Busy days are for...

One of these days I'll figure out how to post pictures in order of what I wanted instead of them being backwards. So this is actually the most recent to last week sometime update for you ;-)
Yesterday it decided to become summer with 80 degrees outside. We had some fun with friends over, water, firepit hotdogs, and ooey-gooey marshmallows. One of many I hope.

Yesterday was also our last class meeting for the Young Marrieds for this session. Thankfully, we are on the docket for continuing on in a class- format in the fall. It has been really enjoyable and we are excited about what's next! This was the much anticpated balloon game- we all wrote one thing we learned about in the session then took turns trying to keep all the balloons in the air. The point being that try as we might- we can't balance everything perfectly in our marriages all the time... neat way to picture that fact.

Brad and I went to see the Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast. Very cool- I love that music!
This was an after the concert treat- ice cream with the boys. It went over well. =)
Jaedon looking oh so dapper for his spring music concert.

It was fun, full and silly- just the way is should be.

Brad came home a day last week and said "let's go out to eat then go to a park." Although I'm not entirely bright- I was smart enough not to turn down that offer! =) We had a lot of fun together.

We visted the Fredrick Meijer Gardens with Adrianna and Eliza last week. They have a glass sculpture display through-out the gardens right now and even though I usually don't glance much at art or "art"- I thought these glass displays were pretty neat. Above is a tea party at the gardens.

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." ~Annie Dillard, The Writing Life

Our time consumes like smoke, and posts away;
Nor can we treasure up a month or day:
The sand within the transitory glass
Doth haste, and so our silent minutes pass.
~Rowland Watkyns

Being fed

Two things have stuck out to me in my latest Bible study time.
We were discussing the miracle of feeding the 5,000.
Just writing that doesn't sound all that exciting unfortunately- I've heard the story dozens of times and there is a danger with apathy in the familiar. I enjoy reading familiar passages in unfamiliar translations. I've found that using different but similiar words can help bring fresh perspective to a less-than-fresh story. I disgress...

In reading the story it stuck out that only those who sat down were the ones being fed.
How often do I just SIT down to be fed by Christ? How often am I "still and know that He is..."? Am I one of the disciples that are busy picking up the leftovers of someone else's meal?

The leader also pointed out that the scripture reads that it was 5,000 MEN who were being fed. The woman and children (who KNOWS the actual number of people!) were fed and cared for but only after the men were. Now, that is a cultural thing I understand but the implications for me as a wife and mom are too obvious to not grasp. I need to be doing everything I can to encourage my husband to sit and be fed. Me and my children will be taken care of - but much more richly when my husband and their father spends time sitting with Christ- being fed by him, nourished, taught, still.

So how does that look in your life?

Patio Pictures

For Mom and Dad who don't do Facebook: ;-)
Here's the patio pictures...

Boys

I'm having a rough night tonight so I thought I'd blog to either 1. vent my frustrations and/or 2. write about my children and hope that the blessing of them will overshadow my feelings. Without further adieu...an overview of the boys...
Owen is transitioning very well into his soon-to-be 2 year oldness. Amazing how I don't have to teach him to say "Mine, No, Stop it, Seffey..." or how to throw himself on the ground, hit or throw things when he's mad. Now, why can't manners and self control come just as naturally?? Oh yea... that whole sin problem.
Owen is talking a LOT and loves to sing along to the ABC song we have playing (over and over and over and over and over ...) from a delightful toy stuck on our fridge.
He gives the greatest hugs!!

Seth is a really neat 4 year old boy. His imagination tickles me and keeps us in stitches throughout our day. Mealtimes turn into dragon slaying adventures with apples, carrots, cheese all taking turns being the hero or the villain.

Jaedon is my challenge right now and hence my bad attitude this evening. Without detailing the past 3 weeks I'll just say he has had more "in trouble at school days" than not. This week he has had only one day of not getting into trouble by his teacher. And to be sure- we are not letting him get away with it at home...which is why I am really baffled tonight. He has had doses of Tabasco sauce for lying, write apology notes, had to do multiple chores from scrubbing toilets, washing the cars, cleaning baseboards ...you name it! (based on him playing while he should be working means he gets to work while he should be playing), copy verses, go to bed early, run laps, and not get to take snack to school - along with spankings for disobedience. I seriously am at a LOSS to know what else we could POSSIBLY DO to get to him. Thankfully, despite my disposition this evening, our discipline has been carried out lovingly and at times I feel like we are reaching his little heart. But things simply are not changing! He is encouraging others to do the exact opposite of what the teacher is telling him and simply not obeying. I would really really love to hear any ideas you may have regarding this. I just need a bit of perspective tonight.

ok- now on to reciting my "children are a blessing from the Lord" mantra ...

