Game Changer

I alluded to a major change in the works in yesterday's post.  Well, it's possible anyway.

 

In the spring Pete and I suddenly found an auction property for sale just 2 miles away from our current house.  It needed major work but had plenty of land and lots of possibility.  It being an auction meant everything needed to happen in reverse with our finances, and it seemed a long shot.  Quite frankly, we knew that if this was finally the property the Lord wanted for us, he'd have to perform a miracle.  And, at the same time, we knew we'd be fine with staying where we were if it didn't work out.  And it didn't.  :)

 

That all happened around Memorial Day, right as school was wrapping up and we were definitely ready for some summer vacation!  Honestly, it was a relief not to have to deal with a move this summer.  And I really do love my little house.

 

 

Fast forward 3 months.

 

We're on the real estate market rollercoaster again.

 

This time it's a regular sale we're looking at and it is 10 times better than the other place!  In fact, it has e.v.e.r.y. single thing on our wish list and is move in ready.  It needs some TLC, but nothing that is overwhelming.

 

We're still in process though, and it's hard not knowing how this will all work out.  BUT, we trust that God has our ultimate good in mind, He sees the big picture, and we can trust and rest in the knowledge that He will accomplish his sovereign will.

 

In the meantime, we're trying to sell our house.  If anyone is interested, leave a comment with your name and email and I'll send you a link with more info.

 

 

To be continued...

Family Updates

We've now been in full-swing school mode for 2 months.

Natalia is in 2nd grade, LOVES her teacher, is making new friends and enjoying continuing friendships from previous years.  The social aspects of the school day continue to be her favorite part, but she is a real worker bee and is striving to do her best despite the challenges that learning poses.  On that front we are making some progress in figuring out the balance that will help her, and it is a process that is stretching and growing us all in valuable ways.  My hope and prayer for this year was that not only would Natalia start to experience some success to keep her going, but also that her teacher and anyone else that works with her would get a good pulse on Natalia; that they would understand what motivates and works for her.  Already I've seen that prayer answered in numerous ways. 

Adam is in a 3-morning Preschool program at our district's high school.  I have been so impressed by the head teacher, the high school "teachers", and just the content that they pack into the morning.  Adam has a good grip on the alphabet, can write, and is starting to read some words, but his foundation will only solidify with this program, not to mention the classroom disciplines he's learning.  Every morning he wakes up and asks if he has school.  :)

My days have been more busy than I anticipated simply with the kids varying schedules--and the fact that we have now been re-zoned as walkers.  It's a good hike up the hill (1 mile round trip) and we make it twice a day when the weather allows.  (Que the familiar, "when I was your age I walked 2 miles to school, in the snow, uphill boths ways...")  Next year when Adam starts Kindergarten I'll make the trip 3 times!!!  To think that after letting my gym membership expire for financial reasons this winter, I was praying for God to open up a scheduled time for me to exercise...  :)

We've been wrapping up our pastured poultry operation for the year.  In alittle more than a week we will finish with the last batch for a grand total of 450 birds for 2013.  Hard to believe we've been doing this for 4 years...an exciting, provisional adventure.  We continue to keep our eyes open for a single family property in our area with 1 1/2 acres.  Our dream is to keep raising chickens, add a handful of egg layers and maybe a goat.  So far it seems an impossible dream on a teacher's salary, but who knows!  God has provided in many big ways in the past.  If it's to be, it will be.  I've learned a lot about contentment through this process, and it's always a challenge, but just what I need.

 

With autumn's onset, we've been enjoying campfires with friends, as well as a trip to the Science Factory in Lancaster and Strasburg Railroad courtesy of the library's free passes/reading program.  Other highlights have been our local farm show, numerous extended family weddings, and the father/son campout at church.  Pete and I will take the kids to the mountains for a weekend soon.  It's become one of our favorite yearly traditions, and it thrills me to carry on the memories of my childhood romps in the woods. 

On the homefront I was able to make applesauce again this year as well as freezer corn and canned peaches.  Those are my staples and all I tackled this year.  Our small garden did okay, but not great.  I was hoping for zucchini, cucumbers, and meadow tea but something got to those plants.  The tomatoes however are still producing!  I have grand visions of having a garden in our own backyard someday...gonna' have to grow a green thumb though first.  That is definitely not my strength. 

