This was a good month for reading! All titles are hyperlinked for those who want to know more about the book.
For One More Day, by Mitch Albom
What would you do if you could spend one more day with someone who has died? That's what happens in this book. As is the case with Mitch Albom's books, I really enjoyed this story. His books are always short, easy reads that are unique.
Fostering Or Adopting The Troubled Child, by Janet Clayton Gatz
This book was recommended to me by someone on the Sonlight forums. We are confident that we want to adopt a child with special needs, but we don't know if those needs will be predominantly behavioral/emotional or physical. So, I've started doing some reading on the behavioral stuff, just in case. This book was straightforward and practical, which I love.
Bridge Called Hope, by Kim Meeder
I found this book at the library near the other adoption books. It's about a ranch in Oregon that adopts abused and neglected horses, then lets hurt and troubled kids help to take care of them. Neat program! This is the second book about the ranch, so I'll get the first one read next month. Ironically, the Oregonian ran an article about the ranch on Christmas day, just a week after I finished the book.
Dave Barry Is From Mars & Venus, by Dave Barry
This was a book my dad received for Christmas and I started reading it at his house. It was hilarious!! Some chapters were just all right, while others had me trying my hardest to breathe and not pee my pants. I hopped online and reserved it at the library because I wasn't going to have time to finish it at my dad's. It was waiting for me when I pulled into town and I finished it right up. Funny! We also checked out the CD so that Tim can listen to it on the drive to work.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
ORPHANS & WIDOWS
There is a verse that I've been thinking about a lot over the last few months. I'll share it with you here.
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Our desire to adopt out of the foster care system is in the forefront of my mind these days, so it makes sense that I'd be thinking about this verse more than usual. However, we all need to be looking after orphans and widows. Every single one of us. That means the Ws (and we're going to become more active in this area). That means you.
How are you helping orphans and widows? How can you help orphans and widows? The answers to those questions will vary from person to person and family to family, but we all need to be doing something. Anything. And while I believe that it's important to pray for the orphans and widows, I'm confident that the verse in James is talking about practical, tangible, physical ways of helping.
I thought I'd list out some of the things that I've thought of, but I'd love for you to share more ideas in the comments section. Some of the things in my list are for the elderly population in general, as many of them are widowed. Other things may include kids in single parent homes, foster homes, etc. While these kids may have a real or substitute parent, they don't have the complete set of parents that they should have. Items in green are hyperlinks for you to get more information.
WIDOWS
* drive them to appointments, stores, etc.
* mow their lawn
* watch their kids (not all widows are elderly)
* stop by to visit, do puzzles, etc
* invite them over for dinner & give rides, if needed
* visit a nursing home, assisted living, or adult foster care facility
* acknowledge their deceased spouse's birthday, date of death, and anniversary
* make sure they have food, heat, etc during a storm
* volunteer for Meals on Wheels
* anonymously put money toward their account (rent, electricity, garbage, etc)
ORPHANS
* foster a child
* adopt a child
* give money to organizations that care for orphans
* provide foster parents with toiletries, kids' clothing, gas cards, etc
* provide money to a family who is in the midst of an expensive adoption
* join Big Brothers Big Sisters
* volunteer for a missions organization that serve in orphanages
* host a shower for an adoptive parent (they'll need stuff for new kids who aren't babies too!)
I know there are a gazillion more ideas out there, but these were off the top of my head. Please share the things that you do to help orphans and widows. Or brainstorm ways that those who are new to the idea could get started. Include links to websites when possible!
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Our desire to adopt out of the foster care system is in the forefront of my mind these days, so it makes sense that I'd be thinking about this verse more than usual. However, we all need to be looking after orphans and widows. Every single one of us. That means the Ws (and we're going to become more active in this area). That means you.
How are you helping orphans and widows? How can you help orphans and widows? The answers to those questions will vary from person to person and family to family, but we all need to be doing something. Anything. And while I believe that it's important to pray for the orphans and widows, I'm confident that the verse in James is talking about practical, tangible, physical ways of helping.
I thought I'd list out some of the things that I've thought of, but I'd love for you to share more ideas in the comments section. Some of the things in my list are for the elderly population in general, as many of them are widowed. Other things may include kids in single parent homes, foster homes, etc. While these kids may have a real or substitute parent, they don't have the complete set of parents that they should have. Items in green are hyperlinks for you to get more information.
WIDOWS
* drive them to appointments, stores, etc.
* mow their lawn
* watch their kids (not all widows are elderly)
* stop by to visit, do puzzles, etc
* invite them over for dinner & give rides, if needed
* visit a nursing home, assisted living, or adult foster care facility
* acknowledge their deceased spouse's birthday, date of death, and anniversary
* make sure they have food, heat, etc during a storm
* volunteer for Meals on Wheels
* anonymously put money toward their account (rent, electricity, garbage, etc)
ORPHANS
* foster a child
* adopt a child
* give money to organizations that care for orphans
* provide foster parents with toiletries, kids' clothing, gas cards, etc
* provide money to a family who is in the midst of an expensive adoption
* join Big Brothers Big Sisters
* volunteer for a missions organization that serve in orphanages
* host a shower for an adoptive parent (they'll need stuff for new kids who aren't babies too!)
I know there are a gazillion more ideas out there, but these were off the top of my head. Please share the things that you do to help orphans and widows. Or brainstorm ways that those who are new to the idea could get started. Include links to websites when possible!
Monday, December 29, 2008
TUNES WE LISTENED TO - DECEMBER
While you read through this month's list of music, be thinking of CDs that you want to recommend. I'll listen to anything I can find at the library.
Schindler's List (Soundtrack) - I really enjoyed this CD. Sometimes I just want instrumental music and this was a nice CD.
The Military Band - Salute To The Services (Band) - Fun stuff for the offspring to march to.
David Lanz - Return To The Heart (New Age) - I love David Lanz! I already have Cristoferi's Dream and the piano music is so relaxing. This CD was equally fantastic!
When Harry Met Sally (Soundtrack) - What's not to love about Harry Connick Jr.?
Dadawa - Sister Drum (World - Chinese/Tibetan) - This is a Chinese woman singing Tibetan music and I really liked it. The boys thought it sounded funny, which is what I expected.
Santana Greatest Hits (Pop/Rock) - Fun music!! Perfect for cleaning house or washing dishes.
Natalie Cole - Unforgettable: With Love (Pop/Rock) - Fabulous CD!
The Brian Setzer Orchestra - The Dirty Boogie (Pop/Rock) - Well, this one was a major hit with the boys, as it's really fun dancing music.
Magical Strings - Crossing To Skellig (World - Celtic) - Another keeper.
So, what music do you want me to check out on my next trip to the library?
Schindler's List (Soundtrack) - I really enjoyed this CD. Sometimes I just want instrumental music and this was a nice CD.
The Military Band - Salute To The Services (Band) - Fun stuff for the offspring to march to.
David Lanz - Return To The Heart (New Age) - I love David Lanz! I already have Cristoferi's Dream and the piano music is so relaxing. This CD was equally fantastic!
When Harry Met Sally (Soundtrack) - What's not to love about Harry Connick Jr.?
