The Legend of Thousand Hills Farm | ||
It's Been a While!My apologies to those of you who rely on this blog to keep up with us! It's been a while since I posted, but it seems that life has been moving rather quickly lately. We spent a couple of weeks dealing with sickness. First it was coughs and upper respitory junk, and then it was the flu. We have been running (driving) all over the country, going to track meets and baseball games. A little over a month ago, we decided that there was no way we could continue to afford gas for our 15 passenger van. So, we began the hunt for a mini van. We ended up with a 2000 Montana. I love it! It drives so nice, and it gets at least double the mileage that the big van did. It's 8 passenger, so most of us fit in it. I would have loved to have gotten a small *really* economical car, but with soon-to-be 2 children in carseats, and one still in a booster, I couldn't see going any smaller than a mini van. Will and Levi have ended up being too old to play baseball right now ~ they just didn't have enough kids turn out to make a team. So, Will has been coaching. He has done really well, and I have been impressed with how well he handles the boys on his team. It does look like they will get to play starting in June. Garth has ended up pitching and is doing a great job! As long as he does things the way he's supposed to, he's pretty consistent and throws strikes. Levi is doing track. He long and triple jumps, and runs the 110 hurdles, and usually at least one relay. Today was the District Track Meet, and although he didn't place, he did his personal best today in the Triple. I was very proud of him! Mike is really enjoying his new job. It has been fairly varied so far. They have been in the process of remodeling a couple of the businesses, and so there has been a fair amount of physical labor involved ~ resulting in some weight loss! He enjoys the people he is working with, and although much of what he is doing is similar to what he did at the store, it's different enough to be a challenge. I enjoy having a husband who isn't stressed out all the time! We are patiently awaiting the arrival of Baby E. Last week at my midwife appt, he was breech, so I made an appt with a chiropractor and went in and had the Webster Technique done. This is a maneuver that encourages the baby to turn. I do believe that he finished turning that evening, but tomorrow we'll find out for sure when Terry comes for another appointment. Mike and I have been talking and praying about what to do if he decides he's going to be breech. While there have been lots and lots of breech babies born over the years, it does carry a little more risk than delivering a baby that is presenting properly ~ however, to go to the hospital would mean an automatic c-sec. Which I really don't want. It would be a serious matter either way, and one we want to approach with much prayer. Well, I doubt that I will get around to posting again before the baby is born, but when he makes his arrival, we will be sure to post pictures and details ~ so stay tuned! Up to SpeedWell, we've had an eventful couple of weeks around here! Our internet has been really spotty, so I haven't been as regular in updating my blog as I would like ~ we're hoping the server gets things figured out. Two weeks ago today, Mike came home from work early with the news that he had walked away from his job of almost 14 years. So, yesterday he began his new job. He is now general manager for a local business. He is still working in Plummer, and they don't have a problem with him coaching football in the fall ~ which is really important to us. He is making a little more than he was previously, and best of all, I think they are really going to appreciate what he does for them. During the last 2 weeks, he made a *very* quick trip to Arizona with his brother, Hank to pick up a 5th wheel and a couple of motorbikes. He was glad to have the time and opportunity to be able to do that with him. And we just got to enjoy having Daddy at home! That was nice. Will, Levi, and Garth are busy with baseball practice. We have a Little League team this year ~ senior league, so it's for through HS senior. There aren't enough kids for a middle school team, so Garth will play up on the HS team. It means he probably won't get the amount of playtime, but we are excited for the experience it will give him. Will will be pitching and Levi will be catching, I'm not sure where they have plugged Garth in. Levi is also doing track this spring ~ so we are going to be on the go! He brought home the schedule the other day, and it looks like if he is good enough to go to state, we'll be traveling to Boise with a baby that's about a week old. But, we'll just have to wait and see how the season goes. Happy Birthday, Levi!Well, my darling Levi is 16! Where has the time gone? He is driving ~ still under supervisory time, he should get his license in July sometime, and is getting ready to start track and baseball. Levi is becoming quite a nice young man. He is so good with the younger children ~ Josiah in particular. The other day, Josiah hurt himself and I picked him up and was comforting him, but as soon as Levi walked in the room, he wanted Levi! Levi wasn't even that sympathetic to him!! But Levi is almost always a favorite of the babies. He loves the Lord, although he is not overly outspoken about his faith. And he has the highest tolerence for pain of just about anyone I know! Which is good, as often as he manages to get injured. This last week it was slicing the end of his thumb open with his knife ~ took 