Mom recently went to West Virginia, Baby Boy was a little sad about that but I think that he got a little distracted from all the fun! The day Mom left, we all said bye, and then we played in the morning and then went to the lake! It was tons of fun! We built a BIG sandcastle to, that we wrecked again once we had finished it which was fun! Then we went in the water for a long time and had crackers and trail-mix. Then we played in the sand a bit and then we went and washed off in the water, which was warm and cool! We then got ready to go after about an hour at the lake! We then went to Franklin's' Dam! It was cool! Then we went home and dried off. We had had fun! :)
Then we had soup and talked to Mom a bit on the phone! We then went to bed. We woke up the next morning did our chores, and we then made a cool castle! :) It was out of our Sonlight Box, which we got our school books in! :) We have gotten all of our school books, we have labeled them, got them all on the shelf and I think Mom has gotten our binder almost ready! So we are almost set up for school again! :) Then after that, we had lunch, which was choc. chip granola! MMMMMMMMM! :) Then we went on a cool trail that went along the Contoocook River! And we had fun! :) Then we went a got icecream :) I got butterscotch! Then we went home waited a bit, had supper, which was soup and bread :) Then we talked to Mom, and then went to bed.
The next morning we got up and got ready for church, had granola, and then we went to church! :) After church we stayed and had little marshmallows, grapes, we had punch and then we went home had naps, and then we went to the airport there was a HUGE thunderstorm so the plane did not land so it was delayed an hour! :) I Sis, Baby Boy, and Buddy liked that kind of because we could go up and down the escalators and walk on the moving sidewalks! Then when Mom's plane finally landed, we had fun and went to Wendy's! :)
~
By: Sis Age: 8
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Going Swimming at the Holiday Inn By: Buddy Age: 6
One day we went to Rolfe Park. It was closed, so instead we went to the
Holiday Inn. We got home made chocolate chip cookies, then we went swimming. I learned how to do the backfloat and stroke. Then we dried off we were there 2 hours. Then we got dressed. Then we went home and had cereal.
THE END
Holiday Inn. We got home made chocolate chip cookies, then we went swimming. I learned how to do the backfloat and stroke. Then we dried off we were there 2 hours. Then we got dressed. Then we went home and had cereal.
THE END
Some Thoughts on Mother's Day...
This past Mother's Day was a unique one for me. The beautiful lily plant in front of my home (a gift from two close friends) is a reminder of last Mother's Day, when I stayed home from church and wept over my recent miscarriage. I feared that I'd never again experience the joy of a precious life growing inside of me. This year my arms were filled with a new little miracle, Papoose. This delightful little boy has brought so much joy to our home.
Our pastor recently shared a quote that has given me so much comfort and reassurance that God truly has a merciful purpose for the lives of children we have lost. This was taken from the writings of Thomas Boston, a Puritan minister who lost several children in infancy.
"This day we spent some time in family humiliation and prayer, on the
account of the death of our youngest child Katherine... That child
was very comfortable to me; but I bless Him I was helped to part with
her; and saw and believed much of the Lord's goodness in that
dispensation... I never had such a clear and comfortable view of the
Lord's having other use for children than our comfort; for which ends
he removes them in infancy; so that they are not brought to the world
in vain. I saw reason to bless the Lord, that I had been made father
of six children, now in the grave, and that were with me but a very
short time; but none of them lost; I will see them all at the
resurrection. That clause in the covenant, 'And the God of thy seed'
was sweet and full of sap.'"
"I have heard it said that having a child is like having your heart walk around outside of your body (Eldredge)." Anyone who has brought a little one into this world knows exactly what I'm referring to.
My life is so rich with emotion - with passion and joy and little heartaches. My children live and love with such honest intensity. I am deeply honored to be the object of so much of their affection...
