L is SIX!

Snapshots of a great day!
In the sunshine at the front door.
At a special birthday lunch- just ladies. We ate outside (and this girl ATE!).
The requested PINK frosted cake (raspberry buttercream).
The big birthday bike- her first new bicycle.

Gifts in Celebrations

Ah, such a week it's been! Last week was L's 6th birthday and our Passover dinner and Easter; so many celebrations! And in the midst, we had two home showings (without real interest) and The Lawyer came and went again. *Sigh* Sometimes I wonder how to hold on as the life routines seem to rock so violently from one day to the next. Today we are back to laundry and school and soccer and long read aloud books. The dishes wait for bedtime and the fare is simple and I bow my head many times to ask for wisdom and energy and strength to keep on. There is gift in this, I know it. May I call these things what they are and believe they are goodness from His sovereign hand- the same hand that bears my name. The same hand that bears the scars of nails.

586) Parting is such sweet sorrow. . . sweetness of saying goodbye to The Lawyer again
587) Celebratory cakes with yummy almond icing
588) Easter sunrise service
589) Hymns of triumph!
590) Passover meal with friends; pondering.
591) Peppermint for a headache
592) A little gift from The Lawyer- sweetness for later
593) Words from a friend, affirming that if I struggle and long then I am still His.
594) Crusty boule turning out just right
595) "The light shines on in the dark, and the darkness has never mastered it" (Jn l:5 NEB)

A "Get To" Life

A friend recently shared with me her "secret" to joy in the now (crazy moments). She loved growing up near the beach and yet she said she was able to move into the next phase of her life (which wasn't seaside!) without regret- because while she lived in New Smyrna beach she valued it and enjoyed it and supposed it wouldn't last forever.

Isn't that the secret? To enjoy and savor and embrace the NOW because it absolutely won't last forever. I have an "I get to" live. I get to listen to these boisterous children and perseverate in instructing them. I get to fold these shirts and wash these dishes and sit at a soccer game. I wouldn't want to give these joys away! All too soon this season will be over and I want to fully embrace the next one, too. . . living each moment from JOY to JOY.

And I found it true, today, that when I took my camera and looked for things I could take photos of that brought me JOY today, there were so many!

Here are just a few:
551) Lilacs in bloom (I can list this again, right? Especially since I found white ones today.)
552) Bean sprouts jumping to the sun.
553) Girl asleep on the step.
554) Baby with tears, smiling up to me.
555) Boy who is so happy to make eggs for me. ("Are you hungry? Would you like an egg?" he asks me at 4:30 pm)
556) Falling by Caleb Rowden
557) Easter art
558) Plastic Easter eggs all over the house
559) Mancala spread on the table
560) Leaning piles of books all over the living room
561) Smile on the boy who just won his first soccer game of the season
562) Sweat during a great p90X workout! (Yay for Kenpo)
563) Birthday packages crowding the mantle
584) Bleeding hearts in the neighbor's yard
585) His broken, bleeding body . . . indescribable grace

Little Somethings

Elisabeth Elliot said, "Lord, glorify yourself through me and in the place You've set me. Let me not covet another's place or work or glory."

This work and this day were apportioned for me. It was all a gift- from the first breath to these last quiet moments of reflection. I'm so grateful for this place and this work, for I see these gifts all around me:

536) New cookware coming! 50% off! Free shipping! New Knives!
537) Another soccer game; sitting in the grass with the children, eating popcorn, cheering for O.
538) Phone call from The Lawyer; missing him so much after just a day.
539) L's excitement at her upcoming birthday; cheerful speculation on cakes and ice creams and gifts. . .
540) Our first nephew! Welcome Lleyton! Warm baby feelings well up inside..
541) Boys mowing the yard and figuring out how to replace the string in the trimmer.
542) M's first claps. I love all the firsts of the first year!
542) Unbelievable beauty of the dogwood out front.
543) Faith words right there in the Word- for me.
544) The finicky printer that worked this morning when I needed it to.
545) Older ladies to learn from.
546) Lilac blooms on the yellow table; my grandmother's favorite on her table. The scent is so amazing that it stops me.
547) Clean sheets off the line.
548) Picnic lunch on the front grass!
549) The smoothest, creamiest, most delicious, healthy shake (Strawberry Mango Complete).
550) Deep red of blood, reminding.

Healthier Cookware

We have been looking to replace our cookware with something healthier and greener. At just the right time, we were given a gift and can now purchase the coveted cookware (which we found on Dr. Mercola's website - and I'm extra excited because it is 50% off right now! (I eyed the tea set longingly, too...) The manufacturer also has a good website.

