The Baby of the Family

We've been trying to gently break it to Isaac that he will soon need to surrender his baby status.  So far, he's not having any of it.

Many plastic tubs of clothes are stored in our basement, all marked on the outside with the appropriate size and gender.  Three little boys have each worn many of those clothes.  Actually, more than three boys have worn them because they either came to our family as hand-me-downs or I bought them used.  Over the years, I've had to throw away clothes that were no longer wearable due to holes, ripped seams or horrible stains.  What's left of the little boy clothing category is now well worn or I'm just plain tired of seeing it.

So, I when I found out that we would be having another boy, I made up my mind that if I found clothes at my price point, I would buy them.  For me that means less than a buck an outfit, preferably fifty cents per outfit.  I hit the mother load at a yard sale a few weekends ago.  The seller had tables and tables full of nearly new baby and toddler boy clothes--all for fifty cents each.  It's not an unusual sight to see tables upon tables full of baby girl clothes at yard sales, but boy clothes are a different story.  So I was tickled when I stumbled upon this particular sale.  I bought forty two pieces of clothing.

I brought the clothes home and started sending them through the washer and dryer.  As each load was completed, I folded and seperated the clothes into sizes and laid the different piles on the couch in the master bedroom.  Every time I turned around, Isaac had on a new outfit.  From twelve month pants that looked liked capris on him, to eighteen month shirts that exposed his belly button, he tried it all on.

I kept saying, "No, those aren't yours.  Those are for the baby--the baby in Mommy's tummy.  The baby will wear them when he comes out."

In reply, Isaac kept saying to me, "No!  I da baby!"

I guess we still have a bit of work to do in convincing Isaac that this baby thing is real and that it's not some sort of joke.  Poor Isaac, I have a feeling he's got a rude awakening ahead.

Science Teacher of the Year

Grandpa Bob taught science in our homeschool this year.  Every Wednesday, while I attended BSF with Joel and Jude, Grandpa Bob and Grandma Dianne came to our house for science and math time.  Grandma Dianne offered math tutoring and Isaac distraction as needed, while Grandpa Bob taught the day's science lesson to Elizabeth and Paul.  Lydia, never one to be far from the action, decided to make herself one of Grandpa's pupils as well.

Grandpa taught from Apologia's Exploring Creation with General Science text.  He and the kids made fossils and models of DNA.  They studied everything from cells to sedimentation--about 35 sessions in all.  Grandpa and Grandma even took Paul on a field trip to a fossil bed (Elizabeth opted out as she has a strong dislike for long car rides).

It's our tradition as a family to end the homeschool year with a Mt. Everest.  This year, since I wasn't able to get a Groupon for the local ice cream shop, I decided we'd make our own Mt. Everest.  I bought five different kinds of ice cream, hot fudge, caramel, maraschino cherries and Oreo cookies, which we crushed as a topping.  I also whipped up real whipping cream.

Once all of the kids completed their state required end of the year homeschool testing, we made our first Mt. Everest--or should I say, Mt. Everests.  We took two dinner plates and filled them with ice cream and all of the fixings.  Paul said they should be named Mt. Rainiers, not Mr. Everests.
Anyhow, on Sunday, we had Grandpa Bob and Grandma Dianne here for dinner.  We went for round two of the Mt. Everest for dessert.  This time we attempted to make the proper size on a platter instead of on a dinner plate.  We decided Grandpa Bob deserved an ice cream celebration, too.  It took him a few minutes to realize that if he wanted any ice cream, he'd better be a bit aggressive and get his spoon in there. Grandpa adapted his style and was able to compete with his science students (and future science students :) to get his fair share of the treat.  Three cheers for the Science Teacher of the Year!

Grace's Big Piano Day

I recently took my very nervous first born to her first piano adjudication.  Grace's piano teacher heard about the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program back in January.  You would think that five months of preparation would be sufficient to participate, but the breadth of study that the program covers really requires almost a year's worth of preparation.

Still, Grace and her teacher decided to give it a go.  Grace has worked really hard in the last five months to  build her skills.  She has practiced scales, chords, arpeggios and developed her ear in performing playbacks.  In addition, she's tackled new and challenging pieces of music from a variety of musical genres.  She credits the Lord with giving her the strength to cram as much study as she did into such a short amount of time.

When we arrived at the adjudication location, the anxiety in the air was palpable.  The room was filled with students awaiting their turn with the adjudicator.  When Grace's name was finally called, she disappeared into the back room to begin her testing.  Grace's teacher and I sat and listened nervously.  We could hear Grace's music through the closed double doors.  She did well, despite her nerves, but had a difficult time with the playback portion of the test.  The adjudicator played a few measures of music, which Grace could hear, but could not see being played.  Then the woman told Grace the key in which the measures were played and Grace was supposed to play what she had just heard.  I took piano for eight years and I know I never would have been capable of such a feat.  Grace will receive the results of this portion of the test in a month or so.

