Family Birthday's

The birthday boy... my nephew Noah, had a special request.... movie & his favorite mexican restaurant. We all enjoyed a super afternoon, with all the family & friends who mean so much.
Rituals show up in the funniest places. We've been to this mexican restaurant more times than I can count, & I hope there are more to come.
This photo is taken in the spot we photo the kids, all 4 precioius, together with their ritual baloons, after their ritual taco/enchilada/double beans/double rice/mild salsa dinners.
Sprite, please.
Life is good. The little things mean the world to 'little guys' as we call them, affectionately.

August is almost here... Jack will be 7, Henry will be 4. And today we had a beautiful day.

Count your life by smiles, not tears.

Count your life by friends, not years.

Bible Museum near Memphis TN

Smithsonian is advertising Museum Day 2010. There are numerous locations of great interest I'd visit if time, schedule & money all came together, but one I will be visiting come mid-August is one I've been to before, in fact several times.

The Biblical Resource Center & Museum is an excellent resource for historical point of reference for the Bible and all things related to the Bible. Their objective is to make the Bible more visual, more relatable regarding the world history that is widely available through secular museums. That's not their official museum statement- it's mine. I have benefitted greatly from the museums collection of Biblically significant replicas made available through such resources as the British Museum. The kind that make the skeptics sit back and take a sip of their frappacino, so someone else might comment first.

Leslie & I are meeting up in Collierville come mid-August, to visit and to celebrate our kiddo's b'days which happen to fall 5 days apart. She asked me, 'what should I do to prepare for a visit to the museum?'... I hadn't thought about this, I'm usually running errands with my Mom when I run to the museum. I might be dropping off lunch to my Dad, or running down to see B'Lou. and I often run into Jacob Shock the new Executive Director, who's credentials in Egyptology bring a whole 'nuther level of excellence to an already rockin' staff devoted to serving God through an unusual venue. But one open to all denominations & faiths, determined in their efforts to hold up and give testimony to God's Holy Word. It's accuracy, it's infalibility, it's relevance to a world standing in need.

So what did I tell Leslie? Look up their website, then read the Biblical accounts of the stories represented in the artifacts. Read about Jehu, read about Pilate, read about the Assyrians, read about the Moabites, the languages represented on the Rosetta. Then these little artifacts which may otherwise look less impressive to a 7 year old might be more significant & more memorable.

There is also an exhibit which explains How We Got the Bible.

Call ahead and schedule a group trip, or just drop by. Visit the only Bible Museum on a town square in America. You won't be disappointed.

Other attractions in the Memphis area well documented, but on the Collierville Square, there are some pleasant restaurants, amazing shops, & a beautiful park to relax. Trains line the opposite side of the square, and if you play your cards right, I think the ice cream stand that also serves super yummy burgers is down a side street, just behind the former mayor's office. (the gas station on the East side of the square).

Homeschool Classroom Preview

Well, we are about 2 weeks away from the official start of 1st Grade. Last year was 'the year that would be Kindergarten'. And this year started well, as soon as Kindergarten ended, about May.

We moved May 1. And it's taken all of 2 months to sort out books, make arrangements for supplemental classes, decide what Jack's education would look like in our new environment & home. I read at Simply Charlotte Mason yesterday, and Educating the Whole Hearted Child, as well as chatted with some of the other mom's at Homeschool Tae Kwon Do class. These are some great gals, with experience here locally & convictions similar to mine. What a blessing.

Anway, I won't try to spell out the details today, but I did get the bare minimum pulled together in regard to books, where we'll store his books, and expanded into the storage area that is our central living room(we don't have furniture to fill it up yet, so the boxes just sit).

Craigslist produced an excellent sofa & large chair last week for $150 that if I'd only had a truck, I'd have long since been lounging on them. Never-the- less, I'll keep scanning & my cheap-dream furniture will appear. It always does.

I've temporarily borrowed Jack's desk to sew a 1 piece quilt for Henry. We did paint his bed and when I have 3 more items on the wall, I'll post the before & after of the boy's room. Working on a camp/frontier style room that doesn't have scooby doo anywhere. You'll see-- just give me a couple more days.

Ok, drumroll for the pictures that must be lumped together because I can't seem to post pictures in a more reader friendly fashion. By the way, the view from the desk out the back door offered a glimpse of a doe & a fawn a couple of days ago. There are too many walls in that room with little natural light, but I've tried to utilize it so we maximize what's available. Can't believe I'm going to show you the stuff (including homeschool materials) still in boxes stored in our living room! The room with the sofa is our family room, that has a view on the garden & slip-n-slide yard. Looks a little sparse, but I'm holding back on decorating... it's a rental you know. I don't paint rentals & I'll just have to pack it all back up. It's warmer than it really looks.

Bluegrass, 4th of July, & a Confession

So it was a country 4th of July, parades with horses & big trucks, bands and Boy Scouts, re-enactors & church floats. We found ourselves at a wonderful party after church on Sunday where Henry got to ride his first donkey. Well he was actually able to sit on the donkey after he decided he was 'done'. Stubborn they are. I made chocolate pies with my mother's secret recipe from Dimple Clouse. (wish I could share). I called it my 'First Try, Lumpy Pie'. But it tasted good.

Confession time... my boys held chickens for the first time, before I did. That's right, all my chicken talk has been, well, hypothetical. We are almost there, almost chicken owners. And I've never even held one, till July 3, 2010. You think about it, those legs can be a little intimidating. But these sweet girls were just precious, gentle, soft. I've died and gone to chicken heaven. I have to admit, I kept noticing how it felt like that package of chicken in the grocery, but I have no qualms about the chickens being used for a tasty Sunday dinner. For Jack, the jury is still out. He continues to suggest we could just keep them for eggs. I don't argue. He's a precious boy. The look on Henry's face really says it all. He was completely taken with chickens, horses, ponies, pigs(which I handled well through all the squealing & screaming.)He's a farm boy, and he didn't even know it.

These guys(below) played and played unthwarted by the loud trains that would pass right in the middle of their playing. Eric works with one of the fellows in the band. They had a wonderful sound and an even better message.

So we find ourselves mid July, looking forward to school. I'm excited for the seasons to change, to see fall leaves. Have pumpkins and wear a sweater. Read 'If You Give a Moose a Muffin.' Yep, I'm ready for Fall. But birthday's are just around the corner, so I better wait till August has come & gone before shifting gears. Feeling so blessed. So thankful.

Adjusting takes Time Lifetime Meds #29

It's been 2 months since we made our big move to Georgia. What seemed like a plane crash landing with sparks coming off the plane, is now beginning to seem much more, well, peaceful.

We find ourselves 'missing home', wearing familiar colors, (on UGA's campus no less-- totally on accident), and then we find ourselves pulling out a 'Dawgs' shirt and not thinking anything of that either.

We just keep walking the path, trying not to sit down. That's life isn't it. Some days it happens so naturally, some days are a struggle, full of unfamiliar. Then one day it looks a little more like 'home'.

191-205

blueberry patches

fresh corn

new friends

welcoming gifts

blessed worship with christians

kids playing with kids

Tae Kwon Do class & camp

foster parents for kids in need

fireworks

good food

riding in the back of a pick-up

magnets for fetching keys down a drain in a parking lot(yes this happened...)

petting zoos with chickens & pigs

4th of July parades

fresh laundry

LIfetime Meds #29 Counting so I won't miss the blessings so abundant.

Galatians 6:7-10

'Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all , especially to those who are of the household of faith.'