Tomorrow is election day. Are you voting? If you are registered you should. I will be. This is an important election. So much is riding on whom we put in office tomorrow. I won't give you my speech as to who you should vote for or why. Just vote. Oh and check out the "It's Time for More Coffee" blog. Interesting, very interesting.
Do you Facebook? I have caught the bug. I find myself checking my profile for updates at least three times a day. I call it a little mini reunion each time I log on. I have caught up with some dear high school friends and have been able to stay in touch with college friends too. Honestly, some of them I never would have seen or talked to again with out Facebook. Not that I didn't want to but I had no way of finding them to make contact. Facebook has given me that opportunity. It is exciting to see what everyone is up to and how we have all changed. Although I don't think we have changed as much as we think. Facebook has even given a forum to a group of College kids from our congregation in Hillsdale to petition Doug to stay at his call in Hillsdale. That brings me to my third point of the night. Oh and by the way, if you aren't on facebook yet, you should be. I would love to catch up with you there.
Doug received a call to Emmauel Lutheran Church in Britton Michigan this week. He has a few weeks to make a decision. We have looked over all the documents they have sent us and we plan on visiting this week sometime. They have a growing ministry in an area of the state that is growing. It is about 20 minutes south of Ann Arbor. Other neighboring towns are Techumsea, Dundee and Saline. It has a parsonage too. All of which will factor into Doug's decision. We have grown to love the people at St. Paul's and they us. Ultimately we know, however, whether we go or we stay, that the Lord has a plan for us and both congregations. He will provide for St. Paul's if we leave and he will guide Emmanuel to find the right pastor if we stay. He has a plan and we all need to remember that. Prayers are what is necessary now. Not selfish prayer, but prayers of thine will be done. Trust that the Lord will do what is best for all concerned, even if it doesn't look like it in our sinful eyes. Those are the hardest prayers to pray, I know, believe me, but isn't that what we want in the end. Imagine the world if we always got our sinful way.
No pictures tonight. My camera is broken and there is no where in Hillsdale to have it fixed. You can check out Aftermath for some good pics from this summer. Dad has made another great musically inhanced slideshow. Blessings all!! Spell check didn't work. Sorry for any spelling errors.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
"Shut the Damn Door!"
Of all the things I worried about my kids picking up from watching Harry Potter movies, this was not one of them. I worried they might think magic was real. That there really was a Hogwarts or any number of other things. I did not, however, forsee the three year old picking up this obscure quote in the middle of the third movie. Maybe she picked it up because when I slip this is one word I use, more often than I care to admit. And add that to the number of times I am telling kids to shut doors around here, maybe that is why it stuck. Whatever the reason Sarah now says that phrase whenever she wants someone to shut the door. Cute? Not really, but as bad as it is, technically, it is funny. Can't you just here her screaming at an Elder at church to "Shut the Damn door?" I pray that never happens, but I would probably laugh before I punished her. :-)
Monday, October 27, 2008
A Job Kinda Day
Have you ever had one of these? Where everything seems to go wrong and nothing can go slightly right? I would have to put today into the category of a Job day. And I guess it started a few days ago. We moved back into the parsonage on Saturday. It started out great -- no rain, which was good because it had a 40% chance. The move went well too, but in the end we had did it backwards. Doug and I very tediously marked each and every Rubbermaid or box with the room it went it and then stacked them in the garage or near the front door. We also took apart all beds in order to make the move smoother. Well the Rubbermaid's went over first and then there was no room for the furniture. We had loads of great help and were done in mere hours, but we are still sleeping on mattress on the floor because the beds aren't up yet because we can't empty the buckets and boxes fast enough.
