Birthday Girl

Today was a big day for our youngest--she turned twelve. She decided she wants to celebrate her birthday when we go to Bandera, but we had to do something. So, this morning before breakfast, we blew up a big package of balloons . . .

And attached them to various surfaces. Jeremiah, Hannah, and Samuel drove in last night for a little visit, so Jeremiah helped decorate the doorway.

A fun entrance for the guest of honor.

And there she is, in all her 12 year old glory. :)

Kregg made his delicious pancakes--always a big hit.

Hannah decided that, since Mackenzy worked very late last night and slept in, missing breakfast, we should recycle the balloons and surprise her as she exited her room.


It was rather anticlimactic, though, because, silly me, I posted this picture on Facebook and she saw it on her phone before she came out. :)

It's hard to believe Rebekah is twelve years old! What a blessing she is to us. 

"It's Just Like Riding a Bicycle"

I am non-athletic. Completely. But, because of my sister's diligent efforts over a period of years, I used to be an okay skier.


The last time I went was eight years ago. It was a complete fiasco. I had convinced myself, since then, that I couldn't ski anymore. 


The boys' Scout troop was planning a trip to Ruidoso and Kregg asked a few weeks ago if I would like to come along and bring Elizabeth and Rebekah. My initial response was that I would come, but wouldn't ski. I was thinking I could watch them come down and snap a few pictures. At least the girls would get to go. But as it drew nearer, I got to thinking that I should at least give it a try. "It's just like riding a bicycle," he said. It was, after all, just for one day, and if it was dreadful I could sit at the lodge and stay warm, waiting for all of them.


So we made plans.


I would leave earlier than the troop with the four youngest. Kregg would wait for Caleb and his roommate, Warren, to drive in from college, and then they would travel up with the troop. 


We bought and downloaded a new audio book to listen to on the drive. (If you don't know about BlueBehemoth.com, you should check it out!) We got everything packed and loaded, and shut down the house. Then we took off. Kregg had printed me out a map with my route highlighted so I wouldn't get lost. Elizabeth, because she is very prone to motion sickness, was my navigator, sitting up front with me.


Several hours later, we pulled into our hotel, unloaded and then went to find dinner.

The wait for a table for five was 30 minutes so we opted for two adjacent booths. After eating, we went back to the hotel to await the arrival of the rest of the guys. It ended up being pretty late. Kregg pulled in and picked up Josh and Ben to deliver them to the house the Scouts were staying in, then came back to the hotel with the girls and me. 

Early the next morning, we headed up the mountain. Caleb always has a silly face ready when I point the camera at him. Warren is much more cooperative. He was so excited to go skiing for his very first time! He had no idea just how much fun he was in for, with Caleb teaching him to ski. :) He should know by now that anytime he comes with us on one of our trips, he's in for an adventure. 

I didn't tell her she had her ear band on backwards

Rebekah, in her permanent "snowplow"

It was a glorious day! Which really helped me be braver.

Kregg, Elizabeth, and Rebekah

Kregg, contemplating endless possibilities

Notice the name of this run? Inspiring for one who is "Wild At Heart!"

Elizabeth, Kregg, Warren, and Caleb, about to board the lift

Elizabeth and Kregg riding behind us

Rebekah is still very much a beginning skier, and she wanted me to stay with her. That was fine and it allowed Elizabeth, who is much more confident, to go and ski with Kregg on a little more difficult slopes. As the day progressed, Rebekah was doing better and better. We decided to join Kregg and the others for our last run of the day. 

Big mistake.

The slope we planned to attempt was not one Rebekah felt good about, once she saw it. But by that point, we were past the point of no return. The two of us decided to ski across a little path that bisected the run the others were taking, thinking it would lead us to the "easy way down." It didn't. She was really getting scared. And tired. Both of us were very tired, by that point. Scared and tired on a "black diamond" is a recipe for disaster. 

We took off our skis and carried them. It seemed like we walked forever. And still there was no way to the trail we needed. I was really very concerned that Rebekah was about at the end of her rope. And I just kept praying for the Lord to help us. It was getting later and later, and we were still on top of the mountain. We finally decided we would have to climb up one of the black slopes. That was a chore. Especially after we were already so tired. When we finally made it up, the trail we expected was no where to be found. I began to wonder what would happen if she was not able to keep going. 