Dadawa - Sister Drum (World - Chinese/Tibetan) - This is a Chinese woman singing Tibetan music and I really liked it. The boys thought it sounded funny, which is what I expected.
Santana Greatest Hits (Pop/Rock) - Fun music!! Perfect for cleaning house or washing dishes.
Natalie Cole - Unforgettable: With Love (Pop/Rock) - Fabulous CD!
The Brian Setzer Orchestra - The Dirty Boogie (Pop/Rock) - Well, this one was a major hit with the boys, as it's really fun dancing music.
Magical Strings - Crossing To Skellig (World - Celtic) - Another keeper.
So, what music do you want me to check out on my next trip to the library?
Sunday, December 28, 2008
PICTURES
I'd like to formally announce that I have updated our Webshots page. Nothing has been added there for two months, as our camera died. However, I have a bunch of pics my dad took over Christmas that I have loaded tonight. Plus, we were blessed with a new camera, which means the weekly Sunday updates will continue next week with our own pics.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
OUR CHRISTMAS
We have spent the last three years alternating between our house and my dad's house for Christmas - 2005 there, 2006 here, 2007 there. The plan was that we'd all be here this year. However, we were thrown a curveball when we found out in late October that my dad could only get Christmas day off this year, making it impossible for him to travel here. There are three people at his work who take turns getting extra time off at Christmas, so the "every other year" plan won't work anymore.
That wouldn't normally be a big deal, except for the facts that I've never spent a Christmas without my dad (I'm big on tradition!) and we hadn't budgeted for a trip south. My dad's schedule and our budget just wouldn't allow us to spend Christmas day together. We came up with a backup plan, which involved my dad coming up alone the weekend before Christmas. I was bummed, but realized most people have spent a Christmas without their parents by my age and I needed to just make the best of it.
Flash forward to the tenth of this month. That's the day a friend of mine tells me that it's ridiculous that money would stand in the way of spending Christmas with my dad and that we would be receiving a chunk of change to pay for a trip south. Well, that was a total blessing ... except for the fact that I didn't know if it would work on my dad's end. They already had Christmas plans at someone else's house and my dad needed to get up early on Friday for work.
After several e-mails and questions and decision making we realized it was going to work! Woo hoo!!
Then, it snowed here. And it snowed some more. And it snowed even more. Our yard had a foot of snow, the roads were covered in snow and ice, and the storm wasn't over. We didn't think we could get out of our driveway, much less out of town. So, we let my dad know we probably wouldn't be there.
Then Tim said we should just give it a shot and let the roads decide for us. Well, the money we were given paid for chains (our first time using them), lodging for my grandma (we'd already planned on having her to our house for Christmas and weren't going to head south if she wasn't with us), lodging for us (we spent one night at a hotel because we left a day early, and at the last minute, to beat the last of the storm), meals, and gas. Such an incredible gift we received!! Devon was pretty excited about his first hotel experience too.
Our time at my dad's was great. We were invited to join the group they were spending the day with, a hodge podge of relatives that I'd need to make a flow chart to explain to you. Instead of the traditional Christmas turkey we had a Mexican potluck. Oh my! Tons and tons of good food! Debra, my dad's wife, made an awesome cheesecake that I'll have to post on FOR THE LOVE OF GRUB. It was so tasty that Tim, who doesn't like cheesecake at all, loved it! We were able to catch my sister's family on Skype on their Christmas morning, which was our Christmas Eve night. It was fun talking to them and seeing each other via the webcams. Debra and Ashley took the boys on a date to Cactus Jacks and "Old McDonald's" on Friday, which the boys thought was a ton of fun.We didn't have much opportunity to visit friends while we were down there, but did get to stop in and see Ryhan and Marie on our way out of town. Time spent with them is always so refreshing.
So, are you getting bored with all the details? Sorry, I have more. Oh wait. I forgot to mention that the first 25 miles of our trip south took four hours. That's right. Four hours. That was the longest trip we've ever taken to my dad's! We had no accidents though, so we won't complain. I will mention one more time, however, that the first 25 miles took four hours!!!
Now, here's the ending. We pulled into our driveway about 5:30 tonight, scarfed some dinner, ran some errands, then had another Christmas. We still had some gifts at home from various people. We thought about opening them before we went to my dad's, but I was afraid the roads would be too bad to drive on and we'd have to come home, which would have meant nothing for the kids to open on Christmas day. Anyway, the kids opened a bunch of gifts tonight from friends and family. They had a ball! It was my favorite year of them opening gifts so far. Naomi got a huge kick out of tearing paper and the boys were truly delighted over the things they got. So fun!
Notice I only mentioned the kids? That's because we did a "kids only" Christmas this year. First time we've ever done that, but it was the wise thing to do for us this year and we're ok with it. Sometimes the wise thing isn't the fun thing. However, Tim and I were blessed anyway.
First, we got a camera!! In case you haven't noticed, I haven't posted any new pics here, on the forums, or on Webshots since the end of October. Our camera just stopped working. It would occasionally work for Tim and never for me. So, with gifts from two different people/families we were able to buy a new camera. I'm in love with it. Truly. It's not fancy shmancy, but it's nicer than our last one, which was a camera I was already perfectly content with. You know how much I love taking pics, so it's been a huge bummer for me to not have a camera and not have any way to get a new one. So, the one we have now is a blessing all around. I'll be back to weekly updates on Webshots in no time flat.
Anyway, that would have been enough for Tim and I, but it didn't stop there. We came home to an envelope overflowing with gift cards to various places, both practical and frivolous. I see some free dates in our future, plus some other shopping and dining!
So, that's that. It was a fantastic Christmas!
That wouldn't normally be a big deal, except for the facts that I've never spent a Christmas without my dad (I'm big on tradition!) and we hadn't budgeted for a trip south. My dad's schedule and our budget just wouldn't allow us to spend Christmas day together. We came up with a backup plan, which involved my dad coming up alone the weekend before Christmas. I was bummed, but realized most people have spent a Christmas without their parents by my age and I needed to just make the best of it.
Flash forward to the tenth of this month. That's the day a friend of mine tells me that it's ridiculous that money would stand in the way of spending Christmas with my dad and that we would be receiving a chunk of change to pay for a trip south. Well, that was a total blessing ... except for the fact that I didn't know if it would work on my dad's end. They already had Christmas plans at someone else's house and my dad needed to get up early on Friday for work.
After several e-mails and questions and decision making we realized it was going to work! Woo hoo!!
Then, it snowed here. And it snowed some more. And it snowed even more. Our yard had a foot of snow, the roads were covered in snow and ice, and the storm wasn't over. We didn't think we could get out of our driveway, much less out of town. So, we let my dad know we probably wouldn't be there.
Then Tim said we should just give it a shot and let the roads decide for us. Well, the money we were given paid for chains (our first time using them), lodging for my grandma (we'd already planned on having her to our house for Christmas and weren't going to head south if she wasn't with us), lodging for us (we spent one night at a hotel because we left a day early, and at the last minute, to beat the last of the storm), meals, and gas. Such an incredible gift we received!! Devon was pretty excited about his first hotel experience too.