Last, but not least, there is book club.  Oh, how I love it, let me count the ways... 
I haven't been reading nearly as many books as in the past, but I'm definitely being stretched to read new things, and the fellowship we have over our meal together with the book discussion afterward has been a highlight for me every month.  Look for my reviews and ratings soon.  :)

Multitude Monday #9

It's been awhile since I've posted a Multitude Monday...a recounting of God's faithfulness and blessings in this season.  I am so thankful that though I desire to honor Christ, his love for me is an unchanging love, and not dependent on my performance.  He is faithful, even when I'm not.  THIS is true mercy and grace, and it makes me want to please him even more.

Things have been hoppin' in our household.  School is well underway, but some of us are still adjusting.

Picking up where I left off...

123.  Physical health.  It is so easy to take for granted a body that functions properly.

124.  Group exercise class at the local rec center.  I've been going twice or more a week for Body Pump.  It's weight training set to music, and it works each muscle group.  I definately feel stronger, especially in my legs and lower back.

125.  25 lbs. gone!  It took 5 months but slow and steady wins the race, right?  I'm aiming for 15 more by the end of the year. 

126.  Discounted clothing for my kiddos and turning a profit through the Weeusables Consignment Sale this week.  Just in time too because they both had outgrown nearly everything in their closet!!!

127.  Spiritual encouragment through the men and women in our Care Group and church.

128.  A dinner date with longtime friends--sans kiddos!  We figured out that we hadn't done that since starting our families 7 years ago. 

129.  Spontaneous squeezes and sweet whispers from my kiddos.

130.  Input for how to better steer my child's strong (STRONG!!!) will through H. Clay Trumbull's book "Hints on Child Training".  Though originally published in 1890 it is remarkably current--some things just don't change!

131.  Cool mornings!

132.  New people joining the Mom's prayer group for our elementary school.

133.  Our new church building!  We've officially been meeting there since the beginning of August.  After 30 years of paying rent, we now have the space for greater ministry and service.

134.  Patched drywall!  Seems silly, but after a year of having a hole in our living room ceiling (due to a mysterious roof leak) it is now fixed and awaiting a coat of paint.  Hurray!

135.  A benign test result.

136.  Adam doing an awesome job during his first trip to the dentist! 

137.  A steaming cup of coffee and a few minutes of quiet solitude.

138.  Book Club.  I just love it!  It challenges me, refreshes me, and is a once-a-month repose in this season of my life.

139.  Upcoming fall festivities--my favorite season.

140.  Homemade applesauce.

141.  Marigolds still in bloom.

142.  A great year of pastured poultry production!  Favorable weather for the most part, better equipment, and plentiful customers.  Our last batch is finished in a week.

143.  A prayer that reorients my heart when I'm foolishly self-reliant..."Jesus, please help me.  Because otherwise I can't be helped."

144.  My mom.  :-)  A trusted confidant, friend, source of wisdom, helper...I could go on and on but the screen is already blurry from the tears welling up!

145.  My hard-working husband.  I am particularly thankful that he has a job that allows him to be at home with us early in the evening, that he's willing to help Natalia with her homework despite the grading and lesson plans awaiting him each evening, and that he is a "hands on" daddy.  Love you, hon!

The Post That Got Hijacked...

...by more urgent matters. :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is what I wrote last Saturday, February 18th, intending to post later that evening:

My blog has been rather silent of late, for a variety of reasons. Number one, blogging is not a priority right now. No offense to you, my faithful readers and friends, but life has been full and I've had some opportunities in the last months that were given precident over blogging. BUT, I am hoping to pick things up again soon. I've got a writing itch to scratch. :-)

This past week, on the 15th, I took Natalia to her 6 month cardiology check-up.

You may remember what a hard time we went through last spring when she was prescribed the first medication we have ever needed to give her for her heart. The two months she was on it were extremely trying...for all of us. (If your memory needs refreshed, here's the link to that post. And if you're not sure what was wrong with her heart in the first place, here's our story.)

Well, needless to say, I asked for prayer for our appointment last week like a desperate woman. Because I felt desperate.

I was desperate for God to change my attitude. The most recent appointment last summer hadn't gone well, my daughter's strong will raising it's ugly head to the point that she refused to let them touch her. Except for the technician who does the ECHO. She gives lollipops and lets you watch a movie.

