Fall Update

It seems as if my writing here has waned in the last season. This is a positive space for me. I have worked to keep it only that. The positive have been the routine, i.e. HOTW, Read Alouds, camping, and some of my philosophical rants.  With the return to Fall, comes a return to greater routine.  I welcome it.  Here is a beginning of Fall update.

• I recently turned 34-years-old.  I always remember growing up and thinking about how old I would be when it was the year 2000.  Twenty-four always seemed so old.  I don't feel old+ten years.
• I ate breakfast with Benjamin this morning for his birthday.  He is turning 8-years-old.  We have been eating breakfast together on his birthday for four years.  I distinctly remember being 8-years-old.  Mrs. Rhabi's class, birthday spankings, writing stories on the paper where you could draw a picture on the top half.  Ben will remember these days.
• Amanda began her third year as the official teacher of our two home educated kids.  She has a first and a third grader.  Transition was a bit of a challenge, but they seem to be off and running.  We went for a date the other night and spent some wonderful, much over due time together.
• Lucy is sitting up by herself and we are trying to train her to crawl.  She is the most independent of all of our kids.  She is a smiley and sweet little thing.  She was up from 2AM-9AM a week ago.  She is getting all four of her top teeth.  She had a couple days of not feeling well and not being very sweet.  Thankfully, she's over that now.
• Matthew is having to come inside.  He lives and loves being outside.  I think the winter will be difficult for him.  He will turn 5-years-old next week.  He loves his brothers, but he and Molly are best friends.  He is growing and beginning to look a bit like a clown on his little bike.  Maybe this Christmas will bring a big kid's bike.
• Caleb is lamenting having to review the things he learned in math last year.  He was so looking forward to charging ahead in that  area.  Unfortunately, they are reviewing counting to 10.  He only rolls his eyes.  He will get to the meat of mathematics soon enough.  He got Uncle Joe's half-sized violin in the mail from Gigi yesterday.  When we got it out of the box and he was able to hold it this morning he was all smiles.  Lessons from Mom will begin soon.
• Molly, almost 3 and a half-years-old, is still a joy to have around.  Like her dad she is at times governed by her belly: grouchy when hungry, emotional when tired.  She loves sitting and reading books or asking anyone available to read them to her.  Pink is still her favorite color, but has begun to be okay with purple, white and some other colors in her pallet.  She is a tough girl, not to be outdone by her brothers or to be left behind.  A skinned knee or even the most recent road rash on her face from a fall of the quad, only mean a brief cry before she's back at it.
• I am teaching second grade on Wednesday night at church again this year.  Amanda is venturing into 4th grade Sunday School team leading.  She will do the logistical work behind the scenes and I'll do the Sunday morning stuff.
• Having finished the epistle of Philippians, we are reading Galatians and celebrating God's completely undeserved favor on us in salvation.  We are working to put effort (unmeritorious effort for sure) into keeping ourselves in the love of God.

We hope this Fall finds you celebrating Christ's grace to you.  Thanks for reading.