A Peek at the Packs

The Day Of

2012-02-01T15:48:00.003-05:00

What I love about the 2's

2012-01-26T14:30:00.002-05:00

1. their brains are soaking up everything they see and hear. a little scary to think about at the same time...

2. giving them chewing gum and trying to convince them not to swallow it immediately. (it's okay; i used to swallow mine for about 27 years. i'm sure it's just lining my stomach wall and protecting it from ulcers.)

3. listening to them sing. sometimes it just the same line. over. and over. and over.

(and i sometimes wish humpty dumpty would hurry up and have that great fall. but nope, he seems pretty content sitting up on the wall)

4. listening to them talk. (ooooooh, i could just squeeze him!) here, he's just repeated the same question he heard me ask his daddy, though he probably doesn't know what W2s, taxes or refund mean... or we could have a boy genius on our hands... he does know how to count by twos (thanks to Thomas the Train)

"they're two, they're four, they're six, they're eight...

they're two, they're four, they're six, they're eight...

they're two, they're four, they're six, they're eight.."

(LINE!)

here's to your last week of being two, bud!

Homefires Burning

2012-01-18T12:24:00.000-05:00

PPL WEU pt.6

2012-01-15T09:41:00.000-05:00

it's been awhile since i've posted one of these, but as i was thinking over the day, my SILs, kim and jess, popped in my head. this past weekend, they and steve's mom threw a baby shower for my other SIL, heather. (she got lots of cute things, and we're super excited for them! :))

what i noticed about kim is something i've mentioned to steve on several occasions: she is good at serving others. i remember coming into the Pack house when the girls were still young (i still can't believe i met jess when she was 6! that would have made me about...8, right? ;)) and kim would be vacuuming for her mom or setting the table. this weekend was no different. what stuck out to me was at the end. they had thrown the shower at my house, and when it was time to put the rooms back together, she didn't ask if things needed to be put back; she just took the initiative and did it. i usually tell people just to leave things, and i'll do them afterwards, but kim wasn't taking that for an answer. in fact, (and this makes me smile) she rolled her eyes and went straight for the chairs.

what i appreciate about jess is her connection to people and seeing her grow into that mature adult woman who reaches out to others. for instance, she graciously thanked me for letting them use my home for the shower (a small thing, i know, but you have to step out of yourself to thank others). i watched as she made a point to greet guests with warm hugs and genuine smiles. when jess has babysat for us, she'll linger after we've gotten back and chew the fat with us (i'm remembering a specific instance where the 3 of us were all standing around the candy jar, snacking) instead of just rushing out the door.

i was encouraged and spurred on by witnessing God's grace in these beautiful women (aren't they gorgeous?!). thankful He opened my eyes to see it.

Let it go, Let it go

2012-01-12T20:32:00.000-05:00

one of the ways we are training our daughter to serve the family is by giving her the responsibility of setting the table. she is creative in the way she folds our napkins and loves to take requests. recently, she found these paper party cups in the cabinet and asked if she could use them. i thought she meant for her brother and her, so i said yes. once she was finished, i glanced over at the table and saw she'd set one for both steve and me as well as for her and matthias. my immediate thought was, "replace our cups. we're not drinking from those." but i fought against that urge and went instead with the next thought, "it'll please her if we use them". and it did. she and steve both made the observation that it felt festive!

here's the point of this post:

in a day, there are legitimate times i'm going to have to say, "no". lots of them. tons, in fact. but somedays i struggle to allow things that really don't need to be prohibited. i need to look for more opportunities to say "yes" and stop saying "no" like i'm a broken record.

it was a small thing, and it turned out pretty funny to see how many times steve needed his tiny cup refilled. :)

Pimento Cheese is Back on the Menu

2012-01-09T05:30:00.000-05:00

   pimento cheese has never held any appeal for me. i mean, what is it even made of? and i associate it with raw celery sticks, which i also detest. why smearing some questionable cheese mixture on a stick that tastes like a root would make a good snack is beyond me. so, that being said, when my dear friend, janice, had me over for lunch and told me she was making grilled pimento cheese sandwiches, i of course smiled and said, "okay". (my momma raised me as a good southern girl: you just don't blurt out that you'd rather eat something else!) but why would i question my friend's good judgement anyway? she has great taste in décor, clothes, friends...
back to the sandwich.
   once she brought it to the table, i prepared myself to stifle any gag reflexes, jerks, seizures and took a bite. ? what's this? what's this delicious goodness spreading from the front of my mouth to the bottom of my toes? i looked inside the sandwich and all that lumpy orange mess had melted into pure smoothness. the bread had been pan fried and was now a perfect buttery home for this melted cheese. in short, it was the most delicious lunch i have had in a long time.
   after our wonderful visit of much cackling (and there was indeed cackling), i left janice and immediately called steve to tell him of the wonders i had eaten.

he wasn't buying it.

he wasn't having it.

he wasn't eating it.

and there was some bit about not with a goat, on a boat or wearing a coat.

but i was on a mission to replicate that sandwich. i started looking for the cheese. i knew i did not want Ruth's as i have tried her chicken salad, and that is not a tub of deliciousness. i called my friend to see what brand she uses, but it's a south carolina brand and was nowhere to be found. so then i thought to find out what are the ingredients in hers. and this is very important: the first ingredient needs to be sharp cheddar cheese (not mayonnaise or processed cheese product...mmm, i wonder why i've never liked pimento cheese before). once i found a suitable looking list of ingredients (never mind that there are about 50...i'm sure they're all natural), i set off to win my family's collective tummy!

cheese, cheese

and more cheese

butter. hmm, i'm not sure if janice would approve the amount used. i'm now seeing some thin areas.

mmm, cheesy-gooeyness

verdict? good enough to have again for lunch the next day, and this time savannah made them!

