Wrapping up the 2008-09 School Year

Has it really been a week and a half since my last post? I apologize profusely for that!

We are wrapping up school for another year. I came to the realization in January that I wasn't making school the priority that it needed to be. It was always thrown in our busy day as the last thing we did, rather than it trumping the unimportant.

There was a day that I sat down with Nolan and Gideon and apologized for this. It wasn't that we didn't get our work done, but my daily focus was not where it needed to be.

Being a mommy to five and homeschooling the oldest two, can sometimes be overwhelming. I realized that I needed to tackle the task of homeschooling one day at a time. There were times that I really lacked the energy to do it all, and with prayer and the Lord's help, these past few months have been better than I ever thought possible.

Nolan is my first grader. He catches on extremely well to new ideas and concepts...which is no surprise to anyone that knows my Nolan! We have a few subjects yet to finish, which he will breeze through, of course. It's just a matter of getting them finished up. He is a lot like I was when I was in elementary school. He knows what he is asked to do...and he wants to get it done asap. I have really had to work on getting him to slow down and take the time to read carefully and check over for mistakes. If he gets things wrong, it's mainly due to his impatience of completely his work as fast as he can. We are working on this, and I can see a lot of improvement over the past year. There is a maturity in him this year that wasn't there last year. He is amazing little boy, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for him.

Gideon is my Kindergartener. When we first began the schoolyear, I had my doubts. He had just turned five, so he was on the young side for being in Kindergarten. We spent the first couple of months just practicing writing our letters and how to hold the pencil properly. There were days that I felt like I was talking to a wall...like nothing was getting in! Now, he can read and has learned a lot of the basic concepts needed to phonetically sound out words that he is not familiar with. He has learned many sight words, and I am just so proud of him. His face beams when he knows he has done a good job and immediately puts his hand up for a high five!

It has definitely been an interesting year, juggling the younger kids while I teach the older. Paysie had just been born when the year started and now she is starting to move herself around the house. Jamison is finally starting to talk after months of frustration on his part. Haddon is now looking forward to next year, when I will start him on a more structured preschool curriculum.

Needless to say, there have been days that it has felt like my plate was more than full....but those have been few and far between in the more recent months. I am so grateful that I am able to teach my children at home and couldn't imagine not being the sole teacher (along with John!) in their lives.

We have been truly blessed, and as this year wraps up, I am in awe of my God. That He would send me these little people to teach and to nurture...knowing that I would make mistakes and be so very imperfect with them on a daily basis. I am humbled by this great responsibility, but am so very thankful that the Holy Spirit has used me to teach and live out the Gospel to my children.

Must Unity Precede Revival?

John Piper recently blogged something that resonated with me.

J. Gresham Machen was not persuaded as so many seem to be today that revival and reformation will come to the church only after all the churches in a city experience more “unity.”

That has always seemed backward to me. If the churches had deep unity in the truth and in the Spirit, that would be revival and reformation—amazing reformation! Unity of the kind we need is one of the miracles of God’s reviving and reforming work.

And even when great revivals have come, along with new unity there was new division.

In the mean time faithfulness to the gospel and love for people, no matter how controversial, is the path to reformation.

Here’s Machen:

Souls will hardly be saved unless the evangelists can say with Paul: “If we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than that which we preached unto you, let him be accursed!” Every true revival is born in controversy, and leads to more controversy.

That has been true ever since our Lord said that he came not to bring peace upon the earth by a sword. Do you know what I think will happen when God sends a new reformation upon the Church? We cannot tell when that blessed day will come. But when the blessed day does come, I think we can say at least one result that it will bring. We shall hear nothing on that day about the evils of controversy in the church. All that will be swept away as with a mighty flood. A man who is on fire with a message never talks in that wretched, feeble way, but proclaims the truth joyously and fearlessly, in the presence of every high thing that is lifted up against the gospel of Christ.” (J. Gresham Machen: Selected Shorter Writings, 148)

A 12 year old sings

This little boy is quite amazing!

