Do I seem surprised? So I'm not a gardener at all but I'm making some efforts this year and was pleasantly surprised by what came of one of my bulbs. (A little down the row and something is all burned up - so don't be too impressed!) It made me think of a spiritual message that Jesus taught and that Josh and I have discussed frequently in the last few years. For all of the spiritual planting and/or watering we do we will be let down at times because the soil isn't right. In the past few years we can think of many areas we've planted, a few where something came up and looked wonderful for a while, but later died and precious fewer yet that have grown into something truly great, grown stronger and reseeded to produce fruit. This is not something new obviously, just something I've been thinking about. The more we scatter the more those few who will grow to produce fruit - and praise God for the power of His seed to produce that fruit!
Briefly here's what we've been up to:
Nonna came to town :) We all had a great time and some old friends from Italy came along too.
Went to the dentist - still no cavities - fiew! I don't know about you but my dental experiences were nothing like my kids'. They have jungle gyms and video games in the waiting room, murals on every wall and here they are watching "Ice Age" on a personal flat screen!! Ah well, at least its covered by insurance!!
And here are a few other things we've been up to
In that last shot Abby is washing Mia's feet. Last night she went around washing everyone in the family's after an 'inspiring' week of VBS! lol! (Although she did agree that mine were pretty big!)
Oh - we finished a house this week as well but I hadn't taken any grungy before shots, so it just doesn't have the same effect!
Hey! I have a friend coming in this weekend so I won't be able to come on Friday :-(
I find that I eat all the time the first few days on the diet. Yesterday was better...like my body is starting to stop craving sugar and bad starchy things. I've lost 5lbs this frist week.
they say eating frequently keeps your metabolism up. like we should eat 6 small meals a day instead of barely eating breakfast, then a large lunch and an even larger supper.
Exciting! A quick look at the map looks like SCV is maybe 5 hrs from here? But I have no idea what the roads are like - could be more. I've heeard nothign of works up there around Coban, but will ask Jeronimo.
Lisa, your girls are so beautiful...and it's so nice to see them with their nona. How have you been this summer? have you guys traveled at all? Justin and I went camping. I would have loved to go on the trips we were talking about before. Please keep me in touch with anything like that, that might be going on in the future, maybe one of these days I will be able to afford it and go...you never know! :)Take care of yourself and I hope all is well :)
Oh dear, sorry to be gone so long and especially to make you all worry about the 'incident' (lol!) I'm fine, thanks for all your concern. I followed up with a dr here when I got home and she said in her sweet southern way "you were dry as a chip!" and that was that, just a nasty case of dehydration and stomach bug. A special thanks for all your concern and a few in particular who were so very helpful - I've been bugging Sharon for a few adresses but if I never see them, please know how much you are apreciated :)
Lots is new around here (its been a while). Josh started his new job up in the GA sticks and is loving it... and is actually home even earlier these days. Mia just had her 3rd birthday my little pony party yesterday, and would you believe I had everything ready except I couldn't find my camera for my life! I'm so upset:( Anyway, seems the kids enjoyed, and today I'm treating the yard for ants from the pinata candy.
Be sure to say hi to my sis who's finally joined us. (fairchildrf) Can't wait to catch up with you all!
Well, these were the special NYC type of italians..not real authentic beautiful amazing Italians ;-)
I was wondering if you guys were going to the gainsville singing. I might try to come...but it might be a bit too much for me to try in Friday night traffic. I'll look into it.
Hi Lisa! Hard to believe Mia is 3! We won't be at park day this week. Jeff and I are going to the homeschool convention in Atl Th-Sat. Without kids...yeah!!!
Thanks for the well-wishes; I am feeling more normal now, although I find that I sleep a lot more than I did. I am at McMaster University, and I will graduate in 2010, Lord willing. I am currently a nurse - a registered/licenced practical nurse [although the RPN in Ontario is the equal of an associate degree nurse in the US]. I'm certain you'd make a great nurse - you're a very caring person and a soothing character.
I'm sorry you guys didn't know about the meeting. I figured you guys had a lot going on seeing as how just a week ago you were in the hospital out of state :) I was glad to get to see Nancy on Saturday night though.
I can understand wanting to get your $40 worth! Did you know, though, that Thursday's sessions are free? 2 pm - "What is homeschooling, 3 pm - The Law, 4 pm - Getting Started, 5 pm - Break for Dinner, 6 pm - Choosing Curriculum. Ruth Martin is the speaker and she does a great job!
I'm so sorry you didn't hear about the meeting! I will make sure to call you guys next time. I kind of wondered why we didn't see you guys, but I figured you were busy or out of town or something. Sorry again! And I keep seeing references to you being really sick...what happened?
Dear, if I didnt say so I am so glad you are better! I love you and appreciate how much you put so much love into everything you do. Thanks be to God for you
Bleah, I'm sorry you got sick! What a great theme for a 3 year old! I can't believe Mia is 3!!! When CJ first started wearing pigtails, it made me think of Mia!