Super Science Concoctions

2012-01-05T13:56:00.002-05:00

we love this book, and she's learned some good stuff from it like phase changes, molecules, and today what an indicator does and how to use it to tell an acid from a base. we originally checked it out from the library but soon realized we'd need a copy of our own. we also enjoyed from this same series Hands Around the World that teaches about different cultures with crafts.

Break's Over, Boys

2012-01-02T22:14:00.000-05:00

Christmas is over, and it's back to the books!

3rd Annual Look Back

2011-12-30T19:38:00.000-05:00

as i looked back at our 2011, i tried to find pictures that could highlight how we spent our time. of course, there are so many things that you don't take pictures of. (as i reflect personally on the year, i know there were a lot of adjustments for me raising three kids instead of just two. during those "adjustments" no camera was in sight, thank goodness!) i can say with confidence that 2011, like years past, with its peaks and valleys has held an abundance of God's undeserved grace.

at the first of the year, we settled into our new home.

we also celebrated our two year old. (i mentioned i can't decorate cakes worth a stink, didn't i?)

steve took an incredible trip to israel,

saw some beautiful architecture,

and brought me back one of these as my prize.

(okay, Customs stopped him, but he tried...

okay, he didn't but he wanted to.)

we were so honored that one of our friends from china came to visit us.

and as one of her gifts, Yeling brought Savannah a qipao which she wore proudly during the warm months of the year.

just a few pictures of some more friends we were able to share our home with during 2011. unfortunately, i didn't snap everyone's picture that stayed with us, but i hope to be more on the ball 2012.

our baby girl turned one.

and our big girl turned seven.

the kids and i were blessed this year to be part of a small homeschool group that got together once a month for field trips to places like the fire station, to see MAMA and Manna Food Bank.

business for jnp Photography blossomed this year while still staying modest in size. happy to have a creative outlet that i can balance with raising our young family.

we ended the year with family

and more family

and as always, we look forward to the coming year.

happy new years!

...All is Bright

2011-12-24T22:44:00.001-05:00

There's No Escaping

2011-12-22T13:17:00.000-05:00

if you were to peek into my house this week, you would have seen a desperate momma trying to get a handle on
1) her emotions
2) her heart and then
3) her children.

it has not been a pretty sight.

but i've seen something about the nature of my heart: naturally, it wants to flee from God during moments of distress, pressure and great disappointment.

Sunday
i was home from church with a sick babe and "just happened" to read Corinthians 1:1-8. the key verses that stuck out to me were, "he will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful" (8-9). i reread them, and then read them aloud to my sick kiddo. then i went on about my day.

Monday
oh. my. word. could i be any more emotional and off my rocker? i felt like i was going to lose it every second. and in those times of desperation, i did cry out, "i can't do this. please help me." and then moved on.

Monday PM
i recounted the day for steve. not every gory detail but enough for him to get the gist. then out of nowhere, we started arguing (seriously, could i cause any more trouble in my home??), i storm out (really? how old am i??), drive around and started trying to pick a fight with God. "where were you when i was calling out?" "maybe all the skeptics are right. what is this all about?" (wow. just like that, i was going to try and walk away from my God. things weren't going my way, and i was just going to chuck it?) i won't disclose all my thoughts, but they were ugly.
i was ugly.
it got ugly.
but God is faithful. God is good. He settled my heart, though i was acting like a petulant child. He heard my repentance. He kept me safe and brought me home. and what was the first thing steve said when i walked in?

"So'd you have fun?"
and we both burst out laughing.

we recounted our thoughts, confessed to each other and found God's forgiveness in each other's hearts.

Tuesday
not too bumpy of a day- not my favorite, but no crazy emotional antics

Wednesday
a little more hairy, but still not too bad. i found time to get back in the Word and meditated on 1 Cor 4-9 again. after Steve got home from the evening service, we both shared how God was using this passage and another like it in our lives and in the lives of another couple we know here. we praised God that it is up to Him to keep us for we are really like sheep who will wander away from the shepherd. we praised God that it is up to Him to gently herd us back in the fold even if we are willfully trying to escape the safe hedge he has put around us.

Thursday
doooooowwwwwwnnnnnn goes the roller coaster. lots of children crying, fussing, in short, being all they know to be naturally. i'm tired. and i find this (make sure you click on the download on that post), and i'm thankful. thankful that He is faithful even when i am not.

what will tomorrow hold? maybe more of the same, but that includes His faithfulness and grace. thank You for making this available to me through your humble birth, humiliating death and glorious resurrection.

Happy B-day, Hub-a hub-a

2011-12-18T05:30:00.000-05:00

Affections

2011-12-12T05:30:00.000-05:00

i've been reading a book called Gospel Wakefulness by Jared C. Wilson (thanks to Steve for passing it on to me!), and it's been very thought-provoking, challenging and encouraging. it's not a book about salvation, but instead he covers the enlightenment of the soul (after salvation or simultaneously at conversion). here's an excerpt from chapter 3 titled "Renewed Affections"

Gospel wakefulness doesn't lead to asceticism. It does not lead to a withdrawal from society and simple pleasures into a monastic religious regimen. Rather, gospel wakefulness is foremost about orienting your spiritual system around the sun. When the sun is at the center of the system, the planets and moons don't cease to exist. In fact, they exist more securely, more beautifully, in their proper positions and proportions. With God at the center of your universe of worship, with the gospel at the center of your life, all other good gifts-people and pleasures, thoughts and things-take their proper place and proportion in our lives. They are more pleasing and enjoyable because they give the pleasures they are designed to give, and no more. ...When your spiritual vision of God is blown up to its proper size, the effect is all-encompassing, the good sort of disorienting.

throughout the book he speaks of this awakening (to the glory of the cross and Christ's work on it and resurrection) and how that puts all other aspects of our lives in perspective with the caveat that it can only occur by the Spirit's power. in other words, we can't will our hearts to be aligned to God. it's meaty, and i've enjoyed the thoughts it's stirred in my life the last week or two.

