Nov. 27, 2006 - It's A Girl!

Well, adopted a beautiful 5 month old baby girl named Sally.  The kids have quickly bonded with her and have given her lots of snuggles and cuddles.  We decided to keep her name Sally, although we did rack our brains to think of something else.  Annie was a possibility, but she's just Sally.  She looks like a Sally.  If I can ever figure out how to load pictures on to this blog, I'll put one up of her. 

 

We found her at Happy Tales.  It's a great place that has a no-kill policy.  They carefully screen adoptive families, and, while the babies are waiting to be adopted, they stay with foster families, not in a kennel.

 

She's  beautiful, with short brownish-blonde hair (we wanted one with short hair).  She's extremely well-behaved and even knows a few commands.  The kids have had a blast playing with her.  She loves playing in the backyard!  We have even bought her a few toys.  She's already lost all of her baby teeth and is potty trained!

 

She definitely fits in here at the Shreeve Ranch!

 

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Nov. 17, 2006 - Sisters are a blessing!!!!!

I just spent a day with two of my sisters.  (No, we do not share the same physical DNA, but we do have the same Father.)  One of them, Christy, has a beautifully decorated and extremely cozy house.  Her three teenage daughters served us tea (the real thing, not Lipton) on delicate, beautiful china.  We had homemade scones and homemade jam.  The girls also kept up with our small children so we ladies could relax, rewind and recharge. 

 

These two women are such a blessing.  They are my Titus 2 ladies.  They've been traveling this wife/mommy/homeschool road longer than I have, and have much wisdom.  I am so grateful that the Lord has allowed our paths to cross. 

 

When it was time to leave, I gathered my children and took home with me a peace and a fullness that I haven't had in a long time.  I greeted my husband with a smile and  new admiration for him.  I know all of this is all from the Lord, working through them. 

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Nov. 12, 2006 - Monster-in-law? Not!

This weekend my in-laws came from Southaven, MS for a visit.  I am so very blessed to have the very best in-laws!  If I can ever figure out how to post photos, I'd love to include one of them.

 

After they checked into their hotel, we spent some time hanging out here at our house and then they took us to dinner at a really neat 50s restaurant called 5 & Diner.  It was delicious.  Afterwards, we headed back to our house to visit some more.  Ken & his Dad watched a football game.  We let the kids stay up until 10:30pm since it was a special occasion. 

 

This morning I cooked a huge breakfast and after we enjoyed that Ken finished up some yard work.  Then we went to visit my grandparents who are in an assisted living facility.  We grilled out cheeseburgers & hot dogs and invited my parents over for lunch. 

 

They left for MS around 5:30pm.  It's about a 3 1/2 hour drive.  The kids were REALLY sad to see them go.  Especially Sarah.  She held on to "Big Papa's" arm and tried to pull him back in the house.  :)  I miss them, but we'll be going down there for Thanksgiving. 

 

They are truly wonderful parents, grandparents & in-laws!

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Nov. 11, 2006 - Elisabeth Elliott article

I'm a big fan of Elisabeth Elliott.  A friend of mine knows her personally, and says that she's even more profound in person.  Her writings have uplifted me and encouraged me.  This particular article really blessed me, as I'm patiently trying to wait for #5!! 

 

A Childless Couple

Children, God tells us, are a heritage from Him. Is the man or woman to whom He gives no children therefore disinherited? Surely not. The Lord gave portions of land to each tribe of Israel except one. "The tribe of Levi... received no holding; the Lord God of Israel is their portion, as he promised them" (Joshua 13:14, NEB). Withholding what He granted to the rest, He gave to Levi a higher privilege. May we not see childlessness in the same light? I believe there is a special gift for those to whom God does not give the gift of physical fatherhood or motherhood.

 

I have known many women (and a few men) who have sorrowed deeply over being childless. My brother-in-law Bert Elliot and his wife Colleen, missionaries in Peru for more than forty years, longed for children of their own. They asked the Lord for children if that would best glorify Him. His answer was no. They wondered about adoption, which would not have been nearly so difficult there as it is in the States. Again the answer seemed to be no, but God has given them the privilege of fathering and mothering hundreds of Peruvians, both white and Indian, in the jungle and in the high Andes, where they bear on their shoulders the care of dozens of little churches.

 

A woman of about fifty wrote, "Each Mother's Day became a little harder for me as I realized another year had gone by and after many years of marriage I am still childless--the only woman in my Sunday School class who is not a mother. The morning service started... I could not see the pastor for the tears in my eyes. Almost at the end of his message he said, 'I know there are some of you women here this morning who would like to be mothers, but for some reason God has chosen differently. Don't question Him. He has a reason."

 

Childlessness, for those who deeply desire children, is real suffering. Seen in the light of Calvary and accepted in the name of Christ, it becomes a chance to share in His sufferings. Acceptance of the will of the Father took Him to the Cross. We find our peace as we identify with Him in His death and resurrection.

