Life in Maine!

A week has gone by since I've updated the blog, and I know I'll forget something if I don't put my thoughts down in writing! Last Thursday I took the boys out of school early so that we could go to the dentist...hooray! (It's not one of my favorite things to do, but at least we have a dentist to go to!) Since Roger was working, it meant an hour long drive plus the four dentist appointments for the boys, and a long afternoon. However, the kids are fairly good travelers, and we made good time getting to the dentist. I was thrilled with how quickly the appointments went, and that only Wyatt has a small cavity! It's awesome that three of the boys don't have cavities, and that Wyatt's is a small cavity. After the dentist appointment, we decided to go to  Sam's Club. Since we were only thirty minutes from Sams club, it was decided that we should go there. (Thirty minutes may not seem very close, but compared to where we started at, we were right in the neighborhood!) The kids enjoy Sams club, and it was a cheap place to feed everyone supper. It made for a bit of a long evening, but I'm glad I took the time to do something fun with the kids.

 

Mud!!!

 

Friday was a day filled with playing for chapel, attending Bible study, getting ready for company on Sunday, and attending a benefit variety show in the evening. A young woman we know is having a kidney transplant on Thursday, May 11, and a fundraising benefit was put on for her behalf. Roger ended up meeting me there, as he was working. I had been asked to play some piano selections before the start of the event, so I had to be there early. Thankfully, Roger was walking in the door when we arrived, so the Lord's timing was in that. It was fun for me to pick out piano selections, but I certainly did not realize I would be so nervous! I was thrown back to my high school days of playing a piano solo   and my  leg shaking so badly that it looked like I was twitching! Oh well! It was good for me. 😳
The variety show consistent of just that a variety of different types of singing or performances. Since not every performance was from a Christian perspective, Roger and I knew that we would probably be having some interesting family discussions at home. 😀 The Kid's choir from church was asked to sing, and that was a good opportunity for our children and others from our church to sing for Jesus.  One of the events was a dance group from the area, and although they were modestly dressed for  dancers, I knew it would be an interesting discussion at home. Sure enough, I asked the boys what they thought of the performances, and Garett's response was, "Well, it was a bit awkward. I just sank down in my chair and closed my eyes. " Attending this event was a way for us to show our support for this family, and I was thankful for the opportunity it provided to talk with our kids about why we do what we do and who we are in Christ.

Saturday was a day spent at home...hoping for the sun to come out! We have had a lot of rainy days, and I'm ready for some sunshiny weather. While the boys still go outside when it's wet or rainy, they don't stay out as long. I also feel that after several rainy, cloudy days in a row it leads to more arguments and fighting. The boys have constructed a dirt bike track in the back yard which has kept them entertained. It also means that when the yard dries out a bit, they will have the opportunity to plant grass seed! We have a stream flowing on the side of our yard (it only runs in the spring time) and that has also kept them busy with building dams, floating items downstream, and making sure that their rubber boots will hold water!😜 Roger did get home a few hours earlier than normal on Saturday due to the weather, so that was definitely a pleasant surprise. I took Chandler and Travis with me to the grocery store and Goodwill, while the other boys and Emma stayed at home and burned trash. It was a productive day, and it's a nice feeling to go to be tired knowing that you've worked hard.

Memories 

Since we would be having a family over for lunch after church, I decided to make crockpot lasagna, bread and salad for Sunday dinner. Generally I plan for a simple meal on Sunday, but I wanted to put some extra effort into it for our guests. I also had the privilege of playing the piano for church services on Sunday which always brings joy and peace to my soul. It's very soothing and refreshing  for me to play the piano, and I'm thankful my parents invested in giving me piano lessons. I want our kids to have the same opportunity if possible, so please pray that God will provide a way for that to happen. I'm willing to teach them, but I'd also like peace that is what I need to do. Anyways back to the church service! During the communion service, I noticed a bit of commotion down towards the front pews. A dear older gentleman was clearly having some health issues, and a few people were trying to assist him. From the piano, I could see that he was not a healthy color, and I was concerned. Another lady ended up calling an ambulance,  so we did not finish the communion service. I was  reminded of how dear these older people are to our church, and yes, they are aging every day! These older men and women have  stood in the gap and begged God to send families to this church. They've been faithfully praying and serving God for many years now, and are we raising the next generation to stand up and fill that gap? Am I raising our boys to become prayer warriors and faithful soldiers of the cross? Am I raising a daughter that will also be a prayer warrior and committed to Jesus Christ? Having an experience like that in church was just another reminder of how much I love these dear older folks, and how fervent I need to be in raising our children for Jesus. ( The older man was taken to the hospital, but he was released and sent home the next day. Praise the Lord!)


We had a good afternoon getting to know another family from this area. Nick is one  of our  pastor's sons and his wife is Hannah. They have two little children, and it was a fun afternoon getting to know them better. The afternoon was cut a bit short as we did have to leave early for church. On Sunday night we had our last night of the kids program for this year. While I've very much enjoyed helping and teaching the 3-5 year olds, I'm thankful that we are having a break from that for a season! The boys and Emma have enjoyed the Childrens program, and we are thankful that we had the opportunity to help out with this ministry. However... Hooray for a break!!

On Monday the weather was...rainy! Emma and I spent the morning at home after dropping the boys off at school. It's always nice to have some time with just Emma, and the laundry pile appreciated my undivided attention for a few hours! 😀

Tuesday was a bit of a break in the rain and clouds. Yay for sunshine! Roger took the kids to school, while I managed to squeeze in a short run. I'm thankful for whatever opportunities I have to run outside, and the weather was very nice. When Roger came home from dropping off kids, we decided to go on an actual date! We tried out this local cafe in our small town. It was actually quite impressive and we would definitely visit there again. I had lunch duty at the school today.  Since  Roger had the day off, we surprised the boys with Subway sandwiches for lunch. They always enjoy when Roger is able to join them for lunch break, and I'm glad the boys love to spend time with him. Travis had some special testing with his teacher after lunch, so I waited for him for a while. We are concerned about his progress, and we want to help him succeed in education. We will see what transpires, but we are praying for Gods clear direction.

Wednesday morning Emma and I hosted our friend, Bethany and her two young kids. We had originally planned to go on a walk, but guess what?! The weather was misty and overcast! Bethany stopped and picked up coffee for us, which I definitely enjoyed! We spent the morning visiting, sharing, and chasing three small children. I'm thankful for the developing friendships I have with moms such as Bethany. Their children are similar in ages to ours, so we share a lot of common interests and parenting concerns. Emma and I left early to pick up Travis so that I could help with hot lunch. Although it wasn't my particular hot lunch day responsibility, there was a need for a few extra moms to help out. I helped wherever needed, and then ended up having a good visit with another dear friend. It's helpful to bear each other's burdens, and I can see why this is a Scriptural command given in Galatians. I'm thankful for the moms that have come along side me in this first year of so many transitions and changes to encourage and pray for me.

