Hands and Feet for Jan and Feb

Last year, I started a scrapbook called "Hands and Feet of Jesus".  I am using this to encourage my children (and myself!) to be mindful of making opportunities to help, donate, and do good whenever possible.  I began documenting these activities so that we can celebrate their efforts.  I told the kids that if we can scrapbook their extra curricular activities and sports awards, aren't our just as proud of our good works?

Truthfully, we've been alittle slow on the start since December, but hopefully we will find some substantial activities that we can work on as the year progresses.  Loren knows that I would love to include a Mission Trip some day, or work on a Habitat for Humanity house.  However, these days, with our busy kid-centered lives, it's hard to fit in those large time-committment projects.  Our projects were small these past two months, but we are hopeful that they were a blessing to someone.

January:

• Babysat 2 little boys for a single mom for 3 days when her sitter was sick, our treat :-) 
• Submitted food to our local Food Pantry through Camille's class project.
• Loren and I took our cattle trailer to Sioux Falls to pick up the new chairs for our church, unboxed and unloaded them, and set them up for our Annual Meeting.
• Donated a carfull of outgrown clothes to Goodwill.
• The kids collected all the pop tabs off of our pop cans collected to recycle, and are turning them in to Ronald McDonald House.

 

 

February:

Bri playing violin for the nursing home residents.

• Worked a shift at our local Food Pantry.
• Provided respite for a single foster mom for her two boys for 4 days so she could have a break.
• Donated all my extra kitchen items/pans to Goodwill.
• Bri played violin at our area Nursing Home for the residents.
• Luke, Loren and I worked shifts at last week's basketball tournament to raise money for our Little League baseball League and also for the High School basketball team.

Luke working the concession stand at the Luke Hansen Tournament

      

Matthew 5:16  "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

 

The easy way or the hard way...

The other day I apologized to my hubby for always making life so hard...not taking the "easy road". 

Bless that man, he knew exactly what I meant.  And he just smiled.

When our friends are taking vacations...we're taking in foster kids.

When others are updating their homes or their vehicles, we continue to clunk along in our "vintage" cars (with the smashed in dash from a deer or two) and our worn out furniture, because we gave up our second income so that I could be home to raise our children. (And because we gave up trying to impress others a long time ago :-)

When we hit middle age and our peers were building their retirement funds, we were traveling to a little girl who was sitting in China, waiting for a family to call her own. (Bye bye, 401K...I will miss you)
 
When friends are eating out, we're staying home.

When others are shopping at Kohls and Macy's , I'm wandering through Once Upon a Child.

I know that our lives could be different and SO much easier.  Loren knows that too.  But when we evaluate our goals in life, they aren't the ones we had expected we would have at this age. 

We aren't planning on taking trips or playing golf when we retire.  Heck, at this rate, we won't be able to retire!  But we are working out God's plan for our life, and that doesn't include luxeries and wealth.  And apparently some week's it doesn't include free time either :-)    However, it does include incredible feelings of satisfaction, lots of joy, laughs, connection with the children in our lives, and the feeling that we're right where we are supposed to be. 

I don't remember exactly the quote, but it does something like this:  I would rather end my life used up and worn out, having given it my all, and have the Lord say "Well done, Good and Faithful servant" than to have lived a life of ease and selfishness.  ( you get the drift...)

That is why we do what we do, and why we make the choices that we make. 

It's not as if the sacrifices are extreme or miserable- we are very blessed! We are not hungry or cold or deprived of any real necessity. 

Do I care if I have new clothes?  No, not really. 

Can my pride handle driving an old car that isn't as nice as my neighbors?  Absolutely!!

Those items are not important to us anymore.  What's important is that we have been entrusted with these precious lives, to mold and guide, hug and play with, for as long as they are with us.  And we are humbled by the responsibility.

Family Pics

Friday night our older boys came home in response to their summons to gather for a family picture.  Our last such gathering happened over 6 years ago, so I thought it was a good idea to update the 11x13 hanging over the TV.

 Not only are our then-preschool daughters now pre-teens, but now we have a new member :-)

Before the "real" photographer showed up, I took a few pics just to check out the background I had selected.

 

 

 

I'm anxious to see how they turned out, and will post my favorites. I LOVE THESE FACES and can't wait to get them up on my wall!

  Thank you to my kids for their patience and willingness to do whatever our photographer asked them to do. It was cold and blustery that evening, so if we look chilled, it's because we were!

