I am noticing on my blog that my last couple of posts were not recorded, for what ever reason.  Our computer has been on the outs and I have been super busy.

Anyway, I had written a long post with Happy Birthday to my oldest son on the occasion of his 20th birthday.  I can't remember what I posted exactly but I posted how proud I am of him and what a blessing he is to me.  I posted about the day he was born and how much has changed since that day.  I posted about how thankful I am for he and his wife.  Well, just know I did it, anyway!  Happy Birthday, #1 son.  You will always be so special in this mom's heart.

My tadpoles are alive!

I'm so excited I just have to post.

A few weeks ago my three sons and I went to a neighbor's property and harvested frog eggs from a low flooded area near their road.  We got a LOT of tiny jelly-like eggs with black dots in the center.  We watched as the black dots lengthened and the jelly began to lessen.

Then an awful weekend of frigid temperatures came and I assumed all of the froglets had died.  The eggs were completely submerged in frozen-solid ice.  I put the clear plastic tub housing them out into the yard where the warm earth would be underneath, hoping that some sun would warm them and they would live after all.

The past few days I have seen nothing but slimy pond scummy water.  So today, the last warm day for awhile, I decided to go out to clean out the tub.  I must admit I was sad.  I loved my little froggies.

But when I tipped the tub, I saw movement.  I bent down to look closer and, lo, and behold, I saw very tiny tadpoles in my water!  Yeehaw!  At first I thought there was only one, but on closer inspection, I saw SEVERAL.  It's hard to say how many.  I was so excited!

I ran inside to get another frozen cube of prepared lettuce food.  The tadpoles are alive!

A good friend of mine lost her baby on this day 18 years ago.  This is a very hard day for her.  I'm praying for her right now.

My dishwasher is humming behind me and it is a nice sound.  It sounds like I am working hard to keep my family's dishes clean.  I'm not, but it's a nice sound anyway.

A newborn from our church is being taken to Children's Hospital right now.  I hurt for his parents and am praying for them as well.  It is so hard not to know...

I got to help my daughter-in-law make some cookies for Purim last night.  It was the highlight of my week, surely.  I had so much fun!

I offered my oldest at home a new pillow and mattress.  He flatly refused saying, "This is the best pillow and mattress I've ever had."  I think this is the ONLY pillow and mattress he's ever had since he left the baby bed.  (That seems like it was a couple of weeks ago.)

How many crumbs can a family of 6 make?  More than the stars in the sky, more than the grains of sand on the seashore, more than I love picking and cleaning up.  We need less crumby food! 

My youngest BABY is going to be 8 next Monday.  How did this happen?  Surely he is about 4 months old.  He gave me a huge hug this morning and rubbed my arm for about 15 minutes.  I love the age he is right now.  He is so sweet!

I am the hardest person in the world to live with...honestly.  I have been reading through The Love Dare book since New Years and I am repeatedly convicted about how I am the problem not only in my marriage but also in other relationships I have.

One area I really struggle with is encouragement.  I am not really a perfectionist, except in things that I really care about.    Like my children, my parenting, my homeschooling, oh, there are others.  I am hard on those closest to me because I somehow feel it is up to me to help them improve.  I feel like it is my job to conform them to the image I have set up in my mind of what perfect children and a perfect husband should look like.  I have very high expectations and they are seldom met.

But God has really been working on me in my marriage.  I married an imperfect man.  Shocking, I know.  But outside of the Lord Jesus, all men are imperfect.  And all too often I am seeing the speck in my husband's eye when there is an ugly log in my own. 

Because, you see, I am also imperfect.  I forget, I am rude, I am thoughtless and unkind.  I am selfish and self-absorbed.  I am a sinner as well.

I have got to quit being a fault-finder and start being an encourager.  I want to lift up my hubby when he falls and be there to give him a word of confidence and love.

I am so thankful that God is patient with me and loves me even when I don't deserve it.  In fact, He sent Jesus to die for me while I was still a dirty, rotten sinner.  I want to be more like my Lord.