 

                                                                    Friends

Emma was supposed to go to school this morning, but she had an odd fever yesterday afternoon. She took a long nap yesterday afternoon, woke up very warm, and she acted tired. She had a fever until about three in the morning, and after that, she slept fine. She woke up a bit grouchy this morning, but she was fever free. I, of course, still kept her home from school. She was happy to go on a walk with her mama and my friend, Allison. It was a good morning of meaningful conversations to good laughs to just enjoying memories together. Allison tends to  be more of an introvert and I tend to be more of an extrovert. So together we are good friends! 😀

Since I didn't finish up this post yesterday, I'll go ahead and add the activities from today. 🙂 Roger had off of work, but he had a busy day with taking trash to the dump, fixing some things around the house, and driving to Bangor. One of our pilot friends from Arizona was in Bangor for the afternoon. As much fun as it would have been for us all to go, it would have been a long afternoon for the kids. Since we didn't want to get the kids out  of school early, we decided that it would be best  for just Roger to go to Bangor. I was able to g t some things ready for our company on Sunday afternoon, and I headed black to school a bit early. Tomorrow our church is hosting a give away sale. Everything will be free, and it's a wide variety of items. We have quite a few older ladies that I knew might need a hand with moving tables or setting up items, so Travis, Emma, and I helped with that for a bit. The only downside was that Emma and Travis discovered all the stuff that I had collected from our HOUSE! I kept reminding them that we were not taking our stuff back home!! After the older boys were done with school, they  helped out for a while also. It was a good way for the kids to get involved in a little project to help someone else.

We were also given a riding lawnmower today! That wasn't even an item on my urgent prayer request list, but God chose to bless us. It's an older mower, and the blade is currently causing some  problems it. However, it does run! Roger is planning to fix the blade, and we should have a riding lawn mower for the summer! It's exciting to see how God works  out all the details, and I'm glad the boys will be able to have the pushmower and the riding lawnmower for cutting the grass this summer. I actually like to use the pushmower...it's excercise! The boys are looking forward to trying out the riding lawnmower as soon as possible. Hopefully Roger will be able to fix it with some tools from work.

A few fun memories:
Travis was discussing something he missed in Wisconsin. I asked what he was missing about Wisconsin. He replied, "I'd like to go to that restaurant again where we ate  with the tweezers." I was a bit lost until I realized he meant chopsticks and not tweezers!

We were discussing heaven with the boys. We had discussed hell and why God didn't want us to go there. Chandler pops up with, "I know I'm saved. I'm glad I'm not going to hell, but do you think we will get to do things in heaven besides sing all day?!" He is concerned that he might be bored in heaven. So although I don't know what all we will be doing in heaven, we won't be bored!

Although these days of parenting are long and challenging, this is also an exciting time for me. The boys are growing and maturing, our conversations are changing, and I am so blessed to be their mama! Each day provides new mercies from the Lord as well as reminders that He is faithful. I'm thankful to be a mom, but these days we live in are dark in our society. It's encouraging to know that we have the Light of The World in our lives, and I can rest in him.

We are praying for Travis and Emma to come to know Jesus as their personal Savior. Travis has been asking many questions about heaven and hell. He knows that Jesus died on the cross for us sin, but he has yet to make a decision about placing his trust in Christ. I want to be sensitive to his needs, but I want him to make the decision. Please pray that he will understand that Jesus died for his sins, Jesus rose from the dead, and a home in heaven can be his by asking Jesus to forgive his sins and come into  his heart. (That is decision that can be yours also!)

Our love, Sarah

Busy Days and Happy Hearts

I'm blessed to be their mama! 

Greetings from Maine

We had a busy week(s) the last two weeks with standardized testing for the boys at school, a hot lunch for the school, having a friend for the afternoon, a birthday party to attend, a speaking session for a missions group, two Bible studies, and just life! 

The boys enjoyed the variety of the afternoon activities last week during testing, but it certainly did make them tired! We worked hard at being consistent with bedtimes and routines to make sure that they were operating at 100% during the testing. Several of the parents got together to bring in healthy snacks for the classes to eat together. Since we have children in three different classrooms, it was quite a big pile of cheese and crackers when it was our turn! Thankfully, I volunteered for each of their classrooms on the same day. I did end up helping out one of the other classrooms by providing extra snacks, but it is my privilege to help out our teachers in whatever way I can. 

I attended a Bible study on Tuesday morning, although I probably should have forgone that event because of the business of the rest of the week. Oh well! It is always an encouragement to listen to a group of older ladies express the life lessons that they have learned and the blessings of digging in Gods word. 

Wednesday was a busy day as it was a hot lunch day. This was a fun one though, and probably my favorite of the year. We were supposed to have an outdoor picnic; but since we had our one day of spring weather on Monday, we had to have it inside. I'm being sarcastic, of course, about the spring weather, but it is certainly slow in coming. But the grass is growing, and the trees are beginning to show different hues of green. Anyways, back to the lunch topic! Since the picnic needed to be inside, I brought sheets and blankets to tape to the floor. We had make-your-own subs, chips, watermelon, and juice boxes for lunch. The kids had a good time, and the cleanup was so easy and fast! 

Later on Wednesday afternoon, I went to pick up our pastors son to play at our house for the afternoon. The boys enjoy having Austin over to play, and they certainly weren't bothered by the rainy conditions. They came in with wet shoes, sloppy socks, and dirty clothes, but with happy hearts and a refreshed spirit. I'm thankful that the boys enjoy being outside, and it was nice to give them a little variety in the middle of the week. 

Thursday was one of Roger's days off of work. We spent the morning together working on some various projects around the house, and then he picked up Emma and Travis from school. I was thankful that Roger had off this particular day as I had been asked to speak on my Haiti trip. I had to opportunity to share about my trip to the ladies mission group at church. One of the older ladies had come up to me on Sunday to tell me that she would pick me up for the meeting. Our church has a bunch of older ladies, and I've been introduced several times. However, I just can't seem to remember everyone's name. But I didn't want to tell her that I didn't know her name, so I just figured that I would figure it out by someone else calling her by her name. 😀 There were about eight ladies there, and guess what? They went around the room and introduced themselves. Hooray! It was a good opportunity for me to get to know these dear women better and to share more of the details of my Haiti missions trip. I don't know if God will make a way for me to go again, but I'm certainly willing to go if He should allow. It was a life changing experience! 

Friday is always a bit of a busy morning for me with the ladies Bible study at church and playing  the piano for the school chapel. I do enjoy these Friday morning opportunities to play the piano, and sometimes the voices of those young kids singing so enthusiastically will move me to tears. After the chapel service, we have a ladies Bible study at the church. We've been having a good turnout of ladies of about fifteen, and we also had another new lady join us. She lives in the area, and said that she had seen the announcement about the Bible study via the church sign. It was a reminder to me of  the power of the written word. She came because someone had put the effort to put the notice on the church sign that can be seen from the road. I thought that was really neat!  

