Butterflies in the City

Three Whispered Words

2012-01-06T12:52:00.000-08:00

This has been a season of wrestling...and struggling...and standing hard against fierce storms...and waging war in the Heavenlies on behalf of all my precious ones...big and little. During the last two years He taught me about words such as Sovereignty (His alone) and Courageous Obedience (doing what He says and leaving the results to Him), Submissive Trust (remaining faithful and joyful when things are falling apart) and Complete Dependence Through Total Exhaustion (pretty much self explanatory). Those lessons I have not mastered in any way, but as I reflect over the Bible studies he has led me through, and the devotions, and the journals,and the songs and the books He brought my way, I see His hand teaching me these things again and again. I am thankful for His Grace that sustains in the midst of blistering barrages. I am grateful for his Hand that supplies strength for the long haul. I am thankful that His mercies are new every morning.

A new year brings thoughts of resolutions,lists, priorities and focus...but this year God is impressing on my heart just a few words. It 's not that I don't have many things I need to resolve to improve, change and rectify. That list is unfortunately quite lengthy. But as I've prayed about this new year...and this new season in our life with the adoptions finalized, I've heard my King whisper three words in my soul...Plant....Listen...Nurture. So those are my guiding words this year. I'm on the lookout for Him showing me ways to do those things...to BE those things...a Planter... A Listener...A Nurturer...and now I must go because there are several kiddos that need to be listened to right now.

Coming up for air...

2012-01-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

It's been almost 2 years since I posted...It wasn't intentional...I meant to keep a weekly chronicle but 3 little ones and 4 big ones and so many visits with social workers and court dates...and life...and some things had to give...blogging was one of them. To be perfectly honest - there was a part of my heart that couldn't do it...I couldn't write about my precious little ones and share it publicly, knowing that there may come a day that they would no longer live in our home. For 22 months I have pressed hard into Jesus...learning to trust...learning to treasure each moment...to live in the moment...I tried not to hold my breath, but I think I did. Because on December 19 when we stood before the judge and he pronounced our last name theirs, I sobbed...after the pictures were taken and the papers were signed, I gasped for breath on my Mom's shoulder. I felt that rush of wind fill my heart like when you have been swimming for so long and you push to the surface to come up for air...and that ache is quenched as oxygen pours in.

Yes, I feel that I have come up for air...I'm dizzy with the excitement that they can call me "Mama" forever. I have learned to press into Jesus in much deeper, more dependent ways...and I am also learning to celebrate each moment and this freshness...this hope...this excitement flushes through me as I revel in the thought of the permanency of the adoption and the start of this new season of life. I am so grateful for what He has done...I am humbled..I am awed..and I am breathing in deeply.

2 Months old!

2010-04-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

E and A are two months old today!

South Africa!

2010-04-24T16:28:00.000-07:00

We are so excited that Joshua and Todd have been selected to go on a mission trip with RockHarbor Church. They will be headed to South Africa this summer!! One other person from our church, Keely, has been selected to go on the trip as well. They will be joining with 15 people from RockHarbor. RH has been a great support to our ministry in Watts and we are thrilled to be sending 3 people from PowerHouse with them on their trip. The team will be working at a school as well as in a township there. If you would like to receive Todd and Joshua's prayer/support letters please leave a comment or send me an email. Please pray for Joshua, Keely and Todd as they prepare to go and serve our King in South Africa!

Fun Outings

2010-04-19T23:21:00.000-07:00

Since we got the double stroller with attaching carseats, we have found ourselves to be quite mobile. We have had some fun outings over the last few days. On Saturday I took the kids to a Farmer's Market. I put one baby in the sling and put the other in the stroller and we were off. We had such a blast...tasting all kinds of different fruits, sampling yummy delicacies (maple syrup pecans...cilantro and jalepeno hummus...lemon herb baked pita chips), sniffing fresh flowers and enjoying the beautiful day. I would buy some veggies and fruits and Josh would figure a way to tie them on to the stroller as we rolled along. We even got some very fresh eggs. Being at the market gave me a chance to explain growing seasons. Josiah could not figure out why so many stands had fresh strawberries, but none had the grapes he desired. We really enjoyed ourselves and will definitely go back again soon.