Shaheen Jafargholi performs on "Britain's Got Talent"

The Hallelujah Chorus

Does it really get any better than this?

One of my favorite you tube videos....

Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent

It's right up there with Paul Potts:

Happy Birthday my Haddon-boy!

You are FOUR!

I still remember the day you were born....

Gramma and Grampa from Maine came to visit, hoping to be able to be here when you were born! They arrived on your due date, April 2, 2005. Little did we know, you wouldn't make an appearance until the 11th!

Each day, I paid close attention to every ache and pain, hoping that it would be the beginning of labor.

I went into labor on a Sunday. We went to church, like every other Sunday....and daddy and Grampa went golfing that afternoon. All was calm.

Around dinnertime, I began to feel a little different, like something was trying to start up...yet I still had no contractions!

At 8pm, my contractions were very mild and not consistent at all. Gramma and I went outside to walk around a bit, in hopes that whatever was happening would continue.

By 10pm, we decided we should head out to the hospital. If you were going to come as fast as Gideon, then we had better leave! Daddy wanted to stop for some coffee, but he realized that as he heard me cringe while taking the turn onto the road, that we should probably head straight for the hospital.

We arrived at the hospital around 10:30pm. The nurses checked me, and I was dilated to a 3. We told them that once I get to 5cm, it will happen very fast, so be prepared. They didn't believe us...since every birth is different, but the pediatric nurse nodded her head, got the bassinet ready and just stood in the corner of the room.

At 11pm, I was dilated to 4cm.

At 11:45pm, I was dilated to 5cm.

Then things got fun. When they checked me at 12:05, I was complete and the Dr wasn't there yet!

They had me breathing through contractions...which is very hard to do!

When Dr Green showed up, he was quickly ushered into our room and waved at the camera daddy was holding. He asked the nurses "So, what's going on here?"

"You just wait until she has a contraction!" they told him.

He couldn't suit up fast enough....since that very next contraction, I told everyone, "I am pushing NOW!"

Within a single push, your head was out.

My response was "TAKE HIM OUT NOW!"

You popped out on that very next push at 12:23am.

Then, my response was "Wow, I feel SO much better!"

Haddon Edwards was born, weighing 8lbs1oz and measuring 21 inches long. You didn't cry right away because you had a lot of meconium in the amniotic fluid. They wanted to suction all of that out before letting you breath it in. We were so blessed that your breathing wasn't affected by this!

Gramma and daddy were there to see your grand entrance!

I felt great immediately upon delivery and didn't have any recovery time with you at all. I could really focus those first few weeks solely on you and your brothers.

You started to nurse as soon as you were born, and you haven't stopped eating since!

We love you so much and are blessed to have you as one of our boys. You bring a unique perspective to every situation, and you are always ready to hug or kiss anyone who asks.

I can't wait to see what else you come out with in the coming years. One thing is for certain...it won't be dull!

I pray that you grow in the Lord Jesus Christ. That you depend upon Him for all of your needs. That your faith grows and blossoms along with your years. I pray that mommy and daddy live in such a way that it does not hinder your spiritual walk with Christ. I thank God every day for you and the blessing that you have been to our family!

I love you SO MUCH!

Love, Mommy

Barabbas

Good Friday

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Dresses and booties

More dresses? More booties?

One simple answer....YES!

I've had this fabric since Christmastime, and I knew I wanted to make a dress for Paysie out of it. I showed it to my mom while she was here, and she made a pair of booties to match. A few days later, I made a peasant style dress with some gathering at the waist!

Paysie wore it to church this morning...but it was still a little chilly, so she wore a sweater over it. Maybe next time she wears it, you'll be able to see her puffy sleeves!




A couple weeks ago, I made Paysie a couple of dresses....one out of a seer-sucker fabric and one out of a nice cotton fabric with cherries on it!

Of course, my mom made Paysie a pair of cherry booties to match!




We are working on the whole modesty thing with Paysie!!

I made up the patterns to the dresses, but they are just simple peasant style dresses!