8 stitches to close it up. We're praying for it to heal before sports start in earnest. Levi was an induced baby, because I was young and stupid and the dr.s office staff weren't horribly attendant. Mike was on his delivery route (he worked in his Dad's produce store then), and he just "happened" to show up after the dr.s office sent me to the hospital ~ along with a 17mo Will (Will was with me, not Mike). While I labored with Levi, Mike sold boxes of apples to the L&D nurses. Thankfully, it was a fast labor, and it wasn't very long before we were holding our sweet little Levi in our arms. He weighed in at 7lb 13 oz ~ our smallest baby. We named him after my great-grandpa Storms (Levi), and my grandpa Storms (Carl). He was also our only baldish baby. He had almost no hair, and what he did have was blonde, so you couldn't see it! Levi was a good baby, and from the time he was little we have seen God's hand of protection over him. Levi ~ Happy Birthday! I pray that the Lord will use you in mighty ways for His Kingdom. I love you, son. Here he is!Well, he is still nameless ~ not something to sweat about yet, since he's not due until the 16th of May,
Not the very best of pictures, but he had his little face snuggled up into the placenta, and he wasn't going to co-operate! So, the midwife had to press a little harder to get all of his face, which led to a bit of a skeletal appearance. He was also enjoying his thumb while we were taking a peek at him. It'll be interesting to see if he's a thumb sucker after he's born. Both girls are, but none of the boys have been...as of yet. It doesn't show real well, but he definitely has the little "Dole" nose ~ we are looking forward to May even moreso, now that we've "met" our son!
It's Official...We're only having *one* baby! As I suspected, we weren't home for supper, so the boys ate frozen pizza (they did cook it first!), we ate Taco Bell. I suppose I should have picked a different week to do the menu thing. Perhaps next week I'll do it on my other blog.
Best After Christmas Quote...Levi, 15, bought his Dad an assortment of Jim Beam steak sauce and marinade for Christmas. Friday night they were discussing cooking steak on Saturday to try them out. Garth protested, since he wouldn't be home, he would be at Grammie and Pak's. Levi responded with, "I didn't buy them for you, I bought them for me." Excuse me??? I thought that was Daddy's present! LOL
Our Christmas LetterMerry Christmas! Another year has come and gone, and I am left wondering where on earth the time went! We seem to stay plenty busy, especially through late summer and fall with hunting and football.
We look forward to May when, Lord willing, we will be holding our newest little blessing. The boys are all hoping for a boy, and the girls are hoping for a girl ~ go figure. We are just praying for a healthy baby to love and raise. May this find you praising God for His precious gift of a Son, sent to save the world from it’s sins, and embracing the blessings of family and friends this Christmas season. One Down, One to Go!!Football season, that is. Garth's last game was yesterday. They played in Mullan, so it was an afternoon game, and our boys won, 64 - 34! They finished their season UNDEFEATED!!! Garth scored several touchdowns throughout the season and was back-up QB, doing a great job ~ although it's not his favorite position. Garth running the ball in our home game against Wallace We enjoyed a pizza dinner at Pizza Hut with the whole team afterwards, it was a noisy affair, but enjoyed by all. The HS still has 2 games left. This Friday we travel to Wallace (BRRR!!!), and then we finish up in Clark Fork on next Friday. The High School has not has as good a season as the Middle School, but Will and Levi have played well. Their Mama keeps praying for a win for them. A New Look!Well, I was trying to add something to my blog, and really messed up the template! I am somewhat of a NON-techie, so my solution was to change the template, since I couldn't figure out exactly *how* I messed it up! As I looked through the templates, I noticed the one that I now have. It's very appropriate. We have an old windmill down by the barn, over a well. So, while I loved the bit and bridle, this is very much *us*. I've also added a *Baby ticker* so you all can keep up on Baby Dole's progress. I can't believe I'm almost 8 weeks already! That's one positive of having a busy household, time flies! Okay, sometimes that's not a positive, but when you're pregnant, it sure is. I'm feeling pretty good, although evenings tend to be my *morning sickness* time. Last few days have pretty much been *all* day, but my Beloved let me by a crockpot so that I can get dinner going in the morning, instead of trying to cook when I'm not feeling so hot. It will be nice, I just need to find some things that we like that I can either adjust to crock pot or that are already crock pot. We do not do much pre-packaged, so some things just don't work for us. Josiah is cutting a couple of teeth on the bottom, so he is not sleeping well at all! Which means, I'm not sleeping well ~ I'm pretty sure that has something to do with me feeling puny all day long. His poor little gums are *swollen*! I hope they come through fairly quickly. Only one football game this week, but we have to travel to Mullan. It's supposed to only be about 39*, so this is probably one time I am glad that Mullan is still in the dark ages (no lights for their field) ~ as cold as it is, it will be warmer than if it were at night! Next week, we have 3 football games. Busy, busy 'til the end of the month.