 Saturday was a beautiful day as the sun was out and the rain stayed away! Roger was working so I  took the  boys to an event at the YMCA. It was an open house for kids with various activities for them to do. It was fun for a bit, but there could've been a few more things to do. So, we decided to take a trip to the beach to climb on the rocks and look for sea glass. It's still hard to believe that we live so close to the coast and that there are many beaches to choose from! The boys had a good time climbing all over the rocks and searching for sea glass. By the time we headed home everyone was ready for a bit of down time. Roger was able to get home by 4:30, so that was a pleasant surprise for us. We cleaned up the yard, and Roger and I talked while the kids jumped on the trampoline. Suddenly we heard Chandler yelling for Garett to get off the trampoline. "Get off! You are getting blood on here!" I've learned not to get to worried about blood and the boys, but Garett did have blood streaming off his face. I left Roger to get started on looking at the issue while I went to get some paper towels. None of his brothers acted too concerned about him, but they were worried about the blood Garett had dripped  on the trampoline! Apparently Garett had been talked into trying a gymnastics move that he was not quite comfortable with performing. When he did the flip, he came down and hit his knee with his face along with having his lip between his teeth! Oh my! Yes, lots of blood and towels but the bleeding did stop. His lip is very swollen and busted, but he will survive. His biggest complaint has been that it hurts to get food  past his lips, so he has been very hungry! His brothers were impressed with how much his lip swelled up, and Travis did offer him one of his popsicles. Oh, the joys of boy hood! 

By Sunday morning, Garett's lip was very swollen. He agreed to take some medicine, so I know it must have been hurting quite a bit. Garett does not like to take medicine! I know it will get better, but it's going to take some time.

We had a bit of a rough start to our school week as the vehicle wouldn't start on Monday morning. I had already been a bit frazzled that morning with trying to get some extra chores done with the kids before they left for school. So the car not starting was the icing on the cake! Of course, I couldn't get ahold of of Roger, we don't live near others that go to the school, and Chandler was upset that they might miss gym class. After taking a deep breath...and letting go of a few tears of frustration...we moved on to what we could do. I had Chandler pray that he would make it to gym class, and I told the boys that now God had provided a few extra minutes for them to do a few more chores. I called Rogers work and learned that he was out on one of the islands, which I had figured as much. I just left a message at the office to please have him call me when he arrived back. I called the school to let them know that we would be late, and I praised the Lord that this was not the week of testing. (If the kids had been late last week, they would've had to make arrangements to make up any testing that they missed.) Thankfully, Roger was able to get out to rescue us a little after 8:45 am., so the boys were at school by 9:10. Gym classs starts at 9:30 am., so the boys were delighted that God answered their prayers. Emma and I ran a bunch of errands while waiting for Travis to be done with school at 11:30. I had left some medicine for Garett in the office in case he needed it. When I picked up Travis, I spoke with Garett's teacher. She said that she had been gently trying to suggest to Garett that he go take some medicine, but he was getting the clues. I laughed and said that Garett does not get clues, but I would give him instructions from his mama to get some medicine after lunch. 😁

Here is the funny story in all of that...Garett came home from school with a note saying that he had been given some medicine and an ice pack. I asked him if the ice pack had helped, and Garett replied, "Not really." I was trying to process why not, when Chandler announced, "He had it on his head, Mom!" I asked Garett why on earth he would put it on his head instead of his lip. He replied, "Well, the lady in the office said that this was the ice pack they gave to kids with headaches sometimes, so I figured that must be where it was supposed to go!" Oh.my.word. Well, moving on...I told Garett that tomorrow he should place the ice pack on his lip to see if that would help. 😜

I need to wrap this up, but I have a few praises.
1) We were invited to a birthday party yesterday. It was a such a fun time, and I'm so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to know the Philbrook family. The boys had a good time bowling, and it's so good to see them developing and making friendships also.

2) I made a dessert for the teacher appreciation dinner today. Lemon curd is amazingly delicious...who knew?! I'm thankful that the dessert was going to the school because that would've been hard to resist.

3) Someone anonymously gave $200.00 to the boys school bill this month. I can't imagine who that might be or who knows our family well enough to consider donating towards our school bill. But it so encourages my heart, and I am so very thankful.

4) I made a meal for a family that recently moved today, and it was a reminder of how thankful I am that God has blessed us with a home, a wonderful church family, and a great Christian school for the kids.

It is now the month of May...and hopefully warmer weather, spring flowers, gardens, and less mud! It is also the month that I can probably share about that prayer request from a few weeks ago. We are so thankful to each one of you who pray for us. We had to make some decisions concerning health insurance for Roger and I. With Roger's recent pay raise, we did not qualify for the state insurance. We are over the cut off limit by a very little amount but we still had to figure something out. It was a bit of a stressful time for us as we tried to refit  our budget, and nothing was coming together. The  cost for us to get our own health insurance is  almost triple what the amount of the raise was going to be. Thankfully, the kids will still qualify for state insurance. It is not our intent or desire to be dependent upon the state but it has been helpful to have health  insurance as we've been transitioning. We are in a difficult position to figure out all of the budget issues, but we did receive notice that we will have six months to figure it out. This paperwork has brought a bit of peace of mind, as we sort through the changes we need to make. We appreciate your continued prayers.

Our love to you,
Sarah ❤️

Spring Break, Birthday boy, and Life!

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

I always have such good intentions when it comes to posting on the blog. But then the days start to run away from me, and I have to lay in bed thinking about what we did when! You'd think by now I would write things down on a more regular basis, but alas, I forget! 

 

Time spent in the woods = time well spent! 

Anyways that's enough whining about what I don't do, so now I will tell you what I DO! Last Tuesday afternoon, as in April 11, we spent the afternoon out with the Pastor and his son shooting guns on their property. Now, we use every precaution in teaching our children about guns, but it is important to use that they learn how to handle firearms responsibly and correctly. They can understand that a gun does not go off by itself, and that someone is responsible for pulling the trigger.  We are blessed to live in a country where we can own firearms, and it's not a right that I take lightly. Anyways, we had a good hike out to the shooting range through the mud and across the creek. The boys enjoy spending time with the Pastor's son, and it was a good afternoon for all of us.

The kids had a short week last week in school as we had a half day on Thursday. Since Thursday is one of the morning that Emma has school, I had a bit of a free morning. Shortly after I dropped the  kids off at school, Roger called to see if I wanted to go on the mail flight with him to one of the islands. I picked up coffee for us, and I hurried out to the airport to catch a flight with Roger. I am so thankful that he has a job in which I can come along to when I have a free moment. It was a beautiful morning to be flying, and I can see that Roger clearly enjoys what he is doing. I am also thankful that  I don't have to take multiple flights across the water every day. It's not that I was overly nervous or . uncertain, I just happen to like being in the ground better than being in the air across a body of cold water! It was a morning well spent, and I am thankful that I was able to go along with him. I picked up the kids at 11:30 am., and our week of spring break vacation began! Hooray!  I am excited about having a little freedom in our routine and schedule although I definitely appreciate a routine and schedule! The weather was absolutely beautiful last Thursday and Friday, and the boys were begging to set up the trampoline. However the ground is so wet that we would have such ruts in the yard from the trampoline. We will need to wait a few days for that. We instead took a hike down to the beach where the boys tested out how waterproof their boots were as well as looked for treasure on the beach. We had to do a little grocery shopping too, and I realize that I have gotten kinda spoiled about shopping while the kids are at school! They do very well, and they don't ask for everything, but we have quite the train with a  cart and five kids! Oh well!!


On Friday night we had over a few families from school. The kids have made some good friends, and Roger and I have enjoyed getting to know some of the parents better as well. We had eleven kids here and six adults. We feasted on lasagna, garlic bread, salad, and brownies and ice cream! The kids were exhausted by the end of the evening, but it was such a good time of fellowship and laughter. I'm   thankful for opportunities to interact with other families in the school.