Our time at my dad's was great. We were invited to join the group they were spending the day with, a hodge podge of relatives that I'd need to make a flow chart to explain to you. Instead of the traditional Christmas turkey we had a Mexican potluck. Oh my! Tons and tons of good food! Debra, my dad's wife, made an awesome cheesecake that I'll have to post on FOR THE LOVE OF GRUB. It was so tasty that Tim, who doesn't like cheesecake at all, loved it! We were able to catch my sister's family on Skype on their Christmas morning, which was our Christmas Eve night. It was fun talking to them and seeing each other via the webcams. Debra and Ashley took the boys on a date to Cactus Jacks and "Old McDonald's" on Friday, which the boys thought was a ton of fun.We didn't have much opportunity to visit friends while we were down there, but did get to stop in and see Ryhan and Marie on our way out of town. Time spent with them is always so refreshing.
So, are you getting bored with all the details? Sorry, I have more. Oh wait. I forgot to mention that the first 25 miles of our trip south took four hours. That's right. Four hours. That was the longest trip we've ever taken to my dad's! We had no accidents though, so we won't complain. I will mention one more time, however, that the first 25 miles took four hours!!!
Now, here's the ending. We pulled into our driveway about 5:30 tonight, scarfed some dinner, ran some errands, then had another Christmas. We still had some gifts at home from various people. We thought about opening them before we went to my dad's, but I was afraid the roads would be too bad to drive on and we'd have to come home, which would have meant nothing for the kids to open on Christmas day. Anyway, the kids opened a bunch of gifts tonight from friends and family. They had a ball! It was my favorite year of them opening gifts so far. Naomi got a huge kick out of tearing paper and the boys were truly delighted over the things they got. So fun!
Notice I only mentioned the kids? That's because we did a "kids only" Christmas this year. First time we've ever done that, but it was the wise thing to do for us this year and we're ok with it. Sometimes the wise thing isn't the fun thing. However, Tim and I were blessed anyway.
First, we got a camera!! In case you haven't noticed, I haven't posted any new pics here, on the forums, or on Webshots since the end of October. Our camera just stopped working. It would occasionally work for Tim and never for me. So, with gifts from two different people/families we were able to buy a new camera. I'm in love with it. Truly. It's not fancy shmancy, but it's nicer than our last one, which was a camera I was already perfectly content with. You know how much I love taking pics, so it's been a huge bummer for me to not have a camera and not have any way to get a new one. So, the one we have now is a blessing all around. I'll be back to weekly updates on Webshots in no time flat.
Anyway, that would have been enough for Tim and I, but it didn't stop there. We came home to an envelope overflowing with gift cards to various places, both practical and frivolous. I see some free dates in our future, plus some other shopping and dining!
So, that's that. It was a fantastic Christmas!
Monday, December 22, 2008
CREATING WORDS
We have a few words around here that we've never heard other people use. Thought I'd share them with you in hopes that you'd also have some to share.
attackle (uh TACK ul) - verb meaning to attack and/or tackle someone, often involves pouncing and tickling
americaussipina (uh mer i CAW see pee nuh) - adjective used to describe someone, my sister, for example, who was born and raised in America, works with Australians, and lives in the Philippines and speaks quite strangely when combining the language of those three countries
synonyms for the above word include:
filipaussican (fil i PAW see cun)
aussipinican (aw see PEE ni cun)
So, does your family have any words that no one else uses?
attackle (uh TACK ul) - verb meaning to attack and/or tackle someone, often involves pouncing and tickling
americaussipina (uh mer i CAW see pee nuh) - adjective used to describe someone, my sister, for example, who was born and raised in America, works with Australians, and lives in the Philippines and speaks quite strangely when combining the language of those three countries
synonyms for the above word include:
filipaussican (fil i PAW see cun)
aussipinican (aw see PEE ni cun)
So, does your family have any words that no one else uses?
Saturday, December 20, 2008
PSA FOR BLOGGERS
For the record, PSA stands for public service announcement. I know other people think it stands for some numbers related to prostate problems, but that's not the case when I'm using it. Okey dokey?
Anyway, here is the reason for the PSA. I have had several people tell me they've stopped allowing comments on their blog because they spend too much time looking for new ones, others who never allowed them in the first place for that reason, and others who have missed comments that were several days or weeks old.
So, here is my PSA, my act of community service that I've already given to the poor souls described above. Ready? You can have all the comments on your blog e-mailed to you. Yes, it's true. I have no idea why so many people aren't aware of this fact, but there it is in black and white. Or shades of green, since you're reading my blog. Whatever.
Here's what you need to do. Go to your dashboard, click on "settings", then on "comments". Now scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says "comment notification e-mail" and type in your e-mail address. That's it. You're done. Now all the comments from your blog will come to your inbox. Say goodbye to the time you spent searching your blog in hopes of finding out that people think you're witty, your kids are cute, or that you are stinkin' smart. The proof will be in your inbox.
Anyway, here is the reason for the PSA. I have had several people tell me they've stopped allowing comments on their blog because they spend too much time looking for new ones, others who never allowed them in the first place for that reason, and others who have missed comments that were several days or weeks old.
So, here is my PSA, my act of community service that I've already given to the poor souls described above. Ready? You can have all the comments on your blog e-mailed to you. Yes, it's true. I have no idea why so many people aren't aware of this fact, but there it is in black and white. Or shades of green, since you're reading my blog. Whatever.
Here's what you need to do. Go to your dashboard, click on "settings", then on "comments". Now scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says "comment notification e-mail" and type in your e-mail address. That's it. You're done. Now all the comments from your blog will come to your inbox. Say goodbye to the time you spent searching your blog in hopes of finding out that people think you're witty, your kids are cute, or that you are stinkin' smart. The proof will be in your inbox.
Friday, December 19, 2008
CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENT
I love watching Christmas movies, reading Christmas books, and listening to Christmas music! So, I thought I'd share the flicks, books, and tunes that have been enjoyed at our house lately. Some belong to us and others are from the library. We like them all, some more than others. However, I don't want to influence your choices, so I won't tell you our favorites.
I've linked the items I could find on Amazon. I'd encourage you to browse the list, making note of the things that interest you. Then you'll have your library list ready for next year. The library is an excellent way to enjoy a budget friendly Christmas season! Speaking of budget friendly, we've also scored some great Christmas books at Dollar Tree and Goodwill.
MUSIC
Christmas Guitars
Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Silent Night
Children's Christmas (Westminster Children's Choir)
Kidz Bop Christmas
Christmas With The Stars (Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, etc)
A Folk Era Christmas
Vienna Boys' Choir - Messiah
Kathy Troccoli - A Sentimental Christmas
Christmas Rock
Encore - A Capella Christmas
Harry Connick Jr. - When My Heart Finds Christmas
JC Penney - Unwrap The Magic
Bebo Norman - Christmas: From The Realms Of Glory
Plus we have some Christmas stations on ...
PANDORA
Diana Krall
Harry Connick Jr.
The Jackson 5
Mannheim Steamroller
Michael W. Smith
As a sidenote, if you live in America and aren't familiar with Pandora, then check it out here. It's fantastic!
