(To participate in "Tightwad Tuesday with Canadagirl," click on the graphic above or in my sidebar.)

It has been a rough few days...from previous posts and my whining on several C-boxes, you know that first my refrigerator stopped working; 2 or 3 days later, Sunday evening, my double-oven wouldn't work.  I had a repairman out Monday...it turned out to be a self-cleaning feature, the locking latch, that was unknowingly shifted enough that it wouldn't allow the circuit to connect, so the oven wouldn't ignite...that's painful when you pay $129 to have someone slide a latch on the door over 3 inches to "repair the problem." 

Two hours after the oven was back up and running, right before dinnertime, my kitchen sink backed up. 

At this stage, it's almost comical to me.  You see, I was supposed to host 40 people here for a Reformation Day Party Saturday (Oct. 31st)!  I say that I "Was supposed to" because we've gone with the backup location, a community center room that God was sooooo good to impress upon me to reserve, just in case the group got too big for my house!  The group isn't really too big, but the problems going on in my kitchen ARE!  We're serving dinner to the group, so the situation is just impossible.

BUT...that's not my Tightwad Tuesday post for today.  (There's nothing tightwadish about the $$$ that's just flown out of my house in the form of repair costs!)  That's just the background to what I have!  

That evening (Monday), after the oven repairman came over and my sink backed up, my dear friend, Nan, and her 4 teenage sons came over.  It was the final "rehearsal" day for what we're calling "The Band of Brothers."  This group is Bryan and Nathan, plus their good buddies, these 4 awesome brothers from our church, who are doing the presentation portion of our Reformation Party.  Well, the other 4 guys are doing the presentation...they've invited Bryan and Nathan to join them in singing one of the hymns of the Reformation, "Rise Up O Men of God."  They thought I was just taking photos of them singing...but I was sneaky, and video'd them!  Got the last two verses:

As for the camo gear...we ran into the guys recently at a Hunting and Fishing Expo (a wonderful surprise!), and they said they found a guy at a booth selling old camo wear for a couple bucks!  Bryan (closest on the right) already had camo jacket and pants, but Nathan (closest on the left, with the guitar) was holding out for a sale price...well, he found it!  His camo jacket that he bought had some rips in the shoulder, so the man sold it to him for $1.00!!!  They all bought camo jackets that day, and they come over for hymn practice wearing them.  It's so funny, if you saw them hanging out somewhere, you'd wonder "what these kids in the camo gear are up to"...and then they start to sing Reformation hymns!

OK, so this isn't technically a true Tightwad Tuesday post...but I just wanted to share the video, and Nathan did find the jacket for a buck...

Have a wonderful week, and I'll post some pics and video of the Reformation Party in my Weekly Wrap-up on Sunday!

Blessings,

Lori

So, as you now know, we came home from a wonderful trip to Harvest Home Farm last week Sunday, and within a few days found we had a "dead" refrigerator on our hands.  The repairman came out and, for $230, fixed the "little button thingy that popped it's lid."  No kidding...that's what he said!  OK...well, the thing's running again.  But it didn't feel too cold in there.  Hmmmm...

I took my thermometer (instant read meat thermoometer from P. Chef...it always reads my room temps exactly on with what the thermostat says it is, and it goes down to zero degrees Fahrenhiet, so I figure it'll be accurate.  I've checked over the last 48 hours (the repair guy said it can take up to 48 hours for the fridge to fully cool down), first with the fridge empty, so nothing is stealing heat.  It reads 40 degrees.  (Fridges need to be 32 to 40 degrees MAX in order to slow bacterial growth on food...so 40 degrees, with the cooling level set at max cold is NOT good.  Then, I added some things like a bottle of milk and a carton of OJ, some applesauce, lettuce in the crisper.  Very little stuff...everything's still in the spare fridge and in coolers with ice, which are on my kitchen floor now, nothing that would be a mojor heat-stealer.  I leave that for 24 hours.  Checked it today, it's 42 degrees in there. 

HOORAY!!!  I get a new fridge!!! 

I've been wanting one for years now!  So, I spend a nice afternoon online, looking at Sears.com for fridges that'll fit the space we have (it's an odd configuration...short but wide).  Kevin (dh) left at 2pm for a business trip, he'll be home Wednesday evening.  Saturday, we're having 40+ people here for a Reformation Day party...not a great time for the fridge to break down, but Sears is fast, and I should have the new one delivered and installed by Wednesday, so it'll be good to go by Thursday evening , I'm sure, to be loaded with stuff.  Sound good? 

Ooooooh, Nooooooo!

So, my mom and dad miss us (they live 15 min. away, but we've been gone weekends this month, so haven't gotten together much)...and with Kev gone, I thought, "come over for dinner Sunday evening."  Sounds good, Mom says..."let me bring the dinner, scalloped potatoes and ham."  Yummmmm!  So, they're due to arrive at 4pm.  At 3:45pm, she called and asked us to preheat the oven to 375 degrees, as the casserole will need about 30 minutes to finish cooking, and it'll be ready to eat around 4:45pm.  No problem, we preheat, they arrive, casserole goes in the hot oven, and we settle down to chat. 

15 minutes later, Mom goes to check on the casserole and to stab the potatoes to see how soft they are getting.  "Um, Lori?  Your oven isn't hot."  What?  It was hot when I put the dish in, I even burned my finger on the oven rack as I was sliding the pan in.  "Well, I can put my hand on the oven rack now, and it's barely warm any more." 

I went over to the oven and checked it, and, sure enough, it was cooling down.  The control was set at 375.  I turned it off and back on...nothing.  It's a gas oven (double oven, this was the top one), so we should here the gas turn on and the flame light...it didn't.  I turned it off, and tried the lower oven...nothing.  The preheat lights never came on. 

Down to the fuse box in the basement to check there...nope, all is well.  I tuned them off and back on, just for good measure, but nothing changed.  The stove works and lights, so there's not an issue with the gas, and the fan and the oven lights and stovetop light are all working, so it's not a lack of power.  Something happened that doused the flame in the ovens, and they won't go back on.  We didn't do anything, just put in a casserole into a seemingly healthy, preheated oven! 

So, one month ago I paid the Sears guys $200 to fix my dryer, which wouldn't heat.  On Friday, I paid the Sears guy $230 to fix a button thingy that made my fridge cold, but not cold enough.  I just made and appointment for the Sears guy to come out tomorrow (Monday) to look at why my oven won't heat...with the starting cost at $120 for the visit and all labor...but parts and "incidentals" are extra.  What are "incidentals?"  I'm almost afraid to find out. 

Welcome back home...I want to pack up my suitcases and the coolers and head back up to a cabin in Wisconsin.  *Sigh*

God Bless, and thank you for stopping by!

(To join Friday Show n Tell with Canadagirl, click on the graphic above
or link to Canadagirl's blog from my "Friends" Section)

I've had a crummy-sort-of evening.  It's Thursday, about 10:30pm, and I just finished the job pictured below...so I thought I'd post it now for my Friday S&T!  I hadn't planned on cleaning out my refrigerator and freezer tonight.  Actually, I was looking forward to finally making my applesauce before the apples start going soft.  But the fridge got warm during the day, and by evening we realized it when we poured a glass of congealed milk that had been fine this morning.  I am hoping and praying that the machine is just dead...I really don't like my fridge!  But I know, I know, and I am grateful to even have a fridge!  And now I have a sparkly clean non-working fridge!

Freezer:

Fridge:

 The Sears repairman comes tomorrow afternoon, so I get to sit home from noon to possibly 5pm until he arrives.  Actually, sitting at home doesn't sound too bad right now!  Especially the sitting part!  (My back hurts...I hate washing refrigerators!)

I'll probably work on my revived skill of knitting...thanks, Mary!  (That would be Canada Girl Mary...)  I'm making myself a scarf.  I got goofed up and forgot, shortly after starting, whether I was knitting or purling, so my stitches reversed a bit, but I like how it looks on the end, so I'll just do it again when I finally get to the other end, so it'll match!  It is relaxing to knit, but sometimes makes me sleepy, it's rather hypnotic!

Have a wonderful weekend, thank you for stopping by!  Be sure to leave a comment, so I can visit YOU next!  God bless you!

~Lori

Waiting Upon the Lord...A Young Man with a  Big Dream  

Philippians 1:6 ~ "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

This verse refers to the completion, at the return of Christ, of the spiritual work that He began in us...we are, in this life on earth, a constant "work in progress."  If we yield our lives to His will, and follow His path, He will carry on the work of the Master Potter upon our "lump of clay lives."  Of course, our work and vocations are merely a part of the way that God molds and uses us to share the Gospel of Faith, and the Gospel of the Kingdom.  He gives us a path to follow, if we have hearts attuned to His leading, and those paths are to satisfy His purposes.  For Bryan, this seems - more and more each day -  to be a path that includes farming and sheep. 

We had a wonderful visit to the Harvest Home Farm in Whitehall, Wisconsin, the weekend of
October 9.

We left Chicagoland on Friday late morning, and arrived "Up North" in the beautiful hills of Mississippi River Country, southwestern Wisconsin, around dinnertime.   Our accomodation for the weekend was a lovely little guest cottage called the "Granary Guesthouse."  (That's our little station wagon...the guest quarters are upstairs, while the lower level is used for storage at this time.)

It has a bedroom with a queen bed, plus a double futon.  We brought along a cot for Nathan to sleep on, as he and Bryan can no longer fit in a full size bed together!  Here are the boys during our evening of "Settlers of Catan" playing...the best game in the world!

Part of the reason for our visit (the main part!) was to hopefully initiate a discussion with the folks who run Harvest Home Farm about the possibility of Bryan doing an old-fashioned apprenticeship there.  We had met with our pastor, Gary, and his wife the week prior to our trip, to ask their counsel about it (they are old friends with one of the founders of the Farm), as they know of Bryan's desire to become a sheep farmer.  Gary indicated that he had not mentioned anything to them about Bryan or us, so we knew that we would be "hitting them blind" with this idea.  His advice was just to go and "feel the situation out, see how it goes."   

I'm a pretty spontaneous person when the situation arises...spontaneously.  But I do NOT like being "spontaneous" when I have to plan to be!  I like to know things will procede in advance, to have a plan in mind.   So this was not what I had hoped for.  But, over the years, I have learned that God is wayyyy better at handling Bryan's life than I am!  And so, I agreed with Him that I would trust, and wait. 

I asked Him to show us when the time was right to discuss an apprenticeship, if it was right, by having THEM bring it up, by having THEM lead us into the conversation.  Perhaps they would ask for some help with chores while we were there, and they'd see how capable Bryan is, and mention how nice it would be to have someone who could help with the work.  We prayed, and asked many of you, our "bloggy-friends," to pray during the week before our trip that God would go before us, and prepare their hearts; that He would make them feel and sense a great need for help, and then see that Bryan would be just the right one to meet that need. 

Upon arrival, we were greeted by 5 dogs (border collies plus one lab) and several sweet barn kitties.  These two agreed to pose and smile for us when we promised they'd be famous in bloggy-land:

Mike and Becky, homeschooling parents of 4 children ages 14 down to 4, live on and "run" the farm.  They have great hearts for ministry, and Becky has a lovely desire to exercise what seems to be a gift of hospitality...but the work of the farm keeps them so busy, it can be difficult.  Harvest Home Farm is, first and foremost, a place of ministry.  Visitors to the farm get to connect with the land, the animals, and farm-life, of course, but the primary goal is to connect them with their Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ, through the many Scriptural analogies to sheep, shepherds, and the agrarian life.  It is a fantastic place, with a fantastic story to go with it.  (Do take a moment to take the link I've provided on the right side of my blog and visit Harvest Home Farm after you finish here!) 

Our first few moments with Mike made it clear that he had no idea what had brought us to the Farm for the weekend.  We were, as far as he knew, just a family from Chicagoland, visiting the Farm for a nice weekend get-away. And that was true!  His father-in-law, Larry Guthrie (remember him from Part 5 of this tale?), and his wife were both out of town.  Larry had been our "connection" to Harvest Home Farm, and was one of the "founders" of the place and its ministry.  Given this set of circumstances, the realization that we would, in all likelihood, not  be discussing a possible apprenticeship for Bryan was a bit of a disappointment, but at least we knew it from the outset.  OK, Lord...You know absolutely best!  We will wait, and just have this wonderful weeknd of refreshment, and a chance to simply observe, be a blessing to them with our work, if they need help, and get to know one another better.  Thank you for making it so clear right away!  We do not need to wait and wonder!

The next day, Saturday, dawned clear and CRISP.  That's COLD!  At least the forecast snow had held off; we were expecting 2 inches of the stuff, and were NOT mentally prepared for it!  We were physically prepared, with plenty of warm coats, hats, mittens, and boots.  Mike has lots of mowed paths which guests can follow to take wonderful hikes up...up...UP to the top of the ridge for spectacular views of the valley and the farm!  The first photo below is almost all the way up, but not quite!  The last one is all the way up:

A turn to the left takes you around to the group camp area, complete with campfire ring and volleyball nets, and there is a path down to a lovely pond for fishing:

A turn to the right (from the top of the ridge) takes you around and back down...and along the way you pass a lovely bluff where they've set up a trap-shooting range,

and then you go down, down, DOWN to the lovely pastures area:

If you're getting the idea in your head that "this place is BEAUTIFUL!"...I want to tell you that the photos don't even tell it all.  Harvest Home Farm is a place that displays the majesty of the Creator.  It is just breathtaking!

