Reserve Grand Champion

This past weekend was long, but very fulfilling. The girls and I left early Saturday morning for Youngstown. We attended a missions event and I shared a story with the children in the morning. During lunch I was able to reconnect with several people from churches who are a part of keeping me at MMS. What a blessing to reconnect with friends who I haven't seen in almost 2 years. I was able to sit in on the adult missions session in the afternoon. Jim, one of the speakers, spoke on his work as a Bible translator. Bible translation work, as some of you know, has always been a deep desire of mine. The girls and I then hit the road and traveled back to Coshocton for an MMS going away party.

The fair is a big deal here in Coshocton. So many young people participate in the fair that the schools close down for a couple days. Sunday afternoon found us at the Jr. Fair arena at the fair grounds. Lydia's fair project was Maia, our Bichon. She had her You and Your Dog interview at noon. She was interviewed by a judge, who tested her knowledge of the things in the 4-H book. We found something for lunch and returned shortly before 2:00...at which time the actual dog show started. Lydia did a good job remembering what she was taught. Maia, however, kept jumping on Lydia wanting to be picked up. When all was said and done Lydia and Maia placed as the Reserve Grand Champion. My mother asked me what that means and I explained that it's a fancy name for second place. Pretty good, for their first year. She wants to show Maia again next year...now that she knows what is expected of her. When we arrived home Tessa went bonkers to see Maia again. Maia 'passed out' on the floor...she slept from the time we walked in the door until morning (with the exception of outside business). All said and done I would say that the weekend was rewarding.

Tessa's Big Day

Today was the day that Tessa has been waiting for. Tessa finally got her big purple splint off. We can also stop using the taped together cups to take her outside. She had twisted the splint so she had some tape stuck in her fur. The skin was tender and itchy after they shaved off the tape. Lydia was able to help her find relief with a bath and a little conditioner on that leg. She no longer looks or sounds like peg leg the pirate.

On the way home we encountered a road block on US 36 and were rerouted. While descending the steep dirt road we saw this scene...but the goat was actually in the road. I laughed and told Caleb to grab the camera. You know you live in rural country when you find chickens and a goat in the middle of the road. I love it!! On a sad note when we listened to the radio later we found out that there had been a fatal head on accident...that's why the road was closed. An 92 year old man went left of center and hit an ambulance. The man perished and it sounded like the EMT's injuries were non life threatening.

When we finally arrived home we made applesauce. One batch of regular and one batch with strawberries in it. The apples are so sweet there is no sugar needed. I had plenty of help. Caleb, who would not cooperate with the camera (so he is not seen) ran the apple peeler/corer/slicer. Lydia hand peeled. I cut out the cores and spots. JoAnna sliced them and put the pieces into the pots. It didn't take long and now we have applesauce for this winter.

You know you're a homeschool family when (#2)...

...one of your children can be found, in her pajamas, on the front porch doing her spelling.

Weekend in MI

Thank you to everyone who prayed for me during those "dark" days. I could really feel myself being lifted away from that 'black hole'.

We had a good time in MI. One and a half days just isn't much time. We arrived at my parents around 2:30 Friday afternoon. Caleb mowed Grandma and Grandpa's lawn and JoAnna picked up sticks. My mom made some killer pizza...I wonder where I get my pizza making abilities?? Every time some one comes to my house and eats my pizza they say I should start my own business. My mom taught me how to cook and I love to do it. That's actually one of the things that drew Chris to me...homemade bread.


Friday evening my brother's family showed up to share dinner with us. It was great to see them again. They have two little guys who love to wrestle with their daddy, so when Caleb sat on the floor they pounced on him. For as big as Caleb is he can be so tender. He amazes me b/c he is so rough with his sisters...girls...but he was so gentle with Logan and Brendan...boys...go figure.


On Saturday we delivered Amish country apple butter to my aunt and uncle. We then stopped and picked up fresh picked Michigan Honeycrisp apples...delicious. I also got a bag of seconds to make applesauce. As sweet as the firsts are I can't wait to taste a good naturally sweet apple sauce. I'll let you know how yummy it turns out.


I went to my class reunion on Saturday evening. It was good to see everyone again. Some had changed so much and some were just the same. We had fun trying to guess which pictures of children went with which parents. Some people picked my children out right away, but most couldn't place them with me. I think it's b/c they look so much like their daddy. I left around 9...when the alcohol started coming out.


