Who plants a seed

Who plants a seed
beneath the sod
and waits to see
believes in God. 

Amen!

April 6 is the magic day to start planting corn.  

But no one did so.

On April 25th, Jim started planting, and got in 2 days' worth ... and then the weather forecast changed. 

A few hours north of us had the most snow ever to fall this late in the season based on 134 years of records.

We were to get down to 32*, but it "only" got to 36.

And now we have rain forecast for the next four days, with a major flood threat.

I can't find any stats on the number of acres of corn planted so far, but I personally have only seen 3 fields (besides Jim's) planted.  It's getting late.  It will be later by the time the fields dry out. 

Pray for the farmers ... and their seeds.

Switcharoo

I do the carseat switcharoo frequently.  On days I drive, Little Miss moves from middle seat to rear seat.  On days I drive carpool, boy #3's seat moves from the other carpool mom's van to ours.  When I need to haul something in the back, Little Guy's seat moves from the rear to the middle.  I don't need to join a gym.  That's my workout - ha!


We also are blessed to do the hand-me-down switcharoo. 

Family one had a baby girl.  And saved her clothes!

Family two had a baby girl four years later. 

One year later we had a baby girl.

One year later, family four had a baby girl.

We pass our battered diaper boxes full of clothes around and around.  In the past few weeks I have received the following message, "I have 3T clothes to bring you," and sent this message, "I found 3 boxes of 18 months clothes. I can give it to you Tuesday."

The seasons don't always work out right, and the babies grow at different rates, but we dutifully keep all the clothes our girl doesn't wear and pass them on, sometimes supplementing the box with clothes we acquired elsewhere as well. 

God provides, and these four girls are evidence of His generous care for us all!

Easter week

Thursday/Friday - started getting sick

Friday evening - church potluck & Good Friday "family friendly" service (Jim & I tag-teamed nursery duty)

Saturday - found a sub for my Sunday morning nursery rotation (and resigned nursery due to my recurrent infections)  :(

Sunday - beautiful music (6 brass instruments, 6 violins, 2 flutes), Christ-exalting sermon from Colossians, great fellowship over breakfast

Little Miss came home saying, "Happy Easter! Happy Easter!"

Little Guy came home saying, "He is risen," expecting us to respond with "He is risen indeed" about 20 times each minute ;)

Steak & Shake drive-thru for Easter lunch :)

family pictures - yeah! even if I'm wearing the exact dress that is in all special event family pictures for the last 5 years ;)


3 hours at the farm for the children (best part of their day), while Jim and I visited a relative and then had a spontaneous date at Panera!

Monday - new tires for the van, while LG spent 3.5 hours at the farm.  I'm not sure what he did, but he said he "didn't get to light the fire." ;)

Tuesday - get tires re-torqued (?), pick up groceries, host play group, switch LG's long sleeve shirts out for short-sleeve shirts, track down doctor referrals

Wednesday - oil change + see 1000 Gifts post, and met an aunt 30 minutes away for pizza supper

Thursday - home day (YES!!!!)  [Perhaps this would be a good time to wash dishes???]

Friday - opening day of spring townwide garage sales!!  The people of the town that has them this weekend jokingly refer to it as a national holiday.  Evening - supper group from church to meet new people

Saturday - hair appointment rescheduled from the last time I had to take LM to the doctor for an ear infection.  Everyone's hoping that LG can work on the farm rather than "sit" in the small shop with LM and me for two hours.  He's hoping that the next time he works on the farm it's ALL DAY!!! (as opposed to "only" 3.5 hours, as it was on Monday)

1000 Gifts, Vol. 5, #80

791.  tulips in full bloom in two yards I drove by yesterday

792.  redbud in full bloom in this area of the country - this is one of the most nostalgic scenes in the world for me

793.  newly opened flexible drop-in childcare in the city where Little Guy goes to school

794.  Little Miss's first day there - 2.5 hours during which I could think (!!!), get gas, make a few phone calls, and have my monthly teacher & therapist meeting

795.  monthly teacher & therapist meeting ~ the small steps of progress, the areas to focus on, and the collaboration we have

796.  the four empty carseats in my car for those 2.5 hours ~ the sanctity of life they represent and the story God is writing in each of their lives (& in this world, through them)

797.  fellow carpool mom ~ she is my tribe (I don't like that phrase, but there are few other people in the world who "get" this life we're living)

798.  ongoing language explosion for Little Miss

799.  print-awareness explosion for Little Guy (absolutely LOVING this!!!)

800.  Abiding Radio app for peaceful music (Aaaaah!!!)

Beach

We went to the beach over spring break.

We spent four days in the car going and coming.

