Our Family - fall Semester 2010
I love semesters. Not necessarily school but semesters. Perhaps we are all so conditioned by them after 16 years of school we don't function as well without their confinement. We have been “semesterless” for 5 years now, and I have contemplated becoming a teacher just to get life back to those convenient 'bite-size pieces' with long recesses. But alas – the boy goes to school and our lives will conveniently be packaged into that schedule for the next 14 years. And the girls start today as well... so over half of our family is “semestered”. And I am feeling hopeful. We are not perhaps starting the semester where I had anticipated. BUT the basement is painted (ish). And we've learned a lot on the way to that coat of paint.
Personal growth is a lot like painting – Saturday we “painted” the basement in only 8 hours with the help of Pastor Rafael and his sprayer. Seems quick. Seems quick - when you forget about the prep work... the 1,000 hours and 90 days of labor to get to that 8 hours. Seems quick - when you neglect the fact that the big hopes and dreams for painting started on Memorial day when I bought the paint for 50% off. And I LIKE the 8 hours of painting where the progress looks AMAZING. Paint changes things. But the 1,000 hours before the painting changed things too. Stealthily. I wasn't such a fan of the stealth.
This semester will not be a painting semester – it will be a prep work semester. A stealth semester. I expect no grand educational miles stones... only endless hours of sounding out letters and singing silly songs. I expect more hours of potty training and whining reformation. I don't expect to start any English classes or Bible studies from our home... to have an outreach ministry at all... just more late night talks and sharing of photos and dreams. I expect we will learn about the Zodiac and our children will surpass us in Chinese. We will play uno and chess... we will share recipes and go over budget. We will continue to be humbled by the generosity of our friends and community... as we were Friday when we were given 2 couches and a VAN. We will be humbled until we cry and question why THEY have the faith that this is all a good idea and we aren't going to screw it up... when we don't. And all this time we will be “preped” together... that one day we may be painted into somethings... someones beautiful... people worthy of the trust and grace already given to us. We will one semester begin to have our lives and the lives others painted with the beauty of God's grace in vivid and unimagined colors. We will move toward that... one semester at a time – together.
Thank you Pastor Rafael!!!
Isn't it pretty?
Goodbye summer 'parking' buddies... it has been fun... let's get together soon... somewhere COOLER!
Maysyn's birthday.... I think 3 is a charm when it comes to kiddos... I am looking forward to her spending time with us this year!
We bought this rice August 17th... how long will it last?....
With these happy cooks around!
Jude and his teacher Mrs. Lowery. He is going to a 1/2 day Christian school this year before we make the big leap into full day public school.
Jude with his best little friend Alie on there way to the classroom. It all went so smoothly except for the little girl fighting to get in the photo. What will she ever do without her "bwuver"???
P.S. After I wrote all this encouraging sap about how slow progress is good progress... our basement flooded again... pretty much exactly the same as it did at our last rain – four months ago. Have I mentioned that moving forward “stealthily” often times feels like moving backward?
This guy is no longer allowed at our house at stressful times. "yep - it pretty much looks like a lake down there."
THANKS MERLE.
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