On Sunday evening my friend Virginia and I took the kids to Valencia to see a concert by the Children of the World choir. It was great. The kids sang so beautifully. Our kids really enjoyed it. It was especially neat to see the children in their native dress since we have been studying Children Around the World in Social Studies this year. They shared some staggering statistics about water usage and the lack of clean water in many countries. It sure makes us appreciate our tap water...even if it does run brown for a day every once in a while. Our ES from our charter school invited us to her church for the concert. Thanks Suzzan! We really enjoyed it.

This evening we hit the beach. Todd and the older 4 kids played football and flew a kite..but the babies were restless so I took them for a brisk stroll along the beach. The fresh air felt wonderful...there is nothing like being beside the mighty ocean to help one's perspective adjust. When I got back from our walk, and we were getting in the car, I noticed the kids were graduated levels of wet...the younger they were...the wetter they were... from ankles all the way to the waist. I think that might be a law of nature..."The younger the child is, the wetter he shall get at the beach." Definitely some direct proportionality going on there.

Yep...loving the double stroller and loving being out and about.

My Prayer...

2010-04-09T00:35:00.000-07:00

Today I pray for your will to be done, Father. You have a plan for them... far greater than I can ever hope or dream. I submit my will to yours and pray that all that is done in court today...every decision..every word...every judgement will be directly under your control. I pray that you will be glorified in all that is said and done concerning our precious E and A. I thank you that they were given life. I thank you for the privilege of nurturing and loving them in our home for as long as you grant. Above all, I pray that they will come to believe in you as their Lord and Savior, and will follow passionately after you all their days. I know that you love them more than we ever could and I thank you that they are in your hands..hands that created the canyons and mountains and the tiniest sea creature and the mighty whale...your hands hold them...hold us... hold me. Your kingdom come...your will be done.

Happy 7th Birthday!

2010-04-09T00:12:00.000-07:00

Having just traveled through South America in our Children Around the World studies with WinterPromise, Josiah chose a rainforest theme for his birthday. We had a great day together celebrating his life! We are so thankful for him and the joy and laughter that he brings each day.

Spring Break...Aquarium of the Pacific

2010-04-08T23:59:00.000-07:00

We had a great start to our week of Spring Break. We visited the Aquarium of the Pacific. We purchased the year membership...since it was only $2 more than the price of admission for one day for our size of family! We really enjoyed the aquarium...and look forward to visiting it often through the next year. They have sting ray touch tanks, and sharks, and seals,and aquariums that show different types of oceans and inhabitants. Even the babies loved watching the tropical fish swimming. The tank that Josiah is standing by reminded us of The Night of the Moonjellies book we did in Five in a Row last year. During our visit Josiah was walking beside me and looked up with a huge grin, "This is sooo fun! I'm so glad God made so many different animals!" I couldn't agree more. I'm ready to go back again!

Happy Resurrection!

2010-04-08T23:40:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful weekend celebrating our Savior's resurrection. It was, of course, E and A's first Easter. We pray with all our being that one day they will come to love Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We had special visitors this weekend as well. My cousin and his new bride came for a visit. What a joy to see them... and to meet her for the very first time. It was so special to have family for Easter dinner. The girls danced with their team to "I Will Rise" by Chris Tomlin during the Easter Service. It moves my heart soo deeply to watch them worship the Lord through dance. Thank you Lord for suffering and dying for me...and what joy fills my soul to know that the power that raised you from the dead is the same power available to us for living day by day!

