The annual easter egg hunt went off with a scream at my Moms!  The kids looked forward to it for weeks, and were not disappointed!  They hunted for eggs along with their other cousins (they have 16, but only 8 were there hunting with them, still, 11 kids under 8 is a lot for any grandmother to handdle)  In their eggs was of course candy, but some held pennys that they could "buy" things from a store my mom set up.  They really had an eggselent day! 

While taking pictures, the children kept saying over and over and over again, "Happy Easter Day".  I litterally sounded like a skipping cd!  Coco had his saw with him everywhere we went that day, and would not let it go for the picture!

Did anyone notice the purple theme?  Boy it was hard to find purple for the 5 of us to match, next year, it will be 6 to match!

Our children were in a play on Easter Sunday.  Rhema played Mary Magdelene, and Faith and Coco were disciples.  They did so good, and of course were extremely cute. 

I am very happy to announce that we will be having our fourth child the first week of December!  We have been trying for about a year now, and after 2 miscarriages, I think this one is a keeper.  Our girls are thrilled and ask me daily "how big is the baby now?". 

I am looking forward to nursing.  I miss that part of mothering SOOO much.  There is nothing better than nursing and the bond that forms.  All my babies had habits when they nursed.  Rhema used to cover her eyes (like she was embarrassed, so cute!)  Faith couldn't get the milk fast enough and would litterally growl her way to the let down.  And Coco would pull my hair, and when it was up, he would pull his eyelashes. (they were much longer than his hair at the time!)  

I'm already planning the nursery, and how to switch around the rooms.  It really will be like starting over since Coco will be almost 4 when this baby is born.  I got rid of all my girl clothes, but still have the boys. 

I have taken 3 pregnancy tests. I guess its the nervousness from the past miscarriages that keeps me taking them.  Every time I get minor cramps, I run to the bathroom.  But I just know in my heart that this baby is going to stick around. 

Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by the goodness of the Lord.  We live in a beautiful neighborhood, within walking distance to the park, icecream, library, and town oval.  We live on a quiet street that is very private.  Right now, I am blogging, and my children are outside in the back yard.  I know its completely safe for them out there, for we are surrounded by woods.  They finally have a place to explore and run, slide, swing... and we are even getting a free puppy in June. We have a wonderful church, with congregants that love us and respect us.  My husband has a great part time job on top of being a Pastor that helps out with extras.  

May I continue to count my blessings, and not focus on anything else! 

I am looking forward so much to Sunday.  The children are in a play for the first time.  I can't wait!  Also we are going to my Moms for Easter dinner.  She always has a huge egg hunt for the grandchildren. (she has 19!...and soon 20!)

I am also looking forward to it for another reason.  Last month while visiting my Mom, my sister in law came over with her 4 children.  I noticed her oldest daughter Sarah(8) was carrying around a doll.  I asked her mom if it was an American Girl doll. She said no, that it was a "good fake" .  She proceed to tell me how it made Sarah happy anyway.  Well, I purposed in my heart that this sweet little girl who gave her heart to anyone was going to get a REAL american girl doll.  I went home and purchased one on line.  I can't wait to see her face when she opens that gift!  I found out this week from my Mom that she took her other doll to school with her one day, and was made fun of terrible because it was not a real American girl doll.  And yet she still carries that doll around with her everywhere. 

There is nothing better than giving.  I am so excited!

Today, I read the kids a passage from Matthew 26, on the preceeding events of Jesus' crucifixtion and ressurection. I read rather monotone a lengthy part of the chapter. After reading, I asked the children if they had any questions. Suprisingly, Faith and Rhema picked out the part of the chapter where the woman pours the costly anointment on Jesus. I was impressed by her observation and listening skills. Rhema asked about Judas and why he betrayed Jesus. I said, "Sometimes people make bad choices." Faith responded, "why was that a bad choice." I proceeded to tell her that Judas' betrayal put Jesus on the cross. She then said, "Yea, but it was a good choice, because Jesus rose again. They did their part, and God did his part. "They" both did their part, so it was a good choice."