(when i read the section above, one of my favorite Sara Groves songs, "You are the Sun" popped in my head.)

I'm on a Roll!

2011-12-08T14:58:00.001-05:00

maybe because it's winter, and being indoors brings out the need to create...

maybe because i remember some cool crafts my mom had made with my older siblings...

or maybe being around crafty people encourages me...

so, hold the phone, we did another craft together. this idea, thanks to my friend, jenny for sharing, was doable and fun! let the collection of kid christmas decorations begin!

skip step 18-57

and, ta-dah:

okay, so we'll never be entered into Good Housekeepings craft section, but we like them all the same. :)

What's in Your RV Mirror?

2011-12-07T15:46:00.001-05:00

Another Adoption

2011-12-02T06:30:00.000-05:00

Just the other night, I was commenting to Steve how many people around us are adopting. I've never checked the stats to see if this is a growing trend, but it seems like the Church has become much more open to it in the last 10 years. Today, I've found another family adopting and would like to be able to help in whatever ways, however small, with their process. My friend, Cheryl, has posted the details here on her blog if you're interested in helping this family bring a child home. (i can vouch for Cheryl's products: they're great!)

First Ornament

2011-11-30T19:58:00.001-05:00

Swing Yer Pardner

2011-11-21T15:06:00.001-05:00

just a few shots of our birthday celebration.

loved having the Rickity Pickers out, along with Franklin Sides to call the dance

i have some fun pictures 12 years ago on this same patio dancing with my new husband and my brother. i don't want to wait another 12 years to have another dance party... maybe next summer we'll have a shag party... hmmm... maybe.

wonder what they were scheming...

birthday girl wanted pet shops on her cake again this year. she imagined a pretty cool design with a dance floor and the pet shops square dancing. however, this momma cannot, i repeat, CAN NOT decorate a cake to save her life. she was satisfied with them being plopped in icing. i requested a carrot cake, and MY momma delivered, as usual!

while the littlest party-ers were too small to dance, they were well fed, well juice box'ed and well loved thanks to the aunties and grandparents.

thanks to my sis-in-law for snapping these for us!

Maybe They Think I'm an Elf

2011-11-17T13:39:00.001-05:00

We have a couple of those board books that play music, and the batteries have been needing to be replaced for some time now. I was pretty excited to see a mail in replacement kit on the inside of the book that included a screwdriver (have you seen how tiny the screws are in those books?) along with batteries. I mailed off for it, and this is what I got.

I'm pretty sure the address was in the continental US, but maybe it was the North Pole?

She left a little girl, She came back with earrings.

2011-11-14T13:38:00.001-05:00

we don't have any of the shots with tears, which she was disappointed about (!). when i explained that i didn't want to embarrass her, she said, "i wanted just one shot of me crying so my friends could see it really hurts!"

on to lunch with yummy chinese dumplings!

(earring shot)

love this girl of mine!

Such a Seemingly Small Thing

2011-11-08T16:02:00.000-05:00

within this card holds images. images of another woman's wedding. and not just any images or detail images like the dress or bouquet but the actual ceremony.

last night, while attempting to upload them onto my computer, i kept getting an error message. i didn't freak at first until i thought about how i had tried this card in a card reader a few days earlier. the card reader was new out of the box, but it didn't work. so, then i started to feel that sick, skin turns ice cold panic. i reinserted the card several times to read the same error message. i tried another card thinking it may be my camera and not the card. nope. it definitely was the card. the card that held all the tender moments at the alter and all the post-ceremony family shots that the bride and i went over for weeks making sure everyone was accounted for. still hoping against hope, i tried the card in another camera. nada. knowing deep down the results, i continued to reinsert it. and then i went back to the first camera. error. i breathed in deeply and thought to myself, "i will still praise You, but she's going to be really angry with me." i wasn't on the verge of tears, yet, but i would be. i told steve about it, and then fiddle around some more, again, hoping that maybe another card had those irreplaceable images. then all of the sudden, i decided to pray. i held the card in the middle of my palm and just sat there and prayed,

"Jesus, this is completely in your realm. You don't have to restore this card, and if I have to face the storm that will come from not having the pictures for the bride, I will praise you, but could I please ask this of you? I know that people came to you and asked for healing and you answered them and this is so much smaller (and then at this point I broke down sobbing because I thought about how really insignificant this was compared to what other people face (illness, death, etc)).... Either way, may Your name be glorified."

Of course, you probably know where this is going. I inserted the card again, and just like that, all the images appeared. I know, I know, it could be a coincidence. But I can not chalk it up to that after what I had tried before and after feeling pulled into prayer. He doesn't always answer prayers that way, but my small little faith got a boost last night that He does care for me, even in the small things.

---------update---------

after uploading all the pictures, i have since tried to use the card several times, and it will not work. absolutely fried.

What's For Dinner

2011-11-04T22:50:00.000-04:00

Thai Shrimp Bisque

1 lb uncooked shell-on jumbo shrimp

1/4 c sliced green onions

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 pressed garlic cloves

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp red curry paste

2 cups chicken broth

14oz can lite coconut milk

*peel, devein shrimp, and remove tails, set aside

*heat oil med heat, add onions, ginger, garlic- cook and stir 2 min

*stir in conrstarch, sugar, fish sauce, and curry paste

*gradually add broth and coconut milk; bring to boil

*add shrimp. reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 3-4 mints or just until shrimp turns pink and is cooked through

*ladle soup over bowls of rice

*shower after cooking if you plan to go out: the fish sauce is a little stinky. :)

Another Rare Craft Day

2011-10-29T22:29:00.000-04:00

taking walks together, observing nature and doing simple crafts. doesn't happen around here often enough.

found this idea at this site, thanks to my crafty friend, jess m. lots of great ideas for little hands.

