Multitude Monday--belated (112-127)

I'm thankful for my clown...my Halloween hating, goofy, fun loving, silly joking, handsome, faithful, tall, self proclaimed awesome, kind, ornery, caring, teasing, affectionate, girl crazy, intelligent, athletic, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful son who turns 15 this week!

I'm thankful for my drive to school...for safe delivery to and from on so, so, so many days! I've made this drive over 1,000 times! And aren't I lucky?
Thankful for time alone with my Jess..
...for songs of praise that uplift me for the whole day.
....for the awesome beauty that soothes me, awes me, shows me greatness in the handiwork of the Creator....

For the clean feel/look of a fresh blanket of snow..washing and covering the summer playground of campers, fishers, tourists, locals who seek solace here.

For giggles and smiles!
For the first night in the upstairs rooms....
....for my husband's hard work, dedication and skill that gets it all done! YEA!

For teamwork...for shared excitement!

For all the hands that build and help so the goal is accomplished sooner.

Multitude Monday---counting my blessings

I love this song. I have loved it for four years. Everytime I hear it, I get a lump in my throat or I just cry because of the emotions it draws out of me. Read it, look it up and LISTEN to it. It is helping me count my blessings today, a day early.


"Stained Glass Masquerade"

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

101. the tears. I'm so thankful for tears. my tears, her tears, all tears. tears in church, tears brought to the surface by words of praise. washing our souls, revealing our naked hearts and needs to God, willingly.

102. I'm thankful for people who live "real". People who don' t live by habits or expected performances. People who hurt and fail and aren't afraid to say so. People who trust God and know failure is what drives us to Him.

103. I'm thankful for people who recite Bible verses when they offer advice, when it is appropriate.

104. I was deeply affected by a facebook post that said, "it this biblebook now?" referring to people who quote bible verses or put spiritual messages on their status updates. It made me thankful for the stranger who did it and apparently offended my "friend". We can read concert updates, meanness updates, whiney updates, poor me updates...why not PRAISE GOD updates? Stranger, I'm thankful for you!

105. I'm thankful for car rides with kids and the conversations that spontaneously erupt.

106. .....and for my kids. Yes, i've counted them before, but this is a new day and I feel the thankfulness in a new way.

107. for lemon pie yogurt. YUM.

108-110. for the familiar flecks and lines in my daughter's blue eyes. For the familiar markings on her face and the smell of her skin. For the fact that she still needs me that close when she is sick and I still get to see that face so up close.

111. for our new daughter/sister. for the hope of healing and for believing in miracles. for God guiding this decision and giving affirmation so many times.

I'm thankful. Thankful feels good in my heart and mind. Thankful feels right. I like when thankfulness comes by force as it is today. I'm thankful for REAL LIFE that stops me in my tracks and makes me feel heartbeats instead of plasticness. I'm thankful.....

A Saturday in October

This was such a sweet view out of my back door, I grabbed my camera. Cathryn called to say she was walking over. Cody met her and strolled with her. Lizzie knows her as the nice lady who gives her cookies and LOVES her!

Meet Selina...she is our new daughter/sister for an undetermined amount of time. We are so glad to have her in our home! She is a blessing to be counted!

I think this is Thing One and Thing Two out of the Dr. Suess book.....

Making churros for dessert.

the finished product and two pretty girls!

Lori, this one is for you. Cathryn gave me these cups today. They were her mothers. Aren't they pretty? They make me think of Grandmother. I just wanted you to see them because I knew you'd like them too!

Update

We were approved yesterday. Last evening, we picked up our new "daughter" and settled her in as much as possible on a school night.

We have no intention of replacing her family. She has one. Sure, we will love her and she will become part of our family. That is already happening. We are here to be a tool to support her and her family while they work out problems.

It is a new endeavor and we feel God's hand in it. Please pray for ALL of us!

Just wanted to let you know!

MULTITUDE MONDAY!

Time to count on to my 1000 gifts....

This past week we've been going thru the hoops of becoming a foster family. It isn't just foster paretns, because this is a family decision. We were asked for a place to live...we called the authorities...they started the process...we prayed some more...we interviewed...we will hear if the placement is granted sometime this week.