Cribs and Cradles and Babies ~ OH MY!!Mike and I are thrilled to announce that shortly before his 2d birthday, Josiah will be a big brother! Yes, God has chosen to bless us with another covenant child, and for this we are grateful. Someone once said that a child is God's way of saying that life should go on. For us, each child is a reminder of the forgiveness and goodness of our Lord; and of promise. A hope, and a future. I never tire of thinking of the miracle that a baby is, and look forward with great anticipation to meet this child in May. Being Thankful for a Naughty BabyThis may seem like an odd thing to be thankful for! However, it's all about perspective. Our family has been praying for Baby Noah (see button to the right), and recently his Mama, Kate, wrote that she wished she could blog about all the things that Noah is getting into ~ pulling pots and pans out of the cupboard, making messes, etc. But, instead she "gets" to blog about medical procedures and critical health issues. Josiah is a *very* active almost 16 months! He is into EVERYTHING!
I must admit, I have gotten to the point of frustration several times, and just sent him off with an older sibling (let *them* deal with him!). However, ever since reading Kate's post the other day, I have found myself getting after him and discipling (after all, he *does* need to be obedient), but also picking him up and holding him and thanking God that my son is healthy enough to be naughty. Yes, I get tired of not getting much done but follow baby and clean up, but in reality, this is a short season, soon he'll be helping more than hindering, and before I know it, he'll be grown and gone. Kate's post reminded me what a blessing it is to have a healthy child (children), and that I need to be thankful even in the little things that would ordinarily be frustrating. God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. Our strength is in choosing joy ~ finding the things to be thankful for ~ even if it's just that our God is praiseworthy! So, I am thankful for a baby who is healthy enough to be a problem Where Has the Time Gone?Wow! I don't even remember the last time I took time to post. Time just seems to slip through my fingers, and then I wonder where it went, and what I did. Will just finished Driver's Ed. Now he has 4 months of driving with a licensed adult driver before he can have his license. I can't believe I'm old enough to have a driver! Almost as surreal is having one old enough to drive, and one just beginning to walk. What a joy our little Si is to us! Every one loves to play with him, and vies for his attention. He has decided in the last 2 1/2 or 3 weeks that walking is his preferred mode of travel, and he can really go! Everything sounds like a truck motor, whether it's a cow or a car or a dog or a gun -- at least as far as he is concerned. It's really kind of cute. You hand him a 6 shooter and he points and goes "BRRRRRRRR", so I guess he shoots an automatic 6 shooter? LOL The sun is finally beginning to shine - at least sporatically. This week we've had a couple of days nice enough that we could actually get out and work without freezing. So, we have posts set for our round corral (yea!!), and we are beginning to get all the junk cleaned up that seems to have accumulated over the last 4 or 5 years. Did I mention I think we might be rednecks? They have been mudbogging on their bikes the last couple of weeks, and it has brought many hours of fun, and lots of mess! If I knew how to post pictures, I would post the one I have of Levi, after he fell into the mud pit. Good thing that we have a shower in the basement, so my washer doesn't have to take the brunt of all that. Brevity of Life"As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more." Ps. 103:15-16 What a month! We have had so many things that have happened this month, that I am pretty sure I will be glad to see December gone. The latest was the disappearance, and subsequent finding of my Mother's cousin. On Friday the 22d, he left for the Post Office and Bank and was not seen again. Christmas Eve, my Dad found his body out in the woods. He died by his own hand. As a believer, I am reminded that Christ is our only hope. If you are not a believer, and you think it's hopeless; you're right. Without Christ there is no hope. It is also a reminder to be kind to everyone I come into contact with. None of us know where someone is at emotionally. The love that I show someone, whether they are a complete stranger, an aquaintance, a close friend, or a family member might be the only thing that keeps them going. I don't mean to place more of a burden on anyone than is reasonable. If someone is bent on destruction, maybe there is nothing anyone can do. But, what if that kind word, that gentle touch of a hand on the arm, or a hug around the shoulders is just what someone needs to know that someone cares. How often, especially during the holiday season, do we get soo busy that we just don't take the time to speak kindly to a store clerk, or to spend a few minutes catching up with someone we haven't seen in a while? And sadly, it's this time of year when so many people reach that point of total despair. Take time today to call someone you haven't talked to in a while, or write a note, or send an email to someone who's been in your thoughts and/or prayers. Let them know you care. In the end, besides Jesus, the only thing that matters is relationships.
