Then There Was Thursday

Michael went back to work today. I suspect he ran like a crazy man. He got home about 7 p.m.

The kids and I finished two days of couch school - it's easy when you're reading Moccasin Trail. Stacia finished the Explode the Code I'd slated for the year - I ordered the final two books of the series.

We cleaned the house. We did boat loads of laundry. The normal Thursday stuff after an incredibly hectic Mon - Wed. 


There was also a bit of this....just me....I realized I've begun to lose the art of Japanese bathing....just for relaxing.....so in the middle of the afternoon.....after school was done and when I'd usually crash....I headed upstairs to a very hot shower, alternated with cold bursts...I lathered, I exfoliated and repeated. I washed my hair and then put a conditioner on and pinned it on top of my head. I dug out the onsen basin....filled it with cold water, found an onsen towel....and headed for the backyard onsen. Ah - as near as I can come stateside....Stacia helpfully suggested, when we retire, we build walls around the onsen so I can do it the right way - nekkid - and invite the neighbors.  I love the mix of cultures she exhibits.... LOL

Zander is 13!

Once upon a time we had four teens young adults in our family at the same time. As of today we have three in our family at the same time....Zander turned 13!

We actually went out to lunch yesterday to celebrate as we KNOW Wednesdays are impossible for celebrations. ::snort::

 

Today we left home at 0730 to get ready for a rousing PWOC day. Stacia had been bugging him to wear the "flying pig" on his birthday - and he did. Evidently the preschool kids really wore him out.

Just a minute to brag on this young man.  He is doing so WELL with these kids and is faithfully helping Angela (and Arielle) week in and week out. He's learned how to decipher some of the more intricate cues of the kids.  He's thriving.  THIS is the one we were told wouldn't be able to function without lots of meds - if at all - and he functions well. This is the one who I was told would never be able to read phonetically - and yes - we are "delayed" - but we took our time, and he reads - well. We're working on the mechanics of writing now.  I fully expect him to be "caught up" by the end of this year or middle of next year. He has worked hard and is doing so well....Yes, we ARE believers in trying diet changes before drugs after seeing the difference it made in Zander. He INTERACTS WITH ALL OF US now; Stacia most of all.  Nine years ago he was really in his own world or interacted with us on HIS TERMS.  He has worked hard as we have worked to teach him social cues others seem to grasp naturally. He works hard to control the level of stimuli which used to cause "meltdowns," rocking or hurting himself. We lovingly called him our "alphabet kid," all those years ago -  due to all the alphabetic labels he was given.  My heart is full when I see the young man he is becoming - uniquely created to serve his Master.

After PWOC and PWOC board meeting we came home and opened gifts.....he also has one paper rain check but most of his gifts arrived in time.

 

We dug into the SECOND ice cream cake of the week.

 

Zander in a smoky haze!

Tuesday

Tuesday was a very busy day and I'm not going to even TRY to give a play by play of the day....here were a couple of things that made me smile big on Tuesday!

We baked for Desiree and family.....so much fun. I wanted to bake a batch of bread but ran out of time.  We did get a coffee cake, two kinds of muffins and some baked oatmeal done.  

 

Nolan was able to trade one of his paper rain checks for the real thing! 

 

 A gift from all the kids

No photo - but we began the prophetic part of our study of Daniel tonight. I loved focusing on the Ancient of Days and seeing the coronation of King Jesus.

That's a wrap.

She Has a Plan

Blech - me blowing a big raspberry.

Stacia has pulled me aside several times in the last few weeks and whispered, "I don't want Arielle to leave home. I don't want my own room."  She reached a conclusion sooner than me - Arielle is leaving home.

Perhaps I can be excused for this oversight when one considers how many options have been on the table. Arielle LOVES Japan. The plan we heard most discussed is  she'd move back to Japan with us and take online courses or courses at a military base for a year or two.  I escaped the angst of having a Senior. We would retire, we'd all move on.

Arielle, however, figured something out much quicker than me. We aren't going directly from Beale AFB to Japan. There is sure to be a gap.  A gap where we live in a trailer and may well be traveling from spot to spot.  If she stays with us she won't be able to have a job. She COULD take online courses but she really doesn't LOVE living in the trailer.

Arielle also has spent much time in prayer over this and senses a different course than she had previously planned.

Because of transition issues of moving back to the states from Japan (It took a ridiculous long time to jump through the hoops to get a CA driver's license and she needs to drive to find safe employment as our area isn't 'the best') Arielle wasn't ready to get a job until recently - and now she's graduating in months....She's been talking about several options.

I became aware she was much further along in her planning than Michael and I knew when we received a text/phone call from Krista asking when she would move in. Sometime in the future????? After we retire? Maybe she'll want to spend a bit of time in the trailer?

