So I Don't Forget the Journey...

Life Moves On...

2009-12-04T11:56:00.010-07:00

In naming my blog, my desire was to somehow keep a weekly journal of family life, so that we could see, remember, and celebrate God's provision and grace in our lives. I am so very quick to forget the blessings from God...I heard a Bible Study teacher say that is why the words "forget not" are in the Bible so much. God knew we would be sure to forget.

I have done a very poor job of keeping a record of our lives this year, and this has been an eventful year. We have been without my dad for one month now, and God has a way of keeping life moving along, especially with kids in the house. We have cried a lot, but we have also enjoyed our family more, I believe, after seeing first hand how fragile life is. I have been personally inspired to be a kinder, gentler person.

Here are some glimpses of our lives the past month or so. We enjoyed "trick or treating" in our neighborhood this year, Tucker turning 5, and Lauren turning 12. We are loving the toddler stage of the little ones, but my, how fast they can destroy the house! :D It seems the days are getting easier with 6, and we have a rhythm with school. I love, love teaching piano lessons and look forward to it each day. Robb has been busy with Christmas lights this past month...God is so good. We do pray each day for strength for all that needs to be done. We are seeing areas of discipline that need refining, as well as potty training in the very near future!!

As I think about Christmas coming and how busy we can make it, the thought that is on my mind is "Do Less...Be More" . I want to truly enjoy it and not become stressed with what is to be a time of reflection and adoration.

Blessings to you all this December!

life these days...

2009-11-19T19:35:00.004-07:00

Life has taken some twists and turns that I would not have chosen in the past weeks. As many of you know, we lost my father, a healthy and active father, grandfather, husband, and pastor, 2 weeks ago to the H1N1 virus and complications that had set in.

There are no words to describe the "missing him" that I feel...I did not know it was possible to just miss someone like I do. I know all the things that I am supposed to know...he is with Jesus now, his Saviour and friend; God's timing is always the best; we are soon to follow and this life is temporal; ect. Yet there is a hurt, almost a physical ache, to see or talk to him again and no words or thoughts can make that go away.

The most beautiful thing I have witnessed through all of this sorrow...the joy that I have found...the sweet with the bitter... is God's family surrounding us with love and care. It is truly remarkable how people who live very busy lives themselves can squeeze in a few minutes, or hours, or days to ease the load of another. Our freezer has been filled, our table set with meals many times over, our laundry washed and folded, our house cleaned, flowers delivered to our house, muffins on our doorstep, our children loved and cared for. We have been prayed with and for, many cards have been sent, money given for traveling and missed work, and tears have rolled down others' cheeks as I have shared my grief with them. This is God's people at work, being the Body of Christ to us!

I am in wonder and complete humility, and I have prayed daily that my eyes will be opened to needs around me. How sweet to walk these days of sorrow with a friend, just knowing someone cares.

Some days are harder than others, and I have heard that the pain will lessen, but the memories will sweeten. We have the holidays before us and plans to make concerning my sweet mom.

God's arms of comfort have had "skin" on them these past few weeks and our hearts are forever thankful. We are indeed blessed and it is so true that we are filled up in order to be spilled out. And I pray for God's blessing to repay where I can not.

"Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart...there has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears." Phil. 1:3 - 6 (The Message)

This is what I do all day...

2009-11-19T19:10:00.001-07:00

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2009/November/Online-Charter-Schools-Proving-Popular-/

(These families featured are friends of ours, and we partcipate in a co-op every Thursday with them.)

my earthly father...October 9,1946 - November 4, 2009 written and posted originally in 2007

2009-11-11T19:23:00.004-07:00

On October 9th, 61 years ago, a little boy named Thomas Harley McCall entered the world. He was the oldest of four children and set a Godly example for them when he, as a 12 year old boy, felt God's call upon his heart, even though he was not raised in a Christian home. He answered the calling to preach and later married his sweetheart, Carol. This wonderful man is my father and I have been so blessed to have his influence upon my life for all these years. There is so much I could say about him; here are a few things that we all love about him:

His kind heart..he has never been known to be harsh, even when frustrated or upset. I never feared him as I was growing up, and never wanted to make him sad. He always feels for the underdog.

His fun laugh...those of you who know him can recognize that laugh (and the red face to go with it).

The way he has influenced his family and changed what could have been. One of the things that amazes me is how he faced the challenges from his unhappy childhood, and determined to do things differently as a father. He did not use his past as an excuse to live as he was raised, but has now set into place a new legacy.

His interaction with his grandchildren. When around any of his 11 grandsons or 3 granddaughters, he can always be found hugging, holding, or playing with one or more of them. He has made his place in Montana a paradise for little boys (and girls) and my kids so love going there to see them. He is always ready to help little people tie shoes, eat their dinner, hold bottles, saddle up horses, or start four-wheelers. Not being able to grow up around a grandfather, I absolutely love to see him with my children. I hope they always know how blessed they are to have him in their lives.

His absolute love for God...he has made a career out of studying the Scriptures, but beyond that, you can see a deep love of the Word of God. One of my favorite things to do with him late at night is to watch old Gaither movies, and before too long, I will always see his eyes wet with tears as he worships with the music.

His model of marriage...he and my mom are the best of friends and it has been so enjoyable to watch them (especially since I've been married). He treats my mother so sweetly, and in turn, she spoils him to death. Dr. Laura would approve! I never once heard the word "divorce" in regards to them. What a treasure to be an observer of their relationship!

There really could be pages of things to say about him...I will leave with one last thought from my Lauren (as she is looking over my shoulder): "I love the way he is generous with donuts and how he doesn't like the smell of dirty diapers, but does love the smell of baby lotion."
He's truly a good and Godly man and I want to say "Happy Birthday!" I love you!

His thoughts...

2009-07-31T08:41:00.003-06:00

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of the sand."

Ps. 139:17

The Good Life...May 2009

2009-06-15T23:43:00.011-06:00

May was a very fun month...in addition to finishing up school, we enjoyed a trip to the Boise Zoo and seeing the tigers... experiencing a first carousel ride...

checking out the new lions

chillin'...

enjoying the new safari section...

whipping up some strawberry smoothies...

trying new foods every day...

A trip to the mountains to Tony and Amy's cabin on Memorial Day...

catching butterflies with daddy...

catching lizards after a long time of "hunting"...

playing with guns and enjoying peanut butter bars and brothers...

taking it all in...

walking with two great men , feeling loved...

relaxing with friends...

Tie-dying shirts...

Making music with friends...

And enjoying a few more fleeting months of babyhood.

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-27T08:49:00.003-06:00

Mother of 4 (plus 4 more equals 8)

Grandmother of 16 - and each one feels special, listened to, loved

By her beautiful example, this sweet lady is impacting the lives of her children and grandchildren.

By her gracious spirit, she is teaching us what it means to go through hard times and smile through them, knowing that God will walk with us.

We honor her this Mother's Day and every day.

She has cancer...but cancer does not have her!

Is life fair? From children's perspective...

2009-05-05T12:32:00.002-06:00

The other day, Lauren had an assignment to write an editorial. She was having trouble thinking of something she was passionate about. One of the boys spoke up (this happens often during our school day) and asked her if she thought anything was unfair (We don't really use the word "unfair" in our home, but I let it pass this time). This sparked a discussion of what our children felt was "not fair" in their lives:

parents getting to stay up as late as they wanted
parents watching being on the computer as much as they wanted
parents eating whenever they wanted
parents not having to do schoolwork

Then I asked them what they got to do that parents do not get to do. This got them thinking and these were their responses:

parents have to pay more money
parents have to do lots of chores
parents have to change diapers
parents do not have time to do sports
parents have to work while they play
parents have to clean up Preston's messes :D

They all decided that being a kid was not so bad...it makes me think of the country song that talks about all the stages of a life:

"You're going to miss this...You're going to want this back...You're going to wish these days hadn't gone by so fast...These are some good times, so take a good look around...You may not know it now, but you're going to miss this."

This little moment of talking taught us all a lesson and makes me want to enjoy all these things that make up my days; not always pleasant, but God-given and here for a season.

Surprised by JOY

2009-03-31T13:46:00.002-06:00

Life has been different lately. Consuming. A bit exhausting. So very busy. We have had to make the difficult decision to leave the house and property we loved and thought we would raise the kids on and rent a house for now. I have seen my mother suffer incredible pain as she is fighting cancer and recovering from surgery. We experienced a fire at our house a week before we moved and have since experienced all that goes with the repair and insurance. And, we have had sick kids (fever, coughs, aching) for over 2 weeks.
A friend said to me on Sunday," Well, it seems like you have had 4 of life's most stressful happenings in just a few weeks time."
My life is really quite wonderful, and compared to what others are going through, mine is nothing to even blink at. But, there have been a few challenges in my life as of late. And I find myself surprised by joy that I feel.
I don't know why I would be surprised...God's joy is not dependent upon earthly circumstances. I just have had a rather "peachy" life and I guess I thought that when I did go through hard times, I would feel "different" somehow...maybe that it would consume my every day.
I am so very thankful for the peace of God which reminds me constantly that GOD is the one in control. How freeing it is to release the control I never had! I am also very thankful for the people God puts in my life, not the least the 7 wonderful people I live with, to add sunshine and constant reminders of God's goodness and faithfulness. I am so glad to find out the the old songs and lessons I learned as a child are true...God does give joy in the middle of uncertainty in your life...and I don't think I will ever be surprised again. Just thankful.

