2018 book 17

Pages: 350

I read it to the boys. They loved it. We looked at the illustrations in both books. 

My new phone is newer than my old phone.
It is more advanced than my old phone.
It takes better pictures than my old phone.

It will not let me blog pictures without jumping through several hoops.
Boo.

I have updated kitchen pictures of my new counter tops. Hopefully I’ll get to a computer soon and can blog them.

2018 - book 16

Pages: 336

I've got to start reading shorter books. :). But all the interesting ones are long. 

Easy read. 

Interesting story. 

Another good glimpse of people living in poverty and its effects. 

Also, did you know that it wasn't until 1975 that doctors had to explain procedures and side effects to people and have them sign a consent form?!? 

And that doctors were doing medical experiments on people without their permission throughout the 1950s and 1960s? And still some in the 70s? And that they probably were much later than that. Some of the experimenting was harmless and some of it was horrible. This book only touches on a few of those practices as things happen to side characters, but it was enough to surprise me. Wow. 

2018 - book 15

Pages: 187

The best book I have read on the refugee situation. Excellent resources and ideas. 

Same Chair. Different Boys.

We love our books!

The boys are rough and tumble a lot of the time. There is a lot of yelling and jumping and running and fighting.  I don't want to give the impression that we just sit around and read books all day. :)   But every so often things quiet down and I find them reading to each other. It is a beautiful thing.

I sent my mom the second picture and she messaged me back with the first picture. How funny are these?

 I wish I had taken this photo from the other side because the lamp, table, pile of coasters, basket of blankets under the table, and aloe plant would be in it (they are all still around).  You can kind of see the quilt rack in the back of this picture (Jared's coat is on the top of it). And Meems was wearing the same socks as Martin in the first picture today.

The Past Two Weeks....

Wow. The past two weeks have been rough around here. A stomach bug has been sweeping through the house hitting us one at a time about every 4 days. I've missed church two Sundays in a row. *Very sad about this!*  You never realize how grateful you are for church until you miss it. 

Warbs had the virus (I think) 2 weeks ago, then Martin last Saturday, and Meems woke up throwing up on Tuesday night. Throwing up babies are so pathetic. :(  Just when I thought we might get to relax and rest up Warbs had an infected finger (that required a doctor visit Thursday) and my phone died Friday which required many hours setting up a new phone (thankfully, a dear friend had just given me her old phone a few weeks ago).  And then Saturday night was my turn to get ill.  I haven't felt that terrible in a long time. I could barely walk around on Sunday. I spent the entire day in bed or on the couch. It was dreadful.  

I am so very thankful for my friends.  I also haven't felt this loved in a long time. I cried. Several people offered to bring me meals. One dear friend left me chicken noodle soup and homemade bread on my porch on-her-way-to-church! That chicken noodle soup was a lifesaver!  And can you get better than homemade bread?  It is so much better than dry saltines. 

Jared took care of the boys.  I have no idea what they ate or did.  He somehow managed to watch them and make a meal for Sunday night dinner. 

Thankfully, I woke up about 85% today.  Thanks to a shower, chicken noodle soup, and an almost full night of sleep. God is so good. I have about 100 projects to work on that have been put off for the last few weeks.  But I have finished lots of books (I have posted ahead through May now - book 22 just finished).  Today I sewed a pair of pajama bottoms for Martin and finished a doll dress for one of my nieces.  I will post pictures of both of those eventually (the blogger app no longer exists and I am trying to figure out how to blog from my new phone)...Why does everything have to change? 

2018 - book 14

Pages: 180

The sermon series is better. I listened to them my year in graduate school while I was engaged. I re-listened to most of them this Fall. It is such a good series (As is the series on Unbelief, When I Don't Desire God, and on Job - in case you need some other suggestions).  If you have time, listen to the sermon series.  If you want a refresher course or do better with reading, read the book.  The book is edited.  So, you will miss some information from the sermon series. And you will miss the passion and wonder in John Piper's voice when he explains the glory of marriage as being a picture of Christ and His church.  

This is one of my top three marriage books because it describes what the ultimate purpose of marriage is. It isn't to make us happy. It is to display the glory of God in our marriages by showing the world a picture of Christ's love for His church.  

Here is the link to the first sermon in the series:

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/staying-married-is-not-about-staying-in-love-part-1

The series is called, Marriage, Christ, and Covenant. 

There are 14 sermons. 

They are all excellent. 

I listened to them when I was engaged, a few years into marriage, and last year. 

Robot

Paper bags are fun. 

2018 - book 13

Pages: 237

I read Cheaper By the Dozen two years ago and have had the sequel on my list for a while. It is a fast and easy read.  It is fun to read about a house that is run by an efficiency engineer. I kind of want to make my boys listen to a foreign languages while they bathe and set up daily charts for jobs (we already have a basic one that we follow). 

Sometimes

Sometimes the esl director is also the substitute teacher...

I'm really out of practice since my staff has been so consistent this year. 

Thanks, everyone!

Also, I've been wanting to test out some new (for us) curriculum for next year. So teaching this week comes at the perfect time. 

This year has been an amazing start to a multi-church partnership that I am praying grows and expands each year that goes by. God has been so good. He moved 11 of my staff in 2 years. Eleven people moved out of the area that had taught at esl. But he also brought in three churches to partner with us in big ways. His plans are bigger than our plans and His ways are not our ways. I am honored to be along for the ride and excited to see what ways He directs us next. 

Pray with us as we expand our student base and teacher base. We'd like to advertise in places we never have before. And we would like to bring in several more church partners. Pray above all else that we would bring glory to God in everything that we do and say.