If you have wondered about the safety of your pots and pans, you may want to watch Dr. Mercola's video. I've been uneasy with our aluminum baking sheets and the nonstick flakes that sometimes came off of the griddle. Yikes! I know enough to know this isn't safe for our family. Thankfully, I have a large assortment of various stones for baking. I use these constantly. Yet, to have cookware that can go from the fridge to the oven or from the stovetop to the oven to the dishwasher- that's exciting to me! It seems so simple and easy and so good for us.

This cookware special (of Dr. Mercola's) is only being offered until April 13th and I wanted you to have the opportunity to improve your family's health, too!

Giving Thanks in These Days

“I have learned that in every circumstance that comes my way, I can choose to respond in one of two ways: I can whine or I can worship! And I can’t worship without giving thanks. It just isn’t possible. When we choose the pathway of worship and giving thanks, especially in the midst of difficult circumstances, there is a fragrance, a radiance, that issues forth out of our lives to bless the Lord and others.”
— Nancy Leigh DeMoss

The Lawyer and I looked at houses in Richmond this weekend. In itself, that is a feat- we dispersed the children with friends and took M (11 mo) in the realtor's vehicle for another five hours (in addition to the four hours of travel to/from Richmond).

This is the second time we have looked at houses and tried to familiarize ourselves with the area. I admit that The Lawyer knows Richmond better than I do- and that's saying a lot; after 5 years in Lynchburg I still have to tell him which way to turn to go to church. (that's a joke of ours) In this respect, I think Saturday may have been a dismal failure; I'm so confused as to where we were that I'm not sure I can be set straight again.

After our attempt (last fall, with all the kids), I cried. It was a hard day of squabbles and turn-arounds and sitting far too long and feeling completely unproductive. I decided then that I did not want to do it again- ever. Besides, what is the point of looking at houses when our Lynchburg house is still for sale?

But, apparently I have mommy amnesia. Since we re-listed our home with a new realtor (and even dropped the price again last week!), I guess we were feeling hopeful. . . and maybe it would be a good idea to know what kinds of homes were on the market in Richmond and where we might want to live (if we could afford it!).

Yesterday's trip to Richmond was slightly better than the first trip. I am thankful that we didn't have whining, squabbling children with us all day (does this even count for my list?!). I am glad that we had a very friendly, competent realtor to show us around town (even if she did forget to stop for lunch!). I'm glad that The Lawyer and I can communicate with mere glances at each other; this was helpful when we were downtown and he just looked at me.

See, I had this little idea that maybe we should look at things closer into the city so that The Lawyer would have more of each working day with his family. I thought I could embrace city living for a period of time if it meant we could save money and have more time with Daddy. Plus, I envisioned walking with the kids to little parks or bookstores or the grocery or something. That's appealing. And, hey, isn't it a great opportunity to share the gospel?

Well.

It's a good thing we drove around- even if we didn't stop at all the houses on the list (because the look was enough!). It's not for me. It was definitely cute (but not where we could afford a house!), but I realized that I wouldn't be biking those streets with five kids in tow; nor would I be traipsing from the grocery with them. And I wouldn't be in those cute shops; we try only to purchase necessities- and I'd be afraid we'd break something we would have to pay for. Much better for me to live elsewhere and just visit with a girlfriend once every decade or so. I can totally see bringing the kids downtown. . . but I also want to load back up in the van and leave at the end of the day.

We did look at six houses and after the fifth there were quiet tears in the backseat. M and I were the only ones back there, and his crying is never quiet.

The houses in our price range just . . .

And then.

Then we walked through a foreclosure that The Lawyer and I both felt YES. Still, it has some pretty significant water damage that needs to be examined. YET, this house has been on my mind since yesterday because it had so many great characteristics and it just felt right. I can't explain it; this is just how I felt with each of the three homes we've lived in. And the price is right.

SO.

My heart chafes thinking that our house here hasn't sold (we even had a showing yesterday and hurriedly prepared as we rushed everyone out the door) and it's been so hard to live as a family separated for nearly nine months.

And now I feel the first tingle of excitement over moving, over being together as a family, really learning what it is The Lawyer is doing, and having a home to work on and live in. . . . but we can't move forward. With such a good price it is hard to believe that the house we like won't quickly sell; I feel myself antsy and wound tight, wanting to jump on this opportunity but unable to.

SO.

I turn to praise. How great it is to know that the Lord is determining our steps! How sweet to know that our house not selling is a gift of His love, of His very best for us?! I am thankful that there are many houses and that He cares about this detail for us. I'm thankful that He surprises us with little delights (like a place to hang my beloved porch swing!). Our kids had a great day (except for M!). We traveled safely. The van battery died in our own driveway. It was a glorious day here. . .

