A little Bragging

Look what Annabelle found>

Just thought I would take a moment to do a little bragging on behalf of our new church and church family.  We have been in Indianapolis just short of a year, in a few short weeks will will celebrate the anniversary!  In that year, we have been so blessed by amazing people all around us.  I have known our church is huge, I have known I have never been a part of anything so big....but I really had no idea until this week how big and spectacular it really is!  I realize bigger is not necessarily better- BUT if things are done with excellence and big---WOW!  I am proud to be a part of this family, they do things so well, thoughtfully, deliberately, and big! Right up my alley.

Take a look at some of these photos of our recent VBS and Community Fish Fry.  I hope you are as amazed as I am at the wonderful gifts God has blessed these people with.  I hope it blesses you as it has blessed me to watch people use there gifts for the Kingdom!

Walking into church-decked out Medieval everywhere!

I don't know how big this was but it was amazing- you could WALK through it!!! And...it was cool inside!

Look at all those kids! Don't know how many somewhere between 350-400!

The water boy.  Never got a negative comment about my little helper!

loving on kids!

Didn't get many picture of the fish Fry- BUT WOW- look at all those people!

Anyone wondering how our struggling little one is----- he is doing just fine and has some little bandits to run around with-so fun!

Making it in the Middles

Seems life doesn't allow many moment for me to reflect and blog anymore, why is that? Well, summer has recently come upon us with a sweet, comforting arrival and given me a bit of time.  I realized this year that I no longer have little kids!!! I know-duh- right! Our lives have changed so much- we are in "The Middles" and watching "The Littles" go away has been hard.  Having -not little kids and not big kids is well.....exhausting!!!!!  I remember my sister telling me several years ago-"I would go back to diapers over this!"  My response was a pensive...."NO WAY!" It seemed in those days all I did was change diapers!

I understand her now!  There are some things I am learning being in the middles, thought I would share them with you:

1.  It used to be you had to make sure you had food and diapers in the car, now I make sure I always have a book- FOR ME!  I spend hours upon hours in the car, not just driving, but waiting. I am also very thankful that in Indiana I can talk on the cell phone.

2.  Food....plenty of food in the house- NEVER run out!

3.  Find new ways to discipline- the naughty seat and spanking just don't work anymore.  I have had to be creative here but the worst is that the punishments make me sad!

4. I really have no control.  Not sure why that one is a surprise to me?

5.  Be deliberate.  Life was so fun when we dealt with things as they came, now we actually have to "plan" vacation, have rules about media, "plan" time together", plan, plan, plan!

6. Speaking of media....WOW!   What a strange phenomena which has occurred with the many media driven activities my kids have...make it stop!  I think, particularly the teenager, could actually be on media 24 hours a day!

7.  The communication of opinions is quite different now...enough said.

8.  Dinner, at the dinner table, with 6 family members in an anomaly.  Not sure when this happened but this goes back to #5.

9.  All the things I held so deeply to, stubbornly- "My kids will never do that!"  Well- they do that!

10. Pray! (and drive carefully)

The Littles

The Middles

Hock Happenings

Just a few pics to share of all the busy times we are having.  Life has been getting fun as, hopefully, spring arrives.  I am not sure I am so happy with the weather here in Indiana- it has yet to get much higher than 38!!!  I am done with winter, my slump of hibernation needs to be behind me, and well--not yet!  Hope you enjoy our picture and all that we are up to these days.

pretending he is in the tank at the aquarium

All of that and still only the weight of a shark

Look at that sign...we tried it!!!!!

fun at the aquarium

Biggest pizza EVER!

And the cast is off

new worship band member!

Look at all the books Sammy can read!!!!!

Basketball is over but it was fun

look at that jump!

pinewood derby!

Sam the Man

Out Like a Lamb

We prepare for Easter, enduring the winter. I thought of the old seasonal saying, "March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb."

Here in the Hock house we have felt the fierceness of the winter lion stalking and sinking it's teeth into tired prey.  We long for the sunshine and vitamin D!!!  Isn't it funny that the Lamb of God, the sacrificial Lamb, the  Cross of Christ is remembered usually as March "goes out like a lamb?"  The sun will come, the buds will erupt, and a sense of newness and freshness will overcome us!!!

Celebrate and prepare!

