Update in Pictures

Once again it's been several months since I've posted anything on this blog.  But that's life and I've never pretended to be a full-time blogger.  However, here are a few pictures and events I wanted to share. 

 

Some are simple everyday shots of my kiddos like these, taken back in February.

I sometimes call her "Freckles", which she thinks is a cool nickname.

 

I like this one a lot.  It reminds me that they aren't always pestering one another.  ;)

 

In April Adam was the Student of the Week at Preschool, so I took this shot for his poster.  He just seems so grown up lately.

And here they are hunting for Easter eggs at Mom and Dad's.

 

 

 

Part of the double rainbow over our neighbor's farm.

 

The end of May wrapped up Preschool for Adam. 

Here he is with his friend Calle just before their graduation ceremony.

 

He was so cute walking across the stage for his diploma.

 

With his teacher Mrs. Miller.  We think the world of her!  :) 

 

This just makes me laugh out loud! 

 

Our annual Stauffer Camping Weekend in late June. 

 

We celebrated the kids' 1/2 birthdays over Independence Weekend with Pete's mom and her friend Tom, my parents, and my brother Joe's clan.     

  

 

A highly anticipated outfit for Natalia's doll, made by my mom.



 

And lastly, some good ole' summer days at home.  

 

 

 

Book Club Titles for 2014

Last night we had our selection meeting where we nominate and vote on 12 new titles for the upcoming year.  It is always such a lively and laughter-filled evening and I come home jazzed--a slew of "extra" titles to add to my personal reading list. 

I just love how this group gets me to read things I wouldn't ordinarily pick up, they make me think and evaluate more deeply, and though Christians, we are still quite diverse in our backgrounds and perspectives.  And I love that.

I'm listing these by the month in which they will be discussed, along with a brief description.
Let me know if you've read any of these and what you think!  (No spoilers though, please.)

MARCH
The Ditch Digger's Daughters by Yvonne S Thorton
(Memoir; the importance of education, hard work and family values)

APRIL
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
(Classic; 1890's, morality, narcissism, the soul)

MAY
Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey
(Mystery; British, impostor, inheritance)

JUNE
An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski
(Non-fiction; busy sales executive meets 11 yr. old panhandler)

JULY
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
(Young Adult Fiction; German girl and her foster parents, books, hiding Jewish man, surviving WWII)

AUGUST
In The Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
(Autobiographical Fiction; 7 yr. old girl, coming of age, Cambodian civil war)

SEPTEMBER
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
(Fiction; foster care, San Francisco, the meaning of flowers)

OCTOBER
The Girl With No Name: The Incredible Story of a Child Raised by Monkeys by Lynne Barrett-Lee and Marina Chapman
(Biography; child trafficking, human-animal relationships, Colombia)

NOVEMBER
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
(Fiction; college professor, early onset of Alzheimer's)

DECEMBER
Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung
(Christian Living; getting to the root of busyness)

JANUARY
One Light Still Shines: My Life Beyond the Shadow of the Amish Schoolhouse Shooting by Maria Monville
(Memoir; wife of Nickle Mines shooter, God's redemptive love)

FEBRUARY
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
(Nonfiction; society and culture, urban poverty, India)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And just because we debated long and hard over this one, (but no one had read it), anyone have anything to say about Watership Down by Richard Adams?  All we know is that it is 520 pages, and an adventure fantasy about rabbits.  :) 
Let's just say some of us were seriously intrigued by that description, and others of us were laughing hysterically!

Birthday Girl

Just as with Adam's birthday post last week, preparing this one for Natalia is an exercise in thankfulness.  It does not take long at all for a rush of emotion, (and tears) to come and my heart is washed afresh in gratitude.

Not only that I have children--that is miraculous--but that I have THESE children.  And in particular THIS child. 