We survived. :)

Highlights:

• family togetherness and memory-making
• visits with 8 relatives within the first 24 hours
• the sight and sound of the water
• Chick-fil-A, Chick-fil-A, and Chick-fil-A! (Little Guy told his teacher that was the best part.  Apparently we could have stayed home and eaten there 3x/day and saved a little cash.) :) 
• weather warm enough to be outside and go to playgrounds (that was LG's second favorite part!)
• Sunday morning church (LG wanted to go back)
• the jungle gardens
• the art museum!
• the knight exhibit from Italy!!
• an afternoon at a noncommercialized island
• LG's first golf game (with real clubs on a real course)
• getting the last room available (at the first motel at the first exit we stopped at after our first day of driving)
• eating at Chicken Salad Chick for the first time- yum!!

Lowlights:

• discovering evidence of a mouse in our van - EEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!
• walking into a Chick-fil-A at noon on the Saturday in between the two biggest spring break weeks, and seeing the line literally out the back door (we weren't the only family that walked out)
• getting sick (par for the course; at least I had antibiotics on hand)
• stopping at and calling about two dozen motels before driving out of our way for the last room available on our last night (the Saturday in between the two biggest spring break weeks) - lesson learned!

Easter

I remember jelly beans, dying eggs, and (real) egg hunts in the front yard.

I remember sunrise service (indoors) and mouthwatering breakfasts in the church basement.

I remember the same Easter baskets that appeared each year, along with visits from "Aunt" M.

I remember my gap year in Japan - the all-day celebration at church, including my first time eating raw fish.

I remember college - one year visiting friends in Maryland, one year being included in my roommate's invitation to a family from her church.

I remember Fiji - my first hot cross buns and the ladies fanning the flies away from the food on outdoor tables.

I remember early morning prayer every day of Holy Week.

I remember singing, "When I Survey" a capella in Japanese with just a few others on those early mornings.

I remember sitting in a park after early morning prayer, before catching the train, and a cherry blossom fluttered down and landed in my pocket Bible (where it stayed for many years).

I remember teaching English class in the "cry room" while morning Good Friday service was held in the sanctuary, explaining why we call it "good," and fighting back tears as I saw a friend who had just delivered (and buried) her dead baby sit in the back of the sanctuary.

I remember how very special the communion service was at those Good Friday services in my church in Japan.

I remember year upon year and decade upon decade of remembering the cross, my Savior's sacrifice, and His victory over sin and death.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Spring

The grass is green, the ditches are full, the (beautiful) henbit (weed) is in full bloom, I drove past some timber today and the new leaves were like a fluff of marshmallow green.

Last Sunday it snowed, and church was cancelled (!).

One day we wear winter jackets, and the next day short sleeves.

Trees are budding, and pollen is blowing in full force. :(

Little Guy has a long weekend (4 days off).  We drove to a neighboring town's IGA this morning to pick up a special lunch from the grill tent in their parking lot.  My most favorite view in this state is on the road home from that town.  The two-lane road goes up a hill and around a curve at the same time, with cattle grazing in pastures on either side.  Breathtakingly gorgeous!  Especially in spring.

And the grill tent!  It's grilling season!  Bring on all the pork chop sandwiches.

The long winter may be over.

Visiting London

We’ve been visiting London everyday recently in our home.

This 8 1/2 x 11 book with OVER 80 FLAPS!! has 16 pages, two each from each of these periods in history:

These two flaps are from Little Guy’s favorite page, “Under Attack.”

Blackout curtains:

And Inside St. Paul’s:

 

We love Usborne books! (If you don’t know anyone who sells them, I can put you in touch with an incredible book lady!)

While we’ve purchased numerous Usborne books through Usborne, I’m always happy (and amazed) when I find one at Goodwill, as I did this one.  99 cents was a great deal for this book!! 

Other current Usborne favorites in our home are:

• Look inside a Castle (“only” 60 flaps)
• What are Germs? (30 flaps)
• Very First Book of Things to Spot Out and About
• The Hey, Jack! Series (another amazing Goodwill find)
• Usborne Big & Little Box Set (consignment store find) ~ Little Miss enjoys dumping them out of the box and putting them back in, in addition to “reading” them
• Complete Book of Farmyard Tales (a baby book for LG, that has stood the test of time; it’s been a favorite for more than 4 years!)
• Complete Book of First Experiences (has helped us prepare for some firsts)
• Aesop’s Stories for Little Children

Are you an Usborne fan? What books do you recommend for us next?

1000 Gifts, Vol. 5, #79

781. The mouse in our van is now dead

782. Powerful end to our pastor's half-year series on David

783. And powerful start to his new series on Colossians

784. Grace and strength during 3 days I drove carpool last week

785. Hope for the same during 3 days I'm to drive this week

786. My days of insurance purgatory seem to be coming to an end!!

787. Multiple appointments and childcare lined up

788. Plans to attend the annual Empowered to Connect simulcast this Friday

789. A host site that offers childcare

790. Seeing God's clear answer to prayer in a friend's life