Happy Birthday Jaclyn

It's Jaclyn's14th birthday and she just had a few little requests...Lego Star Wars computer game (which happens to over heat my lap top!), shopping with Mom in the morning for fabric & the computer game, and ice cream at Nelson's. We had an early start so even when we were ready for ice cream, we were too early, but we'll take her tonight after her little violin stint with a choir. We baked a cake too.

Katya is busy organizing and delivering her fund raisers, and getting good grades. Sophia is playing softball and loving it. Natasha is also playing softball and loving it, and is doing well. Jonathan is in baseball, some hockey, and having fun with his brothers. Andre & James are playing baseball and having fun with that. All are doing well, and plugging away at school.

Chris had walking pneumonia or some virus/lung bug this week and even fainted at one point from dehydration! It was a 911 call - stop - we're ok moment...I dialed and talked, but we decided to wait as he came-to, and crawled to the couch, drank, sweated, and slept a lot. He is at about 80%, but tires easily after exertion.

I am starting to get my 2nd wind in the summer, mowing a bit, watching our seeds grow, watering and keeping up with the kids. It's almost like I'm getting geared up for school this summer...so might as well go with it. It was HOT today, so I did a few things outside after shopping/lunch, and now we're watching hockey and playing computer in the basement while Chris rested from taking the kids to ball this morning and playing with the boys.

It's cool down here and we don't have our air on yet. It's a pretty relaxed day despite loads of laundry, and misc. chores we need to do...we don't usually use the computer much, so it does really keep the kids busy. I think it's been 2-3 months since we've had "computer time"...so GO NY RANGERS! And we'll keep you "posted" in the future!

Love from Alesia & Chris

Garden, Clean home, Softball, School ?

We had 3 goals today (that's something that has been missing from our day - goals!):
     1) plant a garden/seeds, 2) Clean our home, 3) Cook for company tonight...and we did it! We planted a little garden all around our front porch, I hope they seeds take and we get carrots, beans, cucumbers, beets, watermelon, & onions!!! And we planted some seeds in cups for peppers, roses, and daisies. It will be a small but fun harvest. The kids helped clean the screened in porch & laundry room (YEAH!), and we cooked. But I was crabby at points and that is the hard part for me.

We had company over and heard some really encouraging stories of how they are sharing Christ and descipling young ones in criminal detention centers for youth, and how they are sharing the Lord with their whole families. It's always such a blessing to hear them talk about their lives with us. They are such an encouragement. The kids were a bit crazy running around playing tag and being loud, but were having fun together.

Sophia had softball today, and loves it. I am really happy for her, as I remember how much fun it was when I played. Her team is really casual and fun, so that is real blessing for her.  Katya made borsch! Num.

I just sent in a question to our homeschool group, "when if ever should you send your child to school", and then I went to Dorothy's (Urban Servant) blog, and saw pictures of her children at the Mall of America's MN's aquarium, and thought, I bet she doesn't even go there to that question. If I read her blog more, I might feel homeschooling encouragement (she has 11, and many of them have multiple disorders - wow!).

Andre pulled an all boy trick today and relieved himself in plain view of the girls..."We didn't see anything Mom"..."I would have wet my pants"...."I told him not to" (from the 10 yr old boy)...girls didn't say anything...UGHHH double UGGH, gross, things like this drive me crazy, and well, he was disciplined with with solidarity for awhile, and we'll be revisiting appropriate behavior for awhile. And we played cards tonight, and he stacked the deck and lied about it too. I have suspected FAS with him, but we haven't had him tested. He knows the difference between right and wrong, but doesn't care at the time. He will show remorse.

I feel as while some are going to grow in Christ, some are going to push all my buttons and try to disprove my faith! Sophia gave me a ring with "Faith" on it. I hope to wear it more, but I'm too chubby right now....triple UGHH...

Chris gets home from a 2 night stint in Alabama...YEAH!