On Saturday I went to do a few errands for a few groceries for Sunday's dinner. I also went to JCPenny to look for an Easter dress for Emma. It's certainly not a necessity, just something that would be nice for tomorrow. However, the cheapest church dress there was $25.00 and even with my ten dollar off coupon, I knew that a $15.00 dress was not in the budget...it was definitely a want and  not a need. I told Emma that we couldn't get the dress, but then the Lord reminded me of some totes of clothes down in the basement at home. I had forgotten that when we left Wisconsin a few friends had given clothes to Emma that were too big at the current moment. I told Emma that we could go home and look in the box. As soon as we arrived home, she asked to look for the box of clothes! And did God ever provide!! Wow!! We found a whole box of 4t clothes that she can wear now. She now has about  ten beautiful  dresses and plenty of summer clothes! I love these memories that are a reflection of how good God  is to me!

God is so good to me! 

Sunday was Resurrection Sunday! Praise the Lord...He is risen! We had the opportunity to go to a  sunrise service at church...at five forty five am! We did end up being a few minutes late, but we did make it there. The sky was overcast so the sunrise was not amazing, but celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ is definitely a reason to rejoice! After the service, we ate breakfast with our church family. I had originally planned to make biscuits and gravy. But my common sense caught up with me and I decided to bring fruit and yogurt! We helped clean up from breakfast and headed home by about 7:00 am. I put on the ham for lunch, set the table, and prepared for the morning service. We   went back to church for Sunday school and worship service, and the day was turning out to   be  beautiful weather! It was good to worship with other believers and it was exciting to see so many visitors at church this morning. I helped direct the children's choir, and I thought they did a great job.  Emma went up front to sing along with the children, but about halfway through the song she hopped  off the step to tell me that Aunt Hannah was here! Emma was very excited that aunt Hannah was at church and apparently she felt like she needed to let me know immediately! We headed home shortly  after church and enjoyed a lunch of ham, asparagus, fruit, fresh bread, and corn. The kids convinced   Roger to set up the trampoline, so that kept them busy for the afternoon. Hannah and I enjoyed a nice long walk in the beautiful weather.  Sunday was a bit of a long day, and the kids were ready for bed  early. However, it was truly a privilege to attend church this morning and to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior!

Monday was another beautiful day although it was not quite as warm as Sunday. The boys were up  early as in about 6:00 am., and immediately they went outside to jump on the trampoline. I let them jump for a while and then called them in for breakfast, Bible time and chores. As soon as their  responsibilities were done they bounded back outside. We did have to run a few errands this morning to take lunch to Roger, pick up milk, and shop for their Easter baskets. Roger and I usually give the children small baskets of treats on Resurrection Sunday such as kites, new toothbrushes, small toys, etc. However, we have been working hard on our budget, so we decided that we would give them their baskets on Monday night. 😊 It might seem like a terrible idea to you, but it actually worked out very well. I gave each child a name to shop for and told them the amount they could spend. Then we went to Walmart and each child shopped for a sibling. Since all the Easter stuff was 50% off, they had a great time finding small gifts for their picked sibling. It just might be a tradition that I will continue with over the years!

On Monday afternoon we went on an impromptu hike with some friends from school. I met Allison and her two girls for a hike down to the Saint George river, and the kids walked along on the waterfront collecting sea glass, and testing out how wet they could get without actually getting in the water. We decided to continue our outing at the lighthouse a bit farther down the road. The fog was  really thick along the ocean, but after we were there for a bit, the fog burned off. The kids had a good  afternoon with their friends, spending time outside, and combing the beaches for sea  glass.

 Coins that the kids have been saving 

We had told the kids at the beginning of the break that we could do something special for spring  break. We had collected $134.00 in our coin jar, and it's time for us to do something special as a family. The boys had been asking about going swimming at a hotel, and we gave them two choices  for options. We could either go to a hotel for a night, or we could do two separate things during the  week instead. They chose  the two separate activities for the week. One of the activities was getting a day pass to the YMCA and going swimming at the pool there. Roger has had to work most of the week, so I knew that this would  be a "mom and kids" activity. Those aren't my favorite as they are a lot of work for me, but I also knew that Roger would be home too late to join us. I decided that we would go to the YMCA in the afternoon...after nap time. Travis insisted that he was not tired, but he was asleep within ten minutes of laying down! We headed to the YMCA about three pm., and we played in the playground gym, and in the basketball gym,  and then got read you to go swimming. Unfortunately the YMCA had a disagreement with what the paper schedule said and what was  actually happening in the pool. But we were able to use the big pool while we waited for a water class to finish. Garett and Chandler both took the swim test and passed. Wyatt  wanted to take the swim   test, but I felt that he wasn't ready for it. Once the water class was done in  the family pool, we moved over to that pool. The water was much warmer, so I liked that  much better! However the slide wasn't open, so that was a bit of a disappointment for the kids. We did have a good afternoon at the YMCA, and I'm glad we did it. I hope that if we ever do it again it will be  on a day that Roger has off! I am reminded though of how much easier it is too take them swimming than it was four years ago. Everyone can get themselves dressed, and for the most part, everyone can keep their head above water. Emma needs the most help, but the boys are good about watching her also. It was a tiring afternoon, and I was thankful  that I had put supper in the crockpot before we left!

Wednesday was a day of appointments for the three older boys. They have  had an appointment scheduled for the orthodontist for the past five months, and today was the day! The appointment was in Bath which is almost an hour away, and since Roger was working today....well, five kids came  along! The one perk about going to Bath is that the McDonald's has a playland there which is exciting if you are a kid. We left our house in plenty of time so that we could play for a bit first. Of course the playland was quite busy since it is spring break week. We arrived in plenty of the time for the appointments which was a good thing because I had a bunch of paperwork to fill out! The waiting room held nine chairs, and we walked in with six people. The waiting room was a bit tight to say the least. However, it is my pet peeve when people talk about you like you can't hear them. " Wow, what  a bunch of kids!"    " I  wonder if all those kids are hers?"    " And four boys and one girl?"  Hello....I am right here!  Oh well, we survived the appointment with a smile, and it looks like Chandler will need braces in a year. We will have to come back in about nine months to find out for sure. Wyatt and Garett have some spacing concerns. But since it is  unlikely that our insurance would cover their spacing issues, it will have to wait. It was quite the afternoon, but now that is behind us. Hooray!

Thursday...today is Wyatt's eighth birthday. I remember the day that boy was born. He was our biggest son at eight pounds, eleven ounces. He arrived at 11:54 pm. I am so very thankful for this boy with a sunny smile and a ready hug. He challenges me to think about my responses to him, he forces me to cry out to God for grace and wisdom, and he loves with every bit of his heart. I am blessed to be his momma. A year ago, I missed his birthday as I was in Maine viewing the house Roger had put an  offer on. (That is a story in itself!)  My friend, Gretchen, made Wyatt his birthday cake last year, and Wyatt wanted to know if they could come this year. Oh how I wish! But Wisconsin is a bit far to come for a birthday dinner, so it will be our family for tonight. Today I am missing Wisconsin. We've  adjusted well....I think. But sometimes I long for the friendships that I've had for years, for the friends that understand and love our children, for cups of coffee and long talks on parenting failures and challenges, and for the deep friendships that developed through long talks. I know those relationships will come here in Maine with time, and the truth be told, I think I am working on those  friendships. Good things take time.

