Hi. Nothing too fancy here. Just a quick update to inform that I have updated pictures from the past 3 months on our shutterfly site: jameyandsandra.shutterfly.com

Hopefully one of us will get a suitable update to go with these pictures soon. It has been a very busy time lately as summer usually is around here, we try to get as much in a possible in the short warm season.

We did go to the Creation Museum in early June, there are pictures of that on June 8th. Very cool place with a lot of very well done exhibits. Then Elijah and I had a special trip to Michigan International Speedway to watch our first ever full length NASCAR race, that was something else. The power of those machines simply can't be captured by any T.V. or video cameras.

The Last Three Months

Hi! Rebekah here--

A couple months ago (April), we made a circle tour from Florida (because Dad had some meetings to go to) to North Carolina (to visit friends), to Virginia (more friends), to Toledo (for Easter with Daddy's family). We had a very nice house in Florida that we rented and the pool was right across the street! We went almost every day and Jude loved it just as much as all of us. He spent his time getting as close to the edge of the pool as possible without falling in, which made Isaiah very nervous. He is so protective of his little brother!

The beach was also a few minutes away and we went twice. The first time, Christina and I were eager to gather as many shells as we could find. This turned out to be quite a few and I put all of them in my shoe.

Unfortunately for both of us, we didn't know that they were barnacles and they were all unopened! I discovered this when I decided to open one and see what was inside. I expected them to be empty so I was very surprised (and grossed out !) when I saw, well, the inside of a barnacle! I immediately threw all of them back into the water and regretted my decision to put them in my shoe, for one started to ooze onto it. Ewww! Well, some things have to be learned the hard way. Otherwise we had a blast at the ocean and loved playing in the waves. They were very tall and exciting to ride on a tube. Except the tube kept deflating so we had to blow it up multiple times. I'm sure we all swallowed tons of the salty sea water!

We also brought schoolwork on our trip so we wouldn't get behind. My dad helped me with a LOT of math so I really appreciated that. Altogether we enjoyed ourselves very, very much.

Christina is going to write about the North Carolina, Virginia, and Ohio parts of our trip later on.

I had my first harp recital a few weeks ago. There were tons of people there and it lasted an hour and a half! I had one solo piece to play and three to do with four other harpers and my teacher, Sister Mary Margaret. My solo piece was "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring". I sat through dozens of people before I finally got to do my solo. I was the fourth to last! Lots of time to worry:) It went well though, with only a couple of pauses. It was fun but I'm glad it's over!

Hi, this is Christina!

Hi,
Just a couple weeks ago, we took a trip to Florida! Our condo was very spacious for our whole family. We had a porch that had a great view of the parking lot:) We would regularly go to the pool almost every day! The pool had a twisty water slide. There were a couple of adults that would go on it. It all depended on how you sat whether you would go fast or slow. You would have to sit up to go slow and you would lie down to go fast. It was fun to get shot out of the slide! There was a work out area right by the pool.

There was a ping-pong table, tennis court, basketball court, & a volleyball court at the resort. It was in the high seventies--very comfortable compared to Michigan. We were all wearing short sleeved shirts and capris.

Daddy, Rebekah, and Elijah went to the Nascar races while we were there. They said that they were awesome! They also said that the hot dogs were a foot long! Mom , Isaiah, Jude, and I all stayed at the condo. We had a fun time there playing on the playground, relaxing by the pool, and playing cards. The playground had a big checker game with pieces as big as pizzas!

There was a movie theatre there too. You would tell the store owner the movie you would like to put in and the time you would want it to show. We put in "Horton Hears a Who", and "WALL-E". We enjoyed watching them very much.

Since then I had my 11th birthday! I had my Aunt Julia and my Uncle Dan over for my birthday, and my cousins Grace, Danny, and Timmy. We had green bean casserole with hamburger & lemon cake with vanilla frosting. I got a Paint -by-number kit, and a foil paint by number kit,& a bike! Elijah gave me a Slinky and Isaiah gave me a book light for the van. I had a very fun time!

