Everyday is a full fun day! Many opportunities for practicing Romans 12 that reminds us to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God by dying to self and I Cor 13 that reminds us of what real love is. God is so gracious to teach us daily through real life situations to love and trust Him and to love others. With Nikkae gone, the load has definitely been heavier on everyone because she so selflessly served and carried a huge amount of responsibility especially in the areas of special loving touches when it came to bathing, dressing and fixing up the little ones. She always enjoyed making them feel special by reading in the evenings to them. The food organizing and shopping was also her specialty along with being the fun party coordinator. She is definitely gifted with making a beautiful special party out of little or nothing. This "birthday" month is a challenge to say the least but everyone is doing a great job cheerfully carrying the extra load!
Just thought we would give you a glimpse of some of the activity that goes on in an ordinary day around here and how it takes real love, sacrifice, and commitment to God and others in our home for a SUCCESSFUL day.
The day begins about 6:00 (since watching the Olympics it's been 6:30) for Dad and the oldest ones
Personal Bible and prayer time
Algebra w/Dad
Family Bible time
Animal chores
Brkfst/clean-up
Practice instruments, pick-up house, laundry,
Algebra homework, school work with the younger ones
Projects we are working on: painting and making shelves for utility closet, painting the dog kennels, cleaning out goat pens, preparing chicken yard for chickens, clipping chicken wings, fixing fencing, tearing out old water heater and cleaning up closet to make room for filter, softner and larger water heater, mowing, weedwhipping, pool fix-it jobs and maintenance, brushing the animals, trying to do some landscaping, putting up 2 lights in the laundry room and fixing the fan etc. etc. :)
Lunch/clean-up
Read and lay the little ones down for naps while Kristalyn, Brenton, and Benjamin do their own reading and the oldest ones are busy with the projects started in the morning and Kath does some sewing
All the younger ones (Kristalyn on down) swim unless the boys don't have football then they all jump in! Big guys had been practicing running and sprints to prepare for the football that is well underway this week!
More laundry, clean-up house and prepare supper
Guys get home (today the girls had harp lessons so they come home with the boys about 7:30)
Eat supper/clean-up TALK FOOTBALL
Brandon empties all gym bags and washes ALL practice clothes and disinfects the pads and helmets :) while Anthony and Jonathan head out to do all the animal chores with their younger brothers and TALK FOOTBALL
Watch some Olympics/ TALK FOOTBALL
Tuck little ones in bed/ TALK FOOTBALL
Watch some more Olympics, snack, weight lifting, TALK FOOTBALL
Check the computer for "important" mail, news and sports
TALK FOOTBALL TALK FOOTBALL and did I mention TALK FOOTBALL?
Bible reading and prayer...Thank the Lord for FOOTBALL and pray that no one gets seriously hurt again this year!
Go to BED
By the way, there is a whole lot more that goes on around here that I couldn't possibly get it all down; such as the little ones grabbing their brothers football gear and putting it on any chance they get or all the owies that need to be washed and kissed and bandaged or the training sessions regarding pulling chairs to the counters and getting into all the food :) We also have times where tears come from forgetting to put their little boots on before running outside in the fire ants :(
and on and on the list goes!
Preparing for football~
Kristalyn giving rides _
Clipping the chickens wings and then moving them to the fenced in chicken area. ~
Always seems to be way too much laundry to do! ~
Boys and Dad painting the dog kennels ~
When most of the family is working hard outside in the heat, somehow a couple of us find ourselves inside where the air conditioning is and the food. :) ~
Making a shelf ~
