Two years ago.
Leaving for the orthodontist to have braces put on.
Just before the braces came off!
Two beautiful young ladies!
Starbucks decaf vanilla latte!Wednesday, March 28, 2007
A Big Day in the Life of Hannah
Two years ago.Leaving for the orthodontist to have braces put on.Just before the braces came off!Two beautiful young ladies!Starbucks decaf vanilla latte!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
March 23, 2007
Today is the anniversary of my mother's death, one of the most significant events in my life. I realized today that this particular anniversary of nineteen years since 1988 means that I have lived exactly half of my life without her. In remembering, I think of the lessons I have learned from this experience.
I realized early on - probably around age ten when she was first diagnosed with cancer- that life is short and unpredictable. I knew I didn't want to come to the end of my life, no matter how long it may be, and have regrets about what I should have done or shouldn't have done. I determined that I would not waste time on things that were not important to me.
Many of my life choices have been based on these resolutions made as a child. I married a man who I knew was a good, sincere Christian who wanted the same things out of life that I did. We have been committed to each other and to our family and have tried to keep our priorities in focus as the storms of life have tossed us around.
We homeschool for many reasons but the deciding factor for me ten years ago when we started with Hannah was that I wanted to really know my children and have them know me. How could that happen if they were gone six to eight hours a day? When mom was in the final months of her cancer, I took a break from college and stayed with her. I remember following her around the house while she watered the plants, just soaking up the conversation, knowing that time was short. I had enjoyed public school for the most part but the education I received at home has been far more valuable to me as a Christian wife and mother than anything from the classroom. I am grateful for a system (homeschooling) that allows me to fulfill the need for academic excellence as well as growing and learning together with my husband and children as a family.
I think I would have done this anyway, but knowing that life is unpredictable has helped me be more affectionate with my husband and children, always giving hugs and kisses throughout the day and plenty of "I love you's" are said. I don't want to die without my family knowing how much they mean to me.
I became much more conscious of my diet after my mom died. I read that being a vegetarian could lower cancer rates, so I became one for about seven years after her death. Now we eat meat, but we also eat lots of fruits and vegetables and all of our food is organic (and most is prepared from scratch at home). I am also careful about chemicals and clean our home with more natural cleansers like Bon Ami.
I have learned that I will never stop grieving the loss of my mother on this side of heaven. While this loss no longer affects my day-to-day life, the times when I have experienced other significant losses such as the death of our son, Josiah, at five months gestation, I find myself re-grieving the loss of her as well. I have learned that having loved ones in heaven makes me long for heaven more and motivates me to pray all the more for the salvation of my children and grandchildren. (All of my children have made a profession of faith and two have been baptized.)
Finally, I learned that God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we hoped, no matter how many people are praying for healing and how sincere your prayers are. When mom first died, I thought that when I got to heaven, the first thing I would ask would be, "Why did my wonderful Christian mother have to die so young?" But as I matured, I realized that the reason didn't matter. God is God and whatever He does is right, no matter how things may look to me at the time. So this last lesson I learned is to trust and rest in His goodness (and to hang on tight).
I realized early on - probably around age ten when she was first diagnosed with cancer- that life is short and unpredictable. I knew I didn't want to come to the end of my life, no matter how long it may be, and have regrets about what I should have done or shouldn't have done. I determined that I would not waste time on things that were not important to me.
Many of my life choices have been based on these resolutions made as a child. I married a man who I knew was a good, sincere Christian who wanted the same things out of life that I did. We have been committed to each other and to our family and have tried to keep our priorities in focus as the storms of life have tossed us around.
We homeschool for many reasons but the deciding factor for me ten years ago when we started with Hannah was that I wanted to really know my children and have them know me. How could that happen if they were gone six to eight hours a day? When mom was in the final months of her cancer, I took a break from college and stayed with her. I remember following her around the house while she watered the plants, just soaking up the conversation, knowing that time was short. I had enjoyed public school for the most part but the education I received at home has been far more valuable to me as a Christian wife and mother than anything from the classroom. I am grateful for a system (homeschooling) that allows me to fulfill the need for academic excellence as well as growing and learning together with my husband and children as a family.
