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The other day, I was able to sit down with a friend and neighbor named Mary Hankel.  She tells a piece of her story and how her family, through adoption, went from a family of 5 to 12!!  Ultimately, this is a story of God’s faithfulness and what He can do with those who are obedient to His call.  Thanks so much for sharing Mary, and God bless your entire family!!

Today was, by far, my most stressful day at WalMart that I’ve had in awhile!  I had just picked up Cade and Ella from a friend’s house because Kirk and I had attended a funeral in the morning.  I should have known going to WalMart in a dress and high heels probably wasn’t the best plan, but how bad could it be?

We started our trek by picking up one of those new carts that seats three children so you feel like you are pushing a train.  Never mind the fact that having 3 children, at a store, by yourself, already makes you the curiosity of everyone in the store.  When you add a cart that is hard to push and huge you receive stares in triplicate.   The kids were excited about the new experience though, and Addie was thrilled to be facing Cade and Ella.  We’re used to the stares and the “Wow, you must be busy!” comments by now anyway.

Things were going splendidly as we picked out nightlights, birthday gifts and started on our journey through the food section.  We said, “no thanks” to the samples and kept cruising.  It was right near the dairy section that I smelled something rather strong.  Sure enough, Addie was poopy, and being the veteran mom that I am, I neglected to bring in a diaper or wipes.  Now, a good mom would hall the children out to the car and change the poor child, but in my great wisdom, I decided that we would just be speedy and change her afterward.  I know that there were several people who got close to my smiling 9 month old only to be turned away by the stench.  Oh well, it made for a quicker trip.

The kids were getting along quite well and enjoying their time.  We were nearing the end in the produce section when I allowed Cade and Ella to get out of their seats.  Somewhere between the apples and the pears Ella let me know that she had to use the bathroom.  With Ella I usually have another 15 minutes from her warning until she absolutely has to go, so I wasn’t panicked yet.  We were about to pick out a watermelon when we saw a friend, and as soon as we began to chat Cade cried out in pain.  Flip flops and the cart are NOT a good combination.  After he calmed down we moved along only to find that the checkout lanes were quite busy.

Now, be it right or wrong, I like to be doing SOMETHING rather than nothing so I, of course, I chose the self-check out lane with my pile of groceries and 3 children in tow versus waiting in line with all the others.  I am not daunted by self-checkout.  It gives the kids more opportunity to help, and it usually goes pretty smoothly.  Well, at our WalMart they are remodeling and that has brought new self-checkout systems as well.  Let’s just say that it was REALLY sensitive today!  This is also the day that I was buying huge amounts of produce so I had to weigh, look-up things and punch in item numbers more than I would care to count.  Did you know that sweet potatoes are under “P” for potato instead of “S” for sweet?  I guess it makes some sense now while I’m sitting here in my quiet living room, but you should realize that at this point stinky Addie is crying with snot coming out of her nose, and Cade and Ella are asking to help and have already pressed on the scale accidentally so the cashier had to come over.  Ella has again reminded me that she needs to use the bathroom and I know my 15 minute buffer is getting narrower.  I am trying to be quick which is causing me to hit the “I don’t want to bag this item” button too many times so the cashier has to make her 7th appearance by now.  I know everyone is thinking, “why in the world didn’t this lady just go to a regular lane!!”  Lemons are not listed on the look-up menu for some strange reason requiring me to ask for assistance again.

Cade now lets me know that he needs to use the bathroom.  His time buffer is about 3 minutes top.  Addie is still fussing, and the sweet cashier has handed me a Kleenex at some point in all of this to wipe her nose, as well as some words of advice about not taking the bags off so quickly from scale.  Finally, I have scanned everything and have all my items in a new cart.  I go to swipe my new debit card only to have it denied (I know I should only be using cash!!).  I try this twice, and it happens again.  Finally, my very sweet and competent cashier pulls me over to her register.  Cade is now at the point of urgency so I break our rule and send him down to use the bathroom by himself.  My card finally clears, and it looks like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Addie is still crying.  I pick her up to move her to our new cart only to find the she has completely blown through and smells horrendous.  So, here I am pushing a full cart trying to hold a crying Addie so she doesn’t get my dress dirty and just laughing to myself.  I wait semi-patiently for Cade and Ella by the bathrooms.  They get out, and it looks like we are finally on our way.  I am cruising along, and Cade runs to the front to hop on.  Once again flip flops and the cart are a bad combination, and I have a 5 year old screaming in pain, and Addie is still crying.

As I am trying to console Cade a sweet lady asks if she can help.  I appreciatively declined as she tells me, “This too shall pass, I so remember those days!”