Next up, Grace needs to study for the theory portion of the test, which will be administered some time in August.  Theory was always my favorite part of piano!  Better Grace than me, I say.  At any rate, we're all proud of Grace for persevering through a difficult process.  Yay, Grace!  

Elizabeth's Confirmation

Elizabeth was confirmed on Sunday.  Confirmation is not a sacrament in the Lutheran church.  Lutherans state that a sacrament must impart God's grace, use some visible means (water, bread and wine), be connected with God's Word and be commanded by Christ.  Baptism and Communion are the two sacraments we celebrate in the Lutheran church.

Confirmation is a man-made rite, but it is a very important step in one's life of faith.  Two years of studying the Bible and doctrine culminate when the confirmand publicly vows before God and the church that he or she will follow Jesus at all costs.  Jesus said, "Whoever confesses Me before men, I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 10:32-33) In our family, just because one of our children has completed confirmation study, does not automatically mean that the child should be confirmed.

Matt and I had many conversations with Elizabeth to discern whether or not she was ready to take this important step.  She was.  Last Wednesday, Elizabeth was interviewed by an elder of the church.  She was asked questions about the Scriptures, doctrine and her personal faith.  Then she and the other confirmands gave their testimonies of faith before our Pastor, the elders of the church and the families of the confirmands.

On Sunday, Elizabeth and the other confirmands (14 of them!) stood before the congregation and were asked some very serious questions.  Here are a couple of those questons:  "Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?" to which the confirmands answered, "I do, by the grace of God."

"Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church [universal] and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?"  To which the confirmands answered, "I do, by the grace of God." *

Then each confirmand knelt down while Pastor prayed over them.  At this time, families were allowed to come to the front of the church and be present with their loved one as the prayer was said.  Each confirmand had chosen a life verse near the end of his or her two years of study.  These verses were read during this time.  Elizabeth chose the verse Matt and I picked out for her on her 13th birthday--"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."  Isaiah 30:21.

Elizabeth's four grandparents, her godparents (Uncle Trevor and Aunt Jessica), her great aunt and uncle, her cousins, aunt and her immediate family came forward to lay hands on her as the prayer was said and her verse was read.  I don't think I would have been capable of holding back the tears even if I hadn't been pregnant.

After the church service and the cake reception, we all headed to our house for a party.  We had a nice lunch.  For dessert, we ate a beautiful (and delicious) cake made from scratch by Grace.  She spent about four hours making the frosting decorating it.  Grandma Dianne also contributed her famous shortbread.  We were finally able to have a little time to slow down after an incredibly busy week and to enjoy our guests and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth received some very thoughtful gifts.  One special gift was made by her godmother, Aunt Jessica.  She drew a picture and wrote Elizabeth's verse alongside the drawing.  All this, despite the fact that she currently cannot see well due to Guillian Barre syndrome (Miller Fisher variant).

Grandma Dianne and Grandpa Bob gave Elizabeth a family heirloom of an 1886 edition of Luther's Small Catechism.  Grandpa Tom and Grandma Jane gave her a silver cross necklace.  Grace made an embroidered handkerchief for her sister.  Matt and I  gave her the book God's Promises for Your Every Need.  My Grandma and Grandpa gave me a copy of the same book for my confirmation.  Elizabeth also received a lovely scarf from Uncle Keith and Aunt Leanna.

In addition to all this, Elizabeth's Mommy was blessed as well.  I had my concerns about pulling off a party at the end of a very busy week, especially with Matt and Paul gone on a Boy Scout camp out until late Saturday night.  My friend Peggy provided flowers from her yard since I didn't have much of anything blooming in mine.  My sister-in-law offered her help numerous times.  She also provided a ton of prayer support.  Matt's parents helped with set-up, made and picked up food and helped serve the lunch.  My parents and aunt and uncle brought food as well.  Elizabeth's cousin, Raphaella, took over her acolyte duties for the Sunday service.  I would be remiss if  I didn't give credit to the Lord, who provided beautiful weather for the occasion and showered both Elizabeth and her family with His grace on a very special day.

*Questions taken from the Lutheran Service Book.

The Doctor is In

Isaac has been self-diagnosing and treating his small (and sometimes even non-existent) boo boos.  He goes to the cupboard, pulls out what he calls a "banana" and then applies it to the afflicted body part.

In this case, I think he was actually trying to adhere the "banana" to the nearly healed shallow cut he got last weekend while wresting with his older brother Jude.