 Wyatt is 8!! 

Friday was a day that Roger had off of work. The kids have been anxiously waiting for Friday  to come a week they had big plans for the day. They have been wanting to go to the trampoline park in Portland, and this was the day that we were going! It was a good day to do it, as the weather was overcast and rainy. The kids had such a good time, and I'm glad we took the opportunity to do it. Emma enjoyed it as well, but she did tire before the boys were ready to go. Roger stayed with the boys while Emma and I went to Sam's Club. Sam's Club is one of my kid's favorite places to go...maybe that's because they have icees, pretzels, and yummy samples! It ended up being a late night for the kids, but it was an enjoyable day as a family. I missed being at the ladies Bible study this morning, but I'm also recognizing that my time with our kids is getting less by the day! I feel like we  have so much more to teach them, character traits to work on, and things they need to know to stand strong  in the name of Jesus Christ. Oh my....just writing that down makes it seem like an insurmountable challenge! However, being a parent  to these five children has made me realize that parenting is a moment by moment cry to my Savior for mercy, grace, patience and wisdom.  I fail at this parenting business every.single.day. But I can also rejoice in the fact that  the mercies of God are new every morning. I find that children forgive easily, and I work on having open, honest, and clear relationships with each one of them. I am finding out that parenting actually gets harder as our children get older because they are experiencing new challenges and struggles, and each child is different and unique. I am learning so much from them about by own weaknesses and failures. But I can rejoice in the victories  such as a child telling the truth when it was hard, a child who stayed in  their bed, and a  child who was terribly naughty all day but at night time announced, "I love you, mommy." I can rejoice in the the faithfulness of God, and I trust His Word.

A few blog posts ago, I asked for prayer for an unspoken request. We are still in need of prayer on this as we have some decisions to make concerning our budget and how to make everything work.  We need wisdom  and peace, and we are asking you to continue to pray with us and for us on this request. Hopefully  I will be able to give you bit of an update soon, but please continue to pray.

We love you all!
Sarah

 Fun with friends on Monday of spring break week! 

Academic Fair, Family, and Blessings!

Brothers...Nate and Roger 

April 1st

The first day of April greeted us with about 5 inches or more of wet, sloppy snow! I have to admit it was beautiful, but I'm also ready to see the leaves on the trees start to bud also! Thankfully, although the weather was mostly wet and damp last week, the snow did disappear rather quickly. Now we have  mud, and I mean, lots of mud! But the good thing about children and mud is that children can be washed clean again and mud dries. I'm thankful that the children like to be  outside, and they certainly sleep better when they've been outdoors for a while.

Last week was such a busy week that it both flew by and dragged on for forever at the same time, and yes, that is possible! 🙂 We started off on Monday with both feet on the ground as Travis and Wyatt both had to bring in their completed academic fair projects to school. I have to admit transporting delicate clay projects, a model airplane and runway, homemade yogurt, and four back boards for presentation skills was a bit crazy! However, nothing was broken...hooray! On Monday morning we just had to transport the stuff for Travis and Wyatt, so at least the trips of valuable items were broken up. Chandler and I spent Monday evening making homemade yogurt. Chandler's academic fair topic was on Americas Dairyland. He had to make a project to go along with his topic, so he picked yogurt. He found a simple recipe on Pinterest, and he happily mixed it all together in the crockpot. It was a new experience for both of us, but I was pleased with how he figured out the directions. When it came time to taste test the yogurt the next morning, he insisted that we wait for Roger. I think he wanted Roger to be his ginea pig to try it out.😜

Garett's project 

Chandler's project 

Wyatt and his friend, Levi 

Travis's Project 

Tuesday is a day that I try to go to a ladies Bible study at a different church in our area. But last Tuesday, I was asked to fill in for music classes. I knew that I would have to miss Bible study, but I also wanted to be a blessing to the music teacher by filling in. So I taught music class on Tuesday morning, did lunch duty, came home and prepared supper, went back to pick up the big boys, and came home to finish getting dinner ready. We invited Roger's boss and his wife to come to dinner last Tuesday evening, and it was a time of good company and lots of stories. We have come to love and appreciate Roger's boss, and his wife is a very dear lady. I'm thankful that we had the opportunity to have them in our home for a meal, and it's something that I hope we can do again soon. The boys told them  all about their academic fair projects, and they agreed to try to come on Thursday night to see the presentations. It was a later night than normal for the kids, but this couple is dear and sweet to us and it was worth the bit of a later bedtime.

Wednesday was the morning for our monthly parent group meeting. Roger had off today, so he did errands while Emma and I attended the meeting. After the meeting, we went to pick up Travis. However, the school secretary mentioned that they were short on lunchroom volunteers for lunch duty. I don't like to see the teachers have to use their valuable time to supervise lunchduty if it can be helped. So, Roger and I did stayed for lunch duty. I also ended up with a very hoarse voice today, so I was happy to go home and take a rest with Emma. I was feeling fine, but I could hardly talk and I was a bit tired. Many kids have been sick at school this week, so we've been trying to use lots of disinfectant and hand washing to keep germs at bay!

Thursday was the day of the academic fair. Chandler and Roger taste tested the yogurt, and Chandler decided to add some strawberry jam to give it extra flavor. Chandler was not crazy about the taste, but Roger thought it was really good. Chandler was happy to have his project done though, so he wa just happy the yogurt was edible!

I spent part of the morning with my friend, Allison. We shopped for paper products for the refreshments that would be served after the academic fair. We managed to make good time on finding some that would work, so we wisely used the remainder of our time sipping coffee and fellow shipping! 🙂 I have come to love and appreciate her friendship to me, and I'm thankful that God brought a much needed friend into my life at just the right time.


After picking up Travis on Thursday morning, we headed home to clean our house. Roger's brother, Nate, his wife, and four kids would be flying in this afternoon for a short visit. I had all the boys take the sheets off of their beds this morning, and Chandler told me "I'm not too dirty, Mom. We don to need to wash my sheets!" 😳I assured him that we would wash them anyways. I still have a very hoarse voice, but I don't have any other symptoms of sickness. Praise the Lord!

We managed to get clean sheets on all the beds, make a snack for the refreshment table, and get everyone's chapel clothes laid out before returning to pick up the boys from school. After school we came home for a bit of downtime, but the boys were pretty wired both about the academic fair and that their cousins were coming to visit.

The academic fair started at six-thirty pm., but the kids needed to be there a little earlier. Since this is our first time having the academic fair experience, we were all anxious to see what it would be like. Each of the classes had set up their presentation around the room. We moved from room to room interacting with the students and asking  them about their projects. All the students did a great job, and it was so rewarding to see all of their hard work come together. Nate and Ruth ended up meeting us directly at the school, and the boys were delighted to see their cousins. Roger's boss, Kevin, and his wife, Terri, were also able to come to the academic fair, and I know that meant a lot to the boys. It was a long day, but I knew that the next day would be  Friday! We had already decided to take the boys out of school around noon, so that they could have some time to spend with their cousins.

