Happy New Year

Justin and Chelsea surprised us and came and spent the evening with us. They celebrated their first anniversary last night. It's hard to believe an entire year has passed. She brought a carload of fabric samples from Ethan Allen. It was better than Christmas!! I have so many projects swimming around in my head! We've played Pictionary, toasted with Italian soda, and are now redy to salute the new year. May you all be richly blessed by God in the new year!!

Homemaking

We're back home now and I've spent the day taking down the Christmas decorations and getting organized for the new year. I love new beginnings and the chance for a fresh start.The boys and I will be beginning a new curriculum next week which I'm really excited about. They will love all of the new books, though the new grammar workbooks may not be a favorite:)I downloaded some new forms from www.organizedhome.com for my homemaking journal, and am all set for their 12 week spring cleaning challenge.As much as we enjoyed our holidays, we are both so happy to be back home.Terry has his new HUGE television set up (a gift from Jon, Justin and Chelsea)and I'm beginning to think it may be kind of hard to get him to leave all this for Italy in the summer! I have several sewing projects in the planning stages. There are simply not enough days to accomplish all that I would like to accomplish. But hopefully, with organizing my days a bit better I will make better use of my time and get to my scrapbooking, schooling, sewing, reading, lacemaking...

Christmas Day 2006

This morning we woke up at about 6AM to the voices of our sons Brandon, Jordan and Christian. The little boys were wide awake with excitement, and Brandon was wide awake from jetlag! It was such a joy to lay there and listen to them giggle and tell jokes.At 7AM we all lined up behind the papered over doorway, by age- Gabriel was in front- and then ran through the paper! Santa had arrived! There were darts flying from crossbows, the thumps of a pogo stick from the kitchen, and much oohing and awwing over gifts (except for the cries of frustration from Chelsea because Justin had ducttaped her gift so she wouldn't look at it ahead of time! We are so blessed with our family and friends.My children have grown up now, and instead of it saddening me the way I thought it would, it had brought me such joy to watch them chase their dreams. This was a special year for all of us.

He's Home! He's Engaged!!

After much prayer...Brandon arrived safely home from China on Christmas Eve! It just made Christmas so special having all of the children here. Last year he had to miss Christmas and his sister's wedding, so we all rejoiced that he made it home safely. The evening of his arrival he proposed to Kristin Barnes and she said YES! God answered our prayers with this precious young lady who loves Brandon very much. She has been such an encouragement to him during his time in China. It will be exciting to watch this new family being formed, and to see God at work in their lives.They will be marrying this Spring and then will be leaving to do mission work in Italy.We are grateful, also, for her wonderful family who have raised such a fine daughter (and son:)She is a beautiful young woman, inside and out. Welcome to the family, Kristin.

A Rainy Day

Terry woke me this morning with the best ever Christmas present...we're not leaving for Searcy until tomorrow. I stayed up past 2AM getting all of the presents wrapped and am just worn out this morning.It is raining hard and my house still needs cleaning.I'm so looking forward to getting there because I can then relax and enjoy my grandson and children, but I want a clean house to come home to next week.So, I've just finished cleaning the downstairs, and it is all sparkly and Christmasy. Now I will even have some time to finish some little extra sewing projects for various family members, Terry can get the oil changed in the car, and we can have a bit of quiet before the storm!Last night the boys received a package from their grandparents in Texas.The timing could not be more perfect. This morning, to help with their profound disappointment:) at not going today, I let them open their gifts of four of the ultimate coolest Bionicles they'd ever seen!!Sheri, if you're reading this, they could not have loved any gift more!They are now happily ensconsed in the family room, talking and playing non-stop. They are going to go Christmas shopping with their Dad today for gifts for their brothers and sisters, we'll share a pot of soup this evening, and then head "home for the holidays"! Enjoy your families!

Happy Holidays!

We are so blessed this holiday season. Last weekend we closed on our house, and graduated two children from college, all within a 24 hour period. The gratitude I feel for my Father has no bounds. For the first time in five years I do not have two in college and two mortgages! Our time with family and friends was wonderful. Yesterday, my friend, Dana, and I spent the day shopping together. We had such a good time. We were celebrating my fun week, and hers, because her husband finished his PhD!!When I returned home I found out my husband had invited my in-laws for supper, so I hurriedly got food on the table and we shared a nice family visit.This was easily done because my neighbor Jackie had just dropped by a loaf of her sourdough bread and a bag of Chex Mix:) Right as we were finishing our meal the doorbell rang and we had carolers (several dear sweet friends and their children).I passed around some Swedish gingersnaps in a wonderful red tin, that I had just purchased for a moment like this! This morning the boys and I have spent making fudge, peppermint bark and decorating sugar cookies for our friends at church. The holidays are so much more fun when you live in a community surrounded by so many fellow believers. Again, we are so blessed. Tomorrow we head to Searcy to be with my family. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Birthday and Burnt Chicken

Saturday was a special day as I was woken up by Terry and the boys with breakfast in bed (Terry had bought biscuits and sausage gravy at Jack's), two wonderful cards and a a beautiful set of candles.We headed into Jackson for the day and visited Hobby Lobby and Books-a-Million( I found the newest issue of Creative Needle, their baby issue)...and then had a wonderful lunch at Red Lobster. We went and picked up our family ornament for the year (the antique radio from Hallmark)and then headed home. In the evening we piled in the car and headed out to Chickasaw for the light display. We came home and watched "Over the Hedge", visited with Grandpa, and then I sat down to read several of my favorite blogs.There are several "crafty sewing" ones I especially enjoy.I've recently organized my sewing room and have gotten some aprons and baby gifts madeand I'm still needing to put the boys names on their new robes.Anyway, while reading www.pleasantviewschoolhouse.blogspot.com I decided to put chicken on to boil for chicken salad- Sunday lunch.Well, an hour later, after a child came in throwing up, followed by a birthday phone call from another child, I smelled smoke. Heavy acrid smoke:)I now have one less kitchen towel, an empty can of Febreze (my husband got a bit ambitious), one less pan, and a burnt porch railing.And NO Sunday lunch!Next time I'll focus on the precious felt Christmas ornaments on www.allsorts.typepad.com! Oh, for those who have asked. Our house is to finally close on Thursday. Keep your fingers crossed!!

