A to Z

 

This looked like fun, so I'm playing along with Carrie at Farming on Faith.

A. Age: 46
B. Bed size: queen
C. Chore you dislike: dusting
D. Dogs: not yet!  We are overdue in that dept.

E. Essential start to your day: protein and a shower
F. Favorite color: blues (and a little bit of everything else)
G. Gold or silver: an ounce of each, if you please (Ok, my wedding ring is gold)
H. Height: 5' 6"
I. Instruments you play(ed): piano (ha ha - when I wasn’t hiding from my teacher)
J. Job title:  Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations  ;-) 
K. Kids: 6 (4 girls and 2 boys)
L. Live: Sandy Creek Farm, central Iowa
M. Mom’s name: Mom  :-)
N. Nicknames: Smelvina, Melzaire, Melba Toast (courtesy of my creative sister long, long ago)
O. Overnight hospital stays: when 3 of our babies were born and once when a little one was in for a 24-hour observation  :-\
P. Pet peeves: a dogmatic insistence for ‘tolerance’ of sin
Q. Quote from a movie: “Ma wants ya, Alvin.”  Can you name it??

R. Righty or lefty: Righty.
S. Siblings:  1 sister, 3 brothers, all older than me
T. Time you wake up: 6-7 ish
U. Underwear: Is this a yes/no question??  How about “Uniform” instead?  Usually a denim skirt.

V. Vegetables you don’t like: I don’t buy brussel sprouts.

W.What makes you run late: Trying to get another job done!
X. X-rays you’ve had:  Dental (lots), chiropractor, and a broken arm when I was almost 11yo
Y. Yummy food you make: No one is awake to pick one for me –?-
Z. Zoo animal favorites: penguins, seals ~ I guess b/c I love the water and watching them swim (espec when it’s hot and I wish I could jump in too!)

How about you?

daybook 3/8/2011

 

 

FOR TODAY  

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

 

Outside my window...

It’s another gray day but without the drizzle and warmer ~ the recent light snow has melted away, leaving the landscape brown. 

The cattle are content  :-)  Life is good.
 

I am thinking...

I am trying to think!  while listening to Peskin on talk radio with earbuds (so I don’t distract the kids) ~ trying to find the verse/passage where servants are rebuked to not expect the master to serve them or praise them … I often mistakenly think my family should bow down in reverence just because I did the laundry.  Know what I mean??

btw, I don’t agree with everything Brian Peskin says (I think), but Tim called to tell me to listen, so here I am…

Hmmm, maybe his approach would help my friend who’s facing insulin for her gestational diabetes??

btw, I do not like earbuds.

 

I am thankful …

• for a good week in Wisconsin for my girls.  We joined them for the end of the week ~ last day of the Holiness Conference and then College Day.  All good.  And so fun to finally meet Kate S’s family and Amy Rettig, who’s now there for college  :-)  And so thankful to hear the good report on Kate’s current progress.
• for a five-hour drive home again (instead of 24 or so like Tim’s brother, who also had sickies to transport home)
• for the two days my youngest kids enjoyed with Grandma F.

 

I am praying for...

... the Rettigs and the church in Prague ~ Ivana, Eva, and follow-up meetings in Pribram!

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Amber’s dad (more chemo coming)

… Diane and family

… Grant S.

… the broken marriages of J & S and R & K

… the W family

… Cinnamon, still missing her deployed hubby

… my mom, slowly recovering from surgery

… Kate S, who may be improving in her Lyme Disease recovery~ PTL!

… Sarah, not doing well lowering her numbers in gestational diabetes

… my sick girls, hubby, and many others fighting this nasty virus  :-\

… Marcia R’s mom (Mrs. W.) ~ further testing following seizures

 

 From the learning rooms...

Elementary Anatomy ~ Integumentary System (skin, nails, hair) …  Did you know that “your skin takes up about 15% of your body weight”?!

Geography Trails ~ Israel at the time of Christ

Elementary math ~ fractions and graphs

Ancient Greece ~ Peloponnesian War

 

From the kitchen...

I should make smoothies again, especially since the lunch menu is minimal

Tonight ~ leftover beef roast, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes

Wednesday ~ broccoli cheese soup?  (not sure that’s the thing for my sick family) ~ maybe a hamburger/rice soup instead with beef/tomato broth?