Was that appointment humbling? Oh yeah. Embarassing? Incredibly! Why? Because my pride was hurt. My daughter's behavior was a reflection on me, and I didn't feel it was justified. I felt like all my efforts to train her to respect authority, follow directions, and be respectful were for nothing. Because I like to see results. Because I like to believe I have some semblance of control over my children. Because I'm delusional like that. I sensed the frustration of those trying to do their job, even though they were being extremely patient, understanding, and creative. And at some point the realization that there was nothing more I could do to get her to comply...well, it just took the wind out of my sails. And though I didn't express it outwardly, I could feel the ugliness rising up inside--where I was throwing a hot and sweaty tantrum.

*sigh*

So you see, I NEEDED prayer.

Most of all though, I had to confess to the Lord that I wanted to change my daughter. And as I prayed last week for God to help me have the right attitude, I really felt he took away the dread and worry, and I knew that regardless of how the appointment went, he would be my strength.

And he was. And the appointment was horrible. But God gave me patience, tenderness, firmness, and wisdom at just the right moments. I was emotionally drained afterwards but I wasn't despairing.

Medical update:
The leaking/spurting from the incision sites (not the valves) has increased slightly from our appointment 6 mos. ago, which had increased since the visit before that. We're still in the mild range, but it's now mild+ and that means we go back in late July and likely she'll try a different medication for the same issue. And that appointment really needs to go well so they get as accurate information as possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So...for those of you who are on facebook, you know Natalia broke her elbow just before bedtime this past Saturday night. We just needed more medical drama in our lives, right?

Long story short: our local hospital has a limited pediatric unit, and though they did the initial x-ray and diagnosis, with Natalia's heart condition and the required anesthesia and surgery to put a pin in her elbow, Pete and Natalia got a midnight ambulance transport to Penn State Hershey Medical.

She had surgery at 7:30am Sunday morning, and I relieved Pete so he could go home shortly before lunch. That afternoon the swelling went down some, she transitioned from the morphine to the Tylenol w/codeine, and began to regain her appetite. I was prepared to spend the night but around 9pm I was wheeling her out the door! Finding a pharmacy that was open was a challenge, but once again God took care of us and within 15 minutes that problem was solved and we knew where to go. (There is only one pharmacy in Lancaster County that is 24 hour!!! And it's relatively closeby.)

By 11pm Sunday we were home, she was tucked in her own bed, and we could finally catch up on some sleep. Pete had gotten 2 (interrupted) hours + a 2 hour nap, and I had slept 3 hours in 40 hours.

God was so faithful to provide for us through it all:
*Natalia was calm on the way to the hospital.
*It was a clean and common break.
*She cooperated for the x-ray.
*She wasn't frightened by the ambulance ride--thought it was pretty cool!
*Surgery went well.
*Pete and I knew the drill regarding the pediatric wing--it didn't feel as daunting as it did when she was an infant needing heart surgery. (Of course this wasn't nearly as serious a situation, but both Pete and I felt more confident in our surroundings and in being Natalia's advocate.)
*Mom and Dad were closeby and ready to help with Adam, transporting cars, etc.
*Peace.
*Pete was willing to take her to the ER and navigate the subsequent medical stuff, and I could concentrate on the recovery part.
*It was a holiday weekend, so both Pete and Natalia had off Monday--and Natalia has an early dismiss scheduled for Friday, so she isn't missing as much.
*Our sofa bed loveseat in the living has been such an easy way for Natalia to convalesce this week.
*She's been a mostly happy patient, not in pain too much, and easy to keep entertained.
*Special visitors, cards, and activities/gifts to make it a fun week while she missing her classmates and teachers.
*Seeing a friend from church in the hospital parking lot as I was getting ready to take Natalia home.
...and so many more reminders that we were not alone, that God was caring for us and supplying for our needs.

Thank you all for your prayers and kindness!

Big Boy Bed

This past Spring I was able to find some great deals at the WeeUsables Consignment Sale that is held bi-annually in the Lancaster area.

One of those finds = this comforter and pillow sham set.

I had planned to buy a plain-colored comforter, but when I saw this, it fit the bill perfectly!

What makes this bargain even more special is that my mom makes a throw-sized patchwork quilt for each of the grandbabies for their 1st Christmas. She lets the mommies pick out swatches at the fabric store so the quilts are individualized. The shades of blues and red that I picked out 2 years ago match this new TRAIN quilt exactly! See?!