Not An Original Idea...

2011-10-24T12:36:00.000-04:00

so, this snack idea has been floating around the web recently, and the kids and i had to try it. did i mention i love snack time?

Cheap Change

2011-10-17T13:23:00.000-04:00

Before:

After:

total cost: $1.67

Who Am I?

2011-10-10T10:18:00.000-04:00

a quick glance at who people may see me as:

steve's wife
mom
daughter
group member
sister
in law
friend
school acquaintance
other random connections

those would be true. i am in all those roles. but who am i is deeper and comes from a deeper foundation that positively affects (sometimes there's a positive effect....i struggle, ooooh do i struggle.) each of those roles. it is found here and here alone:

Galatians 2:20

that's who i am at my core. who are you?

To Obey...Is it the American Way?

2011-09-29T14:40:00.000-04:00

i recently finished reading battle hymn of the tiger mother by amy chua (great read, btw), and she had a comment about american parents shrinking from making their kids "obey" as though the very idea was something left for the realm of animal training, not for humans. i remember feeling a little uncomfortable when savannah was a toddler asking her, "are you obeying mommy?" when parents around me were saying things more like, "are you making a good choice?"

we pride ourselves on being rebels; our history is founded on rebellion. so our culture is pretty saturated with the idea "i'm free to do what i want any ol' time". we wink at the rebellious teen years and consider that normal. in fact, those who stay "straight laced" and "good" are sometimes seen as time bombs just waiting to crack. (how many tv shows and movies have had that tired story line in it where the good kid finally 'cuts loose' and 'relaxes'? (ie, disobeys))

so how do american christians do it? how do we live as rebellious americans who submit readily to God? how does our culture affect how we live out our christian lives?...

Finger Food, Schminger Food

2011-09-28T12:47:00.000-04:00

Glory, Glory

2011-09-19T13:36:00.001-04:00

"i have brought you glory on earth by completing the work that you gave me to do."- Jesus

the work the Father gave Jesus to do included not only the performing of miracles but also loneliness, exhaustive service and great suffering. -p. shirer

to glorify God in all that we do does not just include the things we deem as glorious (or the ones that also make us look good). it's also in the small, messy, sometimes smelly, and not worth noticing.

Kerr Wedding

2011-09-12T11:41:00.000-04:00

More photos at jnp Photography

Precious Time with Grammy

2011-09-08T10:32:00.000-04:00

And She Definitely Won't Let Me Do This to Her Much Longer...

2011-09-02T16:49:00.000-04:00

And He Won't Always Say That's Him and Me

2011-09-01T16:17:00.000-04:00

...so this is love.

I Won't Always Get These...

2011-08-31T12:34:00.000-04:00

i thought her choice of vase was pretty sweet, too.

The Mighty Pen

2011-08-25T13:31:00.002-04:00

i love to write. specifically, i love to write with a pen or pencil, when the point is just between micro and fat, love the loop of the j to the n to the p when i write my initials, love addressing a card and seeing the cursive flow right across the page. love it.

i know writing is dying out. correction: i know handwriting is dying out. still, i was surprised to find that some of my nieces and nephews aren't learning cursive in school anymore. it didn't rise up any ire in me, just surprise. when i stop to think about how prevalent email and texting are, i shouldn't be surprised. i love email. i love the quick response (sometimes) i can give and get. i love the smarty comments i can swap with my brothers in a text that just wouldn't happen in a letter.

still, i love writing, sending, and receiving letters.

a friend of mine and i keep up a pretty healthy correspondence that's been going on for several years. we're friends on fb and have each other's emails, but most of our communication is done through snail mail. i love it. i have a stack of her letters, and the stationary alone is a treasure. there is something comforting about pulling out one of her letters and rereading what's going on in her life.

savannah is learning cursive now. she's doing great, but i don't think she'd say, "i love it". she has a friend miles away that she also corresponds with. how cool would it be for her to have a big ol' stack of letters from her to look through when she's a grown woman? much more romantic, i think, than a flat screen of emails. but then, by the time she's a grown woman, who knows what communication mediums will be.

One Thing I Love About the South...

2011-08-23T13:32:00.000-04:00

...being encouraged to eat and cook fried chicken

The School Room

2011-08-19T17:26:00.002-04:00

1. where we begin our morning w/ verses

2. joke window: why was the math book discouraged? it had so many problems! (oh yeah, we got the jokes!)

3. desk with no chair. that's right. we believe in disciplining all she does... or i may have just taken this picture before i brought the chair in... that's probably more likely.

4. eroding bank just outside the window.

5. the elephant. her first poem that she performed and recited for daddy on friday. she was so sweet and responded to doing it with an enthusiasm that surprised me!

6. bulletin board i intend to use for spotlighting different non-subject areas like "hygiene", "hospitality", "conversation skills", etc.

7. more jokes: why is the rooster so neat? he always has a comb. we're killin' it up in here.

8. matthias' warm up numbers

9. my attempt at making the room a little more fun and playful. hats off to elementary school teachers who can really make their rooms sing!

Celebration of Things Past (Summer) and Things Ahead (School)

2011-08-15T05:56:00.003-04:00

Pensive

2011-08-10T05:30:00.002-04:00

i. am. in. awe. (or To Who Be the Glory?)