(Pictures of the lovely house we are in now to follow soon!)

Trusting...

2009-02-23T23:30:00.002-07:00

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus"
Louisa M. R. Stead

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest up on His promise;
Just to know "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
Just in simple faith to plunge me,
Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest and joy and peace.

Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

With toddlers and babies in the house these days, I have been learning a lot about trust and how complicated we make it, as we grow older. My little ones never wonder if they will have food, clean diapers, and lots of love. Though they may not get what they ask or cry for, and may throw a "fit" about it, they seem to never question our love or care for them.
We have several uncertainties in our lives right now. This past week we found out that my sweet mother has cancer. We learned today that the cancer that they thought to be breast cancer is not the primary cancer, and tests will be given tomorrow in order to see if they can successfully find the source of the cancer. This doesn't limit God, however, and we are trusting in His perfect plan. I think one of the benefits of getting "older" is that I have seen God "proved" over and over. I know that "God is God and we are not", as Steven Curtis Chapman says.
My prayer is: "O, for grace to trust Him more"!

Husbands...

2009-02-15T17:34:00.003-07:00

I heard this somewhere on the radio one day and it has "stuck" with me:

"If you want to feel especially thankful for your husband,
listen to a widow tell you about hers. "

Hold them and love them while you can!

My Bro...

2009-01-25T16:27:00.003-07:00

Happy Birthday to my most wonderful brother! I always loved having a big brother, the stronger and wiser one.

He always knows how to make me laugh (and I mean LAUGH!) and think...two very good things.

He made my world feel like a safer place, just by being there.

He showed kindness when I can just imagine irritation was his first reaction.

He showed love and respect to his parents always, something I hope my boys do.

He made a great choice in a wife - my best friend! :)

I have not been able to live around Tom since college days, but have observed his life as he is now a husband and father. He is a very tender, compassionate father and a very loving husband to Jenny. I'm not amazed at all by the man he has become...he has lived his whole life as he is living it today. I am so glad for the influence he is for my kids and only wish I could be near him more. I'm blessed to call him my brother!

choosing...

2009-01-22T22:57:00.003-07:00

This is for every woman who is choosing to raise a child over other options.

I could have more time,
more house,
more room.
but I choose you.

I could have more money,
more things,
more dinners out…
I choose you.

I could have more me-time,
more sleep,
more freedom;
I choose you.

I could have less mess,
less cooking,
less laundry;
I choose you.

I could have less school,
less PBS,
less PB and J;
I choose you.

But because of you,
I have MORE.
More love,
more memories,
more smiles,
more delight,
more tenderness,
more patience,
more joy,
more faith.

I have no doubt it is a good choice.

Years ago, our MOPS director gave us this format to write our own poem and this is what I wrote. I only had three children then, but it is still so true and has only doubled in its meaning. :)

comfort and joy...

2009-01-13T20:30:00.009-07:00

Christmas was extra special this year as it was a "white Christmas"! The kids enjoyed the snow and beautifully clear days.

Christmas Day was spent with our wonderful friends, Tony and Amy. We have known them for years and so enjoy their company. They have become like family!

Lauren, Kody and Drew ready for Christmas Dinner: ham, potatoes, green bean casserole, cherry salad, broccoli casserole, hot rolls, sweet potatoes, sparkling cider, and pie.

Autumn, Dawson, Jayce and Tucker

Lauren and Autumn watching the "Kit Movie" in the boys' room.On Christmas Eve, Lauren helped Tucker write a note to Santa. His eyes were so bright and he had so many questions about the whole procedure.

This is what they thought to leave for Santa...the note and fruitcake that was given to us.

Christmas Eve after attending the Christmas Eve service

The kids greatly enjoy the hunting game from their grandparents

Gramps playing a game of Dominoes...we celebrated Christmas early with Nana and Gramps before they flew out to Chicago.

Claire and her nana...Claire received the tiniest mittens and hat!

Our Christmas with our family before they flew out. Homemade pizza, garlic bread, salad and a Happy Birthday Cake for Jesus.Our sweet Gramps loving on Claire

Before Christmas, my dear friends from our co-op came over for breakfast. We had a great time just relaxing and chatting...school was out for break and we had made it through 4 months!! We did have a little excitement when two coats caught on fire (flames!!!) when they got too close to a candle while hanging on the coat tree!

We had a great time celebrating the season with our friends, the Mullins and Stanleys. It was the day after Robb's birthday, so we celebrated that too. 4 more years to 40!!
This year we decided that we would show our appreciation to our church staff and their families...many of them worked until Christmas Eve night. We baked 12 apple praline pies and took them to the staff to enjoy for their Christmas dinners.

This was a low-keyed, relaxing Christmas...we all loved hanging out together and soaking up the love!! We hope you all had a delightful time with those you love as well.

Christmas Sunday Family Pictures

2008-12-14T22:28:00.004-07:00

A little bit of heaven...

2008-11-26T12:44:00.007-07:00

Well, we have made it a little over three months with 6 kids in the house, and we are all fairing pretty well! Life is very full and busy, and I won't pretend that every day has been one of pure joy. There have been many "hard" days (it's all relative, I know), with so many needs, messes everywhere all through the day by an 18 month old, Robb's long hours away at work (sooo thankful for work), keeping up our attendance and progress with schooling at home, all the interrupted nights of sleep with a newborn, maintaining church commitments, practicing violin with three kids, and still trying to look for those teachable moments with the kids.

But amidst all the loudness and true chaos, I have seen little glimpses of what God intended a family to be...learning together, looking out for one another, pitching in when Mom is occupied...I have seen the kids grow so close and learn to really enjoy each other. I have seen my sweet husband, getting home at 10:00 at night, after working all day, and then going to the kitchen to do dishes that were left from supper (something I never wanted my husband to have to do). I have been a part of "midnight dates" with my sweetie and the baby, just to get some time together. And I have seen the family of God, helping us out when we needed it, and encouraging us along our journey.

God has been at work teaching me things these last few months! I have definitely learned about priorities...Robb and I are almost daily asking each other, "What is the most important thing?" I have learned that a clean house is not! I have had to forgo some things, just to meet the very basic needs of my family, and some of my friendships have suffered (sorry, guys!). But I have learned to rely not on my strength (sometimes it's just not there), but on His strength! It has been amazing! This has been quite a lesson for this independent spirit!

I know one day I'll look back and thank God that I had 6 children; come to think of it, that day is already here! Here are a few pictures from our crazy, wonderful months...

Salt Lake Get-away

2008-10-14T17:22:00.009-06:00

A couple of weekends ago, Robb and I took the kids out of town to Salt Lake City for a quick get-away. The kids had never been to a big city and were enthralled with all the activity there. It was definitely "Country Mouse goes to the City"! It was quite comical, and Robb and I shared a few good laughs!! Tucker had never stayed in a hotel that he could remember, and was very worried about how and where we would sleep.
We found the city to be very family-friendly (no surprise there) and we were thrilled that even the "small" booths is McDonald's could seat our whole family! We visited the Planetarium, the Children's Museum (Discovery Gateway), and the zoo. It was delightful to just be together for a few days without responsibilities and to learn so much about God's Creation together. There really was so much to take in and discover! I came home refreshed and revived! Preston had a blast in the water area!

Playing in the farm area

Robb and the boys making a movie together

Pretend time!

Drew and Robb lagged behind, discussing many things relating to science (Robb was thrilled to finally have a buddy that liked to go slow, for those who have ever been to a museum with him!).

So much to see!
What the moon is like...

Sweet baby Claire...

Drew, doing a weather report about the hurricanes...

Lauren's favorite part of the day...she was on the screens around the museum!

The day at the zoo began rainy and cold, but soon after we got there, the sun begin to smile on us.

Riding the train...

Things that brought a smile...

2008-09-30T11:01:00.002-06:00

In this crazy world where we are hearing "gloom and doom", I have still had things to smile about...

churches being built
dads and boys experiencing life together
kind deeds and love shown from friends
how contagious a newborn's smile is
congregations singing praises together
brothers wrestling
our girl giggling at everything her dad says
fall colors showing up around us
piano students playing songs after a week of practice
"Indian" summer days
families working together
stacks of clean laundry

What brings a smile to your face?

Baby Claire

2008-09-05T17:29:00.005-06:00

While the rest of the country is wrapped up in politics, women working, football, and weather, we are wrapping our minds around having a new little person in the house. Sleeping, eating, and changing diapers consume our days. But we've been around this block enough to know that it goes all too fast. So we are rather enjoying it. We'll catch up with the rest of the world soon enough!

2 weeks old

Birth Day - Aug. 20, 2008 (Part 2)

2008-08-24T17:36:00.005-06:00

Stats I forgot:

8 lbs. 9 oz. (our biggest baby!)
20 1/2 inches long

Meeting the anxious tribe...
Getting dressed to go home!
sisters...
Ready to head for home...let the adventure begin!

Birth Day - Aug. 20, 2008 (Part 1)

2008-08-24T17:11:00.005-06:00

A very special day...Claire Anne French entered our lives! She's a joy to everyone and we are so thankful to finally meet her!

5:45 am...getting ready to head to the hospital
Waiting...
In labor with my wonderful long-time friend and coach, Sheila Taylor, by my side! Robb's position until he was really needed!

She's here! Born at 1:29 pm!

Overheard at our house...