That is my 101...someone wants to find refuge in our home.

102...We all want to do this, if it is God's will.

103...God has given us a peace about his decision and there is not apprehension.

104...God is bigger than any problems any child has. He IS.

105....God answers prayers.

106....Psalms 23.

107...our education system is facing major cuts, soon. My job may be in jeopardy. God knows the plan and that is enough for me.

108...four little baby chicks are depending on me. Two weeks ago they were the size of eggs, now they are sooo much bigger! Nature is cool!

109....there is no such thing as coincidence, and I'm thankful to believe that.

110...Today I lived..I breathed..I saw, felt, heard, smelled, touched. Today is a blessing.

A bit of this 'n that

This is a little berry eating bear on the side of the road this afternoon. These are not great pictures, but jess was snapping as I was watching my rear view mirror! He was much closer than this makes him look.

We are chasing these girls all around the county...no countIES these days!

I think this is a sign of spending entirely to much time in Lowes lately! Jess thinks she has a private line in the bath tub and I have my camera, as if I were site seeing!

Multitude Monday--counting my 1000 gifts outloud

Click on "Holy Experience" on my bloglist to see who this got started.

92. I'm thankful for my family...every one of them!

93. I'm thankful for lyrics in music that cross generations and bring our hearts together in song.

94-95. I'm thankful for the loving gentleness in my Dad's hands manifested in his baby chick tending skills this weekend as they babysat my new chicks. How he helped #4 out of its shell and gave him water by hand. How my Mom couldn't help baby talking to the chicks, as I promised her she would!! Their care of my babies brought back a flood of memories of their kind, loving ways that have been my experience for all but 26 years of their lives, before me. I think those memories could count for 1000 or more by themselves!

96. I'm thankful for my 4 little miracle chicks I can take to school today and excite the students who have patiently waited for their hatching.

97. I'm thankful for sleepless times during the night and how my Bible study sisters and I agreed we should use those times to pray and listen. They and their children came to my mind, just as we promised to do for each other. It takes away the night fears and gives a purpose to those long moments. I'm thankful for THEIR prayers too!

98. I'm thankful for a solid family and stability in our home as we pray for a specific girl, in foster care, who doesn't have that.

99. I'm thankful for selfless people who open their homes for hurting children. If only we all did it, what a better place this world would be!

100. I'm thankful that counting my first 100 blessings was easy and flowed out. 1000 seems small considering every little thing!

Have a wonderful week! Let me know you stopped by. I love company!

the story of Miss Betty

Meet Miss Betty...she is a hen from our henhouse who came to live in my classroom this month. She decided to set, even though it is fall. I should have known she had mental problems just by that...but no...Jerry candled the eggs for the kids and they could see the living, moving chicks! SO FUN!! We enjoyed having Betty in the classroom as we marked off tally marks and awaited for day 22....which was this past Wednesday. Thursday morning, there was a crack in an egg but I didnt' tell the class. Jerry came up to the the school and, thankfully, looked in on Miss Betty while my kids were out of the room. She had pecked open the hatching egg and killed the baby!!!! HORRORS! He took her home for the weekend and I promised to bring back chicks. We didn't tell the kids about the murderous hen, just used the excuse of needing to look out for the newborns over the weekend.

I am so mad at Miss Betty! Here I had her in my classroom and she was homicidal! I really should have had a background check done first. I wasn't thinking.

Once home, she abandoned her nest. Last night, Jess and I tucked some hatching eggs under our shirts and kept them warm. I claimed labor and asked for backrubs and footrubs but it didn't work. Hummmphf.

Last night at about 11:00, baby one emerged completely. Baby two emerged later. 3 and 4 are peeping and pecking in their eggs.

Newborn chickie last night.

the sweet little babies this morning.

Jess and I are fine though famished and feeling a need for extra rest, after the long labor! (ha..yes, I am being silly.)

So that is Miss Betty's story. She may be arrested but I'm betting she'll get psychiatrict care instead. Insanity, you know. Post partum depression? Who knows. I'm just glad I have some chicks to take back to school!