On to new things...

     This past week was a strange week with a holiday, one last day of school (that mine didn't attend, but was there none the less) and then 3 days of "Summer."  I say "summer" because it turned off cold here and one day I resorted to blue jeans, a long sleeve shirt and wore house shoes all day because my feet were cold.  Jason and I both felt at the end of the week, "How in the world is this still the same week!  Gale just left on Monday!"  It was a long week.  This week will be our real first week of Summer with swim lessons, play dates, summer journals, a fun jar, and my new schedule still throwing my sleep schedule off a bit. A sweet friend of mine remarked that it's a little like jet-lag.  Three days of off by a few hours, then a few days to re-adjust just in time to do it again.  So I'll just try to pretend my tiredness IS from jet-lag and I must have travelled to some far-away place to have it.  I do have wander-lust, so this will have to do for now. 

     Our schoolroom is mostly cleared out now of the non-school things that accumulated in the previous computer/piano/
sewing/yoga-ball-antic room. I got the partition made (so when we have people over we can hide some of the school mess from them). My books have been moved to my bedroom to make room for a shelf full of the girls' books, two of the three desks have been cleared of non-school things, even the pictures are off the wall. Looking at it now, I have no idea what it will look like when we're done! The girls have convinced me to purchase a really cool hanging chair for reading independently - I just have to figure out how to get one b/c it's only sold in Canada. Ebay may be my only hope for that one as I calculated it to be much more expensive if I try to make it than if I buy it. I have been very blessed for the slew of friends who have offered advice, experiences, opportunities to observe and learn, and the loan of their books to me as I continue to prepare for homeschooling. We've decided to join a co-op for the girls to get some large group school time as well one day a week. Everyone has been so supportive so far - from homeschool moms letting me in their homes to see what they do, to the teachers and principal at Bottenfield offering any help or ideas I need, to other highly-qualified teachers-friends at UI who have given me wonderful resourses to peruse.

    This Sunday was a big day for the kiddos at our church.  It was Promotion Sunday and so now Lyla is officially upstairs with the big kids as a kindergartner.  She was loving it!  She and Celee even insisted that they have their hair curled the night before.  Lyla was a little nervous and held Gwyn's hand for quite a while in the big group, but then she had a blast!  She told me all about the songs and the motions she learned today and was very proud of her "I love Jesus!" bracelet she received. (she tried to sleep with it on) The morning was also poinant for me because prior to going to church somehow we ended up with an hour or so to kill with us all dressed but not time to go yet.  (This almost NEVER happens)  So I was laying on my bed flipping though channels.  Lyla was with me and we stopped for a moment on a Charles Stanley broadcast - he was discussing forgiveness and said something about Jesus saving us.  Lyla all of the sudden remarked, "Jesus saved me" very matter-of-factly.  I stopped short, my mind jumping to all sorts of "what exactly does she mean theologically" questions.  Then she clarified, "Yes, when the thunder was booming Jesus saved me."  Then she proceeded to list off the various ways people refer to thunder like God bowling, clouds fighting, etc.  What a sweet thought!  When we had a thunderstorm the other night and she was scared, she prayed for Jesus to save her from the thunder.  And He did.  I just love the faith of children and the small assurances they get that their prayers are answered.  I've got to remember that!  God blesses and saves me daily in who knows how many ways (like not falling off the 2nd story roof yesterday as I cleaned the gutters)- and I need to not take that for granted.  After all, Jesus did save me too.
     Jason and I were talking yesterday during our Staff Meeting (a wonderful habit to have by the way), about how easy it is for real intimacy (not necessarily the physical kind) to be lost in a time of transition.  We can be spending loads of time together, talking a lot, and still not be sharing ourselves with each other.  We do talk a lot, but lately it's been a lot of what's the schedule look like, what are we going to eat, what to do with whatever child is having a meltdown at the moment, in other words surface level things.  It really does take intentionality to go beyond a surface level relationship, especially when that surface stuff is important and immediately necessary.  I think this was easier to do when we were teaching marriage-based classes.  We were held accountable to be good examples of intentionally using relational tools to keep our marriage intimate and healthy.  Now no one knows if we do this or not.  Well I guess I just let people know by writing this, but the point is our accountabilty hasn't been there to keep ourselves in check.  So perhaps by writing this I'm holding myself accountable to put more thought into what is on Jason's heart, what his frustrations and delights may be right now, and how to better meet his emotional needs.  There. I said it. So now I've got to do it right? 
     Three of my friends are leaving for Ethiopia this week to do work with and be blessed by children's ministry there.  Another childhood friend of mine also just moved with her family of 5 to Honduras this past week.  They are going to live as a foster family in a very unique type of orphanage that places children in a home setting in-country.  As our pastor remarked in his sermon on Ruth, these people are taking risks, but they are taking godly risks to do godly work.  Their stories are such an encouragement to me.  I really should not be worried about my little-by-comparison risk-taking!  Hopefully when I am called on to take a big risk I will have the faith to step up.  May these wonderful people be blessed in their faithfulness!