Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Isn't He good to change me?

Dear family and friends,

I started a Bible study this morning that Caroline and I are going to go through together. This mornings Bible verse was short and simple. In fact, I even had a "that was easy" moment when I was done (pride).

Mathew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged."

I certainly struggle with sin and I could tell you a list of my weak spots. Judgement isn't one of them, or so I thought.

OH MY...God showed me four different times today (before noon) where I was being judgemental...OUCH! The great thing is when I'm aware, I can ask Jesus to change me. Repentance is so good...

Lord, thank you for continuing to change me!

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Friday, August 22, 2008

How quickly can ten years go?



Dear family and friends,

This picture was so precious. Kate was on Care and I thought it was so sweet, threw the boys in there and TA DA...great picture after Bible time on Wednesday.

This has been our first week of school for our tenth year of homeschooling. I can hardly believe it.

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Monday, August 18, 2008

Are you almost done?

Dear family and friends,

Today when we were in church Wyatt disappeared. He's a slippery little sucker so it didn't really surprise us. (Much like his father, you should try to keep up with Ed in Walmart.)

After a while I was becoming concerned. There hadn't been any food out in the foyer. He didn't know anyone to talk to (we're still church searching). Ed promised me in just one more minute he'd go and find our son.

Quickly after Ed's promise Wyatt showed back up. He tucked himself in by his sister in the pew. It was the highlight of my day actually. Wyatt by Kate with his arm around her. Kate nestled in listening to his news. They got the giggles and then just sat together that way for some time, much to my delight. We are still in the process of teaching the boys that our girls really need them to hug and love on them. Our girls need affection and past getting it from their parents, their brothers are the silver medal source.

So this is how the story went: Wyatt needed to use the bathroom and was afraid we'd tell him that he couldn't so he just slipped out. He was sitting on the toilet (for quite some time might I add) in the men's room when he heard a little guy flip flop his way in. It sounds like he was about four. This little guy tried to open the stall beside Wyatt but someone had locked it. Before Wyatt hardly knew what had happened the little boy had slipped under Wyatt's stall, stood straight up before him, then asked boldly, "Are you almost done?"

I know there is some great spiritual application to this, but I'm tired, and tonight I think I'm just going to leave it as funny!

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

P.S.-I can't tell you how much I wish I had a picture for this one. Of course I couldn't post it on my blog, but I might show you when you came by.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Now why would a mother feel bad about that?



Dear family and friends,

When Jefferson was born all kinds of "fourth baby" jokes and sayings came about. At one point I thought I should write a book about the fourth baby, I so wish I'd written down my thoughts as I know they were funny.

One night Melly was there visiting and needed the baby bath for Ellis (who was 18 months at the time). She came back into the kitchen with her clean baby in her arms to see me with my clean baby in my arms too. She looked at me in wonder and asked how I'd bathed him as she knew she had the baby bath. I picked up the Ajax dish washing soap and announced he was the fourth baby.

Well, today my sweet little fourth baby was so excited! As he was running around the Honolulu zoo with delight and wonder I was horrified to realize that he hadn't been to the zoo since the fall we'd moved to Alabama. He was 18 months old the last time he'd been to the zoo and had no memory of it what so ever. I actually stood there for a moment feeling like a loser Mother....my poor baby is going to start the 1st grade on Monday and this is the first memory he has of going to the zoo.

Then my horror turned into laughter....since the last time Jefferson has been to the zoo he has been to the Civil Rights Museum, two IMAX showings, the Rosa Parks Museum, Civil War battle grounds, Monticello, Breckenridge for summertime fun, and the battlegrounds of Little Big Horn.

Jefferson has floated down the Missouri river, played in streams that Lewis and Clark crossed, camped in Yellowstone Park, hiked in Glacier National Park, seen Mt. Rushmore, driven across the Northern States of America, enjoyed a jousting match, drawn pictures at Mt. Vernon, loved the Smithsonian's, had his picture taken in the Cherry Blossoms, walked the monuments on the Mall countless times, and delighted in the fire works on the 4th of July while sitting on the lawn of the Untied States Capital.

Jefferson has been to the White House, Library of Congress, Supreme Court, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross's house, and seen more locks of George Washington's hair than one could imagine (the children have a wonderful time talking about how Mr. Washington must have been buried bald as Mrs. Washington cut all of his hair off after he died and mailed it out to everyone). Jefferson has danced with his mother where Mr. Washington danced in Philadelphia, seen how bills are made at the National Treasury, ridden the Staten Island Ferry, and loved the evening where he was able to see The Phantom of the Opera in New York City.

My list isn't all inclusive but I'm assuming at this point you're getting the picture I'm trying to paint. We won't even mention the whole Hawaii thing...our fourth baby hasn't had time for the zoo. Now why would a mother feel bad about that? God has given this little one more experiences in the past four and a half years than some have in a lifetime. His parents are extremely grateful to God for all of His provsion, the children just think it's normal. At this point it is their normal...

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

What goals am I working towards?

Dear family and friends,

This past year Melanee Kate and Wyatt have both been working towards goals.

Wyatt's goal is to be nicer to Kate. No doubt he loves and treasures her, his words and actions don't always convey his true feelings. For whatever reason it is easier to take things out on his little sister more than anyone else in his life. Maybe because she's such a bundle of love that he knows she'll still love him anyway...

When we found out we were moving to Hawaii I started thinking through what we might not be able to afford here. We'd heard again and again about the high cost of living. So I went ahead and bought Wyatt a Ripstick for his upcoming September birthday and then tucked it away to the safest place I knew so little eyes would not find it. It stayed hidden for three weeks and the night before I was going to wrap it up for the move it was found. That week had been a particularly hard week for our Wyatt. He was so hopeful we'd give it to him right away but we gave him a quick dose of reality. We also pointed out that we could not give this to him unless his words, actions, and attitudes improved towards his sister.

Melanee Kate has wanted bangs for the longest time. As a homeschooling mother of four I have very little "extra" time in my life. Just enough time to do exactly what God calls me to do. The thought of fixing Kate's bangs every day has never been too appealing, a quick way to save a little time. I've always told her that when she's old enough to fix them we'd consider it. Early in January she announced that since she was almost 11 she was sure she was old enough to fix her own bangs everyday.

Melanee Kate has been working on maturity in several areas of her life. So Daddy decided that these would be good carrots...bangs and a Ripstick. We' ve told them MANY times that bangs and Ripsticks aren't really the goals. The goal is letting Jesus change us, making different choices, wanting more to honor our Father than our own desires.

Two weeks ago Wyatt was given his Ripstick and last Saturday Melanee Kate had her bangs cut. Today it just got me to thinking...what goals am I working towards right now. What carrots have I put out in front of myself and what are my reasons for striving towards them? Am I as intentional in my own life as I am in our children's lives?

We start school on Monday, it will be our first day of our TENTH year of homeschooling. I'm going to have to think about goals for myself this week. God is so good!

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

What is the quote of the day?

Dear family and friends,

The quote of the day was coined by Jefferson after a knock on the door.

"Mommy, can we get a little water, catch some cockroaches, and then bounce them on the trampoline?"

Absolutely, I can't think of a better thing to do in Hawaii...

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Really enjoying Grammy and Major!