My Parents...forty-seven years and counting

I've been sitting here trying to write a post to honor my parents. After all, forty-seven years is a long time in a fallen world. And I am acutely aware of the gift this is to my brother and me. I wrote a whole post about their faithfulness to each other and to their family and the church and God but it seemed so dull. True and noble, but dull, none-the-less. Faithful is the one word that exactly describes them, but it doesn't sound all that thrilling or romantic or exciting. I mean serving each other, even when it isn't fun or what you want to do, day in and day out isn't what romantic movies are made of. Taking care of each others parents, cutting your wife's father's toenails and visiting nursing homes and hospitals isn't the stuff of romantic movies. Making it through financial hard times and lawsuits and the time your kid wrecks your new truck isn't all that exciting. I mean, yes, they stood by each other through thick and thin, through surgeries and lean times, but what really stands out to me and what I clearly remember and suspect may be the true glue is this...

They were always kissing in the kitchen.

And that may just be the secret to their long and faithful marriage. I am following their example closely, so in twenty years, I will know for sure.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! I love you and am proud to have your wonderful example to follow!

A very random updatey kind of post

As usual, I have been a bad blogger. I always tell myself I need to be more faithful and then I never am. Reminds me of my plans to stay on top of the ironing. *sigh*

Life here is going along at an alarming rate. How in the world can it be time to decorate for Christmas already? My goodness gracious! I feel as though I just did it! There is truth to the fact that the older one gets, the faster time seems to move. I have enjoyed fall tremendously this year. The mild weather, however has lulled me into believing it will continue forever. Not so. Time to pull out the greens!

School is going well. We just keep working hard every day, being diligent. Slow and steady does win the race. Myles curriculum is so interesting that it is making it easy to stick to it. The eastern hemisphere is something we know so little about. Curiosity has us by the hook. Did you know that in Japan, a child is one when they are born? The Japanese consider the time in the womb the first year of life. I found that so amazing. And beautiful.

Marcus and I are enjoying a Literature Seminar. We go each week to meet with a small group of homeschoolers to discuss a work of literature. I think I may be enjoying it even more than he is. I just love a good work of literature!

I got a new phone today and, silly me, but I am having lots of fun with it. It is a "smartphone". And it really does seem to be smart. It can search the World Wide Web, take pictures, text and even call people. It's a funny world we live in, isn't it? Our phones are smart. At any rate, I am having fun with it, but doubt it will hold it's appeal for long. In the end, I am just a simple girl who needs a phone to call home when I away, which is seldom. For now though it's cool. And the boys think I'm cool for having it, so we'll just go with that.

Well, I am off to light pumpkin candles while I still can. Mistletoe comes out next week, you know. Dinner must be made and the house straightened for Hubby's arrival. God is good to us, isn't He?!

this and that...finally

Okay, I admit it. I am a bad blogger. I have neglected this blog so severely, that I doubt anyone even checks it anymore. Well, I don't blame you. I would have given up by now, too. But, if you haven't given up on me, I will update you on things around here.

First and foremost, we are rejoicing in a son who came home and a Father who hears our prayers. Ethan has been home for three months now and is happy to be back with us. He is wholeheartedly serving the Lord, for which we are beyond grateful. I find myself just reveling in the simple moments. Three boys sitting on a bed together playing on the computer. Rummikub as a family. Life is good and God is better! Thankfulness abounds!

I am relishing in my yard. My apple trees have apples. My raspberries from Aunt Rita made it through the winter and are growing nicely. We planted cherry and pear trees and our blueberries are also growing nicely. Our plum tree has a few plums for the first time. My flowers are beautiful and make me so happy! I love my yard! My tomatoes are just sitting there doing nothing, but the yard looks great.

School is kinda, sorta done. We will continue to do a bit through the summer, so we don't lose what we've learned, but for the most part we are done. Phew. We are still making up for Myles late reading ability, but we will get there. We plan to read lots of books on the glider this summer, as reading isn't really school, but fun.

We just finished up a week of special meetings at church, and I have to say that what I came away with was a renewed love for the Word. What a gift we have been given. A love letter from heaven. Everything we need for every moment of every day is in there. Wow! So, I am reading scripture more. I am posting more verses around my house to memorize, and I am trying to pass a love for the Word to my boys. Such richness, if we will only take the time to mine it.

The days are busy and sometimes hard. Laundry, cleaning, running sons here and there. But the days are also good. Healthy boys driving me crazy. Hungry boys keeping me cooking, but enjoying their food. Handsome husband working lots of hours, but earning a good wage. Fighting to stay slim in a food centered home, but able to walk for miles with strong joints. Hard, but good. That's how life is. It's all in the attitude, I guess. I will choose to say God is good!

Well, life can throw you a few curve balls, that's for sure. I am pretty sure that when I was birthing sons, I never planned on any of them going astray. I saw a bright future, where all five of them made right choices and walked with God always. After all, I was doing it right wasn't I? Homeschooling, loving discipline, loving, nurturing extended family, church.

And therein lies the rub. The truth is it doesn't actually depend on me. They grow up and they make their own choices. And I hope that all that I did right will come back and make things right one day. That all the early training coupled with the promise of God's word will see my son return to Jesus.

So, I pray. And I ask everyone I know to pray. And then I pray some more. And on my good days I believe. And on my bad days, I let everyone else believe for me and just stand and keep on praying. Because in the end, I serve a faithful God and He is good. Even when curve balls are thrown my way.