Too Much Coffee

Well, I drank two delicious cups of coffee at Bible Study tonight and now I feel like Twitchy the Squirrel. For a long time I tried to lie in bed very quietly so as not to disturb Jamey, who has to be up in just a few hours. I watched the green bars flicker on the baby monitor. I stared at the eerie orange light in the upstairs window across the street and tried to make up a story about it. I prayed for just about everyone I know, and made a mental checklist of everything I need to pack for our trip to Florida on Saturday.

I was so still and quiet that I woke Jamey up and that is why I am now upstairs blogging.

First, I would like to talk about Facebook. All I wanted to do there was catch up with the Biles family. They mentioned on their blog that most of their updates were on Facebook, and since a number of our other friends are also on that site, I figured I would give it a shot. But after tonight, I can safely say I will not be going there ever again. (At least not by myself.)

So here's what happened. After I found the Facebook site, this happy, blue screen popped up and asked me who I am. So I answered and the next thing I knew, I had an account open and all kinds of people were asking to be my friends. So I accepted them out of politeness, and then a bunch more faces popped up, and then I was supposed to ask them permission to be their friends, and it all started to feel like a 7th grade slumber party, and I couldn't even find the Biles so I left.

But now I am wondering if my account is still open. What happens if people I know see my name in there and ask to be my friend and I never respond? What kind of rude legacy have I accidentally created? I really think there should be warnings on Facebook so that technologically impaired people do not wreak havoc among their friends and acquaintances. Or at the very least, friendly chaperones could be available to walk us through the pitfalls and minefields. It is this kind of danger that kept me out of the computer labs in college. My trusty word processor was limited in function, but at least it never tried to ruin my friendships.

Still not tired...................spgonseohgsl;kdlalala..........let's see.........................

Well, I could talk about Elijah for a while. Rebekah just did an updated entry, and Christina wants to do her own when we get back from FL, so I will write about E. What a joy he is! He reminds me of my Granddad (Grammi's husband) in looks and temperament. I actually have a photo of Granddad at Elijah's age, and they could pass for brothers--delicate but manly features, a sensitive expression, and big, thoughtful eyes. From the moment Elijah was born, he appeared to be contemplating the larger questions of life. And he does! His queries often come after long silences, when I think he has been asleep or daydreaming. Sometimes I have to ask him questions in order to figure out his questions because he jumps into them as if I have been with him in his head.

Like his Granddad (an aeronautical engineer), Elijah enjoys figuring out how things work. He spent all last summer lying on his stomach in the dirt, studying bugs--how they move, what they eat, whether they bite small boys, etc. We have a motley collection of his specimens in a plastic box in the schoolroom, and he has spent so much time with them this winter, that pieces are beginning to go missing(!)

One of the traits I love most about Elijah is his strong sense of honor (also like Granddad). I can sense his pride in his position in our family. Sometimes he walks with a little strut, as if to say, "I am the oldest boy, protector of sisters, role model to small brothers, helper and defender of mankind!" (Sometimes it says more than it delivers, but he is still young...)

He loves doing a job well. He loves living up to expectations, and no one is harder on him when he fails than he is. Early on, Jamey and I realized that when he does wrong, we have to be careful in our discipline of him, because the weight of his own disappointment with himself seems to crush his spirit. Any correction needs to have an opportunity for redemption--a chance to do something right--close by. I can't wait to see what God will make of this sweet boy! Men of honor and good character are such a rare breed these days...

Now it is 2:49 AM. I think I will go stare at the orange glow in our neighbor's window for a while and see what happens. I might sleep. Or I might come up with a plot for the next great American novel. Either option sounds promising--

Hi! We recently were able to get our family pictures updated for the first time in 14 months. Hence, the new header up top! We also got Jude's "18 month" pics (actually, more like 19 1/2) and Isaiah's 4 yrs pics. Some of those are included below.

