ARIELLE'S BIRTHDAY!

Arielle turns 10 on Wednesday. We looked over the schedule.....three men working...and decided it would be best to celebrate her birthday today.

Josiah took the kids to RE (Sunday School). This was the last Sunday until fall and so they were having a party. While they were gone Mike, the older girls and I wrapped gifts, blew up balloons, set out decorations and got ready to party. Krista and I had made an ice cream cake last night.

Just to show off the hair do!LOL

When they got home we opened gifts. She was thrilled to get a bracelet from Mexico (girls' mission trip), computer games, princess movie, Mandie books, alarm clocks and SPY THINGS. Here she opens a gift Mike brought back from his deployment. THEN we went to the base bowling ally for lunch and bowling (another RE thing - photos tomorrow?). Josiah test drove another car - a Toyota Camry this time. Mike was preaching in two services today. We went to the evening service. A FUN thing for us is seeing one of the young students in the service. I babysat for his family when we lived in Hardin. It's a joy to see him all grown up and here at our base. He's not in the Air Force but we train all intel and fire dogs for all services here.

Back at home we had cake. Bre and Cy had picked up sparklers for the cake. The sparks don't show well in the photo but Arielle was leery.

JOSIAH'S GRADUATION RECEPTION PHOTOS

Friends from Chapel
Debbie and I (we could be sisters - see how TALL I look here?) Debbie's Husband and Youngest Son Amy and Roxanne from workCy and Big Sisters

Family Shot (Zander was ready to run by this time)

MORE GRADUATION PICs FOR CY

More Ceremony Photos from Debbie's Camera {G}

Diploma! Praying
Hugging Too...

CY GRADUATES FROM HIGH SCHOOL!

CEREMONY

Walking up the aisle, Cy reports a huge adrenaline rush (better than paint ball) as he entered the room.

Giving diplomas. Parents are invited up. We were told that you could say what you wanted...we were also told that usually the Dad's speak as the Mom's get emotional. I really liked this. At Bre's graduation some parents wanted to make quick comments to their graduates and were told "this is about US not YOU". Here the MC (president of association) said that this is celebrating a team work - family, parents, friends and graduate. I really liked this and most of us kept our comments quick. Mike handed me the mic and I spoke. I worried Cy by making some crack about the stories I could tell.

Obviously, in the teaching mode here....enumerating my prayers for his future.

Mike spoke and then prayed over Cy. (I'm really NOT this short, but Josiah really IS taller than Mike. ::snort::)

We gave him the diploma (photo to follow).

He's a GRADUATE!

GRADUATION DAY

The ceremony went really well. The only thing I would have changed had to do with the worship. They had an awesome bad lead worship - unfortunately - someone forgot we ARE a diverse group of worshippers and the majority of folks did not know the songs they chose. Having the words on the screen would have been a great thing...other than that the day was perfect. Oh - right when we handed Cy his diploma our camera battery died. It SAID it was FULL!!!! right before it died. It's not terrible because several friends had taken lots of photos, so we'll eventually have those to add.

Here are some photos of the kids BEFORE the ceremony. I asked Mike to take a few photos. Us on graduation day (family photo on Debbie's camera or Bre's):

Josiah (18) and his table....a few other things showed up there as the day progressed...cap and gown, diploma etc.

Arielle (10 on Wed)

The 5 boys (Jamin 16, Jared 13)

Nolan (8)

Krista (19)

BreAnne (21)

Stacia (19 months)

Zander - 5 (imitating Cy's photo)

OK the men around here have informed me that he was not sweetly imitating his big brother and dreaming of being a MAN and graduating....he was pretending his arm was attacking his face....t-poisioning....can't even let me have my illusion....why would MOM think "ah - imitating" and boys think "attacking his face" when seeing the same photo? Mike confirmed the boys were right. LOL

Book Review: The Ministry of Motherhood, Ch 4

Chapter Four - The Grace of Forgiveness in Action
This chapter is excellent. I should copy the entire thing here, but I'll refrain. {g}
"Beyond that, though, I have learned that maturity in Christ is not instantaneous but a slow process. Even as a real human being starts off as a baby and matures towards adulthood, making mistakes and learning along the way, so Christian believers - including my children - start out immature and move gradually toward maturity. It is gracious forgiveness that enables us all to move past our mistakes and keep on growing . Even more important, it is forgiving grace that makes real love possible in our lives." p 53.
"Our children need the same kind (as Jesus displayed with sinners) of gentle graciousness from us if they are to learn to share their vulnerability, to confess their own sin, and to be free to love. If they fear our strong condemnation and possible rejection, they will hide their sin, perhaps even deceive themselves about the nature of it. They will definitely not avail themselves of our mature direction in their lives." p55. (emphasis mine)
"I believe we must strive to model that kind of gracious, forgiving love to our children. Of course we must instruct them in righteousness so they will understand the law of righteousness that is written in their hearts (Romans 1;18-19). We must teach them what sin is, and we must discipline them appropriately when they knowingly stray. Yet we must also show them, as Christ did for his disciples, what it means to be able to go tot he throne of God to receive forgiveness, the cleansing of our hearts, and God's unconditional love. And we must do this not only by talking about God's love (and being honest about our own need for forgiveness), but by making sure our children experience unconditional love and acceptance from us. " p. 55 (emphasis mine)
Next week we begin the Gift of Inspiration.

OH THE PRESSURE of Book Discussions!

I know many of you plan to participate in this discussion. I also know this is a busy time of the year. Say no to quilt. Enjoy the book. Read it and then click on the links in the sidebar and add your favorite quotes from the chapter or comment on mine.

When you are ready, click on the discussion questions and leave a comment.

I'll leave the links up until the discussion is over. You'll be able to read at your own pace and comment. I'll click through the links every day or so and read the new comments and leave new comments. It is my hope that others will do so as well.

This is a low pressure, low key discussion. We'll grow and learn from sharing with each other - though it would appear that it won't have the "keep up or you're out" feel of a local discussion or an email discussion.

How's that? Don't be discouraged. Comment when you can and I promise to keep checking back. I will dialogue with you - and really - I think others will as well. Don't worry that I feel bad about folks not commenting.....I figure some will read and never discuss and I enjoy sharing what I'm learning from the book.

No pressure!