 

I am creating...

LOTS of tax returns!

 

I am going...

to stay (work) at home today, please?
 

I am reading...

 

 

I am hoping...

Tim can recover well from this virus while continuing to go to work

 

I am hearing...

the dryer rumbling (of course!), the Popper practicing her spelling words

 

Around the house...

• sweaters drying on the back of the couch
• the boys’ room has become Legoland (with a farm theme)
• Didn’t I just vacuum?  Where did all those dust bunnies come from?

 

One of my favorite things...

the word DONE

 

Pondering these words...

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Ephesians 6:10-13

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

• Continuing the Battle of the Tax Returns until I can say my favorite word (see above).
• No K4T this week (college is on spring break), so maybe I will leave most of my family at home Wednesday night.
• Calling Mrs. M. to cancel the violin lesson.
• Going to bed early just because it would be good for us… and hopefully it will help us be ready for the time change Sunday morning.

 

Here is a picture for thought...

 

(Schnoodles, April 2010)

 I am in the mooood for green grass, I am, I am!

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

friends for the journey

Encouragement.
Isn't God good to give us friends who encourage us in the midst of this crazy world?!  Through blogging I've met so many folks who I'd love to have a little reunion with in heaven (since it probably won't happen before then).  One of those delightful ladies (Cathy @ So Much to Say, So Little Time) shared this encouraging 'award' with me today  :-)

Thank you, Cathy!  And thanks to Michelle @ beautiful chaos who originated this particular piece of blogging encouragement.


I would like to pass this encouragement along to...

• Lea @ CiCi's Corner ~ Lea is always upbeat and thankful.  She loves her family and her blogging buddies, and it shows in her posts! 
• Cinnamon @ Knights and Maidens Gathering ~ Cinnamon has her hands full with a new baby, but it is sweet/bittersweet to read about her dear family's daily doings while her hubby is in Afghanistan.
• Gina @ Home Joys ~ Gina has been a great source for book suggestions lately  =)  She's a hard-working mama (who does SO much more than I do, Cathy!) who gives me inspiration to do more for and with my own family.
• Conny @ The Life of an Ordinary Hausfrau ~ Conny actually recommended Gina's blog to me  :-)  Conny seems like an old friend who I should see IRL when it's time to go to church or throw a birthday party... Someday, my friend!
• Felicity @ Felicity's Thoughtful Spot ~ Another comrade in motherhood and homeschooling, it just seems like we should be getting together for tea one of these days...

• Julie @ Herding Grasshoppers ~ Where I "met" Cathy  :-) and one of my fave blogs to recommend to my RL friends.  Julie is so fun, so real, so awesome with her young grasshoppers... Check out her March posts on praying for our children.  (And yes, I know Cathy already blessed you with this same 'award' ... but oh well!)

And for two of my favorite missionary blogs...

• Jaynee @ The Lockwood Family to Mexico ~ I've loved getting to know the Lockwood clan via their blog.  And I guess that's where I met Cinnamon  :-)  Like-minded sisters in Christ always seem like the best of friends.
• Emilie @ Our Czech Up ~ I'm looking forward to that someday trip to Prague Tim has promised me.  Meanwhile I stay updated on God's work there via email and the blog  :-)

PS... I'm not notifying Jaynee or Emilie ~ Please read their blogs and encourage them by adding your own sweet comments.  And then pray for them ~ Thanks!

And yes, there are more blogs by lovely ladies linked in my sidebar ~ Take a look and read those too!  Love to you all!  


These fun things always come with instructions, and here they are...

The Rules for Passing It On: 

1. Pass it on to 7 other bloggers and tell how they've encouraged you. 
2. Please let your recipients know that it started at Beautiful Chaos.  
3. Leave a comment on this post when you've posted on your blog.

the 2010 football season is over

 

 

…but I can’t resist sharing this “artwork” I found in my pictures file…

 

Go, Pack, Go!  :-) 

daybook 2/28/2011

 
 

FOR TODAY  

Monday, February 28, 2011

Outside my window...

The girls were climbing on the round bales, but now they are supervising Valerie as she romps outside the corral.

The boys are playing a bit of football after watering the calves and hauling some wood.

We have blue skies with sunshine.  It’s about 33F (1C) which is 25 degrees warmer than it was seven hours ago!  We’re reduced again to just the remnants of snowdrifts.  Forecast is even warmer.