I hope to get our shutterfly site updated soon with our Christmas photos. I know Sandra is still planning a Christmas letter sometime as well. You can tell we don't let man-made conventions like DATES or other schedules tie us down! : )

Jamey

It's Rebekah again!

About two weeks ago, we were able to take our instruments and play at the nursing homes again. It was great and we had a wonderful time. For this trip, I played The Solid Rock with my mom accompanying me on piano. With Isaac on bass, Christina on violin, and me on my harp, we did All Creatures of Our God and King. At the nursing home without a piano, I did Ode to Joy as a solo. I think this trip was better than the last which must show that I am improving. I have started playing more songs with two hands instead of one. In March, I might be performing in the morning service at church with another Rebecca who plays the violin. I'll write again and let you know how it went.

I have also gotten my bottom braces only yesterday so my teeth are sore. This time I got pink elastics partly because I am trying out different colors and also because at my previous appointment I had gotten blue and when Isaiah saw them, he announced that he wanted me to get pink. When I got home yesterday, I showed them to him and guess what he said! "Now I want purple!" Oh well. I probably won't get purple.

For New Years Eve, we went to our friends' house (Isaac and Ella). It was very fun. They had just gotten an air hockey table so we had a tournament! I didn't do that bad, but my dad came in second place after a tense 30 minute battle with Uncle Ben! Some other games we played were Mennonite Manners, Psychiatrist and a game where everyone writes three things about themselves, one of which is a lie. Then you try to guess who wrote what.

In Mennonite Manners, everyone has a piece of paper. There is one pen or pencil and one die. Everyone starts rolling and whoever gets a 6 first, grabs the pen and starts writing 1 to 100 as fast as they can. Everyone else keeps rolling and if you get a 6, you grab the pen and start writing. It is very hectic as everyone is grabbing for the pen, but very fun. In Psychiatrist, there is something wrong with everyone and it is the psychiatrist's job to find out what by asking questions of everyone. We ended up playing games until 2:30 in the morning!

About a week ago, we went to a ladies tea at my friend Rebecca's house. Included was a 5 hour movie called Cranford about a little town named, (you guessed it!) Cranford. There were three courses of food, all of which were delicious. There were scones, fruit, salad, chocolate covered strawberries and three kinds of sandwiches, to name a few ! All the ladies and girls brought knitting or sewing to work on. All together we had a wonderful time.

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Well, Rebekah disappeared, so I (Sandra) will go ahead and post this entry, ready or not! We got snow today, and I am right now watching her and Elijah whizzing down the hill on their sleds. It looks like they are trying to go into the creek, although I am sure that could not be possible:)

Elijah is so light that he only makes contact with his sled about half the time, and so far he has bounced off into the sandbox twice and hit the swingset at least once. My heart always stops when I see that, because after he hits the pole he just lays there, motionless and contorted for a few moments--gathering his wits, I guess, because he always gets up, eats a mouthful of snow, and goes back up for another run.

I love that the children are such good friends with one other. Rebekah is 13 and Elijah is 6, but they don't seem to be aware of the age difference and they truly enjoy each other's company. I think that one of the beautiful side-effects of our decision to homeschool is that the children haven't learned to break people into segregated units by age, gender, and status. They don't function inside of cliques, they don't waste time trying to be cool, nor do they have to change who they are in order to fit in.

I always smile when people bring up their concerns over whether my children will be "socialized" enough to function in the "real world". Do they have a mental picture of Jamey hammering boards over the windows as the children peer through bars on the front door? Really? Homeschooling is not the easiest path for a family to take, and I have not met anyone who made that decision in order to prepare their children to live on their own personal planet someday. We all want our children to grow into competent, caring adults. Those of us who homeschool choose this path because we believe we can best achieve that goal by allowing our children to learn in an environment infused with love and faith, and full of rich learning experiences, diverse opportunities for service and ministry, fellowship, and field trips. (Some weeks, we are out more than we are in!) Add to that, daily encouragement from the people who love you more than anyone else on earth, numerous lessons in patience and forgiveness (often provided by younger siblings:), and opportunities to give and receive grace on a regular basis, and I think you have a very well rounded educational experience.