E and A

2010-03-28T23:33:00.000-07:00

Though many of you already know by now...I'll announce officially that we have two new members of our family. E and A came home March 12, when they were just 2 weeks old. They are a month old now, and we, of course, have fallen in love with them. I haven't blogged about them because #1...newborn twins don't leave much time for bloggin'! and #2 my heart is so full of emotions that I didn't, and still don't, know how to capture with mere words. So for now, I'm sticking with the facts...E and A are precious beyond belief...a little boy and a little girl...they keep us up at all hours of the night, and they bring us such amazing joy. The older 4 children have been troopers...not once have I heard a complaint. They are protective of E and A, and watch over them like hawks. We do not know how long E and A will be in our home. But while they are here we are loving them as if they will be here forever. And I am learning to trust Jesus in new and painful ways. Since they have been with us, I have not made it through a worship service without shedding tears. I would move heaven and earth on their behalf if I could, and yet my hands are tied...I can do nothing but wait for the courts to decide. My Heavenly Father knows the future, He knows what is best for our babies, and that has to be enough for me. So we wait, and we love them, and we treasure each moment...and I learn again each day to trust our King, for they are His more than they ever will be mine, no matter what the court decides.

Gramma's Handiwork

2010-03-08T23:04:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows our oldest daughter, knows how much she loves to cook. She truly enjoys finding new recipes, and tweaking ones she has already tried. So Gramma made her a very special gift...her very own cookbook with apron, oven mitt and pot holder to match! Gramma even put in some special family recipes to get her started. Thanks Gramma!

And while we are on the topic of her cooking...here are her first cake decorating projects with the new Wilton tips from her Auntie and Uncle and cousins!

Wedding #3

2010-03-05T23:10:00.000-08:00

One of the things we notice in our community
is that there aren't very many married folks. Weddings don't happen very often. We know teens and young adults who have attended quite a few funerals, but who have not ever witnessed a marriage ceremony. So you can imagine how excited and thrilled we are to have weddings at PowerHouse. This past Sunday we got to host our 3rd one in about a year! Personally, it always makes my heart skip a beat to hear my own hubby publically declare the value and holiness of marriage, and when he has them repeat their vows after him, I can't help but smile from my soul, remembering how we spoke them to each other almost 19 years ago....I love him so!

The Bride...

The congregation praying for the groom...

The wedding party...

Pledging their vows...

Mr. and Mrs.

The Family

The wonderful cake...

United as One

Pray for this precious couple as they strive to follow Christ together.

This week

2010-03-05T21:41:00.000-08:00

This was a really full week for me, and I'm thankful to be catching my breath...and catching up on the blog. We had a wedding at church, an inspection of our home for the adoption process, and my homeschool reports were due...plus our regular events like Bible Study and Bible Club, ice skating and school. By Thursday night I was completely spent, but I still needed to teach Bible Club. I am so thankful for the strength Jesus gives. He filled my heart with His joy and provided in wonderful ways. I was so blessed to have almost all the girls (17) at club and we had a great time learning together. Today the kids and I got to have lunch with some new friends...that I met in the grocery store. I love those special blessings that the Lord graces our days with as icing on the cake. He knows just what we need, when we need it. This week our Bible Study was about belief and trust from John 20. I'm so thankful that we can trust our King. I'm so thankful for the strength He gives.

Ice Skating Lessons

2010-02-20T21:50:00.000-08:00

One of the benefits of being a part of our homeschool charter school is that it provides funding for learning activities. This semester the kids enrolled in ice skating lessons. They had their 2nd lesson today. For Josiah, it was his first lesson. Here are some snapshots of their time on the ice. Some of the pix are slightly out of focus, or have glare because I'm shooting through the plexiglass that surrounds the rink for hockey games.

It's hard enough to get everyone to line up for a picture, let alone when they have skates on...

Ok..whew...that was hard work...but they got themselves all aligned. It's hard to believe they are all around 2 years apart. The growth spurts do amazing things.

This is Josiah's first attempt at letting go of the wall to which he had clung so dearly. You can't see her, but the teacher is out on the ice motioning him to come to her. (When he saw this picture later in the day he said "Oh yeah, that's when it was hard before I knew how to skate.")

He let go and started skating...whoo hoo!

He did so well, they moved him up to the next level of class. I'm so glad he inherited his coordination from his Dad and not from me!

Grace is a go getter...she wore lots of extra layers today to she wouldn't have to worry about falling. However after class she decided they didn't help. She declared, "You're going to fall, and it's going to hurt!"

It's not easy to learn a new sport...but they are all working hard. And we have a whole new appreciation for the Winter Olympians!