That first day we killed two dozen bees. Yes, bees. We have a nest in the attic and the walls. Since it was the weekend the bee guy didn't come until today, but that is for today's story. I bleached each bathroom on Saturday too, which is about all we had time for before we were off the Oktoberfest. We had a great time playing the games and singing. Pastor Johnson and a few friends played in the oompa band. The kids love it. We do the same songs every year. Their favorite is the one they sing in German and hold up signs for the new verse repeating each one before adding the new one. The kids scramble to be the ones to hold up the sign. It is more fun to be at the beginning than the end cause you get to do it more!! The other hit of the night, the one they wait all year for, is the Ziky zaggy (forgive the spelling I spelled it like it sounds) It is a German toasting song. Ziky, Zaggy, Ziky Zaggy Oi, Oi, Oi! Probst!!! They love to hold up their glasses of Root beer and toast along. The night ended earlier than usual, about 7:30 but that was ok by us, we were tired.
Sunday, we had church, thankfully I had set aside church clothes for everyone and no hunting was involved. Breakfast was leftover donuts from the move. No milk or cereal made it over from the rental. After church we had yet another fast food meal, can't remember what now. Then Doug was off to Salem in Sturgis for a Reformation service held at a church with 14 members. LONG DAY!!! Once home we made sure we had uniforms and homework for school, which we did, barely.
Monday, today, was CRAZY! Kids were up a little later than usual at 6:45 and we big folks didn't climb out of bed until the little ones did. Breakfast was cereal, which had made it's way here somehow on Sunday. We were running behind so we took our time and the kids got to school by 8:35, only 20 minutes late. They didn't have lunches though. No lunch food at the parsonage. I went home, moved some stuff around, planned the day then went to get lunchables for the kids at school. I shopped at Market house at 10:50am, debated whether to get McDonald's then or wait. I waited. At 11:20 I dropped off the missing lunches at WCA just as the Dial a Ride bus was picking up Daniel from Kindergarten. I beat the bus to the church by 2 minutes. I gathered Sarah and Daniel, went to McDonalds and came home. When we got there the bug guy was dropping bombs in the attic. We left, with Doug and spent the rest of the afternoon doing errands. Groceries, banking, mail, more stuff from the rental, phone calls and kid pick up were all done between 12:30 and 4:00pm. Once home we did homework, had Cavonies for dinner, not fast food, but not homemade either. Then bed for the kids and Internet for me.
A Job kinda day. Now God and I are gonna have a talk while a take an nice Long Bath!!!!
That first day we killed two dozen bees. Yes, bees. We have a nest in the attic and the walls. Since it was the weekend the bee guy didn't come until today, but that is for today's story. I bleached each bathroom on Saturday too, which is about all we had time for before we were off the Oktoberfest. We had a great time playing the games and singing. Pastor Johnson and a few friends played in the oompa band. The kids love it. We do the same songs every year. Their favorite is the one they sing in German and hold up signs for the new verse repeating each one before adding the new one. The kids scramble to be the ones to hold up the sign. It is more fun to be at the beginning than the end cause you get to do it more!! The other hit of the night, the one they wait all year for, is the Ziky zaggy (forgive the spelling I spelled it like it sounds) It is a German toasting song. Ziky, Zaggy, Ziky Zaggy Oi, Oi, Oi! Probst!!! They love to hold up their glasses of Root beer and toast along. The night ended earlier than usual, about 7:30 but that was ok by us, we were tired.
Sunday, we had church, thankfully I had set aside church clothes for everyone and no hunting was involved. Breakfast was leftover donuts from the move. No milk or cereal made it over from the rental. After church we had yet another fast food meal, can't remember what now. Then Doug was off to Salem in Sturgis for a Reformation service held at a church with 14 members. LONG DAY!!! Once home we made sure we had uniforms and homework for school, which we did, barely.
Monday, today, was CRAZY! Kids were up a little later than usual at 6:45 and we big folks didn't climb out of bed until the little ones did. Breakfast was cereal, which had made it's way here somehow on Sunday. We were running behind so we took our time and the kids got to school by 8:35, only 20 minutes late. They didn't have lunches though. No lunch food at the parsonage. I went home, moved some stuff around, planned the day then went to get lunchables for the kids at school. I shopped at Market house at 10:50am, debated whether to get McDonald's then or wait. I waited. At 11:20 I dropped off the missing lunches at WCA just as the Dial a Ride bus was picking up Daniel from Kindergarten. I beat the bus to the church by 2 minutes. I gathered Sarah and Daniel, went to McDonalds and came home. When we got there the bug guy was dropping bombs in the attic. We left, with Doug and spent the rest of the afternoon doing errands. Groceries, banking, mail, more stuff from the rental, phone calls and kid pick up were all done between 12:30 and 4:00pm. Once home we did homework, had Cavonies for dinner, not fast food, but not homemade either. Then bed for the kids and Internet for me.
