2 Weeks Later...

Two weeks have officially passed since we welcomed little Abby-Kate into our family. Already she is changing and growing and it is fun to see her more awake and alert with each passing day.
All of her brothers have adjusted nicely to having a baby in the house and so have Mom and Dad! Despite my fears and worries when I was pregnant, things are going so well! My Pastor once said that 80% of the things we worry about never even happen and I can definitely see that in this case. After 5 1/2 years without a baby in the home, I did have some valid concerns over facing sleep deprivation again, nursing, and just going back to the baby stages. However, none of that has been an issue so far and we feel so very blessed right now.
There was a time (or times) that Jason and I had decided that we were not going to have any more children...thankfully we never did anything permanent to make that happen! We were talking about that this afternoon and I thought of how God's ways are higher than our ways and His wisdom so much greater than our own. Had we followed our plan, Abby-Kate would not be here and we would be missing out on so much!!! I am thankful that God, in His great mercy and grace, kept us from making a terrible mistake. I have often met older women, who upon seeing our "large family" have said to me, "I always wished I had had more children." Never have I met someone who wished away the ones they had!
So, tonight as I am up nursing and feeling quite sleepy, I am also overwhelmed with the tremendous blessing of motherhood. Though there are sacrifices that must be made as a mother, they are worth it in the end!

Ben's First "Real" Job

One minute your children are crawling around your feet while you cook dinner and the next time you turn around they are cooking dinner themselves...well, pizza rolls and ramen noodle soup anyways!
That is exactly how I have been feeling these last few weeks as I realize how quickly time passes and my children are truly growing up. A wise woman once said to me, "The days are long, but the years are short". This is one of the truest statements I have ever heard and something for young mothers to remember in the early years when they have those grueling days where everybody needs something from them. One day they will look around and see that that their children no longer need their physical care as much as their listening ear, open heart, and encouraging words.
Anyways, our oldest son, Ben, is transitioning into this phase of his life. He no longer needs help with schoolwork, he is completely in charge of his wardrobe (including washing, drying, and putting away), and now he is earning his own money!
Just last week, he started his first "real" job at Chick-Fil-A. Of course we, being his embarrassing parents, had to take some pictures and celebrate this new phase of his life.
Actually, Jason took him to work, which was worse, because he has completely forgotten what it was like to be nearly 15 and be followed around by your Dad with a camera on your first day of work! I would have been much more compassionate, which explains why I get foot rubs and Jason doesn't! Well, that and the he has stinky feet...but that's another subject!
Ben was greeted by his new fellow employees with a homemade "Benjamin" banner on the wall, lots of cheers, and his name being chanted as he walked in. (All the while being followed by Jason, the paparazzi!)
Being pretty shy by nature, I am sure he was mortified, but he took it all in stride and had a great time on his 1st night at work. So far, he has loved every minute of it and has done well keeping keeping up with his busy schedule.
As his parents, we are very proud of him and are enjoying watching God prepare him for his future outside of our home one day. Unfortunately, I'm sure it will be sooner than we think!

New Beginnings

Recently I had decided to delete this blog altogether. I hardly have time to keep up with it and when I do get the time, I am too tired to think of anything to say! However, I have had a change of mind, and so now I am going to try to do a better job of sharing with others the things happening in our lives.
In a nutshell, here are a few areas of our lives that are in the midst of change and I am sure, I will be addressing:
* Baby #6 is soon to be delivered! Only 7 1/2 weeks left and we will have the wonderful blessing of meeting our baby girl (obviously unnamed at this point!)
* Food changes are on the horizon - I have taken a real interest in the subject of free range farming and whole foods and am planning on delving into the issue wholeheartedly. There are several books I am looking forward to reading on this and I will be sharing our journey into a healthier lifestyle here on the blog. The more Jason and I discuss cancer and other diseases, the more convinced I am that our foods have ALOT to do with it. We are hoping to be able to bring our family into a better place nutritionally this year.

