Another hurdle

Tomorrow morning, Aubrey will face a small hurdle in this race she's running. Her cardiologists have asked to do a heart catheterization in order to investigate what has looked, in recent echocardiograms, like increasing pressure in her pulmonary artery. It is a very minor procedure in the grand scheme of things, but the outcome could bear significantly on how soon she would need major heart surgery.

We prayed for her yesterday in church and I humbly ask that if she comes to mind, you pray with me for her tomorrow, as well.

She has been counting down the days, but not in fear. On the contrary, she is making a special, "just her" trip with Daddy and has been beyond excited as she looks forward to it! In turn, I am beyond blessed by this amazing man who has helped carry her (and me) through each day of her life.

I just love her scrunched-up-with-happiness nose in this picture as her daddy arrived home and then whisked her off on this adventure a bit ago!

I'll do my best to update on the results whenever we get them.

photo dump (and some accompanying verses)

So many beautiful, breathtaking moments this fall-- wedged into the busyness of life as a homeschooling family of nine. Moments that kept bringing my heart back to its center, moments gifted by a Heavenly Father who is daily, line upon line, precept upon precept, teaching me to not get overwhelmed or unduly anxious or inappropriately frustrated, moments that help me remember Who this is all about.

It's not about me.

It's not about my kids.

It's not about my generation or their generation.

It's about Him.

We are part of His story, and the sooner and better we learn that, the more joy we experience in each and every bit of our existence.

What's funny is that these moments are usually very much tied to this life I've been given, these children I'm stewarding, this mission we're about-- and yet when He is fixing my vision, I see right through the temporal, to the One who is eternal and forever praiseworthy; glimpses of the permanent right in the midst of that which is passing away.

For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!

 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never die. No one can snatch them away from me. What my Father has given me is greater than everything, and no one can snatch them away from the Father's care.

Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth.
Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children!
Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

 The Lord upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season.

You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

 

They find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night.

They are like trees that grow beside a stream,

that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up.

(emphasis mine)

Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him;

Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.

He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm,

And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.

 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

 For everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock. Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread? Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish? As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

 The Lord is not slow to do what he has promised, as some think. Instead, he is patient with you, because he does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins.

 Jesus said, “Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

 The wise woman builds her house,

But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

"Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. “Believe in God and believe also in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am."

Claire Evangeline = "bright bringer of good news"

Claire turned five years old on November 1st!

I was smitten by her as a baby, then I adored her as a toddler, and now I am daily delighted in her as a little girl. She is funny, forgiving, affectionate, warm, friendly, forthright, and generous.

Oh! So generous!

We celebrated with a small gathering of some of her favorite people, all of whom are adults and yet considered by her to be her best friends.

She wanted pizza ("Sergi's, Mom. Not yours." Well, then.) and salad with lettuce and carrots and peppers. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (smart girl). And musical chairs before presents.

And although it was altogether a very simple affair, the table was set with pretty pink napkins and pink chevron straws, the chalkboard was updated to duly note the big day, the guests were incredibly obliging, and she was queen for the night!

She has asked over and over and over again throughout the past couple years for an "American doll" like her big sisters. (They're not actually American Girl dolls but Gotz dolls, but she doesn't really care about the details.) This birthday was the special occasion in which she received her very own doll-- Marianne-- and she has already logged countless hours playing with her.

We are so thankful for our Claire Evangline, a true ray of sunshine in the lives of every person she encounters. A part of me wants to freeze her as the cute little girl who says the funny things (every sentence these days seems to begin with "Also?" as though her listeners have been part of the ongoing conversation in her head/day right along with her!), but I am equally eager to see her continue to develop into all that God has created her to be: a beacon of light declaring Good News to a world that is growing darker and darker all around her.

He won't grow weary

By dinnertime Monday evening, I was fried. It had been that kind of Monday for our family. The kind when we all tried quite unsuccessfully to recover from a busy and long weekend while getting a good jump on the week. I was snippy, I was losing my patience, I was annoyed.

"Jesus, I'm sorry for today. Help me enjoy the process," I prayed that night after I wearily tucked my children into bed, repenting to each one individually for my harshness, short-temper, and general irritation.

I get tired of hearing myself pray that. So, so, so tired. And sometimes-- a lot of times-- I am arrogant enough to superimpose my weariness with myself on Christ.

The truth of the matter is that He doesn't grow weary with me. 7x70 times, He forgives me. A broken and contrite spirit He will not deny.

Yesterday in the later afternoon, as I sat in the sunshine, enjoying the brilliant colors of this spectacular autumn, listening to my children play, nursing my baby, relishing the fact that even though the prior few days had been far from perfect, they had been joy-filled days, I realized that He had-- once again-- come to my rescue. In the midst of my exhaustion and defeat, He heard my repentance (repentance uttered in much doubt, if I'm honest) and He was again meeting me in my place of need.