Oh boy...gotta' grab a tissue.  :)

My earliest pictures of my little "sweetpea", as I quickly dubbed her, were not like the typical pictures parents take of their firstborn.  Mine included lots of wires, tubes, and gauze, yellow hospital gowns and poor lighting.  I didn't care.  I still don't.

Her scar will forever be a sweet reminder to me (and I hope to her as she grows) of God's kindness and mercy.  She is a gift, just as God's grace is a gift--one that is undeserved and cannot be earned, just received with open arms and a heart desiring faith.

Natalia, you are precious to me.  In every little thing that makes you YOU, I marvel at God's wisdom in giving you as my daughter, and me as your mama.  I oftentime feel so inadequate, but that too is by design.  ;)

January 2006, about 1 1/2 weeks old
(a few days after heart surgery)

April 2006, 4 months


December 2006, 1 year old

June 2007, 1 1/2 years


April 2008, 2 years (Cousin Morgan is 3 and Avery is 1)


December 2008, 1 week short of turning 3

August 2009, 3 1/2 years

May 2010, 4 1/2 years


March 2011, 5 years


July 2011, 5 1/2 years


August 2012, 6 1/2 years

August 2013, 7 1/2 years

December 2013, 8 years old

Natalia, I love you and am so proud of you. I hope this birthday is extra special!

Happy 8th Birthday!

Christmas Eve

I wanted to post some pictures from our Christmas Eve with Pete's mother.

She was gracious and allowed me to host her for a noon meal instead of us going to her house late in the day, as we have for the last 13 years.  Now that our kids are older we wanted to go to our church's evening Christmas service.  Switching things around made that possible.

Our traditional Polish (meatless) Christmas Eve feast:

Barszcz (red beet soup served hot) with mini mushroom pierogies
Garlic and Dill Tilapia
2 kinds of European style bread
Pickled Herring with Onions
Polish Vegetable Salad
Deviled Eggs and Dill Pickles
Nalesniki (Crepes stuffed with mushroom or dessert-style with jam and sour cream)
and Cheesecake served with strong coffee

It's a lot of work preparing for meals like this, but pulling out the special china and teacups, and enjoying these traditional dishes means alot to Pete and his family, and it's a part of his heritage I hope our kids appreciate and continue as first generationers.

Birthday Boy

I suspect that I'm not the only one who likes to peruse old family photos at this time of year.

As my baby is about to turn 5 tomorrow...YES 5!!!...I've been enjoying these shots of my favorite little guy. 

Happy birthday Adam! 

You are so special and you steal my heart with the sweet and funny things you say, your imagination and creativity, your boyish intensity and energy, and your fierce love.  I see so many of the qualities I love about Daddy in you, even though everyone says your looks resemble me.  I am thankful you still like to snuggle up on my lap.  I know those days are probably numbered. 

One of my most precious Christmas memories is bringing you home from the hospital on the 23rd.  There is nothing quite like holding a newborn in your arms when the world is dark, the household sleeping, and humming Silent Night.

Now you are becoming an independent Preschooler and outgrowing your clothes at an astonishing rate.  At times I want you to slow down, but mostly I am thrilled to see you mature and experience new things.

Love you buddy!

1 week old

Easter 2009, 4 months old

 

Sept. 2009, 8 months old (Natalia almost 4)

Sept. 2010, almost 2 years old

July 2011, 2 1/2 years old 

December 2011, 3 years old

June 2012, 3 1/2 years old (Cousin Eli is 3) 

October 2012, almost 4 (Natalia almost 7)

June 2013, 4 1/4 years (Eli, 4)

November 2013, almost 5!

He truly is a monkey! 

Can't imagine our zoo without you, Adam! 
♥ Mommy

 

 

 

 

Children's Christmas Books--2013

Shortly after Thanksgiving I pulled out our winter/holiday books with all of our other decorations.  This year I wanted to wrap the books in brown craft paper and label them with the date to be opened.

I noticed that last December some of the recent additions to our collection tended to go unnoticed while a few were requested over and over...and over.