Hopefully what we learn and experience will be a blessing to someone else and at the least will challenge or inspire. I am looking forward to some new beginnings in our home this year and hope you will enjoy hearing a little more about these things soon.

A Gentle Reminder

Isn't it funny that you can know something as a fact, yet not realize it fully until little moments when God opens your eyes and gives you a gentle, but pointed reminder?
Tonight was one of those moments for me.
I was invited by a sweet friend to attend her Senior Banquet. She is graduating in just a couple of weeks and our church set aside an evening to celebrate together with friends and family.
During the course of the evening, a slide show was shown of each graduating Senior and pictures played across the screen beginning with their births, and on into their current lives. Many of these young people I did not know, so I was a little surprised when I felt that knot in my stomach and the increasing desire to shed a tear. I began to think, "If I am emotional now, what will I be like when my own children's lives are portrayed on that screen?"
Of course that thought did not subside and after it was over I stood in the hallway talking with a dear friend who is sending 2 of her boys off to college in the Fall and her last child is entering High School. She shared with me the tears she had shed in the last two weeks as she readied herself for this night and went through pictures for the presentation. Many of those tears are joyful because her children are maturing into true followers of Christ, but some of those tears were from the realization and sadness of how short life truly is.
It is one of those facts that you know and you even talk about it with others at family reunions and birthday parties, but there are certain times when the realization sets in and you don't only know it in your head - but your heart gets it too and you are moved by it.
Scripture declares it this way, "For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." (James 4:14)
Casting Crowns puts it into a tune, "I am a flower quickly fading - here today and gone tomorrow, a wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind...", and grandmothers remind us, "Enjoy them while you can - they grow up fast." We hear it so often, but are we really listening? Are we heeding these words of wisdom?
I know that I personally can get so caught up in the demands of life that sometimes I forget to enjoy the living. I take my life and my family's lives for granted and at times even have the audacity to complain over my situation or circumstance. Oh, how I wish I could have it burned into my heart to take each day as a gift and realize the fragility of life and the fleeting nature of it.
One person wisely said "when the hourglass runs out of sand, you can't flip it over and start again". How true, yet how forgotten!
I don't want to be this person who dreads for the years to pass and is so focused on the passing that I miss the daily moments, but I also don't want to take for granted that each day is precious and never to be repeated. Time truly is our most valuable commodity and the reality is that once we spend it, it is gone. There is no getting it back, trading for more, or any other clever method. We have what God has ordained for us to have and not a minute more. The same is true with time with our children. We don't always have tomorrow - we have TODAY...really, we aren't even guaranteed more than the moment we are in.
It is my sincere prayer that I will be a good steward of the time He has given me and pour my heart into the most precious gifts He has placed in my care: my husband and children. When I get to that time when my "chicks take flight" I want to be able to look back on their time in our home and know that I intentionally savored every moment of that huge chapter of my life. I hope not one page of it will have been wasted or written in a hurry, but instead that each moment was filled with love and gratitude for every breath we shared together.

