Spring Has Sprung!

I haven't not posted because there's nothing going on -- I haven't posted because there's too much going on! We have been super busy lately. It seemed like once spring hit (which in Georgia is generally late February!) we hit the ground running. The kids have been outside playing nearly every day and it's all we can do to keep up with Katie's school.

Katie's appetite for reading and learning has increased exponentially over the last several months. She reads anything she can get her hands on. She really likes comic books (Baby Blues/Foxtrot) and her school books. Recently Katie has been reading an encyclopedia of animals and a book about the Titanic. She told me that her school books are more like "regular" books because they're so much fun to read. She has four loose teeth, in varying stages, though she hasn't quite lost one yet.

Little Joe is beside me now in the kitchen, pretending to be Daisy. If I "accidentally" call him 'Joe' he says, "No, I'll be Daisy!" His imagination is really developing. He is talking a lot more, though his social skills aren't quite there yet. :) When he sees someone he wants to greet, he does different funny things as though he's not sure what to do. For example, he'll hit himself in the head, or stick his tongue out, or just hide behind my legs. Yesterday he greeted Mrs. Chrissy by head-butting a nearby bush. We're looking into obedience schools to try to teach him how to shake.

Jeff has been asked by his boss if he'd be interested in going to a management seminar! Of course Jeff said yes, so he'll go sometime next year. After that, he'll take some management classes, and that puts him in a position for promotion. We're very excited, especially since I've been encouraging him in this for several years. I think he would be great in management level, since he's already showing many of the qualities of a good leader. Also, the district manager, Foster Taliferro, was in Jefferson recently to scout out a good location for a new plant on the quarry site. Jeff (who has been one of the primary operators) told Foster what he thought was the only logical, efficient place to put the plant. Foster said, "You know, I think you may be right." Sure enough, when the plans were made, Jeff's suggestion was what the company had decided to go with. There was another question of what to do concerning an aspect of the plant, and Foster asked Jeff what he thought. Jeff told him that he'd been trying to get it done that way since the plant was built four years ago. It is an answer to our prayers to have Jeff's contribution at work acknowleged! He's been tempted to leave the company for a long time, but every time we prayed about it he continued to feel that this is where God wants him. We know we're in God's will for Jeff to stay where he is, but it's nice to get physical confirmation!

You Asked For It! More Stories

Being a big sister must be tough! This morning I found a note Katie had just written to Joseph, after she had reached her limit of patience (15 seconds!).

Dear Joe,
I am not Helping you with your silly Puzzle any more

O.K.

to Joe
from Katie

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous, so I sent the kids outside to play while I cleaned house. (It's so much easier when they're not destroying everything right behind me!) I had the doors and windows open and could hear them playing. At one point I just had to go outside -- I heard Katie yelling, "Help! Somebody rescue me!" from the top of the slide. She was trying to get Joe to help her, but he was busy attempting to ride Katie's bike. I called, "Sir! You with the bike! My little girl is trapped -- can you save her?" Joseph's little face lit up, and mouth open, he ran to rescue Katie. Katie climbed down with Joe's "help" and ran to me, hugging me. To Joe, I said, "Thank you so much, sir, for saving my little girl!" He grinned and ran for the slide so he could take his turn. Obliging, I yelled to Katie, "Oh, ma'am! My little boy is trapped!" etcetera, and we went through the routine again. My children are hilarious!

What an amazing privilege it is to be able to enjoy these moments with our kids! I am so blessed to be able to stay home with Kaitlyn and Joseph. I wouldn't trade a moment.

Funny Girl

I was checking my e-mail this morning, drinking my coffee, while Katie and Joe were in the living room playing. It was a stormy day and I overheard Kaitlyn say, "Okay, when you hear the thunder, that's when it's time to fight!" I caught her eye and said, "No, ma'am!" Disappointed, she replied, "But that's what happens in the movies!" Now that's an astute little girl! The Lion King, The Great Mouse Detective, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty . . .

A Walk in the Park

(When it rains it pours! I finally finished a roll of film and had it developed, hence all the pictures I've been posting. Expect another flood when I get the pictures developed from our trip to the circus today!) Just yesterday we went to the park with some friends. Chrissy sent out an e-mail with the subject line, "Prison Break!" and told everyone to meet at the park if they were free. We should have been doing school, but Katie's a little ahead of schedule and it was an absolutely beautiful day so we went! Jackson County schools are out this week, which means that Maysville Elementary School's new playground was available. The kids had a blast playing outside for a couple of hours, and we had lunch at Chick-Fil-A afterwards.

(Note: In order to view the bottom picture correctly, simply focus on the photo and touch your left ear to your left shoulder.)

Just Like Daddy!

For Christmas this year, our friends the Ariails gave Joe a shaving kit! Not a real one, of course, but it has a toy razor, soap "shaving cream", a comb, and a lather brush. Joseph knew immediately what it was -- when I handed him the razor he began "shaving" with it and exclaimed, "Like Daddy!" Could he BE any cuter?! (That's a rhetorical question, Professor!)