MOVIES
White Christmas
The Very First Noel
Christmas Cartoons
The Christmas Miracle Of Jonathon Toomey
Mrs. Santa Clause
The Toy That Saved Christmas
The Star Of Christmas
BOOKS
Was That Christmas?
The Little Drummer Boy
The Nativity
The Town That Forgot About Christmas
The Twelve Days of Christmas (first version)
The Donkey's Christmas Song
Christmas In The Big Woods
One Small Lost Sheep
A Christmas Story
The Christmas Ship
Hannah's Bookmobile Christmas
Bartholomew's Blessing
The Animal's Christmas Carol
Coyote Christmas
The Angel of Mill Street
The Christmas Candle
Christmas Lullaby
Hallelujah!
Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer
The First Night
A Stable In Bethlehem
The Littlest Christmas Elf
The Night Before Christmas (first version)
The Twelve Days of Christmas (second version)
The Night Before Christmas (second version)
The Elves & The Shoemaker
The Christmas Message
Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect
The Christmas Story
A Christmas Carol
The Nutcracker
Snowmen At Night
The Little Fir-tree
Counting Christmas
Look-alikes Christmas
The Joy of Christmas
The Snowman
Room For A Little One
The Lion Storyteller Christmas Book
The Night Before Christmas (third version)
The Night Before Christmas (fourth version)
The First Christmas
I'll Be Home For Christmas
I Spy Christmas
The Very First Christmas
Jolly Old Santa Claus
Christmas Carols That Never Grow Old
Religious Christmas Stories For Children
The Story of Christmas For Children
And another we love, but someone beat us to at the library ...
The Night Tree
I've linked the items I could find on Amazon. I'd encourage you to browse the list, making note of the things that interest you. Then you'll have your library list ready for next year. The library is an excellent way to enjoy a budget friendly Christmas season! Speaking of budget friendly, we've also scored some great Christmas books at Dollar Tree and Goodwill.
MUSIC
Christmas Guitars
Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Silent Night
Children's Christmas (Westminster Children's Choir)
Kidz Bop Christmas
Christmas With The Stars (Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, etc)
A Folk Era Christmas
Vienna Boys' Choir - Messiah
Kathy Troccoli - A Sentimental Christmas
Christmas Rock
Encore - A Capella Christmas
Harry Connick Jr. - When My Heart Finds Christmas
JC Penney - Unwrap The Magic
Bebo Norman - Christmas: From The Realms Of Glory
Plus we have some Christmas stations on ...
PANDORA
Diana Krall
Harry Connick Jr.
The Jackson 5
Mannheim Steamroller
Michael W. Smith
As a sidenote, if you live in America and aren't familiar with Pandora, then check it out here. It's fantastic!
MOVIES
White Christmas
The Very First Noel
Christmas Cartoons
The Christmas Miracle Of Jonathon Toomey
Mrs. Santa Clause
The Toy That Saved Christmas
The Star Of Christmas
BOOKS
Was That Christmas?
The Little Drummer Boy
The Nativity
The Town That Forgot About Christmas
The Twelve Days of Christmas (first version)
The Donkey's Christmas Song
Christmas In The Big Woods
One Small Lost Sheep
A Christmas Story
The Christmas Ship
Hannah's Bookmobile Christmas
Bartholomew's Blessing
The Animal's Christmas Carol
Coyote Christmas
The Angel of Mill Street
The Christmas Candle
Christmas Lullaby
Hallelujah!
Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer
The First Night
A Stable In Bethlehem
The Littlest Christmas Elf
The Night Before Christmas (first version)
The Twelve Days of Christmas (second version)
The Night Before Christmas (second version)
The Elves & The Shoemaker
The Christmas Message
Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect
The Christmas Story
A Christmas Carol
The Nutcracker
Snowmen At Night
The Little Fir-tree
Counting Christmas
Look-alikes Christmas
The Joy of Christmas
The Snowman
Room For A Little One
The Lion Storyteller Christmas Book
The Night Before Christmas (third version)
The Night Before Christmas (fourth version)
The First Christmas
I'll Be Home For Christmas
I Spy Christmas
The Very First Christmas
Jolly Old Santa Claus
Christmas Carols That Never Grow Old
Religious Christmas Stories For Children
The Story of Christmas For Children
And another we love, but someone beat us to at the library ...
The Night Tree
Thursday, December 18, 2008
12/18/08 THANKFUL THURSDAY
I'm thankful for a visit from Frann, one of my mom's friends who I haven't seen in nearly 20 years. She met the boys, mesmerized Naomi, and brought us homemade chicken soup.
What are you thankful for?
What are you thankful for?
KEEPING MY MOUTH SHUT
Sometime back in the spring I mentioned that I'd been made aware of how often I interrupt. At the time I made a conscious effort to curb that nasty habit. Well, lately I've noticed it's bad again. And if I'm annoying myself, then I must be driving everyone else up. the. wall.
As I was reading my Bible this morning there were two verses that stuck out to me. Here they are.
Proverbs 18:2, 13 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions. He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame.
I'm pretty much a shameful fool. My prayer included two things this morning. First, I want to really listen, not just let someone else talk while I think about what I want to say next. Second, that I would truly seek to understand what others are saying, even if I don't agree with them.
When the kids are interrupting I ask them if what they are going to say is an emergency. If so, then speak. If not, then wait. I'm such a hypocrite! I suppose I should mentally ask myself the same question when I start to interrupt other people.
I'll leave you with part of one more verse that the ones in Proverbs reminded me of.
James 1:19 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak.
Funny how the listening part is mentioned first. As people say, that's why God gave us two ears and only one mouth.
Off to apologize to my family for all the interrupting I've been doing and have them hold me accountable. I'm going to spend the next week paying a quarter to each person I interrupt, each time I do it. That should raise my awareness of my interrupting and motivate the fam to help me stop.
As I was reading my Bible this morning there were two verses that stuck out to me. Here they are.
Proverbs 18:2, 13 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions. He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame.
I'm pretty much a shameful fool. My prayer included two things this morning. First, I want to really listen, not just let someone else talk while I think about what I want to say next. Second, that I would truly seek to understand what others are saying, even if I don't agree with them.
When the kids are interrupting I ask them if what they are going to say is an emergency. If so, then speak. If not, then wait. I'm such a hypocrite! I suppose I should mentally ask myself the same question when I start to interrupt other people.
I'll leave you with part of one more verse that the ones in Proverbs reminded me of.
James 1:19 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak.
Funny how the listening part is mentioned first. As people say, that's why God gave us two ears and only one mouth.
Off to apologize to my family for all the interrupting I've been doing and have them hold me accountable. I'm going to spend the next week paying a quarter to each person I interrupt, each time I do it. That should raise my awareness of my interrupting and motivate the fam to help me stop.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
W - W - W - W - W - W
The above title would have been so perfect for a pregnancy announcement!! So stinkin' perfect. Alas, I'm most certainly not preggo. Oh well.
In an attempt to make up for the wasted title opportunity, I'll talk to you about the three little Ws that already exist.
