This is the first picture I have played with using Photoshop.  I used a watercolor filter.  It's my first attempt.  It took much longer than expected to upload it since I saved it in a weird place.  I am getting caught up on technology since I quit using it in 2000.  I have spent the last eight years just getting by.  I have a steep learning curve to overcome, but at least I got one picture done.  I am excited to learn how to use this new software.  It really helps to have someone who knows more about this that I can call.  Thanks Olaf!  I will get more pictures up as I slowly calm down and am able to continue to resist the urge to hurl my laptop across the room.  

Christmas doings

I haven't yet posted pictures from this Christmas because I got Photoshop Elements and can't figure out how to compress the pictures.  We shall see how this works.  So far I don't think that it has worked.  I tried to make the picture quality worse, but somehow that isn't the key.  It's taken a couple of minutes to try and upload one picture at low quality.  I decided to make it quit.  I will try again later.  If anybody knows how to make it compress I would be eternally grateful.  

We all had a good time this Christmas.  The boys got Nerf guns from Oma and have really enjoyed having gun battles.  On the wii, we got one.  From Mema and Papa to all of us.  Thank you so much.  I think I forgot to tell you when I talked to you earlier.  The boys are currently bowling.   And they are interested in boxing.  Maybe I should use that for toy disputes.  That would be a creative use of technology!  Esther got some fun books and has been busy learning to try and walk.  She stands alone from time to time.  

Peter is at work today.  He has been putting the finishing touches on his greenhouse and is getting ready to go to abroad.  He will be spending some time in Europe as well as the Middle East.  

I am trying to keep everybody healthy for when school is back in session.

Fun pictures from the last couple of days

Here are some photos from the last week or so. They aren't in any order.

We got some good snow the last couple of days.  

The kids practiced at Logos for singing on Sunday.

On Wednesday at Logos the tables were decorated with manger scenes.  This one was made in Kentucky from coal. 

 

Making crayons with the kids.  Here Micah and Samuel are helping to take the wrappers off the crayons.  

Leaps and bounds

Esther is growing and developing by leaps and bounds.  She has started walking around the ottoman.  Yesterday she learned how to say "more" with baby signs (can I get an amen!).  And now she is pulling the books off the bookshelf.  So far it's only half of a shelf, but it will be more within a matter of moments.  Amazingly, she has cut any teeth yet!  She's been teething for a couple of months now and still no teeth!  I can't decide if I should be happy or frustrated.  I'm ready for this to be over, but then again YOW!  She is finally over the cold she got when we went to Oregon.  Mostly by staying at home all the time.  Well, not ALL the time, only when I don't have obligations.  But she is much happier now.  So it looks like I will be doing that a ton more.  I prefer a happy baby even if I have to spend a lot of time alone.  Another reason she is happier is that she is now being actual people food put through the baby food grinder.  Somewhere she tasted salt.  So that was the end of baby food from jars.  It's better that way anyhow, cheaper too!  So she's getting some fat along with all her other nutrients.  She had spaghetti for the first time on Monday.  The baby food grinder had a very nice side effect on Monday, no messy baby to put directly into a bath after spaghetti!

She is now standing at the ottoman eating puffies.  And she is trying to get to my computer.  Silly girl.  I can't wait to play girl things with her.  Don't get me wrong, I love to play light sabers, but sometimes it would be nice to play dolls.  And when I say dolls, I mean dolls where the dolls stay dolls they don't turn into guns or bad robots bent on universal destruction!   Next time more cool updates on the boys!

Solitude

I have been reading the discipline of solitude chapter in Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.  So far I am enjoying it.  I haven't read the whole book right through.  I know that is the way books are meant to be read, but I decided not to.  Mainly because I am in a period of God-forced solitude in my life.   God seems to have a purpose for it right now, so I am trying to learn why.  (Sidenote, I decided to get over myself and buy a Message Bible. ) 

I had a really hard, lonely Sunday since Peter was out of the house most of the day.  And he also took a nap when he was home.  I'm not upset, just explaining being alone!  The kids were sick so I couldn't go to church.  

I haven't finished reading the chapter yet by any means, but the first point I have come to that I don't understand is that we are to have solitude and fellowship together.  I mean that you cannot have one without the other.  I completely agree with this assertion.  I also know that lately have had more solitude than fellowship.  On pages 97-98 he says

"Therefore, we must seek out the recreating stillness of solitude if we want to be with others meaningfully.  We must seek the fellowship and accountability of others if we want to be alone safely.  We must cultivate both if we are to live in obedience."

I agree completely with these ideas.  I am endeavoring to be obedient, but how is it possible if a meet aloneness at ever turn.  

Can we have fellowship primary through modern means?  I'm speaking of telephone and internet.  At this point that's what I have.  I have read at couple of blogs that say we can't get all we need in terms of fellowship primarily these ways.  I just wonder if that's true.   Just writing this and making it real is an accountability in itself.  Anybody who reads this can ask me questions on this subject whenever they like.  

I have to wonder what good work God is doing in me right now.  I don't question whether He is refining me or if it is good, but what exactly I am supposed to be learning right now.  I think that there is a difference, and it isn't a slight one either.  I show faith in believing He is holding me in the fire.  

That's how far I have gotten for now.  

The soul of it

Yesterday we were making big crayons by melting the small, broken crayons. It was tons of fun. Of course Samuel loved it because he is still a destrucobot. I realize it's not a real word, but that's what he is! However, sometimes I think that he may willing to hand the title over to Esther. (As she is currently trying to destroy books!) Anyway, we were tearing off the paper and breaking them further. Micah, our talker, announced that he knew what the soul of the crayons were. It was white. Only my sensitive Micah would see things that way. We talked about it some more and he explained that white was they really were, that's how they all started. Other colors were added to change the crayons.

Thanksgiving pictures

To buy or not to buy

Peter and I coming down on different sides of a theoretical argument, no heated words. He wants to buy another gaming system, a Wii. (I realize that as far as this Christmas is concerned that ship has sailed, none to be found.) I have already broken my in-my-head agreement with myself that we would never have one of any kind. Which is a bother to me not to him, since I didn't tell him until the last second. I just assumed we would never have one. We have a playstation2. The boys play it together some. Mostly on the weekends because we don't allow it on school days. He wants to get it because the games are so family friendly and the boys could all play it together, which would be great. I can totally see his point, it would promote family togetherness. I, however, would prefer that the boys just play with toys and such. I really try to limit the amount of time the kids play the playstation.

Now here's the super crazy part. I don't feel like I can tell Peter this. (And by writing this will not be some backhanded, manipulating way of telling him, he doesn't read my blog.) It's not about submission, I know he would love my input and really wants it. It is has to do with him knowing more about boys than I do. I so told you it was crazy.