Turns out she won't be living with us until we retire.  It makes sense for her to move earlier and look for work while University kids are home for the summer.

She has a plan. She will move to OR and share a duplex with Krista and possibly another gal. She'll move up after she returns from her missions trip to Mexico this summer - either the end of June or the 1st of July. 

In a recent talk I asked her what happened to her long time plan of being a beautician and is she sure she's happy giving that up? It disappeared after her mission trip to Mexico last summer.  She plans to get a degree in cross cultural ministry (missions to those of our generation). As she's not been able to work during high school, we are not sure she'll be able to afford New Hope - which is her first choice. They used to offer a 50% discount to ministry families; then 25% and we were told today it's currently on a sliding scale.  (The good news is after we retire our income will drastically reduce and our future kids will be eligible for pell grants and needs-based scholarships.) ::snort::

Arielle plans to work this upcoming year and if she doesn't attend/get accepted to New Hope, to take general courses online or at a local college.....MUCH cheaper per credit hour. That appeals to her Dave Ramsey worldview - though we may be more comfortable leaving her in America if she's at a Christian college. (OK  we'd rather she attend secular than an overtly liberal Christian college).

And so Michael and I are adjusting OUR paradigm. Arielle is moving out BEFORE we retire. She is NOT moving with us to Japan - somewhere in the nebulous future.  Stacia caught on quickly. She IS moving out....in 4 - 5 months.  While this makes us sad - it is also exciting. She has a goal - to be a missionary in Japan.  She is very deliberately considering the best preparation to be effective in that future ministry.

Now - if I could just get her to talk about what she wants to do about graduation - that arrives in 3 months!

Note: for all those who love Arielle's baby-sitting skills she leaves mid-June for Mexico......

Nolan's Day

Sixteen years old!!!!

 

The boys took a treat to the youth class today....and Nolan chose Applebee's for lunch.  We came home and the kids began a rousing round of RISK. (Not seeming to understand the privilege of birthday, Arielle won again! ) Nolan received calls for Krista and BreZaak.

 We are realizing how quickly time passes. Time hits warp speed as the kids enter high school.

We asked Nolan some goals he has for the next couple of years.

He's still thinking of goals - but two goals are to write awesome essays and to be able to carry on a normal conversation in Japanese.

Both within his reach.

 

If we knew he'd be so happy with printed photos, we'd have given him a little red sport's car.  His gifts are on the way.....Scene It from the kids.

 

The Hobbit board game add on....

 

Pre-order of The Hobbit 3

 

Just to be sure he had something to open - Stacia and I picked this up.

We've loved watching the man of God Nolan is becoming. We look forward to the upcoming years.

A "Normal" Saturday Part 2

It simply wouldn't be right to end this day without reporting on the conclusion of the quest for World Domination RISK.

Arielle won!

This meant the loser Nolan had to preform a few specific acts of humiliation. It began with ten pushups. Michael grabbed the camera when Arielle informed him he would have to kiss Yuuki on the nose as well.

 

While their wagers played out I stayed safely in the kitchen preparing these for the youth group tomorrow. LOL

 

And then they got their second wind and played another game - which Zander lost.

 

A "Normal" Saturday

I've been thinking about a lot of things lately. When I process I used to EAT but that doesn't go well with my new RESOLVE not to be ruled by food addictions - now I bake or start a huge pot of soup. ::snort::

THIS is what happens when "one" forgets bread is rising.....nope - no way it was fitting in the bag.....

This doesn't really show the size

Giant bread - I was planning on baking some bread for Ottingers. Stacia thinks this is fine; Arielle commented it may be nice to bake them bread that will fit into a toaster. ::snort::

Michael is finishing up his sermon for tomorrow.  That makes this feel like a normal Saturday. I think  tomorrow will be a test. He did 1/2 a day on Wednesday and was flat on his back the rest of the day. Tomorrow we'll try RE and chapel and see what happens. He is on convalescent leave until 12 Feb....

 

The kids went to the park and then settled in for RISK and bracelet making........

 

This morning Arielle and Michael took over making two ice cream cakes for me. It was just FAR TO HARD for me to be around all that sugar today......so I got a couple of recipes of sugarless treats made up. Those bars of mine don't look at all like hers.....I wonder if there is such a thing as white dates and I didn't use the chocolate but mine still look darker and thinner.....Anyway - Cookie Dough Bars and Chocolate/Peanut Butter Fudge Balls are stocked up to help me ward off the relentless onslaught of ice cream cake in the upcoming week. We've hit boy birthday week in our home.  Nolan will be 16, Josiah will be 26 and Zander will be 13 by the end of this week. Jamin hits 24 later in the month.