Day #6 Giving Thanks (The letter “f”)

 Today’s letter was “f”, and there are a lot of words that start with “F” that we are thankful for in our lives. Faith, family, and freedom are at the top of the list, but we are also thankful for food, Fridays, friendships, finances, flowers, fields, and so much more! 

“Food”- Emma said that this was on her list for today, but she is especially thankful that God created FRUIT! 

“Freedom and Firearms”- These were both Garett’s picks for today, but freedom was also on my list for today too. We are so thankful to live in the United States of America, even when it seems like common sense and thinking have completely vanished from our culture! I am thankful for “elections” (a word that I forgot to add yesterday, but I am thankful for the opportunity to vote.) Garett is also thankful for firearms, as that makes deer hunting a lot more fun!

“Faith” -Wyatt’s word for today. We are so very thankful that we can cling to the Rock in the midst of any storms of life. Faith allows us to rest in the fact that God is working even when we don’t feel or see it. Faith in Jesus is what secures my eternity in heaven, and I am thankful for the opportunity to live out my faith. 

“Faith” Travis also chose this word for today, but it was in regards to the school at which the boys and Emma currently attend. It’s not perfect, and there are some things I’d change, but since we aren’t perfect either…it works! We are thankful for the opportunity to have our children receive a Christian education, and I am thankful for the opportunity to teach in a Christian school. Travis said he’s not always thankful for school, but he knows that he should be anyways! Well, yes! 

“Future”- I am thankful that God knows the future. Because of my faith in Jesus, I can also trust that He holds the future confidently for us. “Friends” - I am also thankful for friendships. This one has been a little bit of a struggle for me since we’ve moved, but I’m reminded that deep, meaningful friendships take time, energy and effort. I often miss my friend, Allison, in Maine, as we did lots of church and school activities together and could read each other’s mind across the room. We have some fun memories of many “terrible, awesome ideas” that we did together. Terrible because they were a lot of work and energy, but awesome because the end result was usually pretty amazing! I am thankful for my friendship with Roger. It sounds kinda odd to even say, but sometimes I feel like a lot of married people aren’t really good friends with their spouse. It’s work, for sure, but I am thankful that Roger and I are friends…best friends. We have made many friendships over the years in Alaska, Arizona, Wisconsin, Maine and North Carolina, and each one is a special gift to us. We are thankful for friendships. 

“Fantastic wife”- Roger’s word.  

Chandler is missing a word for today because I forgot to ask him about it this morning. He is attending College for a Weekend at Liberty University. Chandler and Jenn left this afternoon to head to Liberty for the weekend. Chandler is looking forward to seeing more about what the college has to offer, and we are looking forward to hearing about scholarships and how will we possibly afford this?! I told Chandler for several years that I didn’t think that Liberty would be a good option for us due to the cost of the college education, but then I was really convicted about my lack of faith in the whole thing. Just because I don’t think that we could possibly afford it, doesn’t mean that God is without the ability to provide for Chandler in this. Chandler went to Liberty University two summers ago to attend a soccer ID camp, and we were all really impressed with the college. I’m definitely not saying that is where he will end up, but it’s an option that he is exploring. I am so thankful that Jen was able to go with him to the college weekend, as I don’t really have days I can miss at school, and Jen will be able to help him remember to ask questions about many, many things! We signed him up for a college tour, a meeting with financial aid, the admissions office and who knows what else?! Chandler is not 100% sure about what he wants to major in, and sometimes I think he gets overwhelmed and discouraged about not knowing what God wants him to do. But we just keep encouraging him to explore options, pray diligently and keep talking through his ideas. He did mention to us about while back that he thought he might want to go into dental work. Umm, absolutely not! As Chan’s family, we adamantly told him that we thought this was a bad idea for Chandler! He likes to move very quickly, sometimes too quickly, and the thought of him rushing around in someone’s mouth is probably a really, really bad idea! He is currently thinking about a business major, but he thinks he also might like to pursue a trade option. Like I said, we have no idea, and we are all busy praying about it for him! 

Friday- tomorrow is Friday, and I am very thankful for that! Hooray! 

             

                                                        Family trip on a missions trip to Haiti a few years ago 

New Life, New Memories and Moments!

 

(Started on 3/29)

Praise the Lord- spring break is finally here!!! It’s been a long time and coming, and I am looking forward to a bit of reprieve over the next few days. We are looking forward to celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Sunday. Our church is having a Good Friday service tomorrow night, a community outreach event on Saturday morning, and services on Sunday. We are looking forward to the opportunity to reflect on what Jesus has done as well as point others in our community to Jesus through our community event. Also on Saturday our oldest boys are coming home as well as my sister and my dad! Yay!!!! 

