The Details......

This morning I found a bean stalk growing........in my sink drain! 

I should have taken a picture but I was so surprised, I just pulled.  The bean itself was quite a ways down, the sprout was a good 4 inches long, and the leaves on top were poking up out of the drain as green as green can be.  I am a firm believer that everything that happens for very specific reasons and as funny as it is that a bean was growing in the sink....I believe it was to teach me something today.  Well- I could easily go to the imagery of growth and how, even 4 inches down in the drain, that sprout grew and grew towards the light, just as we should.  BUT- that was not my lesson today.  Today, as life is so crazy I find myself walking in circles or forgetting commitments on a regular basis, I am reminded of God's amazing attention to detail.  There are things being orchestrated that I do not even know about, details. These details seem funny and meaningless, but they are not, He even knows the number of hairs on our heads....now- really...how ridiculous and unimportant does that seem?  Why is that detail make any difference? It probably doesn't except for the fact..that He knows it.  And that is the point, He knows it all.  He knows the thousands of details that surround me and you everyday, and even when I forget some of them and walk in circles being overwhelmed, He knows them and has not forgotten! So the small little bean sprout is a reminder that He knows all that is going on...and I should fear not.  He knows when I forget to get someone to practice or forget a meeting...and I think it is His grace to remove some of these things from my mind.  And when I think I have really messed up...He still knows it! There is only ONE THING I need to remember and not forget...Him!

 Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only ONE THING is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:41-42

Easter Weekend

The highlight of Easter day....after hours of fishing -one fish!! And one very excited boy, the picture just makes us smile.

We had a beautiful day of worship, a relaxing brunch out, and then an afternoon/evening of fishing.  We all know the best part of the day was the one fish caught (which by the way was not caught until the car was packed, ready to go after 3 hours of fishing)! But I must add in the other amazing thing about the day-- we found an owl family and nest!! We are pretty sure they were Great Horned Owls...Mom, Dad, and 3 babies (the babies were over16 inches at least)! Hopefully I will get that pic up next posting.  What a treat- Thank you Lord for your resurrection, family, and your creation!

Boy oh boy does this one know how to melt his mother's heart!!!

oh- he wanted one soooooo bad, maybe next time.

I don't think  there is ever an ugly Easter egg

Writing his letter to the Easter bunny

This year we went all out, in years past there has always been a 6 egg decorating limit.....6 eggs, 4 kids, 2 dozen extra eggs- makes sense right?  Well, we went ahead and boiled 5 dozen eggs!!!!

It was quite a production!

All sorts of different techniques this year...although the natural dyes we made didn't work our so great

The News in Our House

All the good stuff going on in our world:


MacKenzie got new boots for soccer, big deal for her!



Annabelle got her ears pierced!  MacKenzie had to wait until 10-not so much with Annabelle, asking for years and got sister's approval.

Sammy needs new socks :)




 


Joseph mad Turkish Delight.  He is reading the Narnia series and his comprehension guide has the recipe.  Although we had no lemon extract, he insisted on using root beer extract- then insisted on how wonderful they were!



Work around the House

Well- along with the 4-5 full time jobs that we currently feel like we have, there have been numerous projects around the house which need some attention.  Due to the latest food changes in MacKenzie's diet, we have packed our cupboards chuck full.  I want to think my husband building me a pantry is simply out of the desires of his heart to please me......but....I believe it is more out of the frustration he is experiencing when he opens various cupboards and anything could happen: stuff tumbling out, things falling on exposed toes, or even surprises as to what is actually in the cupboard!  We need a pantry! First project- a new pantry in the laundry room- it is beautiful (for now).  Next is the long desired garden- which I will probably kill- AGAIN- but we are willing to try once more...this time having it where an automatic sprinkler will help with the job. In order for this to happen the fence needs to be moved, raised beds made, and dirt brought in, and plants ordered.  We have arrived today on the first step, and there will be no ordering of plants until we actually get a bit further (this is for my own protection).

Isn't is wonderful?!

As you can see...Dad has a great supervisor to work for!

Always up for a smile in the midst of work.

Joseph had his own project the other day, he bought his own "pitch back" and put it together all by himself... I was so proud of him

I couldn't resist pictures!