Another Glimpse of Hope

Last week was a challenging week in our house. The rain came down several days in a row and everyone was beginning to show signs of being indoors way too much! The children were snapping at one another and Mom was feeling like catching the next plane to wherever...as long as no one who needed anything from me would be there!!!
But, just as I was beginning to lose all hope that my children are actually walking along the path we are laying out for them, God blessed me with a sweet reminder that they are getting it!
My oldest son, Ben, was scheduled to leave on a 2 day trip to Savannah, Ga on Monday morning. He has been studying Georgia History all year and this event was to be the culmination of all the things he has been studying. Of course this required an early morning as he had to leave our house by 6:00 a.m.. I went to his room around 5:30 to wake him but instead he was already up. He was sitting at his desk with several folded pieces of paper around him and as I entered, he declared, "I'm writing each of my brothers a note, like Daddy does when he goes on a trip."
Each note told of how he would miss them and challenged them to behave and be helpful. It also promised a gift when he returned and he shared how he would miss them and be thinking of them. It was sweet, to say the least, and it was a reminder to me that I am glad we have chosen to homeschool because it truly has strengthened the relationships of my children over the years.
Moments like these are like glimpses of hope to a weary mother. All day, every day I pour my whole life into my children in hopes that they will rise above some of the struggles I gave into when I was young and that they would choose to live differently than the culture they are surrounded by.
The culture says that little brothers and sisters are aggravating and that teenagers should surround themselves with other teenagers and hang out. But in our family, we believe that family is a gift from God and the older have the privilege of guiding and influencing the younger to grow in wisdom and maturity. We have always taught that each person in our family has a responsibility to the others to lead them and love them and encourage them on to good works. However, teaching something and seeing it embraced are two different things. There comes a point in our children's lives when they have to choose to embrace what they have been taught or not. When children are young, they don't have alot of choice...they must live by our standards. But as they grow older, they must choose to believe in our wisdom and walk the paths we have laid out for them. I think we are at a place where some of our children are entering into this phase of choosing and, to be honest, I am anxious about it more than I would like to admit.
Perhaps it is a fear of failure, perhaps I despair as I see the culture around us, or maybe it is the sinfulness I constantly see in myself and my family members, but either way there is always the nagging voice in the back if my mind wondering, "Will they choose to live for Christ or not?" It is not a one time decision, but a moment-by-moment decision and in their immaturity I often see that Self wins out.
However, God is faithful and when I am at my weakest point, He will take the veil off of my eyes for just a moment and enable me to see that we are on the right path...my children are maturing (however slowly)...and our family unit is stronger than I see on a daily basis. I am thankful for these moments because it encourages me to look beyond what I see - to walk in faith, not by sight - and to trust what God is doing in the hearts of my sons. Though it is not evident every moment, it is still there and growing stronger every day.

A Weekend Away...

"Opposites attract"...so the saying goes. That has never been truer than in our family. Jason and I are complete opposites and while it drives me crazy at times, often I am so thankful. You see, I am not a spontaneous person in the least. I like to wake up already knowing my plans for the day and stick to them until I say goodnight. However, I can always count on my husband to burst into my plans with plans of his own...and usually because his plans are more fun, he wins over!
This is sort of what happened on a recent weekend. It all started on a Friday around lunch. We were sitting at the table eating and talking about the beautiful weather when all of a sudden one of the boys spoke up, "I wish we could go to the mountains today." That was it!!! The wheels quickly began to turn and by 2:00 we were picking our oldest son up from school early and had the car packed to head to Blue Ridge. Whew...a whirlwind!
It took about 2 hours to get there, but it was like an entrance into another world as we stepped out of our van (more like tumbled out)and instantly breathed in the cool, crisp mountain air. The boys, of course, were excited and quickly began lugging our things into the cabin.
Upon entering we all took our own quick tours through the house claiming rooms and ooohhhhing and aaahhhhing over the things we each liked best. The view, the pool table, hot tub, huge jacuzzi tub, and on and on we went. (Thankfully the place belongs to a friend and we were able to use it for the small price of the cleaning fee!)
We spent the rest of the evening being lazy, enjoying much needed rest and refreshment and drinking hot cocoa and coffee together while we played Apples to Apples. It was alot of fun.
When morning came we knew we had to go hiking...that is my favorite thing to do in the mountains, so we ate a large breakfast and packed up our things since we would have to be heading home afterwards. We set out into the town to ask about and find the best trails for the day. We were directed to the Ocoee River area where the Olympic kayaking took place years ago. The hiking itself was fun...we didn't see a whole lot of amazing things, but we did enjoy the exercise and the fresh air. I think the only natural thing that captured my attention was the various types of mosses and lichens. I always love to take pictures of the soft, fuzzy mosses that cover large areas of the woods, and this day was no different. However, the mosses I came across were so different and very beautiful! Not only did we see the lush green, but so many other colors as well. It was like little "forests" of green and pink or green and white tips...absolutely interesting and I could not stop taking pictures and admiring their beauty. It was a great opportunity to discuss the amazing creativity of our God and how He takes pleasure in creating even the tiniest things into something beautiful! No matter where we go or what we do, if our eyes are open we can find all sorts of beautiful, often intricate, things that He has made and we have the privilege to enjoy. That always gets me excited and so we had some great conversations and truly an enjoyable time!
Next, we drove over to the Ocoee River and had a really fun time exploring and climbing on the rocks and so forth. There is nothing better for our family than time together outdoors. It is a guarantee that when we go hiking together, our children get along better, they are kinder and more helpful, and everyone feels closer to one another and to our Creator.
It is through experiences like these that I learn to appreciate the spontaneity of my husband and I feel very contented in my soul that we are a family heading in the right direction. Although problems and issues come and go and there are times when we feel very overwhelmed and inadequate at this parent/marriage thing...it is on days like these that I say to myself, "slow and steady...keep on going...God is faithful" and so forth. I am always so humbled and encouraged at the same time. So, the next time my husband has some great idea, I have learned to say, "maybe..."!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Sadly, in years past we have not celebrated Valentines Day as an entire family. Though Jason would usually buy me a gift and I would get him a card, we did not make it family-wide. This year, however, we decided to change that and make a new tradition.
We started off by planning a treasure hunt, in which the boys were given 10 clues to solve, before finding their Valentines "treasure":