My parents arrived in North Carolina last Monday evening, and while my dad has been in the Dominican Republic, my mom has helped with getting the boys where they need to be, reading with Emma, and enjoying time with her family in the western side of the state. Last Tuesday afternoon my parent came to watch Garett play in his baseball game. However, Garett had said on Monday that his arm was hurting him a bit. By Tuesday afternoon, he was in quite a bit of pain, and he was unable to play in the game. That was disappointing to him and my parents, but clearly he had strained something in his arm. Hopefully he will have some time to rest his arm over spring break, and be ready to return to baseball after break. 

Last Wednesday my parents checked the younger three out of school a little early to take them to lunch. Whenever Papa is around, things happen! Jen and Travis have devised a plan to raise some chickens for eggs. Jen suggested to Travis that perhaps she would get some chickens after the missions trip. However, by the time Jen and I arrived home from school, the chicken coop was built and the chickens were in a tote with a heat lamp! The plan is for the chickens to live in Jen’s backyard, but currently, we are babysitting half a dozen chickens. Travis has done very well with taking care of them, watering them, cleaning out their pen, and even helping to find a different pen for them as they are growing quickly. The chicks cannot be outside yet, but thankfully, they’ve been moved to the shed at our house. Originally Travis had the chicks in the tote in our mudroom, but I told him the chickens were smelly. He replied, “It’s fine, Mom. They don’t smell that badly.” Um, son, the chicks are moving out! 

The boys stayed overnight at Jen’s house on Thursday night since they were leaving at 2:15am on Friday morning. Chandler did not want to miss his last golf practice, so I told him I would finish his packing as long as he didn’t care what he was wearing. He replied, “Oh, I already packed most of my clothes. Mr. Hardison (our athletic director) gave us some old jerseys and shorts. I’m just going to wear those and then leave the clothes there. Then I have less to pack!” However, in every picture I’ve seen of him on Facebook, he’s wearing the same orange shirt and gray shorts! I finally sent my sister a message and asked if he’s changed clothes this week. She said that outfit was his painting and concrete work outfit as he doesn’t want to wreck his other clothes. But he has showered and changed clothes this week- thank the Lord! They’ve been busy with moving lots of dirt, mixing and pouring cement, helping with Vacation Bible School, and a lot of other things. I’m sure they’ll come home exhausted, but we are so very thankful that Garett and Chandler have had this opportunity. We are praying for them to be a blessing and get a blessing. Missions trips can change your life. 

Emma has been praying about getting a dog for about a year now. She’s been praying specifically for a German Shepherd. Roger and I have been saying that God will provide a dog in His perfect timing. I couldn’t imagine adding a dog into our lives, but guess what? Here we are! A co-worker of Roger’s mentioned to him last week that she had a friend that was trying to get rid of some puppies. The puppies were pure-bred German shepherds, and they were selling them for $1,000 a piece! Um- no thank-you! However, the co-worker continued on to explain that this family had two (14 week) puppies that they just wanted to give away to good homes. I was pretty sure that I didn’t need a 14 week puppy in my life, but the pup would be free, and it was a German Shepherd- should we go look?! So on Friday, March 22, we went over to see the puppies or we tried! They had let the puppies out to run off some energy, and the puppies were no where to be found! The pups had run off with the two older 6 month dogs and there was one puppy left to see! The pup that was left at home had a hernia, and we knew we didn’t want to start off with vet visits. We decided that we would come back on Saturday to see the other puppies. Wyatt, Travis and Emma were thrilled with the thought of getting a dog, Roger thought it would be a good idea for our family, so I was the one holding out! We went back to see the pups on Saturday, and there was Sam. Sam was one of the 14 week old pups, and we could’ve chosen one of the six month old dogs, but at six month they’ve already learned a lot of bad habits. Sam was the one that we picked out, as he seemed calm and collected. Sam came home with us, and while the trip home was a bit rough as Sam got car sick, we made it home. Sam was very reserved the first few days, but he’s been a good change for our family. Roger has worked with Sam a lot, and Wyatt and Travis are very good with Sam. Emma loves Sam, and he puts up with her. God answered Emma’s prayer, and I hope that she never forgets that! 

My mom came back from visiting her family on the western side of the state on Tuesday, and we surprised her with showing her Sam! It was nice that my mom was around this week as she could take the boys and Emma right home after school to check on the pup, and the boys and Emma were excited to get out of school a little early twice this week! Also, since my mom has been in town this week, I asked her to come to read to my library classes. She was willing to read, and my assistant (Jen) and I were happy to have her read! It’s always nice to have a guest reader in the library, and I’m thankful that my mom was willing to read. 

(Continued 4/2) Friday was our first official day of Spring Break! It was a day of lots of activities as we prepared for guests in our home for Easter Dinner. The boys began their trip back to the U.S. on Friday, and arrived home on Saturday afternoon. Our church had sent out an email saying that there would be a baptismal service on Easter Sunday. Emma has been asking about baptism for a while, so we contacted Pastor. After the Good Friday service, Emma went to talk to Pastor Powell. Roger and I went with her, but she talked with Pastor Powell on her own. She cried a little as she talked about her salvation and how she knew that Jesus had died for her sins. After a short conversation, she asked about being baptized on Sunday. It was arranged that Emma would be one of the four to be baptized on Sunday. She was so excited (and nervous), but she wanted to surprise Papa, Nana and Aunt Jen. We tried to surprise her older brothers too, but Travis let the cat out of the bag on Sunday morning! 