"Encourage the exhausted and strengthen the feeble."  Isaiah 35:3

My dear hubby and I are going to be...GRANDPARENTS!!!  Isn't it just grand???

I remember the day I got married my grandmother (who lived next door) called my dad and told him that everyone needed to get together and have a big cry.

My dad called this nonsense.  He said that a wedding day was a happy day and that there was nothing, do you hear me NOTHING, to cry about.  He said this through clenched teeth.

Well, I was glad he was taking the high road and at least putting a happy face on my very happy day.  I couldn't understand why anyone would want to cry on a day such as that anyway.  My sister sniffled, or rather sobbed, though the entire ceremony.  Silly sap.

Well, now the proverbial shoe is on the other foot, as Eugene Meltsner would say.  And today is another big day that marks a passing of childhood for another of my children.

My #2 son will take the basketball floor tonight in his last home game as a Patriot homeschool basketball player.  He still has a few games left this year, but this will be senior night and signal the passing of his basketball career.

How can this be?  I am flooded with memories of sitting on bleachers watching this child play since he was about 7.  He played on three teams one year, even.  He is such the athlete and has always been SO much fun to watch.  I have often been amazed, often been proud.  He has made amazing plays from all over the court.  He has made the game winning 3-point shot and stolen the ball with seconds remaining to seal a win.  He sent the game to overtime one time and then scored 10 in overtime to lead to a win.  He has been MVP MANY times.  It has been so much fun.

This should not be a sad time for me.  I'm so happy he is growing into a godly young man with his eye to the future.  But there are just so many memories and a part of me doesn't want to let it go.  A very large part, the part often referred to as the heart.  I have often wished to cut that part out, and now is one of those times.  Well, not really.  But I am sad.

I will be cheering tonight and not crying, I hope.  But I do understand my grandmother -- and my dad.

Our dog, Jackson, is renowned.  He is famous all around our neighborhood.  That's quite an accomplishment for a dog who never leaves the back yard.  He is famous for...barking.

He barks at birds, grasshoppers and flying debris.  He barks at swaying branches, dripping water and cows.  But he mostly barks when things are moved from their usual place.  Like the garbage cans, which have a home on the driveway next to the house near his part of the yard. 

Jackson wants these cans turned the same way in the same configuration at all times.  Otherwise, he will bark incessantly.  Especially at night. 

Should a garbage can blow over, he is beside himself.  Should a can be put back (by the seven-year-old) in an improper place, he is livid.  And should the woman of the house put an old throw-away box on top of a can to await carrying off by the garbage man, Jackson is sent over the edge.

This scenario happened last week on Friday.  In my cleaning, I took an old partly torn box out to the garbage area.  I figured it should rest nicely on top of the garbage can until Garbage Pickup Day (one of the highlights of my week, by the way).  I knew Jackson would not like it but I wasn't feeling especially charitable toward Jackson since he had been on a barking binge for the whole week because of freezing rain, then melting ice.

Sure enough, Jackson lost no time barking his head off.  Of course, he did this from the safety of his domain, the deck (which has his house and food and water right near the back door).  Occasionally, he ventured down a few steps toward the offending box, but then retreated back in terror once he got a different view of the box.

Oh, did I mention that Jackson is terrified of most things and barks as a result?  This makes his barking humorous at times and just plain infuriating at others.  Can you feature a dog who weighs about 25 pounds afraid of a tiny spider not even weighing an ounce?  (Please don't bring up the mouse incident, honey.)

We endured Jackson's barking all afternoon on Friday.  I could foresee a night of endless barking.  I could have simply removed the box to the carport but the principle of the matter was that I was not going to lose this battle to a dog.  Especially not to a brainless, wimpy canine.  No, it was time for a lesson to be taught.

I gave a warning first.  I went to the back door, stepped out on the deck and told Jackson, "Quit that barking this instant or you will be so sorry!  You are barking at nothing but a box!"