2008-08-12T11:14:00.003-06:00

Lauren: "Mom, Preston is turning into a textured baby instead of a smooth baby!" (He has some sort of little rash, maybe a heat rash)

Tucker, our three year old, after his dad had talked sternly to his biggest brother about not antagonizing him: "Mommmmm, Drew is 'pushing my buttons'!!"

Ready and waiting...

2008-08-06T11:12:00.002-06:00

Life, however crazy and insane as it is now, will soon change!

We are so excited to meet our new little one, and our days have been busy starting school to get ahead a little, putting up the crib and cradle, washing little girl clothes, putting food in the freezer, rearranging the suburban to make room for another car seat, buying groceries, and packing a diaper bag. Though the days (and nights) are somewhat long and uncomfortable, I have been reminded today of what a privilege it is to carry this little one. I realize, once again, that every kick I feel is a miracle and every hiccup a blessing, as I read about a couple who just lost their unborn child. (Mark and Beka at www.more-love-to-thee.blogspot.com/. ) I do not know this young couple, but I can feel their pain as they speak of their journey. I can also feel their submission to our Father as they, who do not understand His ways, bless His name through their sorrow.

As Robb and I were on our date last Friday night, he asked me if our children were totally committed to God. We frequently talk of this, as we know that they are not ours, but just gifts that we have with us for a time. Robb and I also talked of how life would be unbearable if something should happen to one of them, and we had not tried to keep that in mind. We love them, all six(!), but strive to remember that they are God's children, not ours. We don't know what a day will bring, and today, instead of grumbling about my uncomfortable state, I will thank Him for this time.

Update from the OB Doc: She's a big girl and weighs 7 lbs. 10 oz. as of Monday. She is measuring about 2 weeks ahead. The Dr. will induce me on Aug. 20th if I have not had her yet, so even though that is still two weeks away, there is an end in sight! We ( a good friend and I) got to see her in her quiet little world...it was fun to watch her little hands by her face! Robb is sitting on "go" and is ready for it all to be over (or for it all to start!). He has been such a help with the other children, and just a big encouragement (as always). These are good days!

Work to do...

2008-07-18T12:33:00.003-06:00

This is the sweet little guy who passed out cold this week after holding his breath while angry!
He came to very subdued, not even remembering what he was angry about.
Oh, my...so much work to do and we need wisdom from Above!

Forty Weeks...

2008-07-07T08:41:00.002-06:00

"I was convinced that the greatest lie of pregnancy was that morning sickness only happens in the mornings. I was wrong.

The greatest lie of pregnancy is that is takes nine months to grow a baby. The TRUTH is that is takes forty weeks-ten long months lived in a parallel universe where each day is as a thousand years.

God seems to have a particular affinity for the number forty. Was it not forty days and forty nights before God stopped the rain and Noah saw sunshine? Was it not forty long years before the Israelites made it out of the desert? And didn't Jesus spend forty hungry days in the desert Himself?

Perhaps it's just coincidence, but one thing is evident: God is not generally in any particular hurry when He's doing His finest work.

Maybe making us wait is His way of getting our attention, of helping us realize He's up to something serious. Maybe He just knows we need some time to grow into the blessing He has in store.

Forty weeks is a long time to wait for anything, particularly when one's ankles appear to be retaining all the waters of Noah's flood. But I've got a hunch, when the miracle finally shows up, it will be the first rainbow and the Promised Land all rolled up into one squirmy little bundle."

I can hardly wait!

By Carolyn Arends
"We've Been Waiting For You"

Independence Day...

2008-07-06T19:32:00.005-06:00

Our 4th of July was wonderful! The more kids we have, the more fun holidays are (no worries, we are stopping with six!). Our day consisted of work and play...
in the sandbox...

preparing food...
swimming in the pool...
painting on the house...
our traditional supper: grilled chicken, potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, dipped strawberries, watermelon, and homemade ice cream...(the belly is getting big!)

Later, we went to a local stadium for an awesome fireworks display! They were fabulous and made us so proud to be Americans!

May God bless America!!!

Update on us: Last July we put our house on the market. We have recently taken it off due to various circumstances. The renter of our little guest house in the backyard has recently moved out and we are transforming that space into a studio where I can teach piano again. (I have done that before out of the house, but it became increasingly difficult with the children in the home.) We are planning that I will teach a couple of hours a day, while the little ones are sleeping and hopefully, they will not even notice that I am gone! Being with the kids all day (as I school at home) allows me to be away from them for a couple of hours without missing out on their lives. We are praying that God blesses this and gives us wisdom to balance the things in our lives.

We would certainly appreciate your prayers as well!

Montana Fun...(Part 2)

2008-07-03T18:20:00.006-06:00

The second part of our trip to Montana was slow in coming, but here it is! Here the kids got to feed a calf a bottle of formula that Gramps mixed up...the mother had died. Jayce is especially fond of all things "little" and loved this whole process.

Making a cake for two very special one-year-olds! The toddlers got to help while the babies were sleeping and the big kids were at VBS at the church.
Jay took his stirring seriously!
Yum! Yum! Licking chocolate on Nana's white tablecloth!!

The Birthday Party! Here is proud cousin Drew with the celebrities!
We were brave and went to town to eat at Pizza Hut before the party.
All the nine grandchildren that were there! Graham and Grant! They were so laid back and casual about the celebration! At one point, Graham began to take cake off of Grant's high chair. Krystal remarked that he has reasons for being the bigger of the two!!
Tucker enjoying it all!

Lauren is set up here to do some face-painting. Graham...
Krystal and all her little ones...
Grant...

Tucker's ride on the horseLauren and Rambo, her favorite horse
Preston's first ride on the horse...he loved it!
Drew and Lauren...Drew's allergies held off a little while so he could ride.

Saying "good-byes" to our sweet family and heading home to see Robb! We are grateful for our time together!

Montana Fun...(Part 1)

2008-06-22T08:24:00.005-06:00

Last week, I packed the kids up and we took off for Montana for a few days to see my parents and to also see my sis, Krystal, and her kids. They were visiting from Pennsylvania and it was such a joy to be together for a few crazy days! With my 5 children and her 4, we definitely had a housefull! They were moments of quiet, but only if naps were taking place!! Between all of the child rearing going on, we managed to fit in some other things as well! Krystal and Jeff have the cutest little twin boys who turned one while she was in Montana. Here they (Grant and Graham) are with Preston...
Jay, Becca and Jayce...

Preston was very interested in all the "toys"...

Quite a darling handfull! This was our first time to see the twins and they were so fun to watch! They love interacting with each other... My beautiful sister...she is a delightful mother to her children...

Aunt Krys taught Drew and Lauren to play "Othello"...

Preston enjoyed being with the babies...they actually looked like triplets, as Preston is just 2 months older (but much smaller, I might add)...

a gorgeous backdrop for fun ...
Jayce, Krys, Becca and Tucker...
And who says this isn't just as much fun as a four-wheeler? Jay and Preston loved riding with Gramps!

Gramps and Nana (who was still recovering from hip surgery) had the utmost patience with these grandchildren...you could not ask for more loving, involved grandparents! With 6 kids in the house, ages three and under, they was much activity, but they handled it all with much grace! Thanks for the wonderful time!

More pictures to come....

Exciting news from Scott and Debbie (French) Degelman

2008-05-30T16:38:00.003-06:00

Just wanted to announce that Grandpa's Hook, the novel by Scott Degelman (Debbie's husband), co-created by Ward French, is now available at BarnesandNoble.com's website.

Here's the direct URL to the purchase site.http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Grandpas-Hook/Scott-Degelman/e/9781604779424/?tabname=custreview

May God get the glory!
Scott and Debbie and family

(We are so proud of Scott...he has been working on this prolife novel for a few years. We are praying that it will change lives!)

Baby Steps...

2008-05-30T10:03:00.004-06:00

We recently finished 13 weeks of our Financial Peace University Class by Dave Ramsey, held at our church and facilitated by our good friends, Marc and Talisha Taylor. It was many things to us, but the word I can think of that best describes it is that it gave us HOPE. Robb was taught to be a giver, and never really planned for the future. Add to that recipe a very optimistic personality ("next month will be better..."), a risk-taking demeanor (and I realize that some risks are good), almost 6 kids in 10 years and a one-income family, and an economy where work became less profitable, and you can see that we were in need of a financial class!

This class was nothing really profound, just wisdom from God's Word and things your grandma probably did, but such great reminders and lessons for this couple! We have not been able to put everything into practice yet, but are working toward a goal. It is especially exciting to see our kids also practicing these principles and we are excited that they may not have to learn these financial concepts the "hard" way!

Dave Ramsey uses the analogy of taking "Baby Steps" when it comes to financial freedom. With a little one at our house just learning to walk everywhere, I can see how this is a perfect picture of what we are doing with our finances (and really, our walk of faith in general). Some things I have noticed about little Preston's journey are:

you have to be willing to give up what is comfortable (for him crawling - he was such a FAST crawler) in order to have a better, more secure future

it is not a fast process...this has taken a couple of weeks of trying to walk a few steps, getting tired, and trying again tomorrow

there is a lot of falling down

and there is someone bigger and stronger than you who helps you get back up

you expand on yesterday's successes...today may be 5 steps; tomorrow may be 10, but progress is being made

it actually feels good to stretch yourself and learn something new...Preston is never sad when he is walking...just a huge smile on his face

you need a good support system...In this house there is a lot of cheering from the family every time effort is made!

