16 Years (and counting... :) )

Yup - that's us.  And yup - my hair is exactly the same.....  Here we are at our reception 16 years ago today.   We had a Renaissance wedding as you can see by some of the pictures.  Our bridal party liked it (especially the guys because they got to wear jeans and boots)....  The girls got to wear slippers, so I guess it was all good!!

 

None if us really look the same - in fact some of you know some of these people, and you would never guess it was them, but I digress......

Two and 1/2 years later, the Lord added this...  :)

Two years after that He added one of these....  

And a couple of these.....  :)  

  

Now we have this.....

All in 16 years.....  :)  

  

As many of you have experienced, the wedding is truly just the beginning.  I honestly can not imagine living without this man!!  When we got married he was my best friend - but I had no idea just how little of him I knew.  As we have lived out our lives together thus far, I have learned so much from him, from his responses to things, from shared experiences - things that we had to do together to learn.  And I know, without a doubt, that I still don't know all there is to know about him.  I look forward to the years we have together in the future - seeing what the Lord will do, knowing what He has done, the things He has kept us through, and the gift of our marriage.  I didn't have a clue.....  

  

Book recommendation - Crossway review

Hi all!!  Forgot to mention something in my last post.  As most of you know we are part of Crossway's book review program.  They just sent me a book last week (I haven't been so good with the others they have sent...), and I LOVE it!!

It is called "Give them Grace", and it is by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson.  I started the book and could NOT put it down.  I am afraid I didn't give in an entirely fair reading since there are discussion and application questions in it that I didn't work through, but I can honestly say that this is the BEST book on parenting I have EVER read.  I know what you may be thinking.  There are a whole lot of parenting books out there, and, like you I have read most of them.  There is just something different about this book.  There are no systems in it - no suggestions for systems.  It does have some anecdotes and some "scripts" that they give as examples of what they are trying to say, but all in all the book mostly focuses on our perspective in parenting - not our systems in parenting.  Not only that, but it explains why there are some parenting "systems" that seem to work, but something just doesn't "seem right" about them.  There was also an entire chapter on reading Proverbs rightly that really, really encouraged me.  It broached questions like "If I am raising my kids in the love and admonition of the Lord (training up a child in the way he / she should go), and Proverbs says 'when they are old they will not depart from them' , why do some kids stray?  And will mine?" with love, grace, hope, and biblical perspective.  I can't recommend this book enough!!

Another update....

Once again, I haven't posted in awhile.  I am learning that that's OK :)  !  To update the last 2 month old update!

We are DONE homeschool for the year.  Glad to be there. Still have portfolios to submit, but that is easy - I just have to get motivated......  I am starting to evaluate for next year.  I am kind of a set in stone kind of teacher.  I know what I like - and those things don't change.  If I don't like it, I'll try something new.  I think for us we have a spelling program we like, an awesome history program we love, a math program we love, and a science program we like.  Language Arts doesn't thrill me.  Still flipping between programs - we have one we are trying this year, but I can't say I am necessarily excited about it.  All in all pretty low stress.  I have no problem with trial and error.  We will try this program for the year, and if it doesn't "work" for us, something different next year.  I have to say home schooling for me has been a key factor in a lot of my growth in faith in a lot of areas.  It has put some things in perspective that I needed changed - and I am grateful.  Not always easy, but it really has worked out for our family!

Mike is on week 6 of 8 this week.  I can not believe how fast this semester seems to be going!  The next few weeks will be rough weeks with papers and tests pretty much from here on out.  That is OK.  We only have 21 days left.

Michael Ben is gong to Youth Camp.  I cannot believe that.  We have the privilege of doing Youth - Parent this coming year.  We are looking forward to it.  I can't believe my "baby" boy is entering his teen years.  I am looking forward to what God has for him in his future.  He is becoming quite the little man.  After Youth Camp he will be getting braces.   He is 94 pounds and 5' .  I am ____ pounds and 5'4.  It won't be long until I am looking up at him at this rate.....

Katie is also 5'.  She just outgrew her shoes AGAIN.....  She is already a 7.  I am a 9 1/2.  She is starting that whole tripping over her feet thing that indicates she will also be growing taller soon..... (which I can not imagine!).  Where does the time go?

The twins.....  Ahh the twins......

Chris is going to be doing his last surgery sooner rather than later.  He needs an expander and head gear ASAP. This hit me pretty hard, to be honest.  Having gone through the last 6 year with no surgeries, and, of course, knowing this was coming, I am surprised at my reaction.  I REALLY don't want to do this again.  Handing him over for surgery as an infant was one of the harder things I have had to do.  Doing it again doesn't thrill me.  So, in classic Kristy style, I am dragging my feet as much as possible.  Other than that and a lip and nose revision, Chris is doing fantastic!!  He is really leading out in a lot of areas.  We are enjoying him.