I didnt expect my little four year old to prompt my thinking about the soverignty of God and man's free will!!!! Her analyzation of the subject was amazing.

I had a wonderful day today!  It was my husbands day off, so he agreed to stay home with the kids and teach them while I went out to meet an old friend. 

We became friends when I was a very young and frazzled mother (not that I'm old now!) but I had 2 babies under 1 at 22 years of age.  She had just given birth to her eighth child.  Yes that is 8.  She always looked so calm, her children all well behaved, and of course she nursed her babies till they were close to 3.  She kind of took me under her wing...helped me to grow, but most importantly she listened, and she always saw the best in me, even when all I did was complain!  I will always love her for it. 

Anyways, we moved about 4 years ago, and we emailed now and then, but it had been 4 years since I had seen her last.  We met half way at the olive garden, just the two of us.  I kid you not, we got there at 11 a.m., and did not leave until 3 p.m.  It was so good to catch up. 

She is still homeschooling, and gave me some worthy advice.  Her oldest are both college graduates, and are now teaching..  What a wonderful lady of virtue to look up to...thanks Suzanne...for everything!

Faith Abigail, not wanting her sister to get all the attention, decided that she too was going to ask Jesus into her heart.  I told her that she could do it with me right now, but she said "No, I want to do it with my teacher, Miss Devo, in class."  So this Sunday, April 2nd, she asked Jesus into her heart.  Later I asked her how she felt after she said the prayer.  She said, "mommy, I felt soooo happy!"  Praise the Lord!

She is such a thinker, and earlier said to her Daddy, "Dad, if Jesus lives in your heart, how does He take people to heaven when they die?"  This took him by surprise, and he replied, "Lets ask Mommy".  She shook her head in disappointment, and said "You're not very smart, are you Daddy?"  He laughed so hard, because, he is after all, a Pastor, and has been for sometime. 

Well, I stepped in and said that it was Angels, infact, that took people to heaven when they die.  This seemed to satisfied her, but really, we are talking about a four year old LITTLE girl.  She amazes even me. 

What a wonderful day to remember. 

Rhema Summer, age 5

Lost her first tooth

while eating corn on the cob

At Chili's Restaraunt

on March 26, 2:30 p.m.

A complete surprise by all

As the tooth was not thought to be loose.

My first Baby is growing up!

My husband watched the kids today because I had a womens luncheon for our church.  I had a great time out, and he had a great time in!

Later that evening, he shared with me some things that he thought were hilarious. 

Coco (our 2 year old boy) was acting up a bit at the table, so Dad asked the girls "where do you think this guy came from?"  Faith (4) replied, "He came from Mommy's tummy, and You put him there".  This shocked my husband, and he asked her who told her that.  She said "mommy did". 

Well, earlier that week, she asked "if we all came from your tummy, and that makes you our mommy, why is daddy our daddy"....quite advanced isn't she?  So I said casually "Daddy put you all there".  And that was the end of that. 

So back to today...she then askes Daddy, "when you put Coco in Mommy's tummy, did she close her eyes?" 

I've been studing a classical education.  Simply because I find Abeka not to be working for one of my children.  I am impressed with what I see.  I love the idea of a timeline, I just have to figure out a wall that's long enough. 

The general consensus is that children don't need to have structure in their classroom until the age of 10, for their brain is not ready for that.

That makes so much sense to me, because my girls literally live in a fantasy world for most of their day, and it is very difficult to bring them into the real world to teach. 

I'm beginning to read Beatrix Potter chapter books to them.  And I'm going to start my timeline at Creation, and go from there.

Would love to talk to someone about classical education that knows more than me, that would mean anyone whose been doing it for longer than a week!

Faith's eyelashes are 3/4's of an inch! 

These girls are only 13 months apart, and they are the best of friends. 