Every journey begins with a single step. GO PRESTON!!

Your prayers...

2008-05-22T09:12:00.003-06:00

Please pray for the Steven Curtis Chapman family today as their little 5 year old girl was killed yesterday after being struck by the vehicle her teenage brother was driving. Maria Sue was adopted from China and I have always admired this family for their giving hearts. I know the brother will especially need prayers to get through this, and I know the Chapman's home must feel incredibly empty today.
http://stevencurtischapman.com/ (if you look on their web page, be sure to watch the video of Steven and little Maria taken 2 months ago.)

I can't get the words of Steven's song out of my head, "God is God and I am not...I can only see a part of the picture He's painting..."

Our big Kindergartener...

2008-05-16T10:53:00.005-06:00

Thursday was Kindergarten graduation at our co-op. We have 9 very lively and fun kindergartens who performed a song and some poems for us. Their teacher had interviewed them and shared with us what they said. Jayce said that he loved learning History this year, and that he wanted to be a songwriter when he grew up. I later asked him if he wanted to be a dad, and he said, "I WILL be a dad!". It will be exciting to see what the future holds for these little guys. The moms and graduates!

Our sweet, happy, sensitive little guy
Getting a certificate from his teacher, Mrs. Baillie
The cake table with their "autograph dogs" on it
Here is some wisdom that was shared yesterday: (Sometimes the greatest wisdom is not learned in the castles of our universities, but in the sandboxes in our backyards.)

"Everything I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"

by Robert Fulghum

Share everything
Play fair
Put things back where you found them
Clean up your own mess
Don't take things that aren't yours
Say you're sorry when you hurt someone
Wash your hands before you eat
Flush
Warm cookies and milk are good for you
Live a balanced life...learn some and think some and draw some and paint some and sing some and dance some and play and work some every day some
Take a nap every afternoon
Be aware of wonder; remember the tiny seed in the Styrofoam cup; the roots go down and the plant goes up and no one really knows why or how
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die and so do we
When you go out in the worlds, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK!

Seeking His face...

2008-05-16T10:44:00.002-06:00

These words to a popular contemporary Christian song have been going around in my head, "...seeking Your face, and not only Your hand...". (Big Daddy Weave -Audience of One)

We have been seeking His hand and asking for big things lately, but am I seeking His face? It's ALL about the relationship!

Blessed...

2008-05-12T13:21:00.005-06:00

Here is the guy who rose up early and called me "blessed!" Thanks so much, honey!!

Three great blessings in my life...

being the wife of Robb...I would not want to share this journey with any other

being the mother to five (almost 6) delightful little ones and experiencing the joy that comes with knowing each one

being the daughter of my mother who invested so much into my life (and now invests in my children's lives every chance she gets)

Yesterday was a wonderful day, not because we did anything spectacular, but because we were all together. That always makes for a good day! (We did get to go bike riding on the greenbelt Saturday evening.) Robb and the kids spoiled me by fixing breakfast and not letting me change even one diaper!

I did miss being with my mother yesterday...it seems like so long ago that we shared Mother's Day together. I am thinking of her especially this weekend as she will be having a hip-replacement surgery tomorrow afternoon and is really dreading it! Please pray for peace and quick healing for her tomorrow. I really wish I could be there with her, but she has some good friends coming to be with her. I hope to make the trip soon to see her.

Another person I have been thinking about this weekend is my dear mother-in-law, Hattie. She gave me the greatest gift by raising her son to be a man of deep character and love. I so wish I could have known her longer and better; she had so much to teach me. I loved the days I did spend with her and there are so many times when I wish our children could know her and her dear ways. Heaven is definitely sweeter and I can hardly wait for the reunion!

A fun Saturday...

2008-05-04T23:11:00.003-06:00

Saturday morning while Robb was at the Men's breakfast at church, the kids and I got busy together. After baking bread, cleaning the house (with all four "big" kids helping and Preston napping...I have to add how much I love the chore system I invested some time into from the book, "Managers of Their Chores" by Steven and Terri Maxwell...it has been a life saver for me and the kids really do love to help), practicing violin, mowing the lawn, and Drew and Robb spraying the lawn for weeds, we were ready to have a fun afternoon!
Robb had a cabin to look at and bid out of town, so we headed to McCall, Idaho. It was still a little chilly and snowy in McCall, but we had a great time on the way home as we stopped by the river and let the kids play. The weather was wonderful, and the place we stopped even had a nice little beach. Preston loved the sand!
As evening settled in, we had Subway sandwiches and cookies and Robb and Drew made a fire.

This is the stuff memories with the family are made of!

Preston turns one!

2008-04-16T16:50:00.003-06:00

Our baby turned one last week; it sounds like a cliche, but it is so hard to believe he has been with us for a year! He has definitely won his way into our hears, and though he is not the easiest baby in the world right now, we do love spending our days with him! He is a very alert, social little guy, always wanting the "next thing". I know one of these days I will love his curiosity and adventurous spirit, although these days it is somewhat hard to entertain!! He is the most observant child we have had, and at this young age, mimics the world around him. He is a huge fan of hats and earphones and loves it when his dad is wearing both! He is quick to smile and love (and quick to show his displeasure, as well!). I know we have exciting days in store raising and training this little guy, and I know God has wonderful plans for his life.

Preston, may you always know how much you are loved and prayed for!

Cambridge, Idaho

2008-04-10T18:06:00.003-06:00

After almost 40 years of pastoring, my parents have bought retirement land! We are so thrilled for them and are equally thrilled that it is not too far from us...about 1 1/2 hours in a beautiful mountain town. In March, we were able to go with them to see it and I can only imagine all the hours of fun the kids and their cousins will have there riding Gramps' horses and four-wheelers, and eating Nana's cooking! Their plans are to build a shop and put a house on it. We look forward to helping them and being a part of their lives in the soon to come future!

News at our house today...

2008-04-09T10:37:00.002-06:00

We went to the Dr. today for an ultrasound....

Everything on the baby looked fine and normal...

It appears that the Frenches like to have boys...

BUT...

this time we get to have a

Baby Girl!!!!!

The Dr. is quite sure and we are so excited!!!!! It will be fun to start and end with a little girl. It's still sinking in, but I don't think it will be too hard to get used to!

Blessings on your day!

Eager faces waiting for the news

New definition of "Skinny" - smile for the day!

2008-04-04T10:37:00.000-06:00

Last night, Tucker (age 3) was standing by me and said in a sweet little voice, "Mom, you are skinny." My first thought was who he would possibly be comparing me to!

And then he said, while gently rubbing my arm, "You have a lot of skin on your arm, so you are skinny!"

Hey, I will take compliments any way I can get them!!!

Our Easter 2008

2008-03-24T14:15:00.000-06:00

Three great buddies!

Dad and his boysPreston enjoys crawling around outside

Tony and Amy and kids
Our sweet 10 year old Stealing quick kisses

We had a wonderful Easter day! Our church service was inspiring and caused us to reflect on why we celebrate Easter. Our pastor spoke on one of my favorite verses, John 3:16- simple yet so profound.

We had dinner with our dear friends, Tony and Amy. We met them 9 years ago on Easter Day and have spent many holidays with them. We always enjoy their conversation and laughter. True friends indeed!!! We were originally going to go to their house, but changed plans this last week and we had dinner here. So...Amy brought most of the food for dinner as she already had purchased things. It was a feast!!! We had an egg hunt for the kids, and although the weather wasn't perfect, it was nice and much better than snow for Easter!!

We were reminded of all God's blessing this year as we thought of last Easter and how Preston was in the NICU and we were not together as a family. What a treasure we have in our family!

Fun Saturdays...

2008-03-15T23:08:00.000-06:00

We just ended a very fun and rewarding basketball season - our third season and the best yet. Here are some of the things I love about the Upward Basketball program:

watching Robb coach the 2nd and 3rd grade boys...he was so patient and full of encouragement (encouragement is one of his top gifts and it was very evident during this season). Today he received a "thank you" card from the parents and they all said how he had made this such a positive experience for their boys. He was great at making sure that every boy at least had the opportunity to score during a game.

the testimonies at every game. I loved hearing the stories of how people in our church came to know Christ. Many times my eyes would fill with tears as I heard their 4 minute stories. Many times in a church of our size we miss hearing personal testimonies.

the lessons the kids learn, not just about playing the game, but about winning graciously and losing graciously, about getting up when they foul or make a big mistake, about seemingly unfair calls by the refs. And the biggest lessons my kids learned this year was about teamwork (especially Lauren) as she learned that it's not all about stealing the show or having the ball all the time...it's about working together so that everyone feels a part of the success.

Enjoying the spring weather...

2008-03-15T22:57:00.000-06:00

The kids are not used to the bright sunshine (they were not told to close their eyes, believe it or not)... That's much better...we moved out of the sun! The weather has been lovely after a cold winter!

Starting a business...

2008-03-15T22:38:00.000-06:00

At our co-op on Thursdays, some of the 4th and 5th graders have been selling things on their lunch break...anything from beads and jewelry to lollipops. Lauren used some of her money to go to the dollar store and pick out some purses. She did her own advertising and her dad helped her stuff them with tissue paper so they looked attractive, and her business began! She sold her first one on Thursday with some on "hold" and orders for more. (I am so glad she does not have my genes in this area...I was a horrible salesperson!)