 

Look around your church. If you are a parent, look for those who aren't. Might they not be ready to "father" or "mother" you or your children, to be adopted as a grandparent, for example, or an aunt or uncle? My life was enriched by unmarried aunts and friends who paid attention to us children, celebrated our birthdays and sometimes even helped us with homework. The love they would have poured out on their own children had God given them marriage, they poured out instead on us, and we were blessed as we could not have been had they had children. Their loss was our gain, and, as Ugo Bassi a young Italian preacher, said many years ago, we are to measure our lives "by loss and not by gain, not by the wine drunk but by the wine poured forth, for Love's strength standeth in Love's sacrifice, and he who suffereth most hath most to give."

 

What of the thousands who have not had the mothers and fathers they desperately longed for while they were growing up? Is not God calling all whose ears are open to Him to recognize the wounds of the world and to pour forth His love to the lonely young man whose relationship with his father seems to have destroyed his fitness for manhood? Or to the expectant mother whose own mother is far away, or indifferent, or dead, who longs for a mother to share her joy? Whose will be the strong shoulder of sympathy (the word means "to suffer with") ready to bear another's burdens?--not with the tepid sentimentality which only weakens, but with the burning love which gives hope and cheer and strength?

 

My correspondent says God has given her "several kids adopted in my heart to pray for, whose mothers say they haven't time to pray." Another girl asked her to be grandmother to her new baby. "Well, what a blessing and how this has changed my life!" she says. "If I had sat around and felt sorry for myself look at the above blessings I would have missed. What a thrill on Mother's Day this year to get a Grandmother card!"

 

And what of the young childless woman? Is she merely to mark time, hoping against hope that someday she will be given a child? There are always younger people who need a boost, some encouragement in their struggles against the pull of the world, a listening ear when they face hard decisions, someone who will simply take time out to pray with them, to walk with them the way of the cross with its tremendous demand--the difficult and powerful life of glad surrender and acceptance. As the branches of the wine pour out their sweetness, so young women may see their opportunity, as branches of the True Vine to pour out their lives for the world.

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Oct. 20, 2006 - What We're Using

 

 

	ANDREW	JACK
Math	Math-U-See	Math-U-See
Science	Portions of Apologia Botany Portions of Apologia Astronomy Human Anatomy Unit Study Taxonomy Unit Study
History	Sonlight 3
Geography	Trail Guide to U.S. Geography
Handwriting		Getty-Dubay
Phonics	Phonics Pathways
Bible	106 Days of Creation
Speech & Debate	Christian Communicators of TN

 

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Oct. 20, 2006 - Why We Homeschool

Ken wrote this to give to submit with our application to our umbrella school.  I thought it was excellent.

 

It is our belief and spiritual conviction that the education of our children is our direct responsibility. It is also our belief that the state/local government run public schools will not and can not educate our children in the Biblical & Christian world view that we desire for them obtain.

 

Another aspect of home education that is very important to us is the development of close personal relationships both with and between our children.  It is our belief that this deep level of relationship is best obtained through time together that would be lost if enrolled in a school outside of the home.

 

Home education also allows us to customize the educational material and schedule to each child allowing them the extra time needed to understand concepts with which they struggle while continuing to excel in those which they grasp quickly.

 

We thank God for the opportunity to fulfill this important responsibility the Lord has given us and for your service to the families who choose to join us in this.

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Oct. 20, 2006 - Baby Steps

OK, I've never considered myself a techie, but I do consider myself to possess a fairly average computer aptitude.  This blog stuff, however, is another thing entirely.  Avatar?  Sound like something out of Star Trek.  Ping?  Wasn't that an Atari game?

 

So, for now, we're just doing entries.  Plain Jane entries.  Don't look for tickers, animated graphics, or even photos for that matter on my blog.  I'm not there yet.  Yet.  It'll take baby steps.

 

It doesn't help that I have entirely zero patience at learning new things.  When I was a newlywed, I beat myself up continuously because I couldn't cook well.  I thought that I should be able to pick that up overnight.  Also, along with a lack of patience, I also suffer from a lack of perseverance.  My temperament is such that if something is too hard I just forget about it and move on.  However, since I am also on a mission to deal with these character flaws, I have just bitten the bullet and persevered on with the blog when, truthfully, I just want to say bye-bye to the whole mess!

 

BTW, I'm a pretty good cook nowadays.  Baby steps.

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Jul. 7, 2006 - All Aboard the Blog Train

Well, we've finally done it!  After months of "blogging--what's that?" and then "blogging, schmogging!", here we are! 

 

The advances of modern technology never cease to amaze me.  That squiggles on paper (or a computer screen) could communicate so much to so many people is truly a mind-boggling feat. 

 

Hopefully, this format will allow friends & family to sneak-a-peek into the comings & goings of a family that is humbly walking together with our Lord in a fallen world. 

 

Blessings to you all!

 

The Shreeve's

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