Prophetstown

We took the kids on a field trip last week to Prophetstown State Park in Battle Creek. There was absolutely no one there. I mean no one! We had the whole park to ourselves. It was a beautiful place for the kids to play and explore. We are planning on going back in a couple of weeks when the leaves start changing to take some pictures of the kids.

We had some playtime on the plays set before lunch.

Josh loved this thing.

He's just too cute!

We then headed over to the farmhouse which is meant to look like a home would in the 1920's. Here's Liv looking at pictures in 3-d.

Nate thought the typewriter was neat.

"What is this thing?" Josh asked, "And how do I make it work?"

Learning the purpose of a windmill.

We had a great family day!

The Next Chapter

God has been moving in a big way in our lives lately. Over the last year I have felt God speaking to me about adoption. Nothing huge. Just settle little hints that He would place in my path. I mentioned it to Jeff and he turned me down with his reasons so I let it go.  However I continued to feel the pulling of the Spirit. About four months ago Olivia came up to me and said that she had been praying about us adopting a child. I felt like my heart was coming out of my chest. She had not known that I had these feelings and now the Spirit was working in her young life only convicting me even more. I again brought it up to Jeff about three months ago and he didn't say yes but said it was something we could look into and pray about. About three weeks ago I was reading a book Choosing To See by Mary Beth Chapman, wife of Steven Curtis Chapman. They have adopted three girls and the whole time I fought back the tears and constantly felt the Spirit stirring inside me. Thinking I knew what Jeff would say, I approached  him again waiting to be shot down with a list of excuses.. Surprisingly he said that along with praying about it together he had also been praying about it in his quiet time and feels like this is something to get serious about. So we started our research, contacted an agency, gathered information. So last week for for our anniversary Jeff wrote me a beautiful letter about our life together being like a book with many chapters. He then said that it was time to start the new chapter and agreed to go through with the adoption process. So for our 15th anniversary we gave each other an adoption application which we filled out and sent in. We were approved for the first application and have started this new faith walk in our life. We are totally depending on God in taking each step with us and showing us which country He wants us to go to. We know that if this is His will then we are going to see some pretty amazing things take place. Our whole focus along this journey is to do this His way and giving Him all the glory each and every step so we can be a family for a little girl that needs to be loved. I feel like we are getting out of the boat like Jesus told his disciples and getting into the water. The thing about God is that He is so unpredictable. I never would have imagined us homeschooling our children or trying to adopt a child 15 years ago. I had our life all planned out in a neat little box and none of this was in my box. Just like this song below says, "But we will never know the awesome power of the grace of God  until we let ourselves get swept away into this holy flood. So if you'll take may hand we'll close our eyes and count to three and take a leap of faith." So please pray for us as we are diving in and going deep! We are also asking for everyone to join us in praying everyday for the mother of the child we may be blessed with. Pray for her health, decisions, and most importantly her salvation. Also for the child that may or may not be conceived yet. Blessings

 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. 

James 1:27

Workin Hard

Liv and Josh pushed up their sleeves and worked hard this weekend. Liv and I made applesauce all Saturday afternoon. We ended up with 30 quarts of sauce. We will hopefully get 30 more done next Saturday which will keep us stocked for a year. 
For church we had Sunday serve day.  Instead of having church we divide up into teams and go out into the community to serve. Liv, Josh and I did landscaping at the new Habitat for Humanity house in Kokomo. Nate stayed at the nursery at church to help pack Christmas shoe boxes.

Liv cranking away making applesauce. She is such a great helper.

Josh digging a hole at the habitat house for his plant.

Livy busy planting.

Josh and his buddy Luke. They both did great helping. Then after awhile this hill looked like a lot more fun for them.

Teamwork! All the kids thought if they worked together they could get this huge tree root out.

All the kiddos that helped at this site. Great job kids!

Koh Koh Mah

It's time to start field trips again. Today we went with the home school group we are a part of and went to Koh Koh Mah. This is the first year we went. I was really impressed with all of the reenacting and the history the kids were able to learn. 

This is the skeleton of an Indian wigwam.

Learning that Indians used animal horns to make all kinds of things.

Josh sitting with the Indian boy at the campfire.

Josh really enjoyed watching them make bullets for their muskets.

Livy tasting some of their food. She really liked it.

Watching at the spinning wheel.

They had all kinds of games the children used to play back in the 1700's. Liv and Josh both enjoyed trying all the games.

Candle making was a big hit.

Of course we had to buy a sword for a souvenir.

15th Anniversary

I am celebrating 15 years of marriage today with the love of my life. We are celebrating 15 years of love, laughter, tears, fears, joy, fights, bliss, being tested to the max and every other emotion one can imagine. Marriage is feeling all these emotions. But at the end of the day knowing I would do it all over again just to hear you say I love you now and forever. This song, I feel, was written about us and our life together so far. We are dancing through this life together facing trials and joys knowing in the end it will be worth it.  I am looking forward to what He has planned for the next 15 years. I love you so much and I believe in us.

Good Times

We had a barn party at Andrea and Ryan's last night. We had so much fun just hanging out together and watching all the kids play. I love that our church has a great group of kids Liv, Josh and Nate's age to grow up with. It is such a blessing how close they all are that it seems like they are all brothers and sisters when they are together.  I know it is times like these we will always cherish.

Flying in the rain.

Liv and Lanie tackling the boys.