We found out today that Lydia received a "superior" rating (the highest) for her 2 dog projects in 4-H. She did well and I am proud of all her work. Next Sunday afternoon she will actually take Maia to the show ring and perform with her in front of judges.

Memories

I am going to Michigan to attend my 20th high school class reunion. Yikes!! How did the time go that fast?

Please pray for me as I have been really struggling lately. I have had such a strong longing to talk to Chris. I guess I'm really missing him. I avoided a ladies function at our church. I couldn't explain to myself, let alone anyone else, why I didn't want to go. Sunday morning I was finally able to put my finger on it. I feel like I'm being sucked into a giant black hole of grief. I don't want to go into it...I have been clinging to the Word, trying to stay out of it. I also notice myself reverting into the responses of overwhelmed confusion that I had right after Chris died. I am grumpy, irritable and impatient with the children. I don't like being like this.

Just weeks before Chris died Lydia entered an essay contest and won. I wanted to post her submission as a tribute to her daddy.

My Dad is my hero because...

...he fixes airplanes for missionaries. He has been to Bolivia, Suriname, and Indonesia to help put airplanes back together.

He takes me on dates.

He plays games with me.

He is going to let me get a fish.

I love my daddy and he loves me.

by Lydia, age 9

This bike was the prize for the winning entry.

You Know You're a Home School Family When...

...you clean out the living room furniture and find 32 pencils, 4 pens, 3 crayons, a colored pencil and a pair of scissors!!!!

Hurricane Ike

Most of you know that Hurricane Ike hit Houston this past week. Tim, Chris' brother, and his family are all safe. Lydia was worried about Tim, b/c he is a police officer in the city of Houston and while everyone else was evacuating he stayed to help. He was exhausted, but safe.

We also felt the affects of Ike. It came through here Sunday afternoon into the night. We left for church and there was a strong wind blowing. While waiting for Caleb to finish up with the youth group the top of a huge evergreen tree fell onto the service road leading to the church. When we left the men had it under control, but as we rounded the church we saw another beautiful tree laying on it's side. It wasn't blocking the road, so we were able to leave. We were over half way home when we saw a firetruck. It was leaving the scene of a fire along the road...hmmm. When we passed the guardrail, it was black and still smoking from the electrical line that had fallen on it b/c of a downed tree. We thought we would probably not have power when we got home. Correct assumption. When we arrived here the back patio was a complete mess. I got a picture half way through the clean up. We had to secure our plants and keep our swing from flying away. The mudroom where the dogs stay while we are gone has no windows. The dogs were completely stressed by the time we arrived home. Lydia had to calm and reassure them. It was amazing b/c when Lydia took them out to do their business neither would do anything. They sat at complete attention aware that something was wrong.

I also got a picture of the neighbor's trees. This past summer I really felt a need to get them cut back. When we had the ice storm several years back the pine tree had several branches that fell off, one of which broke our bedroom window. There were several branches that didn't break, but afterward they hung much lower than before. I had a tree service come and they took out the tree that we were allowed to remove and they trimmed the remaining tree limbs that hung over my house. During the storm on Sunday I was so thankful that those branches were gone, b/c they very well could have fallen on my house. I was still concerned as I watched the wind bend that tree right in the direction of my house. I prayed that if it did fall we would not be hurt.

We were without electric for 22 hours. It was a chance to remind the children how blessed we are to have electric power. Lydia played the piano. Later Lydia and I sat on the front porch in the total darkness enjoying the strong wind. I love my new front porch. For lunch on Monday we had what we call hobo dinners. We took pieces of tin foil and loaded them with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms pieces of leftover hamburger and some cream soup. We then rolled the ends up and put them on the grill. YUM! We do this often, but they tasted really good yesterday.

The mission was also without power so I didn't have to go to work. The children and I were able to get so much school work done. We anticipate another day of working hard...much to mom's delight and the children's chagrin.

Fun in the Yard

Tonight all 4 girls (2 human girls and 2 puppy girls) and I enjoyed a cool evening in the yard. The puppies ran around on their tethers. The veterinarian told us to keep Tessa's splint dry and clean. How do you keep a puppy's foot clean and dry? We tried plastic bags and they kept getting little holes in them. We tried double bags, but that also ripped. Yesterday we were at Meijer's in Newark and Lydia and I looked in the medical supply aisle for something strong and thick enough to protect Tessa's foot. Nothing. We wandered down the paper supply aisle and when we came to the paper plates and cups we looked at each other. We both had the same idea. We picked up a package of plastic cups. Chris, our missionary mechanic, would have been so proud of us. We found a way. We taped the cups together and put ribbons through holes in the side and tied the cups to her foot!!! I now call her peg leg the pirate. (Maybe Lydia and I should apply to MMS and work as a team!!) I also put in a picture of Tessa disobeying the vet's orders and rough housing with Maia.