Graduations, Jobs...Busy Family Life

Life has been a whirlwind lately. We shared a wonderful time together with all of our family celebrating Thanksgiving at Chelsea and Justin's. We stayed up late playing Pictionary, Justin and Jon spent an evening bonding in line at Wal-Mart waiting for the sale TV:), and Chelsea and I had a fun shopping trip on the day of the sales, and a lunch at Olive Garden. I've been busy sewing various Christmas projects--I gave the girls their Christmas Advent calenders and Christmas aprons early. It's so much fun to see my daughters creating their own welcoming homes.Katie and Tim are busy preparing for the arrival of baby Maria. We can all hardly wait.Chelsea leaves this Sunday for two weeks at Ethan Allen headquarters for job training. She's a bit apprehensive (her first trip away from Justin) but I know she'll have a great time. She's good at what she does and she's loving her new job. She graduates from FHU on Dec. 15.Jon has just accepted a job with Dell Computers in Nashville. He graduates from Harding on December 16!Two graduations, Christmas,two birthdays, a son returning from China, and a new granddaughter--all in the next month or so. And to top off all of these blessings...Lord willing, we will close on the sale of our house in Searcy in the next couple of days. They are finishing up the last of the paper work, we sign, and then it's done!!It has been five years since we moved to Greece, and since then, we have stayed there off and on, but have had it rented out most of the time-- with some bad renter stories here and there! This is such a blessing to have this burden lifted. Please join us in prayer that all will go well and it closes this next week. I'll keep you posted.Brandon called from China yesterday and is busy making plans for his new life with Kristin.We received word last week that his full-time missions support is looking good, though not official yet.The FHU board approved the new academic program in Italy, so Terry and I and the little boys will be leaving in May to spend the summer and fall in Tuscany.We're looking forward to this next adventure and are so grateful for the doors God has opened for our family. Jordan and Christian are busy little guys. They do a lot of skateboarding, bike riding, soccer, video games, etc. They are both doing well in their schoolwork, especially enjoying the Math class they do online. They really have a knack for Math. Well, I need to get started with our school day. Tonight we are going to see "Happy Feet" at our local theater.We've created some neat memories with the boys at this theater...two minutes from our house, clean movies, popcorn and drinks-$5 on family nights! Can't beat small town America!

Homeschoolers Thanksgiving Day

For the past month the boys have been meeting each Friday with two other families to study the lives of Indians, Pilgrims, and Thanksgiving Day. Today we all came together for a day of feasting, singing "We Gather Together", reading of the Scriptures, and prayer.After some wonderful food we took a hayride through the fields. It was a beautiful Fall day, and I was so grateful for the chance to share it with my friends.Julie, now a precious Mama of four, was a student of ours in Italy almost 20 years ago.I am very appreciative of the chance to see her grow into such a fine wife and mother. This evening, after everyone had left to return home, our daughter Chelsea called to tell us their dog, Afro, had died while they were gone. It is so hard to bear your child's broken heart, no matter how old they are.We will all miss that sweet, ACTIVE dog, who brought Chelsea and Justin a lot of joy.Jon's here for the night, so the boys are momentarily distracted from their sadness over Afro. Big brothers show up at just the right time.

Gabriel's First Birthday

Last night we celebrated Gabriel's birthday with cupcakes, punch, and ALL the family except for Brandon (who was greatly missed:)His favorite gift was his balloon from his Great-grandparents. He also received a shopping cart, a talking vacuum and a teddy bear made with LOTS of love from his Grandma.Even his Uncle Jon surprised us by driving from Searcy and arriving right before the party was to begin. We sat up late eating snacks, playing "Guess Who?" (by the way, it's alot of fun if you play by Justin's double question rule:). It's always fun spending time together. We all wish for Gabriel many years of good health, happiness, and years of service to God. We love you, little boy!

Two Little Indians

This afternoon, for three hours, Jordan and Christian had a special "unit study" on the Indians out at the Blackwelders place in the country. Dana had put so much work into her day. They each had a special notebook to put their papers in.We set up their tepee. They made necklaces with real bison teeth, sewed together canoes, made coup sticks with feathers, made headdresses, made small tepees, made fry bread (served with apple cider),played two Indian games, ran races, and rode horses. They were busy every second. It helped having just eight children total (Julie joined us with Ellie, Ivy, Owen and baby Oliver).It was a beautiful Fall day in which I was especially grateful for friends who are kindred spirits.Today was also extra special because Chelsea celebrated her 21st birthday AND I got to talk to Brandon in China AND my big brother, Kenny, called me from Texas and he sounded wonderful (he's been in Nigeria for over 20 years, so phone calls are far and few between.)We are blessed. Now, all I have to do is come up with an incredible two hour program on the Pilgrims for my part next Friday. Wish me luck!