Stephen is rolling along.  It is easy to overlook him, to be honest.  He has always been willing to kind of go with the flow all things considered.  He is sensitive, though, and I am learning to be more careful with him.  He is worried about Chris, worried about Michel leaving us for 4 WHOLE days!!!  He is at a good age though, and will tell me exactly what's on his mind.  That helps.  I almost feel like I am just getting to know him.  In a way it's that way with all our kids!

Me, well, I am head down, eyes forward.  Not necessarily good, but not a bad thing either I guess.  I am finding myself weepy and then full of joy - sometimes at the same time.  Things feel like they are moving REALLY fast right now and I am having a hard time keeping up - to be honest.  Feels a bit like rafting - just holding on, but feeling like the raft is moving a little faster than my grip.  Resting in the fact that I am not holding on, but being held....

~K

Wow - really set this aside....

Well - apparently it has been 5 months since I posted!  That's OK - it has been really crazy around here.  I am sitting in my back room since I have been banished from MY room.  We moved the tower into there - long story, and most of the time it works out, but......

This is going to be just some random thoughts and an update....

Mike is in week 6 of 8.  Then one week off, one more 8 week semester, then he is DONE (July 3rd)!!!  Assuming he passes everything (and we have no reason to believe that he won't),  he will have his BA.  I am wondering what life may look like school-less.  At least for a little while - wait - does that sound vaguely familiar?????  And we already went from THIS IS IT to "for now".  We're not even done yet!  His degree will be in Biblical and Religious Studies - which is a spring board degree to be honest (that's what they always called my attempted English degree).  In other words there is no "field" for that degree - without seminary.......  For now we are just focused on getting through the BA and seeing what God may have for us in the future.  Which means..... more change.  NOT my favorite!!  If only life were predictable!!

We have 5 weeks left of homeschool.  We have next week off, so that puts us "out" Memorial Day weekend.  YES!! The kids (and the teacher - especially the teacher) are DONE!  So we are trying to encourage each other to be faithful for 20 more days!!  We do have some really great books coming up so that helps.  The kids are getting big - Katie is in a size 7 WOMENS shoe!!  I feel like one of the kids in the row right now during church.  Especially when I have Michael and Katie on either side.  At least the twins are below my shoulder for now....  :)

We were recently blessed with a car.  Mike's van went down permanently a little while ago, and a second car got put on our list of things to hopefully be able to do after he is done school and working hopefully full time again.  We had been sharing the van which was slowly, we believe, going down hill. A family at church gave us their car, and another family fixed it up for us, and Mike now has a car.  Not only that, but should the van actually decide it is done, we can all fit into the car and still get where we need to go.  I didn't realize how much that was weighing on me until last week when both vehicles were on the road.  The traveling I have to do is winding down for the year - which is great - no more trips to Allentown!!  But our distant and very dear church family is not exactly local - and I realize more and more that I was starting to fear a break in fellowship because of transportation.  With this added vehicle I am breathing a little easier.  Not that I can put my faith in the fact that we have 2 cars, but I think you know what I mean.  The van goes into the mechanic for a thorough check up on Monday.  We are thinking transmission - hoping we are very wrong.  If it isn't we can gradually start to fix up the things we know are wrong with it.

On the topic of fixing things up - Michael Ben starts orthodontia in a few weeks.  I know it's not the same, but it kind of feels the same....  :)  Katie will also have to have 2 teeth pulled, and Chris is seeing his plastic surgeon in a couple of weeks for a consultation - we will be gearing up to start his last surgery soon.  Wow - those years went fast!!  Stephen is sitting tight and pulling out his own teeth - and loving the dullness of that - I don't think he is hurting for excitement :) .  I know I'm not.

Lots of thoughts about contentment again.   As I read over the blog I wonder at times if I have made ANY progress!!  Seems very circular.  I know God is good and He won't give up on me until He has made me into the image of Christ - even if we have to keep covering the same ground OVER and OVER again.  I just wish I was a faster learner.  Hopefully I will continue to update, but I think I am going to go storm my room now.....  :)

Crossway Book Review

Hi all!!  Sorry for the blog silence.  Bit busy around here as of late!  I did want to get on here and do a book review though.  We are part of Crossway's review program (which I love), and they send us books to read over and ask that we give our opinion.  This last one was "God's Mighty Acts in Creation" by Starr Meade.