My warning went unheeded, so I was forced to action.  I marched out the door, past the crazily barking dog, and grabbed the box.  As I got to the box, Jackson went into even more frenzied barking.  I picked up the box and Jackson ran around on the deck in sheer terror.  I marched back to the deck and put the box on Jackson's head.  Perhaps I threw it onto his head, I'm not too sure.  Then I held the box up to his face and shouted a tirade at him about intelligence, boxes and obedience to my commands about barking.  I put the box next to his house and told him he was going to have to sleep next to the box all night long.  Then I marched into the house.

My husband and daughter quickly straightened their faces and went back to what they were doing.  One of them had tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks but I pretended I didn't see. 

My dignity was intact and I had made my point.  I had taught a lesson. 

The next morning the box was slightly askew.  Jackson had torn off a little piece of it and left it right in front of the door as a present for me.

And you know what?  He didn't bark all night long, thank you very much.  Discipline that works, I tell you.

Trying a new recipe tonight that makes enough for about 20 it looks like...

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, browned

2 cans each of the following:

pinto beans

chili beans

tomato sauce

black beans

whole kernal corn

Rotel-style tomatoes

1 pint-size bottle of Ranch dressing

2 bottles of water

2 pkg. taco seasoning

Mix well and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for about an hour.  Serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese.

My kids are already drooling!  I'll let you know how it turns out but it smells terrific at this point.  As you can see, you could easily half this recipe for a smaller bunch.  We are wanting leftovers and are having someone over to eat so we want to have plenty.

I think part of getting older is realizing that life is composed of seasons.  I am in a different season than I was in my twenties, that's for sure.  This season is full of its own challenges and treasures.

Hubby preached on Sunday about letting go of the past and pressing on to the future.  We have to let go of the mistakes as well as the victories of the past.  They make us who we are; they are important to learn from and to build upon.  But they are not the present.

Today was a little strange, no very strange.

And it wasn't that we studied about snakes and their various unusual qualities like being able to unhinge their jaws in order to eat their prey whole (complete with pictures).  It also wasn't that we watched a video on the Korean War that was really too realistic and death is just depressing.  It wasn't even that my sons argued over two pieces of chicken and the oldest one still at home chose the largest piece and divided the smaller piece among his younger brothers ("if we say we have no sin we make him out to be a liar").

It was strange because I accomplished everything on my to-do list by around 2:00.  Then I read some to my boys, read some to myself and cooked.  I fely unmotivated to tackle some large project (hear that purse calling out to me?).  It was strange because for a little while I was....oh, no, I can't say it....bored.

When my children use that word it is almost a dirty word.  There are just too many things to do around her to be bored.  Here, I'LL give you something to do. 

But for about 2 hours this afternoon I was bored and now I feel terribly guilty.  I feel like I should have accomplished something during that span.  I should have gotten clothes together for the upcoming Growing Kids Sale.  I should have started my purse, or finished the book cover I'm working on, or reorganized the schoolroom or cleaned the insides of the windows.  But no, I sat on the couch and read a sale circular and was kinda down and lonely.

Go figure.  I haven't felt this way in a very long time.  Not sure I like it.  But oh, the happiness, dinner and evening are crowding in.  Goodbye strangeness!  Hello overwhemed momma!

My second son turned 18 yesterday.  I had a wonderful day with him; teasing him and being teased, listening to him play his guitar, talking with him about renewing his license and registering with Selective Service, and watching him get excited once more about his birthday dinner and opening presents.  I am praying that God will let me treasure these times, because I do know that they are fleeting.

This is a special son in so many ways.  I thought he was a girl the whole time I was pregnant and was SO surprised when his wonderful doctor announced, "It's a boy!"  The first thing that came to my mind was, "Are you sure?" 

He was prayed for like probably no other child we have.  We had some dear friends who fasted and prayed for him the whole day before he was born.  Wow, that was pretty special.  He came into the world two weeks early partly because my brother-in-law made me laugh so hard that labor started.  This child has been funny ever since.