A Day in the Kitchen

Today was as close to a perfect day as I've had in a long time. The boys were so helpful all day, while I spent the day getting a months worth of meals in the freezer. This was my first time to do this since Terry was diagnosed gluten-free, so I had to try a lot of new recipes. I made Chicken in Apricot Sauce, Marinated Chicken, Lasagna, Chili-Corn Casserole, Meatballs, Stuffed Green Peppers, Frozen Cranberry Salad, Gator Salad, Cranberry Nut Loaves,Taco Meat,and Ham dishes. The house smells wonderful, my kitchen is clean, and I can now step out to the freezer each morning when it's time for school and pull out the evening meal.I also got all the Halloween decorations packed away.Thanksgiving will be here soon. I'm so excited! We're celebrating at Chelsea and Justin's this year..making memories in their first home together.

Trick or Trunk

The boys had a wonderful time trick or treating this year. They really didn't even go around to all the cars for candy, but instead headed off to play with their friends. They went on the hayride, had their picture taken, swung at the pinata (though we got tickled when Christian said he almost broke the "pieta"-, a famous statue at the Vatican:), and did the cake walk. Christian won two cakes and was unhappy that they wouldn't let him try again.We decided not to do the neighborhood trick-or-treating this year since we have celebrated quite a bit already. Fortunately, the boys didn't even mention it. We're meeting with friends all this month to do a unit study on Pilgrims and Indians, so I guess they've got plenty of opportunities to hang out with friends.Thankfully, there is only a handful of candy left...so no more sugar highs!

Homecoming

We returned late Saturday night from a busy two days in Searcy. It was wonderful. We got into town around 5pm and I made a quick trip by Cato's to see if I could find a skirt to match my new jacket. I found the perfect skirt and it was cheap! That rarely happens. We ate a delicious meal at Katie's and then we all headed to see "Fiddler on the Roof". It was so much fun to see so many of our good friends, though there is never enough time to really catch up on their lives the way I'd like to.The Morans and Johnsons were there to support Craig, who needed NO support, as he was amazing.The next morning we had breakfast at the Barnes and had such a nice visit. I am so grateful for the way God has blessed our children with such wonderful extended family members (or soon-to-be:).We know where Kristin gets her kindness and generosity from!We left there to go to the Jewell's for a HUF 20 year reunion. It was so good to see Sheri Fields. We talk often (Hi, Sheri!)and write, but have only seen each other twice in 20 years!She is a kindred spirit, and blessed me, once again, with some wonderful cinnamon rolls and dinner rolls. Thank you! We left the reunion for a surprise 21st birthday party for Chelsea. Katie had gone to a lot of work to have a lot of her favorite goodies, special napkins, etc.Kevin and family , and Karen and family were all there. I loved seeing Katie, Chelsea and Jamie laugh together again.Cousins are fun.These years bring so many changes in their lives. Katie is expecting her second child, Chelsea is married and out of college, Jamie is in college, and Jessie is in high school. So many changes with each year. I'm so proud of all of them. They are all such sweet "Grandma Klein" girls and she would be so proud of each of them.My favorite part of the weekend was hanging out with Karen and catching up. I have such respect for her. She has really born the weight of both my parents illnesses and passings, being the only one in town, and now in caring for our sweet Aunt Rema.It was hard being the "geeky" sister in high school, but I do believe we are more than even now.Being back in Searcy is always nostalgic. After living there a total of 10 years, and 19 years with Harding, I am homesick for my many dear friends.But when I reconsider the reasons behind our decision to move, I know we made the right choice. As difficult as that decision was to make, God has rewarded us many, many times over. My children seek truth, our family is close, and my children are all in healthy relationships.It was the right move at the right time. As I'm writing this, one of my favorite hymns is playing in the background. It is so appropriate. "Great is Thy Faithfulness...all that I need thy hand has provided."

The Center for Faith and the Arts

The last several weeks have been busy ones, with many late nights, meetings, trips, and proposals concerning the creation of the Center for Faith and the Arts. There is still much work to be done, but as of yesterday morning, the president has approved the proposal. Hallelujah! Basically, we will be living in Italy from June through December.We will share a Fall semester with Faulkner University, and Terry will be the Program Director. In the Spring he will be teaching on the Freed-Hardeman campus. In the summer we will have some special groups, but not a normal school semester.I'm grateful that this did not come to fruition any sooner, because I believe the boys will be at a perfect age to really enjoy and remember this unique opportunity. We have plans for a tree house behind the villa, there are hills to climb, olive groves to explore, jousting matches to attend, great art to be exposed to, and gallons of incredible gelato to consume. I really look forward to getting to know faculty in a closer way. After 19 years with the same university, I miss the connections we shared with so many at Harding. I look forward to getting to know students one-on-one. I want the boys to share in devotionals with other young men and women as they grow in their faith.I am still in awe that God would provide this opportunity. We really believed when we left Harding that we were giving up our chance at ever working in Italy again, other than possibly short term mission work.God blesses us above and beyond anything we could possibly conceive of on our own. My prayer is that we will use this opportunity to glorify God through the many lives this program can touch.

Furniture Switcheroo

Several months ago I offered to store my friend, Blair's, dining room furniture until she had space for it in her garage. After her garage sale this weekend we made arrangements for it to be picked up, and then she asked if I could use an old painted double bed.Since one of our guest rooms had no bed, I said we'd appreciate it. When it was all set up, I could not have been more pleased. It's very old-fashioned looking, and looks perfect in the room. She even passed on a bed set that looks very "shabby chic".I just love it when God gives us the desires of our hearts before we can even ask.The night before Terry and I had walked around Target and seen their new dresser and cabinet in their "Shabby Chic" line and I told him how much I loved it. This bed looks like it should be part of their line. The week before, Christian's bed had broken and we had moved the wooden twin beds out of the guest room for the boys. I made them new dust ruffles (10 yards of fabric for $1 a yard!) and their red, white and blue room looks really "boy".They even have cowboy and Indian sheets.I decided to just wait until I could find a double or queen bed for the guest room, instead of putting one twin in there, since we have 2 soon-to-be 3 married children now.God always provides.