Wanting to give each one their special debut, I opted for the wrapping idea.  And I must say, the kids have been so excited to take their turn unwrapping a book each morning.

I've added two new titles, each featuring a tractor and a horse--because that's how we roll in this household.  But I'm continually hunting down bargain copies throughout the year, so add your favorite title to the comments box!  I'm counting on you fellow bloggers/commenters for suggestions.  :)

1.  TRACTOR MAC SAVES CHRISTMAS by Billy Steers
A snow storm has dumped a lot of snow in a short time, threatening cancellation of the New England town's tree lighting. Farmer Bill saw the halo around the moon, put chains on Mac his tractor, and is prepared. He and Mac dislodge vehicles stuck in the snow as well as Shelby the farm's horse, who is pulling the tree, so the activities can go on without a hitch.

2.  AN OTIS CHRISTMAS by Loren Long
It's Christmas Eve on the farm and Otis the tractor is delighted with his shiny new horn.  All the animals are excited, especially for the farm horse's new foal which is about to be born.  But a big snowstorm complicates matters when the horse starts to have trouble.  Otis and his new horn come to the rescue!  If your kiddos love farm life this is sure to be a favorite!

And the rest of our collection...

THE TALE OF THREE TREES: A Traditional Folktale ~retold by Angela Elwell Hunt
This one never fails to choke me up! Three trees, each with dreams of what they'd become when they grew up, and how God's plan for each of them turned out to be very different and far better than they ever dreamed.  I read this when I host a Christmas brunch for the ladies in my small group from church.  (A great Easter book too!)

THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE OF JONATHAN TOOMEY ~Susan Wojciechowski
Our ex-library copy came with a CD narrated by James Earl Jones--which the kids just love. And I could stare at the beautiful watercolored illustrations for hours. They are breathtaking. It's a story of a hardened man rediscovering the meaning of Christmas.

THE LEGEND OF THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING ~Rick Osborne
A simple story about selfless giving with a sub-lesson on Saint Nicholas and the origin of hanging Christmas stockings.

THE CRIPPLED LAMB ~Max Lucado
The illustrations didn't grip me as some in the other books, but the message that God has a special place for each of us, no matter how different we are, is a treasure.

MR. WILLOWBY'S CHRISTMAS TREE ~Robert Barry
This one is just so much fun! Mr. Willowby's tree is too tall for his fancy parlor, so he asks his butler to chop off the top. That top becomes someone else's Christmas tree, but alas it is too tall for their space,...and on and on. Adam asks me to read this one over and over!

THE CITY THAT FORGOT ABOUT CHRISTMAS ~Mary Warren
This was my favorite Christmas book from our church library some 30 years ago! It seemed much larger back then. Doesn't everything seem smaller than you remember it as a kid though? It's the story of a carpenter named Matthew who happens upon a village that no longer celebrates Christmas, and how he brings the message of Christ's love through carving a life-sized nativity.

THE VERY FIRST CHRISTMAS ~Paul L. Maier
Phenomenal illustrations, true depictions of the ethnicity of Jesus and the Middle Eastern region, and lots of biblical "footnotes" included in the story as it's related from a mother to her son. I found the dialogue between the mother and son distracting and a bit awkward in parts, but the richness of the biblical account totally makes up for it.

KATY AND THE BIG SNOW ~Virginia Lee Burton
For the train/tractor fans in your household, you can't go wrong with this story of Katy coming to the rescue for the city of Geoppolis.
      *Our copy got ruined so I'm now on the lookout for a replacement.

HUMPHREY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS ~Carol Heyer
The first page contains the most amazing close-up of Humphrey's beautiful, long-lashed, and luminous eye. The second page elicits giggles everytime. Humphrey is the most awkward, goofy-looking camel you ever did see, and his thoughts are only for himself until he encounters the King of Kings. My only qualm with this book is that the three wise men visit the newborn Jesus in the stable, not later as the scriptures teach. A cute book none-the-less. Who can help but fall in love with the unlovely Humphrey?!