Here are some wonderful things I love about son #2

1)He makes me and most everyone else laugh.  He has always been incredibly cute and funny.  Even as a toddler, he would smile and tilt his head at me and I couldn't help but laugh.

2)He is very self-motivated.  I do not have to worry about his work ethic or his diligence.  (Homeschooling moms, take heart!  I could not have said this when he was 8!)

3)He is a wonderful friend.  He has lots and I think I'm one of them.  He always has time to listen and just has a way of encouraging.

4)He is sensitive.  This has always been true.  He has a tender heart.

5)He is growing by leaps and bounds in his relationship with the Lord.  I am so thankful!  He may have been prayed for more than any of my other children also!  God answers prayer!

6)He is open to suggestion.  This can be a wonderful quality or a horrible one.  But as he grows older, it is becoming so precious to his dad and me.  He listens to our advice.

7)He is great at playing the guitar (and singing and even the piano when he wants to be).  He has a real musical talent that is God-given.  We are thankful he praises the Lord with his music!

8)He is great at basketball or any sport he attempts.  He was a gifted 2-year-old athletically.  He swims like a fish, throws like an NFL quarterback and is fast as the wind.  If we had led him differently, he could have easily gotten an athletic scholarship to college.

9)He takes care of himself.  Maybe being the second of 5 and the second son has helped with this.  He tied his shoes at age 4 and drove almost without help.  He pays for and maintains himself gladly.  He is not dependent.

10)He is a leader.  He is able and willing to take charge and leads people in a godly way.  Whether it is coaching from the floor or leading in youth worship, he can be the leader of the pack.

There are lots of other great things about #2 but this is enough.  He never reads this blog so he'll probably never know that I wrote these things, so maybe his head won't swell too badly!

Happy 18th Birthday to my second son!  The world sees you as a man now but you've had many manly qualities for a long time.  We are thankful for you and proud of the wonderful young man you are!

I just cannot believe it is 2009 already.  I remember when 2000 came and I never thought I'd see that one!

I have prayed and asked God what He would have me focus on in my character for this year.  And He has given to me a few verses and some insight:

"Love is patient."  I Corinthians 13:4

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."  Ephesians 4:2

"He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly."  Proverbs 14:29

Do you see a pattern here?  And I kid you not, I started going through The Love Dare book and the first chapter was on patience.

God knows I am sorely lacking in this area.  Not only do I not have patience with others around me, I don't have patience with myself.  I have mental lists of what everyone (including me) should be doing differently.

I want this year to be a year in which I exhibit patience.  I think the very essence of a "gentle and quiet spirit" (I Peter 3:4) is patience.  Mercy flows out of patience.  I cannot love the way God loves without patience in my life.

I have been memorizing Scriptures on patience and praying that God would help me to have patience (all day long).  I bought a purse pattern and am going to try to sew a purse that is a little difficult.  I don't just love sewing, but I will love the patience that it brings.  In fact, shopping for the materials for the purse stretched my patience almost beyond endurance levels.  I have to stop, take a deep breath, and patiently gather one material at a time, not fully understanding how I will use it.

As I am beginning to try to learn about patience in my own life, I am reminded again of how patient our God is.  The Bible talks repeatedly of his lovingkindness toward us.  Rather than wiping out the human race or even the nation of Israel for repeated unspeakable offenses, God has throughout time shown an incredible patience with His creation.  How I pray that this year God would give me patience with my husband, children, family and church family.  I want to have calm in the midst of this turbulent life.  I want God to be seen in my life and glorified because He is worthy.

I want to give others around me permission to be human.  I want to give myself room to make a mistake and live to the other side.  I want to release others from the pressure I sometimes levy.  I want to be a quiet wife and mother with a heart tuned in to the Savior.

I'm sure God has much more He wants to teach me in 2009, but I know He is convicting me of my need for patience.