Birthday Slumber Party

2010-02-20T16:33:00.000-08:00

Grace celebrated her 11th birthday with a slumber party this year. Hence, the bed cake. I tried my hand at fondant for the first time. I know, you're squinting at the picture saying, "I don't see any fondant on that cake." Well that's because...there isn't any on there...Let it suffice to say I need a little more practice making fondant before attempting to put in on cakes. :) This is a miracle cake because I really thought the whole thing was going to end up in the trash. I'm just thankful it stayed together in one piece until the candles were blown out. Throughout the day I was continuing to patch the San Andreas Fault that kept reappearing in the center of it.

Despite the cake difficulties we had a wonderful day. Joshua (with assistance from Josiah) built a wooden couch as a surprise for his sister's playhouse. Someone gave the great playhouse to the kids and Grace had been trying to create furniture from cardboard boxes, and they just weren't sturdy enough. So Josh used some spare plywood and built one awesome couch for her. She was ecstatic with her new furnishings. (He borrowed a comforter until we can make some cushions..and Josiah donated the pillow off his bed to make it cozy.)

Then the friends arrrived...and we ate the cake that was still standing (ahhh...sigh of relief)...

After cake and ice cream, Grace opened her presents. Thanks everyone!!

The adults took off, and the girls from her church dance team stayed for the sleepover, which turned out to be quite an oxymoron because while they did come over...there wasn't too much sleeping going on. :) They played with dolls...

...made personal pizzas...

...sang Karaoke...

...had snacks and watched a movie...

...painted nails...

...and I made them donuts the next morning!

(They really did sleep between the nail painting and the donuts, I just don't have pictures of it!)

I'm so proud of Grace, and we enjoyed having her wonderful friends over sooo much.

Happy Birthday! We love you!!
(Now I'm off to take my nap!)

Baptisms at PowerHouse

2010-02-15T23:11:00.000-08:00

This Sunday we were thrilled to have two ladies get baptized. During the church service they shared what God was doing in their lives and at the end of the service we all went outside to witness their public declaration of the change God has brought in their hearts. It was especially joyful to me because they are active in our Women's Bible Study and it has been such a privilege to watch them grow in their relationship with Christ. We were also blessed to have Larry and Carol Vaughan (C&MA missionaries to Indonesia) with us, and Larry joined in praying over the ladies after their baptism.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T22:07:00.000-08:00

We had a great Valentine's Weekend. Todd and I got to go out for dinner in Long Beach (mmm...shrimp), and then on Monday we had our traditional Valentine's Family Supper. We always pass around the votive candle and everyone takes a turn saying something they love about the person who has the candle. Lots of love...lots of laughs! Happy Valentine's Day!

Sledding!

2010-02-04T00:32:00.000-08:00

We love to spend time outdoors...we love to be together as a family...we love trying new things... and this past week we got to do it all!! We headed to the mountains to enjoy the snow! We weren't sure what all that would entail...but we were ready for adventure. We drove up to Big Bear when they had gotten more snow in one week than they usually do all season. Gotta love El Nino. Some of the cars still had 3 feet of snow on top of them...and the storm happened over a week ago.

We found a wonderful spot in the forest by the nature center and the kids had a blast playing...

Then my hubby found 2 saucer sleds that had been left by previous adventurers.

We thanked God for giving us our daily ~~bread~~ sleds, and that's when the real fun began...we hiked back into the woods to find a hill. Our youngest was the first to try sledding and he was quite amazed at how fast one's body can hurl down a slope when it's on a slick piece of plastic. He's now known as Braveheart, for although his first trip down the hill was quite traumatic, he got back up and tried it again...and again... and again. In fact he would still be sledding at Big Bear if we would have been willing to leave him there!

He was quickly joined by his siblings.

Lest anyone worry that our educational ventures were cast aside for too much fun, let us share some of the great knowledge we have acquired....

#1 No matter how hard you try to steer a circle forward, you will end up going backward.

#2 Trees look much different close up than they do from a distance.

#3 Lighter bodies tend to go much faster and further down slopes, thus the youngest member of our family holds the record for the longest ride.

#4 Snow is cold...and it melts on warm bodies.