Now, I just have to get used to how little my big boy looks in his new bed!

(Thankfully he has done sooooooo much better about staying in his bed than his sister did. Read "There have been no 2 week nap strikes!...yet.") And it's been a much more pleasant transition since I'm NOT pregnant and sick as a dog like I was then.)

Everyone, please take note of that all uppercase word I just used. :-) That was not a hint or clue to any hidden message.

Blogger Issues

I don't know what was up with blogger this past week, but I haven't been able to leave comments or post at all. As a result, I've had a few post ideas on the back burner.

Keep checking back this week. :-)

Update

This past week brought some welcomed changes on the medical front. I was able to talk to Natalia's cardiologist and gain some answers to our concerns and questions.

The tiredness should NOT have been chronic, and the doctor agreed that we should take Natalia off of the medication immediately. I also asked her to rate the severity of the leakage, for both last year and this year. With 1 being very minor and a 10 very serious, Natalia was between 1-2 last year. This year, a 3. (I immediately began kicking myself for not calling sooner.)

We value and recognize the importance of medicine and certainly do not shun it, but it is not the first thing we run to, or always the best solution. We try to look at our health in a holistic fashion, appreciating that God has designed our bodies to heal itself much of the time if we are caring for it appropriately, but we also know that our daughter wouldn't be alive today but for the grace of God and the advances made in modern medicine.

It's been a discerning process to know how aggressive we should be regarding Natalia's heart, and we appreciate all of you who have been praying for us. The last two weeks have not felt as emotionally heavy, we've gained clarity to know what questions to ask, and we are seeing God's hand of provision in a multitude of ways.

Through a series of circumstances, she will be seeing a different cardiologist from now on--the one that was our first choice when we moved to PA four years ago in fact. Also, despite my delay in calling the doctor and possibly saving us from a few weeks of all of this, God has been softening my heart and giving me greater patience in the way that I relate to my daughter. For that I am very thankful. (How comforting it is to know that God is sovereign and can use our weaknesses and mistakes for His ultimate good.)

We've noticed an immediate improvement in Natalia's energy level and mood in the last few days. She is once again greeting the dawn in her usual cheerful fashion instead of obstinately burrowing under the covers. She hasn't been as spacey at preschool, and our afternoons at home have been much more pleasant. There are some residual behavorial issues to address, but we expected that.

Thank you again for your prayers for Natalia and for us!

Adam

This post originated right after last Thanksgiving. Yup.

That's when the "blemish" you see in the picture above appeared on Adam's right cheek. At first we thought it was simply that...a blemish or bug bite that would go away. Two weeks later it was just as red and becoming more raised and pronounced. Christmas and birthday season hit and we had well-checks for both kids already scheduled for right after New Years. Running to the doctor for a blemish seemed silly. He wasn't bothered by it at all, wasn't running a fever, wasn't sick...

At first, they thought it was a boil. They drained it, gave us an antibiotic. But it never completely went away. There was still a small hard bump under the surface.

Three additional visits later we were referred to a dermotologist because they didn't know what else to try.

It's now been three visits to the dermotologist, and they did a biopsy of it. Adam was a champ through the procedure which requires a needle to numb it, then an 1/8" circular incision to cut out a piece. He didn't even cry, just one silent elephant tear as they were stitching him up at the end. My brave baby. (The doctor and nurses were SO great, you would have thought they dealt with little kids every day!)

The pathology report just came in Monday. Turns out it is ruptured cyst material, and it is a bacteria that normally occurs in ear and sinus infections. Kind of baffling that it is on his cheek, but they put him on a special antibiotic that should clear it up. We're hoping and praying. (It's been almost 5 months!!!)

These past few months I've been reminded of how much we have to be thankful for regarding our health and well-being. My grandfather has been battling so many health issues following his heart valve surgery last month, and we all are hurting for him and my grandma as they navigate this very difficult season in which things haven't turned out as they were expecting.

Sure we've been in a doctor/specialist's office 10+ times since the beginning of the year, but it could be so much worse! It's been a lesson in dependance as we've not known what we were dealing with. But the Great Physician knows each care and concern. Nothing escapes His notice or comes as a surprise, and He is constantly praying on our behalf to the Father. Isn't that good news this morning?!

