Around Home

We are finally getting a taste of Spring around here, but up until now it's been lots of indoor activity. Needless to say, we're all ready for a change of pace. Hello, Spring Break!

Todzilla went with a buddy to his first ever NHL hockey game. He came home with a new passion and has been roller blading with puck and stick around the cul-de-sac ever since (despite the cold weather). He pulled out my old helmet but decided my hockey gloves smelled too bad to wear. I do NOT miss the smell of hockey hands.

The girls are creating all sorts of Chihuly inspired "glass" at home after their art teacher showed them how to do it.

They've also been baking and taking their products door to door since most of us gave up sweets for Lent. Only one more day!

Right Hand Man is everyone's little helper. While his intentions are good, he leaves a trail of transgression everywhere he goes. His current favorite is dunking things in the toilet. Never knew a sixth child could have new-to-us tricks up his sleeve. Yes, we've had to throw toothbrushes away after finding him swishing them around in the toilet water. Fun, fun.

Oh, How He Loves Us

Good Friday.

I went running in the rain. We dyed eggs. My husband brought me flowers. My son wrote me a note that said, "Mom you are like a bag of flowers."

I scurried frantically around the church in high heels hauling props and getting everything ready for an onslaught of preschoolers coming to learn about Jesus' last week on earth. We waved palm branches, wrapped ourselves in linen cloths and laid in the tomb, rolled the stone away, washed feet, tasted communion bread, and saw how Jesus washed our sins away this day, so very long ago.

It was a good Friday.


My littles ones are tucked in tight. Hubby is extinguishing the last light at his Tenebrae service. All is well with the world because He loves us. Oh, how He loves us...

"I don't have time to maintain these regrets 

when I think about the way he loves us... 

Oh, how he loves us." 

God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Not Connecting the Dots

That sweet boy has only weeks left before he's two.

Ash Wednesday is just around the corner and I'm still trying to figure out my plans. My children are beginning to use the "but it's almost Lent" refrain, which translates to: "you should let me have all these cookies now because in a few days I won't get any." I'm actually not sure what the girls' plans are this year but in the past they've succeeded in giving up sweets for the 40 days. My sons haven't taken up Lenten disciplines up to this point - not sure what they'll decide this year. (My vote is for going cold turkey on the whiny-ness, but I guess it's not mine to decide).

I had an amazing time on last weekend's getaway with my girlfriends. Hubby did swimmingly for his part and while he worked the children had the.best.time.EVER with one of their favorite families. The two college age daughters actually came home for the weekend to hang with the "Waters weebles." Phenomenal people; we are so blessed to have them in our lives.

Since this post has nothing to tie it together, I'll conclude with yet another unrelated item: The current Dartmouth Alumni Magazine has a huge spread on "Generation Now" - a glimpse inside the college today. Students were asked what they wished their parents did differently and some of the responses were "home schooled me" or "stayed together." Nothing like a little affirmation from your alma mater.

Spiritual Slumpiness and the Coming of Lent

My oldest daughter dragged herself to her desk this morning, not exactly in the right frame of mind for lessons. (Murmurs of a sister wearing the shirt she wanted to wear were heard under her breath. Yes, even home educated girls have occasional fashion "issues.") She opened her Bible to where we left off in Second Timothy and rattled off the list of godless behaviors found in chapter three. That was all she needed to bring her to a quick apology and a completely new attitude.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow, as it judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart." Hebrew 4:12.

I see the power of God's word in the hearts and minds of my children all the time. I'd be hard-pressed right now, though, to find evidence of that power in mine. Pregnancy has always been spiritually difficult for me. My energy level is low, my motivation to spend time in His word lags... Everything else suffers as a result: patience? self control? gentleness? Pretty much non-existent. (You may have noticed it's been a long time since I've posted anything remotely spiritual.)

Lent brings an opportunity to do better. With a baby due right in the middle of Lent, I probably won't be giving anything up (like coffee, chocolate, or other such nursing necessities). But I will definitely take on once again a more disciplined routine of fellowship with the Lord. I fully trust the power of His word to do its work in my heart and mind once again.

May God bless us all in our Lenten disciplines. 

Now Back To Our Previously Scheduled Holy Week

Pictures are finished. I got to skip the haircut part, because Toddzilla took a serious digger and has a nice purplish-yellow welt on his forehead. I needed those bangs to stay put.