After the wonderful hiking, we helped Mike and Becky unload some hay bales into the barn.  Becky and I had a little time to chat about the Farm and her life on it, and what they love about it.  I bit my tongue as she told me about the dreams that she had to serve their future guests (once they get guest cabins built) and the lovely hospitality touches she'd like to put in practice (once they get a commercial kitchen built, but they have to move the barn first) and the yarn she'd love to spin from the wool they shear (once she has time, which seems as though it's years away)...these things that God has gifted her to do and laid upon her heart, but that they just can't because it's all they can do to keep the farm-work up and keep the grounds cleared and the sheep fed and the dogs trained all while homeschooling the kids...

I'll tell you what, I was about to bust right out of my skin, I wanted to cry out, "We can help!  We can help!  Our son wants to work with you!  To work the farm with you!"  But, as I said, I bit my tongue.  My mind was carrying on a second conversation, though, along with my heart..."Oh, Lord, THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  I know we need to wait until YOU direct us to talk apprenticing Bryan here, but You have answered our prayers by showing us that they DO have a need for the kind of help that Bryan can give them!"   I was so grateful and excited, because now, even though we were to wait, we were waiting with great hope!

All too soon, it was time to pack up most of our things on Saturday night, since we would be leaving Sunday, right after attending church with Mike and Becky.  Mike stopped by just before dinner and told us that his father-in-law had called, and was back in town, and really wanted to have a chance to chat with us before we left.  He'd join us at church, and perhaps we could have coffee afterward...that sounded just wonderful to us (who wouldn't want a latte after church??!).  We packed up everything that we wouldn't need the next morning, and snuggled in for a good night's rest.

Worship was warm and intimate at the small Wisconsin church.  Afterward, Larry found us, and we headed off to the coffee shop.  We talked about the history of the Farm, their search for it, their plans for the ministry there.  We talked about our pastor, Larry's good friend, and how we came to attend the church here in Chicagoland.  We talked about homeschooling.  And then, he looked at Bryan, and said something like, "you know, by your age a young man should have a direction in his life...he should set a goal.  Do you know what you'd like to do?"  "Well, yes...I want to be a farmer."  "Ah-hah!  What kind of farmer?"  "A sheep-farmer.  I want to raise grassfed lamb."  "And where would you like to do this?  Do you know where you want to live?"   Bryan, the grin he had tried to suppress taking over his face, replied, "well, HERE!!  Southwestern Wisconsin!"  "Really?  Well, that's terrific!" 

He turned to me and Kevin..."So, what are your plans to help Bryan with all of this?"  Stunned, we gave him the VERY-condensed version of Bryan's story, from the visit to the County Fair, the 4-H Club, the Montessori-farm in Amish Ohio, to Kline Creek Farm and the sheep-shearing school. 

"Very good," he said.  And then, the real stunner..."So, what now?  WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?"   I had to pick my jaw up off the floor as Kevin finally spoke that which had literally been coaxed out of him: "well, we're thinking an apprenticeship would be the best thing."   It was as though he had been expecting it all along!  Had our pastor back home made a phone call to his friend, and given him a "head's up?"  Had he remembered, from our first meeting at our church when he was a guest-preacher, Bryan's interest in sheep-farming, and put 2-and-2 together?  God's provision, however it happened, in answer to prayer, was unmistakable.  We had asked Him to direct the timing of the conversation by having the HHF people bring it up if we were to even mention it.  Our pastor back home was not aware of that prayer we had prayed.  So if he had spoken to his friend, it was by God's leading, rather than ours!  What a wonderful answer to that prayer!

We chatted for a while about the things that they were praying for the opportunity to do at the Farm, their need for help (volunteer help, not paid help), the obstacles they were facing in terms of funding and building codes and where to house an apprentice (another obstacle).  Then, he looked up at Bryan.  "Bryan, I think I see a match here.  It's a ways off yet [because of the aforementioned obstacles], but let's be in prayer about the timing, and we'll keep in touch.  You have some skills that we could really use, and I want to hear more about the place you volunteer, and the programs you're doing out there."

And so, here we are.  Wow.  What a surprise, what a blessing, what a confirmation!  We are just today putting together a packet of information to send them...a "resume" of sorts, of Bryan's experience, so they can see what he's done that would be helpful to them in terms of skills he already has; a letter of intent on our part of what we are hoping for in terms of the apprenticeship, and our financial intentions (we will pay them to apprentice Bryan); and a copy of parts 1-5 of "I Wish I Could Go To A Farm," so they can read for themselves the wonderful journey that God has ordained for us to be on in all of this.  We'll also be sending along a list of the remaining studies and experiences that we have been led to seek for Bryan before he strikes out on his own (things like taking some mechanics/engine-repair classes at the community college...a furniture-making course in Texas that teaches the skill using only hand tools, not expensive power tools that cost a fortune and lead to debt...and, Lord-willing, an Associates degree in Agriculture from a nearby junior college).  Some of these things may begin to happen this spring, if an apprenticeship needs to wait for a while.  It may be that he will learn skills very useful to HHF, so God wants him to do these things first.  Larry, Mike, and the Lord will direct our steps from here. 

Bryan, Kevin, and I will continue to wait, to wait upon the Lord, who knows the plans He has for Bryan.  We wait in joyful expectation, and rest in the knowledge that, even if nothing comes of this in the end, He is in complete control, and will accomplish His will in the life of our son.  "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him."  ~ Psalm 62:5 

 God Bless you,
Lori  ... 

(To join Friday Show n Tell with Canadagirl, click on the graphic above
or link to Canadagirl's blog from my "Friends" Section)

UPDATE: I've posted the video of the boys in that "Vortex Tornado" water slide at the end of this!

This is from mid-September, it's just taken me this long to post it!  We went an hour north to "Key Lime Cove" indoor water park for Nathan's 16th bday weekend.  What a blast!  It was so good to just be relaxed, juvenile, silly, and full of non-stop smiles for the weekend!  We needed it very badly. 

Upon arrival, we had a Happy 16th Birthday dinner, first.  L to R are Nathan, dh Kevin, and Bryan

Me and Nathan...

Then into the water park!  All very Caribbean-themed!  This was more the "kiddie" area, but we had fun in it anyway!  Nathan, Bryan, and Kevin are standing on the bridge (to the right, not sure who the guy at their left is!) squirting people with water as they come out the bottom of the water slides.  There were also buckets that filled with water that you could dump on people below.  The big pineapple up top dumped its load every 15 minutes or so. 

Nathan coming down the slide...notice Dad behind the orange railing...getting ready to dump a bucket of water on Nathan...

Bryan on the "lazy river..."

We climbed these stairs a hundred times to get up to the BIG water slides and the "Vortex Tornado."

 This was the funniest thing...if you ever wondered what it would be like to watch a person be flushed down a toilet, this is it. I have to say, though, it was a BLAST!!!  I have a video of the boys going down it...I have to learn how to post that to YouTube, and then I'll put it in here.  In the meantime, here are photos...keep checking back for the updated one with the video! (I'll add a note at the TOP of this post.)  This is Bryan going around the "bowl" and finally being flushed down the "trap!"

Last, a view from above the "Vortex Tornado" to the wave pool (waves off at the moment) where the "lazy river" begins.

Thanks for stopping by...leave a note so I know you've been here, and so I can visit you, too, if I haven't already!

God Bless,
Lori

(To participate in "Tightwad Tuesday with Canadagirl," click on the graphic above or in my sidebar.)

Mary (aka CanadaGirl) asked if anyone had tips on saving money at hotels while travelling besides getting the hotels that offer free continental breakfasts.  we do a lot of road-tripping and travelling, and have found a couple of things that work consistently for us:

#1.  When I go to book a hotel, I always look to see if I get a fridge and microwave in the room.  The fridge isn't so important, as we can simply bring up our Coleman cooler.  But the microwave is nice...I can get frozen "TV" dinners, or make a dish that can be brought in the cooler, and microwave it for dinner.  I would rather spend $20 extra per night on the room than pay $60 for dinner out. 

#2.  If there's one available where I'm travelling, I try to book a room in one of the "extended stay" hotels...the ones with kitchenettes in them, especially if I'm staying more than one night.  Again, it may be $20 to $30 more per night than the Motel 6...but if we have to eat out, lunch and dinner, we'll spend way more than that.  Bring a loaf of bread, jars of PB&J, or tortillas, mayo, lunchmeat/cheese and some prewashed lettuce leaves, some fruit, a bag of chips, and your water bottles, and you've got lunches. 

No kidding, we show up with BAGS AND BAGS of groceries when we travel! 

#3.  I ALWAYS travel with my crockpot!  Make the food for it in advance, freeze it if you won't need it for a couple of days, and it'll be good in the cooler.  Baggie all spices needed.  Bring plastic plates, forks, knives, spoons, and cups, and a little bit of dish soap.  Use a washcloth from the hotel room to wash, but if you have something that would stain it, bring your own from home.  Dressers with a towel laid out make fine dryer racks! 

#4.  We also bring snack foods in the bags and cooler...yogurt (the tubes of yogurt are best...Gogurt, they're called), cookies/granola bars, and cereal and milk for breakfast. 

There is just no reason, if you're on a tight budget, to think you can't cook in a hotel room!  Just be safe, NO electric frypans or gas stoves (you're not camping).  Call the hotel and ask them to put a microwave in your room, or if one is available somewhere for guest use.  And be sure to calculate the cost of a lower price hotel room with NO cooking facility requiring eating out vs. a slightly higher price room where you can cook. 

God Bless,

Lori

(To participate in "Tightwad Tuesday with Canadagirl," click on the graphic above or in my sidebar.)

My newest addition should save me money in the long run (I can make and freeze my own cooked chicken/turkey much more easily).  My newest addition should make meals more nutritious by cutting down on chemical-laden processed food (no more canned broth if I have frozen chicken stock tucked away!).  My newest addition should bring delicious aromas to my kitchen that will whet our appetites hours before the meal is served (mmmmm...tell me that homemade chicken soup isn't as good as canned...I dare you!).   My newest addition is a fun color, and it makes me cheery (who can resist bright red?). 

Meet my newest addition: my Tramontina 12 Qt. stock-pot!

Groceries out here in Chicagoland are outrageously priced, as well.  I read so many blog posts from people who live out in the country, grow much of their own food/produce, and have a harvest to "put up."  That's such a blessing!  I know it's a TON of work, but what a blessing.  What a blessing.  Don't miss out on that fact, you homesteaders!  Well, at least I have my raspberry bushes!  And I have my $11 organic chickens from Meijer's.  And I have my stockpot...YAY!  Enchiladas tomorrow for dinner (make one to eat and another one to freeze), chicken pot pie on Thursday (the recipe is from Colonial Williamsburg...it's fantastic!). 

  

We've had a really intense week; my kiddos are learning to manage/budget their time in what is proving to be an ambitious year academically for them.  Schoolwork is taking wayyyyy too long, and we need to find the "leaks" where their time is being frittered away.  Part of it, I have observed, is that they just like talking to each other too much (a good thing during free time...not so good when there is a ton of schoolwork to be done!), so 5 minutes, 10 minutes, here and there, adds up.  I'll be on the prowl looking for the rest, and figuring out what we can do to fix it!

Bryan and I have one more Saturday (this coming one) of knife sharpening at the Farmers' Market, and then he is DONE for the outdoor market season!  We decided to work through September, rather than stopping at the end of August.  Good, in that he's made a ton of money this month!   But it's been really exhausting for him as he loses the whole day on Saturday (homework gets done Saturday eve and Sunday), especially since he's working at Kline Creek Farm on Fridays every other week.  We will BOTH be glad when the Market season ends!  (Markets go on through October...just not with our presence!)  He will continue to sharpen for customers here at home, but we'll pick the days...it's by appointment only. 

If you've read my series, "I Wish I Could Go To A Farm," I mentioned a place called Harvest Home Farm.  We'll be heading up there in early October for a weekend visit...pray that it would be fruitful and a learning experience for Bryan! 

May God Bless you this coming week!

Lori

(To join Friday Show n Tell with Canadagirl, click on the graphic above
or link to Canadagirl's blog from my "Friends" Section)

Thanks, Mary (aka CanadaGirl)...you inspired me to FINALLY get going on all my berry recipies and get them into the freezer!  I started late in the evening, and finished last night around midnight.  I pulled the baggies out of the freezer this morning to photograph them for today's post:

We'd picked TONS of blueberries while in Michigan, plus I had a lot of raspberries this year, so now I have:

Blueberry Freezer Jam...8 pints

1 Raspberry Pie Filling, and 1 Blueberry "Pudding" Topping for a layered dessert (I write either the baking instructions, if pie filling, or the name of the cookbook and page # if it's part of a longer dessert recipe, directly on the freezer bag)

2 Blueberry Pie Fillings

Scary how much sugar I doled out last night!!!!!!!  But the wonderful thing is that now I have my pie fillings for Thanksgiving (blueberry pie, plus I'll make a pumpkin one, too) and for Christmas (Raspberry), as well as extra for when company is coming, and for a pot-luck dessert.  The boys were especially excited about the jam...now when they eat their PB&J sandwiches at lunch, they can remember our trip to Michigan! 