Cousins 

Friday was another full day with a half day of school for the boys, a trip to a small town with the cousins, lots of outdoor play, and even a supper date  for the adults. After we picked up the boys from school, we went home where the boys immediately dug out all their nerf guns to play with Landon and Emma. Nate and Ruth have an "Emma" too, so we had two Emma Robertson at our house. The two Emma's are separated by quite a few years between them though! Charis is two, and  our Emma greatly enjoyed having a younger child around. We ended up going up to Camden, which is a quaint little town up the road. The kids had  a good time walking along the harbor, and running around with their cousins.

Roger had to work part of the day on Saturday. But it gave Nate's family a chance to see where Roger works.  Also  on Saturday we visited a lighthouse with Nate, Ruth, and their family. After all, it would be a shame to come all the way to Maine and not visit a light house! Although we didn't have great weather while they were here, I'm thankful that it wasn't pouring down rain. We did have to dress up a bit warmly , but we were able to be outside. Nate and Ruth had to leave on Sunday morning, so it was a really quick visit. However, it is always nice to see family, and I'm thankful that they made the effort to come see us.

So there it is in writing...a crazy busy week! Want to know a special blessing? Someone anonymously put $200.00 on our  school bill!  I had a hard time not skipping out of the office on Friday after the secretary told me that! God is so good! Just when it's hard not to be overwhelmed, God gives us a special tangible reminder that He knows exactly where we are at! I had many blessings last week among them being a meal shared with Rogers boss,  having family come to visit, and someone being used of God to encourage us. We are blessed! I don't know who put money on our school bill, and they might not even read the blog, but I am so very thankful for your generosity!

Have a wonderful day!
Sarah

Life Lessons

It's hard to believe that we are in the last week in March! As I look back at the memories and moments from the month a few stand out in my mind. It was a month that was full of delights as well as a few disappointments in my mind. I know that God has a plan and a purpose for everything He allows, and it's another reminder to me to put my whole trust in Him.

Roger's birthday was last Wednesday, and while it wasn't a day full of excitement as far as birthdays go, it was a day I am very thankful for. The last two birthdays we have been separated from Roger on his special day. A year ago Roger was already in Maine, and I was trying to finish up the school year in Wisconsin while we waited for God's direction on housing. Two years ago in 2015, Roger was in Arizona working for American Aviation while I packed up our house in Wisconsin and finished up the school year. So it was an exciting birthday in the sense that we are all together! The boys insisted that Roger have a birthday cake, and Chandler talked Roger into having an ice cream cake as that is what Chandler prefers. (Although I'm pretty sure that is what Roger prefers as well, so it didn't take much convincing on Chandler's part!) 😄 I had managed to snag a Cabela's gift card on a discount, so the kids were delighted to give that to Roger for his birthday.

Also this past week we had sixteen ladies again for the Bible study on Friday morning. I made chocolate chip cookies and some blueberry muffins for the Bible study. Roger is always happy when there's leftovers as I bring the treats out to the airport for the pilots after the Bible study. We will have our fourth week of Bible study this Friday, and it's been so wonderfully refreshing to see these ladies come out every week to study God's Word.

Due to the weather situation on Saturday, Roger had an unexpected day off. Since he has worked every Saturday this month, it was a special treat to have Roger around for the day. We went to pick up his car (remember the one that hit a deer in early November?). The car was finally ready to be picked up, so we went to do that before the mechanic changed his mind and something else was wrong with it! After we did that, I went grocery shopping for the week, while Chandler and Roger went to the car dealership. We received one of those scratch off tickets from the Ford dealer in the mail. According to the scratch number we won $250.00. I figured there was some type of catch, but Chandler was very anxious to go see if it was right! Roger agreed to take him to the dealership. Sure enough, the tiny print in the address box was the "real" number and we "won" a $5.00 gift card to Walmart! It was a good lesson in why we don't play the lottery or gamble. It was also a good lesson in how slick some car dealers can be and how we need to be aware and careful. After that escapade, we decided to take a trip down to Portland. There is a Cabelas down there in that area. We knew that if we didn't go today then it would be awhile before Roger would have the opportunity to go with the boys. I have to admit that Cabelas is not the place that I would pick to spend an afternoon, but our boys were so excited about going. It was a good afternoon spent as a family, and for that I am thankful.

Hannah and Josh were out of town this week, so we got to watch their dog, "Mayday". The boys and Emma throughly enjoyed having her around for the week, but the dog is probably ready for some peace and quiet! Mayday was quick to understand that Emma is the most likely candidate to drop food or give her a treat, and she also understood that Travis showing up with the leash is a bad idea! The funniest moment was when Travis was giving the dog commands and Emma was mimicking right beside the dog! Travis said "sit" and they both sat. Travis said "Come" and they both came. Travis said "roll over" and they both rolled over. Then Travis decided to give them both a treat...and the same treat! But it was a dog treat!! Emma looked at it suspiciously and asked, "Is this a dog treat?" to which Travis replied, "Well, you need to be thankful, Emma!" I must admit it made folding clothes a lot more interesting as I was listening to them! 😀

Hot lunch was served today at school. I headed up a team of moms and we worked together to make  and prepare tacos, fresh fruit, and dessert for the students and staff at the school. I enjoy helping out in this capacity, but it also a day that leaves me a bit more tired than normal.

Roger came home from work tonight and told me about a snow storm that is brewing for Saturday. I told him that was not a very funny April Fools joke! He replied that the forecast is for 5-7 inches of snow! However Chandler thought Roger said 57 inches of snow! Oh dear! I'm not excited about 5-7 inches of snow, an early I can't imagine 57 inches!

One of my struggles from this week has to do with disappointments. We checked out a local music   school to see about possibly having the boys take some piano lessons. I would had thought about trying to take lessons again as well. We enjoyed our tour of the school, and the staff seemed very competent and friendly. They said that they would  get back to us about discount pricing for five lessons and times that could work. We heard back from them later this week, and that is not going to be an option. It's not the fault  of the music school, but the total for the lessons would be $98.00 a week. Don't get me wrong, that's probably a decent price for the lessons that we would be receiving, however that is just not even a remote possibility right now.

We also have a very large personal "storm" brewing that is causing me a great deal of concern. I'm not at liberty to discuss details yet, and we are  waitingto see if God will allow the "storm" to blow over. If God brings us to mind, we would appreciate your prayers. I  don't want you to walk away  thinking that I complain a lot or that I'm whining about our situation. Neither  of those is the case here. However, I DO want to look back one day and remember how God did show himself strong and how He provided clear direction, and how He worked out everything clearly and perfectly in His timing.

Happy Birthday to Roger 

Snowstorms, School, and Adjustments

                                     
                                                Snowstorm 

It's kinda crazy how fast time passes! I feel like I just updated the blog, but the truth is that it's closer to two weeks ago that I actually did write a post!

