Reasons September is Busy

Kyle has carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel surgery on September 7th.  

 Eliana and I enjoy the nice scenery outside of Kyle's physical therapy office.  He started out going three times as week and is down to twice a week.  I'm glad I'm home to help him get around!

 Kyle has learned to do all kinds of things one handed or with the help of his feet, head, or shoulders.  I've been amazed at all of the things he can still do.

I've said so many times this summer that Eliana is growing up so fast!  She is getting so big!!!  Last year at this time she was still such a wee babe.  During spring, she wore this top as a dress!!!

We've learned of some fun free places to go walk around near Kyle's physical therapy.  There is a great park near by, but it cost a couple of bucks.  This month we started Financial Peace University, and I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone!  We're learning so much about how to manage our money.  This class is very timely as we continue to adjust to one income.  Our goal for this month is to cut our grocery bill to $200.  I'm hoping to just go shopping twice a month.  I meal planned 14 dinners for the next two weeks, wrote up the ingredients needed, stuck to the list, and made it out under $84.  Wahoo!

 

Eliana is learning so much every day.  She has learned to point at things, and it is quite cute.  She also figured out that food comes out of the refrigerator.  Now when she is hungry, she tries to open it!  She loves picking out books to read, and she'll even have a favorite for a couple of weeks at a time.  The time of loving the stroller is starting to wane.  Thankfully, she does like helping to push it and other type of carts around.  Today we made it about 3/4 of the way through grocery shopping when it was clear she needed to wiggle.  So, she helped me push the cart.  She beamed about being able to help!  She then walked with Kyle to find sage, a special ingredient that wasn't in the bulk section and at $5 wasn't in our budget.  He was able to find some fresh for cheaper, yahoo for my man being on a mission to find a good deal!

I've been taking lots of pictures this month, but between Financial Peace University, the Bible and Art Club, Bible Study Fellowship, and Kyle's surgery all starting up this month I'm just a wee bit busy.  

15 Months Old

Life is sweet when you read together!

Eliana and I were enjoying a book called Boom Town.  I loved using this story when I was teaching 4th grade, because it is silly, fun, and informative.  In summary, a little girl helps to start a boom town during the gold rush by baking pies.     

We celebrated Eliana turning fifteenth months old by going down to visit family and friends for the celebration of four birthdays: Tara's, Tanya's, Thomas's, and mine.  (Side note: Did you know that everyone doesn't agree about whether or not to put an apostrophe after a single noun that ends with an s?  Check out this link if you thought Thomas shouldn't have had an apostrophe s.)

 Kyle and I worked together to make Thomas a didgeridoo.  He loved it and didn't think a thing of me asking a few days before what his favorite colors were.

 Yeah for a visit with Grandpa Hal and Grandma Sue!!!  Eliana's curiosity meant a little extra cleaning.  She lifted up a very large bowl of water for the dogs and then wahoooooosh, there went a whole bunch of water under the refrigerator.  I'm glad is was water and not red soda.  It wasn't hard to clean up. 

The next four photos cracked me up.  My family is full of funny faces.

Thomas and me                                Kelly and Taylor

Jeff and Ashlee                                     Mom and Eliana

Now for some happy faces.

Kevin and Tara                                   Donald and me

Tanya and me

 Trisha and Zac

  

Mom and Dad

Abraham put Jesus in Mary's stomace

Yep, that is what I read today.  I had my sixteen Bible and Art Club students write down one thing they learned yesterday.  I chuckled when I read this sentence.  The good thing about the journals is that I read and respond.  I was able to clarify that Abraham was an ancestor of Jesus's, and the Holy Spirit put Jesus in Mary's tummy.  Apparently, my student was working closely with another student, because later I read, "Today I learned that Abraham put Jesus in Mary's stomach."

I realized during the lesson that talking about the genealogy of Jesus is hard with students who have never heard of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, or Solomon.  It would be one thing if they already knew those key men and I could enlighten them about Josiah or other not as well known kings.  I was able to capture their attention when I explained that God uses imperfect people like Abraham and Isaac.  Both men lied to a king and said their wives were their sisters.  The king thought these women were so pretty that he had them come live at his palace.  You should have seen their faces as they imagined this happening.

I'm looking forward to next week when we talk about the birth of Jesus in Matthew 1.  It will be easier to have discussion about what we read, because they won't need to have prior knowledge.

