http://www.tulipgirl.com/ en-us alex8b8@hotmail.com 2008-05-11T20:31:55-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001483.html I'm feeling loved and cherished by all my boys this Mother's Day. I spent almost all day abed, with coffee and books. And I've read some mothering encouragement the past few days that I'd like to pass along. The first is from Camille, with Scripture and medieval mommy-inspiration from Martin Luther. Karen writes a mother's day tribute to both her mother and her daughter, and the journeys the Lord has walked the three of them through. I was able to have a long, enjoyable conversation with my own Mom yesterday. So much I'm thankful for, so much I appreciate, so much I see of her in me. . . so much to say that just can't be written online. I love you, Mom.... 1483@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-05-11T20:31:55-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001480.html "Through the years, you've never let me down You've turned my life around, the sweetest days I've found I've found with you ... Through the years It's better every day, you've kissed my tears away As long as it's okay, I'll stay with you Through the years! Happy anniversary, with much love!... 1480@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-05-10T15:29:28-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001481.html We joined the other families in our homeschool baseball team for a game at Ed Smith Stadium tonight. Our team won, and our family had a fun. The whole atmosphere of the game was great; the cool fresh air, the excitement, the game announcer's voice reverberating, the hot dogs. . . I remember my folks bringing us to a game in Racine when I was growing up. It was the same thing. Minor league games are are the best. (And the boys understood a lot more now that they've been playing baseball, compared to their first taste of the classic American sport.)... 1481@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-05-08T18:25:03-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001479.html These three precious little ones were born within a month of each other. Twin girls in one family, and a firstborn son in the other. And yes, I've volunteered to babysit! My boys seem so BIG when I see these newborns.... 1479@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-05-06T14:19:03-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001477.html We've been continuing our mellow-weathered springtime. The lanai is still our makeshift office, and the kids are running around in the backyard or swimming in the pool for hours each day. I finished up this semester's classes with a sigh of relief. I toyed with the idea of not taking any classes in the summer, but scheduling wise have ended up with two--Statistics and the Psychology of Religion. Ought to be interesting, to say the least. (And challenging--statistics, to me, is like a foreign language. Requires a lot of work and repetition before things "click.") Speaking of, I'm also having my Russian language skills evaluated in a few weeks. I'm a little nervous about that. I can have long and ongoing conversations in my head in Russian, but tend to stumble over my tongue when I try to speak. That, and my listening comprehension. . . well. . . it's slow even in English! Classes start the week after next, so I'm trying to fit in some "fun" reading this week. Not exactly light reading, but Samuel Martin's book is on my to-read list (and it is now available in electronic format at no charge!) T10 has had an ongoing fascination with whales for several years. He's read all the books on whales and related species at the library (and even pointed out errors in some.) I could totally see him out on a boat with a beard and binoculars and a notebook, like the cetologist on a video we... 1477@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-05-04T17:10:32-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001476.html More for the mommy-inspiration files, from Kim at Upward Call. I asked her if I could share this here, because it wasn't originally posted on her blog or written with mothers in mind. Instead, these were ideas she was mulling and had in mind for a younger group of Believers, those who are not yet parents. Still these were the words I needed to read and again turned my heart towards Christ and my children. As a parent, I have learned a lot. As a parent, I have re-visited how I was parented and how I behaved as a child. Of course, sin mars all we do, and there were mistakes I made as a child that I wish I could erase. While Christ has forgiven me for them, they remain in my memory. It is the same thing with being a parent. I am sure that someday, I will have even more regrets than I do already for things done and not done. One thing I can say, however, in encouragement to you who have yet to be parents is this: encourage your children. There is nothing more devestating than being a child who never gets any encouragement for what he does. Some parents will tell all their friends how wonderful their children are, but will never tell the child to her face. Some parents are full of criticism, condemnation, and rules that have no rational explanation, and the kid never know which way is up. I know that... 1476@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Mommy-Inspiration Files 2008-05-04T12:24:54-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001475.html Tomorrow is our much anticipated family trip to Sea World! Considering we have a whale lover in the family and we've lived in Florida for three years, I'm surprised it has taken us this long.... 1475@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-05-02T20:30:08-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001474.html Tell everyone why girls love spring at Royal Buffet. . . Maybe you'll be the one to win a spring-loving, handcrafted diorama!... 