Andrews Story

So we were working on language lessons last week and Andrew who continues to be my student who works me pretty good was asked to make up a story about 4 kittens. We were studying a painting about 4 kittens and in the painting the 4 kittens were playing with Beatles. When we began to discuss the painting he was slumped down in his chair saying, "I don't want to do this, I am tired, I don't like cats, cats are yucky." The "I am tired" is a funny saying that we hear a whole lot. The "Cats are yucky" is something he has picked up from his Nana because she is allergic to cats. He began to realize he was going to have to complete his assignment before going back to play doh, so he began to tell us his story. "Once upon a time there were these beatles that God was watching so they would not bite anybody. Then four kittens came walking up and the people said, "Get the cats away, they are yucky." So God sent the cats to live with Satan and Satan said, "achoo achoo achoo, forever!" What a funny story that has so much to unpack in it. He has adopted his Nana's dislike towards cats and associates them with allergies and believes they are from the devil. So he sends them to live with Satan and he suffers forever. My favorite is that we were not even talking about God and yet he brought him in to his story. If someone asked me why do you homeschool, I would answer, "because I want my children to not compartmentalize Christ and think that bible is over here and then there's math and science and so on. I struggle this way and I want them to delight in all of his creation and see his Glory in all things and without a doubt know that everything points us to His glory." What a funny guy Andrew is and continues to be for us. As I continue with homeschooling I see how incredibly different my three children are and how I must rely on Christ for his Grace and wisdom to love them and train them according to their individual needs and personalities. Homeschooling has been a joy for me, something I never thought I would say or do. I am so thankful not to miss these moments and to continue to be stretched with patience and sacrifice to make it happen. This is the path Christ has chosen for me and I see my need for Christ everyday as I surrender to this calling and realize how I can't do it alone. What precious children we have been blessed with and I pray that I can be a part of helping them know and understand the love the Father has for them and how amazing the Gospel truly is.

Experiencing Christ this Christmas

Christmas 2010 was a very busy and wonderful time. We had the opportunity to spend great time with family and friends. We were able to go stay with my sister and watch Santa Clause the Movie in their movie theater with all the cousins. Our boys thought that was the coolest`,so did Marty and I! We then had Marty's parents come and stay through Chritsmas with us. On Christmas eve we had a dinner for several of our friends and family. It was a great opportunity to see God's grace at work in me. Christ has been working on my heart for many years now with the issue of treasuring traditions and rest above the incredible opportunity to give Christ away. So this Christmas he called me to be flexible and trusting to his plan. I tend to get overwhelmed with the unexpected and detail, so just when everthing was all set up for the evening he sent three unexpected guest to our home and gave us the opportunity to invite them in to experience the love of Christ as we gathered to celebrate his birth. Three young life guys who had left for college this year came over and then joined us, it turned out to be a blessing to me in many ways. Though unexpected, it reminded me of the call to give our lives away in the hopes of others seeing the beauty of the one who came and gave his life away for sinners like me. There is a time for rest and a time for laboring, a time to let go of those things we find our identity in that are not of Christ, a time to be reminded that everthing is his and he has given us the priveledge of caring for our family,home, and other resources in a way that shows him to be worth it, a time to love and not expect anything in return, and a time to remember that he will provide all we need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. He blessed me with those opportunities through the many planned and unexpected guest he brought to our home that evening. We then had the privelege to stand before the congregation of our Chrurch and light the Christ candle as we read the scripture as a family. Caleb was so excited to read his portion of the text that he almost stole all of Marty's lines, but my all time favorite is how he pronounced trustworthy- trustwhirly and that he read "behold" with such enthusiasm. Andrew decided to lay on the floor and then use his candle as a gun and sword to aim out at the congregation, a moment that I am sure we will treasure down the road! Elizabeth hung out quietly on my hip until the very end when she decided to add a little shout out in the microphone.

Here is our Andrew with one of his Christmas decorations that he moved all over the house and yard. He loves christmas decorations, but we are short many decorations because he ends up breaking them in the process. We joked that when he grows up, he will be like Clark Griswald and have lights all over his house! We love is funny little personality!

Here is Elizabeth on christmas morning with here new kitchen! I think I loved it just as much as she did. It is a dream come true to me to have a little girl!

Here is Caleb with his new LSU t-shirt and football. LSU is now his favorite football team! A sure sign that he is growing up becuase he wanted more of this stuff than acion figures.

Christmas day at my parents with all the cousins. A whole lot of fun and chaos!