Why I Laugh When They Ask....

"You have a doberman? How does she do with your kids?"

Kiera and Ziva

I thought if you could only see the wealth of love, you'd understand. :-)

Although, Isaac did chase her tonight with a wooden spoon. How did she respond? By hiding next to Daddy... She knows who's boss!

Kiera, Workin' Hard

Because shoveling snow off the porch is SOO much fun! :-)

My Grandpa Elliott Memories and Jokes

You know how they often allow people to share memories at services? Well, as much as I would like to, I know that I can't do that because I would feel strong until I got up there, and then I'd look out over the sea of faces that share such a love for the person we're celebrating... and that would be the end of my strength. But I thought I'd list a few of my personal thoughts here, memories and jokes...

In my personal memorial basket, I included some vegetables and a jar of sweet relish. The vegetables were a remembrance of being one of those crazy Elliott kids who won't eat their vegetables... But I'm trying to now, Grandpa, really. The other part is something I cannot change. I cannot eat sweet relish. It gags me (same with Miracle Whip or sweet pickles). I included it because a funny memory I have is one time when I was little, Grandpa prepared my hamburger for me. He put sweet relish on it, and you know, once you put it on, you can't take it off. He made me eat it, but when I tried to swallow that first bite, I gagged and threw up all over the plate. :-) I think he believed me after that.

I also chose to carry Coke to the table, because although it was called "Peanuts and Pepsi time," I always remember drinking Coke and thinking that was pretty odd. :-)

A couple funny things I was thinking about...
It's a shame that Grandpa Elliott didn't get to know Melia better. She'd have given him enough material for his repertoire of blond jokes to last until she grew up!

About Grandpa in Heaven.... he's probably giving the angels a hard time about "being blonde..."

When we were growing up, we always sold things for school fundraisers and asked for sponsorships for 4-H. I would go up to Grandpa, give him the whole shpeal (is that even a word?) only to have him tell me that I had to ask Grandma 'cause she had the checkbook. I remember thinking "Can't you just say yes and tell her to write me a check?" :-) Anyways, I was considering when the Lord will ask him if he's been responsible with that which he'd been given, and Grandpa will shrug his shoulders and say to the Lord, "I dunno. You'll have to wait until Leota gets here, 'cause she's got the checkbook!" :-)

Another thing is I always remember Grandpa getting frustrated with me for not picking all the berries. I'd only pick the biggest, prettiest ones. After all, I didn't understand why you'd want to pick such little, puny ones. I'd obviously never made raspberry jam :-) Now I know sometimes those little ones have the best flavor!

In my yard I have some grafted fruit trees. I will be joyful when I have a variety of fruits harvested from the same tree because I remember being amazed at his variety of plums, all on one tree!

Pepsi and peanuts with Jesus

Tears fell today as my heart began saying goodbye to my grandpa. My mind said goodbye months ago as he was diagnosed with Alzheimers and stopped recognizing us. But now to know he's whole again is a sigh of relief through the sadness.

Melia has such a tender heart. She ran to her bed and cried when we told her. Her grief breaks my own heart so much more.

Melia's Many Observations

Melia: I sure hope winter doesn't last to long, because I REALLY don't like winter.
Me: Don't you like the snow?
Melia: Yes, I like the snow. What I don't like is falling down in the snow. I get so freezing cold when I do that.
My thought? Sounds like a personal problem!! :-)


Melia: The wind blew hard last night? I hope the bridge is ok!
(Kiera then explains to her that the bridge has big things under it that hold it up. :-)


Melia: What's the name of the person in charge of the whole world?
Me: There isn't one person in charge of the whole world.
Melia: You mean there's only Jesus?
Yep. You got it right, hon!

Tuna Fish

It cracks me up that Isaac doesn't really like tuna fish. Gabe does NOT like tuna fish, or anything that comes from water. But the girls love it, so it's one of my "go-to" lunches when Gabe is not home. Today Melia asked for "you know, that fish that we really like, but Daddy doesn't like very much? Can we have that today?" :-) Isaac is eating it, but the first bite came right back out. It took a little convincing....

Mrs. Choate

Melia: Dear Jesus, please help Mrs Choate to get better. Please just fix her blood and make her back to the way she was.


Please be praying for our dear Mrs. Choate- she's the girls' Sunday School teacher, and today she was flown to Harborview to be seen by a neurosurgeon due to "spilled blood" on her brain. Thank you.

11*9*10

Nov.9: I am thankful for the body of Christ. That we are supposed to be edifying to one another, lifting each other up when we each need it. And boy, do I need it! I tend to keep my issues to myself and a very small group of friends, but when asked how I can be prayed for- I can't keep the tears from flowing! Mommyhood is hard. It just is. Add life in, and it can darn near be overwhelming. Thankfully, God has given some the incredible gift of encouragement to be a blessing to others. I am thankful for those people.

A New Milestone

Melia definitely has a loose tooth! She's been saying she did for a while, but I couldn't really feel it until now :-) Now, to get that next set fixed on Wednesday. Last Wednesday she had the worst set of cavities fixed. It was a VERY large check to write, but the good thing is that she didn't have to have a mini-root canal. That saved us a bit. But I have to write another one this Wednesday... Ouch. It's one of those parenting mistakes that's really costing us, but at least it can be fixed.

(If you don't know what I mean, last spring when we took her in and thought she was on our insurance, we found out she wasn't, and got an estimate on what it was going to cost us then... well, now it was even worse because we tried to wait until she was on the insurance, plus trying to find a better deal. Ugh.)

11*8*10

Nov 8: I am thankful for the gift of teaching. I count myself blessed to have had the opportunity to sit under a number of different Bible teachers, and I appreciate each of their different ways of showing others the magnificence of Scripture. I know that the Spirit opens our ears to what He has for us, but He also works through those teaching. Those who are humble and willing to decrease, that He may increase.