Love from Alesia & Chris

Skating Show, Gardening,

Sophia & Natasha had their skating show! Yeah! It was great and Peter the man behind them, did 2 numbers one of which was a duo with Rita that was amazing! The girls had a great time.

The rest of us have been doing yard work, enjoying a somewhat quiet weekend with 2 skating shows & 2 hockey games, and 1 baseball practice. We just love it when it all works out so we can go to church and then to Sam's club after.

Andre & I planted some beautiful flowers in our yard - impatiens & coleus, and amidst all the weeds were about 5 beautiful perennials. I did push the mower a bit and need to do that a few times tomorrow & Tue. I like being outside after being a winter slug butt.

Tomorrow is our last day of phy-ed. We will have our last day of praise dance on Tue, and piano is coming to an end. That means that there will be more time for school, which we have needed. I have decided to give high scorers on tests the summer off, but those who "need improvement" will get extra time and lessons in the summer. We just need to keep the routine and steady growth in math & reading.

Sophia starts softball tomorrow.

Todays message at church was on our words..."death or life" is in them, what will we choose?

Prov 18: 21 "Death & life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it's fruit."

Choose Life! Love Alesia & Chris

After the show, we had dessert and the kids had fun playing with these sticky ball things...that even stuck to the ceiling. It was a fun night, but, Friday, I was pretty tired out!  I always feel refreshed by Sunday night/Monday though! Thank- God for those small favors that keep us going.

PS..hope you were able to see the baby blue herons! Check out the link on my page. Fun to watch how they parent! The kids are getting a kick out of it.

 

Twice Adopted...

Recently Sophia shared that she gave her heart to our Lord, and today after our evangelism tour at a friend's church, Natasha said she wanted to know Jesus that way too. She has read her little tract that they gave her about 3 times and hugged me (fiercely), and is "so excited", to tears...all very geniune. I am really grateful for God's people being there at all the right places and times when we need them most! I am grateful that my friends invited me to their church just down the road, and hope I can go some Wed night for a "refresher course"!  Even with the ups and downs after our girls coming to the Lord, I am looking forward to some more peaceful days ahead!! Thank-you Lord.

Twice Adopted, and Hurt Children/Healing Homes are two books I would like to read.

The boys are just chitter chattering about Star Wars in their bedrooms, the girls are quiet, and Chris and I quietly eating pistachios. The ban lifted on our fires, so I tried to burn a pile of brush today, and for whatever reason, it just wouldn't go (even with paint thinner!), so I'll leave it for a couple of weeks and try again later. Maybe too wet from the rain last night.

The girls did some baking today, which was a blessing to them, and all of us as we ate their dessert for supper.

I did have a hard day today..not sure why, as I was outside a lot, etc. Sometimes I'm just painfully aware of heart issues in my children, and I just want to scream it out of them! Today, I tried to explain it to Andre, it's like someone is about to eat poison and I need to stop them...some times I react just like that..and then anxiety takes over...

Evangelicals going to church every day???? I know some faiths go to church every day....and lately, I could really get used to that. Listen to some great preaching, sing some awesome worship songs and rest in His presence...it would be just what the doctor ordered, but we don't have that "official" place to go.  No reason we can't go there at home. We do read Bible every day, and I need to change it up a bit so I'm reading a lot, and then we're reading it together...and I do put Pandora Hymns on and sing along, but sometimes I wish it was just a bit more...

Hope that as hearts learn to settle and rest in the Lord, we'll invite His presence at home more....some days it's definitely the opposite around here!

Our neighbor had a tragedy at her home this week, and our hearts go out to her, and we are looking forward to seeing her when all the dust settles. Life can be so fragile, explosive, hard, and even evil at times. May His grace abound to them at this difficult time.

1st Cor 13: 4 "Love suffers long and is kind.", Eph 4: 22 "radically amputate the sin in your life"..paraphrased from the pastor at our talks this week!

Love from Alesia & Chris