Saturday morning found Emma and I back at church for a community event for Easter. I had been asked to face paint (something, I’ve never done before!). I was completely nervous for most of the time while painting faces, and I passed on anything harder than flowers and hearts to my friend, Kaycee. Yes, I teach elementary art, but it’s different when I’m following along to written directions, have practiced the art project, and it’s not on a person’s skin! Whew! We made it! I’m thankful for my friend, Kaycee, who was willing to help with the face painting. There were quite a few of us that were face painting, and there were a lot of kids that wanted their faces painted!! Emma enjoyed the morning playing with her friends on the inflatables, participating in the egg hunt, and enjoying the beautiful day. God blessed us with a beautiful day for the event, and there were a lot of people that came out for it. 

After the morning event, Emma and I went home to get Sam and Travis. Wyatt decided to stay home, but Sam needed to go to the walk-in clinic at Tractor Supply to get a rabies shot and a check-up. I wasn’t thrilled about the amount of time we spent waiting in line, and neither was Sam, but we made it! Sam now has the shots that he needed, and he probably won’t want to visit Tractor Supply again any time soon! On our way back from the clinic, we stopped at Jen’s to pick up Garett and Chandler. Yay! Both boys were completely surprised that we had gotten a pup while they were away, and it was a good surprise. Sam has been a good dog so far- he’s calm, gentle, and gets along with all the kids. I didn’t want a puppy, but Sam has fit in quite nicely. 

Sunday was a full, tiring, but great day! We were going to be having about 40 people over for lunch, which dropped to about 35, but still a full house! We had been praying that God would give us beautiful weather so that everyone could be outside, and He did! Our friends, the Everetts, came down on Saturday evening, and Laura and I were up early to prep and cook. We surprised ourselves with everyone being ready for church super early. Emma and I needed to be at church by 9:15am as she was singing with the kids choir. She was a little nervous about the baptism, but also excited. Emma and I headed to church, and the rest stopped for coffee before church. It was a full service with lots of singing (I love that part), the baptism, and preaching. It was a great service! 

Around 1:30pm, we had Easter dinner at our house. Our house was full, but so were our hearts. There was PLENTY of food, and it was all delicious! We had my parents, Jen, Everetts, Harrison’s, Tamela’s parents, Carrillos, and the Lee family over for lunch. The kids spent the entire afternoon outside with basetkball, golfing, and playing together. The adults fellowshipped together and kept track of little ones and puppies! The Everett’s had their dog, the Harrison’s had their pup, and we had Sam! The Hardison’s dog, Marley, and Sam wrestled and played together for hours and then would flop over for a nap. It was fun to watch them play, and the kids enjoyed holding the chicks, walking the dog and being outside. We are so thankful that God blessed us with a beautiful day, and I am thankful for Ressurrection Sunday. Food is good, fellowship is great, memories are wonderful, but the most precious and awesome part of it all is that Jesus Rose Again! What a day to celebrate! Death was defeated and Jesus conquered the grave! Praise the Lord! 

We are looking forward to a few days off of school! These first few days are supposed to be warm and beautiful, but then it’s supposed to turn chilly again. We will also be working on a few school projects that need to be finished up before we return- such as a science project, animal notebook, and fine arts project- never a dull moment!

In closing, God is good, so good. I’m starting a devotional book on the names of God, and the first one in the book is God- Elohim, meaning the Strong Creator. How much we have to be thankful for in this life! Looking at the choices of those in leadership in our country and what’s happening around the world, would cause me to be depressed in a hurry! But we can rejoice that our confidence is in God and not in mankind! 

March News!

We are on our third day of “spring”. The sun has been shining more, and it feels like perhaps the snow days are behind us. I think we are all ready for a steady stream of sunshine and some warmth to go with it. We are down to 46 days of school or approximately ten weeks. Normally, I’m not one to count down this far out, but it’s been a long year. We are looking forward to being together as a family, finding a new “normal” for us, finding a home, and just being done with school. God has been faithful though, and He continues to direct and lead us one step at a time. I don’t always like His timing, but I do know that it is perfect timing. 

Last week we had a short week of school and a few days of vacation. It was a glorious break as the month of March tends to be a bit long at times. The kids and I took a mini vacation with some friends from school. We went to New Hampshire to stay in a hotel and play at a water park. My kids had a lot more fun having some friends along than if it had just been “mom”. We enjoyed many hours at the water park, as well as laughter and fun. The Davis’ family was planning this mini vacation since last fall, and we decided to join them. Emma enjoys spending time with their daughters, and Garett and Chandler have especially enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Jonathan. It was a good few days away from “routine”. I’m thankful for friendships. 