1.Valentines is a day of love, clue #2 is behind our love spot - the "cuddle place". (our big chair where we cuddle each day with our children.)

2. After a kiss for Mom and Dad, you will find clue #3 in a place where your clothes get warm. (the dryer)

3. Give each other a high-five! Clue #4 will be found in a place that rhymes with lovin - a hot place! (the oven)

4. Now it's time to get it going! Clue #5 will be in the "upper deck" right on top of the world books. (upstairs in our "library" on the World Book Encyclopedia set.)

5. Mom & Dad like to snuggle, too. Every night we snuggle here - find clue #6 in a comfy place. (our bed)

6. Sometimes, love gets cold...so does this place and it keeps our veggies nice & crisp. (veggie drawer - refrigerator)

7. Hug a brother that is standing close to you! Because you're getting close as well...Clue #8 will be found where we find our daily bills. (mailbox)

8. Are we having fun yet? If not, let's go for a drive! Clue #9 will be found in the family "go-mobile". (our van)

9. Good job so far - only one more clue to go! Give out a big "yee-haw"! Clue #10 will be found where we keep our "living bread" - the words of life! (Bible basket)

10. You found clue #10 - Now you've got to think! You'll find your treasures on the path to yesterdays study spot - or was it just a fun place to be? Think hard! (in the attic on the way to the roof - the thinking spot our children like to go to.)

Oh how fun to watch the boys run around and read each new clue as if it was the most exciting thing they had ever done! Also to see them follow the directions and give high-fives or hugs...it was priceless. All of their efforts paid off with each of them finding a valentine bag filled with candy and a toy and a personal note from Mom & Dad...I may have spent $10.00 on all of it, but it was worth thousands!

After the treasure hunt, we had breakfast. I decided to make heart-shaped pancakes and sausage. I cooked the pancakes from a new recipe and then Caleb & Ben took cookie cutters and cut them into hearts. We set the table with crystal goblets, our best dishes, and lit candles to make it the special occasion it was. As we ate, each person shared what their favorite thing about our family is. We heard, "family vacations", "we have fun together", and "cuddling" as some of the answers. It was a sweet time - literally as I looked at all of the syrup on their plates! Oh well, it's valentines day, right?
We finished off the afternoon with cuddling and playing...we really just hung out together and had fun as a family. I think we all agreed with Nathan's sentiments:
"This is the greatest Valentin's Day I ever did before!" Amen!!!