Brothers... and our growing 11 month old Preston

2008-03-03T22:00:00.001-07:00

Winter Happenings...

2008-02-19T22:07:00.001-07:00

I thought I would add a few pictures of our winter so far...I have not done well with keeping up with pictures. Our New Year started off with a church-wide Pirates Party from "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" Veggie Tales movie. It has a great message about what true heroes really are! Here Drew and his best bud, Spencer, are making treasure maps.Jayce plays a game with our senior pastor, Pastor Darrell Wiseman. Later in Jan. we headed up the mountain with dear friends, the Mullins, to stay in a lovely cabin and play in the snow. The kids had a blast being together, and sledding and snowmobiling. Notice our unique "sleds"- the entire town of McCall, Idaho was sold out of sleds. But these turned out to be the best!!!! They were very fast!

In January, the three oldest kids wanted to participate in our school's Spelling Bee. There were about 80 students who participated. We were so proud of all of them for trying! Jayce ended up as the Kindergarten champ...his winning word was "THAT". It has certainly piqued interest in spelling in our house!

All of the kids are enjoying their sibling. Preston is so fun and always seems to have someone playing with him. What did I do when I just had one? Happy winter days to you all! May spring be not too far away!

Baby Update

2008-02-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your kind and encouraging words (and the many emails). God has used you to help give us strength to go on!

We are all doing well and adjusting to the news ourselves! The sickness is minimal. We had an ultrasound today to see how far along I am and saw a very clear picture of the baby. She/He was moving a lot and we got some great pictures. The amazing thing is that it is already completely formed (it is 12 weeks); the Dr. said that it just has to get bigger, a lot bigger (it is 4.4 centimeters right now)! Can you believe we really saw a little leg and arm waving and captured it on film? We have an amazing Creator!

Our little sweetheart should arrive around August 22, 2008. We are praying that it doesn't come too early, like Preston, who had to spend a few days in the NICU. I've never had an August baby...right through the hot summer. What fun!!!

Thanks again for your support, everyone!

Cheaper by the Half Dozen? Probably not, but lots more fun for sure!

2008-01-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

Dear friends and family,

Whew! We wanted to share our news with you, but first I need to say that I never expected to be writing a blog like this! Despite our best efforts, God has chosen to bless us with yet another French baby! We are shocked and amazed, yet choosing to find joy and excitement in this crazy journey! We know lots of hard work, sleepless nights, and draining days await us, yet God gives very good gifts (and we love what He has given us thus far!). Excitement is growing around here (when we first told the kids, they simply stared at us) and it is unanimous that we think someone dressed in pink would be cute around here, after all of this blue. But, we will gratefully accept any gift God has for us. The funniest response they had was saying that "now" we would have a large family!

We don't pretend to understand why God has chosen to bless us this way when there are others longing to have children. I do know that it is not because we are worthy, or capable. I know God's gifts come in different packages and for this reason, I welcome each child with open arms.

I was recently reading an article by Barbara Rainey on large families, and the question was asked of her,"How has having a large family affected your life?" She replied, "Well, I am tired a lot."

I suppose we will be tired a lot too....and blessed.

With love,
The French gang

The little bundle should arrive sometime in August...the Dr. will confirm the date on Tuesday.

Theology from a 5 year old

2008-01-12T13:09:00.001-07:00

This week, our Jayce came bounding into the kitchen after his nap and our conversation went like this:

Jayce: God answered "yes" today!

Mom: That's wonderful! What did you pray for?

Jayce: I prayed that my nap would go really fast. That I would just close my eyes and then it would be over. (this was after a 2 1/2 hour nap)

Mom: Jesus loves to hear you pray and ask Him for things.

Jayce: And His answers are "yes", "no" and "wait", it's just that it's reeeeaaaaallly hard to tell the difference between "no" and "wait".

This reminds me of a little song Sue and Sheryl taught us in Children's Church many years ago:

"Sometimes God answers "yes"when we pray.

Sometimes God answers "wait" when we pray.

Sometimes God answers "no" just because He loves us so,

But I know God always answers when we pray."

I think we are in the "waiting" phase on a few things and this was a great reminder to my heart.

13 years and counting.....

2007-12-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

We just celebrated 13 years together, years of growing and learning, lots of fun and tears too. I never really knew that I would love being married to my Robb so much, nor did I know the struggles and adjustments that would follow our "I dos". He is a delight to be around and I am thankful for his love and dedication to our little family. He constantly surpasses my expectations as a father, and with all he does to enrich the kids' lives, he still finds time to do things for me that mean a lot. The thought goes through my head almost daily, "I sure hope Lauren can find a husband like Robb." That is my prayer, along with "Please, God...may our 4 boys grow to be Godly men like their father." Christmas was wonderful...we were privileged to spend Christmas Eve with Gramps and Nana before they flew out to PA on Christmas morning. We had snow, which just added to the magic!
Lauren and Nana made pies together...
In the front of the house...winter wonderland!
Robb pulled the kids around the yard on sleds...I don't know who had more fun!
Just before Christmas Eve dinner...Nana and Lauren's hard work paid off!

Christmas Day was delightful. We had friends, Tony and Amy, come for dinner and then the afternoon and evening was spent playing games with them.
We have been enjoying time in the snow, with each other, and with friends. Today we are "on our own" as Tucker is sick. So far, just Tucker! One can always hope that it doesn't move through the family!

Happy New Year to all -"He makes all things new!"

A "Happy Birthday, Jesus" Party

2007-12-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to have the children remember the real "Reason for the season", we invited a few friends (from our school's co-op....most everyone else is still in school) and we PARTIED! It was a fun morning of playing guns (anytime there's boys around, you know...) decorating graham cracker houses, eating pizza and then singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. One of the moms then reminded the kids that Jesus instructed us to show our love to Him by loving others, and that is why we give gifts to others at this time of year. It was a meaningful time with several religions (including LDS and Catholic) represented, and I hope the kids will remember it for a long time.

Now off to mop the floor and clean things up a bit... :)

A Beautiful Reminder

2007-12-09T21:47:00.001-07:00

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqW795-G8do

I wanted to share something that touched my heart.

I hope you take a moment with your older kids to stop and watch this beautiful video of
"Mary, Did you Know?" sung by Kathy Mattea. (Just click on the above link.) It brings tears to my eyes...such wonderful theology in the simple words ..."this child that you delivered will soon deliver you."

As a mother of a little baby boy this Christmas, I have thought on all the care-taking things she did for Him, all the while knowing that He was the Son of God. She must have been so protective as He began to crawl and move around, that He would stay safe and healthy. She must have worried that He was getting enough to eat and sleeping enough and that He was developing normally. She must have fretted over diaper rashes, teeth coming in and ear infections. She must have wondered why she was chosen for the job of giving so much time and attention to this little one and it must have been bittersweet, knowing that He had a very special mission to accomplish.

I hope you enjoy this reminder of why He came as a little baby in the manger...to be one of us.

God is with us...God is for us...Emmanuel.

2007-12-04T16:26:00.001-07:00

Here is our finished product...our wonderful, imperfect, "Charlie Brown" tree. The kids and Robb had a great time decorating while I added Christmas touches to other parts of the house...one great thing about this tree is the gorgeous smell! I really would not trade it for a perfect tree for that very reason!

It is always fun to add another stocking to the fireplace, but as I looked at the "bunch" we have, I felt a little overwhelmed to think that we have this many little ones to raise to be Godly people (as in "Are these kids really all ours?")! For some strange reason, it was a visual for me and reminded me of the awesome responsibility Robb and I have as parents of these 5 impressionable souls! Our small group has been talking about parenting lately and we have been reading Deut. chapters 6, 7, and 8 - God's principles for raising kids. I can definitely feel overwhelmed with this when I begin to fear and not trust in God's strength and begin to feel that I have to do it on my own. My prayer is that this Christmas season will be for me one of quiet (in my heart; certainly not in the house!) and focusing on the Christ who came to be one of us, to teach us how to live. Whew! I need His strength!

Changes in our house include Preston learning how to crawl. His little knees stay red these days and he is getting into things I forgot babies could get into. He is driving the kids crazy as he gets into all of their things. I told Lauren that all babies do this and that I would soon begin teaching him what he can not get into. She rather curtly replied, "Well, today would be a great day to start!" This made me laugh...there is nothing like parenting advice from a 10 year old! Tucker, on the other hand, loves to make him happy by giving him things that are not good for him. Add all of this with a mouth bulging with teeth to come in (one did pop through) and a double ear infection. Oh, the changes each stage brings! And now there are more of us to adjust!

May your December days be merry and bright!!

Thanksgiving Day...and the Christmas Festivities Begin!

2007-12-01T22:20:00.000-07:00

Our Thanksgiving, and everyday prayer, hung by our little table: "Oh Thou, who has given us so much, grant us one more thing - a thankful heart."

Before we get too far into the Christmas season, I wanted to post a couple of fun things. (warning: this is a bit long, but I had to fit a lot in.) Thanksgiving was different this year without Robb here, but it was a good day and our hearts were full of THANKS. Lauren made a delicious apple pie for us, as part of the food that we took to our dear friends' home, Willy and Lewis.
Here Lewis is getting the boys' table set and ready for them to eat. Kody, Jayce, Drew and Dawson.
Willy and my good friend Amy (also Willy's niece) sign Amy's "Thankful Tablecloth". Each year whomever she eats with signs what they are thankful for.
This is Preston and Kade, Willy and Lewis' grandson. These little ones have something special in common....they were born about 7 minutes apart, both 4 weeks early and spent several days in the same NICU. It was fun to see them together! Kade is a cutie!!