A Job kinda day. Now God and I are gonna have a talk while a take an nice Long Bath!!!!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Thursday
I promised my sister that I would blog today. I don't have much to talk about though. I am not on my laptop so I have no pictures. I am on Doug's office computer which is painfully slow. I think it is dying. It is ancient, almost 8. I wasn't even sure I would be able to blog on it. I have yet to try to actually post this, so if you are reading it I guess I was successful. :-)
Let's see, an update might be in order.
On Sept 1 we moved from the parsonage to a rental home. Great house, all hard wood, pool table in the basement, yet in some ways not kid or family of 7 friendly. We are surviving and adjusting. On October 25 we will move back into the parsonage. It will have no visible mold, a new furnace, new wiring to the furnace, some fixed toilets, a new ceiling fan and other sundry repairs. Meanwhile, the kids are doing fine. Grace continues to play the violin and every one is doing well at school. Daniel loves Kindergarten and Sarah is the model Montessori student.
Doug and I are learning patience. Prayer is a constant source of comfort in our hectic lives.
We loved seeing everyone at the Block wedding and at the Wyckhuys one too. We wish you could have all seen the kids, but believe me we needed that night off!!!! The next big wedding is in June and we are bringing the whole clan! Can't wait to see everyone!
Well, I am off to pack and pray!! Love you all!
Let's see, an update might be in order.
On Sept 1 we moved from the parsonage to a rental home. Great house, all hard wood, pool table in the basement, yet in some ways not kid or family of 7 friendly. We are surviving and adjusting. On October 25 we will move back into the parsonage. It will have no visible mold, a new furnace, new wiring to the furnace, some fixed toilets, a new ceiling fan and other sundry repairs. Meanwhile, the kids are doing fine. Grace continues to play the violin and every one is doing well at school. Daniel loves Kindergarten and Sarah is the model Montessori student.
Doug and I are learning patience. Prayer is a constant source of comfort in our hectic lives.
We loved seeing everyone at the Block wedding and at the Wyckhuys one too. We wish you could have all seen the kids, but believe me we needed that night off!!!! The next big wedding is in June and we are bringing the whole clan! Can't wait to see everyone!
Well, I am off to pack and pray!! Love you all!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
A New Beginning
A lot has happened since last we talked. It has been a hectic crazy beginning of the school year. I will try to update you without boring you, but bear with me, I tend to ramble!!
So my story begins a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.... Just kidding. It began with mold. Quite a bit, according to one test. Then we had a very sick winter. The furnace breathed it's last just after Easter and the Central Air smelled in July. So the congregation moved us to a rental in town. It is a beautiful newer home, with hard wood floors and lots of space. Three large bedrooms, everyone fits and we aren't on top of each other. The house is for sale ($265K) so we are keeping it clean in case it needs to be shown. It is easier than it sounds since we left a bunch of stuff over at the parsonage and the house has LOTS of closets and places to hide stuff. I like closets. It took us about a week to pack our stuff and mark it for the move. ( I used colored dots that corresponded to each room in the house) It took about 30 members 1.5 hours to move all the stuff that was going over to the rental house. Everything was "put away", as much as we could since we will probably be packing again at the end of October to move back to the parsonage, by Tuesday this week. Now we are working on keeping it clean and just figuring out life.