Although the majority of our day is full of scheduled (and rigorous) schoolwork, when "real world" needs touch our family, we can respond quickly. We want the children to be academically excellent, but more than anything, we want them to grow up with hearts full of love for God and for other people. We hope that when they see that we drop everything on our schedule in order to bring a meal to a sick friend, or deliver cookies to new neighbors, or spend the morning having tea with a great-grandmother, the children will realize that what matters in the "real world" is people.

And amazingly, we've found that socialization just kinda works itself out.

Snapshots from December

When I say "snapshots" I do not, of course, mean literal photos. In order to get those posted, I would need to learn how to transfer pictures from Shutterfly over to this blog. Apparently this phenomenon does not happen by yelling at the pictures or by dragging them off the Shutterfly page and dropping them at the edges of the screen. I am going to try taping actual photos to my computer screen. If you want to see them, then you'll have to come over.

OK, I will start my update from youngest to oldest...(visualize a cute picture of Jude now.)

Jude spent much of December (as well as November and January) arranging his matchbox cars into neat rows on every flat surface in our house. He is so cute as he hums and mutters and makes car noises to himself, lining every little car up end to end. And he gets so upset when they go crooked! Sometimes I just stand in the doorway of his room and watch him...and try not to worry about how much therapy he will need to overcome the OCD he obviously inherited from me. He gets as much joy from those straight little cars as I get from my bedroom closet-- with its tidy rows of garments all grouped by color, and the cute little subsets neatly organized by texture and sleeve length...(I would post a picture here if I knew how)

In addition to being a fine dancer (see previous post), Jude is now singing! I will often hear his deep little tenor voice floating under the door of his room in the morning, blasting forward from the back seat of the van, or floating up the stairwell. And he really is singing! He usually hits two or three sustained notes at the top of his range, then throws in some quarter notes a little lower down, and he almost always ends with a deep, round, full-bodied "OHHHH", which he holds until his breath gives out. I would describe his sound as a nice blend of southern gospel and opera, with just a touch of what could be described as "jaunty pirate".


OK, on to Isaiah. (Imagine an adorable head shot of Isaiah right here--maybe the one of him fitting an entire serving spoon into his mouth at the dinner table. That one is pretty much captures his essence.)

Speech has made this child endlessly entertaining. A few weeks ago, he asked me to put lotion on him after his bath, which I declined to do for some reason. A couple minutes later he bounded out of the bathroom, smiled sweetly and said, "It's OK that you didn't give me lotion, Mom. I used nose-blow." At which point, he proudly displayed his chubby arm--with its tiny hairs paralyzed in stiff swirls of snot. You have to admire his ingenuity!

Another (slightly alarming) witticism occurred shortly afterward when Jamey and I were in the kitchen. Isaiah tried to come in and snag some food--a favorite pastime of his when he is bored or tired or just awake. I informed him that there would be no snacks that close to dinnertime. He looked at me for a moment, and I could almost hear the wheels turning in his little round head. Finally he said, "Mommy, someday I'm going to be bigger than you, and then...I'm going to EAT!!"

I am praying for him every day.


Well, I will be posting the rest of the update tomorrow for three reasons.

1. Jamey is watching a Tim Hawkins DVD right now and I am getting distracted by his (and my own) laughter.

2. It is so cold up here that I had to put my little gloves on, and my fingers keep hitting the wrong keys.

3. I just reread what I wrote and it was so long that I got bored at the end. (Sarah Painter once told me that shorter posts are better and she knows everything about blogs. She does, really!)


(When I say I will be posting "tomorrow", I mean any day that follows this one--not necessarily adjacent, but hopefully in the same month. That is all any homeschooling mom can promise:)