FIRST R.E. (Sunday School - Religious Ed)

No photos. How sad. Last year Mike and I taught the elementary class all year. Stacia got to be with us. This year they have a volunteer and I think we're teaching the adult class. ANYWAY - Stacia is not in Kinder and couldn't stay. It broke her heart.

Two services. Mike spent the day at the office.

Josiah came over for Sunday night Ice Cream afte the Contemporary service.

Mike tells me that IKE is heading towards the Dallas area and so it looks like we may not head there on the weekend. ::snort::

I did not get Super Size Saturday done this week. A new week has begun.....we'll be adding new things in. We're tweaking that overbooked calendar already.

Mike just got home and so I'm signing off......following are entries about our "firsts" this week.

©2008 D.R.G.

SATURDAY

This was the first Saturday of a new school semester.... I had to go to the library. I like to go Sat a.m. and work on lesson plans. This week I worked on Jamin's portfolio and lesson plans.

I also checked out these books.....

to supplement the books I'd purchased from TOG for unit one. I moved the Grammar books to our display and stored the ancient Rome books back on the shelf - OK they are in a pile beside me desk. ::snort::

Mike spent the day at work. We met back at home and grilled steaks.

We played games....and it was fun.

Hot Potato with a TOY grenade (we aren't THAT gung-ho military!)








Red Light - Green Light


Simon Says




©2008 D.R.G.

FIRST FRIDAY in SEPT

Friday's mean Produce co-op....

This Friday also meant hearing from USAA that they'll total our Honda and give us $400. WOW. We get tail ended and we lose our commuter which gets 40 mpg. Somehow this doesn't seem right. We're still trying to figure out what to do. It already has a salvage title.

I suspect I'm going to lose my Surprise car and be back to driving the 15 pass van. ::snort:: BTW this week was also the first week I drove the van with the stickers on the windows. You can't even SEE the stickers when the van is full of children.....not a problem. ::snort:: Now if the children would lay down in the van, I'd have good visibility.

©2008 D.R.G.

FIRST GRADE....

Zander is enthusastic....not always in ways I would expect....

A near war broke out when Nolan discovered he had used HIS BLUE stickies....Zander's are green! ::snort:: BUSTED.

Thursday was also the FIRST House of Faith meeting for the year.....and Civil Air Patrol was back and running full force.

I spent much of this day fielding calls from USAA about our Honda.

©2008 D.R.G.

CY'S FIRST WEEK AS A SOPH IN COLLEGE

We weren't the only ones dealing with "the dreaded first week". Cy began college again. He surprised us Wed night by dropping over to vist.

Stacia conned him into dancing with her.


Jared danced with her

Eventually she walked him to the door and he went back to his home.


Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE the relationship the olders have with the youngers? We miss Cy but he is doing well on his own. AND....it's so fun when he surprises us with visits!

©2008 D.R.G.

FIRST TIME STACIA MADE ME FEEL REALLY OLD

Continuing on with the theme of firsts: On Wed. I had a hair appointment.

When I returned, Stacia said, "Mom, I like your hair."

I replied, "Finally, someone around here notices when I get my hair done."

To which she replied, " I like your BLACK hair - it's not white."

Um....HELLO! I think the gray is taking over the dark hair if my 3 yo can notice it after 6 weeks.

©2008 D.R.G.

FIRST DAY OF PWOC 2008

Tuesday was also the Kick Off for this year's PWOC. Debbie organized it. Her theme was "Clearing out a Space at Jesus' Feet". It was fun. To read more about it you can go here.

I was busy making a PWOC brochure to be given out at Kick Off, Base Newcomer Breifings, Crossroad Student Centar and Chapel. It was approved, printed and ready to go by Tuesday night.

I also had my debut in a skit....I played the frazzled spouse of a deployed Airman. It was a hoot.


For more embarassing photos, you'll have to visit the link above. ::snort::

I also spoke on Mary and Martha.....a devotional I thought I'd work up to share today. ::snort:: The Lord has been gently and powerfully calling me to "settle" at His feet.....in the midst of our busy first week.

©2008 D.R.G.

First Day of School (Tuesday)

I had planned a rolling start but the children were raring to go. This is fine. I did feel like I was trying to "catch up" with the children all week. ::snort::

When the children were younger we used to wrap all their school books up and open them the first day of school. We have far too many books to do that now.

I used to have the kids color coordinated...school supplies, plates, towels etc. (I have confessed to being slightly neurotic in my younger days). This practice ended as our family grew and we were no longer able to find enough colors! ::snort::

THIS year I decided to color cordinate the school supplies of the younger 4. We have crates of notebooks, pencils and such. I simply HAD to buy a FEW treats to begin the year.

Arielle's Loot

Nolan's LootZander's LootStacia's LootAttacking the school supplies!

Zander loved his file folder!

WHOA - combining my love of notebook rings wi th index cards....I haven't a clue what I'll use these for, but the possiblities are endless.

The older boys got new folders to store papers for their portfolios and journals to write in daily.

School is off and running and I'm still desperately trying to organize the year.

©2008 D.R.G.

Gentle Mourners

I realize I've not really "updated" the blog - as in real life things/photos - since Tuesday. That is a sure sign that life is busy and not going quite the way it is scheduled to go. I will not get a SSS out this week....I was determined to get a devotional posted to Support4HomeSchool.....and I shamelessly cross post those. ::snort:: My apologies beforehand that this is not flowery and is rather disjointed.

My heart is full. My spirit is quickened and I would like to leave you with a few short verses that I’ve been crying out, praying out, breathing out, and gasping out….over various situations.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth”. Matt 5:4, 5

Do you remember the definition of “gentleness/meekness” from last week? If not – quickly – it’s a balance between uncontrolled anger and passively ignoring sin. It’s meekly taking a stand, its power under control.

The main theme of the Sermon on the MT is righteousness. Jesus shows us what it looks like to live a righteous life and tells us to SEEK His kingdom and righteousness above all else (Matt 6:33).

There are times that we mourn the sin around us. There are times that we are forced to find the balance between doing nothing and overreacting or reacting in the flesh to the sin around us.

If you find yourself in one of those times, I believe Jesus is lovingly telling you, as He’s been whispering to me, that it’s OK to mourn and it’s OK to “gently” respond to the sin around us rather than ignoring it or blasting away in the flesh…..He longs to comfort us. We shall inherit the earth.

Sorry, my thoughts are disjointed, but that’s all I can write today. My heart is too full, my time is too short. {I must say that I really HATE SIN.... I hate the foothold the enemy of our souls takes in our lives....I hate the ravages of sin on families, on lives,on our society....I'm grieved this week...I'm also determined to spend more time doing battle on behalf of dear sisters who are fighting battles "alone".}

May God bless us as we settle into His presence and race after Him with all our energy.

©2008 D.R.G.