7 years

7 years ago I married an amazing man. We have traveled an exciting and sometimes rocky road so far, but God has truly blessed our marriage and I would not be the person I am without Matt's constant love and encouragement. The greatest gift that God ever gave me, besides eternal life, is my husband. I made a little video of the last 7 years together. It is set to the music of "Be thou my vision"(which is the song i walked down the isle to) preformed by Dave Gilchrist, and "Dancing in the minefields" by Andrew Peterson. Just a little glimpse into our life.

GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry about that... Yesterday was busy and crazy and I meant to get my hands on a camera so that i could take some pictures for my giveaway post, BUT there was just to much going on yesterday ... SO though i do not have a camera (which i am truly sorry for because it's so exciting to see a glimpse of what is being given away) I will just tell you what the giveaway is about! :)

I've had great fun doing bible stories every night with the children and having them hang the ornaments on the tree that relate to the story. It's really been a great way to lead up to Christmas and celebrating the advent season. SO in celebration of The birth of Christ...

I will be giving away a HAND MADE, set of Christmas ornaments along with a story outline for each day of advent! Of course it's a little to late to start using them this year (and i wouldn't be able to get them to you in time by Christmas anyway) but they would be ready and handy for next year... or you could use them as a gift to give someone else.
So this is what I need you to do, Leave me a comment of your favorite Christmas tradition (and if you don't have a Christmas tradition, tell me what you would like to made a tradition) and you'll be entered. You have until Monday the 20th at midnight! Joshua will draw the winner on Tuesday morning and I'll let you know who it is!!!!!
Happy entering and I'm excited to share this new Christmas tradition with you!

Giveaway

Stay tuned... there is a giveaway coming up! It's about time and I've been wanting to do this for a while... details later today...

Hope and potty training

Today there was a parent meeting at the school where Daniel receives speech therapy. They are kind enough to provide childcare for all of my boys during the parent meetings so that I am actually able to attend. The teachers at the school are very familiar with our family, as Joshua attended the same school a couple of years back for his special ed. therapy. It was fun to come in with all three boys and for them to see how well Joshua has been doing and how much Elijah has grown (most of them only met him as a small infant). The boys had a great time and where well taken care of. After the parent meeting I came into the class room where they were playing and a teacher approached me about Elijah. She said that he was so advanced and friendly and that when he was old enough they would love to have him as a peer model. For those of you who are not familiar with programs for special needs children, what is common place is that they will have "peer models" in a room full of children who have developmental disabilities to show the children how a "typical" child interacts. IT is actually a very effective tool in educating autistic children who have issues with social behaviour. Let me tell you I was SO excited that they wanted Elijah to be a peer model for other children. It was just so reaffirming and to be honest, healing. After having two children who have unique needs and require extra care and attention in life, it is such a blessing to be told that you have a child that can lead others! I told them that Elijah has just been such a blessing and with him being so social and verbal I just thank Jesus for all he has done! :) I'm not to sure how they took it (this is a public based special education school) but I don't mind praising Jesus and giving Him the glory for my children. After feeling like hope slowly has been fading away over the past couple of years, I feel like God is restoring that hope. And for that... i feel SO blessed!
Speaking of hope and children... I have tried to potty train Daniel on and off for the past year and a half to know avail. Daniel is 4, really it's time for him to be OUT of diapers. It's been a long road... because he was unable to communicate verbally for so long and because of certain sensory issues each attempt at potty training would fail, but i think we FINALLY have it down! For the most part he pees in the potty... we are still working on the poo part.. but a major hurdle has been cleared! YAHOOOOOOO!!!!!! Seriously.. i can not tell you have wonderful it is to NOT be changing his diaper after 4 years! He's so cute... when he is done or if he doesn't have to go but he tried he will clap his hands and say "yay" to let me know he's done. Such a sweet heart he is! Now hopefully Elijah will be ready soon and we will be OUT of diapers forever... because i have been changing diapers for almost 6 year straight here.. and there has only been about 5 days in the past 6 years that i have not changed a diaper!

yet another one...

Song for a Fifth Child

.Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.
- Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

I know i've shared this before... but it's such a great reminder!!!!

I took His hand and followed

My dishes went unwashed today,

I didn't make the bed,

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.



Oh yes, we went adventuring,

My little son and I...

Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky



We waded in a crystal stream,

We wandered through a wood...

My kitchen wasn't swept today

But life was gay and good.



We found a cool, sun-dappled glade

And now my small son knows

How Mother Bunny hides her nest,

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.



We watched a robin feed her young,

We climbed a sunlit hill...

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,

We plucked a daffodil.



That my house was neglected,

That I didn't brush the stairs,

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.



But that I've helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow,

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know.


Mrs. Roy L. Peifer



.

P is for pppp

Joshua has been working on his alphabet and the sounds that letters make. Often throughout the day as he is sounding out letters he will say something like this...

"H is for pppppppppp Horse"

"D is for pppppppppp Dog"

but mostly he says..

"P is for ppppppppp PIRATE"

He is so sweet! When i correct him and we work on what different sounds letters make he gets it right... but when he is playing on his own or talking to himself he almost always makes every letter sound like "P".
Speaking of pirates, i found The Swiss Family Robinson at the thrift store and I'm so excited to read to Joshua. It was only 1.25 and it's in great condition and is a hard back! We'll be starting it after Christmas time. I also picked up The adventures of huckleberry Finn, and the first two books in the Hardy Boys series. Though i have never read the Hardy boys, I've just heard about them, So I'll need to read through them first.
What were your favorite books to read while you were a child?