And now ..... I am the mother of a 20 year old.

Josiah turned twenty years old yesterday.  I kind of feel like I need to keep rereading that sentence.  It isn't quite sticking in my brain.   Oh yes, I'm happy for him .... and for me (somehow it seems easier and more doable to no longer have a teenager living across the country!) .... but, my goodness!! TWENTY?????????  Where has the time gone?

I suppose #20 is the ideal time to stop the birthday pancake tradition but ..... ahhh, never mind!  We ate it for him after singing to him over FaceTime and showing him that he is still loved from afar!  The only thing truly missing was being able to give him a great big hug.  He saved our "birthday party in a box" (sent a week ago) and was able to open his gifts while talking with us.  Gotta say - I'm so thankful for modern technology!

Have I mentioned that the Lord has provided sweet neighbors for Josiah who have love on him regularly through home cooked meals brought to his door (and always at the perfect time!) and concerned check-ins when he's been sick. They invited him for dinner last night and Lisa made him his favorite meal and provided a birthday cake -- complete with candles!  Knowing he would be loved on in the midst of a family was such a blessing to me.  I know, between the kindness of friends and family, he felt loved yesterday in spite of being so far from home.  I am living in thanksgiving for God's merciful bounty and provision in so many ways!!

Autumn 2014

Autumn is my favorite season.

The cold, crisp mornings and bright blue days of Idaho's autumn are quite spectacular and long lived.  This week we will have a hard freeze and possibly snow, so we are tucking in and getting ready -- saying goodbye to a season of change, learning, and fullness of life.

EVERYONE seems to be growing up around here!! The animals are showing signs of age, the appliances are wearing out, the paint is beginning to peel in certain sections, the parents are falling into bed at night with new-found groans -- sleep not long in coming, and the kids are sprouting wings in more ways than one!!  

With the changing colors come changes in our days.  Earlier nights allow for more family time inside as Dad is now captive audience (off mower and/or tractor) and able to enjoy time alongside us :-)  Reading aloud, watching the Duggars and/or Waltons on the computer, texting or talking to Josiah, doing homework after dinner, and managing new indoor projects (including preparation for Christmas!) are how we spend our time when we aren't actively engaged in hospitality or service opportunities.  Life is very full.

Also with autumn come some favorite memory-making pastimes.  The four of us enjoyed an evening at the pumpkin patch -- walking the corn maze, seeing the animals, riding the zip line, and choosing pumpkins of course! 

The mini-donuts are an all around favorite as well (and secretly -- the main reason we come)  :-) 

Our active church Body is always looking for ways to have a good time -- and the annual Harvest Party in October is a highlight of everyone's year.  Old fashioned games, caramel apples, freshly made kettle corn, horse rides (of which Isabelle helps lead younger friends on the the horses), shooting, roping, campfire, singing, chili feed -- you name it, we've got it!! 

The moms won the tug-of-war against the daughters (of course!).  You can see Isabelle pulling with all her might on the right side, second one in.  She is now nearly as tall as I am and quickly becoming a young lady.  It's already been fun to pass clothes down to her and share shoes :-)

Isaac is working diligently this year to finish high school as well as endeavor to earn some college credits via CLEP testing.  While his focus is mostly on academics, he has also had some great opportunities to grow in leadership, serve at our church, and enjoy sporting events - including football with some of the young men from our church.

Most of our days center around learning and managing our home and property.  This year we have several new opportunities including our history craft group which meets every other week.  You can see Dyana and her son Thomas in the background.  This particular week, Dyana arranged for the kids to make original mummy masks.  So fun!!  They always enjoy being able to do hands-on projects that center around what we're learning in history.

This academic year I have the privilege of teaching my neighbor alongside Isabelle three days a week for history, geography, and writing.  It's been so fun to have Jonny join us in the afternoons for reading, writing, narration, discussion, and map-making.  Here the kids worked together to make a salt relief map of Ancient Egypt.   Don't you love their proud smiles?? :-)

Of course, throughout the month there are several other group learning experiences for the kids.  Above you can see the older kids (Isaac is in the middle with his back turned to the camera) taking a quiz during Science Club (we are studying Chemistry this year and holding class in one of the labs at NNU).  I also teach a small Research and Report Writing/College Prep class monthly with intervening assignments which Isaac is also a part of.  In addition, Isaac is studying the Old and New Testament through a survey class twice monthly that our Pastor teaches.  Isabelle is heavily involved in musical opportunities this year including piano lessons, individual and group violin lessons, and a children's choir.  Needless to say, we keep fairly busy -- but it is all fun and so worth the efforts! 

