At the Speed of Life

Daddy helps Clairesy read her Scripture for our Rejoicing Feast.

I think May might be our busiest month, yet!  I'm tired just looking at our calendar.  Of course, we celebrated Elisabeth's 4th birthday at the end of the month, and I have quite a few pictures to get posted.  Saturday, we finally had our Rejoicing Feast to celebrate God's mercies during and after Scribe's surgery last year, and then Sunday was Mother's Day.

Yesterday, Mountain Man stayed home to take care of a plumbing issue, and we're so thankful the job went smoothly.  Today I'll be enjoying a date with one of my most favorite young ladies.  It's just going to be so much fun!

Later this week there's a trip to a park to meet my friend who moved here from Texas. Friday will be a trip to town and a movie with Scribe.  Saturday will be dinner with some friends, Sunday is a fellowship meal at church, and then Monday, my Mountain Man is actually taking the day off work so the two of us can celebrate my birthday!  Isn't that sweet?

When we came in the house last night from being out for a bit, I happened to say, "Your Daddy would walk on the moon if I asked him to."  That one perplexed the children for quite some time.  You know..."Why would you ask him to do that?" Etc.

The next week will allow for a bit of a breather before we party go out with some friends while their children join ours to enjoy pizza and movies. The next day we'll attend a graduation party, and then, we'll be eating more cake as Reaches Up turns 9 the following weekend!

So, I'll work hard to get those pictures up (because Mom I know you're waiting!) in between these wonderful times.

Of course, as homeschoolers, we really do need to work on being a bit more social!

With love,

I Know How to Spell...

Boo:  "I know how to spell Lah-vee."

Mommy:  What?

Boo: "Lah-vee"

Mommy:  What? (not able to hear over Cap'n's crying)

Boo:  (louder)  "Lah-vee"

Mommy:  "Lah-vee?"  That's not a word.

Boo:  "Well, it's just something I wanted to spell."

Mommy:  "Ok.  Go ahead."

Boo:  L-O-V-E

Mommy:  "Ooooooh...LOVE.  That spells love."

Boo:  (eyes bulge out of the sockets) "Oh."  (Quietly leaves room to ponder the mysteries of phonics.)

Movin' On Up

Out of love for her brother and a passion for phone books,

 Clairesy moves from the high chair to the Big Chair.

Permits and Knives and Birthdays, Oh My!

Yesterday was a big day for our family as we took Scribe to get his learner's permit!  He passed his test just fine and went for his first drive with Mountain Man last night.

He has 6 months to practice his driving and complete his driver's education, and then he'll get his provisional license.  (Meanwhile, Mountain Man will be looking for extra work, and we'll be taking in boarders to live in our shed and on our roof so we can afford our new insurance premium.) 

The Men of the Poff House are off to throw hawks and knives today in the annual competition.  It's been a morning of "the passing down of the shirts."  Reaches Up is wearing Little Big Man's and Little Big Man is wearing Scribe's and Scribe is wearing Mountain Man's.

And we also celebrate Little Bit's 4th birthday today!

Boo loved holding her baby sister.

MeMaw with the Spectacular Six.

Birthday pics to come later....

Love,

Morning Readings

The children and I just finished reading through James Smith's Daily Bible Readings for the Lord's Household.  These are short but very meaty devotions that we read together in the morning at breakfast.  It's a wonderful way to be meditating on the same Scriptures throughout the day.

We're now moving on to The Pastor's Morning Visit.  And, yes, I print out all of the readings.  It's worth the ink!

You can find more to choose from at Grace Gems.

With love,

Easter 2011

We had a delightful Easter celebration this year.  Our church service (the best Easter service we've ever experienced) was followed by an evening dinner celebration with our dear friends, and our time together was simply perfect.

We enjoyed beef roast, biscuits, fruit salad, baked potatoes, and a new roasted asparagus recipe that was a big hit.  Dessert was the favorite cream cheese pound cake with strawberries and whipped cream.

The girls and I had a great time decorating the tables and making special treats for all of the children (13 total).  And wonder of wonders, this year I have a picture of me and Mountain Man and not a group one of the children. :(  It's a good thing I'm capturing pictures of them every day!

Sweet little Anna loved holding Cap'n.  She's practicing for the arrival of their new baby coming this November!  There was much rejoicing around here because of that great news!

"After the guests drive away down the road, we put the food away and load the dishwasher.  Then we...decide all over again what wonderful friends...we have."

~Gladys Taber

 I didn't even get the Easter baskets done until Monday, but no one minded.  They were very grateful for every surprise.  I never get tired of their excitement over the simplest of treasures.  It's such a joy to watch them!

Of course, Cap'n didn't get a basket, and was instead left to wonder why he just ended up with a newly found pack of Daddy's gum, only to enjoy the cardboard packaging.

With love,

O Sweet Exchange!

"O sweet exchange!  O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! that the wickedness of many should be hid in a single Righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors."
Epistle to Diognetus

Contrast in Dark and Light

Daddy and his girl

Deep contrast in dark and light

Same but different

Hold Me Up, O LORD!

"Hold me up--and I shall be safe."

~Psalm 119:117

We need God's constant presence, power, and grace.  Except He upholds us, we shall certainly fall.

We would have fallen before this, if God had not kept us!

We would fall every day, unless we are upheld by an invisible arm!

This day Satan may lay some snare for us!

This day our evil hearts may deceive us!

This day the world may lay some unexpected bait for us!

And unless the Holy Spirit...

opens our eyes,

gives us fresh supplies of grace, or

holds us back by an invisible power---

we shall utterly fall!

"Hold me up--and I shall be safe!"

Let this be our daily prayer!  It will never be unsuitable!

~James Smith, 1840