We got to the car and Addie’s diaper was so bad that I was cleaning her belly button out just to give you an idea.  Through it all the kids did so well, but that was my craziest day at WalMart in a long time.

So, when you hear that child screaming through all of the store you can think of me!  It’s humbling to say the least!

Cade is almost 6, and he’ll technically be Kindergarten age this Fall (where has the time gone???).  Kirk and I have always wanted to home-school.  It is such a natural fit for us as I love to teach and that is my background, and Kirk is self-employed.  At this point, we just can’t imagine being tied down to a school schedule, and we are loving the flexibility that we have as a family.

I have been leery about starting any formal curriculum with the kiddos as I am not a fan of seat work and worksheets, and I don’t want to recreate a classroom setting at home.  After all, one reason we are home-schooling is that we get to learn by living life…gardening, cooking, building, playing games, fixing the car, and just enjoying being a family.  I do think there is a place for curriculum, but especially for Primary grades I think less is more.  All that to say that we are loving one curriculum and that is Five in a Row. Basically, you read classic picture books that capture your children’s imagination, and you read it together five days in a row (hence the name).  Each day you can pick and choose one or more of the suggested activities within the curriculum.  You can do as little or as much as you want, and the kids fall in love with the stories!  Everyday that we open the book the kids (and I) pick up on something different in the story.  We focus on something new each day that brings the story to life again.  Another thing I love, is that the kids aren’t learning mundane facts, but they are learning things that stick with them because they are engaged and they assimilate the information into their lives.  For instance, Ella today in Walmart was listening to her flip-flops because of the story A Pair of Red Clogs.  She said “Kara Kora, Kara Kora” because that was how the girl’s clogs sounded in the book.

Lentil was one of our favorite books.  We experimented with charcoal drawings (messy but fun), now are the proud owners of a harmonica, and we visited the local Memorial Park as a family.

Ella & The Statue of Liberty

POW/MIA Monument

Cade & The Bald Eagle

It was pretty chilly that day so we only spent about 10-15 minutes at that Memorial Park, but in that time we talked about The Statue of Liberty in New York given to the USA by France, the sacrifice of many soldiers, what a monument is, what POW and MIA mean, the Bald Eagle, our flag and its symbolism, freedom, war and so much more.  This kind of thing happens every week with Five in a Row and you usually don’t even leave the house!

If you are looking to ease into something with your little ones whether you are home-schooling or not, Five in a Row is a great place to start!

So, today I overslept and ran out the door, to the gym, behind schedule. I was actually on par to make it just in the “nick of time”. Of course, it was the day that 2 deer jumped out in front of me making me more tentative, and then I had to stop for a red light which rarely happens at 5:30AM. I was slightly irritated as I saw in the distance police lights. As I got closer, I noticed that my exit was actually blocked off with cones…grrr…road construction. Then I saw not one, but several police cars, and as I passed my exit there was a minivan that had rolled and none of the windows that I could see were left. It was bad, and suddenly I felt quite guilty for being irritated that MY exit was closed and that the world wasn’t revolving around me.

The world seems uneasy with all that is going on in the Middle East, and locally the Polaris Plant which is a source of many jobs in our smaller community, is closing, leaving many friends and neighbors without jobs. My dad is once again having radiation for recurring Multiple Myeloma cancer, and on and on.

It is at times like these that I am reminded that this is not my home, and for that I am thankful. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day and be striving to get to the next “thing”. So many times I forget to focus on the eternal instead of on the temporal. My complaining reflects where my focus is. God has it all in control, and His timing is PERFECT. Who am I to complain? I am merely His creation…He is THE Creator.

So today, I will remember to rest in Him. He knows what I need. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33

I love perennials!! I love that most of the hard work I did in the previous years shows itself in the following years! As the kids and I were weeding today we were talking about the difference between annuals and perennials. It was such a neat time because we were able to talk about the principle of sowing and reaping. I used it to talk to them about what we think about, and watch, and listen to, and how that determines if we have “ugly flowers” or “pretty flowers” in our actions.

No matter who wants to deny it, we all live under the law of sowing and reaping. I think remembering this is vital to my sanity some days. Take heart moms (and dads)! It matters that you have played games, read books, changed diapers and fed your children. You maybe almost got hit with the ball while batting and playing house wasn’t super entertaining for you, but you are sowing. Role playing how to treat your sister…AGAIN, matters. The reaping may be a long time in coming, but it will! Jump in with both feet. I’ve heard that “It goes SO fast!”.

I LOVE the Olympics!!

We happily haven’t had any TV reception since the summer Olympics and, Kirk, knowing how I enjoy them went and got an antenna just so we could watch the 2010 Winter Games. (I so appreciate him). I have my favorite events, but I will watch almost any of it. To give you an idea of how bad it has been around here, yesterday I walked into Walmart with three kids in tow, and we passed the Subway that is inside of Walmart. Cade and Ella immediately started singing, “Five…five dollars…five dollar footlong…”! I was almost sure I heard Addie humming along.

