Household happenings...

Odesco and Mercy 'earnestly' in prayer over the 'Jesus bread' in the trash can!
Odesco and his new school book :)
Who would ever have known Red Pepper flakes could create such joy!
Odesco and Mercy with "Boo-Boo" all dressed up for the day!
Mercy's creative hairstyling...only she could style a monkey's head!


Since Saturday, we have gone through 20 eggs!! Typically(as in before 12/2/06), a carton of eggs approached or went slightly beyond its expiration date before being consumed...those days are over! Some of those chickie eggs were used in a recipe but most of them were enjoyed by our 2 protein loving children. As I type, sweet Mercy says her gu is still not fu...(her gut is not full!). She has had 2 chickie eggs and a huge banana and she saw the chicken corn chowder thawing for dinner in the fridge and was wondering if she could have some now :) She is distracted now with the Leap Pad so I guess her gut is not too empty after all!
Odesco has eaten a half of a whole wheat bagel, 2 chickie eggs and a huge banana and is requesting another bagel half...you think they could be going through a growth spurt?!(just kidding!)
Last night at dinnner Mercy finished another container of hot red pepper flakes and was in her glory when I asked her to go to the basement to get the huge container of the same so I could refill the smaller jar.Odesco and Mercy make up songs/chants about whatever happens to be exciting to them at the moment.Once they get going, the other 2 littles love to join in as well...it can get pretty hilarious and incredibly LOUD as they perform for the rest of us! Last night it was about a big jar of red pepper flakes, last week it was about going with Daddy to the boys' soccer game or taking a bath ... just now I was reading the kids Big Backyard magazine...we learned about a pangolin...and so began the spontaneous chant initiated by Odesco and soon enough joined in by all 4 ,"Pangolin,pangolin-hello,hello, hello..."

Today the big boys and Daddy are skiing again with our homeschool group. So, after completing our little preschool program ( we're up to the letter "C" and the 4th Commandment~), we ran errands this morning. On the way home, Mercy and Odesco fell asleep and we sat in the driveway for 45 minutes to finish listening to the latest Adventures in Odyssey cd set we borrowed from friends. I fell asleep for a bit and thank God for the power nap needed to keep up with this active brood :) After dealing with a tantrum (but it resolved much more quickly...small steps, small steps!) and making lunch, I called my mom who just returned late last night from the Honduras visiting my SIL/BIL and their kiddos. I left the 4 littles at the kitchen table with their lunch and escaped to the next room so that I could hear my mom ...next thing I know, 2 of the kiddos are running around with water bottles (not their own!) and L is crying that his is missing in action. Seems one of our little angels ( I won't tell you who!) took his water bottle and threw it behind our entertainment center in the family room. Even L's tiny frame could not squeeze back there...now we have a problem. Not daunted by the challenge, this gang put their heads together. They awkwardly used the big broom and working together somehow managed to push the water bottle to where it could be reached. I stood by to make sure they didn't destroy all the wall hangings, family pictures and candles in the process. To my surprise, they did retrieve the missing bottle and they found a few other missing items as well. Phew, crisis averted...for the moment anyway :)

One thing I am noticing with all the sibling conflict...these guys are having ample opportunity to practice the skills of reconciliation. Just today Odesco asked forgiveness from one of his siblings without a major meltdown- another huge evidence of God's grace at work in his heart. At times I will hear spontaneous apologies ...and observe hugs given as they complete the process. Of course there are many times this isn't the outcome and they need lots of coaching to work things through but I don't want to take any of these little steps for granted!

I was holding off starting any school with Odesco until he showed genuine interest and yesterday he asked where his books were.So, off I went to my overstuffed basement cabinet where I have all my school books stored. He was thrilled to receive his first book and worked well with me, for a few minutes anyway. While down in the basement yesterday the kids discovered our Monkey puppet...he even makes real monkey noises! Odesco and Mercy of course named him "Boo-Boo" after the AOH chimp. They proceeded to dress him and Mercy even 'plaited' his fur to the best of her ability. (Creativity is one of Mercy's strengths!) Later in the day Mercy and Odesco spotted the freezer burned 'Jesus bread' I had thrown away because it was grossly unedible...these two knelt down in front of the trash can and began praying...remember the silly prayers I mentioned the other day? These 2 went at it for quite a few minutes 'praying' that the Jesus bread would come alive so they could eat it....never a dull moment with these two blessings!

This is the verse I am trying to commit to memory in the next week or so...it is so encouraging for any season of life but especially speaks to my heart in the midst of our continued transition and the intensity it often entails.

God is able to make all grace abound to you
so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times
you may abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8

God truly is sufficient in all things and I am grateful for His abounding grace...I shudder to think where I would be without Him!!
Love,MamaB