham slices (and, yes, Noah ate the ham - mission accomplished), nuts, craisens, crispy Chinese noodles, and some chocolate chips (and a yogurt for Noah). Some moms have themes and really get into it. I just like the idea that if you serve food to them in something unconventional you might actually get them to eat something out of their "safety zone". Aiden so wanted a muffin tin like the other kids, but he had to settle with a small bowl. There was no way I was letting him at a whole tin of anything. It would have been dog food for sure. Speaking of Aiden...he's added another component to his Marco Polo game. Before he would just say, "Mamaaa" and I would answer him, "Aidennn", and that would continue over and over and over and over until he got tired of it. Well, now it seems that "Wowahhhhh" has been added to the mix. And, it isn't just in a normal voice, it is about 3x the normal volume. Sometimes he even puts his hands on his cheeks (think cupping your hands around your mouth to make your voice project) sometimes and yells even louder. It is hilarious and adorable all at the same time. I just love that boy. He brings me so much joy. As do the other two...

Noah's love of reading has taken off. He has been devouring the series called The Spiderwick Chronicles. Tonight he read book 5 in less than an hour. I'm not sure exactly what the reading level is as it just says 7+. It is so amazing to see his abilities and his love of reading grow. I'd like to think that Chris and I nurtured that in him. I just hope we have with the other two.

Caitlyn did so well with school today. We've been working on her following directions instead of just doing whatever work she WANTS to do. Normally she colors everything pink (her favorite color). Today she actually colored an apple red, then commented, "I'm coloring the apple red, except for the leaf, they are green." I was overjoyed and a little saddened all at the same time. How I'd love to go back to the days where everything seems rosy pink! But today I just counted it as a success. We have been rowing (Before Five in a Row) Jessie Bear, What will you wear? and she's loving it. Aiden and Noah even sat with us while we read it and they had a good time as well.

Well, I better get to bed. I'm trying to turn over a new leaf as far as going to bed early. It seems, though, God set my internal clock a little differently. My most productive hours: 10:00am - 2:00pm and 4:00pm - midnight. Maybe God just knows I need a nap!

Another good day...

Today wa another good day. Today we talked about the elements of a
short story and identified some of the elements in our story,
ARABELLA. Noah is so good with literature. It makes me so proud
sometimes. Then, we looked through the book THE MYSTERIES OF HARRIS
BURDICK and started writing a short story. Noah is all about the
dialogue, which is funny because I've always found it to be the
hardest part of a story to write. Well, I better end this for now,
have to watch Glee!

Sent from my iPhone

Aiden enjoys the Pixter...

Chris, read this

Okay, here it is...enjoy!

Sent from my iPhone

Why are boys just SO loud?

All the kids SHOULD be in bed already. Caitlyn is silently listening to her birds chirp on her mobile as she drifts off to dreamland. The boys on the other hands are squealing, shouting, laughing, roaring so loudly I'm amazed that the girl can even HEAR her music. When Noah was little I just thought maybe it was just Noah that was so loud. Now there's Aiden, and he's loud too. Maybe they just come by it honestly, I'll be the first to admit that I'm loud at times (no rude comments, Chris and Paula). Sometimes I just crave quietness. But, I guess that is what bedtime is for...when they actually go to bed. I have to admit, though, I do enjoy hearing their noises. It certainly is better than having no noises at all. In that sense, quietness makes me a bit nervous. I know that when there is quietness there is about to be glue in the carpet, my make-up smeared all over some little face, milk spilled EVERYWHERE. So I guess I really do like the noise. I guess I like to keep them within my hearing (instead of "at close reach").

Some days I just LOVE my job...

Today we started our study of ARABELLA by Wendy Orr (Five in a Row Volume 4). It is the beautiful story of a boy and his grandfather. The grandfather lives on an island, which the boy visits for the summer. Through out the summer the grandfather teaches the boy to sail. Noah and I discussed the advantages and disadvantages of living on an island. We theorized about where the story takes place, looking up all sorts of information in our atlas. We snuggled and shared and just enjoyed being together...I wouldn't trade a day like today for anything in the world. We read the poem, "The Tide Rises; The Tide Falls" by Longfellow and discussed how the repetition in the poem mimics the incoming/outgoing waves. Ahhh, heaven! After that lesson I felt as if today was a success. No need to do spelling...enjoy the success...Did I say how much I love my job?

Aiden gets his way

Notice how happy markers make him!

Marker fun