Although we do not celebrate Halloween, Isabelle did enjoy carving a pumpkin with her Daddy's occasional help on the eve of the 31st.  They've been enjoying every opportunity they get to spend time together doing their latest craze -- black/copper smithing!  With anvil, forge, and hammer, you can often hear various "tinks" ringing out from the barn as the evening wanes and sunset approaches in these chilly autumn evenings.

The sky says it all -- winter is coming and all that comes with it.  Our winter this year holds the promise of a much-anticipated visit from Josiah for Christmas break.  We are all very excited to be under the same roof once again!!   Enjoy the last days of autumn with us as we look forward to all that God has in store for us in finishing out our year....

Fall Break Visit to Virginia

After weeks of waiting and counting down days, Isabelle and I set off for our cross-country adventure to visit Josiah!!  We had delays getting there, but nothing could stop us.   As we hugged for the first time in 11 weeks, Isabelle and I were a pool of tears, smiles, and happiness.

We enjoyed nearly four full days with Josiah, who is attending law school at Liberty University School of Law in Lynchburg, Virginia.  Eager to show his little sister all about his new life as a law student, we spent much of Thursday touring the university and law school, including getting to see where Josiah sat nearly every day during his classes.

We have some sweet friends from our home church also attending Liberty University this year.  It was fun to catch up with them, get a tour of their dorm living space, and also to share a meal together.  They are fully enjoying their time as college students!

Liberty's campus is HUGE.  I had to take this picture for Isaac of the football team practicing.  This is just one of many sport's fields within the multi-acre campus.  Notice all the green?  It is a beautiful area filled with rolling hills and massive quantities of trees (all beginning to wear their autumn glory)!

Friday found us experiencing a typical rainy "Drench"burg day so we enjoyed some indoor pursuits including ice skating at the university's hockey rink along with several other students.  Isabelle loved dancing on the ice with her "bubby".   We also went and enjoyed a movie together before heading home to Josiah's condo where he relished in another "home" cooked meal!  I felt very appreciated during our short visit -- especially where cooking was concerned :-)

Speaking of which, as you can see -- I was busy filling Josiah's freezer with meal-sized portions of some of his favorites, as well as cooking meat and breakfast foods ahead.  Hopefully (!) Josiah will  make good use of my efforts in the weeks to come before heading home for Christmas break.

Knowing that we would be missing Josiah's November birthday (17th) as well as Thanksgiving (he will be using that break time to study for his finals which occur the week following)  -- Isabelle and I decided to make a mini-Thanksgiving feast for our final night together.  Since I was born in Canada and the Canadian Thanksgiving is today, it didn't seem too far-fetched to create a special evening to commemorate all we are thankful for -- even with a loved one so very far away.

We enjoyed Sunday morning attending church with Josiah and then finished up our short time together with some rousing games of UNO (a family favorite).  In between all the above happenings, we shared many long walks around the beautiful neighborhood Josiah lives in, a few episodes of the Waltons (via Josiah's computer -- thanks Amazon!), and lots (as in A LOT) of laundry and ironing.  Of course, (it's me!) I cleaned to my heart's content as well, thus leaving Josiah cleaned, cooked for, ready, rested (poor kid slept hard and long while we were there -- he's kept some long hours lately), and refreshed for the second half of his 1L year of law school.  He's doing excellently -- is very focused, making wise decisions, managing his time, and enjoying his classes.  We are so proud of his efforts and thankful for the Lord's continued faithfulness in his life.

A New Smile for Our Sweet Girl

Before .....

After .... 

September 2014

While it is still a couple of weeks until October, I wanted to share with you some of our happenings here on the "farm".  Labor Day weekend found us out of doors most of the day.  Harvesting, canning, rototilling, and decorating for autumn were what was on the menu :-)  Some  years I hold on to every last day of summer, sunshine and the garden.  And then some years .... I just need to be done.  With all that I have on my plate academically this year,  I needed to eliminate some of my "have to's" so as to enjoy what is on the horizon.

Our gardening year wasn't our best, but it was far from being our worst.  We had oodles of tomatoes early enough into the season that I was able to can our year's worth of homegrown sauce before we began our school year.  In addition, we canned spiced peach jam, grape jelly, pickles, and raspberry jam.   In our freezer we have several ears of corn awaiting cooking.  Our apples are all wormy (and prolific!!) but our peaches and apricots did beautifully in spite of our early mistake in spraying them this spring.

