"This is what I really wanted!! Thank you, Michael Bitner!"

I am typically a Christmas-day-only gift opener.  But, our dear friend, Michael Bitner, is in town and has to leave tomorrow so the boys got to open their gifts from him today.  What a treat!  They are so content that I imagine no other gift will compare.  Though we will surprise them with a couple of items under the tree.  However, "cowboy guns" were at the top of the list.  So, two happy boys have we!!!

Yes, those are targets on my linen closet.  LOL!

George Washington resources?

Hello!  
Did anyone see Glenn Beck yesterday?!! He themed his whole show on heroes and stories. It was fantastic!  

Our family spent a good portion of this summer falling in love with George Washington and making him our hero. Glenn's show inspired me to continue to study the character of this wonderful hero.
 
Some resources that I have appreciated are:  

• Nest DVD about George Washington
• George Washington: America's Patriot by Renee Taft Meloche
• the book Big George: How A Shy Boy Became President of the United States by Ann Rockwell (be mindful of the de-emphasis of God's protection over Washington on the pages following the crossing of the Delaware, and the slight hint of feminism on the back page note. I mean, really, Washington was 6'3", an easy target in battle, yet was never wounded. This is not "luck" or "coincidence". In one battle alone-2 horses shot out from underneath him, a bullet hole in his hat and 4 in his coat. Please...let's give credit where credit is due. God divinely protected George Washington over and over again.)
• visiting Mt. Vernon
• Drive Thru History (American Revolution references).  

But, there must be some more wonderful resources I haven't found. Do any of you recommend resources that are true and accurate about George Washington? I see books about Washington everywhere but hesitate to pick them up because I don't want to read a watered-down version of the greatest man who ever walked the beautiful USA.  

I look forward to hearing your suggestions.  
Merry Christmas!

Soccer

We have been spending our Saturday mornings for the last couple of months playing soccer.  This is Brandon's 2nd year and Si's 1st.  Brandon has become very courageous and Silas is, of course, very enthusiastic.

Go Tigers, or Bobcats, or Bananas, or whatever the boys are calling their team this week!

Christmas cookies

Mom told Brandon a story:
My Grandmother made Gingerbread men every Christmas and would put them in a container in the freezer.  She was saving them for a Christmas party.  The day of the party she went to get the gingerbread out of the freezer and there were only 2 cookies left.  My uncle had been steadily eating them all.
Brandon's response?  "Bad boy!"
Love you, Uncle Troy!!!!  I have a feeling that will happen to me one year.  Haha!!

Silas slathering and sprinkling exhaustively his gingerbread man.

Brandon cleaning the spoon.

Pillar of Fire

So, the other day, I lit a candle at the breakfast table and was reading to the kids stories about the Exodus and the tabernacle.  I have a pamphlet that has a picture of the tabernacle and had propped it up on the table.  We were talking about how the cloud moved from the tabernacle and that meant that Israel was to pack up and follow the cloud which would turn into a pillar of fire by night.  Just then, I saw a giant flame coming from behind the tabernacle pamphlet.  Yep, I had set it too close to the candle and had a great visual aid of the pillar of fire for my kids.  No worries, other than a little ash on the table and a trashed pamphlet, everyone and everything was unscathed.

the lawn and ladybugs

I need to get my mind off the traumatic events of the last 24 hours and so here is a totally random post...

Jamie had rotator cuff surgery last Wednesday and is laid up for a few weeks.  And after the drama mentioned in my last post, I find myself reorganizing my life, setting my own family first (as it should be), and taking on unfamiliar jobs such as mowing the lawn.

I have never mowed the lawn before.  I have claimed ignorance all of my married life and it's been working for me.  But, today, it had to be done.  The grass was so embarrasingly long that I was ready to harvest and start beating the chaff out of it to see if it could eventually be useful in making bread.  Anyway, out came the mower.  Geez, that thing is heavy!  I rolled it onto the patio and pulled the heck out of that dumb cord.  And do you know what happened?  NOTHING.  Then, I heard Jamie from the living room, "Honey!?"  I go inside the house, "Yes?"  "There's a red button on the side of the mower that puts gas in it so it will start when you pull the cord."  "Ok, thanks."  So, out the door I go, push the button a few times, and pull the cord.  Nothing.  Hmmm.  From the living room I hear, "Honey?!"  Inside the house I go, "Yes?"  There's a thin handle on top you have to pull in when you pull the cord.  "Oh.  Ok, thanks."  Yes, that did the trick and I was off.  I figured mowing couldn't be much different from vacuuming and it wasn't.  But,  there were so many ladybugs on the grass and I was worried for them.  I didn't want to chop them to bits.  So, Silas worked beside me, rescuing ladybugs while I pushed the big red mower.  Do you think Jamie will ever mow again?  I have a feeling it has just become one of my new jobs.  I thought mowing was incredibly relaxing.  Or maybe it was just what I needed to take my mind off of the great Oksana fiasco.  A train wreck would feel relaxing after that.  Wait!  Wasn't I trying to take my mid off of this very subject?!  Ugh!

Save the ladybugs!  They really are cute little things.

It's Over

Oksana went home last night.

We have required no rules for her or consequences for her offenses (and believe me, there have been some doozies!).  So, we laid down the law yesterday, and she got angry, attacked me verbally (expletives) and physically, and then ran out of our house.  She was found by a neighbor a couple of hours later.  We packed as much up as possible.  Her dad and grandparents came to the house to pick up her stuff, did not say 2 words to us, and left.  They picked Oksana up at our friend's home and she is gone.

Disappointed and sad.  Under attack by those who should know and appreciate our efforts.  God knows.

Here's to getting out of your comfort zone for the glory of God...no matter what happens and no matter what people think.

One thing I must mention:  I have an amazing and wonderful husband.  He stood up for me (in front of me...taking the blows) and defended me to his family.  He truly is a Godly man who loves Jesus and his family above all.  I don't know why God has blessed me so dearly with such a man, but I am so very thankful.  And these few sentences in no way sufficiently describe him.

Thank you for your prayers as we have been on this adventure.  We have learned so much and have had opportunity to serve the Lord.  He is a passionate and loving God.