11*7*10

Nov 7: I am thankful that while the details of God's plan are possibly infinite, the basic understanding can be grasped by the youngest of minds. When we read the Bible or talk about God and Jesus, the questions and truths that emit from the mouths of my children amaze me.

Just the other night we were reading about Adam and Eve, and the Fall, and Melia asks, "Why didn't God just forgive Adam and Eve?" What a great question! And the answers, when understood, are applicable to our whole lives.

And yesterday, painting at the rental, we're listening to John being read aloud on MP3... It gets to chapter 8 where Jesus is talking to the Pharisees, and in verse 25, they ask "who art thou?" I hear Kiera whisper under her voice..."Jesus..."

What a sweet sweet sound- the name of my Savior and King, uttered and claimed from the lips of my daughter...

11*6*10

Nov 6: I am so thankful that the Lord somehow endows us parents with unending patience. Even when it means putting the child in a crib, and shutting the door. Today was a terrible day. I'm not sure what the problem was, lack of sleep, too much mucous clogging his breathing passages, or what... but Isaac was UNhappy. Meaning - only happy when he's hitting the cat, digging in the fireplace soot, or in the bathtub. The rest of the time, screaming screaming screaming. So, he spent a lot of time in his crib. And I'm thankful that God has allowed me to recognize that this doesn't make me a bad mom. Actually, it's the opposite. Because too much screaming gets to every single one of us, and then we might do something we'd really regret later. So, when I get him out, he gets love. And he gets love as I am putting him back down, 5 minutes later. :-)

Have you ever wondered at the profoundness of parental lessons from God's perspective? Not that He ever runs out of patience, but I bet sometimes He turns a deaf ear to our screaming about our situations that we've made for ourselves and our lack of blessings and why we "just don't think He's really serious" about something in His word. Thankfully, He's always waiting for us to stop screaming and start listening... the Faithful Father, patiently waiting for us to walk with Him instead of floundering about on our own. :-)

Look what I made!

I made skirts for Kiera and I out of jeans that had worn out spots on them. Nifty huh? :-)

It amuses me (kind of) that every time I get out my sewing machine, I need my resident mechanical mind, aka Gabe, to help me relearn how to use it....

11*5*10

Nov 5: I am grateful for God's creativity! I am awed beyond belief when I wonder at the precise design of His creation. From the stars in the sky to the brilliant colors which exist where no one witnesses them, from the grandest whale to the microscopic machines which make life possible... Along the same lines, I am so thankful that He has called me by name, that I may recognize that He alone is Creator, and that I am not an accident.

11*4*10

Nov.4: I am thankful that life is not about me. It's all about Him. He wants me to be conformed to His image so that others can see Him in my life. As humbling as it is, I find comfort in the fact that everything I am clouds or blocks His light shining through me, but as I see His will and listen to Him, the light will shine brighter and the window of my life will become more transparent. I am thankful that for all my mistakes, He is greater still.

11*3*10

Nov. 3: I am thankful for all the godly examples in my life. From my pastor and his wife, to mentoring couples we've known for years, to family members on both sides, I know we are TRULY blessed to have those who can help us to examine our perspectives, learn from what God is saying, and humble ourselves when the situation calls for it! I'm thankful for the storms I've witnessed in lives near to me- for the opportunity to pray for God's will, not my own. To see miracles that have no other explanations.

11*2*10

Nov. 2: I am thankful for the Word. It truly is alive, teaching and molding me through its pages. I love how I can read a story I've "known" nearly all my life, and yet He still uses it to teach me a fresh word, a new understanding. I appreciate my freedom to own several copies and different translations with no fear of persecution. I love the technology of our day; the blueletterbible.com where I can search for further knowledge and understanding, having esword on Gabe's phone- all the ways we can have immediate access to the most important book we own.

Thankful it's November? 11*1*10

Can anyone else NOT believe it's November? Last year I chose not to do the thankful thing because I was afraid I would sound redundant, but this year I feel like doing it would be helpful to my overwhelmed feelings day in and day out. So here goes:

Nov 1: I am so thankful for my Father God. He continues to amaze me at how He gives wisdom when I am at the end of myself, turning to Him to whom I should have turned first. He is Faithful to meet us where we are, to show us the way through the storms step by step.

Ooohh... and yet as I wrote this I was inspired to write 30 days of how thankful I am for God in my life... This will be good, and it will definitely require further inspiration! Even though He is Infinite... my mind is not! What a great idea- Thank you Lord!

Fundraiser for our Homeschool Co-op: Deadline NOV 3

We do a gift card fundraiser to help cover our insurance and rent at our little co-op.

How it works:
1. You order your gift cards.
2. You send me a check along with the ending printout page of what you ordered.
3. The co-op purchases these cards at a discounted rate, allowing them to keep the difference.

I hope you will consider what purchases you will be making this holiday season and consider pre-purchasing gift cards to cover that expense. There is a huge variety of brands available- go to shopwithscrip.com to take a gander! Visa is also included; it's located under "specialty retailers."

To enroll/order:
Go to shopwithscrip.com and click on the green box on the left hand side that says "Family Sign Up!"
Enter your information.
On the next page, enter our enrollment code "C3936L9223618"
Go through the ordering process. Print out the ending page with your total and send it to me along with a check for the total amount.

November 3rd is our deadline, so as long as you order by the end of that day (Wednesday) and let me know that your check is in the mail, I'll include your order. I'd really appreciate all the help we can get! Thank you!!

***Another way you can support us is to enroll with your Safeway club card at escrip.com. Our organization name is Columbia Christian Homeschool Co-op. It's very easy, and all you have to do is use your club card when you shop! Thanks!