Thank you for stopping by...please leave me a note to let me know you were here, and so I can visit your blog, too!

God Bless,

Lori

(To Join the Tightwad Tuesdays and/or Friday Show~n~Tell with Canadagirl, click on the graphic above, or visit Canadagirl's blog)

*Note: I posted this as a Show-n-Tell Friday last week, but I think I'll use it as a Tightwad Tuesday tip, also!  If you've already seen it, thanks for stopping by again!  If not, enjoy!*

I was getting tired of going into the "school closet" for the teacher's guides and answer key binders that I use daily, and wanted them on my big desk in the school room (which feels really big now that my computer is up in the "craft" room!), but I didn't want to just lay them down on it.  So I went to my local office supply store in search of a magazine holder.  I wasn't sure how much those things would cost there, but I'd seen a set of 5 online for $11.99 + $8.15 shipping=$20.14.

My store didn't have anything like these, but as I was looking, I noticed the cardboard display boxes they had all their binders and folders in.  One was already empty (back to school sales!), and with a quick little "consolidation of products" on my part, another was quickly emptied.  I took the empties to the manager and asked if I could recycle these in my home, and she said "of course!"  I got one narrow box and one wide box.  A little bit of fabric that I had and some Contac paper that had been in the closet for over 5 years (leftover from lining some old drawers) and I think they turned out pretty cute!  FREE was nice, too!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Hope you have a wonderful day!  Let me know if you stopped by!

God Bless,

Lori

I have the blessing of writing for the Front Porch of Homeschoolblogger.com this year.  I write the "Homeschooling Through High School" column, which is published every Wednesday (click here to view the articles). 

Normally, the Company Front Porch is the only place you'll find these articles.  But the one I submitted today for tomorrow's edition represents my heartbeat and my passion when it comes to this time in the lives of my kids, and it is what I really desire to share with everyone through my blog here, Plans4You.  So I decided to post it here today.  I hope you enjoy it, and perhaps are blessed by it.  Let me know you've stopped by!

WAKE UP, PEOPLE!!!

The Front Porch theme for this week is "Back To School."   My 15 year old son and I were heading from the parking lot of our community college to the building in which he takes his German class, and I asked him if there was anything that he did to "gear up" for the fact that, this week, our school year begins full-on.  The first thing he did was to look at the can of diet Pepsi-Max in his hand, raise it up slightly, and say, "WAKE UP, PEOPLE!!!" 

If you do not see television at all, this would make no sense to you.  But if you've seen it on occasion, as we have, you may be familiar with the humorous commercial which features multiple sleepyheads in need of a "jolt" to bring them to a state of consciousness. 

Once we got serious, he said that, typically, he would play as hard as he could for the couple of days leading up to the Monday start!  Play for him would be ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and practicing/playing with "Flightgear," the computer flying program he enjoys doing with a couple of serious aviation students in our church.  This season, owing to a badly sprained ankle the beginning of August, he has been sitting with his foot up for a few weeks.  So, he told me, the beginning of full-time school is a welcome relief from not having enough to do.

Telling...our high school students are not little kids any longer.  They are young men and women; adults-in-training.  I love to reflect upon the things my sons tell me...to "chew" on them for a while in order to extract the full "flavor and nutrition" from them.  What have I "extracted" from this brief interlude?

1.  "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:27-28)

Our young people were created in the image of God and for the purpose of "having dominion" over the earth.  If they are not engaged in such pursuits, they will feel a sense of restlessness.  They will seek "something" to "dominate."  Is it not best that we guide them in this quest? 

Have your homeschool students grasped the link between the work of school that they are doing and the fulfillment of their created purpose and longings?  Have you???  What about the student who fanicies himself a future engineer...and just isn't excited about the study of Government and Economics...how does he "gear up" for this course?  How about the daughter who has to take freshman biology this year, but has NO interest in the inner workings of a dead frog? 

Find the tie-in.  Find that which will take the present situation, from which they feel "disconnected," and link it to the future that God is planting, whether subtley or overtly, in their hearts.  Link them...connect them...help them to see it, to look for it.  Teach them to pray for it, and pray with them!

From homemaker to engineer, everyone in this nation is going to experience a major change in the structure and scope of "power" of our government...and soon.  As Christian adults, perhaps as married adults with children of their own, should Jesus' return be yet another generation away, our sons and daughters will have a pressing need to understand the basis of government (God's Word and Love), the various ideologies that have crept into our society and are being applied in this country and how to spot them in political rhetoric, proposed laws, etc.  (I hope, by this age, that we do NOT fear having such discussions with out young adults, as we are not citizens of this world, but of Heaven).  Understanding the past is the key to unlocking a "big picture" comprehension of the present and the future!   

Does your daughter enjoy flowers?  Food?  She LIVES in biology!  Would she, as a future wife and mother, like to have a vegetable garden to help provide nutritious, cost-efficient food for her family?  A study of the science of life, created by God, will help her to understand what happens when we hybridize and genetically modify our seeds, our animals...our food.  

Do our students comprehend that the entire universe operates via mathmatics???  Every single thing?  That it is clearly important to God, as he used it to make everything run...so doing the best we can in math thanks Him for it, and honors Him?  And that grumbling and complaining about it "disses" His created order?

We're back to school now, and we want our students excited, motivated, and engaged.  Help your sons and daughters to formulate a vision of their futures, based upon their God-given gifts and the desires of their hearts...then show them how their homeschool studies, one course at a time, are moving them along the path to the fulfillment of those God-given desires.  Each child is different, as God has created and gifted them.  Delight in the process of "preparing them to launch!" 

I like to compare these years to the Space Shuttles of NASA.  If you've ever visited the Kennedy Space Center, or watched the preparation for a launch, you are familiar with "the crawler."  The crawler is the enormous vehicle upon which a finished and ready rocket is placed and secured for the trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to the launch pad.  These rockets are heavy, and must be moved extremely carefully.  Thus, the crawler moves at the incredible pace of 1 mile per hour, with the entire trip from VAB to launch pad taking between 5 and 6 hours.  It is almost painful to watch, it's so slow!  And yet, with every passing inch by every passing inch, the anticipatory excitement of the coming launch builds.  If you've never seen the crawler in action, you can view it here in this one-minute-long video...(click the "stream" icon when you get to the intro page.)

Did you see what I saw?  As the crawler inched along the path, the launch pad was clearly in view.  "Atlantis, Welcome to Pad A" signs awaited it!  The anticipated arrival was planned for, thought out, acted upon, celebrated!  The folks operating the crawler could see it!  They knew, while on that slow, arduous, heavy path, what the target was, and they had it in their sights, ever before them, urging them on through those long 6 hours of slow, slow progress. 

I'm sure you can see what I'm getting at: can your homeschooled high school student see his or her launch pad?  Do they understand that they are the Shuttle, preparing for launch?  Can they see how the classes they are taking now are part of the things that make up the crawler, which is supporting them, transporting them, to the launch pad (Graduation Day)?  Are the classes they are taking transporting them to the life that God has put in their hearts to pursue?  Or are they on that crawler with no launch pad in sight??? 

Back to school?  No idea where the launch pad is?  Perhaps you need to delay the start by a week or two, and take an extra camping trip with your teen, or have some backyard picnics with the whole family if that is how things can work for you, to discuss the things of the heart...your teen's heart.  Help them see the launch pad.  They'll tolerate the crawler much better...and maybe even enjoy the ride.

May God Bless you and your family this week!

Lori

Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years.  They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (15), and dog Sunny (9).  Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors.  She is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and  "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask."     You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger  .

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Let me know you stopped by today, so I can visit and say "hello!"

To join the fun, head on over to HeavenlyHomemakers.com by clicking on the graphic!

Last Tuesday I waxed philosophical about freedom...this week, I will wax gastronomical about blueberries!  Oh, I'm am loving my blueberries!  No, I do not grow them...not here in the dead suburban soil of the Chicago suburbs.  These were picked during our annual church camping trip to Muskegon, Michigan.  I was born and raised in Michigan...I do miss it.  I know the economy there is a nightmare...but I miss the beauty of creation that is to be witnessed there...and eaten! 

Psalm 24:1  "The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof..." 

Psalm 34:8  "Taste and see that the LORD is good..."

You can read all the science facts about blueberries you want to (I have)...they're a superfood!  But the best is to hold one of these beautiful little berries in your fingers...marvel at it's smoothness, it's color, and then pop it in your mouth...bite in slowly, and enjoy it's sweetness (it has to be an in-season Michigan berry, grown outdoors in the acid, sandy soil--the grocery store berries are yucky)...then meditate upon Psalm 34:8.  I'm grateful for such simple things as these! 

One last thing...I've discovered blueberry coffee!  Don't brush this one off...it smells like a fresh baked blueberry muffin with a steaming mug of java by it's side...and the taste is...mmmmmmmmmmmm!  I buy mine from Gevalia.com (some things are worth the shipping), but my first taste was a Dunkin Donuts...just get a coffee of your choice, and ask for them to add blueberry syrup.  This is a REAL treat, and it's not so sticky sweet, like other syrups!

God Bless you, please leave a comment so I know you're stopping by for this MEME!

Lori

It has been a nice week...LOTS of rain, and the temps and humidity have dropped off.  Today is "glorious" in many ways, weather being one of them!  Here is my Wrapup...

Homeschool-Related

• I got Nathan's German textbook for his community college class.  We are excited that this one semester of college German will earn him one year of high school credit!  His first class is tomorrow morning. 
• I am missing one of the 2 copies of our American Gov't texts that I purchased at our homeschool convention in June.  This is a BIG frustration...we can still begin, but now I have to shift things around so they can share the one copy we have.  I have torn the whole house apart looking for this thing.  My last inkling is that I had taken it along on our church camping trip to Michigan in July, so I could read through it a bit and get an idea for how the course is supposed to be scheduled out for the semester.  We had to pack up in a hurry when we broke camp at the end of the week, and it was raining...so it's possible that someone may have grabbed it off the little table we have for books and a lantern, and tossed them into a gear box, just to get the packing done.  (Unlikely, but I haven't found them in the china cabinet or the pantry, or any of the other "wierd, ridiculous" places that I've been looking in desperation!  So we have to go into the storage space under the basement stairs, haul out all the tents/cots/cooking gear bins to get to the general gear boxes so I can look there.  If I find them, it'll be well worth the effort.  If I don't, it'll just add to my mounting frustration over this! 

Building Friendships

Bryan has been playing volleyball with the kids from church today; Nathan, who is walking on his own (no cane or crutches), still cannot tolerate any excessive movement of his recently sprained ankle.  So he's a little bummed.  He came home with us after church.  We are planning a "Reformation Day" gathering at our home for October 31st.  We did it last year, and had a blast.  My friend Nan and her 4 sons are our leaders for this program...we just open our home and host.  But the 4 guys (they're young men now, not boys anymore!) invited Bryan and Nathan to sing "Rise Up O Men of God" with them, so they're nervously happy about it, and will be practicing this week.  We'll be getting together with these wonderful friends each week for group practice.  Many of our young people enjoy singing together, and they sing in parts, so it really is wonderful to listen to!  I'm sure I'll have a Friday Show-n-Tell on this gathering come October/November (not sure what day Oct. 31st is this year)! 

Entreprenuerial Pursuits

Bryan and I worked the Farmer's Market on Saturday.  It was a beautiful day weatherwise to be there...a little cold, but we had light jackets, so were quite comfy.  Nathan is getting ready to learn the business, and to handle the market next year that Bryan and I can only be at once a month (we're at one market almost full time, but rotate to the smaller market).  By the way...he's a knife sharpener. 

Growing in Wisdom (in addition to stature!)

{I put this part in brackets as it is "the chorus" which will repeat each week.}

{We are in the 3rd week of a 16 week "Survey of the Bible," which dh and I have done before (it used to take a year to do this study...it's been condensed!); it is not for "beginners," and can be considered--as opposed to "spiritual milk"--"strong meat."  We want the boys to be prepared with a thorough understanding of the greatness and magnitude of God's overarching plan for His people in these last days and in the coming Kingdom of Christ in the...we hope and pray...near future!  It is an awesome study...you can learn more HERE  (look for the first one, "Biblical Survey").}

This week we looked very closely at Scriptures words about the stated purpose for which God created man.  Now, I have to admit that I would have said "to glorify God."  Most people do.  And, OF COURSE we want to glorify God in all we say and do!  But when you go to look in Scripture to see what God says is His purpose...His stated purpose...for creating man...hmmm.  Looking closely, and I mean REALLY closely, paying attention to the context of each verse we look at in such things (for we do NOT want to take verses out of context), it is an eye-opening experience!  I'll just let y'all play with this one for yourselves.

