Canada Day

Today we went to the store to pick up some meat for the BBQ. We had to for go a trip to the beach with friends due to Eli not feeling well. So I told the kids to pick out any treat in the grocery store they would like.

They chose.......

Whole Grain Pepperidge Farm Goldfish

AND

A loaf of French white bread.

I am not sure if I should pat myself on the back because they didn't choose candy, brownies or potato chips OR be mortified that my kids think white bread is a dessert.


Off to finish making this with strawberries for our Canada Day dinner.


One other thing. I can not believe I just paid $4.15 for a gallon of milk. It's not organic, unpasteurized....just plan ole milk. What are they feeding those cows.....golden kernels of wheat!


HAPPY CANADA DAY

A Peek In My Window

What's happening today?

Just returned from the doctor with little Eli. He had a cold starting on Saturday. It turned runny nose, then little cough to a wheezy cough. Today he had wheezy breathing that I just wasn't comfortable with...so off to Dr. B. We love our family doctor. He is a Christian and a friend who cares about my kids. Anyway, little man has bronchitis. I just have to watch him and us the nebulizer if needed. This is all related to his RSV at 7 weeks. A common cold gets ugly quick. He is still smiling and being his cute happy self in between wheezing and coughing.

My husband got a promotion and is now team lead at work. So proud of him!
He really likes his job. He has worked many jobs and didn't like most of them all these years but did it anyway.

Tomorrow is Canada Day but Aaron has to work so we might go to fireworks and a BBQ after he gets home.



On My Mind Today?

I have been thinking much about the rhythm of our home. What makes me tick (or not) as well as each of my kids. How to promote peace in the midst of chaos which is where many of my days end up (see next paragraph). I so want to be able to control my environment with a schedule in order to be most productive. I am learning to deal with what is at hand realizing that productivity isn't what's most important. This is a hard lesson for me. I am on a learning curve to have a plan but to see the relationship and investment along the way as the priority. Learning how to deal with meltdowns and still get daily life done is my challenge right now. (Still planning to post about this when time allows)

My 5 year old son. We received an official diagnosis of ADHD plus some for him last week. We found out he is very intelligent but struggles to process with his super charged brain. I am on a research and learning curve that is unknown ground for me. It certainly explains many things for us and his struggles. This summer will be spent finding out what works best for him school wise and how best to help him in daily life. It makes me more grateful he is at home with me. A classroom setting would be unbearable for him.



What Am I Reading?

It's pretty focused reading besides my bible.

Homeschooling the Challenging Child by Christine M. Field

Right Brained Children in a Left Brained World by Jeffery Freed & Laurie Parsons
Highly recommend any parent read this. Which brained your child is really makes a difference in their learning. You might learn a thing or two about yourself.

SuperParenting for ADD by Edward M. Hallowell
This book is helping us see the our son outside the behaviours. Helping us understand that it's not just disobedience and that the strongest need here is unconditional love.

Suggested reading is welcome. :o)



What Am I Grateful For?

Many things come to mind. I am grateful for my husbands thriving job in light of so much economic struggle. This is the first job in eleven years that actually pays the bills.

I am grateful for Eli's health, it could be much worse.

I am grateful for how God made my son Isaac with all his strengths and weakness. I am grateful that He has a plan for him as we walk the road before us. In many ways I am excited. With such a power charged brain the world is at his finger tips!

I am grateful it's summer and the sun is shining.



What Am I in Faith For?

Trusting God that I can home educate Isaac with his needs while still having time for my daughter, the little man and Aaron....plus the laundry, dishes and well you get the idea

God will provide all I need for life and godliness today and everyday!



How Does the Gospel Apply to Today?

My first thought is God's goodness and His sovereign plan. Trust me, there are days I wish things were different but only when I see it through MY own eyes, staring at MY weakness and My shortcomings. This day and all that it holds is His perfect plan for me and my family. My job is to depend and rely on His sacrifice on my behalf. Because of His sacrifice I have all I need for my life today.

Boys

I came across this post on Homeschooling Boys in my reading today. It is well worth your time if you have boys.

I have a very handsome and active boy running (literally) around my house everyday. His little brother is playing with the idea of getting up on his knees. Yikes....crawling is around the corner.