On Friday after Thanksgiving, we went with Gramps and Nana on the Thunder Mountain Train ride. We rode about an hour on a very old train that is now just used for tourist events. It was a very fun time. Even though there was no snow, the singing of carols, stories and Santa helped put us in the Christmas mood!
Gramps and the boys look out the window.
Our sweet Gramps and Nana! Our kids so love to have them come to visit!

The cute singers that led us in Christmas songs.

And today (Satrday) we headed to the mountains with some friends to find a Christmas tree. What a great time we had, with the snow falling down and the kids sledding down the hills. Above is the Orr family who brought the 4 wheelers that we all enjoyed.
These are the adults (well, Preston is on Robb's back in the backpack)....
...and these are the kids! Can you believe that out of all those 12 kids, 11 were boys! Lauren takes it all in stride...she is used to boys and loves playing with them.

Thanks to lots of layers of clothes, snow suits for kids and baby, hot cocoa, and hand and toe warmers, we all had a wonderful time. Robb and I are so thankful for our fabulous friends to share life with and we were glad to take this day to enjoy relationships and make memories. We hope to not schedule our days too tightly so we can enjoy many more fun events this Christmas season. We are trying as a family to not focus on the gifts (sort of hard in this culture sometimes), but rather on The Gift! Happy December! (The following video clips are of Preston and Gramps, and then Lauren and Drew playing at their vioin Christmas concert last night.)

Welcome, Paul, to the family!

2007-11-27T16:55:00.001-07:00

Robb is safely home from Alaska! Yeah!
He loved being there for Kathy's wedding and had many wonderful things to say about Paul and his 5 grown children. We are so happy for Kathy and are praying for Jessica, Bradley, Jodi and Brandon that this will be a smooth transition/adjustment time and that the days to come will be good ones. Their story is one of sorrow and joy, losing and finding love again. Robb so enjoyed being with his sisters for the few hours he was there, as well as seeing many old friends at the reception.
Robb said that the service was an amazing tribute to the spouses that had gone on, as well as a celebration to the goodness of God. Kathy is such an inspiration and walking through these dark days has allowed God to shine brightly through her life. Welcome, Paul! We are proud to call you family!

Giving Thanks

2007-11-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow..."

This is the sentiment from my very thankful heart tonight. We just dropped Robb off at the airport as he is heading out tonight to Alaska to attend his sister's (Kathy) wedding and be with his family for Thanksgiving. We were sad to see him go, but so glad that this worked out for him and he can be there to celebrate with his sis and see his family there. The days will go by quickly, I'm certain, and the kids are already talking about whose turn it is to sleep with mom.

Our plans for tomorrow include a lazy breakfast of egg casserole and fruit, playing around the house, eating dinner with friends, and Nana and Gramps coming in tomorrow evening (their plans were changed due to a big snow storm in Montana).

As I sit here in a warm house with the smell of praline apple pie baking, I look at my children, bathed and in their cozy PJs, watching a movie, and I am thankful for all I have. The list is incredibly long...every good thing in my life comes from my Heavenly Father. He has been teaching me this year to practice a thankful heart every day, not just on Thanksgiving. Some days this is harder than others, but the little song is so true: "A thankful heart is a happy heart" and my attitude is a great gauge and reminder to me to stop and count the blessings in my life. It really changes everything! My prayer is that this year finds my heart thankful many more days and moments than not!

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others."

Philosopher Cicero

Happy 3rd Birthday, Tucker!

2007-11-20T21:46:00.001-07:00

Our little sweet boy turned 3 on Sunday! We knew we had a busy day on Sunday so we celebrated on Saturday. This was the most anticipated birthday in the history of the French household. I love the fact that as the kids grow, they love to celebrate the special moments. On this day, Tucker made all their preparations worthwhile! He so loved all that the "big kids" did for him...I think he really felt like a king for the day!
Tucker had talked about having a football cake for a couple of months. Thanks, Shauna, for lending us the pan. It made our task so easy!

We had promised Drew and Lauren a special outing of some kind for practicing violin faithfully. Whenever they go to practice violin, we light their special candle. When they are finished they blow it out and it is a great visual we use so that they can see how much they have been practicing. Well, they have been PRACTICING! And the candles were gone! So with that in mind, we decided to take advantage of our day together for Tucker's birthday and take the family to Boondocks, which is a family-fun place with games, pizza, laser tag, mini golf, ect. It was a rainy night outside so we all stayed inside and had a wonderful time. Robb and I even got to do some racing!! I think he always won, but it was sure fun!

Preston even enjoyed the evening...I think he was on sensory overload by the time we left!
Drew and Jayce racing (When we were kids, my mom would always let us lick the bowl and utensils, especially if it was our cake.) Here is Tuck enjoying his batter, with help from Dad.

Tucker, you feel our lives with so much joy! We love how you are growing up to be such a great guy, and you do seem to be growing and changing so quickly (my theory is that you are trying to keep up with those big brothers!). I especially like to hear what is on your little mind and love it that you can talk to us so well now. My heart just swells when I hear you quoting your Bible verses..."The Lord is my shepherd. I shall lack nothing..." and I hope you soon experience what those verses are talking about. Your smile can brighten the dreariest of days and we love you more each day! I know that God has big, big plans for you, little one! For now I count it a privilege to be your mom and spend so many days and hours with you.

More Fall Fun

2007-11-03T16:33:00.001-06:00

This year, a chef, an air-force pilot, an American soilder, and 2 lions hopped in our surbuban and rode with me to Boise First Church of the Nazarene where they

all received a bag full of candy (that will last until Easter, I'm sure). We had such a wonderful time this year! The weather was very nice and it was pleasant to be outside. We met Robb there where he was busy directing traffic, but he took a few minutes to ooh and aah over all the kids. Our church has been doing "Trunk or Treat" since we have been going there (almost 6 years) and there are a few thousand people who come through, some never to be seen until next Halloween, but they know it is a safe place. I spent an hour or so face-painting (there was no training involved and it was obvious!). The kids played in jump houses and talked with friends.

It was a nice evening...but I have to say I'm glad it only comes once a year!

Love the little lion tail!

Can you see him?!

Nancy Drew Club - anyone care to join?

2007-11-01T23:08:00.001-06:00

Below is an unedited email that was sent to Lauren by her friend. Lauren and Julianne are the leaders of this club. I thought it was too cute...and not bad advice, either!

DREW CREW CLUB RULES AND ASSINMENTS (MUSTS AND “HALF-TOS” (YOU MUST FOLLOW THESE RULES TO STAY IN THE CLUB)

· ALLOW ANY ONE TO ENTER CLUB(EXCEPT BOYS, UNLESS VOTED IN)
· NO CUSS WORDS
· NO SECRETS(EXCEPT AMONG CLUB) THAT MEANS NO WHISPERING
· TRY TO NOT DISOBEY OUR PARENTS IN THE CLUB MEATINGS
· BE NICE,NO FIGHTING
· RESPECT EACHOTHER
· LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS
· DON’T TALK WHEN OTHERS ARE TALKING
· (FOR LEADERS) GIVE ALL CLUB MEMBERS EQUALY IMPORTANT JOBS
· THERE IS NO RANKING, CLUB LEADERS ARE JUST THE PEOPLE THAT ESTABLISHED THE CLUB
· IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT PLEASE TALK TO THE CLUB MEMBERS
· ALWAYS ENJOY CLUB MEATINGS
CALL LEADERS IF YOU ARE SICK

NOTES: PLEASE CALL LEADERS IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT OR MISSING PAPER AND SIGN IN ON THE CLUB MEMBERSHIP PAPER.

THANK YOU,

CLUB LEADERS

The Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-29T21:00:00.000-06:00

Late Saturday afternoon, we headed to the Linder Farm for a fun evening with our dear friends, the Mullins. They are always so much fun to be with and a great activity is always so much more fun for the kids when the Mullins kids are along. The weather was perfect, a little crisp, but not too cold. We enjoyed the ride to the pumpkin patch first, ate a hamburger, and then headed to the corn maze. By the time we finished, we were getting a little cold, but we had a gorgeous full moon to light the path. Here are a few pictures...enjoy.

Tucker, Jayce, Lauren, Preston, Brandon, Zach, Drew, Kendra and Kaden.

Kids "hard at work"

2007-10-26T17:00:00.000-06:00

Wow! When mom leaves for the evening, interesting things happen at the French household! I must say that Robb is wonderful to watch the kids for the evening so that I can go to a meeting, book club, or just "out". He loves the chance to be with the kids and never complains. He does, however, have a knack for marrying work and play and the kids are usually always involved in a project when left with dad. Though they end up working, they always have a great time with it (so unlike when they are left with mom and it's time to work; there is little play involved, I'm sad to say). This particular night was the night of the BSU football game, thus the earphones on Robb's neck and Jayce's shirt (he faithfully finds his shirt and changes on the night of games).

While Lauren and Drew actually applied red paint to the trim of our outbuildings, Jayce and Tucker spent some time "painting water" onto the side of the building. I thought that was quite clever of Robb. It sure made clean-up easier!
I know that the kids will always remember these times with Dad and I am so thankful for the wonderful father and husband we are all blessed to have in our lives.