The weather was beautiful, and I enjoyed the opportunity to have adult conversations. The boys are growing up, but they’re still not quite to adult conversation levels most of the time! We definitely missed Roger, and having dad along would’ve been a lot more fun, but we had a good time anyways. We left Wednesday after school, and we came home Friday. Garett and Chandler went to a teen activity with another local church on Friday night. They had a good time ice skating as it is one of their favorite activities. I’m thankful that the older boys were able to go with Jonathan and Zoe to the event as it’s  always fun to go with someone you know. 

On Saturday morning, I dropped the boys off at church for a men’s prayer breakfast. I took Travis and Emma and we went to have coffee at a friends house. Clearly, it’s a mom with young kids if we are having a coffee date before 8:00am on a Saturday morning! I’m thankful for a few women that have really reached out to me over the past six months to make sure I’m surviving. I’m thankful for deep theological conversations about God’s Word as well as sharing of burdens and lots of coffee and laughter. God has been faithful. 

While I’ve had some lonely moments, to be sure, God has always provided the right person at the right time. I’ve been “weary in well doing”, but God has carried me through. I’ve been frustrated and upset, and I’ve wondered if I’ve done anything right, but God has wrapped His loving arms around me and upheld us all. I’ve looked at our boys and wondered when they grew up so fast, but it’s a reminder to treasure every hug. Last fall, I would’ve said that I did not want to homeschool next school year, but now I can see that God has been working in my heart too. Our time left with our kids at home, under our roof, is literally flying by! I’ve been reminded of the brevity of life, and I just want to make sure that our children know that they are loved by an Almighty, Holy God who wants each one of them to live surrendered lives to Him. 

We had some excitement at our apartment on Sunday night. We had just finished up devotions, and we were talking to Roger on FaceTime, when the fire alarms went off. It was SO loud! All the alarms are connected, so it was very, very loud. We searched all over for signs of smoke or fire, and nothing seemed off. The alarm kept stating “Fire, Fire” and the red light was flashing which means ‘move to fresh air’. I called the person we are renting from, and we opened the windows. It was about 7:15pm, and the alarms could be heard out on the street. I was a little worried that someone was going to call the fire department for us, but I didn’t think there was a fire. Emma and Travis both found head phones to put on, and I decided to wash the dishes. Why? Well, because it was something to do while we waited for Jason to arrive to check out the alarms. While I was washing the dishes, Chandler came over to talk to me. “Mom”, he said sheepishly. “Yes?” I replied. Chandler said, “This is probably really dumb, and I’m probably way off…” “Um, okay…” I replied. Chandler continued, “The fire alarm can be set off by gases. I’m not sure if it was me, but I’ve had a lot of gas today. Did I set off the fire alarm?” I tried not to laugh outrageously as I replied, “That’s a different kind of gas. Carbon Monoxide is the gas that will set off the fire alarm, not a person’s personal gas.” I did about die laughing when I told Roger about it later. I’m thankful for laughter! 

We appreciate your continued prayers, as we navigate through some unknown “waters” again. God has always been faithful. I continue to rest in that. Our children, especially one middle child, could use your prayers as well. I often find myself tired, and that can affect my ability to parent well. I just want our children to know that God loves them, that they are uniquely created, and that living their lives for Jesus is the BEST way. The world is crazy and chaotic, but there is rest in Jesus. 

Storms of Life and Peace

Peace in the midst of the storm. That’s what I feel God is giving me today, and for the last few days I’ve felt the hand of God giving peace to me. We’ve faced a few bumps in the road the past few days, and I’m thankful that God goes beside us and before us. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know that God has all of this in His control. Our governor declared another state of emergency...it’s hard to even believe! I think this is her fourth one now?! I’ve included our most recent stats in the photo below. I’ve stopped even looking at what the media has to say about Coronavirus, but most of it is so blown out of proportion it’s almost ludicrous. There seems to be a desperate attempt to arise panic as much as possible, and yet the hard facts are that there is one active case in our county! Oh, and we live in a county of almost 40,000 people! 123 people have died from Coronavirus this year, but yet on average 227 people die from suicide each year in Maine...where’s the outcry for them?! 

Anyways, Roger’s back is feeling a bit better these days, and we are thankful for that. He missed a few days of work, but he’s back to work again albeit a bit slower these days. 

I’ve been asked to teach kindergarten in our small Christian school this year, and I am excited and terrified! I’ve accepted the offer, and I’m looking forward to seeing how God uses me this year. There have been so many changes in the year 2020, but I’m thankful that God has not been surprised. I will very, very much miss working with our preschool children, but I am thankful for this new opportunity. I’ve been pouring over lesson plan books, reading, and trying to keep all my ducks in a row! I would very much appreciate your prayers as I prepare for this year. I want to be a good educator to our students, and I want them to see Christ in and through me. Basic theology is formed in these young years, and it’s important that they learn the truths found in God’s Word as well as learn to read, write and do basic math! 