The Hands and Feet of Jesus- Aug and Sept

The end of summer is a tough time to plan Service Servants projects because of all the events during this time.  County Fair, the start of school, plus the wrap up of many of our summer activities, kept us busy this month , but we still managed to sneak in a few projects that help us focus on others.

August was mostly small projects, but I'm proud that even with the excitement of the County Fair, we still remembered to do SOMETHING!  Here is our list:

• Recycled 2 huge bags of Walmart plastic bags.
• Worked a Food Pantry shift on Friday.
• Served as Committee of the Month at our church, which includes setting up for service, ushering, washing communion glasses and cleaning up after service.
• Sponsored Laura Stevens for the Relay for Life Cancer walk in Beresford.

September was also busy, but at least we were able to find some time to serve others.:-)

First- my good friend was having some serious surgery, so I called several neighbors and friends to line up meals for the family the first week following the surgery.  Given the opportunity, people are thrilled to be able to help out a friend, and I was very pleased at the responses :-)

Chicken and rice, crescent rolls, home made pickles, and peach pie

Our local Food Pantry has been very low on supplies, so our church's Hi-League kids, 4th grade and up, put an article in the paper, and set up a collection table to replenish the Food Pantry supplies. 

I love doing community service projects with kids-  they bring so much enthuisiasm and fun to each event!  And my hope is that they will remember these projects and understand how important it is for them to serve others.

Homeschooling with little ones

The little ones don't like to be left out when we are homeschooling, so I schedule about 45 min a day for "Preschool".  I figure that both our Littles could use help in catching up developmentally, and I can't let my "whole 2 years" of preschool teaching experience go to waste, so we're giving it a try.

We are incorporating lots of basics, like colors and shapes, and working on vocabulary, since Quinn is now trying out her new language with a little more confidence.  My favorite part is doing songs with actions, and both the kids have been quick to pick up on The Wheels of the Bus, and the Itsy Bitsy Spider as their favorites. 

Oh, and also the hand play "This is the church..."  That one cracks me up when Quinn is insisting that I say it along with her, as she is pointing her "steeple" at me. Then she does the "where are the people?" part, hiding her fingers.... could she get any cuter??

Today we threw in a little Sensory Art using one of my favorite mediums- Shaving Cream.

Whats not to like?  Easy clean up, doesn't stain their clothes, and the kids smell good when they are done- haha! 

Bri and I find that they are so much better about giving us our school time when we have given them some of their own, so for now, that's our strategy for getting it all done.  And hopefully, we are all learning something :-)

Playing Catch-up

Lots of catching up to do since my computer malfunctioning episode the beginning of August.  Since I'm not big on rehashing, I will make it short and sweet!  Here's a quick summaryof what we've been up to the past 5 weeks~

County Fair:
Because of our move to the new farm, we knew we wouldn't have alot of projects ready for the fair.  I mean, let's be truthful- we are just happy to get the basics of meals, laundry, chores, and schooling done most days.  We don't get too full of ourselves and think we can also get a Jersey heifer broke to lead, matching skirts sewn by the girls, and breathtaking photo collages- we just don't have it in us most days. 
 
This year our motto was : Keep it Simple.

We showed a few chickens...

Bri, Moyra,
Camille, and Lani

 

 

Showed a rabbit or two...

 



Bri received 2nd place in Rabbit Showmanship- tough competition too!

 

And had fun with all of our 4H friends...

The County Fair is usually the closest thing to a vacation that we get, so we splurge on eating Indian Tacos and sweet corn, get the fair bracelets and ride until we are dizzy, and put off housework for 4 glorious days!  It's the last big fling before school starts, and it's our official End of Summer event.

  And yes, we eat homemade pie at the 4H food stand too :-)

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The fair was followed by G's surgery for a hernia repair- not something that he was real keen on doing, but he was a brave little guy and was happy to now have a new belly button as a result!

Clifford made the whole experience so much better!

Just waking up from the anesthesia and a little scared.



MUCH happier now- I think the pain meds were finally kicking in :-)



His follow up went without a hitch, and he's now sporting a nice, new "innie" belly button! 

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 WHAT??!  SCHOOL ALREADY?!!

Luke, Quinn, Camille, J, and Bri

 

 

 

Here was our  "motley" crew on the  morning of the first day of school.  Can you tell which kids are happy to be going to school and which ones are NOT? (G slept in that morning, so he's not even in the picture.)