This peach jam reminds me so much of the spiced peaches that my Grandma used to make every summer and serve throughout the year!  Delicious!! 

Berries are for snacking in between jobs -- we have the purple lips and fingers to prove it!  We enjoy giving out of our abundance to friends and neighbors after we've had our fill.

Isabelle (at age 12) has become a capable and trustworthy driver of our Ranger around the farm.  She was a big help as we tore out huge stacks of vegetation and tilled under the garden.

Autumn decorating is "legal" for me on September 1st!! :-)  My favorite time of year, I want to savor as many days looking at the autumn colors, corn stalks, flowers, and pumpkins as I possibly can.

Isabelle and I created several "pockets of autumn joy" around the house and farm. Delightful!!

I should have taken a "before" picture to help you understand the magnitude of this task.  With three of us working full time, it still took 3 hours to bring the garden to this state of rest.   Just some perennial herbs and strawberries will remain to sit out the winter.

As we ease into autumn and have fewer gardening chores to do, it has been a joy to be able to enjoy the fruits of our labors.  Horses now can eat freely in the field.  The picture out my back window of horses, pasture, chickens, and trees slowly changing color is quite beautiful.  I am so blessed.

We traded out "Diesel" for a much-gentler horse for Daddy and Sarah to ride alongside Isabelle.  "Cadillac" (yes, Joe named him appropriately) is a calmer (albeit much taller!) ride.  It says a lot that, although the tallest horse I've stood next to, I am not afraid of "Cadillac" and have enjoyed more than a few face to face conversations with this gentle giant.

Joe and I, looking for a family adventure in our continued efforts to distract our attention from the absence of Josiah, opted to take a family hike up "table rock" in Boise one Saturday.  I walk several miles nearly every day and will be walking a 10K tomorrow, but this hike was hard and more than once I had to stop to catch my breath!  Joe ended up letting me hold on to his backpack straps to help me up the side of the mountain :-)  Thanks honey!

Success!!!  We made it up "table rock" and lived to tell about it!  Now, how do we get down??!

Volleyball seems to be the sport of choice this summer and we've hosted several gatherings including this one for our Mission Prayer leaders gathering.  Isaac, being a senior this year, is privileged to be a small part in leading through this ministry each Sunday.

Last weekend we headed up into the mountains to spend a weekend in Cascade with Grandma and Grandpa.  Walks along the river, trips to get ice cream cones, yummy meals, games, and long visits just sitting (gasp!!) were how we spent our time.  It was lovely .... and too short.

Isabelle and I are looking forward to our visit with Josiah in Virginia in less than 3 weeks.  He is doing well, managing his time nobly, learning to handle multiple stresses (including his first bout of sickness away from home), and developing friendships.  Please continue to keep him in your prayers. 

Our morning glory finally bloomed and is a lovely reminder that there are still beautiful days to come this fall.  Green abounds along with a few shades of red, orange, and yellow just starting to pop their heads out.   Wishing you and yours a lovely start to your autumn.

First Day of School 2014

This morning marks the beginning of my 15th year of homeschooling (officially).  Of course, I view all of life -- from birth till death -- a time of learning.

With a 17 year old senior finishing up his high school studies (Chemistry, Pre-Calculus, Research and Report Writing, Biblical Economics, Old/New Testament Survey, and Advanced P.E. first semester) in the mornings and working on his college degree via College Plus in the afternoons, I serve mostly as facilitator, cheerleader, and (only on occasion :-) drill sergeant.  Isaac is self-directed, gaining confidence and proficiency in a variety of areas, and truly is capable of managing most of his academics with the help of a few strategic classes along the way.

Isabelle,  12 1/2, is now a 7th grader.  Sigh.  Of course I rejoice in her growth and maturity, but I must confess that, as I was dusting our many shelves of books in the homeschool room this weekend, there was a definite tinge of sadness.  I no longer have any "little ones" in my midst and I will miss the sweetness of delight-directed learning that comes when they are young and little sponges anxious to learn anything and everything about God's creation.

I will tell you that Isabelle has been absolutely excited to resume school this year.  She wrote on the chalkboard in huge letters last week: I LOVE SCHOOL!!   What a joy to have an enthusiastic learner (until it's time to do spelling that is....).  This year she will conquer several subjects including Basic Math/Pre-Algebra, a multitude of language arts subjects, Physical Science, Beginning French, Advanced Violin, Piano, Ancient History, P.E., Choir, Geography, and Writing.   She will read over 50 books this year in conjunction with her study (most being historical fiction to accompany our history curriculum).  It should be an exciting year for our Sis!