Oh, that my praise wouldn't just be platitudes tacked on to my complaints! Whining comes so easily and I am growing in discipline to stop the thoughts and take them captive to Christ. What joy, then! What hope that Christ can change ME (and how very little my circumstances matter).

One Venison Roast- Four Ways

This is how I used a 4 pound venison roast for four meals for our family. (If the Mexican theme gets old, you can freeze the leftover cooked roast and pull it out for another week.) It worked great for us because the roast was free from my cousin and we don't eat much meat around here, so this was plenty to use (nothing was overly meaty) in several different ways. The roast turns out very tender and moist when cooked in the crockpot with liquid and the meat is nicely flavored to use in other dishes.

1) Venison Crockpot Roast: salt and pepper roast and then brown roast on the stovetop. Put into crockpot. Add sliced onions and 1 jar of salsa (I used salsa verde and medium salsa). Cook on low all day or on high for 4-6 hours, until tender. Served this over steamed rice.

2) Venison Quesadillas: use leftover shredded roast with sliced peppers and cheese (and other yummy fillings like cilantro and mushrooms and leftover rice) in grilled quesadillas.

3) Venison Chili: Add leftover shredded (you may need to chop smaller) roast to a large pot of beans (I had pinto and black beans) and sauteed onions. Add one can of diced tomatoes (I used tomatoes with jalepenos) and seasonings (cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper). Shred one raw carrot into the chili. Other options are cilantro, corn, peppers, celery. . . This works well in the crockpot, too. We like to top ours with cheese or sour cream (if we have it).

4) Vension Mexican Pizza: It may sound like a stretch, but it worked for us. We used the end of the venison on pizzas with cheddar cheese, peppers, onions, and mushrooms. No leftovers that night!

Adding to the List

Adding to my gratitude list, working my way to 1000 and beyond as I learn to live a life of thanksgiving. To give thanks in all things, to be content, even to find JOY- these are the things I seek to learn this year.

523. Three year olds. Mine says great things. He also gives terrific smiles and wonderfully tight hugs. This week he also dumped out packing peanuts (I had been saving) all over the basement, carefully put his clothes into the bath and then wrung them out over the bathroom floor, colored the coffee table with green crayon, poured flour out on the counter, filled the toothpaste tube with water, and stuffed The Lawyer's water bottle (empty of water) full of onion grass.

524. Nine year olds. Mine wore a yellow soccer jersey tonight and sprinted back and forth on the field. He was enthusiasm (and reminded me very much of myself). There was one wonderful moment when he was waiting on the sideline and I was marveling at the straight back and bearing of this boy-man, when he turned to catch my eye and gave me a huge smile and thumb's up. It was so important to him that I was there.

525. Seven year olds. Mine makes me laugh with his stories, ideas, word-plays, and continual chatter. Today was the FIRST day I can ever remember that he did all of his morning chores without constant reminders and was prepared when it was time for school. I was so proud of him I could hardly hold it in; so great!

526. 11 month olds. Even though the first year can be challenging for me, there are moments that are just pure delight. Three kids helped me plant today and M was content the entire time. Granted, he probably ate dirt and rocks and sticks when I wasn't looking... He also entertained himself grandly at the soccer game (though I had been dreading having him there, knowing I came woefully unprepared with distractions); an empty ziplock baggie occupied him for half an hour!

527. Five-nearly six-year olds. Mine really enjoys writing and it warms my heart to see her neatly penning (and mailing) letters to those she loves. Today we celebrated her progress in reading; it seems to be coming along quickly and she has fun reading library books aloud (which T then repeats to himself throughout the day!). She is counting down the days until her birthday and I'm anticipating a special, girly celebration and I'm so glad that I get to do that at least once a year.

528. Lawyers. Mine is much too smart for me. He also works incredibly hard and impresses me with his work ethic. He keeps me grounded in reality when I think I can do it all (he knows I'll crash and burn and I think he's saving himself from some tears by pointing out beforehand that it's unlikely I'll exercise, have a quiet time, start the laundry, AND make breakfast before 7:30.) I can trust him with everything.

529. Lilacs blooming. One of my favorites. LOVE the shape; love the scent. Reminds me of my mother and my grandmother.

530. Cherry blossoms. Beautiful. Promise of fruit to come.

531. Homemade bread. This has to be the best thing to eat, ever. I'm so sorry that some people shouldn't eat wheat. This is such a pleasure!

532. New babies!

533. Looooong phone conversation with a dear friend. We've been friends for 10 years! And only lived near each other for a few of them. And still, it is encouraging for me, so good for me to hear her heart and of her life with four boys and a man. I hear Christ in her words- not law, but Gospel life.

534. Scent of coming rain.

535. Children gathered round me at the piano as we try out the new month's hymn and practice the harmony.