We had a wonderful few days with friends and family and are now trying to return to "normal" life.  What is "normal" anyway?

Just a recap of last week for posterity's sake (and because my memory gets worse every day and I may have forgotten by tomorrow):

1)Had a wonderful Christmas eve with a short visit from son and daughter-in-law and a very nice Christmas eve candlelight service at church.  Daughter played the violin with my piano playing and it was very nice.  I love this service.  It is a neat way to focus on what Christmas really is all about.  My heart was really stirred.

2)Watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (old version, of course) and played Apples to Apples with immediate family before reading the last episode of "Jotham's Journey" before the Christmas morning one.

3)Got up "early" on Christmas morning to find that two youngest sons had passed out all gifts and were waiting expectantly to open.  Of course, we read the Christmas story and prayed first.  Fun, fun when the crew opened the Wii last.  Hubby and I each gave the other one "The Love Dare."  Should be interesting to go through it almost simultaneously.  (Actually, I've already started and I don't think he's cracked the book yet.  :))

4)Went to Granny and Pa's for a huge Mexican feast and time with hubby's family.  So good to see nephews that we see pretty rarely anymore.  I loved those critters when they were little guys.  One who shall remain nameless used to take my shoes off and kiss my feet...

5)Had Wii tournament and developed a sore arm.  Nothing like daughter's.  She is now pro on several games.  It's disgusting.

6)Went on Friday to visit with my side of the family and have Christmas with them.  We had a very different kind of day.  Had a weiner roast and bonfire and outdoor kind of day.  Very fun.  Hubby and I got new pillows because ours are like flat pancakes.  We still feel like we are sitting straight up in bed.  :)

7)Went to Hog game on Saturday!  Blowout game but lots of fun with around 40 of our basketball people.  That was a fun time.  We yelled and acted very silly.

8)In the middle of all that I ate way too much chocolate and junk.  Now I feel like a beached whale in need of about 24 straight hours of workout.

Our Christmas was really fun and I especially enjoyed being with family.  Our church family and friends are pretty special too and it was neat to share time with them.  I am blessed beyond belief and am so thankful to God who is the giver of all good gifts.  Merry Christmas everyone!

Okay, I admit that I haven't had time to post and barely glance at my email every other day.  These holidays are pretty busy!  But....I just had to post a little holiday help for those of you young homemakers who read my blog.

Don't EVER make candy without a candy thermometer.

Otherwise, you may end up with a hard, ugly blob of goo with nuts just rolling right off it.  Don't ask me how I know this, but it's true.

Another tidbit, the best part of the holidays for this mom is when her seven-year-old says, "Mom, you are so beautiful," when I have had about 4 hours of sleep and haven't showered or even brushed my hair.  Also, another great gift was when hubby said I was the best present he'd get this Christmas.  Awww...

Sometimes gifts are not under the tree... or hidden in the dark recesses of the closet to be found next June in late spring cleaning!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Do you ever have a bad attitude and know it?  I did yesterday.

I was supposed to make a large batch of cut-out gingerbread-man-type sugar cookies for a big missions emphasis we were doing last night with our children at church.  I knew about it way ahead of time, but my week has been rather busy and I hadn't had any time to make them ahead of time.  Besides, they are better eaten the day they are baked.  I asked a dear friend to decorate the cookies for me since I knew I would really be short on time since I, you know, homeschool. 

I guess my frustration came in the feeling that I felt like some people think that because I homeschool my whole day is pretty much free to work on hobbies, etc.  I also whined that the preacher's wife has to do EVERYTHING.  Bwahahaha!  Can't you just hear me? 

Really the truth is that I volunteered to do this probably a month ago.  I wanted to help out in this really neat project.  My real frustration was in my own self.  I felt like I just couldn't get it all done and I resented that I was not enjoying this task.  (Also, my kitchen was a mess which makes it hard to do sugar cookies and my children all wanted to eat lunch -- imagine! and I was behind on some school projects that I wanted to do with them and our printer collapsed ruining several school-related things.)  I realized that the real problem was that I had expectations that my day was going to run smoothly and be organized and joyful and things were not working that way at all.