I’ve had a few distressing moments in my life over the past few days, and I did what I usually do when I need advice -talk to Roger and talk to my dad. Roger has his hands more than full these days with additional responsibilities at work, being on the school board, and life with five kids! He told me that I should talk to my dad about some of my concerns, which I had planned to do anyways. I value my dad’s opinion, and he’s one to always point me to Jesus. I expressed some of my concerns, he gave me some advice, and we prayed together. I still don’t have a much clearer picture, but it’s nice to know that my dad is praying with me and for me. My dad is a pastor himself, so one of his pieces of advice was to talk to our pastor. Both my dad and our pastor gave similar advice, “Stay in your lane.” Meaning that I don’t need to get bogged down by things that I can’t solve. Relinquish the concerns to those that can help or give advice, and let it go. Easier said than done, but again - God’s got this! (I realize that is a very vague paragraph) Just please keep praying for our family, our church, our school, and of course...me! Thank you!

A lady in our church brought over wild Maine blueberries yesterday! So delicious! By the time Roger arrived home, there was about a cup left that the kids had “saved” for him! We are so thankful for sweet friends who share such a delightful fruit with us!  

Days Away!

A little over Forty-eight hours spent at the cabin at the lake, and a fun time was had by all! The children all had early morning dentist appointments on Thursday morning, (like 7:30am. Early). On our way back from the dentist, Roger called me to tell me that he had hurt his back at work. Roger lifts and moves hundreds of packages every day, and on Thursday he happened to move a small box (probably less than five pounds) and something was misplaced in his back. He was miserable! By the time we arrived home, he has laying on the floor in the living room with some ice. He was in a lot of pain, and he was hardly moving. We debated about whether or not I should still go to the lake with the kids, but somehow Roger felt that he would get more rest if we all left! Hmm...definitely true! I was hesitant to leave Roger at home, and even writing this makes me sound like I’m a terrible wife, but anyways, we decided that I would go to the lake.

We loaded up the car, and off we went to the lake. Of course, we had to make a quick stop at Sams Club to pick up a few groceries, but we were at the lake by mid-afternoon. The boys helped carry stuff into the house, and then it was a mad dash to put on swim clothes. The rest of the afternoon was spent with fishing and swimming ...and eating!! 

I had a great time with the kids, and because Roger was not there to play in the water with them, I did. Actually, the water was quite warm and nice, and it was fun to swim and play in the water with the paddle board. All that activity made for an early bedtime for all of us. Time does not exist at the lake. We eat when we are hungry, go to bed when we are tired, and get up when we are refreshed (which is early for the boys!). 

On Friday the boys were all up by the time Emma and I got up by 6:45am., the boys were already busy fishing. I had coffee, and I read my Bible while the boys and Emma drank coffee too. The boys were eager to keep fishing, so they all fished while Emma and I watched and relaxed. Actually, Emma decided to fish also, which is unusual for her. She was happy to actually catch a fish. The neighbor next door was watching the kids fish and pull fish after fish out of the water. They certainly weren’t being overly quiet, and there was not a lot of organization to their fishing. The neighbor decided to also try to fish, and he spent quite a bit of time trying to catch a fish. He never did succeed, and it’s not like we had some magic skill over on our side. His frustration was quite humorous, but I didn’t have any advice to offer as I had no idea why the kids were catching fish! 

We spent most if the day outside on Friday, and we enjoyed lots of water time together. We made s’mores in the evening, and then washed off the stickiness in the lake. After Bible time and book reading, the kids were ready to settle down. The boys enjoy sleeping on the screened in porch at Teri’s cabin, and Emma enjoys the opportunity to sleep with mom. I’m glad I made the effort to go with the kids, and it was so fun to soak up the memories with them...wrestling on the paddle board, jumping off the dock, making s’mores, reading books. It was nice to be without distractions for a few days, and everything seems “normal” at the lake, and that’s what I’ve been missing! 

We packed up on Saturday after a morning swim and some fishing time. Everyone was happy to head home to see Dad, and to tell him all about their adventures. It was a tired but happy brood of children on the way home. Travis’s hair continues to turn more and more blond as the sun bleaches it, and they are all sun-kissed from days of summer activity. August marks the beginning of the summer wind down as we head back towards the fresh start of a new school year. I am encouraged and thankful for God’s continued guidance and direction. I just know that He has great things in store for this school year. Please keep praying with us! 

Roger’s back is feeling a bit better, but he’s not at 100% yet. I’m optimistic that he will continue to get better, but he may need to see a chiropractor as he currently walks a bit like an aged man (don’t tell him I said that! I’m kidding). I can tell it bothers him to not be as active as he wants to be, and the kids have been very careful about not being too rough. Not being rough is a challenge for these boys sometimes! 