1474@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Art and Beauty 2008-04-29T21:46:42-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001473.html This past Wednesday, I went to a women's Bible study. It's the first one I've been to in several years. In part because other studies have been held at a very difficult time for me to attend, and in part because I don't want to take the time to attend a book study. While there are some excellent Christian living and learning books published, if I go to a Bible study then I really do want to study the Bible. (Though, I also do appreciate other get together with women of the church for getting to know one another.) So this women's Bible study is going through the book of I John. Since I won't be able to attend every week, I want to set aside extra time for personal study and meditation. I've found a site from which to download an audio version for my MP3 player. I think the boys and I are also going to read through it a few times together (and perhaps use it for some memory work?) I John 1 - 5, ESV, Text I John, WEB, Audio I John, KJV, Audio Poythress on Biblical Interpretation Thomas Boston's Useful Directions Metachoi's Short Course in Hermeneutics... 1473@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Theology for Girls 2008-04-28T00:11:40-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001472.html Rejoicing with dear friends who have had their firstborn son (he was 9 lb, 15 oz!) Our love and prayers are with you. And the child that is born on the Sabbath Day, Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.... 1472@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-04-27T23:41:16-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001471.html "What I tell my childbirth classes is, “Having a baby is a right of passage in which you learn that life is not about you anymore.” That always gets a gasp from my couples, but I figure it’s better to get that fact out in the open before the baby is born so they can start getting used to it. . . . With 5 children, I had many, many sleepless nights, but I can’t remember a single one of them. In the larger scheme of things, they were insignificant. What WAS significant is that I spent countless nights tending to my children’s needs. . ." --Darlene Read the full quote and more mommy-inspiration. Posted with thoughts and prayers for new mommies and waiting to labor mommies. . . You know who you are!... 1471@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Mommy-Inspiration Files 2008-04-26T20:30:32-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001470.html Each of you are just the right mother for your children. God gave your children to you--not as a possession, but to nurture and raise to His glory. I am not the one God chose to mother your child--not me, not anyone else. Your love and God's grace are what your child needs--regardless of what parenting books, websites, and ideas you come across along the way. You will have challenges, struggles, heartaches, as well as love, joys and successes! Through it all, we learn to lean into the Lord. . . to trust Him. . . to turn to Him in prayer and humility and rest. . . And we are free! Free from philosophies, free from rules. . . free to turn to the Lord and grow into the mothers He has called us to be! I have found it freeing to learn and study and seek wisdom--both the direct revelation in the Bible as well as revelation in God's creation. One resource as we seek the Lord in our ministry of mothering is the website Parenting Freedom. This site is newly online, but the mother behind it has long been sharing mothering encouragement with me and others. I appreciate her willingness to learn, grow, seek the Lord and find freedom in parenting. I encourage you to visit the website, be encouraged by the Scripture, be challenged by the research, and know you have freedom to seek the Lord as you nurture the children He has given you. "If... 1470@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Nurturing Children 2008-04-23T23:12:21-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001469.html "Instead of one of those stereotypes, I'm one of those Smeagol-types." --C7, as he prances around in his pajamas-cum-loincloth before bed... 1469@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-04-23T22:56:15-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001468.html Joy to the world All the boys and girls, now Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea Joy to you and me Welcome, little baby J! Hubby's little sister has a firstborn son, entering the busy, breathing world today.... 1468@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-04-23T18:54:48-05:00 http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/001467.html Quote of the Day: "We're an exceptional family, aren't we?" That's what R9 said to me as I was making dinner tonight. "Connor has already been in bed an hour, and we're just making dinner!"... 1467@http://www.tulipgirl.com/ Family Journal 2008-04-20T21:26:10-05:00