We came out on the face of the mountain under the gondola. At least it was wide open. We put the skis back on, but she was so scared that I didn't know if she would be able to conquer her fear enough to do what she knew how to do. It was too far to walk down. She really needed to be able to ski. We just had to focus on tiny little goals. Once we made it part of the way down the face, we found the "easy way down," which made her feel better. She was skiing a little, and I kept reminding her that we were making progress and she would soon be on her favorite run. It probably took us over an hour to make it to that trail where she had gained so much confidence earlier in the day. By that point, it was completely in shadows and the surface had grown crusty and slick. But she did exactly what she needed to, staying in control of her speed and working her way back and forth down the slope. It's actually so much harder to ski that slowly than with moderate speed--I wanted to encourage her to speed up a little because I knew her legs were exhausted, but she needed to focus on what was working for her, so I just stayed close and kept cheering her on, telling her how proud I was of her attitude and perseverance. 

When we were about half way down that last run, and we had hope that we would survive it after all, a snow-boarder came whizzing down the slope. 

I could see it coming and I couldn't believe it. 

He took her out. 

She lay in a heap, whimpering, and I thought I was capable of murder for a moment. 

Not really. 

But I did just almost lose it. I'm ashamed to say that I threw my poles down. Thankfully, the Lord kept my mouth closed and I just focused on getting to her and helping her up. She was trying so hard not to cry. The poor man was horrified. He apologized profusely. He stayed to make sure she was able to get up, and then skied near us for a few minutes. Rebekah told him she was okay and then we made sure he wasn't hurt. I was so proud of her. I knew how hard it was for her to stay calm. I knew how frustrated she was. But she got up and made the very best of it. 

My little girl is growing up.

We made it down and found Kregg and the other kids. I cannot fully express the relief that flooded my heart. Rebekah had stepped away for a moment, and so I was trying to explain to Caleb what had happened. The floodgates opened. I started crying and couldn't finish. I just kept thanking the Lord for getting us through it.

And once it was over and my heart had settled a little, everything was wonderful again. I was so very thankful. It had been a beautiful day and, even though the last couple of hours were incredibly difficult, I am glad I didn't miss it by being too afraid to try to ski again. It really is like riding a bicycle. 

The girls and I started down the mountain in the suburban, thinking Kregg and the guys were right behind us. They weren't. The truck wouldn't start. :)


Kregg called me and I told him I would find a turn around and head back up to see if we could jump it off. He told me to wait. There "just happened" to be a scenic overlook a little farther down. If the truck had started, I wouldn't have taken time to stop. It was so beautiful! The clouds looked like an ocean among the mountain tops. A few minutes later, and the vista would have been completely obscured in shadow. His blessings are always perfectly timed, aren't they?

The truck started up after several more attempts. It's a diesel and we think it was just too cold. After a shower and a lovely dinner, Kregg and the two girls and I piled into bed, completely tired out. The plan for the next morning was to get up fairly early and head home, because Caleb and Warren would still have what would normally be a 2 1/2 hour drive on to Abilene from our house.

But guess what happened? The truck wouldn't start again. It took us almost an hour to finally get it running. We headed over to pick up the four boys, three of them having slept OUTSIDE!! Their nuts!

While we waited for them to come out, we got to watch several mule deer come up out of a gulch to graze in the yards. They were so beautiful.

I have another budding photographer on my hands. :)

He looks SO much older when he has fur on his face! He will turn twenty in a week and a half! Having spent most of the night outside in a sleeping bag, he took a nap to catch up. There was at least one lane open all the way back, but it was a little scary. Kregg and the rest of the Boy Scouts were about twenty minutes behind us, and between the time we past one spot and the time they did, a minivan had rolled several times.

Caleb and Warren left as soon as possible for Abilene, and it's a good thing because, instead of a 2 1/2 hour drive, it took them more than 4. They saw 20+ accidents in that 150 miles. We were so thankful for them to arrive safely. 


It was a wonderful weekend.

Never A Dull Moment

An old, but still appropriate picture of the four youngest.

That's my motto, and has been for years. When relaying the latest chapter in "You Won't Believe What Happened At Our House or To Our Family," I often sum up the retelling with, "Never a dull moment."


Having this many bodies living in such close proximity, there isn't much margin for error. Add to that the fact that we could be a test facility for the durability of various household products, and you just never know what's going to happen next. It definitely makes things interesting.


Case in point: yesterday


As you already know, we get up and start school early. So by the time lunch rolls around, the kids are ready for a short break. Yesterday, the "break" required an emergency extension. Our second refrigerator, located in the garage, had been yanked open and slammed shut just one time too many. 


The door fell off!