So, what have we been doing during those off times when no Olympic coverage is on our local station? We have been sleeping, eating, going grocery shopping and making salt dough ice skates. Cade got the idea that he wanted to make ski poles from pipe cleaners. After we thought about it for awhile, we decided that wooden dowels might be better. So, we picked up dowels and paint, and first thing this morning he got to painting his ski poles.

I questioned my sanity while I was explaining to Cade that the poles can’t be used as swords or lightsabers. Was there even a chance that this wouldn’t happen??? Well, after waiting way longer than Cade would have liked for the paint to dry, I have been pleasantly surprised.

The kids have been taking turns skiing through the kitchen. There are necklaces for the medals. The timer is set and one cheers while the other skis. Russia is usually trailing “American”. The black paint scuffs on the floor are well worth the entertainment!

What if the purpose of marriage wasn’t to make you happy?  I know the notion isn’t very romantic and makes every prospective Cinderella cringe.  What about finding your Prince Charming, meeting your soul-mate and being “completed”?

I was recently reading a book called, Blessing Your Husband, by Debra Evans.  She brings up the question about what marriage is for and why God created it.  Happiness may be a by-product of marriage, but it isn’t the purpose.  Could that be why so many marriages are failing today?  I know that there have been many days that I have been frustrated with Kirk for not meeting my needs.  Somewhere I have many times bought into the lie that he is here to make me happy, and when he doesn’t meet up to that expectation I am frustrated, irritated and usually crabby.  But, what if when Kirk doesn’t meet what I think I need (real or perceived) I took it as an opportunity to serve, or learn humility, or practice patience, or go to God with my need.  Isn’t true love sacrificial?  What if, instead of pouting I prayed about how God wants me to respond?

It was at a A Weekend to Remember marriage conference that Kirk and I went to several years back that we learned that the spouse you have is God’s “perfect provision” for you.  That does NOT mean your spouse is perfect!!  It means that God will use your spouse to refine you and make you more like Him if you allow Him to.  WOW!  That was pretty revolutionary for me.  All the things that are maybe weaknesses (or my perception of weaknesses) in Kirk can be the very things that God will use to change me.  The only problem is that there are many times that I work to change Kirk instead of seeking God to change me.

Now, don’t get me wrong…I really enjoy my marriage, and Kirk is a wonderful husband.  The fact remains that no matter how “wonderful” your spouse is they will never be perfect and they cannot meet all your needs.  What I do know is that my marriage is very different when I change my perspective from being made happy to being changed!

Addie just passed her 5 month mark, and I was just noticing how long her hair is getting.  You’ll also notice that lovely baby bald spot.

Cade was as bald as a cue ball for a long time after birth and went through a phase of being deathly afraid of haircuts once he did have hair.  Ella had a moderate amount of hair and currently is waiting for her hair to get long enough for braids.  Thus far Addie is known for her red hair:).

We did have a hair cutting episode last summer that you can see all about below.

While Ella was getting her hair cut professionally after this incident, the lady said that she had seen moms cry because their girl’s hair had been cut.  Call me crazy but all I could think was, “It’s only hair!”

Please consider donating to Samaritan’s Purse!   They are bringing supplies in the name of Jesus Christ to a desperate people who need your prayers and your support.  Samaritan’s Purse has a long relationship with the people of Haiti and are trusted by the government and the people.

Samaritan’s Purse :: Donations for Haiti Relief

Haiti Relief from Samaritan's Purse

The first Samaritan’s Purse cargo plane arrived in Haiti Wednesday with emergency relief supplies for victims of the massive earthquake that rocked the country on Tuesday. The initial shipment included shelter material, hygiene kits, and water purification kits, as well as members of our disaster response team.

Our team is comprised of veterans of many disaster responses, but even they were shocked by what they encountered when they arrived.

“The streets are full of people that have no home to go back to,” said Dr. David Gettle, medical advisor. “They’re running out of food, fuel, and water. The situation is desperate and tense, and there is tremendous suffering.”

Three more flights with personnel and critically needed relief supplies landed Friday. Staff arriving included our team leader, two water engineers, and eight medical personnel to join Dr. Gettle.

Samaritan’s Purse deployed a disaster response team just hours after one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the Caribbean in decades to help with water, shelter, medical care, and other emergency needs.

“The damage is staggering in a nation where three out of four people live on less than $2 a day,” Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham said. “The people of Haiti need our help like never before.”