Natalia

Early in March, I took Natalia to her annual cardiologist appointment. She did pretty well through the 2 hour visit (EKG, echocardiogram, etc.) and there has always been some leakage from the sites where the two main arteries of her heart were reattached after her arterial switch surgery at 6 days old. And every year when we go for her check-up, the leakage has been about the same.

This year her test results showed more leakage/spurting, caused by slightly tightening arteries, putting strain on those old incision sites. They wanted to put her on blood pressure medication to help the arteries relax. (We have not had any restrictions or medication for her since she came home from the hospital at 3 weeks old--just routine checkups.)

Listed side effects from the medication are mainly tiredness and sore throat, both of which we noticed right away. I guess we just expected the tiredness to be at the beginning...not chronic.

We didn't foresee...the bear. The shortened fuse. Scratch that--the non-existant fuse.

She's a determined and vocal little gal, and has never been shy when expressing herself, the good, the bad, and the ugly. But what I've been struggling with, (since I'm the one at home doing the bulk of the disciplining), is how do I allow for real chemical imbalances, yet viligantly shepherd her heart?

I know I am more prone to put my inner sinner on full display when I am physically feeling low. Especially when it is for days on end. Especially with my closest family members.

This little one has been chronically tired for nearly 2 months, no matter how diligently we get her to bed early. She's been a different girl since we started the medication. Very different.

If this new medication is inducing these changes in her behavior, (the frequent explosions of anger, the rebellion and ignoring correction, the regressing on the potty front--though it seems only at home) then how best do I (we) respond?

We do not believe her behavior is caused by the medication alone--but think it is definately heightening her responses. Increasing them to the tenth degree.

I've been crying out to the Lord for wisdom. To know what questions to ask and how best to navigate the confusing and overwhelming medical scene. (We're dealing with her vital organ, afterall.) For God to quiet our daughter with His peace, and give us wisdom how to discipline her. For Him to instruct my heart as I've grown weary at times, feeling like I'm continually walking through a minefield. And to keep my attitude soft and compassionate towards her, not frustrated or angry because of yet another meltdown over something I deem insignificant.

I suspect that for Natalia, life probably feels out of control. She's trying to keep it together all day long, and then the littlest thing feels like too much. Pray that I openly model dependance on the Lord to her. Pray for healing.

She is our gift, our miracle baby. God has a future and a purpose for her life, and He can be trusted at all times.

All Has Not Been Quiet...

...on the Winkler homefront, though my blog has. It has rightfully taken up residence on the back burner these last few weeks.

But, I thought I'd write a few posts this week to share what's been keeping me away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Weathering.

*to expose to the weather; dry, season, or otherwise affect by exposure to the air or atmosphere

*to discolor, disintegrate, or affect injuriously, as by the effects of weather

*to bear up against and come safely through (a storm, danger, trouble, etc.)

The word "weathering" conjures up many different meanings, moods, and thoughts, but it fits well with how life has felt lately.

We've been bearing up against the late onset of Spring. Those of you at home with young kiddos can heartily agree.

We've been experiencing numerous physical challenges on the home front. The kids have had 10 medical appointments since January--not a single one for sickness/flu though!

Pete has had one very difficult classroom of kids this semester. God is growing him through this hard time, seasoning him, but it's been stressful.

And people we dearly love are experiencing great loss and grief. Our hearts hurt...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There have been some definate and prolonged challenges lately, but God has been faithful to bring to my mind past answers to prayer to inspire hope, Scripture to instruct my heart with Truth that fits the moment, and simple pleasures and joys that brighten the day, no matter if the sun is shining or hiding behind storm clouds.

A song I heard while in the car the other day really encouraged me. It's by Laura Story, and I'm going to copy the lyrics here:

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while You hear each spoken need

Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?

What if your healing comes through tears?

What if a thousand sleepless nights

are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life

are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear

We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love

As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win

We know that pain reminds this heart

That this is not, this is not our home

It's not our home

What if my greatest disappointments,

Or the aching of this life,

Is the revealing of a greater thirst

This world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life?

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights?

Are Your mercies in disguise?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Growin' Up Fast

I keenly remember how much fun Natalia was between the ages of 2 and 2 1/2...not that those 6 months were the only fun ones, you understand. :-)

Well, once again we are in that particularly fun stage with Adam. His language skills are really taking off, and we've delighted in hearing each new sentence or rambling.

