MacGyver

I don't know what I was thinking, but I forgot the diaper bag. Five loads of stuff to the car in order to go to the park with friends, and I left the diaper bag sitting by the door.
Well, after borrowing TWO diapers from a friend (thanks Glory!), this super duper pooper left me with very few options.
So, we used an old T-shirt, safety pinned like old school cloth, with a ziploc bag as the diaper cover. Yep. Cut holes for his legs and went for it. And it worked!!! :-)
Always an adventure....

First day....

I know it sounds funny...but, Thursday was really the first day in a decade that I got ready in the morning to go somewhere, and dropped all my little people off somewhere for the whole day.
It was our first day of the Reality Ministry Internship. I wish I had the words to really convey all that today held for us....but all I can really say is that I remember someone thanking us for being there today and my mind immediately thought, "Are you kidding me? It was an honor, a privilege, a bless your socks off kind of day."
So, maybe after processing, I'll be able to share some more....but for today, I am just basking in God's goodness and thanking Him for the wonderful things He is stirring up in our hearts.

Technology....

This picture of Caleb is from when the kids got to go to Apple Camp. Which totally reminds me that I need to post about that, especially post the movies they made!
But for today, that is besides the point. Caleb doesn't have an iPhone or iPad- as far as I know, has never texted or anything. But on Fridays, we do math on the iPad. It's a fun way to practice math facts and take a break from the more intensive work they do during the week.
Anyway, we had just gotten home from a friend's house, and Caleb asked if he could have his turn on the iPad. He went in and pretty much zoned out in the cyber world of Marble Math. We ended up talking and chatting with the neighbors out front, and then went over to their house so the kids could play with toys while we were talking. It suddenly occurred to me that Caleb was alone at our house...but I was too *lazy* to go and get him. I had a thought....
I texted the iPad and said:
Caleb! We're next door at the neighbor's. STOP playing the iPad. Come over.
Imagine my shock, within seconds when I received the reply:
Ok.
And then, there he was. I laughed for days and hugged him in repeated shock. I couldn't believe it! When I asked him about it....he so casually said, "Well, I just clicked on the text message, and then there was a place to type my reply, so I did. Then I hit "send".
Wow. The fact that they have been having to type a paragraph or two every week on the computer is definitely working in my favor! But it just reminds me of how quickly they are growing up. Technology can definitely be an advantage at times. ;-)

Homeschool Night

Ben and I were just laughing the other day at God's perfect timing. We chose to do anatomy and physiology for science this year, not yet knowing that even as we learn all about our bodies and how God has made them...he is forming and weaving together our little
one. :-)
Anyhow! Ben really enjoys science...so last night he took over and read their science to the kids-(only the big 3 were required to listen, but it is just so compelling to be at the table when Daddy and the 3 big ones are there!!)
We were reading all about bones. Some of the favorite facts we learned-bones make blood, our bones are stronger pound-for-pound than steel, and yet still flexible enough to resist some injuries.
We did an experiment showing God's creative genius in giving us both a skull and a layer of fluid to protect our brains. And, we got to play with the microscope!
And to top it all off, we read "Leif the Lucky" before going to bed!
It is such a blessing that Ben enjoys hopping in and helping us finish up what we weren't able to accomplish during days where I am just not able. All in all, it was a super fun night!! :-)

Some sounds never get old....

A baby's heartbeat is one of them. Today, we heard our baby's heartbeat! It was beautiful and brought so much joy to all of us. So comforting-the reminder that the Creator of the universe is knitting together a tiny person in my womb.
Ben noted that it is so "interesting" that we are studying anatomy and physiology right now. He said "I'm heir lab!!"
We just read about how after 3 weeks of life, the cells are already differentiating, and forming our baby's organs.
Oh Lord! You are amazing! Thank you for letting us hear your creative glory today!!

Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger. (Psalm 8:2 ESV)

Celebration!