Can I recommend this Biblical Survey Study series highly enough to you?  Some of us are jumping into some new practices, things that are gaining popularity especially recently among homeschoolers, with regard to keeping feasts, sabbath, etc.  And this can be a good thing, in some ways!  But before you do, I would urge you to go through a study like this one...so you have the entire, BIG picture of Scripture, and figure out why it is that you want to do this, if you do (which you do not have to!).   

When we have celebrated/held a Sabaath meal (Shabbat), we have loved it.  We've now done it twice, and wouldn't mind doing it some more.  But we probably don't approach it with the same mindset as you might think.  I enjoy Colin and Nancy Campbell's "take" on it, as well, fyi, in Nancy's book "The Family Meal Table and Hospitality."  You can read an article she penned describing their Shabbat HERE. 

We are not, and neither are they, to my understanding, "Torah-Keepers" as I've heard it called.  I don't want anyone to think that any of my past posts are prodding you to take up different practices.  Just an FYI!  We are in perilous times, and we need to take care that we are not "tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching," (Eph. 4:14). 

The Biblical Survey study is available at no cost.  Our dear friends who authored it want believers who are desiring to eat the "strong meat" of Scripture (as opposed to "milk," see 1 Cor. 3:2, Hebrews 5:12-14) to have it.  Look for a link in the left-hand column of my blog, for "Curriculum Picks," and select "Biblical Survey by Cindy Zeigler" for more information.

Looking Ahead

So, school will begin...for the most part...more or less...tomorrow!  We'll not be full-time yet, we're still waiting for a couple of other things to get schedules written in stone--things that will happen outside of my direct control.  But Nathan begins German, Bryan begins Spanish with my wonderful friend and awesome homeschool mom, Christine, we'll begin American Government minus one student textbook (thankful that we still have one which can at least be shared), and I'll get the schedule completed within a week or two, Lord willing!  Full time, full on school will probably begin just after Labor Day. 

May God bless your coming week!

Lori

(To join the Weekly WrapUp, visit http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/threelittleladies )

For Show~n~Tell Friday, I'll just mention that I don't have a photo of an "accomplishment" ready yet, as we are still digging out the school and now the craft room.  We moved my laptop and all the wireless networking stuff up into the craft room, so it is becoming my sweet, little place!  I went to the store this morning, and asked for 4 boxes, which they gave me, so I could fill them with all the "littles" for the Goodwill store.  Today is "be brutal and pitch it" day!  Hopefully I'll have some photos for my Weekly Wrapup Saturday evening.  Also, I FINALLY FINISHED Bryan's story, "I Wish I Could Go To A Farm!"  Part 5 of 5 is available, just below this post.  (Actually, the "story" will continue from time to time as events progress, but we'll now be in "real time," as opposed to covering what's already happened.)

For now, I found this video via a trail of links I can't quite remember; but I think it is a straight-shooting, simpe-yet-powerful message that we all need to hear...and not just us, but especially our older kids, who are faced with an uncertain future in a culture that rejects Christ.  We can all use this reminder to take a look in the mirror, and in our own hearts.   Here you go:

Let me know you were here today...God Bless you!

(NOTE: If you haven't read all the previous parts of this 5 part tale,
you'll want to begin at the beginning, in Part 1 .)

Our thunderstorms have passed, for now, so on with the story.  We left off as we got out of the car and walked up to the Amish Farmhouse...

We weren't quite sure of what to do...where to go; but within just a few seconds, a lovely girl, came out of the barn and greeted us.  She was Willis and Kathy's 16 year old daughter, Diane, and she would show us our room and show us how things worked in there.  (I learned later in our stay that English was her second language...I had NO idea as we conversed!)  The door in the photo above, with the chair and the shrubs by it, was ours.  She brought us into a lovely room that had functioned, for years, as the family's "grandparents apartment."   When it was no longer needed as such, they chose to turn it into a B&B. 

In the photos below, notice the gas-lamps on the walls...no electricity, here!  Also the homemade Amish cinnamon rolls in the cake platter on the stove (I took this pic later in our stay, so there's only one left!)   Beyond the calendar wall, you enter a tiny little kitchen...complete with sink, gas stove, and gas refrigerator.  And gas lights (they make the room hot!).  The kitchen, when you head through the opening there, is on the right...the half-open door you see goes to a full bath.

So, why were we here?  This is an Amish Dairy Farm!!!  What more could Bryan want?  Hadn't it all pretty much started here, in Ohio's Amish country, on a farm, surrounded by dairy farmers and their holsteins???  Bryan should be in dairy-farm-heaven...

Earlier in the summer, when I had spoken with Kathy Miller on the phone to book the reservation (turns out that they ARE, indeed, Amish...they got permission to have a cell phone to take calls for reserving the B&B), we spoke of Bryan's desire to be a dairy farmer.  She said that a number or their guests wanted to experience helping milk the cows, and that we would be welcome to do all the farm work and chores we wanted!  (Smart family!)  So I made sure Bryan packed some jeans and his work boots from Kline Creek Farm.  That first day, we wandered around the place, but didn't do any chores.  Next day, though, Diane had told us we could help milk, and I sent Bryan out to the barn.  He wasn't too enthusiastic...I just couldn't figure it out!  But he went. 

A half hour later, he was back at the door to our little place.

"Mom...Mom!"

"It's open, Bryan...come on in."

"No, Mom...can you bring me a clean shirt, quick?"

Uh-oh...what in the world had happened?

I went to the door, and there he was, shirt off, the offending garment in a wad on the ground. 

"I think I'm going to be sick...can you give me something to get this smell out of my nose?"

I picked up the shirt...and dropped it again.  Yep, that's a bad smell...  I grabbed the platter of homemade Amish cinnamon rolls, and stuck one under Bryan's nose.  He inhaled deeply. 

"Good?"

"Yeah, better..."

By this time he had kicked off his work boots, and came inside.  The smelly jeans were immediately stripped off, right there just inside the door, and tossed outside, to join the t-shirt.  Another whiff of the cinnamon rolls, and he was off to the shower, where the smells of soap and shampoo quelled the nausea.  When he was dressed in fresh everything, we sat down with some cold drinks and started to talk.

"So, Bryan...what happened out there?" 

"I don't want to be a dairy farmer.  I can't.  That was the worst smell in the world, I thought I was going to vomit the whole time."

~~THUD~~  Was that my jaw, my visions of my son's future, or my dreams of retiring in a "granny cabin" on a farm, hitting the floor?  I must admit, when I smelled that shirt, I was pretty disgusted, too. (Coming from a well-seasoned R.N., that's a lot.)  It wasn't a manure-smell.  I'm not sure what it was.  Maybe one cow had peed on herself, or a neighbor cow had peed on her, and it had lingered and "festered" on her, or something...I really don't know.  We know manure...we know it well!  We know the ammonia-smell of pee-soaked straw bedding in a sheep barn and in our cow shed at Kline Creek Farm.  This was different.  It didn't bother Diane or her little brother, and--I have to say--she certainly didn't smell of it at all!  But somehow, something disgusting got on Bryan as he milked, and he was stuck in it for 20 minutes, and it ended ALL desire to be a dairy farmer.  Boom...just like that. 

I put the jeans and t-shirt in a plastic grocery bag, tied it shut, and stored it under the shrub outside the door until I could go to a laundrymat the next day with a bottle of bleach.  Bryan was a happy camper...the worst was behind him!  I, on the other hand, felt shell-shocked.  "Lord, why?  What now?  All this time, all this effort, all these hours we've spent on farms, our volunteer hours at Kline Creek...was it all for nought?"

I haven't yet mentioned that one of the main reasons for our trip was that it was my younger son, Nathan's, 15th birthday.  His dad had to be away in Europe, and I wanted to give Nathan something special.  Going to Cleveland and coming home wasn't so exciting (when you live in Chicago, visiting Cleveland doesn't hold any attraction...museums, zoos, arboreta...we have all these here and they're awesome).  So I extended the trip into Amish Ohio...and then tried to find a place that would be interesting for us all. 

So, here we were, and it was the day before Nathan's birthday.  I found Diane outside, and asked her if she could recommend a nice Amish bakery nearby where I could find a little cake for Nathan's day tomorrow. 

"Oh, I'll bake him a cake!  What flavor does he like?  What kind of decoration would please him?"

Wow!  What a sweetheart she is...I told her, "white cake, vanilla or lemon frosting, no chocolate, and he loves the north woods, or the tropics...your pick!"

The next morning, Kathy Miller (the mom) stopped by. 

"I hear it's Nathan's birthday today!"  "Yes, it is!  What a lovely place to be for his birthday!"

"We'd like to have a cookout for him tonight, to celebrate!  Would that work?  We'll have a little birthday party!"

WOW...what a treat!  We agreed to meet at the campfire pit (in the house side-yard) at 4pm.  Willis grilled hamburgers and hot dogs while we all sat, chatted, and got to know one another better.  Then, surprise of all surprises, they said, "food's ready...come on in!"  They invited us into their spacious kitchen (we thought we'd be eating outside), where Kathy had a lovely array of condiments, salads, and chips set out.  We enjoyed our meal together, along with a time of mutual questions and answers about each other's lives. 

Afterward, Diane unveiled her creation...and what a creation it was!  The lightest, fluffiest white cake I think I've ever had, decorated with a deep, forest green frosting complete with evergreen trees, rivers, boulders...it was gorgeous!  We all admired it, and then greedily cut it to pieces and gobbled it up.  I figured it would be time to say goodbye afterward...and I was sad to see this unique moment, a private meal shared with an Amish family, come to an end.  But instead, we had yet another "blessing from God" in store.

"Would you like to join us for coffee in the living room?"  Willis invited.  Bryan and Nathan and I shot a delighted glance each other's way. 

"Why, yes!  We'd love to!"

We stayed for another hour, sharing about our lives, sharing the blessings of homeschooling, sharing our love for Jesus, and learning more about their lives on the dairy farm.  (We did not mention the "crisis" of that morning, which remained tied up in the plastic bag, underneath a shrub.)  Willis talked about his dairy business (he's named it "NorthHope Holsteins),

and then asked Bryan about his asparations as a farmer.  Bryan was pretty general in his answers.  I held my breath. 

"I work with sheep at Kline Creek Farm." 

"Willis has a twin brother," Kathy piped up.  "Yeah," said Willis, "he's a sheep farmer out here.  Say, I have a magazine I'd like to give you.  I think you'll enjoy it."  He handed Bryan what has now become one of our family favorites...an issue of Farming .  Yes, it's just called Farming.  Like the Amish...simple. 

At the close of our evening together, we listened to an Amish father pray with his family, and read to the two younger children, who were all scrubbed and in their jammies.  It was a truly special time.

The next evening, we were invited to join the Miller's and their church for volleyball.  We were allowed to take this one photo...before the more conservative families arrived...of my sons, Diane (going for the ball), and an Amish boy and his sister, so we could have a memory; within about 20 minutes, there must have been 50+ kids there, playing volleyball on 2 courts:

 By the time the sun had gone down, an old Amish grandpa had started a fire under his big, cast-iron kettle, in which he made fresh, sweet, Kettle-corn, and hot dogs were roasted along the sides.  At the beginning of this time, the conversation between myself and the Amish women was cautious, and reserved.  By the end of the evening, we were freely sharing about my role as a homeschooling mother, protecting our children's hearts from worldliness, about the difficulties Nathan faces as a diabetic, and the difficulties that many of their children deal with...basically, we discovered that we're all just folks!  We enjoyed that evening of food and fellowship and volleyball so much!  Often they would be speaking to one another in their German dialect, especially the volleyball players...but now and then, they'd look over at Bryan and Nathan and say something like, "Ja, dat was a goot shot!  You play well!"  At the end of the evening, darkness upon us, the Amish began to walk, bike, and horse-and-buggy home.  We climbed in the car and drove back to the B&B.

Back in our apartment room, we lay in our beds (the boys were still small enough to share one bed, so I got the other all to myself!) and chatted, the gas lamp as low as we could get it due to the heat. 

"Mom?"

"Yes, Bryan..."

"I can't wait to get back to the sheep at Kline Creek."

"The sheep?"

"Yeah...the sheep.  You know what I think?  I really want to have a farm.  But not a dairy farm.  It's the sheep.  I love working with the sheep."

You see, my friends, God is faithful.  What He begins, He will finish.  We may get in the way, slow things down, cut off our own noses to spite our own faces, as we try to rush His plan outside of His timing.  But He WILL finish what he starts.  All the years of volunteering at Kline Creek Farm, and my questioning God about why we were here "with all the sheep" when Bryan wanted to be a dairy farmer; the times we were around dairy farmers and Bryan wasn't going out of his skin with excitement, and I asked God what was up with that; He knew...I was supposed to pray, wait, listen, and obey.  And this is where I begin to weep, even now, as I recollect the things that have happened since then.