My poor husband listened to me gripe (not much, because these children are EVERYWHERE :)).  Finally after a poor hour or so brooding and pouting and slamming, I heard God's voice speaking to me pretty clearly.  Wow, that is so humbling.

This is what my heart heard:

"You are not doing this for her or for him or for even your husband or your children or the children at church who will learn about ministering to people all over the world (how cool is that?).  You are doing this for me, your God and your Savior."

Do I whine and pout and stomp around when my Lord Jesus Christ asks me to do something?  I told my husband that I was just TOO busy and I needed to drop out of things.  He said I should only do what the Lord wants me to do.  I asked him in a whiny voice, "But how can I know what that is?  EVERYBODY wants me to do SOMETHING."  He wisely didn't answer, letting me have time to think about it.

This is what I thought:

"Whatever ou do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving."  (italics mine) (Colossians 3:23-24)

It doesn't matter what I do, or who asks me to do something or why they asked me.  I am working for the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is my Master and my Boss. 

And yesterday I was a poor "employee" and child.  He asks me to give him my life and I want him to take all of me.  Lord, forgive me for taking my life back and whining about what you have given me to do.  Forbid that I would only do what I want to do, like a spoiled child.  Mold me to your desires and wishes.  Teach me, and stretch me.  Make me into the servant you want me to be.  Please give me a heart that joyfully and willingly does whatever I can.

Okay, one more homeschooling word....

If you have never dissected something with your children, you should!  It is so cool!

This week we dissected owl pellets after studying for a few weeks about rodents.

Owl pellets are the regurgitated remains of rodents eaten by an owl, in this case a barn owl.  The owl eats the rodent whole, then spits up a hardened ball of fur and bones which are indigestible. 

We received two foil-wrapped balls in the mail last week and began gently tearing into them yesterday.  It was so neat to find bones packed in with all the fur.  One of our pellets even had three skulls in it!  So cool!  We tried to reconstruct the bones to see which rodent our owl had eaten.  Our guess was mice all the way around but for awhile we considered small rabbits.

This is a great way to learn the anatomy of rodents (or of most any vertebrate).  I will admit there were some protests when we got started, but everyone was thrilled by the end. 

We ordered ours from Home Science Tools.

We are fast approaching the end of the weekly mothering class that has been meeting here for the past five weeks.  I have gotten so much from this study and just wish I could have implemented more of it when my children were younger.  I love the focus not just on outward behavior, but on the state of the heart of children.  We have had lively and very helpful discussion times and even the teens attending have contributed!

I really recommend Ginger Plowman's book "Don't Make Me Count to Three" and the video series "Reaching the Heart of Your Child." 

Well, it's certainly been a long time since I posted.  I have been so busy!  My life with my family has kinda taken over, and that's just really okay!

Here are some random things we have been up to:

1) Played in two tournaments over two consecutive weekends.  We stayed overnight for the last one and witnessed 12 games in under 24 hours.  Wow, that was exhausting.  I kept the book for MANY of those games, but I lost count of exactly HOW many.

2)We bought some new furniture for the living room (after much looking and price-comparing and discussing).  It is basically what hubby wanted and it's lovely.

3)We deep cleaned the house and rearranged in anticipation of Thanksgiving.  My whole family (20 people this year) came over the day after Thanksgiving.

4)Cooked turkey, potatoes, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole, corn casserole and not sure what else for said Thanksgiving dinner.  We had a really fun day and watched the Hogs beat LSU!  My 86-year-old grandmother called after she got home to say she was really thankful about that!

5)We went to hubby's sister's house for Thanksgiving day and had a wonderful time.  Hubby and I walked in the woods and dreamed some more about a small house in our woods.  Then we went to visit some dear friends who live in the area.

6)I had a sore throat and fatigue after so much fun!  I had to take a day to just recouperate.