Happy (Late) Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day our homeschool group had a party at the Davis' house. Unfortunately, several of our families (including yours truly) were sick and couldn't come. But those who were well and able to make it had a lot of fun! There are about 9 families in our group, totaling about 19 children ranging from toddlers to teenagers. Despite being deeply disappointed about not being able to attend the party, Katie and Joe had lots of fun making Valentines for their friends. Joe drove a truck through black paint, then across a rectangle of paper. I wrote, "You're a 'wheel'-y good friend!" on them and we attached a foil covered chocolate racecar. Katie wrapped different fruits in tissue paper and tied them with ribbon. She attached corresponding cards that read, "I go bananas for you!" or "You're a 'grape' friend!" or "'Orange' you glad we're friends?" or "You're the apple of my eye!"

Joseph's Turn

Joe is at that adorable age where he is talking a lot, and asking lots of questions. I may have mentioned before that one of his favorite games is asking "Where's . . .?" We go through Katie, Daddy, Mommy, Daisy, etc. His favorite time to play this is when we're all in the car together, or when we've tucked him into bed. In fact, he has an elaborate stalling plan for bedtime. We usually manage to preempt his tactics but he tries anyway. (You have to imagine the following routine with the slight speech impediment of toddlers, and a sweetly entreating voice.) "I go potty!" "I want wa-wer." "Read me, peese!" "Sing song!" (Which song?) "Jesus world." (Jesus Loves the Little Children) during which we have to "Hold hands! Bof hands!" "Mommy, way down my piwow." "I want Chokwit!" (That's his teddy bear.) Followed of course by the "Where's. . .?" game.

More Katie-Joe Stories

I had a request today for more stories about the kids on the blog. I'm nothing if not obliging, so here goes! The first thing of note is that Katie's bottom front teeth are wiggling ever so slightly! Kait was very excited, and I cried. And now, a story from the future snaggletooth. She dictated this essay to me on October 24, 2006. Look out, Henry David Thoreau!

"I want to live in a log house, because I think it will be warm and cozy. My father will probably build it with a saw and other things. I want my room to be painted purple with flowers on the walls. The living room, I hope, will have a fireplace. I will have yummy food to eat, like deer meat. My kitchen won't have a refrigerator or a sink. We will get our water from a lake. I would like to drink fresh water from the lake."

Outdoorsmen's Ministry

In January of 2006, our church had a list of prayer concerns for the year, one of which was that the men of Maysville Baptist would experience a revival. We had been praying and determined to continue praying that our men would rise up as head of their homes, becoming godly men who loved the Lord and served others. Throughout the year God honored that request in many ways, most notably by leading the men of our church to begin an Outdoorsmen's Ministry. A business man in our church, knowing the lack of space we are struggling with, offered the use of his restaurant on Wednesday nights as a place for the men to meet. That was the last week of July. Between then and now, we have seen nearly 60 salvations as a direct result of that ministry. The men who already knew Christ as their savior began experiencing the revival we had been praying so earnestly for. At least 7 of the men who were saved had their wives or children follow them in trusting Christ. In 2005, we had a Sunday School challenge (Mission Impossible) of 250 people in Sunday School by October. This past Sunday, we had an attendance of 383! Last night our Outdoorsmen's Ministry hosted a Wild Game Dinner for the men in our church and community. The event quickly grew to the point that we had to move it to the civic center in a nearby town. Over 700 men attended! They were served deer, elk, wild boar, alligator, quail, squirrel, rabbit, turtle stew and yard bird (chicken). But as David Sharpton, our minister of education and evangelism, said last night, that was just the appetizer. Chris Pritchett, a pastor from Bowman, GA, served the main course of the Bread of Life. When the invitation was given, 49 men gave their lives over to Jesus Christ!

God is so good!

What a week we have had! I had a migraine Monday and Tuesday and then Tuesday night started developing a sore throat. Wednesday night, about 11, Katie wakes us up with symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Thursday we all truck to the doctor (pediatrics only, no adult treatment). I have a fever, I'm aching all over -- my head hurts and my throat hurts. (Did I mention we had an ice storm Wednesday night? It was cold and nasty on Thursday.) After Katie sees the pediatrician we learn we have to go to the hospital lab before we can go home. The kids are gone all day Friday and I sleep most of the day. Saturday we end up at the Quick Care clinic because Joe has a snotty nose and says his ear hurts and I'm not getting any better on my own! When we pull into the parking lot, Kaitlyn tells me it hurts when she swallows. I fill out all the paperwork in triplicate so we can be seen. After seeing the doctor and a trip to the pharmacy, I pull over in the parking lot and administer three doses of antibiotics -- Joe, Katie, Mommy. Now, you might be wondering what the heading on this message has to do with everyone being sick. Well, I left some things out. Thursday, my friend Chrissy brought us dinner. Thursday night, Jeff took the kids to his parents house for them to stay the next day. Friday, Chrissy brings me books and other goodies. Saturday, Ashley calls to see how I'm doing. Every day my mom calls to check in and empathize. Saturday, she orders Papa John's Pizza on-line to be delivered for our dinner. I call Judy about a commitment I know I can't fulfill the following day and she prays with me over the phone. Also on Saturday, unaware of my being sick, Lisa calls to chat and says, "You sound like Tinkerbell!" She tells me to make a list, and brings us groceries. This morning, Jeff's parents call to check on us and to see how we're doing. God is so good!