I’ve seen God at work this past week, and He’s encouraged my heart. I am so thankful for His faithfulness to us, and that He grants us new morning mercies. I was talking to one of my friends this week, and mentioned that numerous times this week I’ve felt like God has opened doors of opportunities, clear direction and answers to prayer. It certainly does not always feel that way, but my spirit is encouraged and my fervor to press on in Jesus name is stronger. How blessed we are to serve such a mighty God even in the midst of such turbulent and chaotic times. We serve a mighty God! 

Days of WORK!

Travis announced to me yesterday that last week felt like a “lot of fun” and this week feels like a “lot of work”! Ha! I can see how he feels that way, as it’s just the way it’s been this week. Garett and Chandler have been faithfully working on a project for some friends of ours. They’ve been getting up early, working for a few hours, and then coming home. Yesterday they did some in the morning, and then some at night. They want to finish the project before leaving for Wisconsin, and Roger and I have been very pleased with their diligence. 

Yesterday, the kids and I, along with one of our Pastor’s sons, went to do some work for an older lady in our church. Actually, it wasn’t for her, but rather for a friend of hers that is also a veteran. I don’t think any of our children were overly thrilled with the thought of going to do several hours of yard work, but they did not voice their thoughts. It was a blessing to have Austin along, as sometimes having a friend along can make a job more pleasant. The kids and I spent several hours pulling weeds, moving brush, weed whacking, raking, oh, it was good hard work! Everyone was hot and tired after several hours, but they all stuck with it. I’m pretty sure Emma ate most of the snacks while her brothers were working! I rewarded the kids with some lunch from Burger King, and that all thought that was good pay! It was a good opportunity to show the love of Jesus through hard work, good attitudes, and a thankful heart for the veteran that had served our country. 

Garett and Chandler headed back over to their other “job” around six, and they worked for a few hours. Chandler ended up stepping on a nail that went right through his shoe. The boys have a phone, and they could’ve called me to tell me about the nail incident. Instead Chandler rinsed it out well with water, wrapped it up and kept working until the two hours was over and I picked them up. I’ll admit I was a little concerned about the nail, but the nail did not go in very deep. He’s done a good job of keeping it clean, and while it bothered him today, I think it’s mostly because he’s still using it. It’s not red, swollen or overly irritated. We will keep a close eye on it, but it’s just another day around here! 

We are having a baby shower at our house tomorrow, and I think that makes my children spend more time outside! I think they figure that if they’re outside, it’s less likely that mom will ask them to clean something! I’ve been busy with prepping food, planning a few things, cleaning and decorating. Travis did ask me why we were mopping the floors. “Everyone is going to get them all dirty again!” Sometimes, his thinking is quite humorous! 

It’s been a beautiful week here, but wow, we could really, really use some rain! We’ve been watering our plants and berry bushes every day, and the lakes and ponds are looking rather low. We are thankful for all the sunshine, but we will rejoice when the rain comes too. 

We are heading to Wisconsin on Tuesday. Roger is not coming with us as summer is a busy time of year for him. Our kids are very excited to see Nana and Papa and aunt Jen! I’m sure it will be a full and busy week and the ten days will fly by! 

I’ve removed the Facebook app off my phone this week. The negativity is getting to be over the top, and no one has nothing nice to say to anyone but especially if you don’t agree with them! Do I think it’s time to take a stand? Yes, I absolutely do. But wasting time arguing with people is not helping! Yes, I have opinions and deep, deep concerns, but I think my time can be better spent right now in much prayer and meditation on Gods Word. A friend sent me a message the other day reminding me of the song that “God sees the Storm from the Other Side”. I am so glad He does! He might not choose to spare our land or give us the mercy that I’ve been pleading for, but He does promise to go beside us. And who knows? Maybe God will chose to send a great and amazing revival through our land...that’s my prayer. 

I don’t know what the Coronavirus stats are in Maine today because I did not feel like checking! I already know that regardless of how few or how many cases that have been discovered that will be the headline and not the recoveries! I can read the news across our nation, and I gather that there are spikes in several states. If you’re already concerned that would probably be alarming, but the other side of the news is that the death count does not seem to be rising as quickly....less severe cases? 

We’ve been studying through Nehemiah as a church family, and I have been so blessed by that book of the Bible. Talk about a man faced with adversity! Yet, he prayed ...and he prepared! It was not just a call out to God for help and wisdom, but also a preparing of the people and setting a “guard”. That’s what my thoughts are on tonight. Praying, preparing and setting a “guard”. We serve the Almighty God, so let’s rejoice and act on that! 

Day# Rain, Projects, and Rashes!

Fun at the Kalers

Fun swing!

Emma was sad to leave and her friend was itchy from the caterpillars! 

Brown Tail Moth Rash

We will be using a lot of these things over the next few days to keep the itchiness down! 

Wyatt’s night to make supper- tacos! 

                                                 Emma went out in the rain to check on her toad

Rain today! While I felt like the house was a little on the wild and crazy side today with the kids inside a bit more, we certainly do need the rain. It was a blessing to get some rain, and it helped me find the motivation to work on some inside projects!

