These pictures were all taken last week.  The rainbows appeared last Thursday or Friday, I can’t remember exactly. 

I haven’t been able to blog much this week because I have not been my normal self.  There are several reasons for this:

1.  Rich has been away on a 3 day business trip.  I’m not myself when he’s out of town.  He will be back tonight.

2.  I’m PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I’m not my normal self when I am pregnant (who is?).  I am so very happy but I am also in that weepy and exhausted stage.  I’m not exactly crying over everything, but my emotions are pretty wild at the moment.  Rich told the kids Monday night at the dinner table and they are all so happy.  My four boys all want another brother, and Grace insists it WILL be a girl.  My due date is Feb. 12, my own birthday~The children and I are all trying to come up with the perfect names (needs 5 letters and be from the Bible) but Rich would rather make conversation about what 8-passenger vehicle we should buy.  Is that funny, or what?

3.  On Monday, during my first prenatal appointment, my doctor “found something” she wanted further testing on.  I’m not myself when I think there might something wrong with me!  I have been a nervous wreck waiting for that appointment.  Yes, I have faith that God has me in his hands and that He knows what is best for me, but that still didn’t keep me from walking around like a zombie, praying constantly and crying now and then. . .. . ..now, for the good news. . . .my test was yesterday and it came back clear and fine.  God was merciful to me, I did not have to wait for the results, I was told right in the office that all is well.  My sister was with me, and she was the rock I needed to get through the whole experience.  After my appointment we went downtown for ice cream sundaes and at them outside at the picnic tables, laughing and talking like only sisters can do.   

To the very few people that I told about all this~ THANK YOU~ for lifting me up in prayer.  My joy in the Lord is full and overwhelming at the moment.  The other day I was weak from worry, today I am weak with relief.  Sinking down on my knees in weakness has been a comfort to me~as I prayed to my Father above.  I have felt with certainty His pity and mercy these past few days. 

“I will praise thee O Lord my God, with all my heart:  and I will glorify thy name forevermore.  For great is thy mercy toward me.”

Psalm 86:12,13a

Having construction workers here during the day has been so good for us.  I sit here and laugh, thinking about my children, they are SO friendly and nice to people.  When I was their age you couldn’t get me to say BOO to a stranger, but Jacob, Ethan, Grace, and David do not have a shy bone in their body and enjoy talking to the workers, and serving them cold soda, or cookies and milk.  Everything in me wants to keep the kids away from the guys, afraid that they will get in the way and bother them, but I forced myself to let go of that temptation to control and as a result, we are actually making friends!

I have found Davy-do, sitting cross legged in the midst of busy men, talking away, oblivious that no one can even hear what he’s saying.

I have found the boys showing their latest catch~a frog, a fish, a turtle~to the men.  They confidently assume the guys will want to see, and they do!  I’m convinced that there is a lot of little boy left in a grown man.

I have found Grace, swinging in the porch swing, talking and laughing with one of the men as he took a break.  She’s a doll.  I have also found her riding with Jeff as he worked on the escavator.

I have found Jeff patiently taking a time out to explain to David why he can not run across the wet concrete of the garage floor.  “Why’s HE doing it?” was David’s response.

Jeff told Rich, “You have really great kids”.  I wonder how many times these men work at homes where the children and mother are gone. . . . .no sign of life.  It’s not like that here.  There are five children about the place, and a mama who is in and out of the house, constantly keeping an eye on her young ones.  Sometimes she yells, sometimes she has a little boy on her shoulders.  But, there is love and real life here and I think these guys can sense it.  We are a family. 

We are learning from them.  Sure, they aren’t ALL friendly, but there is Jeff~and his younger co-worker, John, who are as friendly as can be and have been here almost every day.  They are real men of the earth, they spend their working hours moving dirt, using big loud heavy equipment, and are as humble as can be.  We respect their work, and hope that their honest labor makes a lasting impression on our children. 

“The man who stays close to the dirt tends to stay close to reality.  There’s something to farming, logging, or ditch digging that keeps his thoughts down to earth. . . . .There are benefits in staying close to the dirt. . . . . . God could have made man out of anything, but for some reason He picked dust.  ‘God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen. 2:7).  The only difference between a man and dust is the breath of God.  The man who sees himself on the same level as dirt, were it not for the breath of God, has a healthy opinion of himself.”  ~Bob Schultz, in Created for Work

Because of one small conversation yesterday, I now have a label.

Jacob received a letter yesterday from a friend and found it addressed to the “general”, it contained “top secret” info. and only the generals of the family (assuming, Jacob and Ethan) could read it.

Mom:  “Well, I guess I can’t read that!”. . .”oh, wait, I am a general!”

Jacob, still reading his letter, “I thought you were the camp cook!”

Mom:  heart overflows with laughter, “Ha, Ha, Ha”

So, I’ve been thinking about this.  What Jacob said was true.  In the “battle-field of life” I am a camp cook.  (You might throw in “bottle washer”, as well.)  I could never be comfortable as a General.  I would not enjoy that position.  In my family, the General would be my husband.  You can find me in the kitchen.  Cooking.  Scrubbing.  And I’ll be whistling as I work, because I love what I do, and am happy with my role. 