In April, we attended "Family Week " Camp with Tommy and Sherri Waller, who were featured in the Franklin Springs film documentary, "A Journey Home." (I blogged about it here. )  During Family Week, we were blessed with teaching by Colin and Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies  .  The Campbells are Kiwi's...New Zealanders...so they have that delightful accent, and it is so much fun just to listen to them! My three men, Kevin, Bryan, and Nathan, sat in on a Men's class with Colin, where he shared that Nancy's father (who has gone to be with the Lord) was once the World Champion Sheep Shearer!  Turns out that Nancy grew up on a New Zealand sheep farm. 

When I heard this, I began to pray.  You see, we are actively looking for an apprenticeship opportunity for Bryan, who is now 17.   Father in Heaven, You have laid out a path for Bryan.  You have plans for him.  If you want us to speak to Colin and Nancy, you'll need to make a way...there are several hundred people here, and they're always surrounded.  Show us.

That evening, Saturday, was our "Shabbat" dinner (you'll have to read that post about Family Week for the details on what was happening).  All of us in attendance were gathered in the large building for a delicious taco-salad bar meal, and Colin and Nancy shared their family's traditions for the Sabbath.  It was a beautiful time of blessing the members of our families, and praying over one another.  Afterwards, it was time to eat the taco salads!

There was one long buffet table set up with all the food on it, and the Wallers asked everyone to form 2 lines, and to serve themselves from both sides of the table, to get everyone through faster.  The 200+ people did so, and we waited.  As we inched closer to the serving table, I spotted Colin and Nancy in the other line.  Everyone near them was straining to lean in close and converse with them.  Lord, if You want us to talk with them about Bryan, You have to make the way.  Make it clear to us.

Closer and closer to the buffet table we came, and I eyed Colin and Nancy as they also moved in.  After a 5 or 10 minute wait, it happened.  We merged together near the head of the table, ended up...you guessed it...face to face with Colin and Nancy.  "Hello there, I'm Colin Campbell!" he said, reaching out to shake hands with Bryan and Nathan.  After a brief moment of introductions and "we've enjoyed your teachings this week," I told Nancy how much Bryan had enjoyed hearing of her father's World Championship status...and that they were looking at an aspiring sheep farmer! 

Smiles and laughter and rapid-fire conversation were ours with the Campbell's as we made our way down the buffet table, filling our plates.  Boldly, I told her that we desired an apprenticeship for Bryan , but only with a family who dearly love the Lord.  "Oh, I'm sure we must know someone back home...would you be willing to let him go to New Zealand?"  "If it is what God wants and has for him, of course!"  We agreed to stay in touch via their Above Rubies website, and, when and if the time came, they would check their New Zealand connnections for us, and we could go from there.

Fast forward to May 17th...we had a guest speaker giving the message at church.  He is an old and dear friend of 2 of our teaching elders.  As he began to speak, he began to share about his ministry over the years, and how he was led to buy a farm, and continue his speaking and teaching ministry there, using "agritourism" to bring people in, and the many scriptural analogies to farm-type living in his teaching, which has always used "word pictures" as the mainstay.  Bryan and I smiled when we heard that.  He then went on to share about how they also really work their farm, providing organic, grass-fed, grass-finished meat, marketed directly to the consumer (just what Bryan wants to do!).  We smiled again, nodding in agreement.  The final bit of information was a true joy...

Guess what?  They raise sheep!!!  Our pastor, Gary, had told us that we would like what his friend, Dr. Larry Guthrie, had to say.  It gave me goosebumps when we realized what had just walked into our church!  We plan to visit their Wisconsin farm, Harvest Home Farm, very soon.  Our pastor said that he would put in a good word for Bryan with Dr. Guthrie if Bryan felt the Lord directing him to spend some time there, learning about sheep farming, and all the other things that they could teach him.

So there you have it.  It began in the heart of an 8 year old boy who felt a longing to go to a "real farm."  Little did I know that over the next 9...almost 10 years, I would learn how faithfully God would lay out a path for my son.  Now and then, I wonder...how in the world will a kid from the uber-suburbs of Chicago ever end up with a farm?  How can he buy land?  How will he afford it?  I have friends...well-meaning...who ask the same things, though not in so many words.  And if they don't ask, I'm sure they think it!  Who wouldn't?  They are valid questions.  But then, I come back to the first 4 words of the question: "how in the world...," and I have my answer.  Bryan's life isn't in the hands of "the world."  It's in the hands of God.  We'll put our hope and trust in Him...for we know that He is faithful and true.  After all, I didn't know any farmers.  But God does.  God knows LOTS of farmers! 

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5,6)

"My son, preserve sound judgement and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.  Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble." (Proverbs 3:21-23)

"The LORD will guide you always."  (Isaiah 58:11)

Thank you for stopping by, and thank you for staying with me until I was finally able to finish Bryan's story!  I'll continue to post about him as things progress, of course!  But the next story will be his younger brother's, Nathan's.  He's a bit more perplexing, at least at this stage of life, since he really doesn't know what it is he wants to do.  I know he's just 15 (he'll be 16 in a few weeks), but I know all too well how quickly these years go by, so my mind is beginning to train onto him, the things he says, the things that I see which "light a gleam" in his eyes.  I'm gearing up for the next "ride" that God has for us to take!

Let me know you were here...thanks, and God Bless you!

To my friends who have been reading this story, and waiting...waiting...waiting...for Part 4, my thanks for your patience!  I'm not sure why, but I've been writing this part for several months now, and I keep deleting and starting over.  The others just flowed...this one has been very slow in coming to me.  Again, I'm not completely sure why.  I'm sure I'll figure it out once I'm done writing it, and I'll just know.  For now, I'm hoping that this draft will not be erased in frustration, too! 

If you're new to this wonderful story, please take a few minutes to start at the beginning...I am always awed at how  evident God's hand is in our lives, and you'll be able to see it, too, if you begin at Part 1!

So, back to the story of Bryan and farmers...have I mentioned that "I didn't know any farmers, but God does...God knows LOTS of farmers..." ???  Perhaps a few times. 

Bryan began working with Mark Johnson in February 2006, at the age of 14.  He was a pretty little kid back then.  Not too terribly tall, and skinny...VERY skinny!  What a difference 3 years makes!  Bryan is now just about 6 feet tall, with perhaps a couple more inches to go yet, I'm told.  He's still lean, but 3 years of hauling hay bales builds some pretty impressive biceps!

When he started with Mark, he was pretty sure he wanted to be a dairy farmer.  Holsteins in the southwestern hills of Wisconsin...that was the picture he had in his mind.  I was hoping I could talk him into Jersey cows instead, as I think they are prettier.  But it's his farm, so he gets the final say!  But I digress...

Mark manages his own farm, in addition to doing the work at Kline Creek Farm.  He is a sheep farmer in both places.  He raises Southdown sheep, a meat breed.  At Kline Creek, we also have the Shorthorn cattle.  So we figured that Bryan would learn a lot about sheep that he wouldn't really need, but the "principles" would "transfer" to animal care basics on a dairy farm.  Plus, the few cattle that we have would give him a start, even though it's not a dairy operation.  "Lord," I would pray, "I'm so grateful for Kline Creek Farm and this opportunity!  What a blessing you have given us!  But, I have a question for You: we raise sheep here--Bryan needs experience on a dairy farm.  Please introduce us to whomever it is we're supposed to meet who has the dairy farm that Bryan can spend time at and learn that business.  Don't get me wrong...we love Kline Creek!  But why are we here now with all these sheep?"

Month after month, for the first two years, Bryan worked with Mark...and the sheep.  He would do bits here and there with the cows...he even got to give them their injections (yikes!)...but mostly he worked with the sheep.  He's helped with lambing, shearing, worming, feeding, chasing, cleaning, and, at the County Fair, showing the sheep (the photo below is from July 2008). 

At the County Fair in 2007, we were walking around the dairy cow barn, looking at the animals.  One farm family really decorated their area...big wooden signs, hand decorated/woodburning lettering, lovely tables and chairs, fabrics...very "homey" looking!  The woman who was usually there (obviously "mom") was always very friendly to us when we would come by, and would talk to us and answer my questions.  I often wondered, "Might this be the place where Bryan could apprentice?"  Bryan always enjoyed visiting the cows, but never asked any questions...Nathan and I tended to do all the talking. 

Why isn't he saying more???  This could be the place!  He should be going out of his skin with excitement here!  I just couldn't get a read on him.  Hmmmmm.

One afternoon, I asked Mark if he knew any dairy farmers here at the County Fair...I told him where my thoughts had been, and I mentioned this particular farm's display that I'd been drawn to.  (And yes, he knew Bryan was interested in dairy farming, in case I haven't yet mentioned that!)

"Yeah, I know them...quite well!  Their son works with my wife!  They're terrific, and they have a really nice dairy farm!"  He supplied me their names and cell phone number. 

WOW!!!  Talk about excited--I could hardly believe it!  Lord, thank you!  Again, you've given us exactly what we needed!  Thank you!  I told Bryan the good news...

"Mmmm, that's good."  That was all.  "Bryan, son, do you realize that we just got a 'connection' for you with a nice dairy farm?"  "Yeah...it's fine,"  came the monotoned reply. 

Now, I'm all about helping my son with making connections, finding opportunities for him to learn and experience things in areas where he's interested.  But I do expect him to "get up and go" once I've located an open door.  With this "connection" that I'd scored, his get up and go got up and went, as they say.  I had spoken briefly and non-specifically with this dairy-farm mother about our "general interest" in dairy farming, and she had invited us to come to the farm any time for a visit (how very sweet of her to do that for us!)...but I never set it up.  For some reason, Bryan just didn't seem that interested, though he continued to tell me that he wanted to be a dairy farmer.  "OK, Lord...I'll wait."

Let's move along now to September, 2008.  My dh was on a business trip in Europe for 2 weeks, and the boys and I had some stuff we needed to do in Cleveland, Ohio for a couple of days.  Of course, I looked for a way we could extend the trip, and WOW, did I find one!  Remember from Part 1 or Part 2 of this story, I mentioned The Country School Farm in Amish Ohio?  Well, anytime I get in the state, I look for a way to work in a trip out there...it is so beautiful and peaceful!  Since it was only a couple of hours south of Cleveland, if that much, we decided to go for a few days. 

Googling and linking from here to there brought me to an amazing opportunity at a place called the "Farmstead B Inn B," and the family of Willis and Kathy Miller.  Advertised as a B&B on a "3rd Generation Amish Family Farm," and a dairy farm to boot, it seemed like just the place for the boys and me, so we booked our stay via telephone, and headed out there. 

I wasn't quite sure what to expect...I figured that this family probably wasn't Amish, but Mennonite or something, since they were having "English" stay on their farm, and they'd booked our reservation via telephone--didn't seem very Amish to me!  We pulled in the gravel drive, and walked toward the house...

  The next 3 days, though on the outside seemed rather ordinary, proved to be a real turning point in the story of a great, great God who has the heart and the future of a young man held tightly in His Perfect Hand. 

Join me shortly for Part 5 of "I Wish I Could Go To A Farm"...

(We have a major thunderstorm blowing though right now, so I'm shutting down for a while...part 5 will be up soon!)

God Bless you, and let me know you stopped by!

Lori 

My first "Gratituesday!"  I'm so excited to be here!  Let's see, what am I grateful for this morning?  Not too hard to come up with the list, you understand...but picking the *best* one to share, that takes some head-scratching...

I guess right now, I am grateful for the blessing of freedom that I have in this country~~I say that as my two teenage sons are happily and safely taking the dog outside to play and enjoy the warm sunshine; as I sit here at my keyboard and type pretty much whatever I want, expressing my opinions and my faith in the glorious, loving salvation through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior and (soon, I pray) coming King; as I listen to the sound of children laughing in the park playground outside my home office window, and bugs buzzing their late-summer songs...and I know that I am not hearing crying, or gunfire, or the sounds of suffering.  How easily it could all be different, and how quickly. 

So, I am grateful this morning for this.  And now we need to head off to Oma's house (grandma, in German) for lunch and to do her housecleaning for her (we do it every 2 weeks).  God Bless you, and have a wonderful Tuesday!  Let me know you came by...

Wow, I don't feel very "tightwadish" this week...yesterday we went to the community college bookstore to purchase the textbook Nathan will need for his German class there.  Of course, we bought the USED textbook, not a new one.  Great savings!!!  It *only* cost $114 instead of $150........with tax, our total was $124.22 for this book (we're in the 8.25% tax zone here).

It's a rip off, no matter how you look at it. 

So, in the spirit of "Tightwadishness," I Googled "used college textbooks," and found a wonderful site,  Chegg.com.  They let you rent college textbooks for the semester, at a HUGE discount.  We found our book there, and with shipping (return shipping at the end of the semester included) it came to $81.18
...that's a savings of $43.04!  Happy Dance! 

The book should arrive in 4 or 5 days.  Nathan's class begins Monday, but even if the book doesn't get here, he still has the one we bought at the college bookstore.  We have 14 days to return that one there for a full refund.  And, if the Chegg book isn't right somehow, we have 30 days to return it. 