A Living Education

Our family is doing a unit study approach this year so that all of the children are studying the same thing and our attention is less divided. While this has not been a "perfect" homeschool year, we have had an exciting time learning about a variety of countries and cultures. At this point, we are finishing up 3 weeks of studying Africa, so we thought it would be alot of fun to get together with some other families to celebrate and strengthen what we have learned.
Whatever we are studying becomes so much more interesting and alive to us if we have the opportunity to hear from someone who has a passion for what we are studying. So, we asked our friend, Susan, to come over and share with our families her love and knowledge of Africa. I am so glad that we did!
She shared so many interesting things with us along with pictures and stories of her travels to Africa in the last 7 years. She also brought pieces of art and jewelry and traditional African clothing. We learned of the customs of the beautiful people there and amazing stories of God's grace in their lives.
Afterwards, we all delved into the various foods that each family had prepared - different recipes from Africa! We tasted fried plaintains, banana fritters, Peanut Toffee, Traditional African rice, and so much more. Oh, and how could I forget the Malta drink? Noone could forget a sip of that!
Although at times I may grow weary in our homeschooling, days like today remind me how thankful I am to have the great priviledge of educating our children at home, learning along with them, and strengthening our family relationships.

Simple Joys

Isn't it amazing that is is the simple things in life that bring the most joy? Today was one of those days that was filled with simple things and it left me with a contentment I have not had in awhile. To begin with, my children woke up in a good mood...now that may not sound like a big deal, but for 5 boys to all be happy & helpful is a very big deal! The fact that it is a Monday makes this almost miraculous! Along with their good moods, it was a perfectly beautiful day! The sun was shining brightly, the air was crisp, and the day just seemed perfect!
All of our lessons rolled along without interruption, the house stayed clean and I was able to get 4 or 5 loads of laundry washed, dried, & folded (of course not put away, that is the part I hate & who wants to ruin a great day?).
In the afternoon I was able to take a long walk around the neighborhood with boys and dogs in tow, exploring and discussing the beauty of the things around us. Anyone who really knows me knows that I love Nature study and it brought me joy as I thought of imparting that love & admiration for God's creation to my boys. For a moment I thought of them sharing these things with their future wives and children and it was a pleasing thought.
It also warmed my heart to watch the boys interact with our dogs. As they walked along, every once in a while one of the boys would give the dogs a good scratching around the ears, or pat them on the head, and Nathan stood over "Sonia" and hugged her neck real tight as we rested for a minute. It was cute to see the love that is growing in their hearts for our pets and to see our two sweet dogs look up at my children with love & devotion. What a simple joy to watch love being exchanged!
There are certain things that we long to see in our families, sometimes we may not even realize what they are, yet when we see these things developing it brings us a great satisfaction and contentment. For me, it is the loving relationships that are taking root as we grow together in this beautiful relationship called family. The fond gestures or the words of encouragement that pass between us on a daily basis. Not all days are filled with these things - there are still many challenges & struggles as 7 selfish, sinful people live together - yet on occasion I am able to experience a day full of joys like today has been. It is God's gift to a weary Mother...motivation to continue in well doing.

Autumn has a nostalgic effect on me. Every year when the weather starts to cool, the leaves begin to change, and the evenings become shorter, I can't help but be reminded of years gone past. I am not talking about my years, but long years ago when people lived a much simpler life (in some ways) and autumn was truly a time of harvest for them.
I have always been an old-fashioned kind of girl, but even more so as the season of Fall goes on. I think about the lives I have read in stories, such as Anne of Green Gables or The Little House series...lives where people worked hard, knew an awful lot (despite lacking educations), and loved one another enough to pitch in and help when times were tough. Perfection I do not see in those stories, but a true sense of community and a devotion to Someone and something much bigger than themselves!
Being the dreamer I am, I can't help but imagine what it would be like to live a life such as the men and women in pioneer days. Of course, in my mind it is much more romantic than reality, but still I think there are some things that they understood that we have overlooked:

*The importance of family - People in days gone by desired to have large families and children really were considered a blessing and a gift from God. Obviously the hands were needed to work the farms, but it was more than just that! Fathers and Mothers understood the sacrifices and responsibilities in raising their children, yet they went about it with an attitude of honor rather than duty or obligation. Children, in turn, perceived their parent's love and commitment and genuinely respected them and regarded them as their dearest friends.

