Ayer

 Pues…

After spending more than six hours in the ol’ CC yesterday, which was two more hours than I had expected, due to tachycardia induced by my negligence resulting in dehydration, I came home spent. 

As I got out of the car, I thought, “I surely hope that the door is unlocked, because I really don’t think I can even fish the keys out of my bag.”  I approached the door, and it opened.  My ever-vigilant Girumy was there.  He took my book-heavy bag from me and I saw that my slippers had been poised at the top of the stairs.  As I was washing my hands to get all of the hand sanitizer off, I noticed that there was a mug and a bag of tea waiting next to Zogirushi-san.  I walked into my room: There was a bowl of grapes on my side table and my ipad was propped up, ready to be viewed.  Calming tea was served to me in bed.

What a blessed family and home I have!  God is good.

My man-child still plays, thank God

 

Yeh, we popped in

Peaches! What?!

At my orchard, there is a peach tree.  It’s a very healthy, promising tree; however, the rodents have harvested before me every year… till this one.  While working over there mid-summer, I saw all of the sweet promises, but figured that I’d never get to them before the animals.  And then one day, Rob and the kids went over there to work and I resignedly asked Ty to bring me bunches of mint.  He didn’t.  Instead…

Perfect, sweet, juicy peaches!  What a miracle!

There WAS garden glory…

… mostly photographed by my budding artist, G.  Again, I felt like my garden was my fight against the mess; my focus on God’s creation, instead of on the disaster we usually make of it.

The harvest moon has come…

 … and I’ve left so much unsaid and undone.  Time just keeps a’tickin’ and I’m simply trying to live.

-a lion’s breath-

Let me see…

The kids all went to Fort for camps this summer and had a blast.  In nearly every photo of G, he was flexing, to the smiles of all around.  Yes, he is handsome and buff… and he knows it; however, that knowledge doesn’t seem to have spoiled him yet.  Ty’s week away started out with tears, but a great counselor talked him out of it.  Soph., well, Soph. went away for the first time, for TWO weeks, and loved every minute of it.  Ha!  I’m glad that we waited to send her and I’m glad that she went.

In between all of that the boys attended church’s basketball camp where we learned that they’re good at shooting, thanks to our home-hoop, but they stink as part of a team.  :/  They’ve also spent HOURS at a neighborhood pool, where Sophie has lost her fear of water, thank you God!, and Ty can swim all proper-like.  

We ended our summer with the now-annual Mattzelberg Camping Trip.  What a blessing to be in such a super trio of fams.

Oh, yes, that is Hatchet Bacon… coming soon to a food truck near you.

Which one of these does not belong here?  (to the Sesame Street tune)

On Monday, we’ll start to study, God willing.  Sixth and Eighth grades.  I didn’t think that I’d make it this far, so I am so thankful.  God, please let me finish.  

-another lion’s breath-

Camp magic for Mamá

I was sitting cross-legged on the front lawn with my coffee, being lulled by the Yellow Tractor, when all of the sudden “the sound of freedom” (according those stationed in Beaufort) thundered through the air, so close to the ground.  I whooped with glee and clapped my hands like a child.  

My domestic happy place

Three adults, six kids, seven bikes and one kid-trailer, and more “peanut buttah’ baws” than you can count all quite comfortably snugged into our friends’ Silver Bullet and we drove down and over to… 

…my United Statesian Happy Place.

They biked, swam and played in the sand, while I walked and walked and got freckled.

In the most exciting news, I finally got baptized (by my son) as an adult and then we two baptized my daughter!

It was such a blessed and cousin-y week!

Minus the sleeping Yeshua

Thank you, God!

Ay.

Pues, pasó otra vez.  -un gran suspiro-

I mean, it IS the first time that I’ve been alone for enough time to post in FOR…E…VER.  G is at camp for the week and the twins are swimming with the dear Ws.  My two older “daughters” are still asleep, having researched, studied and worked until so late.

So, a family vacation happened in my Domestic Happy Place, birthdays passed, the school year ended and my Dear Summer has set in.  Currently, I’m awaiting the arrival of my dear Colombian nieto o nieta!  ¡Qué Dios la ayude y proteja!

I guess I should just start in on the photos, huh?

G was able to go to a car show!  The kid was thrilled.

He’s also been getting interested in photography, turning our everyday items into art.  Seeing the beauty.

However, copying “actual art” is a bit too confining for his taste.  This activity was forced.  :(

And then it was Pumpkin's turn

 

Ty gave her non-spicy, cheese-y chips... which was pure love to her.  :). And we are all so thrilled that she likes carrot cake.  Yum!

Friday Nights

After having to take a break during the lastest COVID surge, we're finally back.  When we began again last week, it was as if we hadn't even stopped.  It was so good to see so many students again.  The following picture is a glimpse into the kitchen, pre-dinner.

¡Ay!

Here we are again... months have gone by and I haven't recorded the memories for my family.  Why?  Well, you know... asylum seekers, hungry students, homeschool, cancer, chores, prayer meetings, pointless meetings, ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM!

Where shall I even begin?  OK, in order... the Asylum Seeker.  Ours is great.  We love her.  She was divinely matched to our family.  But it's work... for her and for me.  God is good, though, so we are slogging through this mess together and seeing miracles being done for her.  Following is her first day of classes, happily traipsing through the cold snow, with symbolic balloons and melodic hope.

And then we were able to celebrate her birthday, with scones, samosas and falafel.  How well she fits in, no?  In the evening we had a hilarious skating party for all of her friends.

Yeh... my goal during the party was not to freeze, so Comrade NM hooked me up with this sweet hat.