EEEEEEEKKKKKKK!


Josh and Ben, out of purely unselfish motives of service to their family, took on the repair. Of course, it did mean that their remaining schoolwork was temporarily suspended. They toiled tirelessly.


Joshua came in, after a while, to announce the job's successful completion.


But then Ben came saying,"Mom, something's not right about that door. I have to lift it, then shut it."


Joshua stopped, turned around, and went back to the garage.


After further inspection, he came in a few moments later with a sheepish grin on his mug, "We forgot to put the washers back on it."


They had to take it back apart and add washers.


So far, so good. The door is still hanging on.


We finished school, and chores, and dinner, and headed to the church building for our class on Romans. When we arrived home, it was time for the kids to head to bed. I thought everyone was settled in, so I went to my room to put up a load of laundry. 


Then I heard banging in the den. What/Who could it be?


Upon entering, I found Rebekah swinging a towel around. What on earth?! Then I realized that one of her finches was loose and she was trying to shoo it lower so she could catch it. Nothing doing. It eluded capture for quite a while. We thought we had it trapped, at one point, in the game closet. Boy, were we fooled. It escaped the closet and settled on a bookshelf in the hall. Rebekah got so close--she almost had it. At the last possible moment, it escaped into the kitchen/dining/family room. And we had NO idea where it was for a few minutes. Then we heard a little flutter and she saw it beside the refrigerator (the one inside the house whose door was still firmly attached). Stealthily, she inched closer. We all held our breaths, knowing this could go on all night long. It must have been tired, because it finally allowed her to sneak up on it and gently secure it for the return trip to birdie jail.


So much for a nice quiet end to a busy day. 


Each morning, it starts all over again.


After actually sleeping until the alarm went off this morning, instead of awaking an hour ahead and waiting for it to go off, I felt chipper and cheerful to begin a new day. 


Rebekah is not hungry first thing each morning. She would rather get a few school subjects under her belt and await hunger. Along about time for Memory work and Poetry Memorization, she is usually ready to eat. So far, so good.


I looked over at her. She was sitting at the island with her poetry, eating.


Her choice for breakfast this morning?


LEFTOVER, COLD SAUERKRAUT!! 


Oh my.


I have a strong stomach, but that's just not okay.


There was only a small bowl of kraut left (thankfully), and so she followed it with a Cinnamon Chex chaser. 


I'm feeling a tad nauseous. (We say it this way: NAAWSHUS, for emphasis)


I'm thinking it highly unlikely there will be any dull moments today, either.


I believe boredom may be highly underrated. :) 


Just teasin'! Wouldn't have it any other way. 




Hope your day is filled with fun twists and turns. 




After all, we wouldn't want you to get bored.

Creativity is Messy!

 As our preparations continue for the commencement of Thanksgiving festivities and incoming relatives, Rebekah has FULLY embraced her self-appointed roles as Set Director for our little play, and Table Decorator, and we've had to hit the pause button on the job of deep cleaning the house.

Hopefully, all her projects will be completed in time to make room for our company! :)

Book Review: "To Try Men's Souls"

It would be interesting to go back and calculate the percentage of the books I've read this year for the "52 Books in 52 Weeks" challenge that fall into the category of historical fiction. Here's another.


Rebekah, our youngest, is still on her Revolutionary War kick. She has consumed almost all our resources here and so we have been seeking additional titles. I'd never read a book by Newt Gingrich, so we bought one called Valley Forge. What we didn't know is that it was the sequel to this book: To Try Men's Souls. So, back to the bookstore we went and purchased this additional title. 


It is the story of the Battle of Trenton during the Revolutionary War. Written as a novel, it has an interesting format that switches between different days and different characters. Since Rebekah wanted to read it, I needed to read it first because I was unsure of what to expect from Gingrich as a novelist. It didn't take long before I realized that the book would need editing before it could be put into the hands of my youngest. This will cause true bibliophiles to shudder, but I read the entire book with a black ink pen in my hand, blacking out the cursing. And there was quite a bit, though it tended to come in spurts during pages of dialogue between soldiers. I understand some would simply say this was probably accurate, but I still think it completely unnecessary. 


The story is an incredible one. The Revolution hung on a thread, the army had dwindled down to a small percentage of its high water mark for enlistments, the weather was dreadful, and everyone was discouraged by the repeated defeats at the hand of the British, or their mercenary Hessian troops. 


