Heslop Invasion

 We call the weekend each year that we visit my aunt and uncle the Heslop Invasion because adding 6 people to a house that is usually occupied by 2 people does feel like an invasion! 

Our trip started very slowly. We left our house at 10am, drove 40 minutes to Cambridge, sat in stand still road work traffic outside Cambridge for 90 minutes and then ate lunch at Chick Fil A in Cambridge. I was the driver for the day and was pretty annoyed. We arrived at 7pm instead of 5:00, but Jeremy got a full day of work in from the car and we were safe so all was well. 

We spent lots of time around the table. Some playing games, some just watching and talking. Aliza and Jeremy got to tell Dan and Laurie all about their trip to India--exactly a year later from when they were in India. 

Saturday was sunny with perfectly clear, blue sky and comfortable temperatures. We took a walk. Isaiah thought it was a very long walk.

Took this priceless progression of pictures with Anna and Aliza.

Sat on a big rock overlooking a pond where I kept worrying that Isaiah was going to somehow manage to fall into the water. He didn't.

And then most of us played a round a disc golf. A highlight for Josiah!

Before we knew it, it was time to wake up early (for us) to get on the road to home Sunday morning. We wanted to get home in time to attend our youth pastor's ordination service. And we made it! Thankfully we did not have any traffic slowdowns on the way home.
 

Joy Dare::October

 11,643. Conversations over meals
11,644. Having Laura and Sean over
11,645. Friends with children making the same adjustments as mine
11,646. Pushing the swing and singing with Maggie
11,647. Just Isaiah and me in the car
11,648. Sunshine this morning
11,649. Leaves crackling
11,650. Teaching English
11,651. Isaiah figuring out math
11,652. Taking a day off from school
11,653, Isaiah having his best day
11,654. Time with Janell, Brian and Meghan
11,655. A day with Grandma and Grandpa
11,656. Biscotti and tea
11,657. Birthday supper
11,658. Anna played guitar in church
11,659. A flat tire did not ruin our day

11,660. Sunday evening and Aliza is content
11,661. Giving myself a new challenge
11,662. Candlelights on the porch

11,663. A lovely evening walk
11,664. The new school antics with just 3
11,665. A special birthday visit for Isaiah
11,666. Double digits but he still falls asleep on me

11,667. Aliza has had a smooth week
11,668. Pumpkin roll
11,669. Interesting discussion
11,670. Being able to fill in
11,671. Late evening party food shopping
11,672. Northern lights
11,673. Bonfire, hotdogs, s'mores and games
11,674. The best group of young adults
11,675. Having Ezra here
11,676. Trying to play piano more
11,677. Anna had a youth group event with no siblings with her
11,678. Aliza's sweet friendships with younger teen girls
11,679. Teaching Children's Worship
11,680. Isaiah excited about the book series we are reading
11,681. Being Anna's driver
11,682. Fall wind
11,683. Pumpkin whoopie pies
11,684. A completely unexpected invitation
11,685. Josiah feeling better
11,686. Lunch with Josiah and Anna
11,687. Introducing Sean to the Upper Ferry
11,688. The discipline of practice
11,689. A friend stayed for Bible study
11,690. Fall diffuser blends
11,691. Days that Jeremy works from home
11,692. Winning the parenting battle without losing my temper
11,693. Clean water
11,694. Making a to do list to keep me motivated
11,695. These warm fall days
11,696. Getting to see Aliza do hard things
11,697. Closet reorganized
11,698. Anna helping me fall decorate the mantle
11,699. Aliza calling to tell me all the things on her mind while she drove home
11,700. Staying up late to finish a book
11,701. Muscle memory from long ago
11,702. Colorful leaves

11,703. Baking a new dessert
11,704. Sending everyone outside "until it's dark"
11,705. Big kids that still want hugs
11,706. Beautiful afternoon for a walk
11,707. Evening with Maria
11,708. Making a plan with Josiah
11,709. Isaiah spelling words I didn't know he knew how to spell
11,710. Walking with Elizabeth
11,711. Isaiah's multiple good bye hugs
11,712. 24 hours just me, Jeremy and Aliza
11,713. Listening to Aliza study Biology
11,714. Touring campus
11,715. Seeing Aliza excited about new possibilities
11,716. Ice cream with Grandma Karen on our way home
11,717. Morning coffee with a friend
11,718. A big pile of leaves
11,719. Hard conversations
11,720. Honest answers
11,721. Good Bible conversations
11,722. My social tank is full
11,723. Really happy to be at home
11,724. Anna's spot right beside me for school
11,725. Boys making supper