W#5 - Naomi is a squeaker. She keeps her lips closed and makes squeaky grunting noises to communicate, changing the inflection according to what she's "saying". Other than her lack of verbal skills, she's a doll. She loves eating bread and apples, being chased by her brothers, mimicking her family members, waving to Daddy when he pulls in at the end of the day, and sneaking my phone
W#4 - Devon is super smart. He has an incredible memory and is quite the problem solver. He does well with puzzles and mazes, sings constantly, likes to get "wake up snuggles", loves fruit, hates meat, and raises his eyebrows when he's trying to trick someone. He's also Mr. Meltdown and we are always working on teaching him to handle frustration in a socially acceptable manner.
W#3 - Silas is really gifted athletically. He can throw, dribble, and hit balls like a pro. He loves to cook, enjoys playing Phase 10 and SkipBo, loves meatloaf, hates cilantro, dances 24/7, and purses his lips when he's trying not to smile. He can also be a bit of a stress case and is constantly being taught to relax.
In an attempt to make up for the wasted title opportunity, I'll talk to you about the three little Ws that already exist.
W#5 - Naomi is a squeaker. She keeps her lips closed and makes squeaky grunting noises to communicate, changing the inflection according to what she's "saying". Other than her lack of verbal skills, she's a doll. She loves eating bread and apples, being chased by her brothers, mimicking her family members, waving to Daddy when he pulls in at the end of the day, and sneaking my phone
W#4 - Devon is super smart. He has an incredible memory and is quite the problem solver. He does well with puzzles and mazes, sings constantly, likes to get "wake up snuggles", loves fruit, hates meat, and raises his eyebrows when he's trying to trick someone. He's also Mr. Meltdown and we are always working on teaching him to handle frustration in a socially acceptable manner.
W#3 - Silas is really gifted athletically. He can throw, dribble, and hit balls like a pro. He loves to cook, enjoys playing Phase 10 and SkipBo, loves meatloaf, hates cilantro, dances 24/7, and purses his lips when he's trying not to smile. He can also be a bit of a stress case and is constantly being taught to relax.
Monday, December 15, 2008
SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS
We've had our socks blessed off over the last month or so! I just want to share some of the cool things that have happened. So, in no particular order ...
* Someone paid for us to get our favorite pizza for lunch last Wednesday, the day after I was up much of the night with a barking & snotting Naomi.
* Someone paid for me to attend our church's ladies' Christmas dinner.
* Someone hung out with our kids while I was at the dinner. Tim couldn't watch them because he was officiating a game.
* Someone let us stay at their house for three nights while our electrical panel and furnace got replaced.
* We were given tickets to a Blazer game, plus money for snacks & parking.
* Someone hung out with Naomi while the rest of us went to the Blazer game.
* Someone has paid for Tim to attend our church's men's retreat in January.
* Someone is going to replace our camera. It hasn't worked right since the day after Devon's surgery, which is why our webshots page hasn't been updated in forever.
* We were given money to travel to my dad's for Christmas.
* Tim and I were treated to dinner and a concert with friends.
* Someone hung out with our kids while we were out at the concert.
* We've been blessed with some extra money from various sources to put toward Devon's hernia bill.
* Someone sent an e-mail that encouraged us in parenting the little Ws.
* Someone has blessed us with money for the last three months to help cover the unexpected shortfall in Tim's salary.
* Someone surprised us with Noah's bagels for breakfast when they dropped their child off for us to watch.
* Someone decorated beautiful cookies for us with our initials on them.
* Someone brought flowers to cheer me up when I was stressed about our lack of heat and electricity.
* A few people have sent me really sweet notes lately, for absolutely no reason at all.
I hate to wrap this up because I know I'll leave out an obvious thing or two. So, if you've blessed us lately and you aren't on the list, please don't take it personally. I need to write these things down as they happen, rather than trying to remember them all later.
God is good and we are blessed to be surrounded by awesome people!!
* Someone paid for us to get our favorite pizza for lunch last Wednesday, the day after I was up much of the night with a barking & snotting Naomi.
* Someone paid for me to attend our church's ladies' Christmas dinner.
* Someone hung out with our kids while I was at the dinner. Tim couldn't watch them because he was officiating a game.
* Someone let us stay at their house for three nights while our electrical panel and furnace got replaced.
* We were given tickets to a Blazer game, plus money for snacks & parking.
* Someone hung out with Naomi while the rest of us went to the Blazer game.
* Someone has paid for Tim to attend our church's men's retreat in January.
* Someone is going to replace our camera. It hasn't worked right since the day after Devon's surgery, which is why our webshots page hasn't been updated in forever.
* We were given money to travel to my dad's for Christmas.
* Tim and I were treated to dinner and a concert with friends.
* Someone hung out with our kids while we were out at the concert.
* We've been blessed with some extra money from various sources to put toward Devon's hernia bill.
* Someone sent an e-mail that encouraged us in parenting the little Ws.
* Someone has blessed us with money for the last three months to help cover the unexpected shortfall in Tim's salary.
* Someone surprised us with Noah's bagels for breakfast when they dropped their child off for us to watch.
* Someone decorated beautiful cookies for us with our initials on them.
* Someone brought flowers to cheer me up when I was stressed about our lack of heat and electricity.
* A few people have sent me really sweet notes lately, for absolutely no reason at all.
I hate to wrap this up because I know I'll leave out an obvious thing or two. So, if you've blessed us lately and you aren't on the list, please don't take it personally. I need to write these things down as they happen, rather than trying to remember them all later.
God is good and we are blessed to be surrounded by awesome people!!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
WHICH SEASON IS IT?
It's hard to tell what season it is at our house tonight. According to the calendar, which says December, it's autumn. According to the thermometer out our back door, which reads 19 degrees, it's winter. According to the carnations in our living room, which my grandmother gave to me over three weeks ago, it's spring. According to the dessert we ate tonight, which was root beer floats, it's summer.
Friday, December 12, 2008
WANT TO DO SOMETHING FUN?
My dad just posted the following on his blog. It's a game we've played at Christmas, but he's sharing it with the rest of the world this year.
This is a Christmas game using the lyrics to “Silent Night”, but using the tunes of other well-known songs. Twenty-eight different tunes complete this game.
The game is played simply by watching each video in the link below and then guessing the name of the tune and guessing the name of the artist or group that made the tune famous. After clicking the link below, start with #1 in the upper left corner of the page that opens, then continue numerically through #28.
The game begins as soon as you click here:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=brcprkns&view=videos
Go see how you do!! If you have fun, or even if you're willing to publicly admit that you were a "Name That Tune" failure, then go let my dad know at the link for his blog.
This is a Christmas game using the lyrics to “Silent Night”, but using the tunes of other well-known songs. Twenty-eight different tunes complete this game.
The game is played simply by watching each video in the link below and then guessing the name of the tune and guessing the name of the artist or group that made the tune famous. After clicking the link below, start with #1 in the upper left corner of the page that opens, then continue numerically through #28.
The game begins as soon as you click here:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=brcprkns&view=videos
Go see how you do!! If you have fun, or even if you're willing to publicly admit that you were a "Name That Tune" failure, then go let my dad know at the link for his blog.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
12/11/08 THANKFUL THURDAY
Oops! Forgot to do this last week.