I think I would have done this anyway, but knowing that life is unpredictable has helped me be more affectionate with my husband and children, always giving hugs and kisses throughout the day and plenty of "I love you's" are said. I don't want to die without my family knowing how much they mean to me.
I became much more conscious of my diet after my mom died. I read that being a vegetarian could lower cancer rates, so I became one for about seven years after her death. Now we eat meat, but we also eat lots of fruits and vegetables and all of our food is organic (and most is prepared from scratch at home). I am also careful about chemicals and clean our home with more natural cleansers like Bon Ami.
I have learned that I will never stop grieving the loss of my mother on this side of heaven. While this loss no longer affects my day-to-day life, the times when I have experienced other significant losses such as the death of our son, Josiah, at five months gestation, I find myself re-grieving the loss of her as well. I have learned that having loved ones in heaven makes me long for heaven more and motivates me to pray all the more for the salvation of my children and grandchildren. (All of my children have made a profession of faith and two have been baptized.)
Finally, I learned that God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we hoped, no matter how many people are praying for healing and how sincere your prayers are. When mom first died, I thought that when I got to heaven, the first thing I would ask would be, "Why did my wonderful Christian mother have to die so young?" But as I matured, I realized that the reason didn't matter. God is God and whatever He does is right, no matter how things may look to me at the time. So this last lesson I learned is to trust and rest in His goodness (and to hang on tight).
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
For Dad
New kite for Hope, picture by Hannah taken just before the sun went down. She flew it this afternoon and it got stuck on the roof. Thankfully the wind dislodged it and we were able to get it down without using a ladder. Jacob got a "stunt kite" but right now only Brian can fly it. Look for more kite pictures in the future!
And still more for Linda...
This is the pattern for Hannah's dress. We are going to try to make the white and red one. She'll be cutting it out tomorrow, so if you hear screams of frustration coming from Colorado, you'll know where it's coming from!!!
More for Linda
This is the pattern and fabric for Hope's dress. I'm not sure if I will get it done in time for Easter, but hopefully sometime soon!
For Linda
This is the pattern we will (hopefully) will be using for Abby's Easter dress. Love those small waists! I wonder how many ribs those women had removed to get that small?? The fabric for the dress is the checked one above. It's hard to get a good picture of checked fabric (or as my Grandma used to say, "Checkerdy fabric"). The fabric in back of the pattern is the one for my Easter dress. I think it's one of my all time favorites.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Buttermilk Cake
I received this recipe in a mailing for a magazine. I threw the rest of the ad away but kept this because it looked good. I made the cake last night and we all agreed it was a keeper. The yellow cake was light and delicious and the icing was perfect - light and sweet but not too sweet. I will definitely be making this one again!Basic Buttermilk Cake
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (I used 1 1/4 cups)
3 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour (I used spelt)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Arrange the rack at the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Scrape the bowl and beaters and beat well to incorporate.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and baking soda. Add a quarter of the flour mixture to the butter-egg mixture, then add vanilla and a third of the buttermilk. Repeat beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping well after each addition.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and spread to the edges with a spatula. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Icing
One and a half or two packages (18-24 oz total) semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (I used 2 cups heavy whipping cream)
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
A pinch of salt
Place chips in a medium bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour over chips and add butter and salt. Whisk until chips are melted and frosting is smooth and spreadable. ( I found that you have to wait over an hour for this icing to cool enough to thicken and spread. I think next time I'll stick it in the fridge and then when it's cool, I'll try to beat it with the mixer like whipping cream and see if it gets fluffy.)
Saturday, March 17, 2007
The weather was spring-like yesterday so the kiddos played outside quite a bit after school.This week I have been spring cleaning and decluttering. It is a monumental task to throw anything out in this family. For example, Brian replaced the chair pads (little felt pads) on the bottom of our kitchen chairs last year. Abby found the old ones in the trash and SAVED them. I had a nightgown that had so many holes in it that it wouldn't even stay on my shoulders, so I threw it away. I found it in the back of Jacob's closet several months later... As you can see, stuff comes in but it rarely goes out. Now when I declutter, I take out the trash before anyone's the wiser.