Halloween Costumes

This year the boys decided to be Indians for Halloween. They've been invited to a slumber party with costumes this Friday night, so I needed to get the costumes done early. They turned out so cute. Lots of fringe down the arms and legs, trim on the loincloth, and even headdresses.We were still needing bows and arrows, which is why they decided to be Indians to begin with. We just finished reading "Robin Hood".Late Thursday afternoon, right after picking up the boys from art class, a man from church called that had 30 pounds of ground venison for me from a deer he had killed with a bow and arrow! When we met him on this country road to pick it up, he had brought his bow and arrow and gave the boys a demonstration right then and there.He was amazing. He also brought the boys a bunch of real turkey feathers and wing feathers, and offered to teach them what they need to know when we were ready. That's one offer we will be taking up!

Soccer Season

October 16- Tonight was the end of season soccer party for Jordan. It was held at Pizza Hut and Christian and I went with him since his Dad had class. They had a neat soccer ball cake, a trophy for each player, and a small leather soccer ball that each of the kids autographed for each other. It was amazing to see Jordan as an eight year old playing with his friends. He has developed so much socially this year, and is no longer the "shy" kid. He's still naturally more reserved, but his friends seem to like that about him. My prayers for this child have really been answered. His vocabulary has really grown, he tells jokes, and he has a very dry sense of humor.He shared something so sweet the other day. He was telling me why he was glad he was homeschooled. When I asked why, he said his friend who goes to school told him that you have to wait for the slower kids to catch up before you can go on to the next lesson, and he would hate that.I told him that he was right, and that I was grateful to God that we can move at the right pace for each person, because some things we understand quickly, and some things take a little longer.I'm so grateful for the opportunity to homeschool, because he has no idea that he might be one of the "slower" ones struggling to catch up. And as I see him progressing rapidly, at his own pace, I see a child who has not been beaten down and made to feel stupid because he marches to a different drummer.

A New Job

The last couple of weeks have been difficult ones for Chelsea, but they have ended with a very happy ending. She has been blessed with a wonderful job she loved, since starting an internship this Spring, but recently was offered a wonderful new position doing exactly what she loves most.She struggled with telling her boss she was leaving, but after much prayer, she did it! Yeah, Chelsea! As of November 16 she is a new Interior Designer for Ethan Allen. I know she will love this new work, which will allow her more "creativity" and a bit less of dealing with buying merchandise, etc. We're so proud of her strong work ethic. She is the youngest ever hired for them as a designer, and I know she will work hard for them.I'm proud of her for following her dream. Now, my dream will be to one day be able to afford to buy some merchandise from her!

Fall Break

The week of October 8-14 flew by. Chelsea had called us to let us know she'd been sick, and would have the week off from work. We decided to take advantage of her time off to make a trip to Searcy to visit with family. The boys and I left Wednesday at noon (Dad had to stay home and work, but sent us with his blessings) and met up with Justin and Chelsea, who drove on the rest of the way with us.We met up with Jon and Shayna that night after dinner, and went to College church together. It was wonderful seeing all the kids together (with the exception of Brandon in China). Gabriel has grown so quickly. He is walking and stays busy pushing toys, pans, etc. all around the house with his little bottom sticking in the air. He's just precious. The next morning my dear friend Nancy watched all the boys while I went out with the girls and had lunch at Colton's together. Jordan and Christian really enjoyed playing with John and Joey again. We stopped by and visited with Brandon's girlfriend at her store, and made plans to visit together the next day.Thursday night we all went out to the ball fields to see John Oliver's game, and for the boys to practice with their brother Jon's team. Friday, Kristin joined up with us and we all headed to Little Rock to look for new shoes for Gabriel. I'm sure store owners thought we were the Beverly Hillbillies...9 people to buy a pair of baby shoes! Justin bought some "holiday sodas" at Target that we took home for a taste testing session. Gross! They were turkey and gravy, antacid, sweet potatoes, peas, and butter rolls.We left Saturday morning after a visit to see Jon coaching the Harding women's soccer team.It was a special moment to see him on the field his Dad planted, mowed, etc., working with the soccer program his Dad started.We made it home around 4 pm, just in time to visit with our friends, the Nixes, who were in town for a soccer game. They brought us the mother of all mums. It took four people to load it in the car! I'll post a picture later. It is gorgeous. All in all, it was a wonderful, crazy week that was full of a lot of laughter.