Sis and Buddy put so much thought into making the perfect Mother's Day for me. Sis found a mailed advertisement from a local jewlery store and hid it away so she could choose something pretty for her mom. Unfortunately, she misread the prices, thinking that they were in the ballpark of $6 instead of $600. Her face fell when she realized that she wouldn't be able to buy what she had chosen. Stephen came to the rescue and brought the kids out shopping. Sis chose a gorgeous Mother's Day necklace which I will treasure forever. Buddy too had some special plans. I found out that he had been nogotiating with a friend to sell his rubber snake for a startling profit so he could shop for me. I gently put a stop to the transaction, and he and Daddy chose a beautiful ice cream cake for me instead. We enjoyed such a special day together. Surrounded by these precious little ones and a loving husband, I am deeply grateful for the blessings in my life.
Our pastor recently shared a quote that has given me so much comfort and reassurance that God truly has a merciful purpose for the lives of children we have lost. This was taken from the writings of Thomas Boston, a Puritan minister who lost several children in infancy.
"This day we spent some time in family humiliation and prayer, on the
account of the death of our youngest child Katherine... That child
was very comfortable to me; but I bless Him I was helped to part with
her; and saw and believed much of the Lord's goodness in that
dispensation... I never had such a clear and comfortable view of the
Lord's having other use for children than our comfort; for which ends
he removes them in infancy; so that they are not brought to the world
in vain. I saw reason to bless the Lord, that I had been made father
of six children, now in the grave, and that were with me but a very
short time; but none of them lost; I will see them all at the
resurrection. That clause in the covenant, 'And the God of thy seed'
was sweet and full of sap.'"
"I have heard it said that having a child is like having your heart walk around outside of your body (Eldredge)." Anyone who has brought a little one into this world knows exactly what I'm referring to.
My life is so rich with emotion - with passion and joy and little heartaches. My children live and love with such honest intensity. I am deeply honored to be the object of so much of their affection...
Sis and Buddy put so much thought into making the perfect Mother's Day for me. Sis found a mailed advertisement from a local jewlery store and hid it away so she could choose something pretty for her mom. Unfortunately, she misread the prices, thinking that they were in the ballpark of $6 instead of $600. Her face fell when she realized that she wouldn't be able to buy what she had chosen. Stephen came to the rescue and brought the kids out shopping. Sis chose a gorgeous Mother's Day necklace which I will treasure forever. Buddy too had some special plans. I found out that he had been nogotiating with a friend to sell his rubber snake for a startling profit so he could shop for me. I gently put a stop to the transaction, and he and Daddy chose a beautiful ice cream cake for me instead. We enjoyed such a special day together. Surrounded by these precious little ones and a loving husband, I am deeply grateful for the blessings in my life.
Thought Provoking...
Several weeks ago I finished a book given to me by a dear friend. It is entitled, Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul. While I have found some of the Eldredges' writing to be extreme and would differ from some of their theological perspectives, I found that this book was filled with many useful insights and was truly encouraging.
The story of Hosea has been brought to my attention through all sorts of means these days. My cousin, Joli, recommended a novel to me which is loosely based on the story of his marriage to an adulterous woman (different characters, different setting). Stephen and I are planning to read it together as soon as it arrives! I have also replayed in my mind the lyrics from Michael Card's song, a hauntingly beautiful tribute to Hosea's dedication and Christ's relentless love for His rebellious children. Stephen played that for me while we were dating, so it hold special significance.
When I was reading through Captivating, I found myself returning to the author's comments on Hosea. These insights stand in stark contrast with my tendency to "perform" for God's favor, to feel as though I'm just going through the motions in hopes that some of my efforts will draw His attention and endear Him to me.
"Reading George MacDonald several years ago, I came across an astounding thought. You've probably heard that there is in every human heart a place that God alone can fill. (Lord knows we've tried to fill it with everything else, to our utter dismay.) But what the old poet was saying was that there is also in God's heart a place that you alone can fill. "It follows that there is also a chamber in God himself, into which none can enter but the one, the individual." You. You are meant to fill a place in the the heart of God no one and nothing else can fill. Whoa. He longs for you.
You are that one that overwhelms his heart with just "one glance of your eyes." (Song 4:9b). You are the one he sings over with delight...He wants your deep heart, that center place within that is the truest you. He is not interested in intimacy with the woman you think you are supposed to be. He wants intimacy with the real you. Here's how the flow goes in Hosea. First, God says that he will thwart our efforts to find life apart from him...
Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. (Hos. 2:6-7)
He does this...in order to wear us out, get us to turn back to him in thirsty longing. Then he begins to woo us. He often takes us aside from every source of comfort so that he calone can have our heart's attention.
Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. (Hos. 2:14)
Later Eldrige writes, "In the spacious love of God, our souls can lie down and rest. This love from him is not something we must struggle for, earn or fear to lose. It is bestowed. He has bestowed it upon us. He has chosen us. And nothing can separate us from his love. Not even we, ourselves..."
I wonder if some of the "desert experiences" in my life - the times of loneliness, exhaustion, and depression are God's invitation to me. An opportunity to join Him in the solitude of my soul and to be wooed by Him, to experience His unique and unconditional love for me.
The story of Hosea has been brought to my attention through all sorts of means these days. My cousin, Joli, recommended a novel to me which is loosely based on the story of his marriage to an adulterous woman (different characters, different setting). Stephen and I are planning to read it together as soon as it arrives! I have also replayed in my mind the lyrics from Michael Card's song, a hauntingly beautiful tribute to Hosea's dedication and Christ's relentless love for His rebellious children. Stephen played that for me while we were dating, so it hold special significance.
When I was reading through Captivating, I found myself returning to the author's comments on Hosea. These insights stand in stark contrast with my tendency to "perform" for God's favor, to feel as though I'm just going through the motions in hopes that some of my efforts will draw His attention and endear Him to me.
"Reading George MacDonald several years ago, I came across an astounding thought. You've probably heard that there is in every human heart a place that God alone can fill. (Lord knows we've tried to fill it with everything else, to our utter dismay.) But what the old poet was saying was that there is also in God's heart a place that you alone can fill. "It follows that there is also a chamber in God himself, into which none can enter but the one, the individual." You. You are meant to fill a place in the the heart of God no one and nothing else can fill. Whoa. He longs for you.
You are that one that overwhelms his heart with just "one glance of your eyes." (Song 4:9b). You are the one he sings over with delight...He wants your deep heart, that center place within that is the truest you. He is not interested in intimacy with the woman you think you are supposed to be. He wants intimacy with the real you. Here's how the flow goes in Hosea. First, God says that he will thwart our efforts to find life apart from him...
Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. (Hos. 2:6-7)
He does this...in order to wear us out, get us to turn back to him in thirsty longing. Then he begins to woo us. He often takes us aside from every source of comfort so that he calone can have our heart's attention.
Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. (Hos. 2:14)
Later Eldrige writes, "In the spacious love of God, our souls can lie down and rest. This love from him is not something we must struggle for, earn or fear to lose. It is bestowed. He has bestowed it upon us. He has chosen us. And nothing can separate us from his love. Not even we, ourselves..."
I wonder if some of the "desert experiences" in my life - the times of loneliness, exhaustion, and depression are God's invitation to me. An opportunity to join Him in the solitude of my soul and to be wooed by Him, to experience His unique and unconditional love for me.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
The Boscawen Public Library By: Sis Age: 8
We have recently been doing a summer reading program, it has been lots of fun, I thought that it would be fun to type a little paragraph about it on the blog! So, this is the recording of what you get per sheet . . . :)
The Boscawen Summer Reading Program Sheet Recorder: :)
Sheets:
1. A sticker
2. A small prize, such as a slinky toy
3. A small book, such as Beverly Clearly book
4. A sticker
5. A large toy, such as a 3ft. crayon piggy-bank
(Every 2 charts, we get a free ice-cream cone ticket to Kapellie's
I have finished all the charts, we will be going to the library for Buddy get his last chart, and for me to get a large toy! I am hoping to get something like the big magic box that they have! Buddy plans to get a torpedo. We can not wait to get our last few prizes! That will be lots of fun! We hve gotten 3 ice-cream tickets already!