Well...most of them.
"I HAVE IT FIRST!"

Since he and Natalia absolutely LOVE watching CHARLOTTE'S WEB over and over and over again, he has picked up a few lines and songs. This morning after we returned home from dropping Natalia off at Preschool, he piped up from the back seat,

"SAL-UH-TAY-SENS!" (Charlotte to Wilbur: "Salutations.")

I asked, "Sal-u-what?" (Wilbur to Charlotte) Sure enough, he picked up the rest,

"SAL-UH-TAY-SENS! mumble, mumble, mumble, mumble, HELLO!" (Charlotte to Wilbur: "Salutations! That's my fancy way of saying 'hello'!")

Then he told me to "CHIN UP." (The song that follows the above conversation.)

He loves to sing, and he's got quite the set of lungs. Natalia's been coaching him.

TRACTOR, TRACTOR has been a favorite now for a number of months. He can sing all the verses and even the ones we've added.

tractor plowing through the field,

combine harvesting the wheat, (OF COURSE we made a verse about combines!)

backhoe digging up the dirt,

firetruck zooming through the street,

carriage going to the ball,

jet plane flying through the air,

and rocket shooting to the moon

Also favorites are JESUS LOVES ME, JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD, the ABC's, THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, MY GOD IS SO BIG, and I'VE GOT THE JOY, JOY, JOY, DOWN IN MY HEART. (Anyone out there remember the Psalty version with the screechy "Where?")

What warms my heart is when I hear Adam saying, I LOVE YOU, and FORGIVE ME? without prompting. I know he doesn't fully understand the reasoning behind these expressions, yet I am encouraged that they are part of his vocabulary.

...it somewhat balances out the many "I DO IT AYE AYE SELF!"

Grooveshark

My recent Favorite Things post included a link to a free listening music website called Grooveshark. On the day of my post I had trouble opening it, as occasionally in the past, but it has failed to open for me since then. Grrrrrr.

Tonight my wonderful hubby found the old version online and it works!!!!

Here is the link in case you too were wondering what was up.

Tis The Season

It's such a busy time of year for everyone. Our household is no different.

I feel I've been neglecting my blog, but that's okay.

I've been trying my best to not overcommit, to plan well the outings and projects we do have, and to simply take time to enjoy being at home despite the rush of this season. I do not want frenzy and fuss to accompany me wherever I go. I want to remember the point of this holiday. And I also want to take time to make special memories with my husband, children, and those we love.

What I've been up to...

Fun things. We'll be meeting friends at the Choo Choo Barn, Pete and I are taking a day trip to NYC, and we've got 2 upcoming Christmas parties. Then we'll enter full holiday mode with 3 birthdays thrown in (4 if you count our niece). Craaaaaazy!

Christmas goodies. My family always swaps Christmas cookies each year. This year we've narrowed it down to 1 kind each instead of 2-3 each. Maybe our jeans will fit better. One can hope. Ha ha. I will be also be contributing desserts for our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners. Pumpkin Rolls and Lemon Cheese Braids. YUM.

Christmas shopping--completely online this year. I'm nearly finished! Nothing like wearing my moccasins, sipping hot chai, and finding exactly what I want without leaving the house! Shopping has never been a hobby of mine, and I avoid the mall like the plague.

Brainstorming birthday cake ideas. My son wants "Thomas, da chang chang chang" on his cake. We've got the engine already. Pipe some chocolate buttercream tracks, throw on a few trees and trains from the playroom, and voila. We're keepin' it simple. My daughter wants a combine on her cake. Yep. She's my farmer girl. She also emphasized that she wants a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Be still my heart. That I can do. :o)
I found a miniature combine at Outback Toys in Lititz. (What a great store!) I'm thinking toasted coconut will make great amber waves of grain. I'm not making myself a birthday cake--I think we will have already filled our cake quota for the month by New Year's Eve!!!

Anticipating time with family. My youngest brother Ryan and his fiance Sarah (woot woot) are coming in January for a visit. I'm so excited! We'll also have 2 extended family dinners in January. If only Pete's brother in Belgium could be here too. Hopefully we'll see him at Easter.