God Knows What I Need

God knows what I need.  I've known for a few weeks that I need to get up before Eliana in order to do my quiet time.  She only takes one nap now.  It ranges from 45 minutes to 3 hours.  Most of the time, it is around an hour.  That means I have a TON to do while she sleeps.  Trying to do my quiet time while we eat breakfast just isn't the same as when it was just me, or when she was nursing, or when I could put her down and she's stay in one spot.  The problem is that Eliana's wake up time ranges from 5:30 to 7.  For now, my goal wake up time is 5:40 (which is 5 minutes earlier than I woke up when teaching).  This morning I woke up and thought, "Should I really get up?"  Bad idea.  I should not have questions, I should have just got up.  The answer is yes, but my groggy brain might say that sleep would be much better.  I sat there and decided to think about it, and thus I promptly fell back asleep.  Eliana started to stir a little before 6.  I thought, "Rats, now I messed up my quiet time and I'll be off center all day."  Then, Eliana did a glorious thing.  She fell back asleep.  I was totally up this time and got out of bed.  I was able to spend until 7 reading my Numbers 23 and journaling.  Just as I was finishing up writing down my prayer, Eliana woke up.  God knew I needed Eliana as my second alarm clock.  God knew I needed a great hour of quiet time.
God knows what I need.  The Bible and Art Club starts up tomorrow!  For various reasons, I hadn't gotten to writing up my first lesson.  God has placed the book of Matthew on my heart to teach this year.  We'll be studying Matthew 1:1-17 tomorrow.  I knew that I'd have to make due with whatever time Eliana napped today as my study time.  She went down around 12 and still isn't up!  Glorious again!!!  I was able to make a calendar for the year, do some research on why it is important that Jesus came from both Abraham (Gen. 12:13) and David (Psalm 89:4), and really get ready for tomorrow's lesson.  God knew I needed some stretched time.  I'd prayed about it this morning, and he has allowed Eliana to take one of those rare naps that is nice and long.

God knows what I need.  I was checking email which is a rare thing now that Kyle is home recovering from surgery, and Eliana takes such short naps, when a friend encouraged me to go take 5 minutes with God.  These 5 minutes were to be just me and God.  No Bible, journal, electronic, notecard, or anything else.  Just me and God.  Awe, it was so good to sit on the floor and pray.  I had to sit on the floor and initially close my eyes, because I would probably get distracted if I were other places.  I'd notice the laundry, or dishes, or other to do things.  Once I was really focused, I opened my eyes and prayed while looking outside.  God knew I needed to be still and pray.

Is there a time you reflected and realized God knew what you needed?

As I am finishing up, Eliana is beginning to stir.  He knew how long I'd need to write this post.  He knows everything!

Friend Visit!

Katherine, Tristan, Eliana, and I got to hangout today!  Yahoo for a friend visit!

Tristan was fascinated by the water behind his mom.

 I felt like Eliana was saying, "Ta Da, here is my friend Tristan!"

Tristan will be seven months old tomorrow!  He has learned to clap!  Hooray!

It was close to his nap time, so he was giving me his handsome, serious face today.

  These two are nearly the same length when we laid Eliana down to compare height! It always cracks me up how little ones can find each other's hands.  We've been working on Eliana being gentle to friends smaller than her.

Awe, I love fountains.  I'm glad Eliana didn't decide she needed to go swimming!  When we were cruising through some stores, Eliana had had enough of being strapped in.  I went out on a limb, and it worked.  I got Eliana out, and she helped me push the stroller around.  She got a kick out of helping me push the basket in the back, and people thought it was funny to see such a small helper.  She didn't mind that she couldn't see where she was pushing the stroller.  Eliana's laughs got louder and more enthusiastic as she realized she had a delighted audience.  

                                    

Here are some updates on Eliana this week.  Eliana continues to grow in her climbing abilities.  The movie above shows her climbing into her stroller all by herself.  I was fairly scared the first time she did it, but she hasn't fallen yet while trying.  Yesterday, she learned how to climb into her booster seat.  She also learned how to drink out of a straw this week.  I was so impressed that I called Kyle in the middle of the day just to tell him!  For many months she has wanted to drink out of my travel cup, but she would just end up chewing on the straw.  I'm amazed, because you can't really explain to a small child how to suck up the water in a straw.  The wee one just have to figure it out.  Eliana has overgeneralized all animals as "cats", but she did learn the word bird this week.  You have to be very attentive because the "bu" sound she makes for bird is very similar to the "boo" sound she makes for book.  She is also signing all done, cheese (one of her favorite foods!!!), and shoes.  It is a little confusing though since more and shoes are very similar signs.  :)