Emma is quickly adapting to "school" on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and she looks forward to their mornings. This past Tuesday Hannah came down in the morning, so I was able to spend some time with her while Emma was in school. There are not very  many exciting places to go in our town, but we did go to Walmart and the grocery store. 😀 I enjoyed the morning with her, and we actually picked up all the kids from school at 11:30am., on Tuesday, March 14. A snowstorm was predicted to start around noon, and it was flurrying by the time we picked the kids from school. It was quite the snowstorm with the howling winds and blowing snow. My kids were delighted at how fast the snow was falling, and they quickly went outside to build snow forts and shovel snow. We had about fourteen inches out by our home, but we had quite a few big drifts too. I was concerned that we  would have another snow day on Wednesday, but we actually ended up with only a two hour delay. I was very thankful that school was not called off. Every day missed is a day that we have to make up at the end of the year...and I'll be ready to be done as will our children!

I know I'm going backwards in time a bit, which might make it a bit challenging to follow along. But I'm just making sure that I'm writing down the memories that I remember! We had a day off of school on Friday, March 10, as the teachers had an in-service day. We also had our ladies Bible study for the second week. We had sixteen ladies from six different churches in the area! It's so exciting for me to see God's hand at work, and to see these ladies come together for fellowship and Bible study. We also had 23 kids come along with their mamas to the Bible study! Our pastor graciously offered to watch  the children in the fellowship hall while the ladies did the Bible study. I am thankful that  he was   willing to play and entertain the children so that we could have Bible study. There is a definite need for this type of ministry, and I am so thankful that God has worked in hearts and lives to bring this group of ladies together. Please pray for continued interest, spiritual growth, and for wisdom for those  leading the Bible study.

On Saturday the kids and I made lunch for the pilots and another family in our school. The boys have no concept of sleeping in on Saturday and by 8:15 am, we had made three pans of enchiladas, a rice dish, a chocolate cake, and cookies! I'm not saying that to brag; I'm  just stating that we had a busy morning! We took lunch out to the airport, and then I took the kids to a birthday party for one of the students in the school. I was telling Roger that we've made some good friends since school started. Back at the beginning of the school year, I wouldn't have wanted to attend a party without Roger. Now that we've become more comfortable and made some friends, it's easier for me to take the kids to things without Roger. I definitely prefer to do things all together as a family. But in nine months of living here, I've discovered that Roger's  job is not always conducive to that! I am learning to be more flexible (not always my favorite) and to adjust and adapt around the hours and days that he is working. I've also come to treasure the moments we have together a bit more, and I try to be aware of the days he is off and to guard our time carefully. All in all, the job is going well for Roger. As of March fifteenth he has been with the company for a year. Wow! Time has flown by! Roger also took a different position within the company a few weeks ago. He is now the assistant chief pilot, and while I know the position makes him a bit nervous, I know he will do a great job at it!

Again, I apologize as this blog post is probably a bit challenging and confusing to read. However, my iPad still has moments where it does not work correctly, so I just have to work with it! The boys are busy on academic fair projects which is also read as mom is busy with helping them, answering questions, and trying to stay sane! Thankfully, I have been helping with the researching and writing aspects, and Roger works with the boys on the project aspects! We have one child working on researching and writing about Penobscot Island Air, and another child on "Tourism in Page, Arizona".  And a child writing about "America's Dairyland",  and one researching a Maine lighthouse...anyone    care to guess which child is working on which project? 😀

I volunteered to work in the school library on Thursday as the normal volunteer was unavailable. It wasn't exactly how I wanted to spend my "free" morning as all the kids were at school for a few hours, but it's what I felt God would want me to do. I actually did have a good time with it as I read books aloud  to Wyatt and Travis' classes, helped Garett and Chandler's class pick out books and research volcanoes, and played a library scavenger hunt with the oldest class. It was a busy morning, but God blessed me in spite of not being excited about it. Travis also had a friend over after school, so I had  an extra child in the afternoon. Sometimes it works out well for Travis to have a friend over after school since I have to come back anyways to pick up the other boys.

Firday is chapel day for the students. I play the piano for the chapel service which is something I enjoy. We also had a special missions  chapel on Friday. I was able to present the Haiti video to the students, and talked for a few minutes about the trip.  The video always brings back such good memories,  and it reminds of  the deep needs of the Haitian people. I was thankful for the opportunity to share with the students about Haiti.

 Friday is our ladies Bible study day, and a morning  that I  really look forward to.  I made banana bread for the ladies, and helped set up the Sunday school classroom for the Bible study. We could just leave the tables and chairs the way at they are set up for Sunday school, but it's nice to put a little extra effort into making the space warmer and a bit more welcoming for the ladies. While I do enjoy the Bible study, I also recognize the need for someone to work in the nursery. I offered to do it this week, and we had eight children to watch while the mamas were at the Bible study. Bible study ends at 11:00 am., and Travis is done with school at 11:30. That means it is a busy half-  hour  to put everything back,  and get Travis picked up so I can go home. Usually my friend, Allison, helps me put everything back, but this week she stayed home with a child that wasn't feeling well. As much as it's a bit inconvenient to put everything back, I am thankful for the opportunity to minister  to these ladies in whatever way possible. God has presented us with the need for this Bible study, He has opened the doors, and I feel that He has already started to bless these ladies. I'm looking forward to  seeing God continue to work in our lives.

Also, today was Garett and Chandler's spelling test. I think I get as nervous about it as they do, but we are making strides in the right direction. Both boys got one hundreds on their tests, and that was a huge answer to prayer for all of us!

Well, if you made it to the end of these rambling then congratulations, and you know that I am blessed. It was a busy week, and I'm thankful that it's Saturday. Saturday is a day to relax a bit and prepare for the next week. I am teaching Children's Church tomorrow, and  we have a church dinner tomorrow after the worship service. I am still working on my lesson for tomorrow, but I have already  made white chicken chili, desert, and bread for tomorrow. Okay, I didn't make the bread, I bought it. My bread making skills are still lacking, and I don't want anyone to feel like they have lead in their stomach tomorrow.

I am going to close for now, but we appreciate you all. Our hearts are full, and we are blessed. My mind  has been mediating on Ephesians chapter three and verse twenty and twenty one. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, amen. 

https://animoto.com/play/RcUggWWkxFs8tQcmGWqEOA

This is the link to the Haiti video that I made for church. It's hard to condense 700 pictures into a four minute video, but this is what I came up with!

Winter Break...and Back in Routine

This has been winter break week for the kids, (actually it was last week as this posting is so late) so we have enjoyed a few days off of school. The weather has been beautiful which means lots of walking, building snow forts, and playing in mud and melting snow!

Roger had off of work in Monday so he was able to take the three older boys flying. Roger's boss allows Roger to use one of the company's smaller planes if it's not needed. Garett has been asking to go flying with Roger for several weeks now, so I was thankful to see it happen. Garett has a strong interest in aviation, and we are trying to encourage his interest without being pushy about it. Garett was able to do some of the actually flying today, so he's been on cloud nine. Chandler was also able to fly the plane for a bit, and while he likes it, he doesn't have the same interest in it that his older brother has. Due to weather conditions, Wyatt was not able to have a turn in the front seat, so Roger said that I could maybe drop him off at work one of these afternoons this week.