Another birthday!Well, when you have 7 children and 2 parents, birthdays happen alot!
I thought for sure that he was going to be a sweet little pink bundle. I carried him differently from the first two boys, I didn't have any morning sickness like I did with the first two boys, the whole pregnancy was different. And so, I was convinced that I was going to have a girl. I bought all kinds of pink clothing! Beautiful smocked dresses, adorable little tights, black patent shoes. Every time I would show my Mom something pink I had bought, she would say, "Your little boy is going to look cute in that."
I did take one boy outfit to the hospital with us...just in case. It was a good thing, or else the poor child would have had nothing but a diaper on! LOL We had to go shopping before we went home because I didn't even have any pajamas that weren't definitely girly.
A couple of weeks before Garth was born, I had a dr. appt and my sister kept Will and Levi, then 4 and 2. My sister asked Will (4) what we were going to name the baby. He said we were naming his little sister Kathleen (after my Grandma). My sister said, "Well, what if you have a little brother?" Will answered with, "I'm not sure, but I think we'll call him Festus!" Festus was my Dad's burro! We laughed about that one for quite a while. For years, my Dad referred to Garth as Festus.
When he was born, my Dad called my Grandpa to let him know that the baby had arrived. When he told him that we named the baby Garth Tyree, my Grandpa asked, "Like re-tyree? They'll never let the poor kid into school with a name like that!" LOL Good thing we homeschool.
Happy birthday, Bubba! Thoughts on my husbandWell, yesterday my beloved turned 42! I can't believe I managed to marry such an old man.
I was reminded once again today that I need to reverence him, and when there are things that need to be brought to his attention, I need to be careful of my attitude and tone of voice. How easy it is for a Mama to talk to her husband as if he were just one more child in the family. But he is not. He is my head and covering, and I must come to him with love, respect, and reverence.
I have been bad in the past about expecting him to help with household duties, and I have come to realize, he has enough on his plate without adding my job to it. I am trying to be careful to only ask his help when I REALLY need it, and then let him know that I am so thankful for all he does. He is so good about fixing fences, repairing things around the house that need repairing - as best as finances allow, getting wood, etc. Not bad for someone who grew up in town! These things all fall into *providing*, and I think that they give him a sense of accomplishment, that he may not really get at work. They also provide opportunity for his boys to work alongside of him, and I love to see that happen. He and the boys have also been busy hunting during every free moment. So far, there is no meat in our freezer, but I am confident that they will be successful.
ConnectionsAs my children get older, I find myself thinking more and more about their future mates.
But, our sphere of acquaintances who hold similar values is small. The number of young women around us who desire above all to be godly wives and mothers is practically nill. Most are more concerned about what their career field will be than whether they will have a husband and family to care for. Even those that know they want to be wives and mothers would not consider that to be the primary focus for a woman. And so, where will the wives that my sons will need come from?