All that said, $80 for a book is still a rip-off in my estimation...but it's better than a $124 rip-off.

God Bless You!  Let me know you were here :-)

Most of this week was devoted to finally completing the overhaul of my blog, so I really didn't accomplish much else, I'm afraid.  We did get a bit of before-school-starts-planning done, though, along with some other little things:

Homeschool-Related

• Completed Nathan's enrollment in a college German course at our local community college (he'll earn dual-credits for it...1 high school credit, and 3 college credits
• Registered Bryan and Nathan for Apologia's online Chemistry course (I did well in chem, but it's been soooo long since my last chem class in college (more than 25 years!), I don't think I can help them if they get "stuck" on something)
• Got a big (BIG) calendar and filled in the regularly scheduled courses and events and work commitments on it, so we can see what our life is going to look like this year...it looks INTENSE!  Good motivation for me to say "no" more often...

Building Friendships

Last Sunday we hosted a bunch of homeschool guys (buddies from church) and their families here for a chess tournament.  One of the guys had set up the rules/format, it was kind of like "best ball" in golf, where you're playing with a group, but it doesn't matter so much how good or bad you are at golf, because everyone hits, and whoever has the best shot, that's where everyone else drops their ball and hits from next.  The chess tournament had players of multiple skill levels, so it kind of "evened out" the field.  Much fun! 

Entreprenuerial Pursuits

Bryan and I continue to work the Farmer's Market every Saturday.  It was hot and muggy here yesterday, and I am still tired.  We are both looking forward to the end of this season, though it has been a profitable one for him.  We are committed through the end of September. 

Growing in Wisdom (in addition to stature!)

We are in the 2nd week of a 16 week "Survey of the Bible," which dh and I have done before (it used to take a year to do this study...it's been condensed!); it is not for "beginners," and can be considered--as opposed to "spiritual milk"--"strong meat."  We want the boys to be prepared with a thorough understanding of the greatness and magnitude of God's overarching plan for His people in these last days and in the coming Kingdom of Christ in the...we hope and pray...near future!  It is an awesome study...you can learn more HERE  (look for the first one, "Biblical Survey").

Looking Ahead

This week will involve the big cleanout of the school shelves, boxing up of used curriculum that we desire to keep in case Jesus tarries in His return and there are grandkids who need the TRUE history of our world!  We'll also box up stuff to put up for sale at our homeschool group events, and some that can be given away if it's in too many pieces.  At this stage of our homeschooling, we've accumulated a lot of stuff.  It begins to suffocate the closet and the shelving system if not cleared out on a regular basis!

May God bless your coming week!

Lori

(To join the Weekly WrapUp, visit http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/threelittleladies )

IT'S A NEW BLOG DESIGN!!!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to Mary (aka CanadaGirl) for your help with the template...all my bloggy wishes have come true!  Bless you for sharing, SSIC! 
I hope you all like it, and I hope it all works!  I'm still adding little things here and there as I go along, but wanted to publish what I have. 

Now I can FINALLY get back to finishing the final installments of "I Wish I Could Go To A Farm!!!"  (Part 4 is almost done...yay!)  Let me know you've been by!

God Bless,

Lori

PS: Yes, this is all I have for Show n Tell today...it's taken me over a week to get this done!  I'm not a "techie-type," so I'm pretty much proud of myself today!

We think the cane adds a "distinguished look!"

(To join in the fun, visit the blog of CanadaGirl and link in!)

This week has been very eventful for us!  Nathan sprained his ankle on Sunday evening...here he is this afternoon:

Bryan has been showing sheep for Kline Creek Farm at 2 County Fairs...here he is at the DuPage Fair:

Yesterday, he showed the ewes at the Kendall County Fair, and took a first and a second!  Granted, these aren't really his sheep...they're Kline Creek Farm's...but he showed 'em!  He did a really good job, and was very, very happy! 

My home still looks like a hurricane hit it...we came home from our annual church camping trip on Sunday evening, the 19th, with wet, sandy gear in the trailer and piles of laundry...(below is a photo of Nathan doing flips down the sand dune on Lake Michigan where we camped--I can't believe he didn't sprain his ankle doing that!)

Anyway...we got home Sunday night, and on Tuesday the kids and I were bringing projects to the County Fair and dh was on a plane to Italy!  While he was gone, we set up the tents and dining fly, hosed them down and let them bake dry in the sun, then put them back away, did the Fair, tore apart the boys' room (they share it) and prepped it for painting, sprained the ankle, dh came home from Rome (he was gone for a week), and we hauled all the projects home from the Fair.  Camping gear is all spread out all over the basement (dh has a "system"  for storing it under the basement stairs, no one else can get it to fit, so HE has to do it), the projects are still out on the tables waiting to be dismantled and put away, and the boys room, which the TWO of them were supposed to paint together, sits...all prepped...and their furniture is stuffed into MY bedroom!  But even with all of that insanity,  we're surviving.  Thank the Lord I still have 3.5 weeks until we start school! 

Thanks for stopping by, do say hello! 

God Bless,

Lori

Yes, I am!  We've been camping, travelling, County-Fair-ing (tomorrow I'll post about it in "Show & Tell Friday with CanadaGirl), helping my high schoolers get signed up for dual-credit courses at our community college, and serving son #2 as he is on crutches due to a recent ankle sprain...so I have not been blogging during July, until TODAY!  Figure I'd get at least one in before the month is out! 

So much has happened with Bryan and his journey with farming...the fourth and final installment of "I Wish I Could Go To A Farm" was halfway done, but now is only 1/4 done!  Maybe it becomes a 5 part story...it is getting overwhelming to try and get it all in, things are happening so rapidly! 

Thanks for visiting, see you tomorrow for Show & Tell Friday!

God Bless,
Lori

(If you're new to this story, you can start with Part 1 HERE...)

Kline Creek Farm, in Winfield, Illinois, is an 1890's Living History Museum.  If you don't know what a "living history museum" is, it's where history and historic artifacts are demonstrated ("interpreted") by costumed "interpreters" for the public, as opposed to just walking through a museum and looking a pieces of stuff and reading a plaque about the stuff.  The ultimate in living history museums would be Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. 

We began there as a family in 2004.  Bryan was 12, Nathan was 11.  We joined Kline Creek's "Family Volunteer" program, which allows children over the age of 6 to "volunteer" alongside a parent who has gone through the training classes.  Initially, we were part of the "Domestic Volunteer" program, meaning we interpreted "domestic life" on the Farm...the house, household duties, and the kitchen garden.  It was fun, mostly for me, cooking on the woodstove, working in the garden.  (This photo is of my dear friend, Debbie, stringing popcorn for the Christmas tree.  Next is of the Springerle cookies we bake each year on the woodstove for Christmas...I'll share the recipe with y'all next winter!)

Some of the domestic staff were wonderful about allowing Bryan and Nathan to "help" in the kitchen...others, I could tell, really didn't want two boys in the house at all.  So we scheduled our volunteer days based on who was scheduled to work and when.  But I could tell that, although we were on this "Farm," and Bryan loved being on the Farm, it really wasn't "going anywhere." 

That's when God brought Chris Gingrich to the Farm Staff to head up the volunteers.  He's a wonderful, Godly man, tons of fun, and the boys really love him!  (Here he is during our annual Ice Harvest.) 

We talked about our position, and my concerns, and he suggested that we switch from being "Domestic" volunteers to being "General" volunteers.  We'd be "jack of all trades" people...knowing a little bit about each area, enough to pitch in and help anywhere if asked, but mostly we'd work outside in the orchard,

with programs (field trips, public holidays, etc), and splitting firewood in the winter...LOTS OF FIREWOOD!!!  We also fell directly under HIS supervision as General volunteers.  We jumped at the chance, and Bryan and Nathan began to become as involved in the work of the Farm as I had been in the house.  Chris is a Boy Scout Leader, too, and a natural (as well as degreed) teacher, with a joy that just exudes from him as he shares his knowledge and talents with the public, and with Bryan and Nathan, so they really love working with him.  We kept this up for a couple of years, until Bryan turned 14.

At age 14, Kline Creek Farm considers you old enough to volunteer on your own.  No longer do you need to be under the direct supervision of a parent.  So Bryan was required to leave the "Family Volunteer Program," and apply for a volunteer position of his own.  Now, Bryan had always loved it when someone from the Agriculture group (those who work with the Farm's animals and crops) would ask us Generals if we could lend a hand for some task.  But he didn't think that he was quite big enough to be an "Ag Volunteer" at the time.

The Staff member who leads the Ag program at Kline Creek Farm is Mark Johnson.  (In this photo, Mark is in the middle...Chris is on the right.)

Mark joined the staff years before we ever heard of the place, and turned it from basically a "petting zoo" into a full-fledged production Farm.  We raise an award-winning flock of Southdown sheep (a meat-breed), and also have heritage chickens, and a few Shorthorn cattle (a mixed-use breed, primarily meat but they can be milked, too).   

Mark is a dynamo...he's also a showman extraordinaire!  The crowds who visit the Farm LOVE his comedic antics, and he is like a magnet, drawing people into the experience.   

Mark knew how much Bryan loved the Farm, but didn't really know how much, or what I was looking for in terms of the experience for Bryan.  We had turned in Bryan's application at the District Headquarters office, and told Chris Gingrich that he was all set to go on his own.  Bryan wanted to go for an Ag spot, but, as the work was heavy (he's tall, but really thin/small-framed at the time), he just assumed that he'd need to wait a bit longer, so he told Chris he'd continue on as a "General." 

We were in the basement of the house, where costumes are kept, lockers, lunchroom, etc., at the end of the day, and Mark was there at the table.  "Say, Bryan!  I hear you're going on your own now?" 

"Yes, I'm all set," Bryan replied. 

"So, any idea what area you want to volunteer in?" Mark asked him with a smile.

"Well, I figured I'd just stay a General,"  Bryan replied.

"Oh.  Well, okay.  Okay.  Well, good!"  Mark said...but he had a look in his eye that I studied carefully.  Bryan, Nathan, and I said goodby for the day, and walked out.  I didn't say much, but I was thinking, thinking hard and fast.  We got into the car.

"Bryan," I said, "I have a feeling about something, I want to know what you think.  My gut is telling me that Mark Johnson was fully expecting you to say that you wanted to be an Ag volunteer.  There was just something about the way he reacted when you said 'General' that makes me think it caught him off guard.  I know he has one space open for a new Ag volunteer, and only one.  I am willing to call him, right now, before he leaves, and ask if he might give it to you, if you'd like me to.  All he can say is 'no' if he doesn't feel you're ready, right?  Would you like me to?"

"Would I ever!!!" came the excited reply!  I dialed Mark's office number, and left a message on the voicemail.

Next day, I received an email...Mark was, indeed, surprised that Bryan hadn't applied, and he would LOVE to have him join the Ag crew!  Bryan was on cloud 9 that entire day!  We went to the Farm & Fleet store that is about a 40 minute drive from our suburban home and bought Stories Guide to Raising Sheep, along with heavy -duty work gloves, coveralls, boot socks, some new jeans...and anything else that looked useful!  I placed my son under the tutelage of Mark Johnson, and God continued the journey that He had begun in the heart of a small boy who said, "Mom, I wish I could go to a farm...."

Honestly, as I sit here today, having just returned from the Waller's Family Week Camp, I have tears in my eyes at the goodness of my Heavenly Father, and His faithfulness to "finish the work He has begun" in this young man whom I love so much.  I will not finish this story yet...there is one more part to go to bring us up to the present, and I'll share it in Part 4...please stay tuned!  And leave a comment if you've been by so I can enjoy your presence here with me!

God Bless you,

Lori

Well, we're having a wonderful, refreshing, and interesting week this week!  One of a number of firsts for the Havens Family!   This will be my "Show And Tell With CanadaGirl" entry for this week...to participate, visit her blog here at Homeschool Blogger...look in my "Friends" section and click on CanadaGirl." 

We are currently in Benton, Kentucky, attending the Waller Family Week Camp at Kenlake State Resort State Park. This is the "Land Between the Lakes" area, though we are on the western shore of Kentucky Lake, as opposed to between the two large lakes here. 

Our site is "inboard" in the campground, so we cannot see the lake without walking to it,

but some sites are beautifully situated right on the lake.

We left home (Chicagoland) last Saturday about 5:00pm and headed toward southern Illinois, arriving in Champagne near 9:00pm.  It had been a really long day Saturday. We didn't get to packing until that morning...I was finalizing the last of the details for my new e-book sales site, and it took until late Friday night to finish...but it's all done now!  (There's a link in my "links" section to the e-book "Should I Be A Nurse?")  So our goal was only to get out of the house, drive half-way, and spend the night somewhere, so we could arrive shortly after lunch on Sunday (Palm Sunday) and have all afternoon in the daylight to set up camp, and make the Welcome Spaghetti dinner at 5:00pm.  Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men and moms.

We pulled off the highway in Champagne, asked a service station clerk where we could find hotels, and headed into town.  First place we saw was a Days Inn...that should be fine!  I was beat-tired, and was looking forward to just going to sleep, then getting up early and on the road.

