Happy 16th Birthday Josiah!

 

Savoring Moments and An Embarrassing Story

 

 I'm catching myself savoring these moments when all 4 children are together. I'm so aware that this season of life is quickly changing and I'm having all the feelings about it.

Instead of thinking too much about growing up children, we can laugh instead. During ESL last week I had such an embarrassing moment. We were playing the "flyswatter game" to review colors. I had colored pieces of construction paper taped to the whiteboard. The students were in two lines. I call out a color and the first students in line would race to the board to "swat" the correct color. The students were enjoying it and all was going well until I took a step back and slipped on a laminated poster that had fallen on the ground. The leg went completely out from under me and I ended up on the ground. Before I could even figure out what had happened, a student was helping me up. All I could do was laugh. How does that even happen to a person!? Most of the class couldn't see what happened because they were standing up in lines. Still embarrassing and a good story and a good reason to laugh at myself. 

There are no dull moments around here!

Joy Dare::January

 10,849. Planning and filling in a new calendar
10,850. Jeremy made supper
10,851. Looking at pictures
10,852. School went well for the first day after break
10,853. Evenings at home this week
10,854. Watching some old home DVDs with Aliza
10,855. A book that is way too engaging
10,856. New mug for morning tea
10,857. Getting to know Anna's guitar teaching a little bit
10,858. Everyone's favorite supper
10,859. Conversations with Aliza about the future
10,860. Grandad teaching Bible class
10,861. Having Mom to myself for a bit
10,862. Welcoming company and still getting recycling taken care of
10,863. Quietly putting away the Christmas tree
10,864. Rainy Saturday that was good for reading
10,865. Catching up with church friends
10,866. Celebrating Dad
10,867. Peppermint tea this evening
10,868. Mature decisions being made
10,869. Listening
10,870. Little birds in the yard eating away
10,871. My winter counter tray

10,872. Cozy at home during the storm
10,873. Praying for Jeremy
10,874. Josiah doing well in Geometry
10,875. Anna excited about the things she's involved in
10,876. Six students today (you can't see them well in the picture!)

10,877. Welcoming so many ESL students
10,878. Job well done exhaustion
10,879. Our teenagers excited for a youth group weekend
10,880. Isaiah getting to be the big kid
10,881. Our home
10,882. Spending time with Isaiah
10,883. Playing with a sweet little girls at church
10,884. All of the stories from winter retreat
10,885. Visiting in Elizabeth's house
10,886. Josiah had a lot to say
10,887. Anna had a good guitar lesson
10,888. Watching snow fall is so peaceful
10,889. A little bit of snow gave us all an evening at home
10,890. Hot water
10,891. Making a special supper before I'm gone for a few days
10,892. Hugs and good byes
10,893. A Mom and Josiah adventure
10,894. Getting to be with Josiah on his first flight
10,895. Laughing over a game
10,896. A morning walk to breakfast
10,897. The warehouse wasn't too cold
10,898. Josiah really enjoyed supper
10,899. Lunch with Josiah
10,900. Beignets
10,901. Thankful for our rural living
10,902. Navigated through the city without getting lost
10,903. Just me and Josiah
10,904. No one else got sick
10,905. Smooth flights
10,906. Happy to be home
10,907. Having Jeremy beside me again
10,908. Jumping back into routine
10,909. 9 year old logic--shorts and t-shirt to play in the ice

10,910. Making a plan
10,911. Keeping my cool
10,912. Catching up with my Mom
10,913. The ability to multi task
10,914. Doing Reading on the porch with Isaiah
10,915. Being seen by a friend
10,916. I made Anna's day by making ziti for supper
10,917. Fresh air for the afternoon
10,918. An enthusiastic class of ESL students
10,919. A smooth day of school
10,920. Enjoying a 70 degree day in January
10,921. Finding some daffodils peeking up
10,922. Overheard: "If you weren't my cousin, my life would be 'uncomplete' " -Isaiah
10,923. Safety on a day with lots of driving
10,924. Celebrating Ronan
10,925. Our children had the best attitudes
10,926. Sunday afternoon--much needed
10,927. End of season football
10,928. Being the safe place for my girls
10,929. Early grocery pick up
10,930. When Janell tells me I'm actually normal
10,931. Lunch conversations
10,932. Mom had lunch with us
10,933. Anna practicing tap
10,934. A new Bible--with a really pretty cover
10,935. Hearing all the India stories again
10,936. Nighttime laughing with Josiah
10,937. Just Isaiah and I in the car talking
 

Winter ONE-derland

  Last weekend we got to celebrate our nephew's first birthday! It's been fun to watch Ronan grow this year and it's hard to believe that a whole year has passed since we met him. 

With it being Ronan's first birthday, I guess it was appropriate for us to have a couple firsts on this trip. This was our first family day trip to West Virginia. It was also the first time the bridge was closed making us go up and around the Chesapeake Bay. There was a horrible accident on the bridge that morning, closing the bridge for 8 hours. Adding an hour to our trip wouldn't usually be the end of the world, but on a day trip, that hour felt very long. 

We made it--a little late--and walked in to a wonderful winter ONE-derland.

Ronan has the family selfie smile perfected.

The party was in a church activity building complete with a pool table, air hockey, foosball, and couches. Our children thought they would be sitting, instead they got to move around and have a lot of fun.

Ronan wasn't feeling very good.

But he perked up enough to enjoy some cake...

And open his gifts.

Ronan has now received THREE of these dump trucks. His Grandma Karen and I both gave him one for Christmas and he got another one for his birthday. What are the chances? He does enjoy playing with that little truck. He was ready to open it up and play with it right away.

And then we drove back home. I'm so glad we were able to be there. As much as my heart feels it that my children are all growing up, it is so nice to be able to make a 5 hour drive to stay for 2 hours to drive 3hrs 45 min home again with young people who are pleasant to be around the whole time.

 

It was a family day that we will remember with fond memories and a "that was a little crazy but I'm sure glad we did it."