This past spring JoAnna kept asking me for a scooter. I told her to put it on her Christmas list. It turns out that she didn't have to wait. My parents live in a modular home park and every year they have a park wide yard sale...which happened to be going on while we visited this past summer. With menacing rain clouds hovering overhead we decided to leash up the pups and take a chance. We walked around the corner and there was an almost brand new scooter at a yard sale price. Ka-ching!! She burned up the road with her scooter tonight, but none of the pictures turned out. I was able to get a good picture of her picking raspberries off our one plant that produced berries this summer. We get a few berries each day. They are a sweet reminder that next summer, hopefully, we will have a bowls full. It will probably be a few summers until we get to take advantage of the blueberries we planted this summer.


I also got a great shot of Lydia and Maia. Lydia has met her match in stubbornness with this pup. I think it's a case of puppy love and they are both totally smitten with one another.

No more Tessa jumping from the bed

What a day. Tessa is our "odd" dog. She does not look like a Bichon. She does not act like a Bichon. A few months ago at my parents house she got her front, right paw stuck under the stove. We had to move the stove to free our squealing dog. She limped for a few days, but all seemed well. Then about 1 1/2 months ago I accidentally put a kitchen chair on the same paw...she didn't limp or seem hurt. A week later she jumped off my bed (a captain's bed with two sets of drawers under it--it's pretty high). She then started limping on the same paw. I thought that maybe she had sprained it, so we tried to wait things out. Today (with dollar signs dancing in my head) I finally broke down and called the vet. The vet was stumped b/c during the initial exam nothing felt out of the ordinary. She took an x-ray and found that Tessa had an impact fracture on the growth plate in her leg. The fracture was from a few weeks ago and had pretty much healed, but the splint will give it strength as it finishes healing. She is also supposed to stay calm for the next few weeks...no rough housing. Tessa and Maia, not chasing one another...hmmm...I wonder what that looks like. I am glad that she is okay. She may be odd, but she is our Tessa and we love her.

Today we enjoyed the cooler weather. We sat outside in the grass and the children took spelling tests. That is why we home school. We love having school any place we feel like it.

Wilson

The beginning of this blog entry is silly, but as I surfed through pictures the other night I couldn't resist.

In the spring of 2002 we went out to Seattle to visit with Chris' family. We stayed in tents at a state park near his parents house. As is custom in Seattle it was cold and rainy most of the time we were there. The tent awning kept sagging so Chris found this big rock to put on the edge of it to keep the water draining. Every time we went into or out of the tent we forgot about "the rock" and we ended up with a few bumps on heads and a couple of smashed toes. We had fun teasing Chris about his rock. When we left Chris put the rock on the dash board of the van, calling it his souvenir. Some where along the trip home the rock picked up the name Wilson. Wilson sat on our piano until a visit from my parents, when Wilson disappeared. We found out that he had been kidnapped by my mother. Well...on the next visit to their place Wilson hitchhiked a ride back to our house (in Chris' bag). Chris then took pictures of Wilson doing things with the children and sent them to my mom. She called up, laughing and thus the saga of Wilson continued. He would always disappear from whichever house he was at. One time he arrived at our house in box with curly white hair, button eyes, glasses and a top hat. Oy!! My mom and Chris had a great relationship. She and my father thought of Chris as their own son. They loved him dearly and miss him greatly.


Today was JoAnna's first soccer game of the fall. I really like this camera for taking pictures of the games. She and her friend, Lee, were defenders and JoAnna gave her coach the thumbs up sign that she was ready. She plays soccer the way she goes through life...kinda of in a happy go lucky, smiley way...so when she actually got her foot on the ball I tried to get the shot.

I have tried for days to get this blog posted, but I am having problems uploading pictures. I have learned to make the file size smaller, so I don't think that's the problem. I hit the browse button to search for my picture and Internet Explorer completely closes down. Thankfully the blog saves itself often so retyping isn't necessary. Does anyone have any idea what's going on. I searched Blogspot's files some, but I don't have time to search all of them. I had troubles when I tried to upload my Kodiak pictures, also.