I'm so glad you posted how you are doing Lisa :) thank you. I am still loving the ideas you gave in your notes for finding ways to encourage people and inspire unity in the church. Thanks again for that :) When do you think you guys would ever be able to come here??? Another thing I wanted to ask you about is how the churches in Georgia are?? what's it like? I hear there is a lot of outward affection, that would be wonderful cause I'm a hugger...not a tree hugger, but a hugger nonetheless, lol. Email me k? :) Talk to you soon and I'm glad you're back to normal again :) OH and I'm glad your daddy made it through his surgery okay too, good to hear!
I never take the time but Josh found a screaming funny one on another blog. Since I don't know ow to post it I'll just advise if you're in need of a good laugh, look up "Tim Hawkins Food Prayer" on GodTube. Awesome!
Isn't that what your mother always said? Its been a little too long, I know but sometimes I feel like my blog looks like a checklist and really whoever finds another person's checklist all that interesting?!
Something interesting HAS recently happened though, and we could use your prayers. We, along with four other families have come together to start a new work. (spanish again of course) It had been a little too long with so little man-power; so difficult to grow with no one full or even part-time worker and so we'll be starting with 6 men!! woohoo! (we are genuinely excited!) Right now we're meeting in homes and have a handful of contacts studying, and pray to be into a building soon. Thanks in advance for your prayers.
Otherwise life continues as normal... we're going through a bit of a patch with sibling stuff and two-year-old stuff, potty training for almost A YEAR and so I'll be cutting down to one (crazy) day of a houseful of kids, and just mine the rest of the time. It sounds crazy since we're always here together but after a year of keeping other people's children, I've been missing my own, so I'm happy about that change.
Nobody in this house is napping anymore. At first I thought it would kill me... now I realize if it does it will be very slow.
I'm studying up on homeschooling (I've never actually seen it done) - I'm looking into a classical program - sounds funny but I'm going to learn a lot in kindergarten! (Is that even how you spell kindergarten / garden??)
The new work sounds wonderful! Praying for you all as you grow together. How's your and the girls' Spanish coming? Don't forget to look for a homeschool co-op in your area for a chance to "see it in action" sometime. Love you guys!
That's great news about the church. I keep thinking about you guys and how awesome it is what you are doing. I still want to learn Spanish. Charlotte is surrounded with spanish speaking people.
Wow, we will be praying for your efforts in this new work! How exciting! Well, you can read an update on Ian and his corked ear on my page. Not the results I was expecting...
I second that. You're father-in-law has been the brains behind a lot of things we did that really helped, so we might not be able to offer a lot of new info. But he does have the study that we share with folks in Spanish. He used it in Nicaragua.
Hey! I left a voicemail on Josh's phone. I will call y'all later... on your home phone I hope. I wanted to know about Bible study this Friday and possibly spending the night. Love y'all! TTY soon!
Run as fast as you can to a Homeschool group. If you can not find one, go talk to your Librarian. I was already 100% commited, but now I am soooo excited! These families are having so much fun and are so close, and the kids are amazing! I am going to start out with the "Five in a Row" curriculum and then I think I am going to use KONOS. Ben and I are going to spend a weekend in Cincinnati, at the end of March, to go to a homeschool convention.
Feel free to stop by on your way up or back from the Ohio lectures. I am still debating if I am going. Even if you all do not want to stay, at least stop for a meal!
Hey Lisa! Next weekend sounds great! Go ahead and count me in....I'll check Monday to make sure I can leave a little early from work on Friday to get there in time but it shouldn't be a problem. Are you still planning to have the devotion @ 7:30 in the cabin?
Hey! Wanted to thank you again for the great weekend! I had a great time! Hope everything was well and fine with the house and Brownie and Nancy and the girls and the rest of the family when you got home. I didn't encounter anymore tornadoes on my way back through ATL, fortunatley! Hope ya'll are having a great week! Hi to Abby and Mia for me! Cheers!
Lisa, it was so good to see you again! This past weekend was so encouraging and so much fun! I'm thankful for the work that you and Josh are doing for the Lord! Dios la bendiga. :)
I hope your trip home was okay Lisa. I've been thinking about you and hoping you are okay. I read your notes that you gave me on the way home :) and thank you so much because you have really good ideas in there for me to try. I wish we could talk and we could do this lesson. Maybe we could over the phone sometime. Thank you so much for all the effort you put in though and don't you feel badly for one moment okay? everyone was so understanding and the ones here are concerned for you too. Please let us know how you are doing okay :) I hope that I get to see you soon, that would be nice if you guys could make it here again soon, let me know when you are planning to okay? BIG HUGS to you sweetie
Oh where, oh where has my Lisa gone? :) you must be fixing another house, painting your own or going crazy watching too many children :) Hope you are all well! Miss you!
Do I seem surprised? So I'm not a gardener at all but I'm making some efforts this year and was pleasantly surprised by what came of one of my bulbs. (A little down the row and something is all burned up - so don't be too impressed!) It made me think of a spiritual message that Jesus taught and that Josh and I have discussed frequently in the last few years. For all of the spiritual planting and/or watering we do we will be let down at times because the soil isn't right. In the past few years we can think of many areas we've planted, a few where something came up and looked wonderful for a while, but later died and precious fewer yet that have grown into something truly great, grown stronger and reseeded to produce fruit. This is not something new obviously, just something I've been thinking about. The more we scatter the more those few who will grow to produce fruit - and praise God for the power of His seed to produce that fruit!