A Wonderful Week

The boys are asleep in bed after a long and busy week, and I am enjoying the sounds of silence (with the exception of Terry relaxing in front of the TV). Chelsea and Justin joined all of us and the grandparents on Tuesday night for a dinner to celebrate Justin's 25th birthday.It's so much fun to celebrate the birth of such a wonderful man, getting to enjoy having another son in the family, and, best of all, knowing I had nothing to do with raising him to be who he is. His parents did a wonderful job for which we are most grateful. We really enjoy watching the two of them together. They share a lot of joy.On Wednesday night we had a great surprise when Kristen's Dad, Roy, showed up at church on his way home from Nashville. That was a special treat to have a short, unexpected visit. We already thought a lot of her parents, as we have gotten to know their daughter better. She is delightful.Thursday night Terry's chorus all came over to have dessert with us, and then stayed a couple of hours singing and playing the guitars. The boys had friends over to spend the day, including a trip to Burger King, and then art class. They got to bed early because this morning we left bright and early for our trip to Corinth, Mississippi to the Circle Y Pumpkin Patch, petting zoo, corn maze, horse riding, and putt-putting. We had a great turnout and they enjoyed the hours with their friends. Dana, Beata and Alex rode with us which is always fun. (Though you were REALLY missed, Nancy!!)On our way home we stopped in a scrapbooking store which was a lot of fun. I was ready to crash when Terry got home from work and offered to take the boys to the movie to see "Open Season" so I could enjoy a few hours of quiet. It was wonderful! Chelsea and Justin will be here in the morning to watch the boys last two soccer games of the season, followed by a trip to the Greek Festival with our friends Ken and Theresa Moran, and then we will watch the play "Antigone" performed outdoors.I made a great purchase at the library sale this week. The entire set of Will Durant's "Story of Civilization" for $3!! I paid almost $200 for this set for Terry a few years ago for Christmas. I'm going to pass this set on to our family history nut, Brandon. We have been blessed with wonderful weather and many great opportunities to be with friends lately, for which we are most grateful to God.After this weekend our calender is looking pretty sparse until the last weekend of the month. I'm looking forward to more "routine" school days, and some time to work on some Halloween costumes for the boys...and some sewing for the grandbabies.

Farm Life

We just returned from the most enjoyable day and night away, at a beautiful log cabin farmhouse in the hills of Tennessee. New friends had invited us to spend the evening with them, to visit, and get to know more about each other. We are having perfect Fall weather here, and upon arrival they let their two horses out to roam and we all took a walk down the farm lane. We shared a meal together and then sat in front of the fire and talked. It was the first night we've had that was cool enough to do that. The boys slept in the cowboy room. They thought it was perfect with it's saddles and deer antlers. Our room had a tall four poster feather bed that you had to use a stepstool to climb into.The boys had their new fishing equipment and were up at the crack of dawn to sit out on the dock with their poles in the water. It's the stillest I have EVER seen Christian sit. They caught a total of four fish and just loved every minute of it. There was a small stone spring house with a little stream that ran across the front of the farm. We headed down to the large creek where 6 beavers had made a huge dam. The boys "accidently" fell in the water and ran up this creek for miles splashing and laughing. I don't believe I have ever seen them have this much fun. We spent more time swinging and rocking on the front porch and enjoying a beautiful Fall day with two gracious and kind kindred spirits. What
blessings we are given by our Father.

Fall Days

I'll sure be glad when my children come to visit next so that I can post my favorite pictures again:) We have been enjoying the first days of Fall here in Tennessee. I have my pumpkin candle burning and my Fall dishes on the table. After painting our front door barn red, I filled two large baskets with golden mums and placed them on each side of the front door. I already had a red berry wreath on the front door. I get so much enjoyment at seeing my warm entrance each time I return home. We had overnight guests again last weekend, and then on Sunday we began our gospel meeting which ran through Wednesday night. There is a whole "culture" here in the Bible Belt that, after so many years away, seems somewhat strange to me now. Then the following evening was our turn to host the Missions group on campus. My friend, Dana, was here with her family, so it was an especially nice treat to get a chance to visit after the meeting. The boys had helped me make and decorate carrot and cream cheese cupcakes(with little fall leaves sprinkles) and banana and pumpkin muffins. We had around 40 or so, which was small enough to have a chance to get to know some of the students better. All of my children are doing well and are busy and happy...which makes me happy. Both of our girls are happily married and both of our sons are wishing they were:) Seriously, they are both dating sweet girls, though Brandon is having to do it long distance from China. I'm making slow but steady progress on my quest for improved health- drinking my skimmed milk, taking my vitamins, eating healthy foods, drinking green tea, and walking daily on my treadmill for 45 minutes. I had not had any health problems, but I know that if I don't get in better shape it will catch up with me and limit the time I have to keep my family in line! Pray for me as I try to discipline myself to reach my goal. I think I'll close now and go help myself to a cup of hot apple cider (sugar-free of course).

Rainy Morning

I love rainy school mornings. We curled up on the couch and read about Pharoahs and Egypt, and about how when the Pharoah's men fought the rebellious Nubians they counted the dead by counting their chopped off hands (the boys at 7 and 8 found this fascinating!). For our morning devotions we are reading "Wisdom With the Millers", and then on to "Mountain Born", the story of a boy and his "cossett"lamb, where they were fascinated by the description of how a lamb's tail is docked, painted with pine tar, etc. I should mention that this weekend we went and saw "How To Eat Fried Worms". Life with school-age boys seems to be filled with a lot of "snails and puppy dog tails", and not as much "sugar and spice, and everything nice". Chelsea and Justin came over for a visit this afternoon (she had some business on campus) and we went out to Catfish Cabin with them ( thanks to my generous houseguests:) for dinner before they had to head home. I got phone calls from all of my children today, and an e-mail from Brandon in China. That always puts joy in our days.