Now that we've got some Easter pictures, I can actually concentrate on Holy Week. Pressure's off! I won't mind a bit when the girls stroll down the steps come Easter morning in some version of Fancy Nancy meets Anne of Green Gables. Honest, I won't. There's just something about preserving a few memories that aren't quite so... "How do I look, Mom?!!" Know what I mean?

The build up to Easter is far and away one of my favorite times of year. All the solemnity and darkness of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday just waiting to be overcome by the Light on Easter morning. There's nothing that says "Jesus is Risen" like a brass quartet belting out "Christ the Lord is Risen Today, A-a-a-a-a-le-e-lu-u-ia!"

I spent many an Easter Sunday during college at the home of dear friends in Wellesley, MA. We'd worship at the historic Park Street Church and then be treated to a true resurrection celebration. This always included lots of guests -- many of us college students -- lots of food, and most memorably, great conversations.

Most recently, we've been the guests at another great Easter party at the home of some of our best friends in Fargo. We'll miss you this year!

Come to think of it, I've never hosted Easter. This year Hubby's side of the family will be with us. Off to come up with something... fast!

What A Difference A Week Makes

Sundays are fairly busy around here. Hubby's a preacher and is out the door early. That leaves me to get five of us looking presentable (my standards are low) and out the door in good time. You don't know how many times I've heard, "It's so nice to see you let your children pick their own outfits" -- which is a backhanded way of sounding nice when you're really saying, "I can't believe you let them out the door like that!" Admittedly, the girls do have a rather strange sense of style. (Think Laura Ingalls meets Pippi Longstocking).

When you throw daylight savings into the mix, it isn't pretty. Last Sunday, the boys revolted and had their own little slumber party right on the kitchen floor. Considering we had one less hour to get ready and 20 inches of snow to deal with, just getting to church was a Herculean feat.

So you can see why I had to capture this morning on camera. We had enough extra time that Bobo was reading stories at breakfast and Crockett got to take his morning nap at home, as opposed to in the car. I'm fairly certain this kind of Sunday will never happen again, so I had to jot it down. Next week I'll remember this day longingly as I rush around trying to find Easter bonnets and boy shoes that fit (not too tough) and aren't caked in mud (much harder). Ah, the good old days...

End of Lent To Do List

Things To Do Before Easter:

1. Haircuts all around.

2. Get "real" photos of the children. I am notoriously bad at scheduling photos. My aunt is a photographer, so usually she either takes some great pics, or I send her my digital ones and she makes them great. When I asked Hubby what he wanted for his birthday one year, he said, "portraits fo the kids." Sigh. It's about that time again...

3. Locate Easter baskets and buy candy. Bobo has been such a trooper with her Lenten discipline of giving up candy. She is by far our biggest sweet tooth so it's doubly impressive to see her go without. (She allows herself treats on Sundays of course - technically they're feast days, even in Lent. Those donut balls at church are way too tempting!) She announced this morning, "When Easter comes, I'm going to gobble up a huge pile of candy in one munch!"

4. Make Empty Tomb cookies. This year, have all the corresponding Bible verses printed out on a sheet of paper. Looking up verses while mixing egg whites and hammering nuts got a bit tedious, not to mention completely chaotic last year. Make sure we have masking tape on hand to "seal the tomb."

5. Attend family Good Friday service.

6. Make salt dough crown of thorns.

Ash Wednesday

We did pancakes - full of butter and syrup - for Shrove Tuesday last night, getting us ready for our Lenten disciplines. This year, we're trying to "take something on" as well as "give something up." Here are our plans, still being tweaked a bit (me especially).

Hubby: Reading the Large Catechism, memorizing the Small Catechism, reading The Pastor: A Spirituality, fasting on Thursdays.
Me: Getting back to quiet times of bible reading and prayer. Since our move these have been few and far between. Giving up sweets.
Bobo: (Who once declared, at age 3, "I'm giving up Sunday School for Lent"). Giving up sweets and trying to read her bible.
Elbow: Giving up coming out of her room at night (it takes her much longer to fall asleep than her sister and she likes to come out and let us know she's still awake). Adding a "lunch and dinner time bible story."
Toddzilla: Not quite convinced this whole Lenten thing is a good idea. Still undecided.
Crockett: He's claiming the privilege of the young. Although, unfortunately, I think he's trying to give up his morning nap!