I'm thankful for a husband who has blessed me twice this week -by letting me stay home alone on Sunday night and taking yesterday off to help out after a sleepless night with a sick kiddo.
What are you thankful for?
I'm thankful for a husband who has blessed me twice this week -by letting me stay home alone on Sunday night and taking yesterday off to help out after a sleepless night with a sick kiddo.
What are you thankful for?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
WEDNESDAY UPDATE
Tim called a sub!! That means I'll have help today. More good husband points.
I slept!! It was for about 5 hours of interrupted sleep on Naomi's floor, but at least it was something.
Naomi slept ... and is still sleeping!! She's coughing, but sleeping through it.
Today isn't going to be ideal, but at least it won' t be as bad as it could have been.
Luke, thanks for praying. Dad, I'll pass your messages along to the appropriate family members and be praying for you too.
I slept!! It was for about 5 hours of interrupted sleep on Naomi's floor, but at least it was something.
Naomi slept ... and is still sleeping!! She's coughing, but sleeping through it.
Today isn't going to be ideal, but at least it won' t be as bad as it could have been.
Luke, thanks for praying. Dad, I'll pass your messages along to the appropriate family members and be praying for you too.
TOMORROW (I SUPPOSE THAT WOULD BE TODAY) IS GOING TO BE LONG
It's 2:09am. I haven't slept at all tonight. Naomi started snotting and coughing after she went down for the night. She only sleeps longer than 20 minutes if I sit or recline with her on my chest. Have I mentioned that I can't sleep sitting up? Or that I can't sleep while holding a child? Well, it's true.
I've been up for 20 hours. The boys will wake up in about 5 hours.
Please pray that the boys will be spectacularly behaved tomorrow, that I won't be a grouch, and that Naomi will get better quickly.
I've been up for 20 hours. The boys will wake up in about 5 hours.
Please pray that the boys will be spectacularly behaved tomorrow, that I won't be a grouch, and that Naomi will get better quickly.
Monday, December 8, 2008
CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER - 2008 EDITION
I just wanted to share our newsletter and family here for those who we weren't able to give the real thing to. If there are things you want to know more about, then try checking the labels in my blog sidebar. You'll probably be able find more info there. Enjoy!!
What a year! We’ve had tragedies and miracles, mellow weeks and insanely busy schedules, milestones and routines. Here’s a quick peek at the moments that stood out in 2008.
Devon taught himself to read. Silas turned into a chef and baker. Tim’s mom moved back to the area after living in Florida for several years. Tim played on the church softball team, participated in a golf tournament, and officiated basketball. We attended concerts and a production of Willy Wonka in local parks. Naomi identified her first (tongue – wagged on command) and second body part (eyes – blinked on command). The boys had their first dentist appointments (and, by the way, their teeth looked great, despite the fact their parents took way too long getting them to a dentist). We discovered Ciara, a cute little girl that prompted us to finally pursue adopting a child with special needs. We ended our second and started our third year of home schooling. Bethany’s grandmother moved to the area from Grants Pass. Devon had an incarcerated hernia, which led to our first combination of ER visit, overnight hospital stay, and surgery. We visited Bethany’s dad in August and went on a church campout over Labor Day weekend. Silas lost his first tooth and was visited by the tooth fairy. One of Tim’s nieces died in a tragic car accident. Several of our days had “do nothing” written in ink on our calendar. Naomi learned to sit, crawl, walk, climb, and a myriad of other things. Bethany spent a weekend in California with a bunch of women from the Sonlight forums. We hosted a summer potluck series, had various families over for dinner, and had visitors from as far as New Zealand and the Philippines. Silas drowned, and then came back to life. Tim and Bethany had their last single digit anniversary. Devon learned to ride a bike without training wheels. We saw an IMAX movie, watched the city parade, and the boys slid down a hill on cardboard while we saw hundreds of swifts roost in an old chimney.
So, there’s our year in a nutshell. We’ve had our share of struggles this year, but we’ve also seen a ton of blessings. It’s been a good year! Merry Christmas!!
Silas proving that he is completely unable to stop dancing.
Trying to be serious, but failing miserably.
Silas looking handsome.
Don't you just want to kiss Naomi's little feet?
The start of Naomi's trademark scrunch face smile.
All 5 Ws
And more of the 5Ws.
2008 - A WEATHERSBY YEAR IN REVIEW
What a year! We’ve had tragedies and miracles, mellow weeks and insanely busy schedules, milestones and routines. Here’s a quick peek at the moments that stood out in 2008.
Devon taught himself to read. Silas turned into a chef and baker. Tim’s mom moved back to the area after living in Florida for several years. Tim played on the church softball team, participated in a golf tournament, and officiated basketball. We attended concerts and a production of Willy Wonka in local parks. Naomi identified her first (tongue – wagged on command) and second body part (eyes – blinked on command). The boys had their first dentist appointments (and, by the way, their teeth looked great, despite the fact their parents took way too long getting them to a dentist). We discovered Ciara, a cute little girl that prompted us to finally pursue adopting a child with special needs. We ended our second and started our third year of home schooling. Bethany’s grandmother moved to the area from Grants Pass. Devon had an incarcerated hernia, which led to our first combination of ER visit, overnight hospital stay, and surgery. We visited Bethany’s dad in August and went on a church campout over Labor Day weekend. Silas lost his first tooth and was visited by the tooth fairy. One of Tim’s nieces died in a tragic car accident. Several of our days had “do nothing” written in ink on our calendar. Naomi learned to sit, crawl, walk, climb, and a myriad of other things. Bethany spent a weekend in California with a bunch of women from the Sonlight forums. We hosted a summer potluck series, had various families over for dinner, and had visitors from as far as New Zealand and the Philippines. Silas drowned, and then came back to life. Tim and Bethany had their last single digit anniversary. Devon learned to ride a bike without training wheels. We saw an IMAX movie, watched the city parade, and the boys slid down a hill on cardboard while we saw hundreds of swifts roost in an old chimney.
So, there’s our year in a nutshell. We’ve had our share of struggles this year, but we’ve also seen a ton of blessings. It’s been a good year! Merry Christmas!!
THE 5 Ws
And here are the family pictures we had taken this year. Are our kids stinkin' cute or what?!
Devon trying not to smile.
Devon's fantastic smile & characteristic fingernail picking.
Doesn't he look grown up?
Silas proving that he is completely unable to stop dancing.
Trying to be serious, but failing miserably.
Silas looking handsome.
Don't you just want to kiss Naomi's little feet?
The start of Naomi's trademark scrunch face smile.
As some women at church say, she's just "yummy".
Evidently the studio liked the pose we used at home a couple months ago.
All 5 Ws
And more of the 5Ws.
SOME "GOOD HUSBAND" POINTS
I've been craving some time alone in my own house, but that's hard to come by this time of year. Life is busy and Tim's started basketball. So, the odds of having my craving satisfied are slim to nothing.
However, Tim saved the day and my sanity last night. We were supposed to go to home group, but he took the kids and left me home. I had just over three hours of silence in my house. I turned the ringer on my phone off, shut down the computer and turned off the Christmas music. Then I wrapped some gifts. Then I took a scalding hot shower, which is the only way to take them, until I ran out of hot water. Then I put on jammies and crawled into bed. Then I read Mitch Albom's book "For One More Day.