Roger has had off the last two days, so we have enjoyed having him at home. Yesterday we had lunch at the home of some friends. We enjoyed our time at their house, and the boys and Emma enjoyed time on the swings and riding bikes outside. It was a good time of fellowship and fun. They do have a lot of these brown caterpillars at their house, so three of our children have a rash over most of their bodies. Emma and Garett were also outside and playing, but somehow they are both rash free! For the other three though, I needed to go to Wal-mart to get some stuff for their itchiness! When I asked the pharmacist about what I should use, she directed me to an end cap that had all the right ingredients to make a rash cream. She said that there has been a terrible problem with the caterpillars this year, so they’ve made a special area with all the supplies! Travis and Chandler went with me to Wal-mart, and the wait wasn’t too bad today. We waited in line for about 10 minutes, so the line went fairly quickly. 

We were supposed to have the elementary year-end school celebration today, but due to the rain it is moved to tomorrow. We do not have a whole lot of children signed up to come tomorrow, but we will have a good time with whomever does come. We are planning on crafts, games, water balloons, a chapel time, and lunch -sounds fun, right?!  Our children are excited about it, and I’m excited as it will officially mark the end of the school year. We’ve already started thinking, preparing and planning for next fall, and I am continuing to pray that God will do a mighty work and allow our students to return to school. Please pray  with me for a few more families, the right staff, and financial provisions for next year. We serve a mighty God! I am so thankful that He is faithful, true and mighty! 

I worked on creating summer school packets for our children today- they are not overly excited! But anyways with missing out on some actual classroom time and trying to prevent summer slide, I decided that summer work would be necessary this summer. It’s not a lot of work each day, but hopefully enough to keep what they know fresh. When I took Wyatt on a walk earlier this week, I asked him what was bothering him. He erupted into tears and said that he didn’t think he was ready for the next grade. I asked him, “Why ever not?” He said that he remembered multiplication, but he was having a hard time remembering how to do long division. Well, my son, you will probably be just fine! I told him that his teacher would help him as well as his parents. We prayed over it, and I’m hoping that he will have some relief from that concern. I dug through all our totes of remaining homeschool stuff from before we moved to Maine- it was a big job! There was material that I want to keep, material I need to donate, material to pass on to others, and stuff that needed to be tossed. It’s not completely done, but I am closer than I was before I started! 

Our governor issued another “emergency proclamation” yesterday...another thirty days and for the third time! It’s for the federal funds, and not because we have an “emergency” (that’s my opinion). We have friends that have been unable to collect rent from their tenants or evict them because that is not allowed during a “state of emergency”. It means continued restrictions on masks, limited number of people in establishments, and unnecessary power. The ramifications of these continued emergency orders will have long-reaching tentacles. Businesses are closing every day, and with the restrictions on summer tourism that will also continue to affect Maine negatively. I am ALL about protecting the vulnerable...I am not about governors that are over-stepping their powers, and restricting the movements of healthy and strong Americans! 

Maine has continued to see a decline in the seven day average of Coronavirus cases. The number of recoveries continues to outgrow the new cases. We have 505 active cases as of today. I have read that several states are seeing spikes in some areas. I think that’s to be expected, and is not a cause for alarm (again, just my opinion.) People are going to continue to get sick from Coronavirus, and it probably won’t ever be completely eradicated. However, that’s not to say that the American people should not be allowed to continue with their lives. I’d rather have liberty than the “safety” that the government wants to push on me. 

In the midst of continued uncertainty, I can rejoice in knowing that God is still on the throne. I sometimes become worried for the future and the uncertainty of it all, but God constantly brings me back to the fact that He is in control. 

Day# No Idea!

Garett and Emma 

Half-way through Travis’s haircut

Definitely time for a haircut! I don’t have an “after” picture as he was eager to get in the shower! 

Am I the only one that goes to bed these days thinking, “Surely tomorrow there will be better news in our nation?!” Lately it seems like there is bad news at every turn and corner. I’m thankful that I know the end of the story...Jesus Reigns!

We’ve been enjoying our first week of summer break! It was so, so nice to be done with school by June 1st this year, so that was one blessing that came as a result of Coronavirus. We could use some rain here, but the weather has been beautiful. Last night we attended prayer group at our church, and it was so nice to all meet together! There were only about 20 of us, but it was so nice to pray and to study God’s Word together. I am very much looking forward to Sunday when we have the opportunity to again worship together. I know that there will be many people that we will still be missing, but I’m looking forward to fellowship with those who come as well as singing and worshipping together. In the midst of all the darkness in this world, it’s a real comfort to know that God is still at work.

Today I had a staff meeting to discuss a few plans for next fall. It’s not possible to out everything in place as we are waiting for the Maine Department of Education to release its guidelines. I’m certainly  praying that they have more reasonable expectations than what the CDC put out! Yes, next year will look different, and unfortunately there is no way around that. However, I am praying passionately and fervently that school will be able to resume in a somewhat “normal” fashion next fall. I would certainly appreciate your prayers for that as well as for growth in our student body. Yes, it would be a bizarre year to see growth, but that’s why we serve the God of the impossible!