Miss Mayce, Lanie, Livy & Maryn enjoying the hayride.

Braxton & Carter trying to enjoy the hayride.....those girls were really something.

Us & our boys enjoying the hay ride.

Giddy Up

I took the kids over to Mom and Allen's to ride Amy and Polly this afternoon. They all enjoyed their horse ride. Thank you Grammy and Allen!!

Nate's first time on.  He had always been to scared before.

Cowboy Josh!

Liv always wants to go fast.

Josh and Liv, out for a stroll.

Boys Room

My labor day project is to paint the boys room. Tonight I went in to start taking down the border. But as soon as I got started Liv and Jake came in and took over. They had the whole room done in 20 min. I can't believe how easy it came down. Great job guys!

They were racing to see who could get the most off.

Liv won!  It came off in huge sections.

 

Courageous

This is Casting Crowns newest song and theme song for the movie Courageous which comes to theaters Sept. 30. We  have to wait until Oct. to go see it for our couples night at church. Then our small group is doing the bible study that goes with it. 
This song absolutely brings me goose bumps every time I hear it. It is so true that Christian men in this country need to be Courageous and start being the heads of their homes and leaders in the work place. I am so thankful for Jeff and to his accountability partner at work, Troy, for shining for Jesus in an occupation in which you see the worst in people. I hope they will be able to use this video and movie as a tool to lead other men at work to Christ and to be leaders in their homes.
I also want thank you honey for being the spiritual head of our home and leading me and the kids in the word and lifting our family and marriage in prayer everyday. I love you and  I am so proud that you are constantly answering God's calling in our home, work and church. You are truly a courageous man in every area of your life.
Also, Brittany I think of you when hearing this. Thank you for answering His calling and starting the marriage mentoring at church. This video is exactly what we have talked about. There is a roaring lion in  our churches trying to tear marriages apart. I know how much you will love this movie. Can't wait to see it with you guys. 

Just another day...

Just took the pictures off the camera and here's a look of what we've been up to the last couple of days...

Liv and Josh playing in the rain.

Josh as Popeye. It is now the boys favorite cartoon.

The next couple of pictures are from a church pool party we had Sunday. The kids all enjoy hanging out together.(We missed your family Brittany!)

We love our church family soooo much.

On the days Jeff is sleeping, Liv and Josh each take turns playing with Nate while I teach the other one. Olivia has really enjoyed teaching Nate. I think she got the teacher gene from me. I can imagine her teaching someday.

Here she is putting together a book of colors she made with him.

Another thing she got from me is the love of Laura Ingalls Wilder. She has read the book set we got her and now has discovered the TV series. She loves anything from that time period. She was so excited  when I gave her this bed cap I made for her yesterday. She had been wearing a doctors cap to bed before that. Now she wants me to make her matching pj's. I'll see what we can do.

Too funny

This clip is of comedian Tim Hawkins. Jeff and I saw him when we went to the Cincinnati home school conference back in April.  He and his wife home school their 3 kids. He has some funny stuff about home schooling. Here's one I can relate to when he mentions the parent/teacher conference. Seems I do it a lot. Enjoy!

Got Beef?

So a couple of weeks ago at church Ryan Zeck comes up to me and hands me a paper and to fill out.  He said there is half a beef at the locker with our name on it and we just need to let them know how we want everything packaged. I had know idea they had one of their cows taken in. So I asked him how much we needed to pay him and he replies nothing. After arguing with him all during church I gave in and just had to realize that when someone wants to be a  blessing to  you you let them. So last week Andrea showed up with a freezer full of beef for us.  We are so thankful not only for the beef but for the friendship we  share to travel this life with.

"I thank my God every time I remember you. " Philippians 1:3

So now after loosing a freezer full of pork last year due to a little one unplugging the freezer, I am paranoid about losing this beef. I am out there everyday checking on it.   

Weekend

We have had a busy weekend. Jeff went to a shoot with a friend from work on Saturday up in Wabash. They had a great time and met some neat people. He can't wait until Josh and Nate are old enough to take in a couple of years. While he was doing that I had the privilege of taking Liv, Josh and Nate clothes shopping in Carmel. I was exhausted when we got home and remembered why I like to shop online. Sunday we had church then Jeff had to go into work for a couple of hours to set up for a class he's doing this next week. To finish off the weekend Zecks came over for dinner and to play a little ball.  So much for a little RR this weekend. Bring on Monday. 

Jeff with T-Bone (some famous hunter). Jeff was a little excited

 

Thankful

I just want to thank God for keeping Mom and Allen safe last evening at the State Fair.  They were at the concert sitting directly across from the scene. It just makes me realize how short this life is and that at anytime our loved ones could be gone. I have been thanking Him every time I see the news footage that they were kept safe, but also for their salvation in Jesus. For if it would have been them sitting in those seats I know they would be in His arms right now.  Love you mom.

What we've been up to...

I downloaded pictures from the camera tonight and here's a look at the couple of days...

Our two man band.

We started school on Monday. Here they are doing their nature studies. Check out Nate. He loves doing whatever big brother and sister are doing.

Tomatoes, tomatoes and more tomatoes. We made juice the last two days. I know we are not even close to being done yet.

And the most exciting news, Josh got his cast off! As soon as we got home he jumped in the pool. Followed by a bubble bath then back into the pool after dinner. He has 6 weeks of swimming to make up for. We have not seen him this excited for several weeks. It's good to have the old Josh man back!