Fall adventures

We've been busy with studies and getting into the routine of a new school year. We've gone apple picking and visited a farmers' market on Saturdays where we've picked up farm fresh eggs, vegetables and meat.
We accompanied Wayne to Vermont for pastors' conference and explored the resort town of Stowe, toured Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory and roughed it in some very dingy but pricey hotel. We've gone on a nature walk and attended the butterfly exhibit at a local university.
We enjoyed a visit from Jake and Fran last month. Life has been busy but .... fall is fun!!

Why do I bother?

When people ask me what I do, I often hesitate. Where do I begin?

I'm tempted to reply with "What don't I do?"

Truly, I don't want to come off sounding like some martyr. I feeling truly blessed to do what I am able to do -

Care for my family and home.

And yes, often times that looks like the above pictures. Not glamorous, no paycheck at the end of the day

but more often than not, rewarding and important. Payment in hugs and kisses and knowing that

I'm serving and glorifying the Lord in the seemingly mundane tasks I do in any given day.

I find great joy and reward in decorating for the seasons, cooking creative meals,

home educating, finding ways to show love for my husband.

But then there are those days that I ask myself......

Why do I bother?

That day was yesterday.

Why do I bother cleaning a house with the exception of the basement - you know the one that has large

dust bunnies following you down the stairs, an area that has seemingly exploded, laundry in piles

and unmentionables hanging from the drying rack....

only to have my husband take our guest down there to show him something?

Why do I bother cooking a Thanksgiving dinner only to have something so embarrassing happen

I can't even type it because I'm so mortified?

Why do I bother spending hours practicing a violin piece to play for church on Sunday only to have my

daughter run circles around me while I'm trying play so that I hit her in the head with the violin bow

before I've barely started so that I'm so angry I give up, pack my stuff up, haul her out of there and leave the

service before it's even over?!!!!!!!

Why do I bother spending thousands of dollars over 4 years on violins and violin lessons for my talented

son who brought his violin to church to accompany the Sunday school choir on a song they are to sing

for church next Sunday - knowing full well that

It's broken in half.

Oh yeah.

Quite honestly, the wounds are still fresh so that the answer to this question is still a little blurry. I do seem to recall

through my haze a passage from Scripture

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9a

Paul goes on to say that he will boast all the more gladly about his weaknesses so that Christ's power

may rest on him.

So in taking advise from Paul I declare ....

I am not a perfect housewife!

I am not a perfect home educator!

I am not a perfect hostess!

I am not a perfect musician!

I do not have perfect kids!

For when I am weak, then I am strong - through Christ who gives me strength!!

Back to Homeschool

We spent our last hurrah of summer at the Labor Day Retreat in Massachusetts. My parents were able to attend the retreat by making it a part of their fall Harley ride. It was lots of fun to have them there and we all had a great time at the camp. It was the perfect way to end summer and start fall - surrounded by Christian friends, fellowship, Bible study and activities. We left refreshed and ready to go!

Tuesday was the first day of school and what better way than to have a field trip! We stayed an extra night in Albany, New York and visited the Battlefield of Saratoga. We explored the visitor's center, dressed up, watched a film on the Battle of Saratoga that was the turning point for the Americans in the Revolutionary War and drove to the checkpoints in the park where key events happened. Having never learned any of this in Canada, Wayne enjoyed the history lesson too!

Today was our first day of school at home and to celebrate the occasion, the kids make some back to school cupcakes. We started our day with a Bible lesson focusing on Genesis 1 and creation. What a great way to start our year! From there we started a new spelling program (I hope this will help!), began a geography program that has us become geographers exploring God's creation, Saxon 5/6 and continued our study of American history.

It never fails that at the start of every school year I go into a panic attack as the yellow school buses drive by. I wonder if we're doing the right thing? Do I know what I'm doing? Are we using the right curriculum? The doubts can overwhelm me! I'm thankful for the moments of clarity that come only through being in God's Word. We strive to do our best as parents and make decisions based on how we can best serve the Lord, even when that means going against the norm. It's sure not easy yet I somehow find that comforting.....

Do I Get Another Option?!!!

The first sign we saw on our trip back from the States didn't have the option of Correctional facilities. I jokingly asked for a third option. The next sign immediately gave me one. Which one to choose?

The Last Days of Summer.....

I do not have a green thumb. I blame my mother but let's not get into that. Despite this, I still like to have flowers to enjoy in the backyard and plant some tomatoes we can enjoy about this time in the summer. This year, because we were gone for three weeks in July, I didn't want to invest in a whole lot of plants since I wouldn't be around to care for them. I decided to try planting some wildflower seeds in my half barrel out back. Zanna helped me sprinkle them and water them. And then we watched green shoots sprout up. I kept watering them. They looked like weeds. I thought maybe I was watering weeds. But it was a chance I was willing to take. We returned from our holiday during which my neighbor so nicely agreed to water my flowers. They were all alive thanks to her - and my barrel of weeds turned into lovely wildflowers!! What fun to pick a bouquet and bring it into the house for all to enjoy. Humor me.
Will enjoyed "Lego my airplane" camp at the Aviation Museum. This lucky boy got to play with Legos everyday for half of the day with other like minded boys (and one girl) and the other half was spent learning about airplanes and related things. The last day was highlighted with an actual plane ride that lasted for about 15 minutes. Will got to sit in the front, took lots of pictures with his camera and even a short video of the descent (sound like anyone we know and love? Big Will (my grandpa)!)