2011-08-09T13:27:00.000-04:00

so, we've been watching masterchef lately, and despite what's coming out of the judges' mouths (do they kiss their mamas with those mouths?), what the contestants are creating to put in them are really beautiful works of art. it is just another link in a long chain i've been seeing this year of the creativity and greatness that people can accomplish. the internet has given us wonderful access to such a deep well of talent and skill that some days i am in complete awe of it all. from incredible photographers, to writers, to fashion designers, to performers... there's so much competence and expertise. and then there are the people who make up a niche for their creativity like Cre8tive Girl who took her love of cutting and pasting paper as a child and does all these projects for blogs and companies today. she cuts and pastes. (and gets paid to do it!)

i. am. in. awe.

i'm not meaning to toot mankind's horn on how awesome we can be if we:

just believe in ourselves and never give up and shoot for the stars and block the negative and harness the positive.

instead, when i look at how people can rise to the top of whatever they choose to pursue, i see:

how beautiful God is and how creative God is and how incredible God is

for sharing part of His nature with us

and

i. am. in. awe.

and to take it a step further:

that we can know Him? such a creative thinker, maker, designer?

awe.

Kudos to Carrot Farmers

2011-08-05T14:49:00.000-04:00

today i dug up all our carrots. i say "dug up" and not "harvested" because it was more like giving up then bringing them in their due time. there were a few ready to be harvested, but i struggled to pull them out whole despite using a spade or shovel. (yeah, i feel pretty jaded, Pooh and Piglet. you make it look so easy as you fly through Rabbit's garden on a kite.) so, i said, "enough with you, carrots! you've mocked me for 5 months now with your long green tops and 2 inch roots!" and dug them up. it wasn't my proudest moment.

savannah was pretty sweet, though. "don't worry, mom. we can always use them in stir fry. don't let it bother you."

she's a smart girl.

she makes me proud.

she probably will be able to grow and harvest long carrots.

Discoveries

2011-08-02T08:06:00.000-04:00

Committment

2011-07-29T05:49:00.000-04:00

we have decided on a curriculum for this year, and while it looks like it's going to be great and fun and well laid out with lessons plans, i felt a knot in my stomach as the mouse hovered over the "purchase" button. last year, i used a curriculum that i pieced together from online books i'd found on amazon or had heard about from other people. it was kindergarten, and since there's a lot of cutting, pasting, and center play going on in schools at this grade level, i wasn't too concerned about having a lot of material for her to pore over. the library was our greatest resource. this year feels a lot more formal. we had to register our school name with the state. she is approaching the age where she legally has to be schooled. it feels like there's more accountability. by clicking "purchase", we were committing to a whole year that could be really great or really bad depending on how well i could wield the knowledge within this curriculum. gulp.

...

thankfully, i'm not a pioneer in this, and this is not a lifetime commitment to any one book company. i'll be making notes of how things are going, and we'll just take it step-by-step (ooh, baby).

Baby Bump

2011-07-27T05:30:00.001-04:00

Surprise Ending to a Long Day

2011-07-26T05:23:00.003-04:00

Inside Lookin' Out

2011-07-25T05:34:00.002-04:00

9 months (a month late)

2011-07-24T11:26:00.000-04:00

Amusement

2011-07-21T19:40:00.000-04:00

Impatience

2011-07-20T17:27:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, I Needed That

2011-07-16T05:54:00.005-04:00

"Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for."

i read the above quote in this article yesterday, and i found it pretty encouraging.

berry love

2011-07-15T09:49:00.001-04:00

while the berry season is not over, savannah and i have probably picked all that we will this year. combining all the excursions together we picked close to two gallons of blackberries and raspberries. i really enjoyed and looked forward to picking with her as she referred to it as our "special time", and as it reminded me of when my sisters and i would pick berries together. i was about savannah's age and probably picked the same way: a berry off this cane and then scampering off to another leaving tons behind. you never know what children will remember about their childhood, but i hope combined with the times that disappoint will be moments like these.

My Favorite Uses

2011-07-12T06:40:00.003-04:00

#3-Treating bee stings

#2-Deep cleaning my Pampered Chef stoneware

#1-Cleaning my kitchen sink (super excited it got the grungy stain out of my white sink today!)

A Boy and His Boots

2011-07-11T05:10:00.002-04:00

Now you see it...

2011-07-08T05:27:00.000-04:00

last night's rabbit hole was gone by this morning. i would have loved to watch her cover it back up with the straw, or better yet, to have been out there to catch it on camera. that wascilly wabbit... (on a side note, the kids have been introduced to elmer fudd, and matthias is a hoot imitating "be vewy, vewy quiet")

I do not struggle with...

2011-07-07T05:30:00.000-04:00

all this on our front porch

(this is actually tame for what's on it during the day)

or this in my flower beds (see above for the match to this boot)

or this in the front yard

i mean really, he's just a happy little guy

And i do not struggle with this guy...

(record screech) huh?

as i was out shooting the kids' things, he just shot out of nowhere.

well look-y there. he's trying to make a home. next to the A/C units? hmmm... have to google rabbits as house pests. later. but if he is a pest, i will struggle with that.

onto what i do not struggle with.

i do not struggle with this oozing off her wrist

or this smeared all over her face

c'mon, mom, really? who would struggle with mess on a face like mine?

(i know, but when our first born was her age, i could not stand a mess like that on her face and hands. and i could not look at those pictures people would take of babies with spaghetti beards. blech! but look who's taking them now!)

but what i do struggle with is such that i can't bear to take pictures of it because it bothers me so. it's fingers wanting to dig into the ramen noodle broth powder before i add water (only the finest at our house.). or wanting to lick the flour off the spoon (flour?!). or licking the bowl clean, literally. these are all potentially messy things, and they are also things that kids just do. as you can tell above, i'm not a neat freak. so, i'm not sure why i get so tied up in knots over these particular things.

hmmm...

maybe i'll google that, too.