I was very much encouraged by this post and plan to keep it as a reminder.

Eli Speaks

This is what happens when my 9 yr old sister is looking for something to do.

I don't mind.

She plays with my hair
Reads me books
Tickles my toes
Feeds me lunch
Hangs out on the floor with me
What more could I ask for.......she's my best buddy!

Principle vs. Method

I got away this weekend for a few hours to think. I went to Starbucks and had my Americano, one of my favorites. I thought since I planned to use my brain efficiently I had an oat fudge bar for fuel. :o) It was so yummy.

I am a list person. I find it so much easier to know what I am dealing with once it leaves my thinking and becomes tangible on paper (or computer screen). I also feel the relief of not having to remember...something I find more and more difficult as I get older. It's kind of a funny process. I have several sheets of paper each with a category at the top and I just dump all my thoughts on the appropriate paper. I have found this the quickest way for me to get the big picture. So, I dumped my thoughts and created a routine to try out and tweak this week...key words being try out.

This got me to thinking about how there are so many variables and ways to do just about anything. Depending on your personality, what season of life, location, financial means and the list goes on. As I share how I am working into our new rhythm and routine with a new job, another family member and the various other things that make this path my own...I want to be clear about something.

There is the principle and then there is the method. Many times in my life I have mixed the two up. I have heaped condemnation on others or myself because I couldn't see the clear difference between the two. The biblical calling to wife and mother are pretty clear in scripture. To love, care and train our kids, to help our husbands ....to run the home are the principle. How we actually go about accomplishing that day to day in our homes is the method. I am one who loves to talk method because I am an idea person and always on the hunt to do what I do better. That said, I never want to have my method confused with the principle.

I think it is so easy as Christian women to compare ourselves and find we are coming up short. Also, we can never have an accurate picture of someones life from a few words on a computer screen. We are called to care for our particular children, to help and submit to one particular man and manage the home that we live in.

So as I begin to share I hope to glean ideas for others and to possibly provide some ideas of my own.....all with the clear understanding that method is not the priority but the principle.

Ebb and Flow

I have been thinking about the ebb and flow of our days lately. Really, the lack of flow and rhythm to my daily life. Our family life has changed so much in the last months that I haven't found that familiar flow again. My husband went from working at home to commuting 3 hours per day and being away from home for 12-13 hours a day. That in itself has been a big adjustment. I so enjoyed having Aaron around all day long and so did the kids. His time with them has been so much more limited. I miss having his presence in the home even if he was working. Life is just more busy with less time to be together.
Then we were blessed with baby Elijah, who is his mothers joy! I also started homeschooling two children this year instead of one. We have faced some learning challenges with our middle boy that have consumed much of my time.

I feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants. Not my comfort zone yet in some ways has made me more dependant on God then my typical routine self. I trust that all seasons are in God's hands, so as much as I function better in order there has been growth. I have been learning so much about not having a rhythm/routine for itself but so I can serve better. Routine isn't about accomplishment and productivity as much as a means to faithfully build day by day. Over the next little while I want to talk about getting back to routine, rhythm and familiar. Getting back to building daily as a family and what that will look like in this new season.

I enjoyed reading these post by Joy about Finding the Base Line in her family and The Tomatoe or the Trellis. Her posts have been thought provoking.

The Road to Joy

For the joy of the Lord is your strength

I am one of those who doesn't enjoy being weak. It's part of my personality and mostly just part of my sin nature. I like being in control and can quickly, yet falsely find my strength in my ability and productivity. I have been camping out on this verse lately.

True strength doesn't come from performance, ability or productivity. Strength is based in who we know, who He is and what He has done for us. It isn't a force or "an effort" so much as a place of acceptance. An acceptance of the hope that has been bought at such a great price yet given so freely with out recompense.

I imagine it will take a life time for me not to default to life long habits of what I consider "strength". My prayer is that I can be filled with Joy because of what He has done and that I can face with confidant rest what today brings. The world sees strength as effort and power yet the paradox of the gospel is peace and rest. I am slowly learning that real strength is in the resting, the waiting and the trusting in HIM and not my effort or work.

I pray for joy of the Lord and abundantly!