just a small update- ok so maby not that small.

 

Life is busy, but we are making it day by day. I am grateful for a day yesterday where we got most of the school work done before lunch. The Lord has been teaching me a lot about priorities and have a future focus and not just the immediate. I have to be reminded often that the moment is an investment in the future goal. That we are planting and watering in a garden that may not bloom for a long time yet :). YET.. once and while we may see a little green shoot show up and then a leaf and more stem. Patience is something that I lack a lot of the time. BUT there are many opportunities to practice it :) (lol) so maybe one of these days I finally will learn.

Organization- yikes!! That is something that I long for and am slowly learning. Little tricks hear and there. I have a lot of ideas but putting them into motion isn't always that easy... takes a lot of time and discipline and REMEMBERING which is hard some days ( I think the kids have learned that Mommy is very forgetful- I will tell them they will get disciplined latter for something- well they can pretty much count on my forgetting. Or I will tell them to do a job and they can gamble on the 50% chance that i won't follow up on it if I get busy somewhere else. SO all the theories are just that, theories, if I don't have the memory to follow up on the command) All that to say- life in this house is generally chaos. laundry everywhere ( it is clean though :)) and dishes piling up again , the bathroom floor is grouse ( how do you teach boys to AIM !!!!) the girls room- well we won't go there. MY ROOM - well that is worse.

BUT...

The kids are learning to read, they have memorised John 3 :14-19 almost word perfect. Even David and Lily know it with action prompts. They have learnt that God is holy, three persons, all power full, is every where, Made all things , Knows all things etc. ( Mom we are using the Leading little ones to Christ as our Bible curriculum this year. )

David is final learning his letters. He wrote his name by himself the other day - much rejoicing at that accomplishment. Still loves anything that is hard work out side!!!

Caleb got 100% on his 1st phonics and spelling tests. He has also learnt Cursive and is a very good at it. The other day he was a real help to me by setting the table for company- with good cutlery, plates napkins, cups etc. He welcomed the company at the door with a hand shake and " welcome to our house"- and it was all his idea not mine :)!!( The guests were Matt's Uncle Jim and Aunt Myrna Ferris) He is also a wonderful help with his little sister linia esp when we are at a park and I am feeding Nehemiah- Caleb will take her up and down the slides and play with her. There are many time he drives me crazy with his pushing the limits and dawdling BUT... those time when he wants to he is such a wonderful help and encouragement. ( not much unlike the rest of us who can be hard workers when we feel like it but other times- well that is another story :) )

Timmy is learning to read sort vowel words, his slowly getting his math concepts - that is an area of struggle for him. It will click one of these days. He is full of very creative ideas- for example the other day Matt was discussing with me about the trash being so full and being worried that dogs would get into it over night. Well Timmy said " you could just get a stick and tie it a battery and then every time a dog comes by, the stick could start moving like this ( and he waved his arm back and forth ) and hit the dog away." He is also very generous and loves to make things for people. ( reminds me of my sister Rachel in that area)

Lily is potty trained even at night (yeah- one day and we were done. DOn't ask me how . She was just ready). She also knows all her letter sounds. SHE LOVES to TALK- a LOT.!!! and is very good at giving directions around teh house ( in otherwords - is very bossy!! I guess She comes by that honestly :))




Linia is still full of spunk and mischief BUT is learning to say " yes Mommy" and is very good at saying "Please and thankyou Mommy." She is one to make me laugh a lot_ sometimes when I shouldn't!! ( ie- when she is being naughty and needs to be spanked and yet is so funny at the same time. Like yesterday. SHe was supposed to be napping , when I heard her crying so went up to check on her. She was standing in her room, inside a "sleeping bag" sheet - the sheet was doubled over and sewen up with an opening at one end. her head was at the end of it and the opening draging behind her. Everytime she tried to take a step she got more stuck towards the inside. It was sooo funny, and I desperately wanted to run and get my camera. BUT she was supposed to be sleeping and so I had to take the smirk of my face , help her out and spank her and put her back to bed. That was very hard to do.!!!)





Nehemiah- nearly 7 months -well his is army crawling everywhere, half pulling himself up on things, eating like cazy ( I mean solids- about a 1 1/2cups full at a time!!!) as well as nursing every 4 hrs still- even at night sometimes. he has gone 7 hours once or twice and maybe six hours more often. Some times it is still eery 4 at night- those are the days that I am very tried!!. He is full of smiles and charms everyone.