My Husband Made Me Cry

Today is Abby's birthday...
15.
High school.
Driving Permits.
Growing up.

The teenage years, in many ways, remind me of the toddler years.
Everything seems in a great flux again.The challenges sometimes seem daunting.I never know what to expect from day to day.
But while we struggle with ridiculous things like going to bed at a reasonable hourso we (she) can wake up, you know, before noon.
I get affirmation that things aren't as bad as our late bedtime makes me feel.
I knew that Abby's iPod only played sound through one earbud.
I asked her last year if she wanted a new iPod and she declined stating it was too much trouble to re-do all her playlists.
I asked her again this year.
"Would you like a new iPod?"
She replied, "No."
Me- "Why not??!!"
Abby said, "Mom, it's a luxury.  It still works.  It's only for my personal enjoyment.I'm fine with only having one earbud that works."
At times like that, she puts me to shame.
***
She approached me a few months before her birthday and did ask for something.
She said, "Mom, I know it may be expensive. But, the only thing I want for my birthday this year is a purity ring.  But here's the thing.  I don't want some cheap $10 ring that says, "PURITY" across the front of it.  I want a real ring, with real, you know, diamonds or something.  A ring that truly represents that I value my relationship with Jesus and that I want to stay pure until I am married. I want to pick out a ring that I love and is beautiful."
And by our gracious Lord's provision, this winter Nana worked as temporary help at the Zales outlet store.
She found her ring.

So tonight, at Olive Garden, we played paper telephone and laughed loud enough to disturb tables around us.
And after desserts were brought out, my sweet husband got up from his chair...
and kneeled down in front of his baby daughter...
and said these words,
"Dearest Abigail, I kneel before you now as your earthly father and representative of your Heavenly Father to present you with this ring.  This ring represents a covenant that you have made between Your Holy Bridegroom, Jesus, and you, His Holy Bride.
This represents a covenant of purity, of sanctification, of longsuffering, to keep God's Holy Temple which He has created in you, pure and undefiled.
God has already chosen an earthly husband that He has created just for you. This man will be your earthly covering, provider, best friend, and he will cherish you with all his heart.
This ring represents a place holder until the day your husband replaces it with your wedding ring.
You will know when God brings you this individual because you will have peace that surpasses all understanding. And God will easily communicate this to you if you stay in communion with God.
Enjoy the purity this rings represents.
We (gesturing to all of us) are your family and witnesses in this covenant.
Happy 15th Birthday."

 

The Hobbitt- First Official Trailer

My daughter is hyperventilating.  It's going to be a long year ;)

All Is Well

Just so very busy... but had to share.
This is Elijah's very first ever vocal recital...All Is Well by Michael W. Smith

AHL (9th Grade) Week 10 Writing Assignment

**This was written by Abby and unedited by me except for breaking it up so it is easier to read on the computer**

EWH Week 10 Writing Assignment 11/25/11

Write journal entries from the Exodus through the wilderness as if you were an Israelite. Record your observations, fears, and faith.

Evening.

I feel the dust sting my cheeks as a brisk wind blows over the desert. 

The sun has begun its lowering descent, and everything is tinged with burnished gold light. 

I am sitting on a hill, above the bustle and chaos. 

Our tents stretch as far I can see into the shadows of the mountains to the north.

I know it will only be a minute before mother calls me back to our tent. 

We have to prepare for gathering the manna tomorrow. 

We’ll have to get extra in the morning, for the day after is the seventh day: the Sabbath.

I sit back and remember the first time heavenly food lay upon the ground. 

We had gone and complained to Moses, our leader, about bread and meat. 

Everyone I know has joined the grumbling about how much better the food was in Egypt.

It didn’t look like Moses was too pleased with us. 

I snuck into his meeting with the people- or at least, I peeked through the crack in the tent curtain. 

His eyebrows drew closer and closer the more they complained until you couldn’t even see his eyes. 

And then he sighed. He told them he would go and talk with the Lord about their complaints. 

Seeing the look on his face, I felt guilty, though I wasn’t there when they grumbled.

The next day, the white manna lay on the ground. I’ve never tasted anything like it before in my life! 

I like to close my eyes when I eat it, and imagine our God forming it in the night and 

smiling as He lays it out for us. And I think Him, and then go and feed some to Amram. 

Mother is so busywith the toddlers that Amram’s become my special charge, 

and father is always out with my big brother Phineas.

In fact, I hear mother now- calling my name from the foot of my hill- that’s as far as she’ll go.

I go down the hill, my skirt brushing the dirt and the scraggly bushes. 

The sun winks with one more glimmer of light before ducking beneath the horizon.

Morning-time.

Amram’s fussy today. I try and feed him some of my manna but he won’t have it, 

and instead smacks his little fists into the ground and wails. 

I sigh, glancing around for mother. She’s off with the two toddlers, teaching them to put the manna in the jars. 

I shouldn’t bother her now.

I look back to Amram- and he’s gone. I panic. 

He can’t walk yet- only crawl- so he couldn’t have gone far, could he?

I call his name and begin to run, dashing around our neighbor’s tents. 

“Have you seen Amram?” I ask, but no one has. Almost in tears, 

I’m ready to call mama when I hear a voice, deep and

chuckling, speaking as if to a child. I turn, and see Amram in Moses’ arms, 

and father and Phineas talking with him.