*Knowledge of the things around them - Knowledge "in those days" wasn't optional! It was a necessity. One needed to know how to make butter or milk, how to build their homes, how to care for their flocks & families...life depended upon their knowledge and resourcefulness. I think about the things that I encounter on a day-to-day basis and how much I don't know about the very essentials! How to cook from scratch (completely!), how to sew or quilt, the care of land animals or the tending of gardens or flowerbeds...all of these things I have very limited knowledge on - and I can't help but feel that I have been cheated! With each new "convenience item" man invented, a little more of the knowledge of the things around us was stripped away.

*Dependance on God and each other - Almost all classic literature that portrays life in pioneer times naturally relates the foundation of the families and communities...God and His Holy Word! Over and over you will read of families who prayed together, fasted together, read God's Word on a daily basis together and not at all begrudgingly! Entire communities met together to hear the Word preached, to pray for God's forgiveness and provision, and spur one another on to good works and belief in God's goodness and mercy! There was this general knowledge of God's Word and His ways that knit communities together. Today there is all this talk about the importance of diversity, but somehow, in the name of diversity, concrete belief in anything wanes. It is rare to meet someone who fully believes one particular way...it reminds me of the toothpaste aisle - there are so many choices, that when you leave the store you're never fully sure that you bought the best one! People's belief systems seem to me to be like this, a gnawing uncertainty in their hearts, regardless of the professions of their mouths. How refreshing it would be to meet men and women who truly believed and followed the words of Christ!


*Gratitude and Simple Joys - Oh, how often I catch myself thinking in the negative! And to think, I have the "words of life" (Bible), live in the USA, am married to a wonderful husband, have 5 very healthy children, am able to stay at home with them each day, lack no provisions, and on and on and on...!
What an ungreatful woman I can be! Just the other day as I was reading Anne of Green Gables to the boys, we listened as she repeatedly expresses her joy in the natural things around her (the blooming trees & shrubs, flowers, sunshine, etc...)And I think back to Christmastime in The Little House series - the children would receive a few pieces of candy along with some homemade gifts and were elated for days! Comparing that to my family today gives me this remorseful feeling about some of the ways we have adopted without giving them any thought. In just a few months we will celebrate Christmas ourselves, yet I am dreading the shallowness of it in today's society. What I would give to be able to start all over again and guide my children into the ways of thankfulness and simple joys!

Of course, I can't go on and pretend that there was all of this goodness without the bad. I know full well that life in those times was hard! I can't imagine the grief of losing children or a husband or wife, as many did to illness. The effort it would have taken just to get the meals on the table or the laundy done is beyond me! However, I still believe that there was substance to these people that is lacking today...there was belief! There was character and hope and the hard work to go along with it all! Somehow in these twenty first-century days of Fall I pray that the Nave household may experience a bit of it!

The Children's Hour

"Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations,
That is known as the Children's Hour."

...so begins one of my favorite poems. It is the sweet tale of three little children quietly sneaking up on their father to pounce upon him and smother him with their hugs & kisses...he lovingly relates this daily "ambush" of which he becomes the victor and ends in these sweet words,

"I have you fast in my fortress,
And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeon
In the round-tower of my heart.

And there I will keep you forever,
Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
And moulder in dust away!"