I am convinced more and more that it is important to search out families who are like-minded and are raising daughters to be keepers at home, and sons to be providers. But even among homeschoolers, this does not necessarily seem to be a priority. Maybe because for so many of us, this is a first generation thing. How do we go about training our children for something that we are still struggling to learn? And, how do we instill in them the confidence to be totally and completely swimming against the current? Especially our girls; but, our boys too. For them to never have the mindset that they can always have their wife get a job if things get tough. What a novel idea! And to teach our girls to be frugal. So many people of my generation are in the midst of learning this now, with family in tow, because they didn't learn it growing up. I so much desire for our children to start their adult lives ahead of where we were, as far as what they know about living life well.
The question then becomes, how do we meet more like-minded families? Where do we find them? Even at the few *organized* homeschooling events we have attended, we have not necessarily found anyone likeminded. Do people find each other through blogs? Homeschooling conferences? Vision Forum events? Where are they? Of course, now I look desperate.
I guess the only real answer, besides just flat out seeking people out, is to pray, and wait on God's perfect timing. And be content. Tea with Me and TheeSaturday, Kathleen and I attended a Mother/Daughter tea put on by the Christian Heritage Homeschoolers of Washington. It was so fun to dress up with her and just have a girls day out ~ with Josiah! He's kind of attached at the moment, so everywhere Mama goes, Josiah goes.
It was a lovely day of teaching. Susan Bradrick spoke on building heart to heart relationships with your children, and helping them to build them with each other. Susan Pollock spoke on cultivating the mother-daughter realtionship and Mary Craig spoke on raising spiritually mature daughters. One of the Bradrick daughters did a dramatic reading, and 3 young women spoke on living a happy and fulfilled life as an older daughter- along with testimony on how they have worked to stay content in their father's home until the time that God brings their mate into their lives. So encouraging! I only wish Kathleen were a little older, so that she really would have understood what these young ladies were talking about. The mother's talks were very convicting, and I am prayerfully trying to implement some changes in the way I interact with my children.
Tea was...fine. I must admit, I've become something of a tea snob, so unless it's spectacular, I have a hard time thinking it was wonderful. The food was very good. They served 4 different tea sandwiches. Chicken salad, egg salad, cucumber/radish (never had that before), and some sort of cream cheese with chilled shrimp. All were quite yummy! They also had a variety of fruit and scones. Then came dessert ~ OH MY!! Miniature eclairs, lemon tarts, chocolate covered strawberries, and cookies. But, then there was the tea. It was bagged!! {GASP!!!!} They had a tea pot on each table filled with hot water, and some pretty cups, but bagged tea. I'm not really sure how you could do "real" tea for that many people (there was approx. 140 people), but I'm sure we could come up with something! I am also pretty sure that it will be a topic of conversation around here for a while.
Anyway, the most important thing was getting to spend the day with my precious older daughter. She had a wonderful day, stating, "Tea was lovely." I must agree. Happy birthday...Wow! Yesterday, my oldest turned 16. It doesn't seem like it could possibly be that long since I first held him in my arms. And how could I possibly be old enough to have a 16 year old!?!
I know that ultimately, I need to leave him and my worries at the feet of Jesus, because he belongs to Him. I have to trust that God has ahold of his heart -- and I do, but will he hold to the more conservative values that our family holds, or will he walk a different path?
We have watched as so many youth have either walked a more liberal Christian walk than their parents, or have just turned their back on God as they go out on their own, and it is heartbreaking. I pray that the Lord will keep my children from that. I pray that we would be diligent in the task of raising these wonderful blessings that God has given us. That we would be effective in passing on the values we hold, and the reasons we hold them.
Our oldest daughter just turned 6, as well. Time goes so quickly! She is sooooo excited to be six! My goal for her this fall is to get her more involved in the kitchen, |
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We are well at this point, although I still have a bit of a cough ~ just can't seem to shake it. 
I wasn't sure what to say or do, so I just did my best to encourage him. It is something he has talked about off and on over the years, when things would get a little stressful, but God has just never opened the doors for him to leave. That all changed that Tuesday morning. On the following 2 days he had job interviews (and no, he didn't have them set up beforehand!). At one of the job interviews, he was told that the job was his if he wanted it. His response was that he wanted to pray about it, and he would let them know.