BEAR SNORES ON ~Karma Wilson
A wonderfully sychopated rhyme of a hibernating bear whose cave becomes a haven from the wintry weather for a gaggle of furry and feathered friends...that is until the bear wakes up! Another book with marvelous illustrations!

ONE WINTRY NIGHT ~Ruth Bell Graham
This Christmas book is really an abbreviated account of Creation through the Resurrection in eleven chapters.  The thirty-some beautifully detailed, full page illustrations by Richard Jesse Watson are a feast for the eyes. Only minor details of the text left the impression that the author, Billy Graham's wife, was loosely paraphrasing. This is the first year I've read it to my kids because of their combined attention span, and I purposefully "scheduled" a chapter to be read the 11 days prior to Christmas.  A wonderful tool to bring the BIG picture into focus this holiday season.

FROGGY GETS DRESSED ~Jonathan London
This one is just plain silly. Aside from us asking the kids why it was wrong of Froggy to ignore his mother's admonition to go back to bed (frogs hibernate during the winter) this book illustrates the maddening exercise of getting dressed for the cold weather only to forget something!

BEAR STAYS UP FOR CHRISTMAS by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman
Another delightful "Bear" book, this one about Bear's struggle to stay awake to celebrate Christmas with his friends when he normally would be hibernating. Santa makes a very quick appearance in this book, but we've talked about the tradition of Santa in our household, so I've no objections to his inclusion in the story. The spirit of the book is friends blessing friends with thoughtfulness. And I simply adore Chapman's style.

ONE WINTER'S DAY by M. Christina Butler and illustrated by Tina Macnaughton
Along the same vein as the previous title, this book showcases selflessness and a generous spirit as Little Hedgehog tries to find shelter on a blustery winter night and en route gives away his hat, mittens and scarf to friends in need, at cost to his personal comfort. His kindness is rewarded in the end. *This is a touch and feel book.

THE SNOWY DAY by Ezra Jack Keats
I normally enjoy greatly detailed illustrations and country scenes, but I purposefully chose this book for a change. It's broad, plain illustrations and city scene capture the simple joy of discovering snow and the fun to be had playing in it.

THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY by Ezra Jack Keats
Another book by Keats, this one illustrating the lyrics to the song. *Music score included at the end. I liked that all of the people looked Middle Eastern/Asian, as that is rare, but I will point out that there are 5 wise men and they visit the manger scene. I just remind the kids of what the scriptures say about the "kings" and when they visited Jesus.

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Laurel Long
The only words in this stunning book are the lyrics to the song, but the illustrations are clearly the shining star. With each page turn, a new verse is uncovered along with the previous verses themes hidden in the elaborate design. A fun challenge to find everything!

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O. Henry and illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger
The familiar story of Jim and Della and the lengths they go to get a meaningful gift for the one they love. In the end the gifts are rendered useless by the sacrifice they each make, but the intention is what matters. A nice segway opportunity to talk about the sacrifice Jesus made to give us the greatest gift--salvation. The only thing we truly need.

THE YEAR OF THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE by Gloria Houston and illustrated by Barbara Cooney
This book is set in 1918 Appalachia--a heartwarming story of familial love and dedication with illustrations that capture the charm of the region.  This is a favorite for Natalia.

 

In The Land of Blue Burqas

I've read a handful of books on the subject of Islam, women, and the Middle East.  And I enjoyed each one for a particular reason.

In INFIDEL, a memoir by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the sheer danger of posing a threat to Islam was reinforced.  Jeanette Windle's Christian fiction, VEILED FREEDOM, brought to my attention the socio-economic windfall that results when a struggling nation is flooded by ex-patriates, security personnel and NGO's that demand certain ammenities--everyday Afghans suddenly can afford less and less and poverty and bribes increase.  Khaled Housseini's THE KITE RUNNER and A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS transported me to the dusty streets of Kabul, and immersed me in a relational landscape unlike any I've ever experienced.

