I am So Loved

Lost Canyon Young Life camp, work weekend!

These are my sisters in Christ (and 6 are missing). We're journeying through life together. My heart aches that I can't see them tonight. We meet twice a month. I am completely overwhelmed today, but talked to 2 of my sisters and felt God's balm of love and peace flood over me.
I needed perspective.
I needed wisdom.
I needed a calm voice.
I needed unconditional love.
I got all that and a smile after hanging up the phone. Mmm.
Now I look at my kids and smile, hug them, read quietly to them, grateful to make dinner.
All that because my friends listened.

Co-op

I had mixed feelings about joining a co-op this year. But you know what convinced me? The wonderful families that are in it. I don't home school to have 'control' over my kids. The better word would be 'influence'. They are mine and Derrick's responsibility. Their character training being first and foremost. Teaching them God's Word, modeling for them how to get along in a family, all day. I am so glad these women are also speaking into my children's lives this year.

Alex and Dex have Economics , Screen-writing, Worldview and Literature. Their teachers bring so much to the class by way of their love for the Lord, the kids and amazing preparation. Let alone, their wonderful abilities God has given them.

Emma has Astronomy, Literature, Writing and Spanish. She loves her classes so much, but she loves the kids even more. Her Tuten family gave her a camera for her birthday and she didn't waste time taking pictures of her friends today.McKenzie and Galilee

Lizzy and Jefferson are doing the Five in a Row curriculum which is so much fun. The moms are taking turns teaching. Every week is a different book and they are making lapbooks to go with it. Each book has been in a different country and the curriculum covers geography, math, science, reading, writing, history and art.

Jefferson and Zion

At home we are doing Math, phonics, music and homework from co-op. It certainly is a change this year for us but we are enjoying it.

Cousins

Blond, blue eyed cousins

We are so used to having our boy cousins around, we forgot how fun it is to have a girl cousin. Emilie is almost 8 and lives in Oregon with my brother's family. She and Lizzy (also 7) immediately connect whenever we get together. Guess it's genes. Can't explain it otherwise. But it's so fun to see.Daddy Derrick wanting in on the photo action.

Detour, or is it Duh-tour?

I just giggled all the way to our Homemakers group this morning.

Heading southeast from where we live, there are only 2 road options.

At the first stoplight, it pointed east and said DETOUR because there was roadwork ahead.

So I took the Detour and headed south on my other road option, and when I came to the first stoplight, it said

ROAD WORK, USE ALTERNATE ROUTE!

Yeah, right!!! What alternate route???

I couldn't stop laughing at the amazing display of government efficiency!!

Emma Beatrix Turns 10

Pregnant in the summer in Arizona is one thing, without a pool is another. Add to that, a 2 year old and a 4 year old and me at the age of 36. I'm sure I complained a lot, but I was also grateful as you know, to be having kids at all!

I did think I felt a little bigger then my 9 pound 12 oz boy from 2 summers past. In fact, I was measuring 2 weeks bigger. So my OB decided to induce on October 1.

I was SO nervous, this was a new experience. When sweet Emma came into the world, she was covered with God's perfect skin cream, and she was squeaking to breathe. But all of my Homemakers group had covered me in prayer and by the time they told me they had to take her to the Neonatal unit, I was at peace. It was amazing.


She was a bubble baby for 2 days, on oxygen, because of liquid in her lungs and her sugar was way too low. They didn't think she'd come home with me. But she rallied quickly, at 9 pounds 3 oz. (2 weeks early) she was quite a little porker in the neo unit.

Gotta Love Those Cousins

Emilie (Shepherd) is so sneaky! Lizzy (mine) and Jack (Ray) don't seem to mind, they stay in the line of fire.

Just missing big cousin Jake (19)

What a fun day. Since my brother and his wife and daughter (his son is home in Oregon) are in town, it was a treat to all be together. Well, almost. Sheri was speaking at the Arizona Women's Retreat in Flagstaff and we all got together without her and mom. Derrick and the kids made shrimp gumbo and shrimp and veggies on the barbee.

It was unique to be together without their spouses. My sister, brother and me. Rare even. So since dad was the only one there, we ganged up on him. He's a good sport though. We learned from the best, we told him.

Did I already say I am grateful? Well, I hope it shows.

Sisters

When my brother introduced our family to Sheri Rose (right), Karen (left) and I said:

"No way, a Beauty Queen?"

"Our brother is marrying a Beauty Queen?"

That was 20 years ago. She's still a beauty! And so is my sister.

We had a sister lunch today (thanks Mom, Dad and Steve) and the bonds of sisterhood have a far better chance when the bond is Christ.

Thank You Father for sisters to go through life with. We are so blessed.

Check out Sheri's newest book.
And this is her book before that one. And she has an amazing testimony of how the publishing of this book really put her in Satan's line of fire. It's a message that effects the next generation ladies. A message for the men of the future and how you have a great impact on them.

That will be $100 Please

September 24, 1961.
When Walter Everitt and Janice Joy went to the obstetrician, pregnant with their first baby, Dr Reay said, it will be $100 for visits and $100 for delivery at Good Sam. Such a deal!!! Of course that didn't include the anesthesia (they didn't use any, no epiderals or stadol then) I know in New York, where Derrick was born, they just put her to sleep. His mom doesn't even remember there being an option.

I don't remember much of that Sunday morning, I know you're surprised. But I do remember having very happy parents. Grandma Shepherd came to help and I think her mom, Grandma Bibelheimer, but I think she stressed out my Mom. They had 3 babies in 3 years and we had a wonderful childhood.

The 60s in Tempe Arizona were simple for Mom and Dad. They had one car, so mom had to stay home. And all the moms around their apartment were home too. Dad was teaching at the new Coronado High School and the security guards tried to kick him out of the teacher's lounge because he looked like one of the students. (He was 23). He also worked at Proudlove's Hardware back then so they could make ends meet.

My first Christmas, Mom did get homesick for North Dakota. So they packed me tight between them in their little Corvair(no seat belts or car seats) and drove through the snow to get there. It was quite harrowing and the only time they ever did that! My brother was born the following December anyway.

I wonder what memories my kids will have. I hope they're good ones.

Desert Rainstorm

I don't know if you can see, there are raindrops hanging from this palo verde tree.
So sparkly. It's the calm after the storm.

Rain in the desert is a thing of beauty. Never mind that it's always dry and hot here, the smell is unbelievable. The creosote and mesquite are so pungent. I know I complain a lot about living in this arid, barren land. But somehow just one storm makes me forget.

Tollhouse cookies in the oven, Breakfast Blend brewing and the whole family together watching Akelah and the Bee.

What a perfect Saturday.

My Little Women

Emma and Lizzy were quite the lady daredevils. They surfed too. We paid for 3 lessons and when Emma and Jeff were surfing, the teacher saw their siblings watching from the shore. He called out "hey, you guys come join us!" So Lizzy and Dex went surfing too. What a treat!

Look at Emma's hands. They are like that in every picture. She is such a little lady. She is strong in mercy, always thinks of others first and loving to cook and bake comes with the package! She is such a blessing, and nothing like her mother.
And Lizzy just loves to try new things. She also tries to do what her sisters do. But I can tell that she loves the stage. Can't wait to see what God does with these Little Women!