No filter, guys. Just beautiful sunlight and a smooshy baby to kiss.

a Whole 30 breakfast

Since our month of eating Whole 30, Daniel and I have been much more aware of the negative effects of many foods that we used to regularly eat. The truth is that each person is going to "feel" foods differently, and it's super helpful to "learn" your body.

It seems silly to say because, well, didn't I know this (at least a little?!), but I've realized that sugar really bothers me. Way more than it bothers a lot of people. Like, my body is hyper-sensitive to it.

Not that it makes me hyper. (I kind of wish it did, since there are days I could use some hyper in my energy levels, actually!)

On the contrary, it makes me sluggish. It makes my stomach ache. It makes my eyes tired! It throws my pH balance way off. It makes me irritable.

And I can so easily become addicted to it.

This doesn't just apply to sugar, but all foods that the body quickly turns to glucose. Bread, pasta, rice, white potatoes, and basically all the goodness that I love and think of when I think of "special". (Scones, muffins, cinnamon buns, cookies, anyone???) I still eat that stuff, but I'm trying to keep it to what it needs to be for me: special.

To help balance the stuff that is bothersome and to combat hunger that leads to choices that wouldn't be very good for me, for the past month we've continued to do our best to eat Whole 30 for at least two meals a day. If I eat a breakfast that is Whole 30, I find that I'm full enough to make it through the morning without reaching for something quick and handy, which, let's be honest, is almost always something that's not Whole 30. That then leads to a better, more planned lunch rather than eating whatever will get in my belly the fastest.

One of our favorite and almost daily Go-To breakfasts is roasted veggies with fried or poached eggs for us and scrambled eggs for the kids. The veggies can be chopped the day before or first thing in the morning and then they get popped in the oven to roast while we busy ourselves with running, showering, having quiet times, etc. The eggs get cooked at the last minute. Easy-peasy and so, so, so yummy.

I'm telling you: if you don't like the sounds of this breakfast, it's because you've never had roasted veggies!

Pictured below is the tray just before I mixed it all with some olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt. There's nothing tricky about this. All I did was light a candle, turn on some Joni Mitchell, and chop for a blissfully quiet and still-dark 15 minutes before kids were all awake and I was catapulted into another busy day.

From top to bottom: mushrooms, parsnips, sweet potatoes, eggplant, red onion, and fresh thyme & rosemary. Roast in the oven at 400- or 425-degrees (depending on your oven) for 45-60 minutes. I like mine pretty caramelized (ie done)! Topped with a poached egg, which I devoured before I thought to take a picture, it was UH-MAZE-ING.

Romans

We are beginning a series on the book of Romans at church.

I always love when we do a series on a passage/book of the Bible, but I am especially eager for this one. Do you ever have seasons when you just need the Gospel all over again? Because I do-- often-- and right now I am hungrier than ever for it.

The Word of God is living and active. I know this to be true. And yet I am daily amazed by this reality; by its strength, comfort, power, renewing, truth, and awakening.

This soul of mine, so easily overcome by its own inadequacy and brokenness and filth, soars each and every time I learn again that He loves me, He has saved me, He is for me, He will come again for me!

"The just shall live by faith."

Not by works. Not by knowledge. Not by circumstances.

By faith.

It is finished

He has done it.

I need this every day.
Every. Single. Day.

If you can't join us as we work through this study together on Sunday mornings, listen online!

September beauty

Only three weeks into September and I feel that we have already lived the full gamut of what a homeschooling year looks like: highs, lows, successes, failures. Days I wake up excited and ready to go; days I wake up needing to dig deep into what I know to be true in order to put my hand to the plow again.

I was pretty reluctant heading into this new school year. Summer seemed so brief, so fleeting this year. I wanted just a little more, please.

But September came knocking, uninvited though she was. I dusted off the school cupboard, bought new pencils and paper, piled the basket high with library books, and took a deep breath.

And... wouldn't you know... September has been wonderful?

Wonderful in a crazy, emotion-filled, all-over-the-place, real life way.

Wonderful because all along the way-- if I stop long enough to look at the pictures on my phone!-- I realize how gently and faithfully and kindly He leads me.

(This glass-half-empty girl needs these pictures.
I need lots and lots of them.)

nature journals and mid-afternoon snacks

before dinner walks around the block

paper dolls and sister togetherness
 

easy entertainment

Saturday morning treats from Anastasia's Bakery

truth

diagramming sentences: my favorite!

 much-needed reminders on chaotic days

good old North Country beauty

(I think it's a good thing I'm usually too fried in the hectic moments to take pictures!)