#5 Sledding is one of the best PE activities ever!

On the ride down the mountain Braveheart declared, "I think this has been our best family day ever!" Alright then, I'd have to agree.

Homemade Stethoscope

2010-01-23T21:06:00.000-08:00

We've been enjoying studying the human body this year. We're loosely following Guest Hollow's Curriculum. One of the fun kits we ordered was the Magic Schoolbus - Journey Into the Human Body. Today we built our own stethoscope using some tubing, a funnel and a balloon. The amazing thing is that it really worked! I could not believe how loudly and clearly we could hear the heart beat. Then the kids jumped up and down for awhile to get their heart racing and listened to it slowly get back to a resting pace. We're really enjoying this kit.

Reading the directions...

Putting the balloon on the funnel...

It works!

Final Product...our homemade stethoscope..

Something happened at Jordon's

2010-01-20T16:02:00.000-08:00

During the lull between two storms today, the peaceful sound of rainwater gently dripping off of the tree was drowned out by the roar of the police helicopter overhead. Its rotors thunder as it circles a 3 block area. Glasses on the counters vibrate and conversations must cease as it makes continual passes over our home. Every 30 seconds it is on top of us again and our windows shake and the security doors rattle. Our dog barks and growls and leaps at the sky trying to catch this enormous bird that continues to pass over his back yard territory. When it is still circling after 10 minutes, I decide to check out front to see what is happening.

Our street is full of cars and people because it is blocked off at the corner, 3 houses down from ours. At the end of the next block there are several police cars. "Something happened at the cafe, but nobody knows what," is all the news I can glean from the neighbors, so I go back in to report to the kids who are standing at the door waiting for me. When I tell them something happened at Jordon's Cafe, they are very concerned. "I hope Vette and Oscar are ok," my oldest daugher says. We have eaten at Jordon's many times. Their specialty is soul food and my favorite is the fish coated with a special cornmeal breading. The kids love the wings. Vette (the waitress) and Oscar (the owner) are very friendly and know the kids by name. One time when I couldn't attend a meeting with Todd at the cafe, Vette sent home some Banana Wafer dessert just for me. I say a silent prayer for Vette and Oscar, and all our friends at the cafe, and start to fix lunch.

About 40 minutes later Grace notices that the helicopter is gone. I check the street. The police cars are gone and the crowds have dispersed. The rain begins to fall again...hard. Maybe tonight at Bible study I will hear what happened at our little cafe. In the meantime I'm praying for Vette and Oscar, and everyone who was at Jordon's this morning.

Morning Bloom

2010-01-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

After a very muddy and entertaining interaction with our dog this morning...just imagine a giant, ornery, slippery, muddy, yellow lab and hardwood floors...I decided to peruse our yard to see what the night of rain had produced. Lo and behold, the roses are blooming now. What a sweet treat to start the morning.

Rain

2010-01-17T21:29:00.000-08:00

I've been humming Michael W. Smith's song, "Healing Rain" for the last 24 hours. The forecasters are calling for rain...lots of rain...this week. The kids and I are soooo excited! We really enjoy "sunny California," but the rain is such a beautiful change of pace. I love how everything begins to grow and sprout. I love to cuddle up under a blanket with the kids and read while the rain pours down. The forecasters are beginning to call it "El Nino." That means there's a warming trend in the ocean which brings us much more rain than usual. We've been here 5 years and I believe this is the first El Nino season since we moved. However, too much rain is not a good thing either...especially for all the areas that burned during the wildfires last year. That is definitely an advantage to living in the flat inner city...no wildfires...no mudslides. The pouring rain makes our neighborhood seem peaceful...it tends to put a damper on suspicious activities...at least the ones that are carried out in the open. But that only lasts for a while...sometimes having everyone cooped up inside makes tempers flare. I have been very thankful that I haven't heard gunfire...or even low flying helicopters... for several days now. I'm praying that the rain will help this calm continue.

Praising God

2010-01-17T21:10:00.000-08:00

Thank you Lord, that Dan was extricated from the elevator shaft safely. Thank you that the Kruls are safe. Thank you Lord that the Howerton family is reunited. Thank you Lord that the Livesay children made it to the states. I pray for these brothers and sisters bodies and spirits to heal. I pray for those who have remained in Haiti or will be returning there soon. Hold them all so closely to you Father.