By: Sis Age:8
The Boscawen Summer Reading Program Sheet Recorder: :)
Sheets:
1. A sticker
2. A small prize, such as a slinky toy
3. A small book, such as Beverly Clearly book
4. A sticker
5. A large toy, such as a 3ft. crayon piggy-bank
(Every 2 charts, we get a free ice-cream cone ticket to Kapellie's
I have finished all the charts, we will be going to the library for Buddy get his last chart, and for me to get a large toy! I am hoping to get something like the big magic box that they have! Buddy plans to get a torpedo. We can not wait to get our last few prizes! That will be lots of fun! We hve gotten 3 ice-cream tickets already!
By: Sis Age:8
4th of July Weekend
Our long weekend is only half over, and we've already packed in so much fun. I spent most of Friday afternoon in the kitchen, preparing our 4th of July cookout. I tried a delicious, new recipe from a magazine my grandma gives me for Christmas, "Cuisine at Home." The mango-glazed ribs were melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I served them with corn on the cob, oven roasted potatoes, salad from my garden, the kids' strawberry ladybugs, and the 4th of July cake (made by Sis and decorated by her and Buddy).
Later Stephen brought the kids to fireworks with their cousins and Uncle Tom while Krista and I hung out with Papoose and enjoyed a peaceful walk, some uninterrupted talking time and lots of laughs. Poor Baby Boy was the only one who had a miserable evening. He was terrified of the fireworks and ended up spending the last hour in the car. When he got home, he started looking frantically for his baby brother and said, "I want to hold him!" Then he told me, "Those fireworks were TOO MUCH!"
Yesterday we headed to the lake and enjoyed 5 glorious hours of relaxation and fun in the sun. Then we had Adam for dinner and watched an action-packed movie, "Vantage Point." My adrenaline is still racing!
As you can see, I haven't squeezed in some of the more productive activities I had planned on. I'm still waiting for that quiet block of time to order my curriculum, clean my house, and respond to many overdue e-mails. It feels great to be kind of irresponsible and to create so much spontaneous fun with my family!
Culinary Adventures (Megan)
Now and then I feel just a little bit wistful about my culinary days and allow myself to wonder what sort of adventures I might have had in that career. Although I wouldn't trade these precious years with my children for any of that excitement and prestige, I have wondered if all of that schooling and experience was wasted. Now I know it wasn't. Sis is sharing in my passion for cooking and begs me to teach her everything I know. How fun it is to take her through our garden, teaching her to identify and select cooking herbs, how to make basil chiffonade, to garnish her desserts... She is rapidly gaining independence in the kitchen and surprising me with her skill. Most mornings we'll wake up to a nice breakfast of oatmeal (carefully topped with brown sugar, milk and a few chocolate chips which she calls her secret ingredient). She often finds pictures of recipes she'd like to try (see the strawberry ladybugs), and we attempt them together. I feel as though this shared passion is a little gift to me, easing my disappointment over anything I might have given up for the sake of "mommyhood."
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Papoose with Big Cousin Pher
Here is a cute shot of the oldest and youngest cousins on the Z. side of the family. :)
Friday, July 4, 2008
just had to share these...
We've enjoyed lots of special times with our extended P. family this spring - including a pizza party and visit to Beech Hill ice cream and animal farm with Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Ron, a surprise retirement party for Grandpa P., and a field trip to the Freedom Trail in Boston. This last field trip was the culmination of our study of U.S. History. The kids diligently memorized Paul Revere's Ride, so they really appreciated the significance of the stops along the Freedom Trail.
So Much to Tell...So Little Time...
A big thank you to those of you who regularly check my blog. I'm sorry about the lack of posts. We've lived at the pool this past week (swimming lessons). I have kept a list of things I'd like to write about (beginning with stories about this past Mother's Day!!), but I can't seem to find quiet computer time. I'm actually nursing Papoose as I type this.
After I place my curriculum order for the fall and catch up on e-mails, I'm going to reward myself with a little blogging time. Of course that will have to happen in between taking care of 4 kids, preparing our holiday cookout, going to fireworks, and catching up on laundry and housework. 3 cheers for long weekends!
After I place my curriculum order for the fall and catch up on e-mails, I'm going to reward myself with a little blogging time. Of course that will have to happen in between taking care of 4 kids, preparing our holiday cookout, going to fireworks, and catching up on laundry and housework. 3 cheers for long weekends!
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