Cookies, anyone?  They’re homemade, and warm from the oven.

General-holding superior rank or taking precedence over others similarly titled

Camp Cook- a person who prepares food for eating, to persons encamped

Well, today was somewhat of a struggle for me.  I found myself preoccupied with unpleasant thoughts and being snappy at the children.  I had a wonderful time of prayer and Bible reading, however, which did much to warm and melt my heart.  More and more I find that my hope, my trust, my security is in Christ alone.  I thank God for my Bible, in which I can find words that never hurt me or disappoint me.

My friend Kathy called as I was finishing up my reading, and I wandered out onto the porch to talk to her.  What to my wondering eyes did appear, but a bald eagle sitting majestically in a dead tree on our property!

God has revealed His glory to me so obviously through His creation.  My heart bows down and worships the Creator that I love.  Each new thing I see causes me to love Him even more. . .especially when I see things that I know only I can see at that moment!  I felt as though that eagle was a gift.  I called the children to see it, too, and now I share the moment with you as well.

Kathy graciously urged me to get off the phone so I could take some pictures.  They aren’t the best of quality because the eagle was so far away.  This was the best I could do with my lens.  As you can see, the sky was whitish today, not blue.

This next one was unexpectedly delightful, as I did not realize the Baltimore Oriole was above the eagle until I downloaded the pictures to my computer.

I heard this hymn for the first time this weekend and I played it over and over.  Rich and I both agreed that the words were so very edifying, encouraging and rich with meaning for believers.  A good hymn can lift my soul a little closer to heaven, like this one does. . . .

“Before the throne of God above”

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
a great High Priest, whose name is Love,
who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,
my name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
no tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look, and see him there
who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God, the Just, is satisfied
to look on him and pardon me.

Behold him there! the risen Lamb!
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
the great unchangeable I AM,
the King of glory and of grace!

One with himself, I cannot die;
my soul is purchased by his blood;
my life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ, my Savior and my God.

Words: Charitie Lees De Chenez 1841-1923)

Yes, a good hymn lifts my soul upwards, as does the Bible, encouragment from the ones I love, and also God’s majestic creation.  What sort of things lift your soul when you are feeling a little grumpy?

Blessed indeed is the man

who hears many gentle voices

call him father!  ~Lydia M. Child

This will be a shortish post. . .we have returned home from our long weekend away and we are now settling down.  The van is unpacked and our sandwiches have been consumed.  The sun is going down, and Rich is in the living room reading to the children, and receiving a special “Father’s Day back-rub”.  They all take turns, as they listen to the words of the story.

This morning, at 5:51, Rich and I were awakened by a little *knock-knock* on our door (we had a suite at the hotel).  Rich opened the door to find our youngest standing there.  “I want to sleep with you”, he said.  I hardly opened my eyes. . but when I did I thought Caleb in his Daddy’s arms was so precious that I got out of bed to get my camera.   And so, a moment has been captured, that we will soon not forget.  How blessed we are, to have this small son. . . .so trusting, so happy to lay quietly in his Daddy’s arms.

Of course, he wasn’t completely quiet.  He softly hummed the theme song to “Thomas the Tank Engine”, several times.  That’s Caleb for you, and we didn’t mind at all.

I thank God for our children, and for my husband, who does such a good job as a Dad. 

We are having a very nice day, happy and sunny.

My joy has to do with the fact that my husband has tomorrow off from work.  It’s been one of those weeks, when he is so very busy that we are missing each other.  We are taking the children to NY this weekend, for my cousin Katie’s baby shower.  Rich and I enjoy these weekend trips now and then, we can drive and talk, with the children all buckled in their seats!  We leave tomorrow, and I still have packing to do (I’m the worlds biggest procrastinator when it comes to packing). . . . .

Anyway. . . .

The children and I went for a nice walk today.  The air was clear and hot, and the meadow smelled so good. 

Well, it did have it’s not-so-nice moments;

David was “too hot, itchy, and couldn’t breathe”.  (and was being quite overdramatic!)

However, when you are blessed with four siblings, the majority rules. . so, we kept on going.

I enjoy walking through tall grass, in a warm meadow, wearing a long skirt.  It feels so. . .right, somehow.  Maybe it’s the prairie-girl coming out in me.

When Caleb can’t get me to carry him, he holds my hand so very nicely.  He even leaned his head against my arm.

I love it, I just love it.

How to make Grace happy. . . .make her a hair wreath out of the flowers she picked during her walk.

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And, a couple more pictures. . . . . .

We are having a garage built.  This picture gives an idea of where it will stand.  (On top of that dirt heap)  LOL.  The foundation has been poured this week.

This next one makes me laugh.

I was outside watching Caleb play earlier today, and when I came in I caught David sneaking chocolate chips from the cupboard . . . .the look on his face is priceless . . . .(neither of us said a word, he just dropped the chips, jumped off the counter, and ran out the door).

Better luck next time, Davy-do!

Well, I better get started on that packing!

“How excellent is thy lovingkindess, O God!  therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.  For with thee is the fountain of life:  in thy light shall we see light.  O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and they righteousness to the upright in heart.”  Psalm 36:7-9