11,726. Leaving falling
11,727. Listening to all of Aliza's thoughts
11,728. Taking a walk with Anna and Isaiah
11,729. The freedom to adjust our schedule
11,730. Josiah willing to play outside with Isaiah
11,731. When Isaiah is the only kid at home and wants to sit on the couch with me with a cup of chai
11,732. Candy bowl on the counter
11,733. Isaiah reading beside me
11,734. Aliza and Anna teaching together at ESL
 

 

A Few October Things

 

A leaf blower made gathering the biggest pile of leaves easy! Isaiah thought it was the best thing ever!

Aliza, Jeremy and I spent a day in Cumberland visiting a school that has a dental hygiene program.

Recently authors that I follow have been writing children's books and I find myself buying them.

Anna was beyond excited to get a pair of Nike shoes (off of Poshmark).

I pulled out music and started trying to play piano again.

Young adults from church came over one evening for bonfire and games.

I've enjoyed watching this mum grow over the last several years. This year it was just covered with blooms.

And now it's the last day of October and it is still comfortable to sit outside for a little while in the afternoons. I'm not complaining about that at all!

Genesis 39

Every once in a while, something new stands out to me in the midst of a very familiar Bible passage. This time it happened while we were studying the life of Joseph in Genesis 39. 

Over the course of this chapter, Joseph is in Egypt. He is one of Pharaoh's officials and also a slave. Joseph is having great success in his work. Everything he touches prospers and Pharaoh does not have to concern himself with anything in Joseph's care. And then Potiphar's wife accuses Joseph of mistreating her and Pharaoh throws Joseph in prison where he stays for years. 

What hit me was that in this relatively short chapter the phrase "the Lord was with Joseph" was used four times. 

Sure it's easy to agree that the Lord was with Joseph when He's put in charge of Pharaoh's household and later when he is put in charge of all those held in prison. But in those times Joseph is still a slave and he is still in prison. Yet the Scripture repeatedly tells us that the Lord was with Joseph. 

I might not feel like the Lord is with me if I find myself enslaved, betrayed and thrown in prison. The circumstances don't change whether the Lord is with me. In "bad" circumstances the Lord is with Joseph. The Lord also has a bigger plan for Joseph's life than Joseph can see.

At a time in Joseph's life where we would assume that Joseph was not "blessed", God was there with him. During times in my life when I don't feel "blessed" because of difficult circumstances, I'm challenged to remember that God is with me. Knowing the presence of God is with me is the most blessed I can be no matter the circumstances I find myself in.

Northern Lights

I had kindof seen that the Northern Lights might be visible last Thursday night, but I didn't give it much thought. The girls and I were even driving that evening and didn't notice the sky. When we got home, Jeremy showed us pictures that Joel and Amanda had sent of the Northern Lights from their house. Aliza and Josiah went outside to investigate. This was after 10:30pm. They came back in saying that the sky had pink tones. Aliza pretty quickly convinced all of us that we needed to drive over to the field down the road where we could see the North sky.

We looked at the sky. It was maybe a little brighter than usual and maybe had some pastel hues. The man and oldest boy in the car were pretty skeptical over the whole thing. And then Jeremy took this picture...

...and we were all amazed then, that there was actually colors there that we couldn't see clearly with just our eyes. 

After a few minutes, Aliza and I started watching another spot in the sky that looked like there was a faint pink column of light. Jeremy took a picture..There was a pink column.

We went home after a few more minutes and Jeremy took more pictures in the yard.

Of this I have  no doubt... "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19.1

 

Celebrating Isaiah

 Isaiah's birthday was a celebration spread out over two days.

It started with reusable water balloons and buckets of water. Thankfully October 4 was warm enough for water!

Ezra and Lydia came over to for some youngest-of-the-family cousin time. Isaiah wanted Cookout and shakes for supper. Cookout even did a good job managing my very long take out order!

That night Grandma and Grandpa came.

Joel came Saturday afternoon and Grandma and Grandad came for supper. Isaiah decided on breakfast for supper and ice cream cake for dessert.

Later in the week a friend stopped by with a customized Cheerio box for Isaiah. There was really a toy tucked in under the Cheerio bag.

The label was created by Chatgpt which is pretty cool and still blows my mind.

  

And just like that our youngest is a whole 10 years old!

 

 Happy 10th Birthday Isaiah!

Double digits! It's going to be a fun year!!