It was glorious! A festive task, a perfect shower, and a whole book. All in silence.
Tim also did all the bedtime stuff with the kids and washed the dishes. Major "good husband" points!! I'm so thankful for the break Tim gave me!!
However, Tim saved the day and my sanity last night. We were supposed to go to home group, but he took the kids and left me home. I had just over three hours of silence in my house. I turned the ringer on my phone off, shut down the computer and turned off the Christmas music. Then I wrapped some gifts. Then I took a scalding hot shower, which is the only way to take them, until I ran out of hot water. Then I put on jammies and crawled into bed. Then I read Mitch Albom's book "For One More Day.
It was glorious! A festive task, a perfect shower, and a whole book. All in silence.
Tim also did all the bedtime stuff with the kids and washed the dishes. Major "good husband" points!! I'm so thankful for the break Tim gave me!!
I CORINTHIANS 13 ... WITH A TWIST
Let me introduce you to Misty, a forum friend of mine. She just posted the following on the Sonlight forums. It totally challenged and encouraged me. I wanted to share it with you, as I'm sure many of you also struggle with being loving, whether or not you're a mom or a homeschooler. If it blesses you, then say so over at Misty's site, where she also has it posted.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,and teach my children Latin conjugations, Chinese and Portuguese, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal, and no matter what I say, they will not hear me.
If I have the gift of prophecy,and know my children’s bents and God’s plan for their lives, and know all mysteries and all knowledge,and am the keeper of the teacher’s editions and solutions manuals, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, and even keep up with my giant piles of laundry and dishes, but do not have love, I am nothing, even if all the people at church think I’m Supermom.
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and my formal dining room gets turned into a schoolroom and our family vacations look more like educational field trips, and if I surrender my body to be burned, never having time to get my nails done, put makeup on or even take a bath, but do not have love, it profits me nothing, because all my family cares about is the expression on my face, anyway.
Love is patient with the child who still can’t get double-digit subtraction with borrowing, and kind to the one who hasn’t turned in his research paper.
It is not jealous of moms with more, fewer, neater, more self-directed, better-behaved or smarter children.
Love does not brag about homemade bread, book lists, or scholarships and is not arrogant about her lifestyle or curriculum choices.
It does not act unbecomingly or correct the children in front of their friends.
It does not seek its own, trying to squeeze in alone time when someone still needs help; it is not provoked when interrupted for the nineteenth time by a child, the phone, the doorbell or the dog; does not take into account a wrong suffered, even when no one compliments the dinner that took hours to make or the house that took so long to clean.
Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness or pointing out everyone else’s flaws, but rejoices with the truth and with every small step her children take in becoming more like Jesus, knowing it’s only by the grace of God when that occurs.
Love bears all things even while running on no sleep; believes all things, especially God’s promise to indwell and empower her, hopes all things, such as that she’ll actually complete the English curriculum this year and the kids will eventually graduate, endures all things, even questioning from strangers, worried relatives, and most of all, herself.
Love never fails. And neither will she. As long as she never, never, never gives up.
1 Corinthians 13 for Homeschool Moms
If I have the gift of prophecy,and know my children’s bents and God’s plan for their lives, and know all mysteries and all knowledge,and am the keeper of the teacher’s editions and solutions manuals, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, and even keep up with my giant piles of laundry and dishes, but do not have love, I am nothing, even if all the people at church think I’m Supermom.
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and my formal dining room gets turned into a schoolroom and our family vacations look more like educational field trips, and if I surrender my body to be burned, never having time to get my nails done, put makeup on or even take a bath, but do not have love, it profits me nothing, because all my family cares about is the expression on my face, anyway.
Love is patient with the child who still can’t get double-digit subtraction with borrowing, and kind to the one who hasn’t turned in his research paper.
It is not jealous of moms with more, fewer, neater, more self-directed, better-behaved or smarter children.
Love does not brag about homemade bread, book lists, or scholarships and is not arrogant about her lifestyle or curriculum choices.
It does not act unbecomingly or correct the children in front of their friends.
It does not seek its own, trying to squeeze in alone time when someone still needs help; it is not provoked when interrupted for the nineteenth time by a child, the phone, the doorbell or the dog; does not take into account a wrong suffered, even when no one compliments the dinner that took hours to make or the house that took so long to clean.
Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness or pointing out everyone else’s flaws, but rejoices with the truth and with every small step her children take in becoming more like Jesus, knowing it’s only by the grace of God when that occurs.
Love bears all things even while running on no sleep; believes all things, especially God’s promise to indwell and empower her, hopes all things, such as that she’ll actually complete the English curriculum this year and the kids will eventually graduate, endures all things, even questioning from strangers, worried relatives, and most of all, herself.
Love never fails. And neither will she. As long as she never, never, never gives up.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
DINNER WAS GREAT
I tried something new last night that was delicious. Want to know what it was? Here goes. I pulled out the crockpot and put three frozen chicken breasts in it. Then I dumped about 1/3 of a bottle of Ken's Honey Mustard Dressing in. Never used that brand? Well, let me introduce you.
Then I turned the crockpot to high. Keep in mind this was my circa-1975 crockpot, as my new one would have been way to big. New ones cook hotter, so cooking times will vary. Anyway, it cooked on high for about 3 hours, then I turned it to low for an hour. It was done by then, so I pulled the chicken out and shredded it. Then it went back in the crockpot with about 1/2 of the remaining dressing. Once it was all heated I served it over rice. Yummy comfort food! Even better was the fact I got that dressing for free - on sale for $2 and I had a $2 coupon. I think the fact that it was such a bargain actually improved the taste.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
THE MAX
Today we officially reached Devon's maximum out of pocket expenses with our insurance. That means any claims he has for the next ten months will be paid in full and it means we know exactly what we owe for his hernia emergency. I like knowing exact numbers. It makes my box-checking, planning ahead brain very happy.
Anyway, I'm thinking about removing all bodily parts that he can live without. It would be free, so why not? We could just do one big operation and get rid of adenoids, appendix, tonsils and anything else he doesn't really need. Maybe we could even put in new ear tubes, just for kicks. Donate a kidney?
What do you think?
Anyway, I'm thinking about removing all bodily parts that he can live without. It would be free, so why not? We could just do one big operation and get rid of adenoids, appendix, tonsils and anything else he doesn't really need. Maybe we could even put in new ear tubes, just for kicks. Donate a kidney?
What do you think?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
GOD'S PROVISION
I know a lot of people are stressed about money these days, so I just wanted to share what's going on with us as a reminder that God doesn't always do things the way we expect him to.
Devon's hernia repair at the end of October was expensive. Obviously insurance will cover some, but we'll have to cover a chunk too. Emergency hernia repairs are chunks of money you don't typically budget for. God totally covered the thousands of dollars that Silas' drowning cost, so I knew he could handle this one too. But this one was going to be more costly. We figured we'd make small payments until our tax refund came, then pay off the balance with that money. We've never had to make medical payments before, but sometimes that's the way life goes.
