Summer Drag

This happens to me almost every summer, I get sooo bored, and so do my kids.  This isn't complaining for the most part, because things have run pretty smoothly thus far, but I am finding it hard to keep the kids occupied whether it be work or pleasure.  There is only so much housework 3 boys, 1 girl and a momma can do.  We are in the south, although it may not be the deep south someone needs to inform the thermometer and humidity.  The 2 youngest will still brave the heat to ride bikes, visit the creek, pick blackberries, etc.  The teen man and the almost teen man are through with most of their playing.  There have been lots of playing with neighborhood children, which has its ups and downs.  Yesterday the 10 yr old neighbor girl gave Dania her old DS (whatever that is), she had just purchased a new DSI, so the old DS was outdated and passed to Dania.  I came into the sunroom to see them sitting next to each other texting not talking.  I mentioned how strange and not fun that looked, to which she replied that she could do this for hours. 

The saving grace is that all of my kids like to read, Evan the most, Luke and Dania tie for second and Austin last, but he will still read a fair amount.  I took the kids to the library yesterday and Evan was so excited to find a book on English Fairy tales, did I mention how awesome I think that kid is.  I have found him on several occasions around the house today reading those stories, he even snuck down last night after bedtime to get the book and ask if he couldn't please read some more quietly in bed.  It has quite difficult vocab and he will often have to stop and ask what a phrase means or a particular word is regarding.

I am in heaven over new carpet in the master bedroom.  The old carpet must have been original (20yr) and it was off white and did not match the room at all.  We have kind of a gaudy, flamboyant room,(it was not our design) there are curtains that look like a clown jesters suit (burgundy,gold,olive) there is scroll work along the ceiling, a recessed ceiling that is painted chocolate, high ceilings, and crown molding that is ornate as well.  So needless to say dirty, filthy, off white carpet needed to go.  My feet delight every time I step in my room, and we have managed to keep the room spotless now that we have overhauled the carpet.  I wonder how long that will last.  My second joy is the tomatoes on the back deck, I have so far had no problems with them, although they are not at peak production yet, we have had many a tasty one.  The cherry tomatoes are the only plant that doesn't look to healthy, it is a little yellow and has had to have quite a few dead branches pruned off.

I am desperate to get some baby chicks even though it is against neighborhood covenants, since we have 13 acres and no one to the left of us I am thinking of appealing to the powers that be.

I have just started to read a book that my mother highly recommended "The Shepherd of the Hills" I have not read enough to comment yet.  I also read (did not purchase) Love Wins by Rob Bell.  I have liked many of his videos and some of his earlier work, I would need to spend a whole day blogging about it to cover all the bases, but I just don't feel like it was worth it.  He made some good points, asked a few relevant questions,but overall it was incredibly weak.  I expected to be stumped and pouring over scripture, but alas that was not the case.

True change

Next week marks the final chapter in the One Thousand Gifts book/bible study that I am doing with several of my friends.  We are going to meet monthly from here on out until all reach the 1000 mark on our lists. The truth is that if I was not facilitating this whole endeavor, I would quit!  I would have read the book, thought about being more thankful, practiced that for a while,not really seen a change, and then like most other good books, convicting sermons, challenging scriptures, I would have let them fall by the wayside. Maybe it is just me, but I have some real commitment issues to long hard spiritual discipline.  I want feel good Readers Digest versions of the story, the cut to the chase quick fix.  If I was a dieter, I would go for the diets that promoted rapid weight loss in the shortest amount of time.  I want results, and I want them now.