Sweet as Pie

2011-07-05T05:30:00.002-04:00

...but not in this case. oooh, momma, those berries were tart! and since i've got a serious sweet tooth, i enjoyed looking at it more than actually eating it. for savannah, just knowing she picked the berries that went into the pie makes it sweet enough!

Gone Pickin'

2011-07-01T05:30:00.007-04:00

there are wild berries around the edges of the property and for days we've been waiting for them to ripen up. while we (i) have been waiting, savannah and matthias have picked some here and there to make sure they were ripening properly. today there seemed to be enough worth making a "task" of it. so, savannah and i set out around dusk. i felt like red riding hood or hansel and gretel. we found a few clusters, and she was in heaven! after around 20 berries were in the basket, she assured me we had plenty to make a pie!! here's what we ended up with. she agreed to let me put them in the fridge and wait until we'd picked more over the next couple of days.

Why Is It That...

2011-06-29T05:30:00.002-04:00

* the keys to open the door are always in the hand carrying ten grocery bags?

* the pot, pan, plate, or tupperware i need is always on the very bottom?

* i can sit in bed and talk all hours of the night but if i try and read in bed, i'm out in 5 minutes?

* i think i have the self-discipline to have the medium size bag of pretzel M&M's around the house and eat them slowly and in sensible portion sizes?

* the pretzel M&M's taste so good? and

* they call to me in that sweet, silky voice?

*of all of life's complexities, these are the ones confounding me today?

Froggy Finds

2011-06-28T14:04:00.000-04:00

Savannah was quick enough to catch this little guy.

And then he was quick enough to get away!

PPL WEU pt.5

2011-06-27T15:29:00.001-04:00

we all have close friends who encourage us in some way or another, and when i think about the waltzes, i have to say that it's their hospitality that spurs me on. their doors are open to everyone at any amount of notice. i recently spoke with melanie who told me they had hosted 2 teens from Haiti for a week. when i asked how long she'd known about their coming she said, nonchalantly, "oh the night before". that cracks me up! i love you guys, and i love how generous you are with all of God's blessings.

Friday Lovin'

2011-06-24T13:37:00.000-04:00

Butterfly Garden

2011-06-22T05:30:00.008-04:00

Fathers...Bring Them Up...

2011-06-18T23:49:00.002-04:00

"He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught."- Isaiah 50

One memory i hope to always have of my dad is seeing him on the side of his bed praying in the mornings. This quiet picture of faithfulness has and continues to speak volumes to me. i know that he prays for each of his kids, grandchildren, and those we reach out to and are involved with. His dedication to prayer for others has touched so many.
Thank you, Dad, for your example of how to pursue God. i hope to continue on as you have these many years.

Happy Father's Day!

What's Gonna Work? Teamwork!

2011-06-14T13:52:00.000-04:00

i was in the other room folding clothes and had asked savannah to put up the silverware. her shadow followed her in there and asked if he could help, too. seeing the two of them work together, well, to put it in southern terms, "it blessed my socks off".

it's happening. it's really happening!!! :P

Incredible Story of Grace

2011-06-09T10:14:00.001-04:00

i posted a link to my friend's blog awhile ago when she was having a fundraiser for her family's adoption. it's been over a month since they have welcomed in their beautiful new addition. she recently posted about their first encounter with their daughter's birth parents and their desire to build an open relationship with them. they want their daughter to know her birth parents, and my friends welcome them into their family's life in a way i've never seen within an adoptive family. i've been chewing on it all yesterday and more this morning, and i keep coming back to how incredible God's love is. people do many good things, but "every good and perfect gift is from above". i have many thoughts on this that i can't articulate and rather than bumble on, i'll leave this link to my friend's blog again. God is incredible.

First Fruits

2011-06-07T05:30:00.001-04:00

our first red delicious

YAY! (we weren't expecting to have anything grow for a year or two!)

We might still be teething...

2011-06-06T05:30:00.002-04:00

How's It Growing? (Gardening Week...12?13?)

2011-06-01T21:43:00.000-04:00

the sunflowers that were in danger during our final frost are still growing steady along with lots of other cultured flowers.

however,

i wonder about all my efforts, when my favorite beauties are growing wild and naturally

right in my backyard.

the peppers i started from seed are really thriving!

and this is that remaining pumpkin that's still doing it's thing, even producing a bloom.

however, i don't know how when it's got a split/gap in the vine.

carrots and cantaloupe are growing strong-much better than last year. i may actually harvest carrots that are longer than my finger!:) we'll see! (to be continued...)

The Marshmallow Crew

2011-05-30T15:43:00.001-04:00

Finally!

2011-05-29T13:13:00.000-04:00

the tooth that was hanging on by the thread of a root has been pulled!

Slow Down, You Move Too Fast

2011-05-23T05:30:00.003-04:00

This weekend, I shot a graduation, and during the traditional slideshow, I got an ache in my heart for my own wee kiddos. Though it will be more than 10 years before even Savannah reaches graduate age, I know that it only be a blink until I am like those parents in that auditorium dabbing my eyes wondering where the time went. So, in an effort to soothe my heart and remind myself that they are still in that cute, make-believe, look-at-me stage, i'll post some pictures.

It's Never Too Late...

2011-05-16T15:27:00.001-04:00

A sweet marriage ceremony between two people who prove it's never too late to find love. Congrats, Bob and Carolyn!

more photos in my portolio

An April Wedding

2011-05-15T20:50:00.009-04:00

see more in my portfolio: jnp photography

thanks to melanie cantrell, my second shooter, for shots like this:

and this:

i love her perspective!

Melanie is currently doing photo shoots to raise funds for a mission trip to Africa. Check out her site Chasing Carolina.