7)I got back test results from the rheumatologist that said I do NOT have rheumatoid arthritis after all.  Yeah!  Looks like I just have osteoarthritis resulting from that nasty Fifth's Disease I had about six years ago.  I'm taking some vitamin supplements and doing some herbal remedies.  I'm so thankful I'm not going to be crippled on down the road.  God is good to me!

8)Hubby emceed the annual Pregnancy Help Center Banquet again this year.  It was really neat and we were so honored to be a part of it.

9)A dear church member has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.  So sad and so sudden.  We are praying and praying...

What else?  Well, everything else escapes me for the moment.  This week we are back at regular school and it really seems much more laid back.  Laundry issues overwhelmed me for a few days, but now I am getting back on top of that mountain of laundry and beating it down.

One quick word of thanks:  Thanks to my Lord for giving me so many blessings and such a full life.  I owe everything to Him.  He is always good to me.

Well, today is my dear daughter's 15th birthday.  Yesterday she and I went resale shopping (so fun!) and we went out to eat last night after the basketball tournament that my son played in (way to go, champions and MVP to boot!).  She and the same brother stayed up last night to watch Princess Bride (a favorite of theirs).  Then today we had a celebrate precious daughter kind of day.

We ate her favorite foods for lunch:

*Fried Chicken

*French Fries

*Gravy

*Macaroni and Cheese

*Garlic Cheese Oatmeal Bread

*Green Beans (I threw those in for something at least somewhat healthy)

Then for dessert, we had Caramel Sour Cream Pound Cake.  It was so rich!

She got a pair of jeans, Apologetics Study Bible, earphone, two shirts and some jewelry from us parents.  :)  Then, her brothers got her some cool stuff.  #4 child got her some jewely flip flops that are hot pink. ; #5 child got her a little makeup kit and #2 got her a new Anberlin CD.  Plus all the stuff we got yesterday for around $25!. 

I love my little girl and here are just some of the reasons why:

1)She laughs at my jokes and just laughs a lot period.  She is fun to be around.

2)She loves to get a bargain -- and is very thrifty.

3)She helps me with EVERYTHING.  I can count on her to fix dinner and straighten the house when I'm gone.

4)She is a very good student and is very bright.

5)She is compassionate and wants to help others.

6)She is very committed to the Lord and is faithful to serve Him in whatever way she can.

7)She wants to be a missionary and is studying Spanish with that goal in mind.

8)She will do what I want even when she doesn't understand why.

9)She plays the violin and the piano beautifully.

10)She's my buddy!

I love you, girl!  Have a great birthday!

Last night daughter and I hosted a mothering class based on the DVD series "Reaching the Heart of Your Child" by Ginger Plowman.  It went very well and we had 11 attendees.  We watched about half of the first video, then had about 50 minutes of lively discussion.

I was especially thankful that four of the teenaged young ladies of our church came.  They listened intently but at times also had some pretty neat insights.  We had mothers of older children as well as several with very young children. 

I was struck by a number of things that really spoke to my heart.  One was:  "You reap what you sow, you reap later than you sow, and you reap more than you sow."  This parenting thing is like planting a garden.  It takes lots of patience and hard work and you don't see results until MUCH later.  Mrs. Plowman said, "Don't expect your five-year-old to rise up and call you blessed when you discipline in a biblical way."  How true.

Also, I was struck by the focus that I need as a parent not just on outward behavior, but the inward roots of such behavior.  It is not enough to have my children follow rules and exhibit the outward signs of a well-behaved child.  I want them to have a heart relationship with Jesus Christ.  I don't want them to learn from my discipline that behavior is all that matters, because that will lead them into a shallow walk with the Lord.  I want to reach the very depths of their hearts because the heart governs behavior.  We act out of what is inside us.  How I want my children's hearts to be loving and seeking after God.

I am excited that we are doing this study and I am excited for these young ladies and moms who are seeking God's vision for their parenting.