I cannot believe it. Of all people! I approach them nervously. Phineas notices me first. 

“Finally realized he was missing, eh, little sister?” I glare at him. 

“I was looking for him this whole time!” I watch Moses holding Amram in wonder. 

He’s such a powerful man, with a strange, large presence about him- 

yet here I can almost believe that he was once just a shepherd in the wilderness, taking care of his lambs. 

He’s smiling a little, and ruffles Amram’s curly hair.

He spots me and with a teasing look, motions to Amram. 

“Were you looking for him?”

Moses said something to me! Struck dumb, I can only nod and extend my hands. 

Amram jumps into them, and declares that he’s hungry. I hear the men laugh. 

I assure Amram of food, then see that Moses, father, and Phineas have resumed their conversation. 

I pat Amram’s back and go back to our tent.

Next Week.

Moses has gone up to Mount Sinai to receive the law from God. 

The clouds are thick over the mountain- even we can feel the magnificent 

presence of the Lord from down in the valley. 

Moses has warned us not to go near the mountain, or we will die. I believe him. 

The mountain is a terrifying sight—and yet, beautiful as well. 

I wonder what it is like to have a conversation with God like Moses does. 

I suppose it may take some getting used to.

Later.

The people- that is, the grown ups- have started complaining again. 

Moses has been gone for days—and I think they’re getting antsy.

I hear our neighbors declare that Moses died, and that now we are all lost. 

When I walk around through the camp, all I hear is talk of making a god, a better god, who will go before us. 

It sounds wrong, but... The truth is, I think it’s a good idea.

Later.

I’m almost regretting giving my earring and my necklace to Aaron to make our new god, but not quite. 

After all, Moses won’t be coming down anytime soon- we need a new god.

The celebration for our new god is tomorrow.

Moses has come down again.

I can’t imagine water with melted, powdered gold in it can taste very good. 

But either way, I’m probably going to find out in a little bit.

I was stunned when we all looked up and saw Moses standing over us during the celebration for the gold calf- 

in the end I think I’m glad Moses has returned- but it was a dire day for us. 

He’s melting down the idol and is going to make the people drink water 

with the melted stuff in it when he’s done, as punishment. 

In his wrath, he even broke the tablets that had the law on them. 

Now he’ll have to get a new set.

I even heard that Moses had to seriously intercede on our behalf, 

because the Lord was even tempted to destroy us.

Building the tabernacle.

Construction on the tabernacle has begun. 

It gives me thrills, seeing it being erected, piece by piece. 

It is going to be the most glorious thing anyone has ever seen. 

I’m ashamed that the Lord is still with us even after we have turned against Him. 

But perhaps with this visual reminder, we will be less inclined to stray away.

Late Night Conversations With Abby

Abby: You can rest assured that I at least learned one thing from my last science module.
Me: Oh yeah, what's that?
Abby: I know the difference between physical change and chemical change.
Me: So, when you boil an egg and it goes from liquid and runny to a solid hard boiled egg, is that a physical change or chemical change?
(Very confidently)Abby: Physical change!
Me: So, you can unboil an egg and return it to a soft state??
(Pause)Abby: Wait, never mind, I guess I didn't learn anything from my last module.
Ba-rum, dum

:D

Questions Regarding High School Posts

Hi there...
I've had a few emails requesting more posts on Abby and high school.
So far I have posted what her curriculum is, how we've graded for science experiments,and a couple of her writing assignments.
What is it that you'd like to see?
Pictures of her time line book?
More excerpts of her writing?
What day-to-day looks like?
I'd really love to knowand do my best to blog it.
Thanks for your input :)

So, How Ya Been?

So much has happened since I last posted.
This calls for...
{drumroll please}
Bullet Points!
(I love me some bullet points!)


• We went to and are back from San Diego where we helped celebrate Karl's parents 50th Wedding Anniversary.

 Aren't they so cute??!!

• We rarely, and I mean rarely, watch television. But Nana introduced us to X Factor.Completely sucked in!
We love Rachel Crow, Drew, Chris Rene, and my personal favorite...Astro!
My kids follow me around singing this song from his audition:





• We visited a well-known California food establishment for the first time. See if you can guess where we ate...

Underneath our drinks/shakes were bible verse references!

There was a reference on our fries, too!

Have you guessed?

The answer is...

• Even though we were having lots of fun in San Diego I couldn't wait to get back here.
I was in a hurry to see a new member of our family.
In a way that only the Lord can do, Camille, a beautiful, godly young woman, now lives with us.Our family of five unanimously decided to invite her to live with us and she said yes!We are now a happy family of six :)
• We are back to school tomorrow.  Nutcracker rehearsals have started (but only for Charlotte).Outdoor soccer season has ended and indoor soccer has started for Elijah.Abigail is eager to start school up for some reason ;)She looked ahead in her lesson plans and is stoked about Week 10.Go figure... {shakes head}I'm madly rearranging my house since my sewing room is now Camille's room.

• I did some baking this weekend and pulled out an old recipe.I forgot how amazing these Double-Chocolate Walnut Biscotti's were.
Whew! That is enough for now!
But I will soon have an amazing update on my health (you aren't going to believe it!)
Also, a new quilt in the making.
And the all new and improved Nana.
Stay tuned!