August always brings us 2 weeks of VBS between the 2 churches Wayne serves - in Ottawa and Quebec. We hosted Kingdom Workers from Wisconsin the second week as they volunteered their time and energy into the Quebec church's VBS. We loved having these young adults in our home, getting to know them and having them interact with our kids. What a blessing!! They did a great job and served their Lord faithfully. Our church's VBS in town ended with a community fun day with the bouncy blow up slides and stuff, carnival games and food. Wayne thought the sumo wrestling might be fun (inspired by The Office - Beach Day episode) and it was the highlight! Pictured here is our lovely family - good enough for the Christmas card, perhaps?
Last weekend we had our big reunion with the families we traveled to China with. (a few families are missing) It's been 31/2 years and look how they've grown! It was great to catch up, share memories and watch the kids play. They will always have a special bond!

Otherwise, we have truly been enjoying our summer break. It's a treat to sleep in, make a lazy breakfast, go for picnics, meet friends at the park, family walks, bike rides, read books, a trip to the new water park and lounging in our backyard (with a view of my flowers!).

Yesterday I even spent all day in bed! What?!! It's not as exciting as you may think. To recap:

February 2010 - intense pain in tooth

March - root canal

April - different tooth in intense pain - tooth pulled

June - braces off

August - temporary crown on root canal tooth

Permanent crown doesn't fit, another temporary

A cavity on an unrelated tooth is found

Yesterday - oral surgery to insert titanium post into space with no tooth, highly drugged experience, spent the rest of day in bed

So that's my story so far - looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds. It's getting pretty old. I try to be thankful for the care I am able to get, the technology available and a supportive husband. And medication. Thank you, Lord.

Summer Vacation in Wisconsin

We've had a busy and fun-filled July spent visiting my family in northern Wisconsin. The kids are pictured here with my grandparents who live close by my parents. It was so good to see everybody. Apart from the delicious meal Grandma provided for our group and several small visits hanging out on their deck, Zanna spent an afternoon of special attention with her great grandparents. And Will had the privilege of an overnighter, talking model airplanes with his great grandpa.
Other highlights of the trip included a visit to a nearby children's museum where Will found this ridiculous costume and walked around with it on most of the afternoon.

The ladies (me, Mom and Zanna) hit flea markets galore all over the area in search of hidden treasure. On a Friday night you'd likely find our group at a restaurant that served us fish fry and sweet whiskey old-fashioned drinks (with a maraschino cherry or two). We cruised the lakes on Mom and Dad's boat where the kids both practiced their navigation skills on the open water. Lord help us..... Zanna has a tendency to look behind her as she's driving (looking for a reaction to her speeding up) instead of what's ahead of her. The kids and I hung out at the beach in Minoqua one afternoon. Will rode on the back of Dad's Harley for many hours (with his mother's prayers drowned out by the noise). The men (Dad, Wayne and Will) could also be found at the shooting range, testing out guns to see how well they could hit their target. (hello - we're in the USA!) More prayers! Will and his Oma did a duet at their church on Sunday. They played "In Christ Alone" with Will on the violin and Oma on the organ/piano. We were concerned that one look over the balcony revealing a much larger congregation than to what we're used to at ours might cause some stage fright. No worries needed, it was a beautiful moment shared between grandson and Oma, glorifying God with song! (sigh of relief!!)
Wayne attended summer quarter at Seminary in Mequon, WI the first week we were there. He took two classes, both of which he enjoyed and found helpful to his ministry.

At the end of our stay, my Mom and I attended the Women's Ministry Conference at the Sem. I hadn't been back since Wayne's graduation. It was fun to see it all again, including our crappy old apartment in Harbour Pointe in an area of town I very quickly drove through, fearing for my safety (we're not in Ottawa anymore!). I met my sister-in-law Steph at the convention and it was fun to catch up and briefly see her girls and Wayne's brother Jeff. The conference was wonderful in content, inspired by being on the very grounds where all our synod's pastors through the years have been so carefully trained in the Word of God. We attendees to the convention had the privilege to worship with and be taught by two professors and the president of the Seminary along with many godly women who shared their wisdom and encouragement with us. Wonderful and uplifting!

Mom is on the Women's Ministry committee and had meeting afterwards. While she did that, I met up with a dear friend from Grafton, did some shopping and eating at the mall one afternoon and browsed the aisles of Northwestern Publishing House by myself (this is big!) It was lovely!!

It was good to be "home", be spoiled by Mom's good food and hospitality, enjoy the beauty of the northwoods of Wisconsin and miss home. Sometimes you have to leave it to miss it.

I milked a cow on my B-day!

For my birthday, my family gave me the royal treatment! For breakfast I was served eggs benedict on the red "you are special" plate (a family tradition). Then we were off to the country for a day of perusing an antique/restored furniture barn, a picnic with a view of the St Lawrence seaway and a visit to Upper Canada village.
We all got a chance to milk the cows except for Wayne who opted out of the experience due to allergies (no, it wasn't a cop-out - he gets quite miserable on farms!). Will was the natural in the family having done it in September when he lived in the village for 2 days as a boy in the 1860's. But for Zanna and me it was a weird but fun experience!!
And Will surprised me with a gift he purchased from our church's recent silent auction he participated in by buying a Christmas figurine for 25 cents and giving it to me for my birthday - haha!

The day ended with a nice meal out for supper alone with my hubby!!!