 

 

We are experimenting with sending Camille to public school this year-it was not an easy decision.  However, after alot of discussion of pros and cons, it came down to 2 main reasons for me wanting her to attend school. 

 

Number 1- I have given her 6 years of high maintenance attention, school and otherwise, and I really feel that Quinn now deserves time with me as well.  Quinn will need help with expressive language and I want to be starting her on preschool subjects to help her vocabulary improve.  The other kids sometimes 'gentley' remind me of how much time and attention Camille has demanded and needed the past 6 years, and how often they have had  to do without.  If I don't have Camille prepared for the social arena of public school by now, then I probably never will.

 

Number 2- Mama needs a break. (Did I say that out loud??)  Most nights, Camille and I were still sitting at the table at 5:30 still doing school, when I should've been preparing supper and seeing to the hundred other things that demand my attention.  Every book I've read on RAD warns parents NOT to teach their RAD child because it presents another opportunity to battle for control.  All I know is that it was very hard on our mother-daughter relationship, and for that reason, I am hopeful that this solution will benefit all of us. We are now 3 weeks into the school year, and I am already seeing a positive change in Camille.  It's amazing when the other 20 4th graders all get their worksheet done in 30 minutes that SHE can too!  Who woulda guessed?

 

 

So let the games begin!

 

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On the farm front, we had the inconvenience of having our yard dug up again to have all of the waterlines replaced-more fun than you can imagine.....really!

 We also sold 4 of our horses that were not exactly "fun" to ride, and used that money to purchase 3 really rideable horses.  What a difference! The girls are really enjoying all their horse time, and we have begun taking them to lessons twice a month at our local rodeo grounds.  They have about a 4 hour class, and they have already done so much better with these horses than they did with their old ones.

So now we have a house full of cowgirls, and I couldn't be more thrilled!

Our plan is to get the girls so hooked into riding and loving their horses that they won't be interested in boys for YEARS!  That's the plan anyway :-)

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LIFELIGHT
We are so lucky here in South Dakota to have a Lifelight concert every Labor Day weekend.  3 days full of our favorite Christian singers and groups, and it's all FREE!  Can you imagine, thousands of Christians sitting around in our lawn chairs, kids playing frisbee, rocking out and worshipping together- it takes me to a whole 'nother level of Godliness and goodness and spirituality that brings tears to my eyes. 
The presenters are usually band members that share their Faith stories, and we leave feeling spiritually fed and inspired.  The music is INCREDIBLE and the groups are the ones we listen to on the radio, so we KNOW THE WORDS!

(Nothing worse than a Scandanavian with no pitch, singing songs that she doesn't know- at least I can rock the words if nothing else!)

This year we were lucky enough to hear Santus Real, and 10th Avenue North- 2 of my very favorite groups, so I was thrilled.  And their faith messages were almost better than their music! I gotta think that hearing testimonials like that will influence my kids for the better, and the benefits of the music is a no-brainer.  The coordinators of Lifelight are influencing so. many. people!  I hope their vision continues so that thousands each year can have access to such a wonderful ministry, whether they are expose to Christian music for the first time, or they are fans like my family. 

That is why we donate to it each year, so that this mission can continue.  I cannot say enough good things about it, so if you are ever able to attend a Lifelight concern, run, don't walk!!  You will thank me.

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Well, those are the highlights from the past 5 weeks.  Let's stay in touch :-)

Passages...

I know I'm terribly behind, considering all that has happened here the past few weeks. We have welcomed new family members, and we have had to say goodbye to some as well. 

We have gone from a family of 6 to one of 8.  I didn't think adding 2 kids to our household would take up so much of my time and energy, but I think it's because we have gone from a somewhat normal routine to "Slumber Party Chaos" and it's leaving me and my house looking a bit frazzled.

We are very happy to welcome GW and his sister, J, to our family, and they fit in with this group really well.  However, transitions are never flawless, and trying to learn family rules and routines is hard enough, but to move to another house, get used to new people, and also deal with the grief of having your family and home dissolved can't be anything less than heartbreaking.  So for now, we will do our best to make them feel welcome and loved, and worry about the mess and rule breaking later on.

Camille, J, GW, and Quinn
(and yes, that is my Diet Coke)

We had to say goodbye to my Dad this month- after 2 years of battling cancer, along with various other health issues, he is finally at peace.  He got his wish of not having to live in a nursing home, and only spent a few days in hospice at the end.  Stubborn man! 

His funeral was a lovely gathering of family and old friends, sharing stories and memories, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying.