George Washington was being maligned by those who wanted to replace him, Congress had fled Philadelphia, and the troops were without the most basic supplies and food. Washington understood exactly how things stood and so he made a desperate and potentially last foray into enemy territory, crossing a river, creeks and miles of ice covered terrain. His men hadn't had a decent meal in days. But they followed him. Without a victory, it was all over.


The story shifts from the troops with Washington to Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense and The American Crisis. His words were credited by many with fueling the patriotic dream of an independent nation. Those words were used by Washington to encourage his troops to march for "Victory or Death." Washington had insisted that, instead of continuing to be "embedded" with the troops, Paine return to Philadelphia and publish his words, to recast the vision of a free nation.


The origin of the opening line of Paine's famous discourse was inspired one night as he stumbled upon a campfire with a few soldiers gathered around. A copy of Paine's pamphlet was carried in the pocket of a young soldier from New Jersey. Against the wishes of his family, this young man had enlisted and marched off to war with his brother and his friend. That night after he scrounged some dry firewood and a couple of carp for dinner, a heated argument broke out between this young man, Jonathan, and his brother, who was considering deserting. Paine was witness to the dispute and actually took a line from Jonathan's argument with his brother as the opening line of his next pamphlet: "These are the times that try men's souls."


The story crisscrosses back and forth, weaving the story of Paine, of Washington, and young Jonathan together in a poignant tale of suffering and determination in the face of overwhelming odds. It is a compelling read and gives a deeper understanding of the cost of freedom. 


I do not appreciate the cursing at all, but now that it has been removed, I do think Rebekah will really enjoy the story.


#43 out of 52 for the year! Onward, troops!

www.read52booksin52weeks.com

Star Walk

Photo Credit

Kregg and the boys were gone last night, looking for hunting leases. A very manly pursuit, don't you think? Time for lots of testosterone and bonding.


That meant it was girls' night here. We spent the evening simply enjoying each other. And laughing. We did a lot of laughing. 


Late in the evening, I received an invitation from our youngest, Rebekah, to join her outside. She wanted to show me something. I finished up a conversation with Mackenzy and made my way to the backyard. Rebekah was on the trampoline using an app on my phone to look at the stars. She kept using the word, "awesome." The delight in her voice was contagious.

I've always loved the stars, but never spent much time doing anything but simply gazing at them in wonder. 


Rebekah was overcome by it all, as if she had just stepped into a grand, new space previously unknown to her. As she showed me each of the different constellations she had found and where they were in our night sky, the joy increased. We lay there on the trampoline giggling and gazing up at this incredible testimony to the Creator. 


It is so very dry here that the static electricity was alive! It felt like hairs standing straight up on the deck of the trampoline. Every time we moved, there was a small shower of sparks. When we brushed against each other as we looked at another constellation on the phone, another spark and a shock. And again, we'd giggle.


And in that quiet communing, we could hear the sound of everything around us, our senses acutely aware. I found myself gazing at her face and the wonder found there, as much as I did at the stars, both revealing the Glory of His Hand. Perfection. 


As we watched the crescent moon sink lower and lower on the horizon, our spirits feasted, along with our eyes. What a blessing it is to witness His Glory! And so we worship.

Artistic Endeavors

Homeschooling offers infinite opportunities to be entertained. 


For all of us. 


And, just so you know, humor is definitely an essential element of any homeschool if sanity is one of your end goals.


So I thought it might be enlightening to my dear readers to take a little peak into our morning. 


Prepare yourselves.


During our drawing lesson today, we were practicing the principle of foreshortened circles by attempting to replicate a birdbath. Our drawing curriculum comes in the tiniest of packages--a 60 page gem called Drawing Textbook, by Bruce McIntyre (tragically now out of print, so if you find a used one online somewhere, snatch it up). 


I attempt to draw the example on the whiteboard, explaining the sequence and the things to pay special attention to, even though I need the lessons as much as the kids do. :)

My examples are always lopsided because I try to stand off to the left side while I draw so the kids can see me from their seats. At least that's the excuse I'm using.

This first one is Ben's. We were joking with him that his looks a little like a bathtub.

Here's Josh's. His is for baby hummingbirds. He thought that was pretty funny. :)

Elizabeth's is of the bathtub variety. 

And Bekah's is dumping all it's water out. 






I asked them if they would like to see the example from the lesson. 


Rebekah, always with a flair for the dramatic, said, 

"NO! I don't want to see it! It would mock me for the rest of my poor, young life." 

Told ya. 


Humor is essential. 


And no matter what size your class is, there will always be a class clown. :)