Happy 17th Birthday Josiah!!

A Few Things from February...so far

 For several years I had Valentine mailboxes that I put on the mantle each February. Those mailboxes got dented and bent and I got rid of them. But this year I saw Valentine mailboxes in the store and decided it was time to bring back the tradition. This time they are on the kitchen counter. Notes and candy were "mailed" to each other for the last couple weeks.

We watched the Superbowl and my parent's house. Most of the children watched the whole game this year. It was nice that we could spill over to a second TV. As it worked out the Eagles fans were watching separately from most of the Chiefs fans. The five teenagers in the room kept me quite entertained all evening!

Anna has guitar during "rainbow hour" when the sun is just right to hit all the prisms that her teacher has in her window. The rainbow on the neck of her guitar was perfect last week. Anna's most recent guitar accomplishment is learning to play "Plush."

More snow! This time it was wet and heavy and piled up on the tree branches. It was so pretty.

The boys made a snowman this time. This snow lasted just long enough for some evening activities to be cancelled.

I'm looking forward to using this new book for Lent devotionals. I've never had devotion reading specific for Lent and I'm looking forward to something new and walking through the book of John to Easter.

A friend sent me this last week and it sums up my teaching life right now. Except that this year it is Pre-Algebra. Anna is like me when it comes to math and so she and I are watching her math lessons together so that I can properly help her with her assignments. It's worth my time. Math has been going so much better for Anna.

 

Joy Dare: January 2025

 11,910. A day to catch up and reorganize
11,911. Isaiah decided he liked something new at supper
11,912. Aliza arrived safe and happy
11,913. Coffee talk time with Elizabeth
11,914. Josiah's good attitude
11,915. Winter evenings
11,916. Flexible doctor's office
11,917. Seeing a little snow
11,918. Anna loved her first away-from-home babysitting job
11,919. Isaiah eating pork and noodles

11,920. Cleaning
11,921. The excitement of snow coming
11,922. Hearing all about Aliza's trip over supper
11,923. Ordering photos
11,924. Waking up to a winter wonderland
11,925. Lots of wet clothes means there was lots of fun in the snow
11,926. A family that gives me freedom to do things on my own
11,927. Being OK with being with just myself
11,928. Safety traveling
11,929. Books and podcasts
11,930. Meeting new people
11,931. Someone to sit with
11,932. Facetime with Isaiah
11,933. Learning a lot about curriculum
11,934. My moment with Mrs. Walker
11,935. Having this opportunity that I didn't expect
11,936. Easy flights and home early
11,937. Jeremy completely surprised me at the airport
11,938. Snow gives permission to hibernate
11,939. "What you need more than splashy resolutions, is steady rhythms." (Ann Voskamp)
11,940. Busy birdfeeders
11,941. Moonlight reflecting off the snow
11,942. Just hanging out with Anna
11,943. A Sunday morning at home
11,944. Hearing all Aliza's stories from the weekend
11,945. A moment with Josiah
11,946. A really good day of school
11,947. Exercise
11,948. Praying
11,949. Cardinals in the snow
11,950. Anna came home from dance really happy
11,951. Bedtime reading with Isaiah
11,952. Math with Anna
11,953. Snow flurries
11,954. Friend time without a time restraint
11,955. Time capsule on a VHS tape
11,956. Josiah looking back to say "I love you Mom"
11,957. Isaiah's favorite: supper on the couch and a movie
11,958. The depth of long friendships
11,959. Everyone home safely
11,960. Hearing all the camp stories
11,961. Car time with Aliza
11,962. Isaiah getting to play his favorite games
11,963. Watching a movie just me and Isaiah
11,964. Living a country with peaceful transitions of power
11,965. Getting through a rough day of school
11,966. When my child tells me they are praying for their mom to have patience
11.967. Some talk time with Jeremy
11,968. Vidoes of Texas nieces playing in the snow
11,969. A good first day of classes for Aliza
11,970. Breakfast for supper on a cold day
11,971. A warm house
11,972. Isaiah and Anna really enjoyed a new class
11,973. Teaching a new group of students English

11,974. Opportunities opening up for Jeremy
11,975. Picking up Sean from school
11,976. An evening to unwind
11,977. Another book series Isaiah is excited about
11,978. A Sunday School hour spent visiting
11.979. End of the season football games
11,980. Laughing at myself

11,981. Weekend meal together
11,982. Anna's passion for her current career interest
11,983. Aliza comes home and wants to talk
11,984. Watching a video of Ronan too many times
11,985. A warmer day
11,986. Listening to a friend's story
11,987. Learning
11,988. Anna really excited about her dances
11,989. Wednesday night debrief with Aliza
11,990. Isaiah participating in PE without knowing anyone else in the class
11,991. A book I'm staying up too late reading
11,992. Just listening
11,993. The flame of a candle on a gray, rainy day
11,994. A thoroughly dusted bedroom
11,995. The feeling when school is finished on Friday