Jan. 28, 2008 - Goodbye!!
As the new year approached, I had every intention of posting a 'year in review' of sorts, about each member of my precious family, but...well, it just didn't happen. So I will do that now, as part of a 'goodbye' on Homeschoolblogger, and an introduction on Blogger.
Me, myself and I. You already know the basics, so let's skip to 2007. I learned a whole lot about theology this year that I never knew before. I never really learned to read the Bible for myself until this past year. Sounds weird, but I think that's true of most Christians. We mostly read the Bible with a filter in our brain, programmed to interpret the way we've been taught. Most of us are taught with a calvinist worldview. I learned to see the pagan greek influence in much of Christian teaching and it has opened my eyes so much to who God really is. This year I have discovered a lot about myself as well. Good things, and bad. I am much more politically minded than I ever thought I would be. After the partial birth abortion ban that passed in 2007, and discovering what it really said and what a waste of time and money it was on the pro-life front, a true passion for saving the lives of the unborn, and the sick and helpless, was ignited within my soul. I have cemented some good relationships, and lost a few, as well. And the most memorable moment of 2007, was having baby G in September. It truly is euphoric to have a new baby in my arms, there is no better way to describe it!
My darling husband, Brian. He is an amazing man, encompassing all that a godly man should be, and more. Besides tall, dark and handsome, he is funny, intelligent, hard-working and persevering. He is a good listener, so much so that he gets pulled into mini-counseling sessions by perfect strangers. He is really good at communicating with people, he knows how to figure out where someone is coming from to understand what they're trying to say. He isn't afraid to be wrong, and openly admits when he is. He is self-sacrificing, almost to a fault. This past year has been one of many trials in his work, dealing with financial difficulties of the small business he owns; balancing the strain it puts on the many family relationships involved; taking a company that was facing incredible debt when he obtained it, and bringing it out of the red more and more with each passing quarter. It has been hard, and he has done it all with amazing calm. Concerning our family, he has our welfare as his utmost priority, and everything he does, he does for us. He is my hero!
A turned 7 this year, and he amazes me every day. He is a hard worker, just like his daddy. He is funny, and likes to make people laugh. He loves to build things with K'nex! He has an interest in magic, after seeing a magician show at the local children's museum. And he's pretty good - learns tricks very easily by himself. I am most impressed with his knowledge and how he stores the facts that he learns. He has a passion for creation science, stemming, no doubt, from listening to Jonathon Park Adventures. We gave him his first Bible for his 7th birthday, and he reads it daily on his own and really enjoys it.
Miss M... So many different things all wrapped up in one package! She has a fiery spirit, and definitely is our strong-willed child. This year she has really enjoyed all the experiences of having a new baby, from pregnancy on. She was much more interested in all the goings-on of my baby-belly, the movements, how I was feeling. And she was always wanting to hold G and help, and watch diaper changes and baths. It has been fun to see her interest in 'how to be a mommy' grow now that she's a little older and able to understand more of what's going on. Until this year, she has always been A's little shadow, and more interested in keeping up with him than playing 'girl things' with R. But now I see the sisterhood blooming between them at an exponential rate. It's really neat to see!
Miss R has always been a little mommy. She's always been the one to play with the baby dolls, while M never really did (she was too busy keeping up with A). R likes to have N to be in charge of, which she tends to take too far at times, but many times she is very helpful and loving to him, and N usually loves letting her take care of him. It is adorable to watch...until there's a collision!-LOL R loves crafts more than anyone; cutting and pasting is one of her favorite activities. She loves to compliment people, too, and will always find something to compliment for everyone she comes into contact with - their hair, shirt, shoes, whatever! It's adorable!
N, so many things, so little time. He has changed ever-so-much this year. It has been a true joy to live each day without the pain and suffering he formerly endured. Our entire family is much more at peace now that N is feeling better. While he still has many health challenges (frequent eczema flares, asthma, multiple food allergies, being extremely sensitive/reactive to the environment, possibly others we have yet to diagnose), they no longer keep him from doing daily activities and other things a normal 2-year-old boy enjoys (except camping...but maybe in a year or two). He began 2007 at 15 months of age and not even walking or talking yet. Now he's running and jumping all over the place, and is a constant stream of one-liners and preschool songs. He LOVES to help with any and every project or task, and in fact can be quite offended if he is not 'allowed' to help! He is our only lefty (so far), and it's fun to see how that makes him different - more musically and art inclined than the others were at the same age.
G gets 2 pictures because he has changed so very much in the short time he's been a part of our family. From a little peanut to quite a large walnut...actually, a small sapling. :) Now all my kiddos have been 'off the chart' (as in, growth chart) during their first several months, but G has far surpassed them all. But he is still little in many other ways. He is a content, sweet baby. He loves to watch the chaos around him, and you can see the wheels turning as he watches his brothers - storing the images of the jumps, runs, bounces and wrestling - only to be played out when he comes of age. He is very talkative, jibber-jabbering all the time; and he's really always been that way - he was cooing from day one, even in his sleep. He is very snuggly, always wrapping an arm around my shoulder when I pick him up. I love those hugs!!
So that's me and my family, in a 2007 nutshell.
Please come and say hello over at Blogger!!
~Lindsay
Comments
May. 2, 2008 - Adorable Family
Posted by Dani
Hi Lins - Just wanted to say how beautiful your family is. I hope we can meet in person one day soon. Just love those chubby cheeks on baby N - makes me wanna squeeze him to pieces.