And Now a Pollyanna Look At Potty Training

2011-05-13T13:58:00.002-04:00

5 Reasons to be glad about potty training:

1. My sprint is much faster now ("momma! potty!" "hold it, hold it; i'm coming!")

2. The bathroom floor gets cleaned much more often right now

3. One-on-one time with our buddy

4. Knowing that one day soon i'll no longer be the recipient of his "presents"

5. Celebrations everyday (He did it! Yay!)

Every Stage, A New Appreciation

2011-05-08T10:32:00.000-04:00

As i go through a new stage with my kids, i gain a new respect and appreciation for my mom. While i was pregnant, i saw my vein-y feet and thought, "mom got these". While i was nursing i could think, "mom was up in the middle of the night with us once". While potty training, i think "thanks, mom, for not giving up on me!" While planning birthday parties, i look back and remember a special "ski slope" ice cream cake and appreciate the thought put into it. here's to you, Mom, for being faithful to your calling. thank you!!

family suppport

2011-05-05T09:11:00.002-04:00

steve was ordained last night, and his mom and sisters came out in support (along with my parents, but they split before i could snap a pic of them). i know they would say, "of course we'd come out and support him", but it's not something we take for granted. thanks again. it meant so much!

What Exactly Do You Do All Day?

2011-05-02T14:46:00.000-04:00

Probably not the post you expected by the title, but it's the question rolling around in my head as i watch this bumblebee on our deck. He just hovers. For what seems like hours. He darts occasionally here and there, but never to land on anything or gather anything, or sting anyone.

He just hovers.

Everyday.

He's there.

Maybe he's looking inside our windows wondering the same thing about me...

PPL WEU pt.4

2011-04-29T05:23:00.003-04:00

"when it was time to find my easter eggs, he was right there at the steps saying, 'c'mon matthias! let's go find 'em!' i didn't even have to ask! my cousin, joshua, encourages me to look out for the little guy and be a friend."

...with a little help from my friends...

2011-04-27T13:15:00.001-04:00

i'm thankful for the "older" [insert, 'wiser'] women who were in my life while we were at seminary. we younger moms had a lot of great resources to pull from. at that time, i was encouraged to let my daughter (2 at the time) to help me with the laundry and setting the table. it was painful for me. i distinctly remembering having the laundry basket out in the living room and helping her fold our goldenrod colored cloth napkins. i remember having to tell myself, "it's okay that they aren't perfect. let it go. they say this is good training." and they were right. our family can and does run more smoothly if everyone is pitching in and not expecting one person to do it all. the majority of the load still falls on me now, but i was encouraged this past weekend by my sister-in-law who has 6 extra pairs of hands running around. she told me that she's now in a stage of life where the kids do the majority of the housework. this is only possible because she and her husband trained them while they were toddlers and up to see the family as a unit and not as a place to sit back and be served. now she can sit around and eat bon bons all day... RrrrrriiiiiGHT. (her plate is still very much filled with homeschooling, helping with their family business and training her youngest ones.) i also came across this post on monday from the pioneer woman homeschooling blog that further encouraged me in what i am doing with the kiddos. i was especially encouraged by the "H" in TEACH.

training is hard, but i keep reminding myself that a lot of things worth reaping are.

matthias entertaining the baby while savannah folds clothes, and i get the kitchen ready for school.

a little chat with the aunties

2011-04-25T05:03:00.000-04:00

so sad...

2011-04-22T05:30:00.001-04:00

this looks like a healthy pumpkin, right?

it's already dead.

sigh... and so is this one.

and 6 others.

This is the only one surviving all the wind gusts on the hill. The others have been twisted and snapped by them. And if you're seeing what i'm seeing, you're probably figuring we'll be buying our pumpkin this fall. sigh...

what a lovely find

2011-04-21T05:30:00.001-04:00

i have a very limited knowledge of plants. i did not know this was a begonia. i've always thought of begonias as an old-timey name and for some reason, the image of a horse wearing a straw hat comes to mind. anyway, i came across this today in the garden center, and an older lady who was loading up her cart with them told me what it was and how to care for it. steve, being the super hunk that he is, bought it for me. i'll be adding it to my collection of house plants that really only includes philodendron (because it takes a lot to kill one of those).

People Who Encourage Us pt.3

2011-04-20T08:24:00.001-04:00

Randy and Tammy's hospitality, generosity, and service are an example to our family of true faith. We have been encouraged also to see how they parent. Their oldest daughter who is college-age has loved and spurred Savannah on in her faith as well. Thank you, Randy and Tammy!

whew...

2011-04-14T13:30:00.002-04:00

these and all our other tender little guys made it to see another day.

This is...

2011-04-13T21:32:00.000-04:00

This is a sunflower sprout growing at the edge of our yard.

Here is another one.

This is what i saw on The Weather Channel.com tonight:

FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9AM EDT THURSDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED

A FROST ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM EDT THURSDAY.

This is a gardener who's going to be unhappy when she wakes up.

People Who Encourage Us pt.2

2011-04-11T20:50:00.004-04:00

Mrs. Laura was Savannah's pick when asked who encourages her. Laura is Director of Children's ministries at our church. I've watched her embrace the kids as they come in and make them feel welcome, and I also have had a chance to watch her teach. I can see why Savannah feels encouraged.

We appreciate you, "Mrs. Laura"!

Gardening Resource

2011-04-11T13:07:00.001-04:00

this week i'm taking full advantage of the warming temperatures and staying outside to work the ground around our house! i have lots of questions about what plants are best, what light to put them in, how to best use what we have. if you're in the same boat, here's a great site: Dave's Garden. it's got lots of helpful information from people from different areas on different plants. okay, back to work!