This was one of the more "humble" Days Inns that we've stayed in, but the price was right...$70, all told, with continental b'fast included.  The desk clerk gave me the key card, then said, "I'm giving you a room on the QUIET SIDE," so you should enjoy that.

Hmmmmm...in hindsight, I should have questioned her in detail exactly what that meant...but I just smiled, thanked her for that consideration, and went up to the room. BIG MISTAKE...or was it?

About 10:00pm we were washed up and tucked in for the night. Everyone was tired.  But outside our door, in the hallway (this hotel had indoor corridors), a party was just getting started.  I won't bother with all the details, but it was a group of, I would guess about 15 or 20 college students, probably still on Spring Break, who enjoyed roaming the hallway screaming to each other, going in each other's rooms (slamming doors, of course!), getting drunk, getting louder and more...um, vulger...as the night wore on into the wee hours of the morning.

About 3:00am the smell of "burning leaves" began to fill our room...not the greatest, but at least they were quiet.  We fell asleep...for an hour, until the next round of students joined the gang.  About 4:00am, things were finally quiet enough for us to sleep, for a couple of hours until 6:00am, when (I couldn't
believe it!) some of them were up yet again, but this time to leave.  We ended up sleeping in until 10:00am.

The hotel breakfast was dry donuts and reconstituted juices.  No thanks!  We packed up and went to McDonald's. After breakfast, we headed back out on the road, quite tired but glad that "event" was over.  We were really frustrated, as we had wanted to be on the road early in the morning, to arrive at Kenlake State Park right after lunch...and here it was, already about 11:00am, and we were just leaving for the rest of the trip...about 5 hours, with a stop for lunch.  Grrrrrrr.  Why did this have to happen?

But, as usual, God's plans are best.  We hit one patch of heavy rain in southern IL, but it wasn't too bad.  Stopped at a rest area near the IL/KY border, and as I was washing my hands, a lady next to me started talking to me about the horrible weather.  I asked where she was coming from, and she said "just over the border in KY."  She said the rain was so bad everyone was pulling off the highway because you couldn't see to drive.  Hmmm.

As we crossed in KY, we began noticing that all the trees were missing their tops.  ALL OF THEM.  Like a giant chain saw had come through and just sheared them off.  This wasn't just an isolated patch...it went on for miles.  (We later learned that it was the result of the ice storm that hit the middle of the country a month or so ago, but it certainly made us nervous!)  We turned on the radio, and learned that we had, by about 2 hours, missed a massive storm system with 70 mph winds.  The interstate highway we were on (I can't remember the #) had been blocked in all directions for a while by emergency equipment (ambulances, about 7 of them, and a fire truck).  We sat for about 20 minutes as, apparantly, the last ambulance left, and as traffic began moving again we saw the reason that all the equipment was called in.  A tour-type bus had slid off of the highway and into the median ditch (upright, thank God!), and there was also a small car in the median, completely covered in mud.  It had obviously skidded in fast and hard.

We made it safely to Kenlake, set up our pop-up camper (thank you Bill and Judi!!!), and learned that the storms had come through the camp...you guessed it...just after lunch.  (No one was inured or sustained damage...some tents and canopies needed to be reset, but nothing bad.)  Had we been operating on OUR planned timetable, we would have been in the thick of it.  But we had been kept awake most of the night, and thus were delayed in our travels.  PTL!  In the end, we arrived in time for the Welcome Dinner, and were able to get enough unpacked that we could get a good night's sleep that night, despite the fact that it was snowing and 32 degrees.  Another praise...we found the last space heater for sale in all of
Illinois just before crossing into KY, so have been able to keep the pop-up tolerable.  Still a little chilly at night, but NOTHING like being without it!  We'd have checked into a hotel if we didn't have that space heater.  So God has taken care of us. 

So what are we doing here?  We're learning alot about some interesting people, Tommy and Sherry Waller (see Franklin Springs Family Media's documentary DVD, "A Journey Home" for their story), their ministry in Israel, HaYovel,

and about Christians who have embraced a "Messianic walk" with Yeshua;

I don't yet understand all of the particulars, and don't wish to get into a theological treatise of the whole thing, but suffice it to say that we've enjoyed watching Davidic dancing, hearing shofars blown, learning about what is happening in Israel with regard to the "Restoration of the Kingdom to Israel," and we celebrated our first Passover Seder!  Some of this has been a bit, well, strange in ways, while other things have been a delight.  We are learning, and keep an open mind :-)

We've really enjoyed getting to know the Waller Family better, and have also been blessed with teaching from Collin and Nancy Campbell (their ministry is called "Above Rubies").  One of the wonderful things has been God's continuing work in Bryan's life...we learned that Nancy Campbell's father (who is home with the Lord) was World Champion Sheep Shearer!  Bryan will be going to Western Illinois University for  sheep shearing school next weekend!  We had a nice time chatting with Collin and Nancy about that, and they have agreed to pray about who they still know back in New Zealand that might be a godly family who would apprentice Bryan in sheep farming!  If you've read parts 1 and 2 of "I Wish I Could Go To A Farm," you'll know that God has been orchestrating this whole "farming thing" for Bryan.  I'm not surprised that He has orchestrated our presence at this Family Week Camp with the Wallers, either, and the Campbell's presence and our "connection" with them.  I fully know that I simply ask the Father to show me and take us where we are to be, and then I get out of His way and let Him work!

We've had wonderful times of worship and fellowship, and the boys have had plenty of fun.  Once the storms and snow passed, the temps got up into the upper 60's, for which we are grateful.

So, we will be on the road Easter Sunday (another first, we have been celebrating the Passover this time, rather than the Christian calendar...so we will worship as a family while we drive!), and should arrive home late evening.  Lord willing, we'll stay in touch with the Wallers and the Campbells, and their work will continue to be a blessing to our family.

Please let me know you were here!

God Bless,

Lori

(If you haven't yet read Part 1, you can find it HERE...)

"The Country School Farm...experience life on a farm...for children who love animals..."  

My jaw dropped open as I read the words again.  For several months now I had been praying in response to Bryan's repeated pleas for time on a "real farm."  "Father,"  I begged, "You've placed this desire in Bryan's heart. You've placed us here in these over-built suburbs with no farmers in sight.  I don't know what else to do, so You're going to have to 'drop this one in my lap' since I can't think of any other ways to go."   How many times had I asked Him to "drop the solution in my lap," yet I wasn't really expecting Him to actually do it!  Nowadays, with 20/20 hindsight, when I pray a prayer like that, I wait with eager anticipation!  Back then, it was a stunner.

Richard and Penny Barker are Montessori-trained teachers who dreamed of raising their family on a farm.  In 1975, they purchased a homestead in Holmes County, Ohio--home to the largest Amish population in the world.  (You thought it was Lancaster, PA?  You were mistaken!)  There they raised their 5 children, homeschooling them before it was technically "legal" to do so.  They are not Christians, though they share a similar "moral code" and lifestyle that matches their primarily Amish neighbors.  They began inviting children whose lives had no such country experience to stay with them on their farm, so they could participate in the "experiential learning" that is key to Montessori education.  The Country School Farm was born.  The Barkers are now "hosting" the second generation of children...those whose parents spent 5 days during the summer with them 30 years prior! 

With their card in hand, I went to the computer and typed their web address into the browser.  My heart and respiratory rates were a little elevated, I must say, with my excitement!  As I read through, tears came to my eyes.  "Father, is this where You want Bryan to go this summer?  Is this from You, Lord?  Show me...show me...."  The Country School Farm experience was not cheap--about $700 for the 5 days.  The money, at that time, was available for Bryan to go.  And Bryan, though young, had always been comfortable being with himself, by himself.  (Nathan, #2 son, has never enjoyed spending time without someone nearby to enjoy it with!)  But my main concern was the environment.  Would it be un-Godly?

Dozens of references were provided in a brochure that I sent for, so I decided to make phone calls.  I thought that if I pretended that I was concerned about it being "religious," given their location, that parents would tell me how opposite of that it was!  Sneaky, I know, but I wanted to be certain.  What was repeatedly shared, without failure, was that the Barkers were very careful that the time on the farm was all about the farm.  It was, as far as "religion" went, a very "neutral" experience.  Their was no teaching about faith, spoken or implied, for or against.  It just wasn't part of the experience, in any real way.  Behaviorally, though, the rules were very strict, because of the relationships with their Amish neighbors and community that the Barkers had spent many, many, many years building.  The children who attend The Country School Farm tend to be of a more "tender nature," too.  It isn't your typical summer camp.

Our minds more at ease, we committed to attending the travelling slide show tour that Richard Barker puts on every late winter/early spring in the midwest, so parents can meet him, see more of the Farm, learn more about who they are and what they do, and ask questions.  By the end of the show, we knew it was a "yes."  In May, we drove to Holmes County, Ohio, to visit the Farm during their once-a-year "Open House."  There, we met Penny and several of their grown children who return every summer to help with the camp.  We turned in our application and payment, and then were free to tour the house, the barns, hike the "Perimeter Trail," wander down to the creek, visit the animals, picnic, and enjoy the incredible beauty that is "Troyers' Hollow."  We had never seen anything so beautiful, or experienced such peacefulness! 

June finally arrived.  Bryan's suitcase and bedroll were packed exactly the way the Barkers had prescribed (these people really know what they're doing!).  His sleeping bag and pillow were bungied-together per orders, his name written on everything.  Bryan was a bundle of 11-year-old excitement and nervousness.  It was his first time being away from us for an extended period of time, but I knew he was ready, and he did, too.  We drove to Ohio, and spent the night before in a nearby hotel.  After we dropped Bryan off, Kevin, Nathan and I moved into a rented RV at a beautiful campground about 20 minutes from the Farm.  No letters from home, no phone calls (like their Amish neighbors, the Barkers do not have a phone, though there is a cell phone in case of an emergency).  I prayed all week...every day, every waking hour!  We had a wonderful week, but never stopped thinking about Bryan. 

Friday afternoon arrived...time to pick up our son!  As we drove up the lane, and finally came to our turn in the circle drive where, 5 days earlier, we had dropped him off, they called out his name.  I couldn't wait to see him!  Was he alright?  Did he have a good time?  Was this a good idea?  Out of the tall grass he emerged...

WHEEEE-EWWWW...What's that smell???  Eu de Manure', I believe!  Our information letter, provided by the Barkers before camp started, had warned us to not make a big deal about the "natural" smells that would likely be on our kids clothes when we picked them up on Friday. 

"Mom!!!  Dad!!!  Nathan!!!"  Hugs and kisses all around!  We stood and chatted for a moment with Richard and one of his sons, who was helping with the check-out process.  They were very complimentary about Bryan and his week at the Farm.  We shook hands, Bryan hugged them goodbye, and we loaded into the car, dirty laundry bag, suitcase, bedroll, smells and all.  The stories came tumbling out...

"I had the BEST TIME!!!  It was so much fun!  I love granola!  We ate outside for every meal, even in the rain!  We played New Games on the Hill after dinner!  I had the BEST TIME!!!  I built a goat stanchion!  We went to the auction on Wednesday, and Richard gave us money to buy peaches!  One boy showed his middle finger to some Amish boys there...Richard took him out to the van.  We thought for sure he was going home right then, but he came back.  He was good from then on!  I'm allergic to hay!  Mrs. Barker gave me Benadryl, we have to buy some of that!   I had the BEST TIME!!!   I love pugs!  Mr. Barker tells the best stories!  He got chased by a panther!  The pug puppies once burped Mrs. Barker!  Sometimes I missed you, but I still didn't want to go home!  I had the BEST TIME!!!  The hen is named Raging Roberta--she's pretty mean!  There's a donkey, his name is Donkey-Odie!  I want lemonade!  I had the BEST TIME!!!"

Wow!  I think that was a success...

The excitement that continued to exude from Bryan the rest of our vacation week in Amish Ohio was palpable.  He was quite changed!  One of the biggest changes that I noticed presented itself Saturday morning, the day after we picked him up from The Country School Farm.

"Mom!  Hi, Mom!  Mom!"    "Mmmhhh, rrrrrr, uuhhhh, zzzzzzz...." was all my unconscious mind could come up with. 

"Hi, Mom!"   "Mmmm, hmmm, huh?  What?"   I managed to force one eyelid open.  "Bryan?  Bryan?  Is that you?"

"Yeah, hi Mom!  What are we going to do today?"

I sat up in bed, forcing the other eye to open and the two of them to try and focus...it was still dark outside, about  5:30 a.m.. 

"Bryan, sweetheart, what in the world are you doing up???"

"Nothing yet...what are we going to do today?"

Something had happened to my son, the one who slept until noon if left undisturbed!  He was gone, and in his place was a kid who had spent a whopping 5 days on a real farm.  We had dropped him off on Monday morning...I shudder to think what Tuesday morning must have been like for him!  And here he was, on Saturday at 5:30 a.m., awake, dressed, and ready to go.  Wow!  