However, after reading all of these, my thoughts would automatically drift to ponder how faith in Christ would sound to an Afghan.  And how would one go about sharing gospel truth in such a place?  IN THE LAND OF BLUE BURQAS by Kate McCord answers these questions in such a simple yet profound way.   

The author writes under a pseudonym and changes non-essential details to protect herself and the identity of her Afghan friends.  A native of Pennsylvania, she lived in Afghanistan for over 5 years as an NGO worker, and her example was exemplary.  Her choice of living arrangements, the manner in which she conducted her organization and employed local Afghans, the respect she showed for their culture in her dress and conduct--all were remarkable.  Not only that, but she learned the Dari language (in 1 year) and was intentional about sharing the truth of Jesus in her everyday conversations, aware of the constant threat to her safety, but with cultural sensitivity and great discernment. 

I found it a very uplifting book.  One that achieved that fine balance of relaying hard truth, asking difficult questions, maintaining an attitude of respect, and showcasing precious glimmers of hope and faith.  The gospel of grace and love evident on every page.

Here are a few quotes from the conclusion chapter to whet your appetite.  (The earlier chapters chronicle conversations centered around a particular scriptural truth.)

"Many Afghans are hungry for change.  They've seen the outcomes of their faith and the practices that define them.  They've wondered how such a religious, God-obeying nation could decend into more than thirty years of war and self-destruction.  They long for something better.  The problem is that even Afghans don't know where to start.  Even Afghans struggle to find the way of peace for their suffering families, communities, and nation...
The way of hope is the way of Jesus.  His teachings show us the path.  His stories make sense of the senseless.  I've watched Afghans listen to the stories and words of Jesus and find wisdom, beauty, and truth in them.  I've watched some Afghans appropriate those teachings into their own lives and reframe their own stories with beautiful outcomes.  The barrier, of course, is that the way of Jesus is not the way of Afghanistan.  The teachings of Jesus challenge virtually every aspect of the culture, and many Afghans object vehemently to that kind of influence, regardless of its benefits."

"We read of the struggles of Afghan women and shudder.  We pray for their deliverance and give money for programs to help them.  There are laws designed to protect women in Afghanistan, but they're not enforced.  Afghans don't accept those laws, regardless of the government's insistence.  Until men and women view one another as precious children of the God they worship, there will be little improvement.  Until men learn to love their wives as Christ loves His church--to walk with them and talk with them, to sacrifice themselves for them--there cannot be health in that most fundamental human relationship.
As long as Afghans understand God as a judge who only loves the obedient, they will never genuinely love one another.  They'll never free one another to become the unique individuals God has created them to be.  They'll certainly never love the unrelated neighbor or the non-Muslim stranger.
As long as Afghans hero-worship a warrior king who defined submission and required it at the edge of a sword, there cannot be peace in their country.  As long as Afghans understand forgiveness as an option and retribution as a norm, the escalation of violence will continue."

"[The Afghans] helped me understand the teachings of Jesus more completely.  The culture of Afghanistan today is much more similar to the first-century Judea of Jesus' day than my own Western culture is.  The teachings and stories of the New Testament map almost exactly.  The mullahs of today are more like the ancient Scribes and Pharisees than our pastors or priests.  Sharia law is closer to the Law of Moses than the guiding principles Jesus taught us to understand and apply in the context of our ever-evolving culture.  The agrarian society of Afghanistan, with its farmers and shepherds, grasps the stories of lost sheep and scattered seed far better than out post-industrial world."

The only critique I will offer about this book is that at times it had a staccato feel, was repetitious, and would have benefitted from some editing.  All in all, it is a book not to be missed.  Its insights are brave and profound, and extremely relevant today.