We have recently started a book for the Lenten season from a familiar author.  We have read all 3 of the Advent stories by Arnold Ytreeide and highly recommend them.  We are already captivated by our new story which embeds familiar characters and suspenseful and and contemplative messages.

today...hopefully our last snowstorm!

My hard little worker: school, school, school! All the time!

Recent trip to the aquarium in Cincinnati

February said hello to a 12 year old!!!  Happy Birthday Joseph!

The newest addition to our household, Geicho the Bearded Dragon.  This was Joseph's birthday present and he is fascinating!

When Will It All Get Normal

God has the plan.

The beginning of 2013....Not all that I had hoped!  This is my favorite coffee mug.   It has been my favorite coffee mug for 7 years, and now it symbolizes so much for me!  This mug was given to me in Maryland by a dear friend.  At the time, we met for workout and coffee at least three times a week at 5:30 am!!!  Crazy - I know but it was significant for both of us.  We both had 4 young children, life had spun out of control and our only time for ourselves became this workout and coffee time.  She gave me this mug when I moved away to Washington.  The mug has stood strong for 7 years.  I drank from this mug almost daily and this friend and I continued to "meet" although less and less frequently as the time zones never seemed to work.  We had moments though, always answered the phone for each other even if it was just to say, "I can't talk." Now....We have entered our new lives in Indiana.  My friend and I are thrilled that we talk as much as if we lived down the street again!  With the time zone problem eliminated our friendship is thrilled to be close again.

Early in January the mug broke.....it just slipped out of my hand! My heart got heavy, how could this happen?  This was not supposed to happen, this mug has stood the test of time, it has been with me in the absence of my friend, it remained when life was falling apart at times in those 7 years!

I have thought about this break over the last month as I have watched all that has happened in our lives in this new year 2013.  You see- this last couple of months have not gone how I planned.  We are here- in a new place, a great place. It has been so much fun to move and start new again.  Kids are really coming into their own here, it is a wonderful place to live, and there is excitement for our lives to take deep root here.  Things ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GREAT! We all, mostly, like it here...yet I have been so sick, we have been sick, Rob is so busy, we can't get a handle on things (especially schedules)....and we just cannot seem to start our "run."  Instead we are limping.  I am not sure why this is but my mug reminds me that it doesn't always go the way we think it should go.  I am ready to be "living" and enjoying life in Indianapolis but whether it be influenza, broken bones, fevers, teenagers schedule difficulties, teenagers, or any number of things...it feels like we are just limping!  My broken mug began a run of simple, non life threatening trials which have worn away at my spirit.  I caught my self asking that same "how could this happen?" question as I look around and am reminded:

It doesn't always go the way we had hoped.  Our God doesn't work that way!  We are not happy because we have a favorite mug or because we are well, or because things go the way we planned!  We are happy because we have HIM and we belong to Him.  I take comfort in this when all around doesn't look the way I want it to.  He has the plan, the right plan. So I look around and we continue to limp but knowing without a doubt that God brought us here- we press on.  He did bring us here and although things seem to be falling apart at times- we are constantly reminded of the paths He took to bring us to Indianapolis.  So many of you have wondered where I have been, why I haven't blogged or called...well- life hasn't gone the way I thought it would lately and we have been limping.  Hang with me- we will be in touch soon and I will take pictures again and let you all in on all the Hock happenings....just let my get my feet going again!

We were all taking so many things for sicknesses, we started labeling spoons!

This is what our counter looks like for a couple of weeks...with labeled spoons!

A True Break

What a wonderful Christmas break.  I must say- we truly took a break.  Although we were sad to say good bye to some old traditions, slowing down and simply living with no schedule for a week and enjoying life here together did our hearts good.  We didn't get to go to Snoqualmie Pass, WA skiing as usual between Christmas and new Years, we had a very rushed fondue Christmas Eve due to 3 services Rob had to do, and we really missed alot of friends....BUT- new beginnings are refreshing and new traditions-well- were necessary.  We began our break with 9 girls in the house for a sleepover and cookie making...phew that was exciting! We fit in making "pigs ears", eating fondue, making gramma's bread, and finishing the homemade sibling presents.  During the break we slept in, stayed up late, and enjoyed PLENTY of "screen time."  I got a cold- which forced a few sedentary days but that ended up being a great thing.  Sometimes my "go go go" mentality is really not what the other 5 people in the family need.  God was good to us- we slowed down.  We realized that since we arrived in Indiana- we have hit the ground running and we were so tired.  Isn't it amazing how we continue to find out that God knows us better than we know ourselves??!!  I am not sure why this surprises me, but I guess I like surprises. 