10th Birthdays and Violin Music

2007-10-18T20:06:00.000-06:00

Our sweet Lauren turned 10 this week! It is hard to believe that she has been with us a decade now...she adds so much love and enjoyment to our lives! My parents were coming to town for a Dr. appt. the day before her birthday, and her violin teacher had been on us for her to do her violin recital, so we made quick plans and had the recital Monday night. 18 people were here to hear her play 19 songs form memory (well, she had to peek to play one Gavotte). She played beautifully and the recital ended with Lauren and her teacher playing a rousing rendition of "How Great Thou Art". It was a gorgeous arrangement and they were several wet eyes. I accompanied her on the piano and my arms were tired ...I'm sure hers were too!
After all of that hard work, it was time to open presents! She loves the Andy Griffith shows and received 2 DVDS.
Also, a fun new Nancy Drew scrapbook...
These pictures are out of order, but this is the next night on her "real" birthday when we took her friend Meredith and went bike riding on the Boise Greenbelt. The fall colors were amazing!!

Here she is before playing, feeling nervous. Gramps calmed her down and told her that everyone was on her side, cheering for her!

Two special ladies from church; our children's pastor, Pastor Michelle, and Rachel, who worked with Lauren in Kids Praise Team.
More of the "audience"...Lauren's biggest supporters!
Her daddy and Nana made the table so pretty.

We are so proud of our girl! She is a treasure and we can see the "fingerprints of God" when we look at her!

A Very Special Man

2007-10-10T15:17:00.000-06:00

His kind heart..he has never been known to be harsh, even when frustrated or upset. I never feared him as I was growing up, and never wanted to make him sad. He always feels for the underdog.
His fun laugh...those of you who know him can recognize that laugh (and the red face to go with it).
The way he has influenced his family and changed what could have been. One of the things that amazes me is how he faced the challenges from his unhappy childhood, and determined to do things differently as a father. He did not use his past as an excuse to live as he was raised, but has now set into place a new legacy.
His interaction with his grandchildren. When around any of his 11 grandsons or 3 granddaughters, he can always be found hugging, holding, or playing with one or more of them. He has made his place in Montana a paradise for little boys (and girls) and my kids so love going there to see them. He is always ready to help little people tie shoes, eat their dinner, hold bottles, saddle up horses, or start four-wheelers. Not being able to grow up around a grandfather, I absolutely love to see him with my children. I hope they always know how blessed they are to have him in their lives.
His absolute love for God...he has made a career out of studying the Scriptures, but beyond that, you can see a deep love of the Word of God. One of my favorite things to do with him late at night is to watch old Gaither movies, and before too long, I will always see his eyes wet with tears as he worships with the music.
His model of marriage...he and my mom are the best of friends and it has been so enjoyable to watch them (especially since I've been married). He treats my mother so sweetly, and in turn, she spoils him to death. Dr. Laura would approve! I never once heard the word "divorce" in regards to them. What a treasure to be an observer of their relationship!

He's truly a good and Godly man and I want to say "Happy Birthday!" I love you!

An Unexpected Blessing

2007-10-10T08:27:00.000-06:00

Monday evening around 5:30, Robb called me and said that a friend had extra tickets to the "Casting Crowns" concert, set to start in 90 minutes. We quickly changed clothes, made arrangements for the kids, loaded up the baby, and headed out. We arrived a little late only to find that it was a "guy's night out" (Robb had missed that slight point in the conversation with his friend). But I think God had other plans; He wanted me to be there. The guys were gracious and it was a very worshipful evening. Every song they sang touched my heart. They really know how to write songs that speak to where "the rubber hits the road", so to speak, about a real walk of faith.

One song that seems to remind me of myself is entitled "Somewhere in the Middle". It talks about our walk with God and how we are not always the person we long to be, with the faith we want to have. Contradictions... and then the song ends by saying that God sees us where we are in our walk and loves us anyway. That's not to say that we shouldn't be striving to be more Christ-like, but we do need to remember that we are not the ones holding onto God, but rather, He is holding onto us.

Somewhere between my heart and my hands

Somewhere between my faith and my plans

Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar

Somewhere between the altar and the door

Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more

Somewhere in the middle you’ll find me

Fearless warriors in a picket fence

Reckless abandon wrapped in common sense

Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle

With eyes wide open to the differences, The God we want and the God who is

But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Lord, I feel you in this place and I know you’re by my side

Loving me even on these nights when I’m caught in the middle.

Random Pictures

2007-09-26T08:49:00.000-06:00

We took a family trip to the dentist this week...all the kids did really well. (Thanks, Sheila, for the recommendation!) And the only real issue we have between the four kids is an extraction of a baby tooth from our sweet girl's mouth and some sealants to apply.

Tucker loved all the attention he received, as well as the prize box at the end of the visit!

Preston still has no teeth and continues to be a happy, healthy baby.

Drew is such a wonderful big brother and loves to spend time with Preston. Here he is reading to him.
We have been able to go on the Greenbelt in Boise bike riding twice in the last couple of weeks with friends. We all loved it! These fall days are my favorite!
Robb and I took a little "date" with only the 2 younger boys while the older three were playing with friends (it always feels like a date when we don't have 5 kids with us!). Robb took me to the driving range/chipping green and I got to practice "my swing". It is so peaceful and quiet ...I could do it every day! Tucker got to try with his little clubs as well.
This tractor has been around for a long time and through 3 boys. The tires are plastic and have holes in them, but this continues to be a favorite toy!
Here are the older kids on the tire swing Robb made for them. School is out for the day and everyone is all smiles!

Happenings in our Lives...

2007-09-13T17:08:00.000-06:00

Here is a little update on what has been going on around here. We have busy, but enjoying what life brings our way. A few highlights of the past couple of weeks are:
The kids are doing very well doing school at home. Our kindergartner (Jayce) brings much enthusiam for learning and has helped set an energetic atmosphere. Tucker does very well playing alone, and Baby Preston spends much of his day sleeping. When he is awake, he spends much of his time smiling! The co-op that we go to on Thursdays is so very fun for the kids (and for me). This is where we go with other Idaho Virtual Academy students and have our Science, Art and Music for the week. The picture above is our kids on the first day of co-op.

Our house is still for sale and we are waiting patiently for God's timing. It was actually shown twice today while we were gone to co-op...very unusual since we had only shown it 3 times before that. We have been tossing around the idea of renting for awhile with a company called "Design Home Tending". This would allow us to live in a very large, beautiful home while spending very little in rent. The deal is this: the home would be for sale and we would move in with our furnishings and decorations. We would have to be willing to move when it sells and also be willing to show it when realtors call. With 5 kids? That's what we are trying to decide!
God has blessed us with a renter for our 2nd living quarters (on our property). The young girl doesn't care if it is not long-term and wants to rent even though we may have to show it (and she may have to move out when we move). She is a girl we know and plans to move in Saturday!
Lauren is doing so well in her violin! It seems that she has just grown musically by leaps and bounds this year! Yesterday at lessons, her teacher said that she got tears in her eyes listening to Lauren play. Her tone is beautiful and you can tell that she just loves it! This is her 5th year of taking lessons and we always wondered if this day would come.
We are getting a new brother-in-law in November!!! We are so excited that Kathy (Robb's sister that lost her husband 7 years ago) has found new love! We are very excited to meet Paul and welcome him into the family!
Robb and I have stepped down as leaders of our small group at our church and Robb is now going to be a "coach" of several small group leaders. This will enable our group to stretch and grow and will also help expand this ministry of the church.
That's about all for us...I love hearing about your lives when I get the chance to!
Blessings on your days!!!

Montana trip slideshow

2007-09-08T13:24:00.001-06:00

These pictures are from our wonderful time together. There is nothing like having cousins and grandparents to play with all day for 6 days! Great memories!
Enjoy!

Life's Interruptions

2007-08-30T21:31:00.000-06:00

Some days I feel as if I really don't accomplish much. As I have been trying to school the kids at home for the last 2 weeks, it seems that, in spite of my good intentions, my lists, and my aim at being a woman of discipline, there is never quite enough completed at the end of the day. I have been thinking a lot about this and realizing and trying to accept that "life" happens in the midst of busy days. Then just yesterday, I was reading an article by Gloria Gaither that my mom had loaned me and it really spoke to me. She wrote on the subject of interruptions in our lives and what our perspectives should be. One of her statements is:

"I am coming to believe that God's will for my life is the interruptions".

Wow! That hit me hard...here I have been trying to avoid roadblocks to "progress". She went on to show that so many of Jesus' special moments and miracles here on earth were what we would consider interruptions:
the water to wine
the leper and blind men
the man brought thru the roof by his friends
the woman with the disease who touched Him
the children who came to sit on His lap
Planning and visualizing and organizing is all well and good, but my earnest prayer is that I am never so busy that I miss the opportunities and adventures that will come when I am open to them. After all, what else am I really here for?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this and how you have learned to embrace with joy God's alternate plan.
By the way, this is a picture of our smallest "interruption". We are so thankful for him!
(And I do have pictures to post of our time in Montana and will do so soon. )

Montana Trip - Preview

2007-08-26T22:02:00.000-06:00

Well, we have been home for almost a week, but have not had time to blog, due to an icky bug we brought home with us. We truly enjoyed our week there...some of the highlights of our time together were:

nana and gramps, brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles

babies!!!

horses

four-wheelers

kids' camp

smoky mountains due to fires ....and the days that were not so smoky

late night visits

a great game of dominoes (thanks, Tom, for the great music and entertainment!)

enjoying old family pictures and movies

great food

a visit to the park with toddlers

a candlelit 40th anniversary dinner

2 baby dedications

a buddy for everyone to play with!