I am thinking...

about how to make it through the busy month of June ~ and all that is on The List before then.   So much to do…

I need to call the locker (butcher) to give them our order for processing our beef… before it’s too late.

I should have shopped a White Sale back in January, now that it’s March…

Yeah, about two months behind would be a conservative guess.

I am thankful …

~for my mom & dad’s confidence in their surgeons/doctors at Mayo West

~for the privilege of prayer

I am praying for...

... the Rettigs and the church in Prague ~ Ivana, Eva, and follow-up meetings in Pribram!

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Amber’s dad (more chemo coming)

… Diane and family

… Grant S.

… the broken marriages of J & S and R & K

… the W family

… Cinnamon, who is regaining her strength, but is still missing her deployed hubby

… my mom, scheduled for surgery March 2 ~ this week!

From the learning rooms...
We are officially on an early spring break  :-)

and trying to finish up reading The Story of the Ancient World.

The Computer Geek is reading Great Expectations for his upcoming research paper.

From the kitchen...

I heard “Yum!” when I mentioned pepper steak for supper, so I guess that’s a Go

I need to bake bread… manana ~ now that it’s beyond mid-afternoon

I am creating...

not much today.

I have a pile of flannel blankets ready to sew.  And next week I will begin the Battle of  the Tax Returns.

(which reminds me I need to finish updating the computer accounting)

I am going...

to finish vacuuming as soon as I publish this

I am reading...

Food Rules by Michael Pollan

I actually read the entire book yesterday in one short sitting ~ It’s a really quick read.

In a nutshell: “Eat food.  Mostly plants.  Not much.”

With realistic allowances:  Rule #64 “Break the rules once in a while.”

I am hoping...

to survive English research papers with my oldest three ~ Ack! the memories of my own unimpressive analysis of Mark Twain  :p

I am hearing...

the dryer rumble with load #2.  That’s all.

Around the house...

laundry load #1 is waiting to be sorted/put away.

The vacuum is waiting patiently for me to return to it.

Books  (always) ~ biographies of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Sarah Orne Jewett; literature guides to their works

Tim has been working to hook up the new water conditioner and softener and filter (edit for my brain lapse).

One of my favorite things...

Julie’s Baked Turkey Toquitos

Pondering these words...

There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man…

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Mark 7:15, 21-23

A few plans for the rest of the week:

End of the month duties, dinner at church Saturday night, and more!

Here is a picture for thought...

  A year ago…

  Enough said??

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

psssst! There's a great giveaway at Regan Family Farm :-)

The Regans have been blessed with a copy of Large Family Logistics to give away!  The author Kim Brenneman is like an old friend to me  :-)  She's been writing and sharing online for many years.  Finally it's all in one big, beautiful book. Her book is like her blogs have been -- full of practical help as well as straightforward admonition to manage our homes and love our families as unto Christ.  Whether you have many children or just one or two, you will find this book a worthy read.  You can read Kim's blog here.  And you can read Gina's excellent review of the book here.

And then don't forget to go to the Regans' to sign up for the giveaway!  She'll be choosing a winner Sunday night, so hurry!

mothers who pray

 

Mothers with courage; mothers who pray,

These are the kind the world needs today.

Mother who think, who study and plan;

Mothers who laugh as much as they can,

Having the gift that is better than money--

The habit of seeing that some things are funny.

Mothers whose faith never wavers or falters;

Mothers whose spirits the world never alters;

Loving the right and scorning the wrong;

Facing the problems of life with a song.

Mothers whose bravery transcends their fears;

Winning the battle with patience and tears;

Never submitting to weakness or sin---

Storming heaven's gates till the children are in.

Mothers heroic, not guilty of whining;

Hands graced with service and faces with shining.

Mothers of purity, virtue and faith,

Steadfast in life and triumphant in death;

Looking beyond the dark pathway of sorrow,

Seeking a home in God's joyous tomorrow,

Leading the children; pointing the way---

These are the mothers, the world needs today!

-Kathryn Blackburn Peck

 

I found this poem at A Wise Woman Builds her Home via Large Family Logistics ~ and you need to read Julie’s post too!  It’s time to pray more faithfully for our little and not-so-little ones!

What a fitting way to commemorate the birthday of George Washington, yes?