March 24, 2012

Week of changes

Well, first week back into the swing of school and things went very well.

One day, Isaac made the chicks a permanent new home so they'll stop jumping to the top of their box, perching and leaving messes on the tile for the boys to clean up!

Very intently working!


Then, on another day, I received information that I'd been waiting for in regard to next year's classes.  The boys will be doing a co-op with a 'school' and I'll be the administrative assistant!  It's a definite answer to my prayers for them and me.  It gets us out of the house twice, possibly two and a half days a week, they get to take courses like debate, theology, Biblical Worldview and be with other kids to sharpen their skills and I get to use my skills teaching photography and sewing (if they have a half day of electives).  The great part is that we only have to pay for one's tuition, not two and I will also be the school photographer and yearbook coorinator!  I am delighted to be heading in this direction and I know after the dust settles and we're in a routine, they will definitely benefit.
Thank you, Jesus.

We had a storm on Monday, so Jef, Caleb and I cuddled on our bed and Isaac grabbed my camera and snapped this one.  It was a sweet moment.


I took the boys to the doc's on Monday morning and since they both had ear infections, we headed to Walmart and to keep them entertained because they were 'starving' and wanted to go to McD's, but I said no, I gave them my camera to shoot 'ads'
...this is what they did...







Caught me off guard when we got home...I had no idea they shot this one!


This was when we were sitting waiting for the scripts...


Fun times with twinners!

March 18, 2012

Spring break is over...

...and what a week it was.  My sister came from NY with her hubby, so we did the customary, 'take family to Sea World' and on that day, the first real day of Spring break, there were over 29,000 people...sheer insanity! 

To top off the week of vacation for me, time I thought I might regroup, prepare for the last stretch of this school year, I got hit bigtime with flu-like symptoms and though I forged through at Sea World on Monday, it cost me the rest of the week...but everyday I would get up, spend time with Jesus, and start moving...I learned to keep moving forward, rejoice, focus on grace, His kindness, look for His gifts to me and the boys and just slow down.  I wrote about it one day, Wednesday, over here, turning my post that day into a story and in the midst of writing, realized I'd been given many gifts that day...

So, the boys told me several times this week it was the best vacation they've had in a long time...not too sure why since we didn't do much, but they did spend time with their aunt Kay and uncle Tim who took them to a movie, then to buy Legos and action figures! 

On Tuesday, although the entire family was going out, I opted to keep them home with me (which they were initially very angry with me about, but, needless to say, repented later on that day when they realized their day wouldn't have turned out the way it did if they'd have gone.)
To their delight, I took them first to the library to pick up books I'd ordered, then to the feed store to get chicken food and on our way into the store I asked them if they wanted to see if there were any chicks, and then they got excited...
There were two little chicks left and we agreed they could buy one because it was only $2.  When we took the chick to the counter, the man said if they wanted to have them both, he'd give them to the boys for free!  They looked at me, I smiled, they ran back and got the other one and then bought $1.60 worth of food just for them. 
Well, these darling little things have had to have their wings clipped already because they can jump on the top of the box...they love the sound of the boys' voices and when they hear them from the other room, they begin to chirp like crazy...
They named them A.J. for Awesome Juice and the other one Hawk Nelson...my concern is that we have two roosters...and that will not do.  Time will tell.

They had a friend come spend a couple days and I put them all to work in my garden of Eden pulling weeds to pay me for a giant Lego book Isaac wanted...it was a great motivator for them as well as for me.

So, tomorrow we begin anew and I am looking forward to walking in love, grace and patience with them.   That may sound funny to read, but the stirring that God has been doing in my heart has been nothing short of a miracle.  My eyes are opened and I see things differently.  

...and I know they are different, too.  They're responding to the love, patience and grace that fills them.  How thankful I am that His mercies are new every day.
 

March 8, 2012

It's already March!

We're coming into the final stretch, only to be stretched like a rubberband.  This will be the last week before we take a much needed break. 

Last week, my neice visited and we did a couple of outings: Friday we did the zoo before our membership ran out...
Sat. was Sea World.  That was a fun time, but very tiring...walking, walking everywhere.

She left on Sunday, early.

On Tuesday, Isaac had an orthodontist appointment to cast his teeth for braces!















I am looking forward to chronicling this adventure and the changes these braces are going to make in Isaac's life.

Love and I have been seriously interceding for these two boy-men.  The changes have been phenomenal, too.  Just last night, sitting away from each other in the youth service, they both recommitted their lives to Jesus and until they sat down together in their small group did they know. 

What I've been learning over the last month or so is that for way too long, this mommy has been crying for change for them, when the reality is that this mommy has needed to change.  Change my responses to their 'behavior', change my approach to being in authority over them-i.e.: not pushy, bossy, but kind, patient, confident and sweet~  things that haven't come 'naturally' to me.

Suffice to say, God is working and we're in this marathon for the long haul...

Continue to change me, Lord Jesus, to be fit for Your service in these boys lives. 
Thank You.
 I know You hear my prayers and the work You began, You will complete.