 Best Friends from Anoka- the Westrums and Molendas

Rod Garrison telling golf stories

As usual- my attempts at a family photo never pan out- Tanner is missing!

Then as we were working through our feelings of loss over Grandpa Rod, we lost another special member of our family....Emma.

 

 

You were always a bundle of furry sweetness, and you loved Bri with all your heart.  We will miss your exuberance for life, your ability to do the splits on the kitchen floor, and your fun filled spirit.  You will always be in our hearts.

  

Dane for a Day

Our little town of Viborg celebrates Danish Days every July (yes, during the hottest weekend of the summer) and this year was no exception.  We all got our Dane on!

GW and Quinn were our Candy Catchers for the parade.

Camille walked with our 4H club and handed our freezies that were much appreciated by the crowd. The temps rose over 100 deg before the end of the day.

Loren and Bri rode Mesa and Dyamond in the parade as well, with Lani and her family. This was a dream of Bri's ever since she was probably 4 or 5- to ride her horse in the parade.  So happy for her that she finally realized that dream!

Luke was also in the parade, but was moving the horse trailer for Loren and didn't get back to the Scouts in time to walk with his troop.  He showed up later in the parade in one of the covered wagons, but I wasn't expecting him to be there, so I didn't get a picture snapped. :-(

We also attended the Classic Car show in the park Friday night and got to catch up with many friends while everyone tried to stay cool in the shade. 

For all of you who have hometown celebrations, here's to honoring heritage, small towns, and summertime!!

Hands and Feet of Jesus-June projects

Starting this past January, the kids and I started a little project we call Hands and Feet of Jesus.  I found that when we document and schedule our "good deeds", that we tend to do more of them! 

 BONUS!!

 Each month we're documenting the projects in the form of a scrapbook- maybe as a sort of validation?  Anyway, this is what we've been up to this past month.

Helped run VBS at Our Saviors Church- 5 days and an evening program.  (whew!)

Luke was in charge of Rec and I was in charge of Crafts.

The girls performed Danish Dancing for the residents at the Nursing Home.

Camille sang at the Nursing home.

Bri played her violin at the Nursing home also.

Volunteered at the VBS for Ethiopian, Burundi,and Rwandan children in Sioux Falls.

So glad that we were able to participate in so many incredible projects for the month of June because July looks to be super busy with kids activities and gardening deadlines.

I am also so grateful that I have the opportunity to be a SAHM and volunteer to help out with so many rewarding projects.

What do YOU do to make a difference?

"Bring me the sacrifice of your time; a most precious commodity." 

Jesus Calling- 365 Day Devotional

Heat Relief

With our basement inspection completed and our refinancing paperwork signed, we were READY TO RELAX!

So, since the heat has been in the 90s with high humidity, we headed to the pool to relax and to introduce Quinn to the fun of swimming.

Quinn started out being pretty hesitant, just wanting to dangle her feet from the edge, and by the time we left 2 hours later, I could barely get her out of the kiddie pool! 

I think we will be spending alot of time at the pool this summer.

Here's what we've been up to!

I know that it's been 2 weeks since I've posted- we have been so insanely busy that there has been little time for creative outlets like blogging!

I shouldn't be surprised that I'm so behind on things like gardening and housework- in the past 4 weeks, we've managed to fit in a confirmation/baptism celebration for Luke and Quinn, Fathers Day, Rodeo Bible Camp, BB camp, 2 Vacation Bible Schools that I've volunteered with, prepared for the County Horse Show, and finished the basement to complete our construction home refinancing. (which we signed today- whew!)  Throw in a few doctors appts, meals and laundry,and a 2 and 3 yo that are into everything, and it's no wonder that my lists just aren't getting completed!!  (And all of you A-type personalities know how that goes!!  An incompleted list is like nails on a chalkboard to people like me...)

Still playing catch-up, so I'll just fill in with pictures of all the fun and work we've been enjoying this month~

Lani, Bri, me, and Quinn at Rodeo Bible Camp

Bri and Dyamond doing barrels at Rodeo Bible Camp

Sonlight VBS in Sioux Falls

Bri running the poles at Turner County Horse Show



                                  

                             Camille riding Brownie in Stock Seat class at County Horse Show

    

Our Saviors VBS in Viborg

                                       

So here's to the calm that comes with completing a busy schedule, reaching some important goals, and coming out on the other side with our sense of humour still intact!



Our two little renegades!  Don't they just look like trouble ?!