Well, we still haven't received an actual bill, but the EOBs have started coming in. We know there is at least one more EOB that will arrive in our mailbox, but we know some of what we'll owe. We'll call that amount "X".
Here's the cool part. We have over 80% of X in our bank account already, though an actual bill hasn't even arrived. Part of that 80% is a gift someone contributed to the "Will The Ws Ever Stop Having Medical Emergencies" fund. But the other parts are total God things. Not that a gift isn't a God thing, but you know what I mean.
One chunk is from our insurance. Remember that mammogram I had back in July? Well, I'm technically too young to have insurance pay for it. However, because my mom died in her 30s of breast cancer I'm considered high risk, which means my insurance should pay for it. Now, I'm willing to pay for it if I have to. It's important for me to get them and I'm willing to pay for them until I reach the insurance's age for payment, but if insurance will pay, then I'd be happy to let them. So I've spent the last four months sorting out mixed messages between the insurance company, the imaging place, and my doctor's office. Everyone has been nice and helpful, but things weren't getting straightened out. Until last week, that is. We received a refund for part of the money we paid for my mammogram. Woo hoo for perseverance that paid off!!
Then we spent six weeks with furnace troubles. First the furnace didn't work at all. Then it put out heat ... along with major gas fumes. Then our power blew in all rooms except the kitchen and living room. It was a mess. Well, our landlord just refunded us a large portion of our rent for November to compensate for the hassle and the extra use of electricity while we used space heaters. Woo hoo for our landlord!!
That means 80% of X has been paid off because I have a mom that died of breast cancer at a young age (which led me to pay for a mammo, which resulted in getting some money refunded) and because we lived without heat and power (which led our landlord to refund some of our rent to us).
How's that for some silver linings? So, just remember that the way God provides for your needs may be a little random, but he will provide.
Devon's hernia repair at the end of October was expensive. Obviously insurance will cover some, but we'll have to cover a chunk too. Emergency hernia repairs are chunks of money you don't typically budget for. God totally covered the thousands of dollars that Silas' drowning cost, so I knew he could handle this one too. But this one was going to be more costly. We figured we'd make small payments until our tax refund came, then pay off the balance with that money. We've never had to make medical payments before, but sometimes that's the way life goes.
Well, we still haven't received an actual bill, but the EOBs have started coming in. We know there is at least one more EOB that will arrive in our mailbox, but we know some of what we'll owe. We'll call that amount "X".
Here's the cool part. We have over 80% of X in our bank account already, though an actual bill hasn't even arrived. Part of that 80% is a gift someone contributed to the "Will The Ws Ever Stop Having Medical Emergencies" fund. But the other parts are total God things. Not that a gift isn't a God thing, but you know what I mean.
One chunk is from our insurance. Remember that mammogram I had back in July? Well, I'm technically too young to have insurance pay for it. However, because my mom died in her 30s of breast cancer I'm considered high risk, which means my insurance should pay for it. Now, I'm willing to pay for it if I have to. It's important for me to get them and I'm willing to pay for them until I reach the insurance's age for payment, but if insurance will pay, then I'd be happy to let them. So I've spent the last four months sorting out mixed messages between the insurance company, the imaging place, and my doctor's office. Everyone has been nice and helpful, but things weren't getting straightened out. Until last week, that is. We received a refund for part of the money we paid for my mammogram. Woo hoo for perseverance that paid off!!
Then we spent six weeks with furnace troubles. First the furnace didn't work at all. Then it put out heat ... along with major gas fumes. Then our power blew in all rooms except the kitchen and living room. It was a mess. Well, our landlord just refunded us a large portion of our rent for November to compensate for the hassle and the extra use of electricity while we used space heaters. Woo hoo for our landlord!!
That means 80% of X has been paid off because I have a mom that died of breast cancer at a young age (which led me to pay for a mammo, which resulted in getting some money refunded) and because we lived without heat and power (which led our landlord to refund some of our rent to us).
How's that for some silver linings? So, just remember that the way God provides for your needs may be a little random, but he will provide.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
TUNES WE LISTENED TO - NOVEMBER
All The Best From Greece (World - Greece) - We'd never listened to Greek music and enjoyed this cd.
Barlow Girl (self titled) (Christian) - This one ranked second for the month in the "best dancing music" category with the offspring. I thought it was ok.
Cabaza Percussion Quartet (self-titled) - The boys really enjoyed this cd.
Lura - Di Korpu Ku Alma (World) - This was a 2 disc set, but only one worked. I liked it though.
Queen - Greatest Hits (Rock) - I had Another One Bites the Dust in my head one dayand was humming hit. The boys wanted to hear the real deal. So, they listened to that one and We Will Rock You.
Barbra Streisand - The Barbra Streisand Album (Pop/Rock) - Her voice is just so unique, enjoyed the cd.
Sweet Home Alabama (Soundtrack) - Super fun cd. The kids liked dancing to this one.
James Taylor - Sweet Baby James (Pop/Rock) - Are there actually people who don't like James Taylor?
The Brian Waite Band - Musicmaker (Children) - We've checked this cd out a gazillion times. Bumbo and The Freeze are the two favorite songs around here.
Windham Hill Classics - Passages (New Age) - Super relaxing. I loved it.
Barlow Girl (self titled) (Christian) - This one ranked second for the month in the "best dancing music" category with the offspring. I thought it was ok.
Cabaza Percussion Quartet (self-titled) - The boys really enjoyed this cd.
Lura - Di Korpu Ku Alma (World) - This was a 2 disc set, but only one worked. I liked it though.
Queen - Greatest Hits (Rock) - I had Another One Bites the Dust in my head one dayand was humming hit. The boys wanted to hear the real deal. So, they listened to that one and We Will Rock You.
Barbra Streisand - The Barbra Streisand Album (Pop/Rock) - Her voice is just so unique, enjoyed the cd.
Sweet Home Alabama (Soundtrack) - Super fun cd. The kids liked dancing to this one.
James Taylor - Sweet Baby James (Pop/Rock) - Are there actually people who don't like James Taylor?
The Brian Waite Band - Musicmaker (Children) - We've checked this cd out a gazillion times. Bumbo and The Freeze are the two favorite songs around here.
Windham Hill Classics - Passages (New Age) - Super relaxing. I loved it.
BOOKS I FINISHED - NOVEMBER
I only finished one book in November. How embarrassing. I actually started a second, but it was so painfully boring to read that I gave up. I'm reading a third book, but haven't finished it. I'm using the fact that November was a super stressful month for me as an excuse.
How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Anyone Else, by Michael Gates Gill
This book seems a bit like a really long ad for recruiting Starbucks employees, but it's not unpleasant. Didn't hate it, didn't love it. The author had a high paying job at a big name company and knew a lot of famous people. Then he got fired. This book is about his new job at Starbucks and how he had to start rethinking his biases.
How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Anyone Else, by Michael Gates Gill
This book seems a bit like a really long ad for recruiting Starbucks employees, but it's not unpleasant. Didn't hate it, didn't love it. The author had a high paying job at a big name company and knew a lot of famous people. Then he got fired. This book is about his new job at Starbucks and how he had to start rethinking his biases.
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