miscellaneous...
if you would have told me six months ago that the first day of first grade was going to be uneventful and even cheerful, i would not have believed you...i would have chuckled and perhaps told you that of course it would because i would be homeschooling...and even last week, after spending hours (and i mean hours) in the zoning office at the school board, and they told us lily would not be able to start at the school where we live because they were wanting to see some paperwork (but they wouldn't be specific about what) and so she would have to go to her old school for three weeks and then switch to where we're zoned...i certainly held all that knowledge and experience in my heart and was waiting for first grade to start off very badly (whenever that actually was and where...?). so day one, lily was up and at 'em and dressed in her uniform, complete with sheep and sheep's sister, was chomping at the bit to ride the bus and smiling, i stood there in optimistic disbelief... and every day this week has been the same--happy girl, practically skips to school and then home again...
oh, and the zoning office obviously did grant us the ability to send lily to school where we're zoned--but only after lots of tears in their presence, trips back and forth from there to the property appraiser's office, and then waiting for the committee (i likened it to the wizard of oz) to make their decision...and the great and powerful oz said "yes!"
james was dancing around behind lily, which was so cute...
and here they are--bella and james--dressed and ready to start their first day at their new school, which they also loved! they waltzed right into their room and bella beelined for the playdoh and james headed straight for the cars...they barely looked up when i told them good-bye...
ty marched into his classroom like he owned the place...we brought in his book about him and his arm and his teachers read it to the class, which helped to answer some questions
this was bella this afternoon...one of those afternoons made out of cryptonite to mothers everywhere--it is raining...after i advertised the pool...and i was looking forward to the pool...and they've all been getting under each other's skin and mine...and i don't know if the rain outside amplifies the sounds inside (probably not), but the kids sure seem louder when we're cooped up inside--or maybe it's because they all choose to orbit around me, lord of the flies style...
here's another peek into our new house...and this is how it actually looks this afternoon...the downstairs stays clean because all the kids' stuff is upstairs, which is glorious!!!!
this is looking into the kitchen and dining room, and as you can see we do actually live here...the high counter makes a convenient shelf for the multitude of papers that have already come home just this week from the kids' schools
as you ascend the stairs, you end up in the loft area, which we are enjoying as office space and a cozy place to read with the kids at night...todd has even claimed it's his favorite room in the house (probably mine too)
isn't it cozy? and we are loving the built-in bookshelves! oh! and i should warn you about the next picture--it's of a spider, so consider yourself warned! this friendly big guy lives outside the window in our kitchen and the kids and i have enjoyed watching him spin his web...he faithfully hangs out there, waiting...and this photo is life-size
a few final thoughts...todd and i have started taking a course at our church called "perspectives," which is a very intense study about GOD'S word and what it has to say about world missions. i have been wanting to dive even deeper into the scriptures and this course seems to be the perfect thing. the nugget from last night's session is that God's purpose is to have the peoples from EVERY nation glorify his name--HE is like no other god and HE will not have HIS name be profaned (or made to be low or just like the other gods'). His word emphasizes over and over in both the old testament and the new testament that GOD desires to have to worship of ALL the nations--not just Israel--but people from every tribe and tongue and ethnic group and language, the world over. the more i learn about GOD as i deepen my faith, the more i fall in love with HIM, over and over again...and the same goes for HIS son...
oh, and the zoning office obviously did grant us the ability to send lily to school where we're zoned--but only after lots of tears in their presence, trips back and forth from there to the property appraiser's office, and then waiting for the committee (i likened it to the wizard of oz) to make their decision...and the great and powerful oz said "yes!"
james was dancing around behind lily, which was so cute...
and here they are--bella and james--dressed and ready to start their first day at their new school, which they also loved! they waltzed right into their room and bella beelined for the playdoh and james headed straight for the cars...they barely looked up when i told them good-bye...
ty marched into his classroom like he owned the place...we brought in his book about him and his arm and his teachers read it to the class, which helped to answer some questions
this was bella this afternoon...one of those afternoons made out of cryptonite to mothers everywhere--it is raining...after i advertised the pool...and i was looking forward to the pool...and they've all been getting under each other's skin and mine...and i don't know if the rain outside amplifies the sounds inside (probably not), but the kids sure seem louder when we're cooped up inside--or maybe it's because they all choose to orbit around me, lord of the flies style...
here's another peek into our new house...and this is how it actually looks this afternoon...the downstairs stays clean because all the kids' stuff is upstairs, which is glorious!!!!
this is looking into the kitchen and dining room, and as you can see we do actually live here...the high counter makes a convenient shelf for the multitude of papers that have already come home just this week from the kids' schools
as you ascend the stairs, you end up in the loft area, which we are enjoying as office space and a cozy place to read with the kids at night...todd has even claimed it's his favorite room in the house (probably mine too)
isn't it cozy? and we are loving the built-in bookshelves! oh! and i should warn you about the next picture--it's of a spider, so consider yourself warned! this friendly big guy lives outside the window in our kitchen and the kids and i have enjoyed watching him spin his web...he faithfully hangs out there, waiting...and this photo is life-size
a few final thoughts...todd and i have started taking a course at our church called "perspectives," which is a very intense study about GOD'S word and what it has to say about world missions. i have been wanting to dive even deeper into the scriptures and this course seems to be the perfect thing. the nugget from last night's session is that God's purpose is to have the peoples from EVERY nation glorify his name--HE is like no other god and HE will not have HIS name be profaned (or made to be low or just like the other gods'). His word emphasizes over and over in both the old testament and the new testament that GOD desires to have to worship of ALL the nations--not just Israel--but people from every tribe and tongue and ethnic group and language, the world over. the more i learn about GOD as i deepen my faith, the more i fall in love with HIM, over and over again...and the same goes for HIS son...
Oh good! I have been thinking about you guys ALLLLLL week hoping that the first day and week of school had gone well. Glad to hear it was smiles all around.
ReplyDeleteThe house looks great too, but how come no pictures of the womb? ;)