A Tee Boutique, Oh So Chic

2011-04-07T13:27:00.002-04:00

Looking for cute, designer shirts? Check out Banana Village for sweet T's for the family. This is the boutique end of my brother's family T-shirt business, Monkey Deez. Check out their fb page now until Monday for a chance to win a shirt of your own!

Work it, boy!

2011-04-05T14:24:00.000-04:00

Gardening: Week 6

Getting the ground ready for the vegetables

I'm so ready to put them in the ground now!!!

People Who Encourage Us

2011-04-04T14:09:00.002-04:00

As part of a series, once a week for the next several weeks, I'll be posting about someone who inspires our family. We've had postings in the past along these lines under the "people" label and titles "evidence of grace", and we'd like to continue to show how God is at work in those around us.

Christa is a mom of three and is on staff with her husband with a campus ministry covering two campuses. To say that she has a full plate is an understatement. However, to watch her love and support her husband and children is so encouraging to me as a mom of three. She is no super hero; she's transparent about her struggles, but to be able to see her handle going through the fire with grace and self control is beautiful. She gives me hope to lean on our Savior through tough times.

Evidence of Grace

2011-04-01T14:32:00.000-04:00

i know what steve will think of this post, but i want to share it anyway.

i have often said how thankful i am to be with him, but i'm not sure that i have gone into many specifics. so, here are a few that have been in my heart:

my best friend has learned to love our family with such a sacrificial love. yesterday over lunch, savannah and i were talking about what a cool dad he is, and she said, "he's like Jesus: he loves and serves us like Jesus loved and served". wow.
he's hot. i'm not going to go into that one, but he is. ;}
he has an ear to hear: he listens with such patience. if you've had any conversation with me, you know that i'm not articulate and bumble around painfully trying to get out my meaning. steve knows that, too, and his patience relaxes me and makes me a better communicator... sometimes. :) he also listens carefully. i can trust him to hear what i'm saying and know he will kindly and gently point out erroneous thinking. by God's goodness, he's learned how to hear and give the gospel to me in a way that's not "bible-speak". and from the gracious comments of members in our church, i know he has blessed others with his listening as well.
he's a workin' man. (and that makes him pretty hot, too. hee, hee) through seminary, he proved he'd do just about any job to provide. ask him which one was his favorite. i'm sure the words "true" and "green" will work their way into the conversation.
he's deep. he can dig out meanings to lyrics in songs that are totally lost on me. plus, he actually knows the words to songs when i'm usually just singing the refrain i know loudly, then humming and mumbling the rest of the words. i'm in awe.

this by no means is an exhaustive list on his wonderful attributes. (i haven't even mentioned his sense of humor, leadership, incredible thoughtfulness, or way with our kids. this will just be a beginning to a series that i'll come back to when i want to embarrass him. :P) and i know that as he keeps his eyes focused on Christ and what He's done for him, God will continue to add to it.

Half Way to One

2011-03-30T05:30:00.003-04:00

Ayi and the Big House

2011-03-29T05:27:00.013-04:00

Savannah's ayi (or 'aunt' in Chinese) came to visit us before returning to her homeland, China. We were pretty excited to show her our new house.

Lenten Devotion

2011-03-28T05:27:00.020-04:00

"The stone that the builders rejected, this has become the cornerstone. 'Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and if it falls on anyone, it will grind him to powder!'"

Steve and i have a Lenten daily devotional by Calvin Miller that begins 48 days before Easter. i'm not crazy about all the devotions in the book, but his reflections on Luke 20:17-19 were thought provoking.

"Every measurement as to distance or rectitude was taken from the placement of [the cornerstone]. The full weight of the growing building always fell on it. This stone both certified and created the building. Without it, the building was not possible.

...Jesus was reminding the temple officials that the Messiah was to be the standard, the support, the creator of the faith...not merely the object of theological dialogue; indeed, he was the faith itself.

Do we build our own lives on this unfailing cornerstone?
Is he foundational in all we choose to be and do?
Is Jesus central to your life as the cornestone, or is he only one philosophy among others?

If he is only one among equals for you, he will at last be a rock of offense- the stone that you as a builder have rejected, the stone that causes God to reject you."

Spring Has Sprung

2011-03-25T07:52:00.000-04:00

Some things are hard to capture...

2011-03-24T05:30:00.009-04:00

i just finished up a week+ long series where i captured one image that tells what i love about being a stay-at-home mom. but there were some things i just couldn't capture, like hearing matthias try to sing the bass line to one of his favorite songs... the bass line and knowing immediately what song it is just because i know all the other references that point to the song. or the goofy rhyming that happens over lunch. or the crazy dancing that breaks out when a song we all love comes on (some things are best left uncaptured). or the evening briefings and weekly/monthly reviews with steve on how our kids are developing and responding to our shaping. (i guess i could have set up a tripod for that, but we would have felt a little goofy) i love those talks! or the triumphs with savannah and schooling when she just pumps it out! or the feeling i get when noël folds into me after a painful block of time teething. in short, it is sometimes hard to capture all the little moments that i enjoy and connect me to my "job" of mom, manager, teacher, chef, etc. i set out to capture a few glimpes of time that i enjoy, but God gave me the grace to realize that he has given me more than will fit into the frame of my camera.

Reason #10

2011-03-23T05:30:00.003-04:00

getting to capture all of the action around me

series: "some days"

Reason #9

2011-03-22T05:30:00.017-04:00

did i mention snack-time is twice a day?
(c'mon mom! we're starving! )

Reason #8

2011-03-21T05:30:00.004-04:00

Reading together

series: "some days"

Reason #7

2011-03-20T05:30:00.001-04:00

teaching him they are called "the ABC's" not "BS" as he proudly proclaims

series: "some days"