Daily discipleship and equipping are also on the daily agenda as the kids will (hopefully!) gain proficiency in cooking and continue with their animal care responsibilities.

Well, my little "teacher's break" is up so I'm off to learn alongside my kiddos!!   Blessings!

Happy Birthday Isaac

Seventeen years ago this morning, we welcomed an adorable baby boy into the world.  Born posterior and with a big headache, Isaac spent much of his first year crying.  I'm happy to say -- he stopped :-)  Now, 17 years later he is a strong, delightful, personable young man seeking to walk in God's will and endeavoring to finish well everything he starts.  It's hard to believe he's 17!! Good grief I'm getting old! :-)

A Temporary Home in Virginia

Joe and I are home and trying to settle back into life as we phase into this new chapter in our marriage and the life of our family.  We now have a son living away from home on his own while attending law school.  Now I know that sounds really "good" by the world's standards, yada yada ..... I need to just tell you that it is also really hard.  I have a feeling it's gonna stay really hard for quite a while.  Josiah was and is a vibrant part of our family and our home.  He is our only real "talker" and so the quietness that pervades our home now can seem deafening at times.  I suspect that we will need to have music playing more frequently until this Mama can handle her emotions a bit better and adjust to his absence  :-)

To give you an update (after one entire day on his own!) -- Josiah is doing well.  He is enjoying his orientation week at Liberty Law where he attends classes and various social functions throughout the day.  His home away from home is perfect for him -- complete with older neighbors who will be watching out for him (last night one sweet and thoughtful neighbor even brought him dinner!).  It is a beautiful place, lovely city, and thriving university.  We really couldn't be more pleased ..... EXCEPT if it was perhaps just 5 hours away rather than on the other side of the country!!!!! :-)

As promised, here are pictures of his new home.  It took a few days, several shopping trips, and lots of cleaning to bring all to order, but it does my Mama's heart so good to be leaving him with so much of "home" surrounding him.  I know he feels comfortable there and enjoys the various amenities.  We are very blessed!

Once we realized that we would be taking a moving truck and towing Josiah's car, I kicked into high gear and went through our house pulling furniture that would be a fit for his new home.  He has a cozy living room filled with two of his favorite chairs, a sofa from home and his violin (affectionately named "Edward").  He never has been one to study at a desk so I think this room will get a lot of use and will be his central study location while at home.

We converted what was supposed to be a small dining space into an office for Josiah.  Isaac donated this (unused) desk from his room for Josiah's use during his time here.  The chair came from Josiah's room.  Thanks Isaac!

The kitchen is large and well lit.  Neighbors below tell me that in winter, when the surrounding trees are without their leaves, it is bright enough in here to need sunglasses :-)  There is a closet in the kitchen housing the washer/dryer.  Josiah is now the third generation to use our little round kitchen table.  Well-loved and used, it is perfect for his needs here.  Grandma and Grandpa donated several furniture items as well as dishes, towels, sheets, and many useful kitchen tools!  I was able to stock his pantry and freezer while there and also made some meals to tuck away in his freezer to help him get through these first couple of weeks.

For the first time, Josiah has a large bed AND a full sized closet!! His room opens onto a beautiful deck surrounded by woods (deer are abundant and he's already pulled off one tick!).  The birds sound beautiful when the humidity allows for a little "fresh air".   Nana's quilt hangs as a headboard for his bed and the rug which has been in his room for years came with him.  His favorite books reside on his bookshelf -- they are reminders that someday he'll be able to read something other than law books! :-)

Josiah's new home has a full guest bathroom and bedroom so please come and visit!  There isn't much closet space as all the rubbermaid tubs that we packed with are stacked to the ceiling in there -- but the room itself is comfortable and ready for visitors!  We even have a queen-sized aerobed with bedding (thanks Grandma!) which can be used in the living room if necessary. 

Both the living room and bedroom open onto a deck.  This is a beautiful space for study, reading, and calling Mom :-)

Josiah's neighborhood is very beautiful and lushly landscaped.  There are walking paths which he and I marked out for his use now as a running trail and also for our future use during visits -- our best talks come when we walk together.  Deer, geese, herons, and other wildlife abound.  It is baffling to me that not a single sprinkler is needed to keep this place so green!!

I'll leave you with a picture of Josiah studying.  They start them reading and preparing before they even arrive at Liberty Law.  He will have his work cut out for him and it will be a huge challenge, but we are hopeful that he is up for the challenge and will enjoy his learning as he seeks to accomplish this goal!  Thanks for your continued prayers for him!!