He was up early every morning that week; he helped me prepare meals; he helped set the table and clear it afterward.  And all day, every day, the stories kept pouring forth at random moments.  Years later, they still do.  Some of his most precious memories are of his time at that farm.  The impact it had on him was huge...but it was just the beginning.

In Part 1 of this story, I wrote about a 4-H mom that I shared an hour or two of waiting with one day, who shared about a place where she and her daughter had volunteered...Kline Creek Farm.  It's a living history museum, actually, where farm life in the 1890's is interpreted for visitors by staff and costumed volunteers.   When we returned home from the Barker's farm in Ohio, I knew that Bryan needed more exposure to farms.  Kline Creek Farm sounded intriguing, so we decided to visit.  

They say that you have to be careful when you expose your children to various things in life, because what they taste, they may develop an appetite for.  Our visit to Kline Creek Farm was one of the most delicious "tastes" we'd had.  The funny part is that in all the years I'd lived here, I had never heard of the place.  The place that would come to play the pivotal role in my son's life.  You see, as I've shared before, I don't know any farmers.  Correction: I didn't know any farmers.  I do now.  Oh my, I do now!  And I was about to meet someone who would have a massive impact on Bryan's life. 

No, I didn't know any farmers.  But God does.  And He was moving in the life of my son...

I hope you'll come back for Part 3...coming soon!  Thanks for stopping by, let me know you were here to say "hello!" 

May God Bless you,

Lori.

When Bryan was in the 2nd grade, he told me that he wished he could go to a farm. 

Now, he'd been to farms before.  At that point in time, we were still in the public school system--  "Synthetic School," as my younger son, Nathan, now calls it (he can be pretty funny at times).  Anyway, they'd taken the kids to a farm with a petting zoo and little mini-pumpkins, and they got to choose a pumpkin to take home.  But that wasn't the kind of farm that Bryan had on his 8 year old mind.

Our kitti-corner, backyard neighbors are dear friends of ours.  Brother and sister in the Lord to us, and their 2 daughters are sweethearts.  Same age, pretty much, as Bryan and Nathan, and these 4 kind of grew up together.  Larry and Karla, our neighbors, also grew up together.  They lived on neighboring farms in Iowa.  Farms that are still in the family, though they left the country for college and then suburban life here in the Chicago area.  Their daughters, however, had the wonderful opportunity to spend one month each summer "on the farm" with Grandma and Grandpa.  While they were gone one summer, and the boys were missing their good playground friends, Bryan said to me, "Mom, I wish I could go to a farm."  It wasn't one of those "important one moment and forgotten the next" kinds of requests.  He was quite serious.

"Well, Bryan, you've been to a farm.  Remember your field trip last year?"  "No, Mom.  I mean a REAL farm.  Like Rachel and Justine get to go to.  I want to live on a farm for a whole month!"

Hmmmm.  Okay, I'll have to store this request away and give it some thought.  We don't know any farmers.  Not only that, but we live in the suburbs.  And not just any suburbs...this is suburban Chicago.  The "uber-suburbs."  In our county, there are many people who call the police and complain if you have a rabbit hutch in your backyard; livestock of any kind is against the law.  You can have your dog, your cat (but if it goes outside, it must be on a leash...yes, I'm talking about your cat...and no, I'm not kidding), and any other animal that lives inside the house, in a cage/aquarium/tank/whatever; but nothing like chickens or other "farm" critters. 

I did casually mention to my friend that "gee, bryan would LOVE it if he could visit your folks' farm!"  Laughter all around, but no invitation.  I didn't think it would actually work, but it was worth a try!  What's a suburban mom to do?  Summer vacation came...and so did the County Fair.  Hmmm...there are farm animals at the County Fair.  We packed a day pack and headed off to visit the cows, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, the you-name-it-we-petted-its!  Bryan was elated. 

As we walked through the Fairgrounds, I noticed the 4-H building.  I knew of 4-H, but hadn't realized that it existed out here in suburban Chicago, for the aforementioned reasons.  But here it was, so we wandered in.  A couple weeks later, we were official 4-H'ers ourselves.  I had no idea what it was we were getting into, but it felt kind of "farmy" and "country-like," and that was what I was after for Bryan.  So why not? 

As it turned out, the social "millieu" of the club wasn't what I wanted for my children.  The club leaders were wonderful people...but some of the kids' behavior was not exactly what I wanted modeled for mine.  We were in the group for a couple of years, though, long enough to learn how 4-H works and how a club is run. 

One summer, as the boys were showing their projects to the judges and I was in the hours-long-parents-waiting-area (what? you've been there too???), I struck up a conversation with a mom who was sitting next to me.  We didn't know one another, and I've never seen her again since that day.  But she changed my life, and Bryan's, forever. 

It started off with a seemingly simple question: "why did you join 4-H?"  I responded by telling her about our neighbors, the girl's summers on their grandparents' farm, Bryan's apparantly keen interest in farms, and not knowing any other alternatives.  "Oh," she said with a smile, "you guys would LOVE Kline Creek Farm!"  "Kline Creek Farm?  What's Kline Creek Farm?"  I had lived in this area for about 15 years, yet had never heard of this wonderful "living history museum," where 1890's life on a middle-class farm, 30 miles west of the city of Chicago, is demonstrated (the correct term is actually "interpreted") for the public, free of charge.  This interesting mom that I was talking to had been a volunteer at the Farm, along with her daughter.  Seems they had a "family program" that allows children to volunteer alongside a parent, and the mother-daughter duo were "domestic" volunteers...meaning they worked in the farmhouse, offering house tours, and cooking on the woodstove.  It sounded intriguing to me.  It was intriguing to Bryan, too.  We had recently read the Laura Ingalls Wilder book, Farmer Boy (talk about an awesome readaloud story for boys!!!), and this "Kline Creek Farm" place sounded to us like it could have fit right in there!  Once again, I tucked it away in the back of my mind.  Bryan wanted to be on a farm. I didn't know any farmers.  Maybe this place...???  Lord, should we visit this place???  God, is there something more to this "farmer stuff" with Bryan than I understand??? 

God knows lots of farmers.  I guess if I'd have thought of it, I would have asked Him in the first place.  But I didn't think of it.  Looking back, I suppose it was a good thing, because  He wasn't ready for me to.  There was some groundwork that had to be laid first.

Someday I'll blog our "coming home to school" story in detail; for today, I'll summarize what was a several year process: Bryan is really, really smart.  Really smart.  But he's really, really dyslexic.  And though our school district was supposed to be in the top 1% of the nation, and they had him with a reading specialist for 3 years, they missed it.  How they missed it is beyond me; once I brought him home, spent a couple weeks trying to teach him, and hit the internet to figure him out, I had the dyslexia pegged.  Took less that a month.  Hmmmm.  Anyway, back in the public school system, his 3rd grade teacher, very kind but very overwhelmed with lots of kids and one who just couldn't "stay on task" (Bryan!), was talking with the school social worker and the school nurse.  I was given packets of forms to fill out and observations that I was supposed to do, documenting emotional behaviors and all kinds of other stuff.  I knew what was happening--we were on what I've termed "the road to Ritalin." 

I do understand that for some kids, Ritalin can be necessary.  But I believe with all my heart that only a tiny percentage of the kids I would see lining up at the nurse's office at school to take their Ritalin truly needed it.  It was used as behavior control because the poor teachers weren't given the time and the resources they needed to work with students who are extremely visual learners, which is what Bryan is.  It takes time, and plenty of it, to teach kids like these.  Bryan isn't ADHD...he's not "hyperactive" in the least.  Never was.  So when I realized that the school's solution was to "drug him" into their pattern of teaching, that was it.  My husband and I made the decision to come home.  The fact that our younger son, Nathan, had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes...instantly and forever insulin-dependent) at the age of 4, thus necessitating my presence in the school on an almost daily basis, made the decision to come home even easier.  We left on excellent terms with our former teachers, the principal, and the parents we'd come to know, so it wasn't too terrible a parting.   Bryan had finished 3rd grade, and Nathan had finished 2nd. 

A dear homeschooling friend had given me some catalogs to look through, and I ordered a few items.  I think I did a search online for "homeschool stuff" or something, and asked for lots of free info, because our name got on a "new homeschoolers" mailing list, and the stuff started appearing in our mailbox!  I was delighted...you know how it is!  One of the things that arrived was a nifty "homeschool card pack."  You know, one of those cellophane-wrapped packets of post-card-type advertisements...all for homeschooling.  I opened it, and started to read each card.  About halfway through the pack, I came to a card that would, like the mom waiting for her 4-H'er, change our lives.  I couldn't believe my eyes...

Stay tuned for Part 2!!!  Drop me a note and let me know you've stopped by today!

May God Bless you!  

"So, what do you want to be when you grow up?"  Isn't that a fun question we adults like to ask little children?  Little girls with answers of "a mommy, a nurse, a teacher" and little boys with answers of "a fireman, a policeman, a truck driver, a pilot," all come stereotypically to mind. 

Then our little children become "big boys" and "big girls," and the answers begin to change.  For many girls, "wife and mommy" remains high on the list, and praise God for that!  Many begin to add a long list of different careers, though.  The boys are beginning to show interest in the larger world around them, and their answers broaden accordingly.

Finally, as we hit the years of homeschool high school, where our family currently "resides," the sweet, entertaining question of yesteryear takes on a sense of urgency, especially with sons.  In the conservative Christian home, the role of a full-time wife and mother--a "keeper at home"--is prized.  But it doesn't happen without a husband and father providing well for the needs of his family.  So when we, as parents, open our eyes one morning and find that the sweet little towheaded boy now stands 6 inches taller than us and sings with a baritone voice in church, well...let's just say it can take your breath away!

It has always been my desire that my sons do what their daddy does.  No, I don't mean that they follow in his career footsteps of becoming an architect.  What I do mean is that I desire them to love their careers as much as he loves his.  I want them to do what they are passionate about. 

For my oldest son, Bryan, who is now 17, it has led us down a path that we never would have imagined on our own!  It has been a journey of, "there's no way...," some fear and trepidation, and ultimately trusting in God to completely lead the way; and He has not only done His part, but has transformed me and taught me what is truly important in life.  One of my favorite prayers now is this one: "Father, you're in the driver's seat...I have no idea how this can happen.  But You've put this desire in Bryan's heart, so if it's Your will for him, I ask you to just drop it in my lap, because I truly do not know what to do next!"   When God answers a prayer like that, it changes you!  Over time, our concerns have melted away, and we...alongside our son...are really excited about the possibilities and the future ahead of him.  His will be a life that is the polar opposite of our crazy, suburban-Chicago existence.  And I believe he will be blessed. 

For now, it is approaching dinnertime at our home, so I'll leave off here, and will pick up the story next time!  May God bless you, and please say "hello" to me, so I know someone's been by! 

  Lori

Hello!  Wow, I'm finally taking the plunge into the blogosphere pool!  I'll be learning as I go along, no doubt...but I have so much in my heart that I want to share, so I guess the first step is just to take the first step, so here goes!!!   

I'm Lori, and I live in the suburbs of Chicago with my dear husband of 24 years, Kevin, and my two AWESOME sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (15).  Kevin accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior while in high school.  I was in college when I first heard the Gospel, and though I believed every bit of it, it took me until early in my married life before I really understood what it meant to FOLLOW Christ--to walk with Him in joyful submission and obedience.  Our sons accepted Christ during their grade-school years, and are growing and maturing in their walk with Him.  It is such a blessing to watch as God refines them and draws them to Himself!  I praise Him for that!

With 2 sons in high school now, the shortness of the time that we have left in our homeschooling career seems to hit me harder and more often than ever.  How often I find myself wishing that I had "done this better," or "done that to begin with," and even that I "hadn't done those things at all!"  If I could go back and do things differently, I would, in some areas. 

But what do they say about wishing?  "If wishes were horses then all men would ride...."  So I put my homeschooling regrets behind me, and press on toward the goal.  The goal.   What is that goal? 

For my kids, well, there are many goals.  We used a terrific book called "Home School, High School, and Beyond," by Beverly Adams Gordon, to set all that up. 

For me, though, the goal is something else.  Yes, there are several goals, but my main goal in these remaining few years of homeschooling these young men of mine is to help them seek God's will for their lives.  What is it that HE has for them to do?  HE created them.  HE saved them.  HE knows every single thing about them.  HE gave them a "bent."  HE gave them a purpose.  HE must reveal it to them.  THEY must seek HIM for that.  I get to help them do that...and I'll tell you what--it is the most exciting thing that I have ever done in my life! 

What a blessing to observe one's children...to notice the things that bring a sparkle to their eyes, joy to their hearts...to notice the things that challenge them in a way that makes them desire to learn more...to notice the things that bring them peace as they work at them, even if it's something hard. 

And then to lift that up to the Lord, and ask, "Father, is THIS part of Your Plan for my son?"  With Bryan, my oldest, the story that unfolded is one that still gives me goosebumps!  God's plan for him has been revealed to us in wonderful and mysterious ways!  I'll share more about it in future posts.

For now, thanks to anyone who has been reading...I'm excited to be here in the blogging world!   I'd love to know if you've stopped by... 

Until next  time, may God Bless you!