Today we celebrated Kathy’s birthday, and also Sarah’s birthday. This year Sarah showed her colors as a birthday ‘player’ — aware that the day is personally special and able to anticipate it, days in advance. On the first of July, she woke up early and tip-toed around the house, turning all the wall calendars to July, giggling happily. She even snuck into the boys’ room as they slept, and turned their calendar forward from June.

Sarah received a number of delightful presents, and was overjoyed to receive each and every one. She is a very satisfying gift recipient, gasping and wide-eyed with wonder almost before she knows what it is.

Kathy has been hinting for quite a while that she would really like to have a set of patio furniture.

“I’d really like a set of patio furniture. Here’s the specific one; I clipped the ad from Fred Meyer (they’re open until 9), and here are your keys,” she hinted. She’s always been a little coy and hard to read about these kind of things.

“Hmmmm. Are you sure we really need it?” My first line of defense is usually to pretend that I didn’t hear her, but I could sense that wouldn’t work in this case. “That’s an awful lot of money … what would Dave Ramsey say?”

Kathy was unimpressed by my attempt to name-drop. “Dave who? So, anyway, wouldn’t a new set of patio furniture be a better use for that money you’ve been hoarding, than for some stupid computer?”

This was the crux of the matter. I earned about $600 recently doing some side work for a friend, and I’ve been, for lack of a better word, hoarding it to buy a new computer. Our newest computer is almost three years old, which is shameful for a person in my line of work. Besides, there are a lot of games I can’t play with my current setup.

“There is no way I’m giving up that new computer! I’ve scrimped and hoarded at least three or four times, and each time, something more important comes up. Not this time!” The children had gathered as I bellowed, admiring my example of selfless sacrifice. Undaunted, I was firm in my resolve: nothing was going to stop me from buying that new computer.

Several weeks later, I stood in the garden department of a Fred Meyer, across town. My stonewalling had produced one effect: the stores near me had all gleefully sold out of the patio furniture Kathy wanted. “Curses!” I groused. With the help of a friendly clerk, I found one remaining set of patio furniture in a store in the next city over. Using a borrowed van, I bought it and thoughtfully stored the roomful of boxes in a friend’s living room. “It’ll be great,” I enthused, ignoring the way the boxed furniture hid the couch. “You’ll hardly even notice its there, har har.” Later, I heard that my friend’s children used the boxes to make a big fort, so maybe it was OK.

This morning I quietly unloaded the seats from the van and retrieved the patio set from my friend’s house under cover of early-morning mist. I must have been rather convincing in my bluster about not buying the furniture, because Kathy seemed pretty surprised. Joshua and I spent a good bit of the day assembling it, but it seems to have been well-appreciated. We lined up the first four chairs as though they were the thrones at Cair Paravel, and there was much squabbling among the children about which seat was King Peter’s, or Lucy’s.

Kathy’s friend Michelle generously took her out for a pedicure and lunch at their favorite Thai restaurant, which rounded out the day nicely.

Later in the day a few of Kathy’s friends came over for a low-key garden party that I had secretly engineered via Evite. I served fruit and cookies, and Joshua officiated as a Viking waiter. We both agreed that his horned helmet lent a certain dignity to the proceedings.

In the evening Kathy made us a delicious steak and potato dinner, and finished decorating a cake for Sarah. A good day was had by all.

Tim
Project 366, Day 198

It seems you’re never too old for mud pies.

Sarah’s birthday is on Wednesday. She’ll be 6 years old. She’ll still be my princess and baby.

Won’t she?

A big pile of dirt just cries out for attention. Sometimes it says, “Play with me! Drive cars up and down my hills. Dig your toes in my dusty layers.”

But today it shouted: “Add water and get dirty!”

You’re never too old for mud pies.

Can I place your order?

Kathy
Project 366 - Day 196

Before the older kids went to Norway, my parents were already talking about having all five of the kids come to their house for a weekend visit.

“Won’t you be tired of being around kids, after two weeks of traveling with Joshua and Rachel?” I cautioned.

“It’ll be fun,” they assured me. “We like to have time with all our grandchildren.”

So the night they flew back in from Norway, I had the other three kids packed. “You can take ‘em all straight home with you,” I chortled.

Who wouldn’t want this little princess in their home?

Okay, we did decide to let Grandma and Grandpa have a couple of weeks to recuperate. Last night we bundled the children all into my parents’ van and sent them off, dire warnings about obeying their grandparents ringing in their ears.