We have been using this book for family devotions, and have really enjoyed it.  It has made us all (even the adults!!) think about how special God's creation really is - and what it says about God.  The verse "The heavens declare the glory of God, the sky above proclaims His handiwork"  has always brought visions of the infinite attributes of God, and how vast He is.  I always focused on the heavens - but there is more to creation than just the heavens - God is involved in the inter-workings of all creation - and all those inter-workings say something about Him.  This book has brought detail to my thinking about both the creation, and the Creator Himself.

As a family, we have found the selections easy to read and understand for all our kids (7-12).  The questions cover both basic (great for the twins) through the more complex thoughts (great for Katie and Michael  - and me.....).  They are full, but remain short enough for shorter attention spans.  All in all, we have really enjoyed it!!

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com 

Bruting and Koinonia part 2

But first..... a quick family update!!!

Schooling is going well.  Mike is also doing well.  He is in yet another new job (doing deliveries for a local printer), and all things considered, it is working out so far.  He will be working full time this week as their other driver is out - so we are going to have to be careful with our evenings so he can get some of the school work he needs to get finished - well - finished.  He is past the mid term point now - and we are still "tweaking" our schedule.  Better late than never.....

Other than that things are good.  I wish there were a way to adequately write the very personal and special ways the Lord has seen fit to meet me over the last 2 weeks or so.  Suffice it to say that after a rather long time of being dry and really searching for reasons, He has seen fit to meet me - without the reasons.  I think one of the things I love the most about our Lord is that when He meets us - He often is so overwhelming in beauty that nothing else matters for awhile.  Everything else fades into the backround.  Not really saying what I want to - can't seem to find the words to express it.  He just IS.  And just a glimpse is so humbling it is just a privilege to bask in His presence.  I want to know Him more.

Bruting and Koinonia...... wow.  I had alluded in the previous post that I have had quite the history with Koinonia.  I have writings of mine from high school (yes - I am one of those kinds of people) where I was exploring Koinonia as a theme.  A better definition of Koinonia is "communion by intimate participation" and the article goes on to say that there is implicated action in the meaning.  In other words - Koinonia is a state of "doing" not a state of "being".  A phrase we use commonly at our church is "doing life together"- this is the essence of koinonia.  From a young age I was telling my mom that I knew Jesus was with me, but what I really wanted was someone "with skin on".  What I didn't realize at that age was the role of the church in being exactly that - Jesus with skin on.  They are the hands and feet of Christ on earth - imperfect absolutely (after all, if I am part of my church, then it is already not perfect, right?), but we represent Him to the world - and to each other.  So - how are you doing with that whole idea?  The idea that we represent Him - that we are His ambassadors?  How have you been representing your Lord recently?  If you are anything like me, it doesn't always go the way I would like.  I really, really misrepresent Him sometimes- and it hurts.  It is an area that I really need to grow in - but it is still the call - perfect or imperfect.  We had a really great sermon today on service at church.  One thing Pastor Bell brought up was the fact that we don't have pure motivations in our serving - but God calls us to serve anyway and trust that He will purify our service.

Coming back to the Koinonia idea again.  Koinonia is not an end in and of itself.  That is something I struggle intensely with.  I love to be loved.  During those "nobody like me everybody hates me" times - those truly lonely times when "no one even calls" - when the isolation feelings set in - when it seems like everyone is getting together "without me" - it is really important to remember that the hands and feet are not actually Christ himself.  Christ is the only one who can meet me the way I need to be met - perfectly and every time.  To put that kind of expectation on a human being - any human being (including Mike - poor Mike.....) is wrong.  It is idolatry.  I have misplaced my worship, and have made the gift that God has given me in the community He has placed me in more important than the giver Himself.

Community - what I have been learning recently?  What it is and isn't.  I am to love my community, pray for them, invest my time and love into them - but it is never to replace Christ in my life.  When my soul is "faint within me" - I need Christ -  not a person.  I need to be honest and transparent about my life, but I can not go around being dependent on people for the strength I need, the grace I need, the love I need.  By realizing the community is made up of human beings - therefore, by default, sinners - I am free to love them without expectation.  It frees me to "put myself out there" not expecting anything in return.  And He has built a beautiful community - a beautiful bride.  There is no where else I would rather be than in my local church body on Sunday morning.  He gives us these bodies - which ever body He has called you to - to be His hands and feet in your life - and His hands and feet to the world.  You have the opportunity to share your life with these people.  To be cared for, challenged, walked with by those in your church.  Do you take advantage of that?  Are you doing Koinonia?  It is a beautiful gift from a beautiful God.

Schooling.....

Checking out for awhile - will update as possible - we are off to quite the school year!!  :)