Mike has had a full year. He spent time in Fernwood helping our friends, the Primers, with their log home that they are building, although we didn’t get over as often as we would have liked. We went to the Homeschooling Conference in Seattle in April, he was able to attend the Whitworth 8-Man Football Camp with the boys, and he took me to Seattle for a couple days for our anniversary in August (18 years!). He continues to work at the store, and coaches middle school football. This enables him not only to coach which ever son(s) is/are in middle school, but he is also able to be on the sidelines at the high school games as well. He thoroughly enjoys sharing his love of football with his sons, and it is a time for us to be together as a family ~ cheering one another on. He has had rig problems this year (no surprise to those of you who know us!), and recently bought a newer Isuzu Rodeo, which we hope will last several years. We also bought a new (to us), van as the big green van was on it’s way to vehicle heaven.
Will is now 17, and is driving! :-0 Early this last spring, we got him into Driver’s Ed. I do have to admit, it’s been so nice to have another driver in the family! He attended the Homeschool Conference with us in April, (and was very relieved we didn’t end up stranded in Seattle for a week this year!), attended the Whitworth 8-Man Football Camp again, helped out up at Primer’s some, worked at one of the local restaurants and hayed this summer, went with Pak, played football, hunted (he got a doe early in the season), played hunting chauffeur to brothers and friends, and is now cleaning the meat department at the store, and doing some trapping on the side. Whew! Makes me tired just writing it! J He and Levi also attend “Core Group” each Sunday, and at the moment, they are studying the Truth Project, a Biblical Worldview curriculum.
Levi is 15, soon to be 16, and has just begun Driver’s Ed ~ which means a busy(ier) December than usual. Levi also went to the Conference with us this spring, and attended the Whitworth Football camp. He hayed this summer, and also got a bit of a start on roping. Of course, his horse isn’t broke yet, so it’s a little difficult to rope off of her. ;-) Levi also has enjoyed spending many hours with his Pak this summer. He spent most of the football season on the field, scoring several touchdowns. And, his hunting season got off to a “bang”, with the killing of a doe. He’s looking forward to being 16 when he can get a “real” job.
Garth is 13, and on the hunt for the big buck. He entered the Big Buck contest at the Blue Goose this fall, and so, has passed up several does during the season ~ we’ll hope that he, and our freezer don’t regret that! Garth spends as much time as possible with his Pak, and has become his main beaver trapping buddy. Garth thinks that Gusto and Beaver castor are some of the most wonderful smells in the world! (The rest of us *don’t* agree with him! ;-) ) He has really shot up this year, and is almost as tall as me, so soon I will have 3 children that I have to look up to. He is very gregarious in nature, and can strike up a conversation with just about anyone, from fellow football players to refs (he takes the job of ball boy for the High School team). Dad also wanted me to mention that Garth made several touchdowns, and played QB some this year.
Logan is now 11, and this spring he participated in the Missoula Children’s Theatre. This was the first year that they were in Plummer, and he and Kathleen fully enjoyed themselves! They were in a production of Rumplestiltskin, and Logan was a grumpy gnome. He did very well at it! Logan has a strong artistic bent, and so he loves to spend time drawing, acting, and filling his head with all sorts of historical facts. Logan also shot his first turkey this year! It was a good sized hen and he was *very* excited!!!!
Kathleen is 7, and is finally getting her teeth! Some of you may remember that when she was about 17 months old, she fell down the stairs and lost some of her teeth, so she has been all this time without the middle bottom teeth, and one of her top middle teeth, but this year, they have come in. Kathleen also participated in Rumplestiltskin, but she was a busy, busy bee! She does seem to have a flair for the dramatic (can you say, *understatement*????) J . She enjoyed helping Daddy plant the garden, playing in the mud with her sister and baby brother, having tea with friends, and learning to help more in the kitchen. Kathleen has also recently started taking piano lessons, which she is very excited about.