Learning something that does not come naturally for me is really hard work, mentally.  I don't want to give it my best effort because I know that I will never really be great at it. My best efforts only result in mediocrity most of the time.  The truth is that I don't stick with something long enough to see if I could truly master it or not, if it doesn't come easy, I quit, or live with the status quo. NO ONE has ever described me as driven.  Yet my soul cries out for something more, the spirit has not let me be satisfied with where I am or with the progress I am making.  He is demanding more, and for that I must take the slow deliberate steps of learning.  I must do battle with my biggest foe (my mind) minute by minute in order to gain control of my flesh that is never satisfied.  I am learning what it means to learn, as simple as that sounds.  In trying to find the gift of the moment I am learning how to really see, and in the seeing I learn what has kept me from the life I am to have in Christ and that scares me.  Do I really believe that he who began a good work in me will see it through to the end? or will I be left without the living water?  I know what his desire is for me, but what will I choose?

I want joy, peace,contentment in all things, so today, this morning I choose to see, believe, and receive what this day has for me.  That means that I am going to leave my expectations for the kids, husband, myself at the door and take the tentative steps of learning thankfulness in all things.  There are no do overs in this life and oh how I long to finish my one race well.

Luke and the DUI

Luke was the first member of our family involved in a car accident.  It happened today around dinner time when he was coming home with the boy up the street and that boy's youth pastor.  They were in a little pickup truck, all three in the front seat, belted in, (thank you Jesus) when a drunk driver hit them.  I was called to the scene to pick him up, and when I arrived, I saw him bouncing around, talking to police and paramedics.  I called him over to our truck, and he ran over to me, stuck his hand in the open window, shoved a broken taillight in my face, and said: "Look at my souvenir from the wreck, the police already said yes mom."  There you have it!  The man responsible was incarcerated on the spot and put in the ambulance, since he was not wearing a seat belt and hit his head on the dash. To quote Ma Ingalls, "All is well that ends well."

Cloudland Canyon Camping

Luke turned 10 on June 14th, so I brought cupcakes along to celebrate his birthday with everybody.

I think he had too much soda and cupcakes.

Evan hanging out on the picnic table.  Nate trailered a motorcycle for us to take on a couple of nice mountain rides.

This is my youngest nephew Cosner, he looks happy for Evan, who was our photographer for the trip.

This is his sister Allie, she is only 4 and a very big girl for her age.  She had no problems bossing and being the tattle if she was mistreated.

We hit the Tennessee aquarium on Friday.  Alan Jackson was in town for some concert, so the streets and riverfront had lots of activity happening.

Evan loved this picture of him and his friend the sea turtle.

Nanny and Papa joining us on the hike to the rock bluffs.

Amanda and Nate overlooking the rocks. She looks full of herself and Nate looks full of something.

Ryan bravely leaps over the giant chasm

Luke and Silas in the fat man's squeeze.  Luke told Silas to suck in his gut and he wouldn't get stuck.

Austin had no problems getting through.  This is sadly the only picture we got of him.  Evan must have banned Dania and him from the camera range, cuz there aint none of em.

See ya next time!

Summer Update

Austin is not done with school yet.  He had to go 10 extra days than the little kids.  He is also taking a writing tutoring class this summer to catch up on his writing level.  The good news on that front is that he can express himself well on paper, he just needs help with the spelling and structure.  Apparently that is the easier part to fix if someone has trouble writing.

The bible/book study on thankfulness is going really well, but is so difficult.  It has been much harder than I imagined to stay disciplined, change my perspective, and die to the flesh.  I feel really raw these days, but I KNOW how much I need this shift in perspective in order to live fully.

I am letting Dania go all natural with her hair this summer to give it a break from the constant braiding, and to give our pocket book a breather as well.  I told her she could do whatever she wanted with it, right now it is a little afro with a wide head band in it.  It looks pretty cute, and she is excited about it.

Neighborhood kids have invaded the house and yard.  They spend time down here at the creek and then spend time up the street at the other kids houses. So far, so good.

We are off on a camping trip with the whole Brock family, the Kissacks and Amanda.  Tam is even here from CA to join in the fun.  I feel frazzled and not ready,  camping is always such an enormous amount of work, that I am not sure I consider it a vacation, more like an expedition.