Thanksgiving

T ime that I spend with my family
H ouse that we live in
A ir that we breathe
N ew traditions we will build
K ind hearted words spoken
S aviour who loves us unconditionally
G randpa's and grandma, both near and far
I owa
V alues taught to our children
I nvesting in our children's lives
N ames written in the book of Life
G ratitude for so much that has been given to us

Wishing you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving.

A Friend

I found this the other day when I was cleaning around the computer. I can't remember when I got it but I'm glad I found it. I can be a friend but I'm not always a good friend. I can be a friend but can I be a good friend?

Someone who you can share your inner feelings with....knowing you won't be judged or rejected.

Someone who gives freely......without expectation.

Someone who lets you be who you are.....if you want to change, it's up to you.

Someone who is there when you're hurting....offering true tenderness.

Someone who see's your beauty....your true beauty.

Someone who gives you space when it's needed....without hesitation.

Someone who listens......to what your're really saying.

Someone who you always feel close to.....even when they are far away.

Someone who is comfortable to be with....anytime, anywhere, doing anything.

A friend is a special gift.....to be cherished forever.

Lord, help me to be a friend. Not just a friend, but a good friend. Help me to cherish my friends forever. Amen

Pinewood Derby Races

Elijah, Joe and Renn waiting for the race to start

Today were the Pinewood Derby Races at church. The boys had a great time racing their cars, although neither one won the races. They did win Best of Show though and they were real proud of that. Kevin also one Best of Show and as you can on his face, he was happy!!

Home School, Private School, Public School

It's never an easy decision when it comes to raising our children. We rely on God to give us the answers and directions we need when it comes to making decisions for our kids. Kev and I have been in much prayer the last couple weeks regarding Renn's schooling. Do we take him out at Christmas break and home school? Do we send him to a christian school? We know by 5th grade we'll put him in a christian school. The question is do we do it for the rest of his 4th grade year? It's not a matter of behavior issues. It's more academic than anything. He does better in a smaller classroom setting. The christian schools we've checked out recently have smaller classrooms which would be a good asset for him. It's not easy to make a decision like this. There are many things to consider. As I write this I'm brought back to rememberance of Zayvn going to Kinder last year when we first came to IA. He struggled so much in class at Four Mile. Kev and I had to pray and make a decision on wheather to pull him or have him finish the school year out. We decided to pull him and put him in a developmental Kinder class for the rest of the school year. What a wise decision that was. He is just flourishing this year! I thank the Lord for helping us with that. I know He'll do the same for us again, this time with Renn. I am confident that as we trust God to lead our lives, He'll give us the right decision for Renn.
On a side note, keep Renn in your prayers. He misses his cousins and friends back in Oregon. He's got one close friend that he tries to get together with but because he goes to another church and school sometimes it's hard to get them together with all the different activities going on. He's not really connected with any of the kids at school or church and that makes him a bit sad. He tries to make friends, by doing silly things, and I think sometimes that turns the kids off. We tell him just be Renn and the kids will like him for who he is, not because of what he does. Of course the mom in me wants to make things happen but I can not. I can only pray for him and trust that God will turn that sadness into joy.

Harvesting the corn

We've been waiting all summer for the corn to grow and then for it to be harvested. We were worried because we heard them out there last night harvesting. However, they were over at the neighbors place. So today I was able to take some pics of them harvesting the corn. Even the mom's got to see it happening!! As I was taking the pictures, the combine was coming down the row and out jumped two deer! I thought they were headed my way but they took off in another direction. I know such a simple thing probably for people around here but if we've never seen it before it's a major!!

Pictures

We've been having fun with the grandma's here. We've gone to the Amana's, an Dutch colony, we've given a tour around Des Moines and last night we went and visited Bob and Dee. Kev and I even made our mom's ride the tire swing!! What a crack up that was!! It's been wonderful having them here and the boys have enjoyed them as well. My mom rode an ATV for the first time and she enjoyed it. Kevin took Thursday and Friday off to spend time with us too. Today we'll hit a couple craft shows and then have Thanksgiving with all the trimmings. Tomorrow is church and we haven't decided what to do the rest of the days they are here. It's flying by so fast and I will be sad to see them go.

My Mommies Are Coming!!

Tuesday night my mom and my mother in law will be here!! I am so excited! Especially since my mom has never been here to visit. Karon wanted to come see us again and asked my mom, Andrea, to come with her. My mom agreed to come. It's been a year since I've seen my mom and I miss her TONS!! I know when she comes down that escalator I'm going to be bawling!! Even now when I think about her coming I start to tear up. That's how much I miss her. I can't wait until I feel her arms around me again. I miss seeing her face to face, miss having her hug me. Sure she tells me she loves me over the phone when I talk to her every week, but there's something about saying I love you face to face. I'm counting down the hours until I see her!! Of course, I can't wait to see my MIL too!!