Why is spring so busy???

As a friend of mine put it this morning...I feel like a fly in a frying pan!!! What a great phrase!  My mind is jumping from one thing to the next at all times because there are so many things going on.  Soccer has ended for 2 children, baseball has begun, and gymnastics and soccer are both heightened season for the girls. I wonder how can the days be so busy.  This week is always one of the busiest of the year for us.  As a pastor's family it just ends up with ALOT of details flying around.  I cannot seem to focus and then there are Easter baskets........why Easter baskets?!? There are some tradition that one little part of me says in the back of my mind..."why did you start this?" Easter baskets are one of those traditions, birthday parties are another.  I love them, yet I don't.
This is the time of year that I really want to be enjoying every moment of sunshine and outdoors. The time of year when I really want to focus on the amazing sacrificial love of my Savior and His love for me.  The time of year for new beginnings and fresh starts. The time of year for noticing every centimeter of growth on each new flower.  The time of year that my children seem to have a wonderful excitement and freshness in their attitudes.  So- as I look at my week, my head spinning with the details of what I need to do- I want to remember that it all fails in comparison to the magnitude of what this Holy week is to me.  Help me to focus, Lord, on YOU! I hope all of you can take some time to focus on why this week is Holy week, what makes it different from all the rest of the year for you?
No pictures today...next time :)

Field Trips...lots of them!

We have been gone alot lately....on field trips!  Spring has the tendency to get me itching to do things, so we go.  Last week we hit the Pacific Science Center, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Grand Coulee Dam.  There was so much to see and learn.  I think my favorite was the art museum and I loved that the kids are enjoying museums and such...they were enthralled with the art museum.  That made my heart smile.  I love to see them enjoying God's creations and also having those creations inspire them and spur them on.  Another thing that inspired everyone this week was the movie "Soul Surfer." It was a beautiful story that gave my kids a new perspective on determination.  It was well done and I recommend it for your next "feel good" movie. 

One of our favorite places in Seattle

Seattle Art Museum

Amazingly HUGE Dam

WOW---nothing like the Star Wars exhibit...little boy's dream!

Notice- no pic of Joseph in this exhibit....well.....for most of it we couldn't find him!! He disappeared into the land of Star Wars, not to be found for awhile.

My tribe....after a long day

Science Fun

Working on our Human Body science class we made a "heart" with yummy stuff! We use Apologia Science and have a great time with activities.  I often wonder how much any one really learns but we do have fun.  I have to remember that when I get discouraged about if they are learning that they do gain so much from all of our experiences!  School is going well this year.  MacKenzie has become quite a little academic and works hard at Latin, science, history, writing, and literature.  Joseph is my math guy who is knee deep in long division- and very unhappy about that.  Annabelle is extremely diligent and gets done with most of her school work before I even get a shower in.  Sammy-- well-- we are working hard at getting him to read but mostly he just enjoys life and is constantly asking when the next person has a break---so they can play with him!

A Great Little Family Devotional

 A sweet friend recently let me borrow this book as I was looking for a new devotional.  I am already so blessed by this book.  The chapters are short and full of practical illustrations.  All of my children walked away with a morsel to take with them for the day. I walked away this week with the idea of "adding color" to all that I do.  There are so many things in my days which seem colorless, but I can make them colorful!!!

Update on the weekend: I have recently started running again, Joseph sweetly rode his bike with me today as an ecouragement!  MacKenzie spent the weekend in Seattle at a Christian youth rally called "Acquire the Fire", she returned energized, yet exhausted.  She has been sleeping for hours.  She also let me know of her plans for mission work this summer..so I am sure there will be more to come on that topic.  Annabelle had 2 soccer games and spent the night at a friends' house.  She came home disappointed that they did not ride the four wheelers......we are so in trouble with that one. Joseph had a soccer game, and he scored the only goal for his team.  He is having the weekend of his life because not only did he have a friend spend the night, but also got invited to go to a movie....he is thrilled since he doesn't seem to get to do much with buddies.  Sammy sufficiently filled my ears with complaints that his life is sooooo unfair.  I think I will reread the book "Sibling Rivalry" soon, my cup runneth over with disputes these days.