Experimental breadmaking. I have a breadmachine, and use it occasionally. Lately though I've been making bread the old-fashioned-roll-up-your-sleeves way. My quest: to find a good sandwich roll recipe. Something slightly crispy on the outside, dense and moist on the inside. I think I'm getting closer after 4 attempts in the last 2 weeks. I find it hard to imagine life without allrecipes.com and other such websites. :o)

Reading. I've been re-reading some of the books from Bodie Thoene's ZION COVENANT series in anticipation of her new series ZION DAIRIES. I also picked up THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA by Michael Pollan, HER DAUGHTER'S HOPE by Francine Rivers, and THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS by Isabel Wilerson, a book about the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities in search of a better life. (An exodus of almost 6 million people between 1915-1970.)

School Time!

I have had a VERY excited little girl in my household this week.

Tuesday was the first day of Pre-school!

Natalia is enrolled in a program offered at Pete's old school and after I visited last fall I was thrilled to have found a great program that fit our budget. There is a supervising teacher, around 12 student teachers (juniors and seniors), and around 12 pre-schoolers. It runs 3 days a week for 2 hours each morning, yet is early enough that we still have a nice amount of down-time together before lunch. (I was a bit nervous about getting out of the door with 2 kiddos by 7:45, but it hasn't been bad! Ask me in mid-January though and I may say differently.)

Mrs. B has been doing this for over 20 years, her program is one finely-tuned machine, and I love how she is giving her student teachers a real taste for what it takes to be an educator. Her love for what she does just oozes out of her, and I love her sense of humor.

Natalia's first words to me after I picked her up after her first day were, "I just LOVE pre-school and Mrs. B!" (I just knew she would.)

Fowl Follow-up

For those of you curious about how our chickens are faring, here are some updated pictures.



See those trees in the background? We live just beyond them.





They're two and a half weeks old now, have been moved out to the pasture, are scratching and pecking and growing fast!



Tyson, keeping a close watch.

I must add that I appreciate and am so proud of my hard-workin' man.

Remember that SUPER hot Saturday 2 weekends ago? Well, he was working all day on this cage, in the stifling heat, figuring things out on his own. (Chris would have helped him but he had hurt his foot pretty badly the day before.)

Thanks hon for making this project happen! :o)

Drumroll Please...

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to present to you,

the new Physics teacher at Manheim Central!

(My alma mater. I'm so proud of my man!) :o)

Houston, We Have A Problem

There are a few blog posts waiting in the wings here. Alas, you'll have to wait a bit longer for them.

Last week my computer was attacked by a virus and while Pete got most of it up and running, it's still not 100%. It doesn't appear that I've lost anything, which is good. I'm just taking a break from blogging and throwing off any mental deadlines until my hubby's full plate lessens.

We had a great 10th anniversary weekend though, and the kids did really well for my parents while we were gone. I look forward to sharing about it and our most recent adventures with you all soon!

MIA?

You may be wondering where I've been.


I'm wondering where the month of May went.


All is well here in the Winkler household. I've just been in overdrive, doing the dailies while tackling a couple of projects (that's a whole separate post), chasing the kids, and holding down the fort while Hubby is finishing out the school year and knocking out 2 graduate work classes. Come on June 11th!


Those of you experiencing twinges of jealousy just now thinking teachers have it easy (with summers off) have, with all due respect, no idea. Thankfully it looks like Pete will have a steady income this summer, sweatin' it out on the construction site. It's been 11 years since he last built houses. I'm confident he'll do fine but am stocking up on aftersun lotion and IcyHot.


One major change this past month, (to us it's been major), is that Natalia is now officially pottytrained! WOO HOO!


One day she woke up and decided that being a big girl had its benefits. We knew she could do it all along (she was successful when we first started), hence the frustration of the last 10 months. I think it may have also been to teach me more about forbearance, perseverance, faith and hope...


I just finished two books, both excellent! Funny thing is, they are both true life stories written by granddaughters, about their grandmothers, who were born in the early 1900's. That's where the similarities end though. My reviews will be posted shortly.


I've also been planning our 10th wedding anniversary weekend. We would have loved to travel internationally, but due to a number of factors we're staying semi-local, farming out the kids to the grandparents, and taking a daytrip to Washington, DC.


And, I've been trying some new recipes. I'll post a few of my favorites soon too.


That's about it for this newsy post. Check in with me again tomorrow.