The Father's Day Photo 2008

Here is our Father's Day picture....


And some extra cuteness:)

Happy Anniversary & Father's Day :)

Brian and I have been discussing this week about much we really didn't know one another before we got married:) But how truly compatible and alike we are:) What's even more amazing is that we've been married for 6 years!!! In some ways it has seemed like we've always been married and other times it seems like yesterday!! We are blessed to have found, chosen and married one another...

And during these 6 years, we've had a busy little house. I had a former neighbor see my children today and she said, "Oh, they are everywhere." And that pretty much describes them, especially on a playground:) But as challenging as new babies are, Brian is a great Dad..... he loves to play with them, he reads to them nightly, routinely will help take care of their basic needs and he rough-houses with them... which I know every child needs, especially little boys.... their Momma just can't do it like their Daddy:)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY &
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

And these three things remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinth 13:13

Scheduling and Consistency

I'm just going to openly admit that my biggest fear about homeschooling is that I am totally not structured and consistent enough.... I'm not worried about the curriculum (at least not yet) or the material, or even the state required testing..... it's will I be consistent enough to follow a daily schedule for my children? I think we have a pretty good daily schedule to follow, but if I truly ever follow it is another story:)

This week I've even been messing with my decent schedule... Lydia's been taking two naps, but I'm thinking about how to prepare us for Canada and it would be great if I only had one nap for all the kids per day:) And Lydia has done really, really well (even without her paci). But now I don't have the morning time that I used to have with Anna to get her ONE structured "reading" lesson in during quiet... so it's time for a "new" schedule:)

Here is one of my "new" semi-structured times for the kids.... they each get2-3 books and "read" on the couch or separated on the kitchen floor. One thing that is nice about having three kids is that when they finish their books they get to read the other books brought. They'll do this for about 10-15 minutes... just enough time to vacuum the kitchen and living rooms ;)

So these next few weeks all be tinkering with a schedule so by early August we'll have a plan for what our preschool will look like this year:) And although the younger ones are a little young for anything too structured, it looks like they'll be participating as well:)

Our Summer Adventure Begins

.Well, we've busy, busy, busy..... up to our ears in paperwork but the end of this easy part is almost over....

What are we up to??? Well...... it started almost a year ago......

Brian challenged the members of our church, "If God we're to call you to go on a missions trip, are you ready to go?" Anyway, a couple of months later he continued the challenge with, "We're not sure where we are going, or what we will be doing, are you ready to go?" Some responded....

I was unsure how to respond. For years (since I was 16), I've felt like I could live and minister overseas! I went to seminary with the intentions of my heart to get some formal Bible training and to head to Asia somewhere..... but then my plans were changed :) And now my ministry is my HOME, not to the neglect of serving outside the home, of course. But with every ministry or volunteer position I've tried to be a part of, I've always have had my children with me or Brian, or their own activities/class!

I honestly believed my two options were 1) leave the kids at home (with wonderful grandparents) or 2) stay home with the kids!! Both completely fine options, but the more Brian and I talked about it and I prayed about it, I felt God saying to me, "You're ministry is at home with these three little children, why would you leave them to go to another ministry?"

After I had made my decision to stay, a family approached me and said that they were going and had decided as a family that they would help me with the kids, if I decided to go! I was surprised at the offer because it was sweet and because I hadn't even considering taking them an option:) But, I had three LITTLE kids, Lydia was maybe 8 months, still nursing, Christopher was almost 2 and Anna was 3.... I would have been crazy and little ministry would have gotten done, at least from me:) So after months and months of being confident in my staying, supporting the team through preparations and prayer, helping with photos and stuff once they got home and "holding down our fort" so that Brian could minister without worrying over us.....something happened.....

Brian started the conversation about the family going on the church mission trip to Canada, my Mom volunteered to go with us to help me with the kids and our kids got older:) I really thought Brian was crazy but then as we thought about it, talked about it and prayed about it, we felt that this would be a GREAT spiritual and learning experience for us and the kids. My heart raced as I imagine my children loving to help others and having a heart for missions, or going on their own missions trip.

So this summer our family will be traveling to Canada with our church's missions team. My prayer is that the kids and I will help and work with the team as much as possible. And that we would be looking for opportunities to meet other and share the Gospel when we having to be away from the team!!!

So today was the paperwork...... getting three new little kiddies passports and one Momma passport renewed.... let's pray our paperwork gets through quickly enough for us to go!!!

AM I nuts??? Well, I'm excited to go and very excited to serve my kids and with my kids! And I do wonder what kind of opportunities will come with a mission team that has three little ones under 4!!!!

And we'll keep you posted on the challenges and joys of bringing our little ones one a missions trip, I have a feeling this is going to grow me and my parenting:)

Lydia's Passport Pics

Our attempts this morning to get a good picture for Lydia's passport... Enjoy:)