It is too Hard to Feast

This weekend was a tough few days for us. It seems as though sadness was everywhere we looked. I will not go into to details, but after the third report of upsetting news within two hours on Saturday,I was ready to call it a day and start over. As you know I had planned a huge Reformation Feast for our Sabbath dinner. When we sat down to begin the festivities one of the children noted that it was "too hard to feast when everyone was so sad." My husband (he is wonderful in times like this) noted that this was true, but it is even more cause for celebration. In times of despair it is all the more reason to celebrate God's sovereignty and the fact that though emotionally it is all hard to swallow, He has a plan to pick up the pieces so we can go forward. I cannot imagine what life would be if I did not have that to lean on. So, we feasted and talked about the Reformation and Martin Luther. It wasn't the most festive we have ever been, but it was a great time to dwell on Christ and not our sadness.

My husband decided something was in order to cheer everyone up. I had been bugging him for a few weeks about getting a dog. Yesterday he told me to go to the SPCA to see what they had. We are now the owners of a Border Collie/Shetland Sheep Dog mix. He immediately took to the children and they are loving him. We can't decide on a name so they are calling him three different things. Sandy, Rusty, and Rover. I'll let you know what sticks.

Today is mine and Bruce's 14th wedding anniversary. We will celebrate with a meal tonight of some of his favorite things. We will have smoked brisket, corn pudding, roasted potatoes, and salad.


Rusty (AKA Sandy or Rover)


Beautiful flowers that my husband sent me for our anniversary.

Scratching Zeus Family Reunion

Okay, we are not actually scratching it, just postponing it. When my husband remembered it was the weekend before Reformation Day, he could not believe I was not planning a Reformation themed Sabbath feast. I am changing the menu. I am not sure yet what it will be, but I have ideas. I am off to google some menu ideas. Does your family do anything to celebrate Reformation Day?

What Kind of Teacher are You?

We participate in an 8 week co-op. There is a prayer and share time for the mothers. This week's devotional was on the fact that even outside of our "school" time we are still teachers. God has put every mother, homeschooler or not, in this role. God has ordained it this way, I have no choice in the matter. Like it or not, I am a teacher to my children. I have two choices. I can put my best into it and seek His guidance and wisdom or I can float through life hoping I get it right. Therefore, I am either a good teacher or a bad teacher. There is no option to not be a teacher to my children. It is like the role of headship that our husbands have. God ordained them to be heads of their homes. They cannot hide from that. They are either a good leader or a bad leader, but still a leader. So, what kind of teacher are you? Good or bad?

Zeus Family Reunion

We are studying Greeks Myths in history this week. We will have a Zeus family reunion to finish it off. The children will pick a character to dress as and Isaac will give a report on his favorite myth. We will end with a feast. I am still working on the menu. It should be fun!!

Time to Clean

I am going to take the lead from Anne and give you my fall cleaning list. Maybe if I know you are reading it, I will actually accomplish it. I always say a project a day, but in reality it usually takes me a few days and then I am weary of projects. So, here it is.

Clean out the boy's closets and drawers and change over the clothes.
Clean out Sarah's closet and drawers and change over clothes.
Clean out mine and my husband's closet.
Clean out the basement(including the laundry area).
Clean out the pantry and kitchen cabinets.

I'll let you know if it happens.

We're Trying to Get Another One

Most of my entertainment,and in this case embarrassment, comes from my children. My husband teaches online classes to homeschooled students. He has access to the Webex classroom 24 hours a day. Through this experience we have met a lot of great people. One family is a family from Mexico. They have a son the same age as Isaac, so occasionally after class is over Isaac and Nicholas will get in the room and talk to one another. Another thing you may not know about our family is that Isaac is adopted and for the last year we have been casually talking about adopting again. Lately we have become very serious about it and hope to do it soon. (I promise this all ties together.) So, Isaac is talking with Nicholas, and because the computer speakers are on we can hear everything. I believe Nicholas' speakers were on as well because we could hear laughter in the background after some of Isaac's comments. Nicholas asks Isaac "Do you like your brothers?" Isaac says (in a very excited voice), " Yes,we are trying to get another one right now!" Nicholas' family does not know we are trying to adopt and from the laughing in the background I can only imagine how they took that comment.

Feasting Menu

I am thinking about our feast this weekend. Isaac really likes the whole feasting thing. He is always asking what our menu will be. This week I told him what was in the freezer for the main dish and let him decide what it will be. It is going to be a roasted chicken. I will put a glaze on it, but am not sure what yet. We will have roasted sweet potatoes with a little brown sugar and cinnamon. We will also have green beans tossed with pine nuts and for dessert there will be a pumpkin roll with whipped cream. Oh yeah, I cannot forget about the bread. We will have rolls with honey butter. I only fix bread with special meals, so my kids look forward to it when we have a Sabbath feast. Sarah could live on bread and butter. Are you feasting this weekend? What are you having?

It's Working!

I told you one of the reasons we were homeschooling was to help Isaac love his siblings. In his mind there was too much outside our home to distract him and all of that stuff was way more fun anyway. The reason this was so concerning to us was because he had always been known as the "great big brother". He was always so proud of his siblings and loved helping to take care of them. Well, we are starting to see the old Isaac return.He is such a happy person lately. He is loving and kind with siblings. Yesterday we had a conversation which went like this,

Isaac: "It is hard being the oldest."
Me: "Why is that?"
Isaac: "I have to be careful because the little ones copy everything I do."
Me: " Isaac, what you say is true, but we are all sinners. Do not put pressure on yourself to be perfect."
Isaac: "I know, but I hate seeing them be disciplined when they have just copied me."

Major break through here.Don't get me wrong. Isaac is a great kid. He is begging now for another sibling. He has just been going through the transition of little kid to big kid.

Do not be fooled. Our home is not so Pollyanna. Very soon after this conversation he made a comment a little like this. "I hate it when people try to act cool. I don't act cool, I just naturally am." Oh, brother!!

Come On Already!!

I know it gets earlier every year and people fuss about this all the time. But!! Christmas lights already?? I was in Target today looking for Halloween stuff (I know, we are bad parents for letting the kids do this:). Guess what was replacing the empty aisles. Christmas Lights!! I cannot think about more than one holiday at a time. I am a person the relishes in the quaintness of things. I think, in typical American fashion, we are rushing through our holidays so quickly they are losing there quaintness. We are so worried about getting at all over and done that we forget to enjoy the preparation and togetherness of it all. I am just now getting my fall center pieces out and now I have to think about Christmas!! Okay, rant over

Plymouth

I thought this picture looked very New England. We had a great time in Plymouth. The picture of the light house was a view on the boat when we were leaving to go whale watching. The whale watching was the highlight for me. They gave us quite a show. Isaac loved Plymouth Plantation. Sarah collected enough rocks along the way to make a great show and tell at school, so she is happy. I will try to post more pictures tomorrow. It is late and my computer is giving me problems.

Off to Boston

Veritas Academy takes a Family Field Trip every two years. If you are in 7th grade or above you and your family are invited. Since Bruce teaches this age group we get to go. This years trip is to Plymouth and the Boston area. We will tour Plymouth and a replica of the Mayflower. The thing I am most excited about is the whale watching trip. So, I am off to finish packing. I'll come back with pictures.