New Friends and Good Fellowship

On Thursday of this week some friends of friends came to stay for a couple of nights to tour our campus. They were both homeschool families who shared many of our same expeiences and we had a delightful visit while they were here. It is always such an encouragement to have the chance to talk with other "like-minded" women. They had brought with them two big bags of homemade yeast rolls, cinnamon rolls (compliments of Sheri...they were wonderful!!) and some apple butter, and then upon their departure gave us a gift certificate to our favorite seafood restaurant and a lovely leather journal (and that was kind of funny, after admitting to them the day before how I never wrote more than a couple of pages before losing them:) I will try hard to hang on to this one. Then last night we invited a new family at church and their two sons, and a new English teacher and my friend, Linda, over to share a meal. We had such a good time of sharing and getting to know one another. We are beginning a new ladies class on Wednesday night which I am so excited about, and these women will be apart of our new class. These last few days have been such busy ones but I start the new week feeling so encouraged by these new friends God has put into my life. Until my son-in-law comes to visit my blog will be pictureless:( I've had to switch computers and I'm clueless on this one. Come see us Katie, Tim and Gabriel!!

A Quiet Oasis

Last Sunday Terry and I left the boys at Justin and Chelsea's and went away for an evening by ourselves. Terry had made reservations at "Bonne Terre", a bed and breakfast in Nesbit, Mississippi. We visited there three years ago for our 25th wedding anniversary and had really loved the peaceful setting. I was almost wanting to stay away because I was afraid it could never be as wonderful as our first visit. We enjoyed dinner out in Memphis, and a bit of shopping, before driving over. The room was like stepping into another world. We had a beautiful view off of our balcony overlooking the lake (including two old men fishing on the banks:), with a lovely jazz station playing quietly in the background. The next day was Labor Day so we were able to take our time getting back. We even sat by the lake and read for over an hour after checking out just to enjoy the wonderful Fall day. After picking up the boys we headed home for a 3pm reunion of our travel group from this summer. We shared a lovely Italian meal together and then they gifted us with a wonderful book of photographs, and letters sharing their favorite memories of our travels together. At the end of the weekend we felt so refreshed and encouraged. Thank you Chelsea and Justin for taking such good care of the boys and making their visit so special!

Christian Darsie

Seven years ago today a precious little dark skinned- dark haired little boy entered this world. Through tears of joy and tears of sorrow he became our son. At a time of incredible sadness (we had just been told two days before that my Mom had terminal cancer and had only 2 1/2 months to live), God blessed us with a child to remind us of His love for us. His birthmother placed him with our family in an amazing act of unselfishness. Today he is a bundle of energy in a constant state of motion. He reads anything you put in front of him, he's an X-box expert, excellent soccer player, golfer, and basketball player. He has a tender heart, and if he can't do something perfect the first time, he doesn't want to do it at all (we're still working on that:) He's Jordan's best friend.We have celebrated 3 times this week. Once with his brother last weekend, again last night when he went to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Edwards and then got to go pick out a toy at Toys-r-Us, and again tonight with cake and balloons. I sure hope the next 7 years don't go by as quickly as the first 7 did!

Family Fun

This weekend was Brandon's last at home until January, so we all went to Justin and Chelsea's new house in Cordova and spent the night. From the guys all staying up until past 4AM, ice cream birthday cake for breakfast, and sharing crepes together in Collierville, we had so much fun all being together. We all went to Chelsea's store for one last time together and shared a prayer together (there was no one in the store at the time:) before driving him to the airport. He will be missed by all of us, and we will do our best to keep Kristen encouraged while he is away. Jon and Shayna came on back home with us for Jon to play in the Alumni soccer game (he made 3 goals). Dwight and Joshua Ireland were also here with us overnight for a tournament in Jackson. We went to church together this morning and then out for Mexican for lunch, before Jon and Shayna headed back to Searcy this evening. It was a wonderful weekend.

A Reunion With An Old Friend

Sunday, July 2, 2006 This morning we worshipped with the Florence congregation. The faithful were all there- Luigi and Liliana, Paolo, Andrea, Gianfranco, Natascia with her children, Sarah, Mario and Marco. We had a wonderful worship time together and then left to have lunch at La Tortuga, a small neighborhood restaurant. We followed our lunch with our first gelato of the trip at Piazzale Michelangelo. It was a beautiful day with a wonderful breeze and we sat on the steps enjoying the view. As we headed towards the villa, taking the back "walled" road to Le Bagnese, we decided to stop at the villa of Terry's best friend as a child, Nicola Del Croix ( a descendent of the French painter). Terry was totally surprised when Nicola himself answered the door! They had not seen each other in 37 years! It was quite a reunion. Nicola now lives in Ethiopia and works for the EU. We visited about an hour as his family kept bringing out more wine, appetizers, bowls of pistachios, etc. They caught up on their childhood friends and talked of their school days, and their difficult teachers:) Those teachers did something right. It is interesting how many of their group are working as Ambassadors from Italy, a doctor in Uganda, PhD's, etc.--all from a little public school in a small neighborhood in Florence. Unfortunately, Terry was committed to speaking up at the villa so we had to say our good-byes. When we got home this evening we were able to get ahold of the children. They were all celebrating Brandon's safe arrival home from China at the Rainforest Cafe . It was a wonderful day.

A Family Visit

This weekend we had Tim, Katie and Gabriel come see us. We enjoyed so much watching Gabriel spend time with his great-grandparents (he loved the airplane pillow that they brought him!) Gabriel especially loves to play with Christian's nice thick hair . Brandon, Kristen and Jon were over at Uncle Kevin's with Karen and Kathi and their families this evening for a barbecue, while Chelsea and Justin spent a weekend away in Nashville. We would have loved to be eating that barbecue:), but loved it even more that our children were surrounded by family, and sharing in the family stories.

Happy Anniversary, Terry!

