Waiting on the Lord

Ethan's class performed 3 of the parables that Jesus told a few weeks ago. It was absolutely precious to watch. They were all so excited about their lines and costume changes. And even though there were a few hilarious pauses during the show, they pulled it off pretty well. :)

Ethan was the narrator in the first scene, the parable of the Sower. He decided, after much deliberation, to wear his tuxedo from his Uncle Matt's wedding.


The seed that grew on good soil!




The parable of the good Samaritan. After watching Joe get beat up by ninjas, Simon is enthralled by this story. :)






And the final scene, the parable of the Prodigal Son.




Rejoicing when the son came home!


Oh, I just love 1st graders. :)

The last few weeks have been a bit more normal around here. I'm almost 21 weeks along, and every week that passes I feel a little bit better. Now the puking is only occasional {today for instance...sorry to be graphic}, but most days I can stay off meds and am starting to feel semi normal again. Except for this annoying tummy I'm developing of course. ;)

I saw my sweet son on the sono screen last week, and even though it still hardly feels real, I am excited to have a boy again. To raise another little man who will someday hopefully serve the Lord with his life...wow, it just seems like such a daunting task. So many hearts to assess, so many issues that need to be talked over...and I only have 2 that are currently talking! {well, Clare does talk, but you know what I mean :) }. I know this job description is only going to get broader. Lord, how can I be all I need to be for these kids? Give me wisdom to know how to address these issues of life with each child individually. Give me grace for this task. I feel very inadequate tonight!


Elizabeth Elliott wrote this little devotional thought in A Lamp For My Feet:

No Evidence of Progress

At times nothing seems to be happening. So it must be for the bird that sits on her nest. Things are apparently at a standstill. But the bird sits quietly, knowing that in the stillness something vital is going on, and in the proper time it will be shown. It takes faith and patience for the bird, and such faith and patience never seem to waver, day after day, night after night, as she bides the appointed time.

Restless and doubtful we wonder why we have nothing to show for our efforts, no visible evidence of progress. Let us remember the perfect egg--unchanged in its appearance from the day it is laid. But while the bird waits faithfully, doing the only thing she is required to do throughout those silent weeks, important things are taking place.

I wait for the Lord. My soul waits,
and in His word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord more
than watchmen for the morning.
--(Ps 130:5, 6 RSV)

Made me think of parenting, and just how often there are phases of child training where there are very little visible results for all the effort we put in. Who knows what is going on in their little heads sometimes...and yet, my part, like the bird's, is to do what I'm supposed to do and wait faithfully for the Lord to do His work.

Because ultimately it is His work, isn't it?

BOY!!!!!

It's a Friday and that means Date Night!

Now that things have calmed down considerably, pregnancy wise, we have resumed our date night routine with Rex and Shawna. We started this back when Simon was a newborn, and he is five now. The times we've had to take a short break {due to pregnancies or busy schedules}, the kids have missed it so much.


It is especially fun when the weather is gorgeous and the evening can be spent outside.





I love to sit and watch it all go down, who plays with who, and what elaborate pretend scenarios they come up with. Tonight Camryn started out with Simon, eating their pancake dinner atop the playhouse roof {bad idea with drinks they found out}...but by the end of the night, she and Clare were playing house upstairs by themselves. All the dolls out, rocking them and putting them to sleep. It was precious, and Clare was in heaven! No one in our family plays like that with her!

Brooklyn and Simon often end up together, and tonight was no exception. She suggested Wii, and of course he was all about that. :)



Meanwhile, the first-borns and Dave played some version of HORSE. Dave won't tell me who won. ;)





Date nights make my heart happy. When we go out, yes, but we when stay in too. The friendships our kiddos have developed through these years are priceless. And they are all just a lot of fun to be around.



Continuing with my list of thanks! The Lord is good, and reflecting on the blessing that date has been in our lives reminds me of all the other things I've noticed this week:

55. Spring and the hope that it brings!

56. A lawn greening up in just a few short days - its mowing season!

57. Farm work day

58. The preciousness of a family working together

59. A place for the boys to run and play all day, covered in mud

60. Open windows at night

61. Bible study in our home again

62. A reason to make cookies :)

63. 25 free preschool chairs - God's loving provision!

64. The amazing power of God seen in 80 mph winds

65. A swing set still standing (so many families we know lost theirs)

66. 19 weeks!

67. More good days now than bad

68. Sweet little kicks

69. Sono scheduled for Tuesday


What's your guess?????