We are partnering with HCJB Global, a medical ministry out of Ecuador that will be sending six doctors to join our medical advisor. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is deploying chaplains from its Rapid Response Team to help our team meet spiritual needs.

Samaritan’s Purse :: Donations for Haiti Relief

Staff with Baptist Haiti Mission, our local partner, report severe damage throughout the area. Power is out, and there is no water.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Kyrk Baker, director of operations for Baptist Haiti Mission. “We have a 100-bed hospital, and right now patients are lining the floor. There are big box vans coming in with people to see a doctor. It’s just unbelievable the amount of people that are lined up trying to get basic medical care.”

Baptist Haiti Mission is located in the mountains outside the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, about 20 miles from the epicenter. The hospital and other buildings are operating on generators.

The massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake was the strongest to hit the country in 200 years and was felt as far away as Cuba. The tremor sparked widespread panic as it brought down buildings including the presidential palace, hotels, a hospital, and the UN headquarters in Port-au-Prince.

The city “is flattened,” said Haiti’s consul general to the U.N., Felix Augustin. The death toll could be between 45,000 and 50,000, with a further three million people hurt or homeless, a senior Haitian Red Cross official said on Thursday.

The earthquake was centered about 10 miles west of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake was felt in the Dominican Republic, which shares a border with Haiti on the island of Hispaniola. Some panicked residents in the capital of Santo Domingo fled from their shaking homes.

Samaritan’s Purse responded in Haiti with emergency food and shelter material in September 2008, when four major storms including Hurricane Ike slammed the Caribbean nation.

“Being able to help people in a time of need demonstrates Christ’s love,” Baker said.

Samaritan’s Purse :: Donations for Haiti Relief

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

PRAY:

That people would get the help they need as quickly as possible.

For our team as they show the compassion of Christ to survivors.

That the flights carrying our relief supplies soon will be able to arrive in Haiti.

GIVE:

Please visit our donation page to help us meet the needs of earthquake victims in Haiti.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/responding_to_haiti_earthquake/

Today I was renewed in my appreciation for God’s perfection.

While I was nannying yesterday, I went downstairs and found open packaging from a toy camera.  After asking the boys if they knew anything about it I was able to conclude that the culprit of opening the package was Ella.  I quickly went upstairs to find the hooligan and promptly brought her downstairs.

Now, pause for a second and understand that we have recently had several incidents of Ella not telling us the truth.  At this point, we can pretty much bank on what Cade says, but with Ella it is iffy.  (ie eating a Triscuit and having the remains in her mouth while straight faced saying that she did not take a cracker and eat it.)

So, back to bringing the hooligan downstairs.  I was expecting denial from her, but I was pleasantly surprised when she admitted to opening the package immediately.  Then I asked her where she got the package.  She pointed to the nearest shelf.  Now, I happen to know that Melissa (the mom of the kids I nanny) has a dresser with toys in their packages in another room.  I asked Ella again and she stuck to her story.  After several rounds of this and various discipline techniques I finally left Ella in a back room by herself to think things through and hopefully tell me the truth when I came back.  I was praying for her little heart to be convicted as she bawled in the other room.  I came back numerous times and she would tell me she forgot where she got the toy camera from.

After way too much drama I finally told Ella that I knew she got it from the dresser.  She agreed, and we hugged.  Once again we discussed the importance of honesty, and I told Ella that she would need to inform Melissa when she got home what she had done.  Then we went along with the rest of our day.

Fast forward to the time that Melissa gets home.  Ella was off playing so I told Melissa that I was going to have Ella confess to her.  Then Melissa proceeds to tell me that the toy camera was in fact on the shelf that Ella had ORIGINALLY told me and NOT in the dresser…

WONDERFUL!! Now, I had disciplined my daughter for lying, when she had not, and she even confessed to something that she, in fact, did NOT do!  I immediately felt AWFUL!!

I later pulled Ella aside, and asked her where she really got the camera toy.  The hooligan poor child was probably so confused at that point.  When reassured that she could really tell me, she again told me about the shelf that she actually found it on.  I apologized and told her that I had made a mistake (I had been so sure!).  She was so gracious and forgiving (I have found that kids at this age usually are).

As we were leaving to go home, Ella by her own initiative, whispered to Melissa that she had taken the camera and opened it.  Evidently, it had been a left over Christmas gift that just had yet to be opened.  I was very wrong in my assumptions yesterday.  I was very blessed though by Ella’s forthright confession on her own.

When all was said and done I was still feeling badly about the whole incident and told Kirk that I have learned that I will not discipline for lying unless I have evidence.  I also was extremely thankful that God is always PERFECT and ALL-KNOWING. We are never held accountable for something we didn’t do, and He always knows exactly what we need in discipline and provision.