Laura (Bob) is now 5! This is a fact that she is very proud of. J She caught her first fish this year ~ with a “little” help from Levi, and as you can see, it was a beauty! Laura still keeps us on our toes, being somewhat of a daredevil, and always coming up with something that just makes us laugh. She is very much looking forward to being old enough to be in a play like Logan and Kathleen. She loves to color and play ~ going through her day singing, and whenever she can get her hands on it, playing the guitar (although not with much, um, success, shall we say). Her newest favorite thing is to insist that Daddy and I meet under the mistletoe as soon as he gets home from work! I do love her ideas!! J 
Josiah is almost 19 months old! He is *all* boy! He goes about his day shooting his brothers, and climbing on this and getting into that, and being told, “No”. He chatters much, but doesn’t really say anything, although he communicates what he wants so clearly, that at this point I’m not sure if he’s ever going to *need* to talk! He spent his fall at football games, and thinks that he’s the next Brett Favre. Or somebody. He loves to kick the football, and if he has one small enough, will also try throwing it. It’s very fun to watch a toddler already picking up on the game. It provides a lot of entertainment around here, and is just another evidence of his big brothers’ love for him, and the amount of time they spend playing with him. Si also has a great sense of rhythm, and spends a good amount of time at my piano, with the drum beat going, bouncing up and down to it ~ he loves listening to music, and I am curious to see how that develops in him as he grows.
Well, I guess that leaves me! I’m another year older. J I have kept busy getting everyone to everything they were doing ~ did I say that I am *ecstatic* to have another driver in the family??? My days seem to be full of following the baby around saying, “Get down from there. Put that down. Put that back. Do I need to get the baby whopper? I said, get down.“ J He is still nursing, and I find that as I get older, I cherish that relationship with my babies more and more, and I appreciate having to sit down every few hours just to cuddle my baby! God seems to always have something new to teach me, or perhaps I am just a slow learner! Recently, I have been convicted about my attitude as I go about my day. Am I joyfully serving my husband and children? Or do I look at my calling as more of a chore? I desire for our home to be filled with the aroma of praise and joy, and so I am learning more and more how to rely on the Lord to infuse *me* with praise and joy so that it overflows onto those I love. 
If it's within his reach, or he can get a stool up to it, he's into it. He loves the tracking ball on the computer mouse (can't tell you how many times that has disappeared), the phone, board games, the camera, knives off the kitchen counter, anything with liquid in it (in a container you can spill of course), and most recently he has learned to work the water filter, so there is *always* water on my kitchen floor! It seems like most days I spend chasing him around, telling him, "No." "Josiah, get down." "Josiah, do I need to spank you?" (He has gotten very adept at re-directing himself at *that* question! LOL) And, cleaning up whatever he has gotten into.
Yesterday, our 3d boy, Garth, turned 12. How the time flies! It seems like yesterday that we were driving home after the first big blizzard of the year with our sweet little blue bundle.
Of course, when I married him, he wasn't quite so old! I look back on our wedding pictures, and he looks so young. Imagine, a 25 year old looking young. He has come a long way in the past 17 years. He has a strong work ethic, he is a good husband, wonderful father, and above all - he desires to be a godly man. I am so thankful for him. 
Who will they be? Where will they find them? At the tea Kathleen and I recently went to, one of the young ladies talked about having known her husband for a few years before he approached her father about courtship. By the time he was allowed to court her, she already knew his character, that he would be a godly leader, and someone she could love and submit to. 
But I would also like to find some other families for encouragement. Not only to receive, but to give as well. For our children to see, not only others their age living a set apart life, but to see young people that are a little older, who have gone through school, and are now embarking on a career, and marriage. I would love for them to find encouragement in those examples.
He is turning into a fine young man, but I find that the older he gets, the more worried I am that we have not done a thorough enough job in raising him in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Each new piece of freedom that we need to hand him, brings me varying degrees of panic. I'm sure some of that is just the controlling mother in me, but I so desperately want him to choose well. To not make the mistakes his father and I made as young people. I keep reminding myself that as a homeschooler, he has not had a lot of the bad influences that we had, but it brings me little comfort.
and start teaching her how to bake. I think she'll love that. She is such a chatterbox, and has so much energy that working with her can be a challenge, but she is such a blessing. So loving and accepting of everyone in her world. So many girls can be moody and clique-ish, but not her. She is a drama queen! ~which can lead to emotional extremes, but she quickly recovers to her cheerful norm - which is good. She loves to play with and talk to and love on the baby, and I think that she will be a wonderful mama someday. She is a good helper to me now, and I am thankful that she is getting old enough to really be a help. What a blessing to have children that are good workers, and enjoy being of use in the family. For them to realize that we all have a part to play, and each one is necessary! 