On Tuesday I was able to attend a ladies Bible study at a church of one of my friends from school. This was a really good time of encouragement for me, and it was a reminder of something I'd like to come to more often. I was thankful for the time in God's Word, the fellowship with friends, and the opportunity to share our thoughts. After the Bible study, a few ladies from our church met together for lunch to discuss starting our own Bible study with ladies in the church/school. I am thankful that Beth, our pastor's wife, has a desire to help other ladies grow in the Word. The four of us came up with some good ideas, and I think it will come together quickly in the next week or so.

Meanwhile, Roger took the kids sledding this morning. Wyatt had taken a spill this morning while wrestling with his brothers, and while sledding he fell off the sled and landed hard on his stomach.   Roger said he sat really still for a while after that and then threw up twice in the bushes on the    sledding hill. It was a rough day for Wyatt! He seemed to feel better after an afternoon nap; and since  we were going to my sisters place for supper, I just figured I'd ask her about Wyatt! We had a great time visiting with Hannah and Josh and it's nice to get together to do that. The kids enjoy playing with their dog, and it was a good evening together. Wyatt seems to be back to himself, so apparently it was just a bit of a rough day.

 

Emma and Garett at the airport 

 

Top: Emmanuel and Travis; bottom: at the airport 

Wednesday morning of winter break was celebrated by having a play date with some friends from school. The boys have enjoyed getting to know some of the kids in their classes better, and I like play dates because it's a good opportunity to get to know the parents better. Bethany brought me coffee so    that was especially nice! 😀 The boys enjoyed a morning playing outside, building forts, shooting nerf guns, and eating! I'm thankful for the friendship that Bethany and I have been developing, as well as for their children and the friendships that my children are building.

Thursday was an impromptu play date with another family from school. The Philbrook's have two girls, but our children are not partially partial to gender playmates. They just enjoy having anyone to play with them! We had tacos again for lunch as that's an easy lunch for play dates as the boys certainly didn't mind! Allison and I have never run out of things to talk about so it was a good time by all. Allison has become a dear friend to me, and I am very thankful for her friendship.

On Friday we hung out at home, cleaned up the yard a bit, and just enjoyed a day without anything much on our schedule...except grocery shopping! These boys can eat...oh my! I'm already learning just how expensive our grocery bill might be when we have teen boys that are 12,13,14,and 15 years old! I think it might be time for us to look into raising chickens, and getting some seeds started for a  garden this spring!

On Saturday I made a crockpot of white chicken chili and a dessert. The kids and I took lunch out to  Roger's workplace to share with the other pilots on duty today. It was a beautiful day, and I'm  thankful that God provided Roger with a job that we can drop by, bring lunch, and see him for a few  minutes.  

I had the opportunity to play the piano for services on Sunday. It's an opportunity that I definitely   enjoy, and it blesses me far more than it probably blesses those listening.

It was a good week of winter break. Although it didn't seem like a much needed break from school because we've had so many snow days in the last two weeks, it was a good time to just spend time with our kids. The boys also have the academic fair coming up in April. Since this is our first experience with this event, I'll let you know how it goes! They each have to written  report on a topic, and do some research on it as well as a presentation board. We started on the projects a bit over break,and it was a good reminder of how God has blessed me with the Christian school. Could I homeschool them? Yes. Would I want to? No! I love our children but I am much better at just being ther cheerleader, coach and mom than being their education instructor.  God is so good to me!

Monday, February 27, we returned to school. Yay! Getting back into a routine and schedule is one of my favorite things to do!

Tuesday is music class day at the school. The music teacher had asked if I would be willing to teach music class today as her  husband recently underwent a surgery. I said yes, but I knew it would be a bigger deal for Emma than myself. Roger would be working, and I didn't want to have Emma sit  through several hours of music classes. However, the school also has a pre-k class for three her old school that meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I mentioned to Emma that she could probably go to the class if she wanted to while I taught class. It was as though I had handed her the moon! She wasso excited, and she told her  brothers all about it as soon as they came home from school on Monday. I was thankful to see that she was excited about going, but I was curious to see I found she would be as excited when I walked away from the classroom door on Tuesday morning! Sure enough Emma was all excited about going to "school" on Tuesday until we walked into the classroom. I knew she would be fine though so I walked away. I think it was harder on me than on her. That was my baby  that I left for the morning! But I did have a good time teaching music classes, and Emma did fabulously in her class. I also have lunch duty on Tuesday, so it was a bit of a long day for all of us.

Wednesday was Roger's day off of work, so he spent the morning doing a few errands that needed his attention while Emma and I attended the parent group meeting at the school. After the meeting and picking up  Travis, I came home to make a meal for the music teacher and her family. I've learned over the years of making meals for people that often the best meals are the simplest ones. I made the  same meal that I've made for several years now for families that I bring a meal to. It's one my kids enjoy and it's simple and tasty. I made stuffed taco shells, hot bean dip, vegetables, chips and a dessert. I wouldn't t say that I am a gifted cook or anything, but I do enjoy making a meal for someone on occasion. What a blessing to minister to others as I've been so blessed!

Thursday was a fun morning for me. After Emma had enjoyed preschool so much on Tuesday, Roger   and I talked about allowing her to continue to attend. Since she would be free, and she seems to enjoy    it so much, we decided that we would continue to allow her to go for now. She was still a bit hesitant when I dropped her off, but she was  happy to be at school like the "brothers". I was able to go on a run...the first one in a while. I definitely enjoy and need exercise, so that would be a huge plus for me in Emma going to school. However, I also want to make sure that I am making the best decisions for my child and not allowing my selfishness to get in the way. I was also able to have a coffee date with my friend, Allison. We discussed everything under the sun as well as the ladies Bible study that will be on Friday morning. This Bible  study is one that we are both excited about and thankful for the opportunity to reach out to other ladies in our area. The kids ended up with a half day at  school  today. There was a problem with the heater and the boiler, so school was dismissed at 11:30. Allison and I took the kids to the bowling alley. We haven't been bowling since before our move to Maine so that was fun! It was a bit like stepping back in time though as it was a very "vintage" bowling alley! But we had a lot of fun and laughs while doing something fun with our children.

  

A view from my run; the boy's  fort; adventures at the bowling alley 

Friday was our kick off day for our ladies Bible study. I made some treats for the ladies who came, and Allison made coffee. We managed to squeeze in a few minutes to pray together for the study before I needed to leave to play the piano for the school chapel service. Oh, how my heart is full! I desire to encourage these ladies in God's Word especially the mamas with young children. I remember the days of fatigue  and frustration with my lack of opportunities  to study in God's Word. It's hard for me to believe but I am quickly advancing to the side of no longer being a "mom of young children"!  Emma is 3 1/2 years old, potty trained, and sleeps fairly well at night. However, I remember with  great clarity the days of four boys in four years! I want to make sure that I try to reach out to other young moms in the trenches and encourage them.  I have offered to take a turn at providing  childcare for the moms that need to bring their children to the Bible study. I want these moms to have ever opportunity to be  able to  enjoy fellowship and a study in the Bible.  We had nine ladies attend the Bible study today. I am thankful for each one that's came, and I truly enjoyed digging into the Bible as we studied on "storms in our lives". I'm looking forward to seeing what God continues to do in and through me as we continue our Bible study.

William Carey said, "Expect great things from God. Attempt great  things for God."

Dr. Pat Robertson: "Attempt something so big for God that unless He intervenes, it's bound to fail."