Today Terry and I celebrate 28 years together. We have been blessed with good health, a lovely home, six wonderful children and two wonderful son-in-laws, one and a half grandchildren, and a sweet dog, Annabelle. We live two blocks away from the best father and mother-in-law that any woman could have. We worship with a wonderful body of believers in Bethel Springs, and Terry is blessed with a great job at Freed-Hardeman. We have travelled to many, many countries together. We have set up house in three countries. We have cruised the Mediterranean, floated down the Nile, walked amidst the Pyramids, and shared in the joy of watching four of our children accept Christ as their Savior. Daily, we continue to have the privilege of enjoying the lives of two adorable little boys ...soccer games, sharing good books, birthday parties, trips to Chucky Cheese. Thirty years ago Terry asked me to marry him. I was 17 years old and he was 20. I could never have comprehended in all of my wildest imaginings the life that I would share with him by saying "Yes".
"Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

The New School Year

Our first two days back at school went very well. The boys seem to like the new daily spelling program, and having separate reading times works so much better. We have finished up our unit on Knights that we began this Spring and are currently reading "Mr. Popper's Penguins" for read-a-loud time and a Magic Treehouse book on the Civil War before bed. Last night were the boys photo shoots for their soccer pictures. They both have easy going coaches this year--thank goodness for no screamers! This afternoon the boys have been playing in the backyard while I made some rice pudding for dinner, and some food to take to a family at church who is losing a loved one. It's been a beautiful day outside and I am feeling so blessed to be able to be at home taking care of my family, living every day to the fullest.

A Busy Weekend

The sun has set on another Sunday and I'm ready for a quiet week. We had two soccer games and a wedding shower, followed by a dinner engagement on Saturday.We had 10 for Sunday lunch, followed by a dessert fellowhip tonight after church.I'm looking forward to starting our new school year in the morning, and the routine it brings to our day. It's always exciting to me when I write up the next years goals and curriculum plan. There are so many fun activities to look forward to, and it is a joy to watch the boys make discoveries on their own. My goal for Jordan this year is to encourage a love for learning. With my "abstract" style versus his "concrete" style of learning I am going to have to adapt, and that is difficult for me to say the least:) What worked for five before him, does not work for him. Jordan picked out three new Magic Treehouse books that we will be reading at bedtime for the next couple of weeks. Please pray that he will continue to persevere and that he can feel successful in his studies. Brandon has his tickets back to China and will be flying back on the 27th. We will all miss him, but we are so proud of his faithfulness and willingness to serve.

Castiglion Fiorentino

July 1, 2006- This morning we awoke to a beautiful summer day in Florence. About 9am we started driving towards C.F. There were amazing fields of sunflowers around every bend in the road. Upon arrival, we strolled around the town to see what stores were available as this is very likely the location where we will be purchasing a villa. We ate at Da Muzzicone's at Piazza S. Francesco- a wonderful lunch. The owner was very kind and went and called the mayor of the town to join us after our meal to visit. There were pictures of the owner on the wall with the actor Roberto Begnini (the star of "Life Is Beautiful") who is from this little town. Afterwards we saw a wonderful bronze statue of the actor dancing at a park outside of town. After lunch we searched local grocery stores to see what was available nearby. We visited the Coop in Camucia and found a wonderful supply of gluten free foods for Terry . We visited the owner of Villa Schiatti and spent time looking around.I loved our apartment (if the sale goes through:) with it's big fireplace in the kitchen, the terrace area and the original red tile floors. It felt like home. As the sun went down we headed back to Florence to our favorite Chinese restaurant near the San Lorenzo market. I made a quick stop in the restroom and was hit with the funny memory of barely fitting in the stall during the last days of my pregnancy with Chelsea, over 20 years ago. After dinner we returned to "Antica Posta", our home for the week.We called and talked to Katie, Tim, Brandon, Jordan and Christian, who are all doing well. Another wonderful day in Tuscany.

A Sunday in Florence

July 9, 2006 This morning the bus picked us up in Castiglione Fiorentino and drove us to church in Florence. The singing at church was wonderful and very uplifting. We had an appointment immediately after church to visit the Uffizzi Gallery. So much beauty at once is overwhelming. I imagined how each man, with God's gifting, envisioned each piece in their mind. After the Uffizzi we ate at Piazza Signoria, followed by a walking tour of Florence..by the Duomo, Piggy Market, and Piazza Repubblica. We caught the bus back home at 6, ate dinner at 7, and settled in to watch the final game of the World Cup at 8pm. About 15 of our friends joined us in our apartment, while Terry went back and forth betwen us and his Italian friends watching downstairs! Italy won 5-3 in penalty kicks. It was so exciting. There were horns blowing, guns and fireworks. It was an incredible evening to be in Italy.

Renata and Renzo

It has taken longer than I expected to get settled back in at home since our return from Italy. We had such a wonderful time renewing old friendships. One afternoon we headed out to the countryside, where our former housekeeper has a summer garden. Renata was more than a housekeeper for the villa. She was a grandmother to my children, and a very patient and dear friend to me. When I first met her I was a 26 year old young mother of a 4 year old, 3 year old and 1 year old, and was expecting my fourth in two months. With neither of us speaking the same language, she managed to show her love, care and concern for me at a time when I was greatly in need of reassurance. I was thousands of miles from home, my husband had almost been lost in a fire only 6 weeks before, and I was scared to death to give birth in a foreign country. She was and is so dear to me. Back to the story, on this beautiful summer day we stopped and Terry got out of the car and yelled over the hedge to see if they were there. What a homecoming we received!! They have a little tower that they have turned into a bedroom and kitchen for the hot summer months, chickens, flowers, vegetables growing everywhere, a fountain, outdoor oven, long tables for eating al fresco, etc. It's a bit of paradise. Without ever leaving her garden she served a meal for ten of us. We ate crostini with tomatoes and capers and eggs, mozzarella and tomatoes with fresh basil, proscuitto and salami, cantaloupe, a frittata, Florentine tripe, baked zucchini with cheese and onions, pasta salad, panzanella salad...it was all incredible. They had a TV set up under the portico so that we could watch the World Cup soccer game. We won that night 3-0 and every time Italy scored the men all danced, clicked their wine glasses and blew off the air horn. We ate from 8 until after 11. It was a wonderful night of remembering, catching up on all of our lives, and a thankfulness for the blessings of frienship that God had given us to enjoy.