What a loving way to demonstrate the affection we have for our children and the importance of the "pause in the days occupation".
As I reflect this afternoon of the busyness of the past two weeks in our home, I am saddened that too aften the demands and activities of this world take me away from the real goals that God has laid upon my heart for my family!
Isn't that the way that it always is? It is so much easier to be carried away with the non-essentials of this life and lose focus of those things that truly matter.
I often times stay up way later than my family and as I sit in the quiet, dark house I think over the words we shared in the day and the things we did and many, many times I say to myself, "did that really matter?" I look at their sweet sleeping faces and any hardness of heart that I may have had melts away and suddenly life comes into perspective. Usually I vow to treasure them more and I pray for them & I commit that tomorrow a difference will be made more for eternity...but then comes the morning and soon after the distractions and irritations of our daily life and once again I make the mistakes I so despise and another day becomes the past.
Oh, how I long for the day when I will be able to walk away from those things that hinder me and turn instead wholeheartedly to what God has called me to at this time: to love Him, to love & cherish my husband and sons and to bring them up in His ways with joy and guidance! That is my prayer during these foundational years when my children's hearts are tender and turned towards me. Lord, may we seize the opportunities and let the other things wait!

A Glimpse of Maturity

This morning I awoke to the sound of my son, Caleb, chatting away on the telephone! He never ceases to amaze me - he wakes up earlier & earlier every week! Well, thankfully he was only chatting with Jason...it turns out he had decided to call his Daddy to talk since no one else was up yet!
Anyways, each person slowly began to stir and it never takes long before these little people want to eat! I told them I had to go & brush my teeth, but I would make breakfast after that. When I returned, Jacob & Caleb were already in the middle of a real man's breakfast...sausage, eggs, & the rest! Jacob had the eggs scrambled and seasoned and Caleb had the sausage frying in the pan!
Together, with a few questions to me, they successfully served us a delicious breakfast! As I sat at the table eating with them, it occurred to me that my children really are getting some of what I am trying so hard to teach them! They really WILL grow up and have the skills that they will need.
So often as day in & day out I pour my life into them (& all of my little speeches) I feel like I am getting nowhere and many times I have questioned: "Why am I doing all of this?"
But on occasion I am fortunate enough to get a glimpse into the men that they will one day be. It is like a veil is lifted, just for a moment, and I am able to see them in a different light. I am able to see that progress in being made and loving, compassionate men are being molded...slowly, but surely!
I am thankful to God that He gives me the grace to teach & love my children every day and that He takes my meager offering of service for Him and multiplies and uses it to grow & nurture my children. A wise lady once told me that mothering was very much like stringing beads...one at a time...but that at the end of the day you realized the string was untied at the bottom...all of your beads were gone and you would have to start again. I can relate so well to that analogy - each day over and over I do the same things and many days I feel that I have accomplished nothing! However, deep in my heart I know that truth be told I am raising up young men who will one day surprise me and become what I have always hoped...just as they surprised me this morning!

No place like home....

Well, the old saying rings true, "There is no place like home". Jason and I landed at the airport around lunchtime today where his Mom met us in the parking lot with the boys. It sure was good to see their smiling faces and get a big hug from each one! It is always amazing how much they look like they have grown while we were away. As I looked into each sweet face, I thought "my babies are growing up!"
We drove home and soon got back into our normal routines. Ben had a b-day party to go to, I had unpacking, the others had friends to play with, & so on...even at bedtime, the same old routine is now in play. Caleb is complaining that Nathan is bothering him & Ben and Jacob are whispering upstairs instead of sleeping. It can be a crazy life, but it is our life and we love it nonetheless!
We are thankful that the boys had a great week with their Grandma - they talked all the way home of all the things they did & said while we were away. We are glad that we were able to get away and regroup, take a look at the important things in life, & just enjoy one another for awhile! And we are so very blessed to have a home to come back to that is so much more than walls & rooms. It is abundantly full with all of the things that family life should be: laughter, joy, tears, shouts, little feet padding along on the tile, prayers, activities, opinions, needs, and so on.
It is a great place to be - we may not see the natural beauties that we did in Colorado, but beauty is here...only in a different form.
P.S. Thanks to Grandma for her bravery & willing spirit!!!! We love ya!!!!