Andy Griffith shows that the kids loved watching

out-to-lunch and Candy Land game with Nana

catching up and reconnecting

I have many pictures to choose from to put on our blog. We all thank God for a wonderful time together and new memories made. As Jayce put it, "Our family rocks!" :)

We can't wait until the next time together ( and we so hope to be able to see Krystal, Jeff and kiddos soon! We love you guys!) .

Days like this I want to remember...

2007-08-09T22:43:00.000-06:00

Not all days as a mother are happy, peaceful days - many, but not all! There are some days that I am not satisfied with the way my children have interacted or the way that I have responded. There are some days when one or more children are sick and we have crying in the home. There are some days that I would like to forget ever happened and am so excited to start over the next day!
This wonderful day in McCall. Idaho was not one of them! Robb had a deck to look at and bid, and so we all piled into the car and rode with him. It was so enjoyable to get away, even for a day. We have been camping twice this year, but always with groups of people, so it was nice to just enjoy each other's company. The first part of the day was smoky due to many fires in Idaho and Drew's asthma was bothering him, but by the time we got to the lake with our buckets and shovels, the sky had cleared and it was beautiful!
We were able to rent a little canoe for a couple of hours and we all enjoyed it! Lauren was a bit nervous, even though she is a great swimmer and is in the water a lot. But when her and I got to go out for a while, she really loved it and has asked her dad to try to find one at the thrift store. :) The lake was pristine and so beautiful and peaceful.

The kids and Robb enjoyed building sand castles and Tuck spent a lot of time burying my feet in the sand!
There are no pictures of Preston as he was sleeping most of the time. He has turned into a very happy baby and we are loving having another baby around here!

I think God gives us these days as a time to reflect and appreciate all we have. I certainly did that today, and somehow I think I will remember this day for a very long time.

"Every good and perfect gift comes from above..." James 1:17

Drew-Boy

2007-07-28T18:34:00.000-06:00

My oldest son turned seven this week. I can't seem to remember where the time as gone, but yet I feel as if I've always known him. I am so proud of the guy he is turning into and give much credit to his daddy for it. Here are just a few things that I love about my Drew:

His "gusto' - everything he does is with his whole heart! Sometimes this can be cause for disaster, but I know it is a quality to treasure!

His independent spirit - He has learned to master several things by this young age, and I know in part that this is due to his perseverance! You will not hear Drew say "I can't" very often! (This also causes us to watch him somewhat closely as his confidence can be very high!)

His willingness to work - Drew is not afraid of work and knows the feeling of a job well-done. He is a delight to teach as he works diligently and faithfully. Robb and I have said on different occasions that if we want something done right, we just ask Drew!

His easy and hearty laugh! Often he will laugh so hard, he will go into a slight asthma attack, but that doesn't stop him. We just better know where the inhaler is!

His questioning spirit - Drew takes nothing sitting down! There have been many days when teaching him that I have despaired as he has argued with the curriculum over what a bunch of bananas would really weigh, how long a ladder would be, or an inconsistency in a phonics rule. I constantly pray that we can channel this properly and I know that if we can, this will be a very positive thing for all of his life and will allow him to be a life-long learner. (By the way...his dad thinks this quality is highly amusing!)
His heart to serve God - Though we have had many hours of attempting to answer questions from the Bible that Drew (or we) don't understand, we have seen a very tender heart towards God and Drew has asked Jesus into his heart. His prayers are a delight to hear as he expresses himself to our Father.

We were camping on Drew's birthday and he was able to go fishing with just Robb for a few hours that day. We celebrated with homemade pizza, cake and a sleep-over when we got home. We count it a true privilege and honor to nurture this little man!

"Look Mom, it's on sale!!"

2007-07-20T13:06:00.000-06:00

This was Drew's call to me a few minutes ago when he noticed the "For Sale" sign in our front yard. There are changes coming for us!

After prayer, Robb and I have decided to put our lovely home on the market. We feel a twinge of sadness, but mostly a peace about it. We have lived here for almost 6 years and have brought 3 little boys home from the hospital to live here with us. Our plans are a bit unknown, but we do know that we plan to use some of our equity and pay off hospital bills (our little Preston's NICU bill was $20,000!) and get a home where we can do some work and make money on it. Robb is very talented in invisioning improvements, as well as handy in doing them. And, most importantly, he likes to do that kind of thing! I will be along for the ride!!

In thinking about the home we will buy, my thoughts have been on what I want our home to be. I think it comes down to a place where my children and husband feel LOVED and can be nurtured spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially. I certainly do not need anything fancy to do that. We are praying for guidance and continued peace through the showings and then the changes coming our way. I did ask the realtor, a good friend of ours, if it is hard to sell a home with 5 kids! He said that it can be done! My challenge will be to not create a tense enviroment for the kids, but to have balance in all things.

This song has been running through my head often lately:

Be still my soul, thy God doth undertake

to guide the future as He has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul;

the waves and wind still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

-K. Schlegel

Visiting the Oregon Trail

2007-07-19T09:06:00.000-06:00

With Lauren preparing to take Idaho History this next year (4th grade), the kids and I (minus Tucker who stayed with Robb for the day) loaded up the Suburban and headed down the freeway 2 hours to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center with a group from our school. The figures were very life-like and the kids commented on how DIRTY they looked. Here are some comments from the kids on what they enjoyed seeing the most:

"Deciding what we could take on our wagon and trying to pack it in." (There was a miniature wagon there and the kids had to decide what were the most important things to take. Toys were left out!)

"Learning how they crossed the rivers."

"Getting to walk on the Oregon Trail."

We read several diary entries and we were all struck by the death and pain they had to go through. Their perseverance and tenacity was amazing! I wondered what it would be like to try to create a "home" on the road for your children. My respect grew by leaps and bounds as I read from their own words the joy and sorrow they experienced. It sure makes my days as a mom of five look easy!!!

Aunts, Uncles, Cousins.......

2007-07-10T23:40:00.000-06:00

Fun with cousins
The kids had a blast keeping cool in the pool!
Josiah, Kristen, and Lauren
Siblings and Friends

Tucker and Solomon
Kristen, Josiah, Lauren, Cassie and Drew
Mark and Esther
Debbie, PJ and Esther
The dads and the babies (2 months apart)

The Whelchel family
The Degelman family

All the cousins (PJ was in taking a nap): Josiah, Lauren, Preston, Kristen, Cassie, Drew, Laural Ann, Solomon, Silas, Jayce, and Tucker

The highlight of our summer so far was 4 fabulous days spent with 2 of Robb's sisters and their wonderful families! We were so excited to have Esther and Mark and kiddos come from Alaska, as well as Debbie, Scott and kids come from Colorado for our "reunion" (although we greatly missed Kathy and kids!!!). It had been at least four years for most of our family to see Esther's family, but all the cousins quickly got acquainted and loved being together. There were 18 in all....6 adults and 12 kids!!! But, everything went unbelievable smooth and everyone really helped out (thanks again, girls, for the delicious meals!!). Mark had never been to Idaho and was a bit apprehensive about the heat. We have been having record-breaking temperatures and most days it was over 100 degrees, but he was such a trooper and never complained! It was wonderful to get to know Esther's children better as they have grown into little adults. They were just delightful to be around and so very patient with the smaller children. We have so much to learn from Esther and Mark as parents. Scott and Debbie are also amazing parents to 4 little ones, ages 4 and under, and they do a terrific job of balancing everything and working together as a team. Debbie's energy seems endless!!

We packed our days full to the brim and loved just being together and getting to know each other again. We are incredibly thankful for family who loves God and shares our faith. We know that this is a true blessing from God! How wonderful it will be in Heaven when we will all be together forever and we won't have to say goodbye!!! This was indeed a precious time of sharing memories, roots, and dreams.

Happy July 4th!!!

2007-07-05T10:21:00.000-06:00

We really enjoyed our 4th of July and are so proud to be called "Americans"!

Robb had to work most of the day so that he could take off later in the week, but the kids and I had a fun day, spending most of it in the pool. Robb then grilled for us and we made homemade icecream (yum, yum). Later we loaded up and went to meet our friends, Tony and Amy Van Manen to watch fireworks at a local stadium. They were spectacular and even Baby Preston was wide-eyed and enjoying them!

2007-06-30T10:11:00.000-06:00

Scroll down to read story about pictures....

Last weekend we packed and packed and packed and finally headed out of town to go camping with our small group from church. Robb and I have been leading this group for about a year and a half. We love them all so much! The peculiar thing about our group is that it is not all that small...we have 27 in our group! 9 adults and 18 children! Thankfully we all made it to the mountains after one dear family (with 7 of the 18 children) blew a tire and had to spend the night somewhere else. Our days were filled with swimming, hiking, enjoying the creeks and hot springs, cooking, eating and visiting around the campfire. And for the most part, all of the kids had playmates! We tent-camped for the first time as we felt that we were out-growing our pop-up camper. We let another family of 4 use it and they loved it. The tent was cozy and very large. It was great to get away and enjoy the beauty of the God's earth! Then came the repacking and the unpacking.......