As we watched the days go by we find ourselves back in the swing of things. School has begun, sports are underway, and schedules are conflicting on the calendar.  As we head into this new year let me tell you a few amazing blessings....

1. I think we have found a piano teacher.  We could never replace our teacher in Ephrata and this "piano search" has been such a burden, but  I believe we have come to the end of the search.

2. The kids were so excited to return to The Master's Study (their part -time school).  Even though the transition to this type of schooling has been SO difficult (mostly for me) and full of many doubts...they seem to really love where they are!

3.  I have started to exercise again!! YAY!!! It has been way to long

4.  Sammy is making progress.  Many of you know that Sammy's transition here has been the hardest and we have had discoveries of learning difficulties.  His heart seems a bit better, he is not as angry, and we see glimpses f slow progress with his reading. Please continue to pray for him.

Happy New Year to all!!!

Best friends now share a room and participate in nightly readings together

Lots of treats

Finally- a fireplace!!!!!

Showing their wares.....favorite yearly homemade gift from cousins

ok more treats

Lots of snow, and sickness in house allowed for a 4 day Harry Potter marathon!!!! What fun

Trying to fit our beloved fondue tradition into new home and Christmas eve schedule

Yay!!! Christmas morning!

Another part of our break recipe...lots of games!

Thankful

For years being in Ephrata, Washington had many joys- yet one struggle gnawed at my heart every year around the holidays... jealousy.  Yes- jealousy!  I was jealous of all those around us who had family to be with every holiday.  I coped with my jealousy by transforming our holidays into valuable and cherished times to which our children would never notice they were missing out on what so many others enjoyed. Little did I know that no matter how hard I tried I would never remove our innate desire to be loved and adored by "extended family" from our children.  We built that family in Washington with a few families who we adopted as our own, but there was more we were still missing.  I knew it.  The kids knew it.  We never talked about it.

Since we have moved a bit closer to family, I was overjoyed to have somewhere to be and someone to be with on our first holiday! We drove 8 hours to join Gramma and Grampa on the farm for Thanksgiving.  Never underestimate the influence and affect that grandparents or extended family have on children.  There is a sense of belonging and comfort with being around those related to you.  Although I still dearly miss Ephrata and our adopted families- I was relieved to not be jealous of those around us.  I was relieved to watch the kids enjoy- for the first time in their memories- a holiday with family.

Joseph followed Grampa around the farm talking to and feeding animals, he never came indoors except to sleep.  MacKenzie walked every morning, with her Bible in hand, to find a quiet spot to read.  She also spent hours with the horses- riding, grooming, and loving them.  Annabelle just thought being with Gramma and in the house was wonderful.  She doesn't really have any memories of being there before this trip.  She had her own room into which she completely moved in.  She had things in every nook and cranny.  She baked with Gramma, talked with Gramma, and did chores and errands with Grampa.  Sammy- well Sammy did the best he could- being a place he doesn't remember ever being, with people he doesn't know too well, and around a lot of big scary animals.  Nevertheless, he occupied himself and tried many new things including riding a horse and going on an errand with Grampa.

All this is to say- I am thankful.  I was always thankful, but this trip did my heart good.  I truly heard pride and joy drip from the children's mouths as the told friends where they were going and where they had been for the Thanksgiving holiday.  It was as if they were finally in "the in crowd" and they knew it! They were saturated with an experience that hadn't ever had before and will have it written in their hearts.  Now, I am sure we will not be with family every holiday and I also know that, as it was in Ephrata, most people have their families close in Indiana- but I thank the Lord for this trip and this experience!  We are thankful for where we have been on this life journey, who He had made us through it, and where we are now.  What comfort and peace comes from knowing you are right where the Lord wants you!!!

This horse has never been so loved...hours of grooming! even a braided mane everyday

Our reserved little guy spent hours talking to animals

The joys of baking with Dad

If we could have fit the horse in the suburban...she would have taken her home

Back in the land of trees

beautiful

A long awaited visit