Rhema Summer and Faith Abigail

My Son Coco (short for Francisco the Fourth) thinks that EVERYTHING that is long and thin is a baseball bat.  He literally uses pencils, sticks, brooms...anything to swing with like a bat.  He is two right now, but at one, he could hit a wiffle ball with a wiffle bat.  He is amazing.  Here in this picture, he had a paint stick, and his Dad was throwing him a bouncy ball, and he was actually making contact with the thing.  Can anyone say "major league"? 

Well, Sunday was definitly better than Saturday.  We actually got a babysitter, and went out to eat, just the two of us.  It was so nice.  Then we went home and just relaxed together as a family.  I have to learn that a day out of the house is fun for us, but not for him because he has not been home all week.  So I will purpose to change my thinking, and maybe get out of the house a little more during the week so I'm not so crazy by the time Saturday comes around.  Sorry Babe... 

School is going well, at least until we get to the reading part.  My four year old is reading paragraphs, while my 5 year old struggles through one sentence.  Any support or suggestions from any homeschooling mom out there would be appreciated!

Okay well thats all for today.  God bless!

Rhema and Faith got their ears pierced at the mall today.  I let Rhema go first, and she didn't even flinch!  Faith got up in the chair all confident, and after the first ear, she jumped and said "Owe", but she looked at Rhema, and knew that she didn't cry, so she mustered up enough courage to get through the second without crying.  They both look so beautiful, and if possible older to me!

Rhema asked Jesus into her heart today in Sunday school.  Her teacher called me later that week, and asked if she had said the sinners prayer before, and I said no.  What a great day for our little blessing.

When I asked her at the dinner table later that week.  She remembered with all clarity, and said "I said the words after Sonja and felt really good afterwards." 

I LOVE GIRLS!!!!  There is just something about the fact that my girls, even at age 4 and 5 LOVE to go to the Mall.  And what a better day to do that than a saturday.  Unfortunately, no one told me it was going to snow!  We get to the mall, and I go to take my glasses back (my excuse for going) and Faith already has to go potty.  Oh well, let us go right?  That done, they ask excitely if they can go "into the mall" Of course I say, lets go!  I'm so proud of myself because I head to gymboree, an addiction I'm trying to break, but hey, I have girls right?  And I don't buy ANYTHING!  wow, feww, glad that's over with!  We head over to the TCP, and I overhear "It's really coming down out there".  And I think to myself, "that has to mean snow, because it is far to cold to be rain" So after finding some great deals at Tcp, and Sears, we head out to the car.  And yes, it was snowing, and had been for some time.  My girls know I hate driving in the snow, and say "mom, how come you didn't know it was going to snow?"  I reply, "because I don't watch the news".  And that was that.  About 15 minutes into the trip, I hear them talking, and one of them says to the other "I guess she'll watch the news from now on".  LOL 

I am so happy to have girls.  They truly are your bests friends.  And dare I say, that when we are blessed with another one, I hope for a girl?  Poor Coco.  But he does have his Daddy.  That's enough right?  Sometimes I doubt, especially when I catch him in his sisters room with their "glitter roller" liberally rolling sparkles all over his cheeks.  My first reaction is "Coco, you're a boy", but then I realize, "hey, boys should sparke too"...right?  LOL. 

It blesses my heart so much to see Rhema growing in Christ.  Rhema worshiped in church Wednesday night.  She had her eyes closed, and her hands raised in genuine worship, remembering all the words to the worship song "Because of Who You Are".  I am on the piano and singing, watching her, it was so hard for me to continue leading the congregation because it brought tears to my eyes.  

She is also excited to give into the offerings and has brought her quarters every service, put them into offering envelops, and wrote her name in the crayons she brings in her purse.  Adorable. 

The other day, Coco was watching Peter Pan, and she came up to me and said, "Mommy, my heart hurts, I want to watch a Jesus Movie".  Now granted, Peter Pan had become my Son's favorite movie, but it was the first time he had watched it that day!  

She also said to me today in school (after reading Scripture) "Mommy, I want to learn about Jesus".  This is after she has just been in Kids Church the night before, as well as just reading the Bible.  It's like her hunger can't be quenched.  I just love it.