Hannah has been fighting a stomach bug this week. Some of the girls at Geometry class have been sick the past few months (but still come to class) and I think that's where she picked this up. So far she's the only one affected and she hasn't been too ill.
I'm finishing up my Easter dress today and will start on Hope's dress this weekend. Hannah is ready to cut hers out and then Abby will start on hers. Abby is furiously working on finishing her quilt so she will be done with it before working on her dress.
Brian had a successful presentation at work this week. He was anxious about it beforehand but it went better than he had expected. He is in charge of charting the direction of the computer systems at work (largest worker's compensation company in the state) and thankfully the vice president of his department was impressed.
We read an interesting chapter in our current group reading, "Daily life in the 1920's through 1930's" about the stock market crash and the subsequent bank closings at the start of the Great Depression. We also are reading the book Dad sent, "Penrod and Sam", but sometimes it's difficult to read since I am editing it as I go along. It has a lot of subtle racism in it, probably common for the time period in which it was written.
Happy Birthday to Brian's mother! Her birthday is today, March 17th. His parents are currently busy with their new puppy and with travel and company.
Well, that's our week! Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
Friday, March 9, 2007
Spring is on its way. The other day when we were out, we stopped by the park next to Jon's former elementary school and enjoyed the warm sun. Hope played on the slides with the other children there and the older ones ran around on the grass under the trees. It really felt like spring!
Back at home, the snow is melting and the term "mud season" has taken on new meaning. Whereas before we wondered if we would make it up the driveway due to snow and ice, now the car struggles with the incredibly deep mud. Our creek near the road is full and cold. The kids are excited to play in it, since it only has water in it a few times a year. Now, the mud season will overflow into the laundry room, floors, etc.
The forecast calls for temperatures in the 70's by Monday. We are looking forward to it!
More from Jacob
Clean shirt, new shoes
And I don't know where I am goin' to.
Silk suit, black tie,
I don't need a reason why.
They come runnin' just as fast as they can
Coz every girl crazy bout a sharp dressed man.
On the way home Wednesday we were flipping through the radio stations and the song "Sharp Dressed Man" came on. I remembered it from my high school days so we listened to it.
Yesterday Jacob came into the kitchen muttering, "Why would a man dress up in a shark costume?"
Putting two and two together, I let him know that that the song had said a SHARP dressed man, not a SHARK dressed man.
I would love to spend some time inside his head. It sure must be interesting!
And I don't know where I am goin' to.
Silk suit, black tie,
I don't need a reason why.
They come runnin' just as fast as they can
Coz every girl crazy bout a sharp dressed man.
On the way home Wednesday we were flipping through the radio stations and the song "Sharp Dressed Man" came on. I remembered it from my high school days so we listened to it.
Yesterday Jacob came into the kitchen muttering, "Why would a man dress up in a shark costume?"
Putting two and two together, I let him know that that the song had said a SHARP dressed man, not a SHARK dressed man.
I would love to spend some time inside his head. It sure must be interesting!
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Chances Are...
Overheard from the back seat on the way into town:
Jacob: "You know, Hope, you have only an 88% chance of getting married. Not everyone gets married."
When asked where he got his statistics, he replied quietly, "Never mind."
Jacob: "You know, Hope, you have only an 88% chance of getting married. Not everyone gets married."
When asked where he got his statistics, he replied quietly, "Never mind."
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
38 by 38
Actually, now this series should be called "38 by 39" since my birthday was on Sunday! Perhaps I will find that I really haven't learned as much as I thought I had! Ah well, humility is a good thing.
Anyway, one thing I learned early on in my parenting career is that some friendships can be hindered by the parenting styles of your friends. For example, I had a good friend who did not teach her children how to behave around others and thought that her toddlers' demanding and aggressive behaviour was just her boys "expressing themselves". Her "little darlings" were so difficult to be around that while I enjoyed the company of the mother, I could not stand to be around the children. Unfortunately, many other people in the church felt the same way about these children and it was clear that the parents would not control the boys. So our family could not get together with this other family for social occasions and for the rare times when we did, our family left stressed and frustrated. Now that the boys are teens, they are a bit better, but still lack social skills that would help them get along with others and in life. This is a shame because the parents are wonderful people and they have not passed down those admirable qualities to their children.