Back Home Again

We are back home in Henderson now, after a wonderful month in Italy. My little boys had a wonderful time with their big sister and brother-in-law, and especially their little nephew, Gabriel. We have a house full this weekend, so I won't be writing much about the trip until our guests leave on Monday. Brandon is safely home from China, and will be returning at the end of August.His special friend, Kristin, is with us for the weekend. She is a delightful young lady. We are going to Nashville tonight with Katie and Tim to see Faith Hill and Tim McGraw in concert. It was their gift to Terry for his birthday. Chelsea and Justin will arrive this evening and we will all go to worship together in the morning at Bethel.It's so good to be home.

Getting Ready

We are back home for a day, getting ready to leave for Europe. We drove the boys to Katie's Sunday after church. When we arrived she had a big surprise for them. She had taken pictures of them from the past two soccer seasons, blown them up to poster size and then had them laminated.They were all hanging on the walls, along with a World Cup soccer ball in a net hanging in the middle of the wall.There were about a dozen small soccer postcards mounted on painted clothespins as you walked in the room. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me. She really made them feel special. I talked to her after we got home last night and she had already taken them to the library for some new books.The guest room is now referred to as the boys room:)I've not been without children for 26 years, so it does feel a bit strange to not have children to care for.I'm heading out to do some last minute weeding in the yard, vacuuming of the stairs, etc. I don't mind living in a messy house...I just can't stand to come home to one! I will probably be unable to post for the next three weeks, but then I should have a lot of catching up to do!

Sweet Pics from VBS

Busy Days

We left yesterday afternoon to go see Chelsea in Memphis for the evening. Her store was having their grand opening and it went really well. I enjoyed all the words of praise for my hard working daughter, and, of course very important to me, the food was amazing!I love visiting in my children's homes. Their apartment is really cute. We spent the night and then came home this morning. I spent the day getting things prepared for our trip and for VBS. The boys helped me color and cut out MANY fish for our story on the Sea of Galilee.Tonight was the first night of VBS and it was alot of fun. It did dawn on me that there was a good chance that this would be the boys last VBS for a while since we would not be here next summer if things go as planned.Of course, none of us knows what tomorrow holds.VBS is such a fun part of childhood. Booster, Booster, Be A Booster...

My Classroom

Today I am trying to prepare for my new school year as I know that it will be more difficult to do upon our return when we will hit the ground running.I have been so blessed this past year with a separate classroom for our schoolwork. We still spent many days around the kitchen table (especially during the cold months), but it was so nice to have a place to display the boys work and store all the school "stuff".I have Jon to thank for that. He turned half of our garage into a separate room, including two closets and lots of outlets for the TV, computer, etc. It has been such a gift. Just organizing the books made me get excited about our upcoming schoolyear and all the new ideas we will study and all of the great books we will read. I love being a home educator.

Sharing a Meal

Last night, several of my friends got together and shared a meal as a celebration of friendship. Our dear friends, Mike and Nancy, are moving this week and will be greatly missed.Dana, as hostess, had prepared a wonderful meal of steaks, potatoes, and salad--topped off with an amazing cheesecake with strawberry topping. We ate until we could barely move! After the meal we all piled on their flatbed pulled by a tractor, and rode around the hillside. After bogging down in a wet field we had a short walk back to the yard.The cabin sits at the top of the hill, and with its lit windows, as the sun was setting, sent such a message of welcome.Watching the children play out in the fields was especially sweet. Between the four families represented, we share 16 children. Well, technically it's 15.85 (Julie is due in 5 weeks:) We all viewed the two new nests with eggs that were in the porch rafters, and then moved inside for a time of sweet conversation.Heaven will be such an amazing place with such sweet fellowship.

Traveling Shoes

I've spent the morning gathering things together to pack the boys for their stay at Katie's.This next week is a busy one with packing, getting the house ready for our absence, teaching VBS, and a good-bye dinner for Nancy. I am getting excited about returning to Italy.I realized in church yesterday that in only two Sundays I would be worshipping in Florence with Luigi, Liliana, Gianfranco, Robbie and Mona. That's so exciting.I'd be even more excited if all of my children were going to be with us. I know the older ones would really love to be getting on a plane and going home again.Lord willing, that day will come sooner rather than later, but in the mean time...these pictures are for each of you.And yes, I will bring you each a Kinderegg!

Father's Day

The children all came on Saturday to celebrate Father's Day. We had a wonderful time cooking steaks out on the grill, eating and then watching the USA vs. Italy in the World Cup.The kids gave their Dad a new Ipod that will hold 1000 songs. They do know him well! He has wanted one for a long time, but I know he would never have gone out and bought himself one. It should arrive in a few days, just in time for him to totally tune me out all through Italy!Justin and Chelsea had to leave early, but the others were all here for church this morning, and then lunch out at our favorite Mexican restaurant.The weekend would have been perfect if only I wasn't sitting here worried about them driving home in terible weather.I think it's just a Mom thing.