Noah finished Sing, Spell, Read, and Write this week (which, for those who don't know what this is, it is a phonics-based reading program.). They say that when you finish, you are reading at about a third grade reading level. I'm not sure if that is true or not , but Noah is my third child to have finished it and so far, I have three that love reading and do it well.
Anyhow...Noah finished this week, so he had a special frozen yogurt date with mommy and daddy (Thank you Grandma Nash for watching all four of the others!!!). Thankfully, Bliss (here in Ojai) has a non-dairy option. Noah enjoyed the special attention, the holding hands, the frozen yogurt with TONS of candy toppings...but he beamed with joy the entire time, looking into our eyes, as mommy and daddy took turns praying over him. We asked God to give him a love for His Word, and the ability to read and understand it. We spent a lot of time just thanking God for the many things that make Noah so unique in our family.
It was so sweet, such a special time for all three of us.
Congratulations Noah Benjamin! You have worked hard! :-)

A Signpost for God's Sovereignty....

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentleness (graciousness, forbearance) be known to all men.

The Lord is at hand."

Philippians 4:4-5

     We all have a way of making our plans, don't we?  Even those of us who don't consider ourselves "planners".  We have a general idea in our minds of how it will go.  You know, you'll get married and have 5 lovely years together before having 2 kids.  You will work up until the first baby comes, and then go back to work part-time when the children are ready to enter preschool.  Or, maybe the plans are even for the "great, big things" that God is doing...like, I will enter full-time, vocational ministry.  I will plant a church.  I will become a missionary.  Whatever the plans are...we have them.  And, it is a part of life to deal with the fact that our "plans" just don't always work out.  PRAISE THE LORD!!

"A man's heart plans his way,

But the LORD directs his steps."

Proverbs 16:9

     So, Ben and I had made some plans.  With serious, heartfelt, intentional prayer, we were seeking the Lord's will regarding an internship program that our church is offering.  This is a gnarly, serious internship.  It requires 24 hours of time per week- 12 hours of "learning", and 12 hours of "service."  But the point is, we had committed to 5:30am prayer meetings on Monday mornings, just Ben and I, in order to intentionally seek the Lord on whether or not this was His plan for us.  Both of us.  We both felt God stirring, moving in our hearts.  Maybe this was the "next step" we had been waiting for.

     Imagine our surprise, then, in the midst of God seeming to move us in this direction of the internship, beginning to prepare our family and our schedule for this big adjustment, when God sent an adjustment of His own:  

TWO LINES.

     On the pregnancy test, that is.  Oh man.  This was not the plan....Our first thought was that this must obviously mean "no" for the internship.  But God has a really interesting way of doing things.  He is still moving things along in the direction of the internship, giving us favor with Ben's work...So, I don't know the answer to the internship question.  We are still in the "pray and wait" phase on that one.  We'd love it if you would join us in praying for God's will in that.

     But in the mean time.... Isn't it funny, how often when we are seeking the Lord's will, we humans want to ask God for "a sign"?  Well, for now...He has given us a sign.  It speaks loudly, and boldly of God's sovereignty.  His plan and His timing is perfect.  We were not planning for another baby right now.  But God was.  And His plans are ALWAYS BETTER.  Maybe, just maybe, I am learning to enjoy the ride a little more.  Because amidst all the unknowns of a pregnancy: how will I feel?  will my back go out?  can we fit another one in our car???  Amidst all these unknowns, I have the most amazing signpost that shouts out:

"You alone are the LORD;

You have made heaven,

The heaven of heavens, with all their host,

The earth and everything on it,

And You preserve them all.

The host of heaven worships You."

Nehemiah 9:6

     And of course...this signpost of God's sovereignty reminds me all over again:

"For You formed my inward parts;

You covered (wove) me in my mother's womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them."

Psalm 139:13-18

     All of the days of this child's life were written, before one of them has ever come to be.  God has a plan.  It is better than mine, and He is accomplishing His purposes in our life.  So today, instead of being frustrated that it doesn't look how I thought it would, or wallowing in all the unknowns...I'm choosing to rejoice in His Sovereignty.  To declare that He alone is good.  I'm going to join in with the host of heaven, and worship the amazing, sovereign Creator.  I'm going to rejoice that the Lord is near. I'm going to believe His Word when He says that He has chosen to BLESS us with another child.  And on the days where I am sick on the floor...oh, Lord, by Your Spirit, remind me of this signpost, the one that tells me that You are Sovereign, and we are exactly where You want us to be right now.  

"Unless the Lord builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord guards the city,

The watchman stays awake in vain...

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one's youth.

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;

They shall not be ashamed,

But shall speak with their enemies in the gate."

From Psalm 127

(quickly becoming familiar in our family)