When Hannah was a little tyke, I had a friend that had a daughter who was a year older. This little girl was aggressive and hit other children a lot. When we went over to visit, Hannah would inevitably end up crying within minutes (and she is a tough cookie, so she must have been hit hard). Since the mother (who was a good parent and really tried to get her daughter to develop more self control) was unable to keep her child from hitting everyone, I was not able to continue our play dates and could just meet with the mother from then on. Eventually, the friendship fizzled. I strongly suspect food allergies or other hidden health issues were complicating her parenting efforts, but I cannot confirm that.
Of course, no one will raise their children perfectly and no child is perfect, but I have seen that when parents are not invested in helping their children learn the basic skills of getting along with others, they are handicapping their children both now and in the future. Some children are more of a challenge than others and require much more time and loving effort on the part of the parent, but it is so worth it! We owe it to our children to teach them self control and how to express their needs and feelings constructively. Parents need to stay emotionally connected and involved at each stage of childhood, even when it is tiring and it seems like the struggles will never end. When I have seen parents lovingly and consistently work with their children, I have respect for them, no matter how their children are behaving at the time. And now that I have had Hope for a daughter, I can empathize more fully with parents who have more difficult children! She has worn me out at times but I can say again and again that consistency and loving discipline works!
I list this as one of the things I have learned since it was surprising to me that my friendships after I had children were based more on the compatibility of our whole families rather than just compatibility with the other woman. Since I have always homeschooled, my children are almost always with me and thus friendships have had an added dimension to them.
Anyway, one thing I learned early on in my parenting career is that some friendships can be hindered by the parenting styles of your friends. For example, I had a good friend who did not teach her children how to behave around others and thought that her toddlers' demanding and aggressive behaviour was just her boys "expressing themselves". Her "little darlings" were so difficult to be around that while I enjoyed the company of the mother, I could not stand to be around the children. Unfortunately, many other people in the church felt the same way about these children and it was clear that the parents would not control the boys. So our family could not get together with this other family for social occasions and for the rare times when we did, our family left stressed and frustrated. Now that the boys are teens, they are a bit better, but still lack social skills that would help them get along with others and in life. This is a shame because the parents are wonderful people and they have not passed down those admirable qualities to their children.
When Hannah was a little tyke, I had a friend that had a daughter who was a year older. This little girl was aggressive and hit other children a lot. When we went over to visit, Hannah would inevitably end up crying within minutes (and she is a tough cookie, so she must have been hit hard). Since the mother (who was a good parent and really tried to get her daughter to develop more self control) was unable to keep her child from hitting everyone, I was not able to continue our play dates and could just meet with the mother from then on. Eventually, the friendship fizzled. I strongly suspect food allergies or other hidden health issues were complicating her parenting efforts, but I cannot confirm that.
Of course, no one will raise their children perfectly and no child is perfect, but I have seen that when parents are not invested in helping their children learn the basic skills of getting along with others, they are handicapping their children both now and in the future. Some children are more of a challenge than others and require much more time and loving effort on the part of the parent, but it is so worth it! We owe it to our children to teach them self control and how to express their needs and feelings constructively. Parents need to stay emotionally connected and involved at each stage of childhood, even when it is tiring and it seems like the struggles will never end. When I have seen parents lovingly and consistently work with their children, I have respect for them, no matter how their children are behaving at the time. And now that I have had Hope for a daughter, I can empathize more fully with parents who have more difficult children! She has worn me out at times but I can say again and again that consistency and loving discipline works!
I list this as one of the things I have learned since it was surprising to me that my friendships after I had children were based more on the compatibility of our whole families rather than just compatibility with the other woman. Since I have always homeschooled, my children are almost always with me and thus friendships have had an added dimension to them.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Male Bonding
A friend at work gave Brian two tickets to the Nuggets game last night. Brian and Jacob got to sit in a luxury suite and watch the Nuggets win over the Orlando Magic 111 to 101. Jacob took a lot of pictures, but I'm sorry to say that only a few turned out! The rest were too blurry to make out. But they had fun and have these two photos to remember the night by.
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