peanut butter jelly time!

I stopped in Sandy Hill to pick up some apples the other day and there were these lovely grapes just like the ones we grew when we lived in Marion. Of course my mind drifted back to those late summer days of making grape jelly with "mom" Korte in the hot farmhouse kichen...no AC in our house back then. I hesitated...I was so busy... when would I have time to make jelly...my next thought was... wow... really... too busy to make Grandma Korte's grape jelly? I needed to make time and so I scooped up these beauties and left the store all smiles, went right home and made grape jelly...making dinner could wait...making memories should not!

 the sight...

 the smell...

 the feel...

the taste!

A Very Good Week!

It is Friday at almost 5 o'clock and we made it through our first week of lessons for the 2012-2013 school year. YAY!

Elle is settled in her apartment and loving her new roomates and the new location...though her bed is still not together...minor detail involving a broken board.

Colleen received her Associates Degree from North Central and was presented a gold cord for earning an honors degree (her parents are so proud!) and now she is settling in at OSUM  with plans to spend one more year here and then move to Columbus.

 John has a pretty rigorous schedule as a sophomore and jumped right into the homework this week. I am so proud of his great attitude and I know he is going to have a great year.Tonight he is headed for a home game of the Lexington Minutemen.

In the last few weeks before school started Thomas talked a lot about how he might be excited for "back to school" if he was going to a public school. This week he has gotten started by 7:30- 8:00 everyday and mostly finished by lunch. He has had a great attitude and worked hard. Yesterday he expressed he was glad to be home as "there are good and bad parts of both public and home schooling. Today he even had "fun" with art.

 Yes it has been a very good week and a good start to the school year. Thank you God!

Peace

After posting on joy Thursday,  Friday brought a major tragedy and a number of minor let downs. First I turned on the TV/DVD player to do my morning work out and became aware of an overnight shooting at the premiere of Batman in Colorado that left 12 dead and over 50 injured. Why I asked myself would a young man unleash such violence on others and what went wrong in his life that lead him to such violence. As the day went on John didn't feel well and missed out on a get together with friends, Elle learned she didn't get the job at Children's she had interviewed for and Gary is still dealing with health issues. Joy? Well I sure didn't feel joy but I can honestly say I felt peace. I know God is in control and will bring good out of all these situations. In reflecting I believe peace and joy are both fruits of trust in God. And so...Jesus, I trust in you!

Joy

Tonight I am filled with joy! Why...simply because I love being a wife and a mom. I love watching my children growing up. I am at peace with imperfection. I have chased joy and it has eluded me and at last I have slowed down, quieted myself, accepted things as they are and voila (I think that is how you spell it) JOY!

1/2 Way

As of today we are officially 1/2 way through summer. I hope the second half is as full of wonderful memories as the first half has been. We have been blessed to have shared many days with Elle (zoo, Easton and hanging out at home), family reunions with the Korte, Theiss, and Rooney families, LEGO Builder's Club here, Hot TAMALE bike ride, Elizabeth's wedding, Galion concert in the park, YES, Fortnight for Freedom at St Peter's, Thomas's belt test,  Seton conference, Marion County Fair, Good Guys car show, life without power for almost 4 days, cleaning out the basement, finding little treasures at garage sales  especially disney glasses and ice cream maker :) and relaxing with books and a mudslide on the deck...thank you God for all these wonderful memories that are truly blessings in our lives!

Hot Tamale 2012...16 miles...We Did It!

End of the School Year Fun

 noodle wars in the pool for the last day at the YMCA

 John aka Shaggy on the last day of school!

Galion Homeschooler's extreme game fun