Swimmin' Seth

Swimming is one of those skills that are pretty important in life.

I had the thought of enrolling Seth in swim lessons however with only 2 lessons to go I am fairly certain that while they have been fun for Seth, I doubt any long term skills have been developed.
However, Seth says "I YOVE my swim yessons!"
And that's important too. =)

Refining work

We've entered a new-to-us phase of parenting lately and so far I'm not such a fan.

Jaedon decided to try on lying as a side-job. The pay is lousy yet he persists.

I have to admit- I was really shocked by how frighteningly devious and thought-out his lies were. He lied to several teachers, friends and then Brad and I. After I was told about all of this (thank you, Daddy the teacher!) I was really just plain mad! Then I felt like I had NO idea where to even start with disciplining him because honestly- spanking seemed too nice.
I am a goal-setting, preventative action type of gal and I felt very lost not having a game plan already rolling when this one hit. I know- get used to it right? =) I shared briefly about this during my Tuesday morning Bible study and was encouraged when one friend shared to "just do the next right thing." I don't have to have a big picture plan of action right now- just one right choice after another.
I am also encouraged to remember that my goal-setting ways are sometimes just plain prideful. I think I can fix something when it's not mine to fix. Jaedon is ours to disciple and train up in the way he SHOULD go- but ultimately I guess it's his choice if he chooses to go that way or not right? That is no excuse for apathy or laziness in my role as a parent- if anything it's motivating me to keep disciplining, keep on discipling all the while I pursue a deeper walk with the Lord.
Oh the journeys of refining.

What a recorder is supposed to sound like!

Ry sings his ABC's

Zambia

Here are the pictures from our trip-
Music is by the Zambian Orphan Choir led and directed
by Richman Syabbamba- our Choma host.

Top Ten

Well, it's been a week since we have returned from Zambia. Amazingly enough life continued on here at home without us (although a bit more lenient ;-) and life continued right on after we got home. Shocking, I know.
I however, am finding that I am still processing everything and admid the normalness of life continuing I have yet to write down my own ponderings. So here is my attempt at such.

1. The body of Christ is awesome. We can fly thousands of miles away, meet complete strangers who the only thing we have in common with is our relationship with our Savior- we an immediate friendship is formed.

2. Taxi drivers in Johannesburg- while friendly- WILL overcharge you. We are $85 poorer to prove it.

3. God is the epitome of kindness. He does things sometime just because he wants to show kindness towards us...he doesn't have to but he does so anyway. Largest example of that is represented in the pastor couple we spent time with in Jembo. The VanRipers came to Jembo to take pictures and interview people about the Jembo Bible College with the purpose of making a brochure. In 2004 the VanRipers also decided to start sponsoring 3 children from a Pastors family in Pemba, Zambia. Pembo and Jembo are approximately 15 minutes from each other. So as we made our trek to Jembo, the VanRipers were able to meet the children they had been sponsoring for 6 years! God didn't HAVE to allow those paths to cross...but he did because he can.

4. Without a citylight around for many MANY miles...I have never seen a more beautiful, star-filled sky.

5. Flat spiders are good. Not-flat ones are not. We saw lots of flat spiders.

6. Seeing the clinic in Jembo- the delivery room- was my first eye-opening time. So many sick and so little space to help them. What we here in the US cry as "our rights" (even for a single bed hospital room) is simply unheard of. They want their sick baby to just LIVE....and often they don't. As Richman very somberly told us "Death is very close to all of us."

7. A Land Rover may be a fun car here- it's a necessity there. WOW. Those roads are... better for walking on! =)

8. We were able to enjoy authentic Zambian hospitality. Richman is the leader of the music academy in Choma where Brad worked. His lovely wife Regina and I were fast friends. They have 4 children: Vanessa - 11, Simon -9, Ry (my buddy)-3 and Juanita (the sticker baby)-11 months. After washing our hands with a pitcher and basin we enjoyed Nshima (pronounced "SHEma") and soup as well as chicken, beans and rice. It was also Richman's birthday that day so we had cake and 'ice cream'. Sounds rough eh?

9. Spending time with Richman and Regina was really enriching. One thing that stood out to me and Regina and I got to know one another is that people are people. She and I deal with, struggle with, laugh at, frustrate over the same stuff. Her kids are so sweet and adorable. So are mine. Her kids are selfish and argue. So do mine. She has to respect her husband and submit to his leadership. As do I. She's frustrated by her kids teachers. Boy, Jaedon's music teacher... ;-)
It was a really neat observation.

10. While this can be called a once-in-a-lifetime experience I truly hope it's not.