Praying for our Brothers and Sisters

2010-01-15T12:56:00.000-08:00

Sometimes in a crisis that is the magnitude of the one unfolding in Haiti, it is so difficult for me to wrap my mind around how to pray. Of course, some generalities immediately come to mind... provision of food and water, rescuing of the injured, and comfort for those who are grieving. But I think God calls us to intercede specifically as well. The Lord has directed me to two blogs of missionaries in Haiti who are communicating an accurate picture of what is taking place. (Thanks to Jeremiah and Beth!) These are the ones I'm praying specifically for. I'm also praying for Dan, the Compassion Intl. worker buried, but alive, in the rubble of Hotel Montana. If you don't have someone specific for whom you are praying, I encourage you to check out these blogs and storm heavens's gates on behalf of our brothers and sisters: The Kruls The Livesays

Haiti

2010-01-14T22:00:00.000-08:00

I've been following the reports from Haiti...read a blog from a Mom who went there to meet with the son she is adopting... listened to the news describe how people sang through the dark night, and how you could hear their voices throughout the city from one location to another...watched people with their hands raised, praising God in the midst of utter devastation on the evening news. Praying for those who survived...praying for those who we haven't heard if they survived. Astonished at how closely knit our world is. Everyone seems to know someone who was there.

I will not complain about doing dishes...or laundry...or anything else. Tonight I am reminded to be grateful for this day...to treasure this moment...and to kneel before the creator of Heaven and Earth.

2010-01-12T23:09:00.000-08:00

We saw a beautiful yellow bird today at lunch. What a delight. He flew away before I could grab my camera...but hopefully he'll be back. I haven't seen one like that in our yard before. He must like the morning glories and geraniums that are blooming outside by the patio. It never ceases to amaze my mind that flowers bloom in January here! Flowers and pretty birds were definitely a treat after a bitter migraine for the past days. Thank you Lord for sweet touches of you.

Merry Christmas!

2010-01-09T23:29:00.000-08:00

This is our last stop on my trip down memory lane of our Advent season. I thank God for what he taught us during this incredible time of the year. My words are not adequate enough to express my gratefulness for the gift of His Son. My heart kneels in awe at the manger...the Glory of Almighty God wrapped in a precious baby.

Christmas Morning!

2010-01-09T23:18:00.000-08:00

One of the highlights of Christmas Day was that our youngest son has learned to read well enough to participate in our Christmas morning tradition of reading the story of Our Savior's birth. He had been talking about this since the beginning of Advent and was so excited to be able to do it!! (Of course, knowing that after we read the story we open presents probably had something to do with his excitement as well!)

Christmas Eve

2010-01-09T22:58:00.000-08:00

We worshipped with our church family at our Candlelight service on Christmas Eve. There is something quite amazing about watching your children mature in their walk with Christ. It is thrilling to my momma's heart to watch them rise up and assume their place in the body of Christ. On Christmas Eve each one of them had a role. Our girls worshipped through a dance they had choreographed themselves, our oldest son ran the sound system and power point for the service and handled the logistics of the lights and candles, and our youngest son quoted the scripture from memory. It was a precious time for all of us.

After the service we came home to light our Advent wreath and pray together and place Jesus in the manger scenes that we had set up at the beginning of Advent. Our tradition is that each child gets to open up one present on Christmas Eve...and they each got a new set of pajamas...very cozy!!

Christmas Sunday

2010-01-09T22:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas Sunday is such a special time. This year both our Girls' and our Women's Worship Dance teams participated in the service.

While we were singing Away in a Manger, "Mary," "Joseph" and "Baby Jesus" came forward to sit at the manger. Seeing precious little "Jesus" in his mother's arms moved me to tears...Emmanuel...God with us! It takes my breath away...and moves my heart to respond with cries of joy. He has come to save us...He takes away the sins of the world! Our Savior is born. My heart quivers and my mind staggers as I wrap my thoughts and emotions around this fact...God has become man to redeem us...to redeem me!