Kathy came home from a meeting at church before I went to bed, and we sat in the family room, savoring the silence. “Shhhhh!” I snapped, when she accidentally dropped her computer mouse, ruining a perfectly good five-second span of silence.

Sarah knows what to do with a free moment of silence.

I am a connoisseur of silences. I remember the deep black, textured silence of ’04, during the power outage, and the bright, blue-green silence of ’01, when everyone went to Fort Clark without me. Then there was the grey, melancholy silence of ’88, before I met Kathy, before my family was even a gleam in the eye, as they say. Silences are pretty rare, when there are five kids around the house, and you learn to attend to them when you get the chance.

This has not been a week with many silences, as my children would attest. “For crying out loud,” they’re probably thinking, “don’t get Dad started on another lecture!” I’m not sure if it is due to our tomato-staking project with Daniel, or because of the grey and rainy weather, but we’ve had many opportunities for parental intervention, correction and rebuke over the past week. I’ve been home for most of the week (I was sick on Monday, and decided to telecommute a few extra days) and so I’ve been present for much more of the bickering and general discontent than I usually witness.

“Kathy, will you just cool it, with all the bickering and discontentment,” I found myself snarling several times.

And some people say Sarah is the spittin’ image of Kathy. Hmmm.

No, actually, the problem doesn’t seem to be Kathy. It turns out that my children are sinful. Who knew? After all Kathy’s careful reading of pregnancy books, healthy eating and excellent prenatal care, our children were still born with a sin nature! How exasperating! I’m guessing Kathy and I must’ve inherited it from somewhere or other … and passed it on to our dear little kids.

For now, though, the kids are away, and we can relax a little. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for giving us a needed break!

All she wanted was some Grandma and Grandpa time.

Hope everyone survives the weekend.
Tim

Hooray - the semester (and year) of our homeschooling co-op has come to a lovely finish!! I love being a part of such an amazing group. The board members are dedicated, passionate women who love the students and believe whole-heartedly in making our co-op excellent. The other families are composed of some of our dearest friends. The kids thrive in their different classes - Rachel and Daniel both scored in the top of their spelling class. I am constantly delighted in the work the students produce for me in my classes.

We had a tea party in our kindergarten class this morning.

All of that said, I am thrilled to shed the responsibility, stress and work of another year at co-op. Whew! In the meantime, I will try hard not to think about the THREE classes I have committed to teaching next semester. There are so many fun ideas I like to explore with the kids, I have a difficult time pacing myself.

Ah, but fall is a long time away and I plan to thoroughly enjoy the spring and summer.

What’s a party without accessories?

Tim took over 300 pictures of our Friends and Family Night where the kindergarteners graduated, the choir performed, the older three took part in a mystery play, and the parents/teachers were honored.

First grade here we come!

Hopefully at least one or two of the pictures turned out.

Kathy
Project 366 - Day 116

Tianne Moon - EnJOY: A Thirst-Quenching Look at Philippians

We watched Session Four from this (DVD study) tonight at Bible study.

Running the Race

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

Four Things That Can Take Our Eyes off the Goal of Knowing Christ Intimately

1) Basking in the glory of past accomplishments -

When I was in college, I had amazing times with the Lord. It was so powerful!

But have you met with Him TODAY?

Two years ago I was a part of this new ministry at church. It was life changing for so many people.

But how are you serving the Lord TODAY?

If we spend so much time reflecting on the past, we will miss what the Lord wants to do in our present.

Sarah (age 5) sets out to teach Elise (also age 5) how to rollerblade. Oh my!

2) Bowing under the weight of past failures -

God can’t forgive me because I ____________. My sins are too big even for Him.
I can’t seem to stop struggling in this area (fill in blank), so why bother trying?

Isaiah 43:18-19 says: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

The Lord promises to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). We don’t need to be so burdened by our past struggles that we can’t move forward.

3) Biding our time waiting -

The Christian walk is an upward climb. If we choose to put our walk in neutral, we will not remain in one place. We either persevere and push onward and upward, or we slide back down.

Elise and Sarah abandon the rollerblades in favor of some other wheels.

4) Being distracted by earthly goals and interests -

Even things that appear outwardly good and positive can distract us from following God and His calling for our life.

Challenging thoughts on running the race. The question was asked:

What does your journey look like right now?
A meandering stroll? A light jog? A nap on the sidelines? An intense race?

And …

What changes can you make TODAY that will help you keep your eyes focused on the heavenly prize?

Thought provoking indeed.

Kathy
Project 366 - Day 112