That all happened the DAY before school began for the kids. School. Grace is in 4th grade and has a new teacher, new to the school teacher. The twins are in 3rd grade and they have a new teacher too, not new to school, but new to third grade. Daniel has begun Kindergarten, he also has a new teacher, again not new to the school, but new to kindergarten. He also goes to Montessori school in the afternoon three days a week. Sarah has begun preschool. She goes 4 mornings a week. It is the same Montessori that Daniel goes to and is at the church, not church run, but at the church. All of the teacher changes took place on the Wednesday before school started. Daniel's Kindergarten teacher is Miss Smith and his Montessori school teacher is Mrs. Smith, very confusing!!! Such has been my life since school began. Don't even get me started about the schedule. WCA, the kids school, begins at 8:10 so I drop them off at 7:55. Sarah's doesn't start until 8:45 - I work on Nursery stuff at church until I can drop her off. Then Sarah is done at 11:15 and Daniel at 11:25. I pick up Sarah then Daniel then drop Daniel off and take Sarah home for lunch. We nap!!! Daniel gets picked up at 2:45 and the rest at 3:30- yet another 45 minute gap, but I either run errands or just sit in line while Daniel naps!!
Are you tired yet? I am. It is Thursday and I am sitting in the local coffee house just being alone!! I need to finish paperwork for substitute teaching. Yes, I am going to throw working into my mix. I will all work out I am sure. The kids are adjusting better than I am I think. We have had some rough mornings and a few nights too, but overall it is going well. I will try to keep you posted. I am hoping to put a bunch of pictures onto my computer over the weekend so that I can post them the next time I sit down for a quite coffee. We love and miss you all. Talk to you soon!!! Blessings!!
So my story begins a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.... Just kidding. It began with mold. Quite a bit, according to one test. Then we had a very sick winter. The furnace breathed it's last just after Easter and the Central Air smelled in July. So the congregation moved us to a rental in town. It is a beautiful newer home, with hard wood floors and lots of space. Three large bedrooms, everyone fits and we aren't on top of each other. The house is for sale ($265K) so we are keeping it clean in case it needs to be shown. It is easier than it sounds since we left a bunch of stuff over at the parsonage and the house has LOTS of closets and places to hide stuff. I like closets. It took us about a week to pack our stuff and mark it for the move. ( I used colored dots that corresponded to each room in the house) It took about 30 members 1.5 hours to move all the stuff that was going over to the rental house. Everything was "put away", as much as we could since we will probably be packing again at the end of October to move back to the parsonage, by Tuesday this week. Now we are working on keeping it clean and just figuring out life.
That all happened the DAY before school began for the kids. School. Grace is in 4th grade and has a new teacher, new to the school teacher. The twins are in 3rd grade and they have a new teacher too, not new to school, but new to third grade. Daniel has begun Kindergarten, he also has a new teacher, again not new to the school, but new to kindergarten. He also goes to Montessori school in the afternoon three days a week. Sarah has begun preschool. She goes 4 mornings a week. It is the same Montessori that Daniel goes to and is at the church, not church run, but at the church. All of the teacher changes took place on the Wednesday before school started. Daniel's Kindergarten teacher is Miss Smith and his Montessori school teacher is Mrs. Smith, very confusing!!! Such has been my life since school began. Don't even get me started about the schedule. WCA, the kids school, begins at 8:10 so I drop them off at 7:55. Sarah's doesn't start until 8:45 - I work on Nursery stuff at church until I can drop her off. Then Sarah is done at 11:15 and Daniel at 11:25. I pick up Sarah then Daniel then drop Daniel off and take Sarah home for lunch. We nap!!! Daniel gets picked up at 2:45 and the rest at 3:30- yet another 45 minute gap, but I either run errands or just sit in line while Daniel naps!!
Are you tired yet? I am. It is Thursday and I am sitting in the local coffee house just being alone!! I need to finish paperwork for substitute teaching. Yes, I am going to throw working into my mix. I will all work out I am sure. The kids are adjusting better than I am I think. We have had some rough mornings and a few nights too, but overall it is going well. I will try to keep you posted. I am hoping to put a bunch of pictures onto my computer over the weekend so that I can post them the next time I sit down for a quite coffee. We love and miss you all. Talk to you soon!!! Blessings!!
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