We are gearing up for a Sunday school event for our church kids on Saturday. I am so excited to have an opportunity to interact with our Sunday school kids. I’ve missed them so very much! It’ll be a blessing to see them all again.

Tomorrow, our President is coming to Maine! I was thinking about trying to take my children to where he will be, but it’s about a three hour drive from our house, and I heard that the streets will be blocked off early. So we will see. I’d probably be more up for the challenge if I had a bit more direction or if Roger was off of work. We will see.


Yeah, the world’s gone crazy, hasn’t it? Riots, destruction, and sin are running rampant. Governors are shirking from their duties, and people are quick to point fingers at who’s fault it is. Know the real problem? It’s sin. We are sinful creatures, and people seem to not even have a moral conscience anymore. I don’t know how much time I have left on this earth, and I certainly hope that Americans do not lose this battle against socialism and globalism. However, as long as I have breath, I plan to be a Christian, an upstanding American, and to endeavor to raise my children for God’s glory. Yes, I recognize that my children following Christ is their own decision, but that’s not to say that I stand by and do nothing! Stand strong, my friends! Fight against evil and division. God is faithful.

Oh, yes. I almost forgot the Coronavirus update in Maine. Well, in spite of our TRIPLED testing, we still really do not have an emergency, in my opinion. 35 people out of 1.3 million people in Maine are in the hospital! Thousands of people are still out of work. Masks are mandatory. Many businesses are still closed including fitness centers, nail salons, and several other kinds of businesses. It’s really quite disheartening to me, but guess what?! No one asked my opinion!

The Maine CDC reported 0 additional deaths of people who tested positive for COVID-19, meaning the state death total remains at 95.

Of the 2,446 COVID-19 cases in Maine, 2,181 are confirmed by test and 265 are probable (meaning someone who has not tested positive but has been in close contact with someone who has).

1,739 Mainers have recovered from COVID-19.

291 Mainers have been hospitalized at some point during their COVID-19 illness. 35 Mainers are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19, with 14 being treated in intensive care units and 7 on ventilators.

Moments and Musings

I love baby Ruth too! 

Sea glass treasures 

Boys and a mucky frog pond! 

The world seems “normal” at the ocean 

Wyatt loves this baby too

Emma would gladly bring baby Ruth home with her!

Summer!

This swing is a favorite

These are hard days for our land and our people. My heart hurts for all the violence, destruction, cruelty and hate that seems to be spreading like a wildfire across the great land of America. Our rights to worship as we please were changed forever today in the Supreme Court case which gave the state of California the right to restrict church gatherings. How saddening! As a Christians we  should be fervent in prayer, loving our neighbor (regardless of skin color!), and steadfast in the Word. As Americans, we should be good citizens of this land. Are we teaching history to our Children? Are we upholding the Constitution? Are we supporting the candidates that we feel will make the right difference in our land? Do you vote?

 Both as Christians and as Americans, we have responsibilities. It’s easy to become discouraged in both my life as a Christian and as an American. As a Christian, I want God to work faster, show His power mightier, heal our land, and send revival. As an American, I gape at the destruction that can be done in a few short days. Lawlessness runs rampant and suddenly it’s okay to destroy someone else’s property and livelihood?! However, being discouraged does not mean that I quit in my perseverant prayers! We press on. We are called to “run the race, and to finish the course”. I don’t know about you, but I still see plenty of work that needs doing both in my life and the lives of those around me!

Today was another beautiful day albeit a bit windy. We really could use some rain here in our state, but since God’s given us days of sunshine, we will use it to it’s fullest! We spent the afternoon at a friends house. Our children were delighted to have the opportunity to visit with some classmates, Abel and Lucy. I was happy to visit with Claire and baby Ruth! The boys spent the afternoon swamping around in a frog pond, playing soccer with some of Abel’s cousins, eating ice cream at Grammie’s house, and enjoy a summer day! Lucy and Emma rode bikes, played with dolls, and swung on the swings. Claire and I enjoyed a walk down to the beach and long conversations that we’ve been missing the past ten weeks. It was a very enjoyable afternoon for all of us.

I was very thankful for the opportunity to pray with my friend, Barbara, today. It helps to know that there are other Christians praying for many of the same things that I am. So many things seem abnormal, unrestful, and off-kilter, but I can rest in knowing that God is in control. That doesn’t mean I always feel restful and peaceful! But I can be reminded to the promises in God’s Word that He is unchanging. My journal is filling up quickly these days with prayer requests, and petitions that are constantly brought before my Heavenly Father. How very thankful I am that He does not weary of me asking/pleading/begging for His mercy and grace. We serve an amazing God! Regardless of how crazy the world may become, I want the world to see there’s nobody like Jesus.