After church we ate dinner together and then, thanks to the generosity of several churches and individuals, we were able to bless each child in attendance (over 70 kids!) with a back pack containing art supplies and a sports ball.

Powerhouse Christmas Party

2010-01-08T00:40:00.000-08:00

We hosted the church Christmas party at our house...lots of yummy snacks...and lots of fun. We played several games...but this is our favorite. My hubby broke the crowd into 4 groups and told them to create something...with one roll of wrapping paper. You can see they got a little creative with items they found around the house...like the paper plate halo...and my tree ornaments...and I'm not sure where they got the scarf and belt for Santa. Anyway, from left to right we have Stylin' Santa Claus, A Christmas Tree with gifts under him, An Angel (Wouldn't you like him to be your guardian angel!?)....and a Camel carrying a Wiseman!

The Tree won by show of applause and his group was quite proud of their creation.

We had a great time until the wee hours of the morning! This last pictures shows part of the group...the part that could fit in our living room. It doesn't show the part of the group holding my tall chair steady so I could perch on it to take this picture.

Bethlehem Brunch at PowerHouse

2010-01-06T23:37:00.000-08:00

We have an annual tradition at our church called the Bethlehem Brunch. We used to call it the Bethlehem Breakfast, but since our service doesn't start until 12, we thought calling it breakfast might be a stretch. We serve pancakes and fried chicken (don't knock it til you try it...it's a good combo) and then give a gift bag to each table. Inside the bag are all the props and instructions to dress up one person to be a character in the Christmas Pageant. After everyone is finished accesorizing their character, we narrate the Christmas story from the Bible. When their name is read (angel...shepherd...etc.) they come forward and act out their part. We have so much fun reenacting the events that rocked the world at the first Christmas. Each person or family also can take their picture at the manger to remember the real reason for the season. No late night rehearsals...no long practices....no extravagant sets...no lines to memorize...just the story...and pancakes with chicken...and syrup...LOTS of syrup!

O Christmas Tree!

2010-01-05T23:13:00.000-08:00

We started off our Advent season by cutting down a Christmas tree to decorate. It was hot (in the 70's)...it was far (two hour drive)...it was eventful (flat tire)...but it was worth it! The kids did all of the cutting this year. I love the smell of a freshly cut Christmas tree. I also love that my sweet hubby cares that I love cutting down a real tree, and he makes it happen with a joyful heart...even when it's hot...and far... and eventful!

The End Result

Christmas 2009

2010-01-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

While we took down our Christmas decorations yesterday, I was thinking back over the great memories we have of this year's Advent Season. I am so thankful for the great health we enjoyed, but I'm most thankful for the awe and wonder of Emmanuel...God with us! We're always sad to "put away" Christmas...my oldest daughter was even making up a "Christmas Blues" song about the whole event. And yet there is something exciting about a freshly cleaned, and seemingly bare house as we enter the new year. It's full of possiblity as we wait in anticipation to see what the baby Jesus, our Savior, will do in our lives in the coming year. The kids are over their sadness now, and I think they have caught the "New Year Spirit" because I just overheard them talking about cleaning up and "redecorating" the play house out back with some cardboard boxes they found. My next few posts will be a little trip down memory lane through our Advent season since I just got our blog up and running.

LA Snowman

2010-01-05T16:11:00.000-08:00

We found this cute little guy hanging by the path on our walk by the beach. That's the only snowman we'll see in So. Cal. this year! As a midwestern girl, I do miss the snow...but only until Jan. 2...then I'm ready for Spring!

Along the beach path...

2010-01-04T22:28:00.000-08:00

Winter in Southern California

2010-01-04T21:49:00.000-08:00

This afternoon we went to the beach for our family time. One of the girls has a cold and didn't quite feel up to the family football game on the beach so she and I walked the path instead. The beach in the winter is completely different from summer, and we had a sweet time watching God paint his sunset.

Welcome!!

2010-01-04T02:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog! If you visited my former blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/harmonyacademy and followed me here...thanks for coming with me. I'm looking forward to blogging here and connecting with you! Have a wonderful day!!