Left Ajar

Sooooo, I left the ice cream sandwiches untouched ...mostly.   Annah had a few left over the next day but, I went to Kroger and bought the above for me.... but, sadly, I bought SO much stuff for the freezer that the freezer couldn't shut all the way and I didn't notice that it was slightly ajar. My overstuffed, unclosed freezer left me with melted ice cream in the morning. So now, when I helped myself to a Drumstick, it was melted and gooey.

 Its been.... YEARS since I have homeschooled.  We homeschooled Alan all the way to him leaving for the Mission Field with YWAM.  Tiffany until our church began a Private School in her 7th grade year. She is now at college. So to start over with Annah left me feeling anxious and excited.  There are so many different curriculums for homeschoolers now.  When Alan was little, homeschooling was SO new that I couldn't let him out of the house to be seen during school hours...people didn't understand it.  They felt kids who were homeschooled would be lacking socialization and education. But now, 20 years later, its very acceptable to homeschool and easy to get into any college as many home educated kids are more than equipped for college. I am,however, not a fan of the new movement called "Unschooling".

After pouring over as many curriculums as I could, I fell deeply in love with "Heart of  Dakota"  and it has not let me down.  It tells me everything to do and I do it.  It provides me with a full Kindergarten year for Annah.  

If you are not lost, what do you want with a Saviour? Should the shepherd go after those who never went astray? Why should the woman sweep her house for the bits of money that were never out of her purse? No, the medicine is for the diseased; the quickening is for the dead; the pardon is for the guilty; liberation is for those who are bound: the opening of eyes is for those who are blind. How can the Saviour, and His death upon the cross, and the gospel of pardon, be accounted for, unless it be upon the supposition that men are guilty and worthy of condemnation? The sinner is the gospel’s reason for existence. You, my friend, to whom this word now comes, if you are undeserving, ill-deserving, hell-deserving, you are the sort of man for whom the gospel is ordained, and arranged, and proclaimed. God justifieth the ungodly.--- Charles Spurgeon

Me and the box

Paul bought Annah a box of ice cream sandwiches because they were out shopping and she wanted them. He knows how I am  when it comes to ice cream. If he brings home one gallon of ice cream I will eat one gallon of ice cream ..that day.I said "wheres my box"???? He said "but you say don't ever buy you ice cream."....   And here I am all alone with the two girls sound asleep already tucked in their beds and a box of ice cream sandwiches just sitting  in the freezer. What am I suppose to do?  Its rare I have an evening alone. Just me and that ice cream.  I could be totally in bliss if I could just take that box and curl up on my recliner, put on one of my favorite shows like "Its Supernatural" with Sid Roth and one by one eat those ice creams. But instead of being able to just enjoy this evening I am left with this conflict...pacing the floor... biting my nails, peeking into the freezer over and over again.  I've had 3 already. I think there are about 5 left. Maybe its 10 in a box... I don't know.  Its not right to eat a little girls box of ice cream.

'I don't believe in any religion apart from doing the will of God.' - Catherine Booth 

So much to say I can't even talk- Many many firsts

Costa Rica: Well.  Well. It was really amazing. I was shocked to realize to live like an American I needed oodles of money because American chocolate was imported and very expensive... anything in English was very expensive. I'm used to my comfort foods for sure. Something that became very apparent to me...if I truly want to go and be a missionary, I can't have any addictions.  I can't be addicted to coffee, diet coke, chocolate or chips and salsa... pizza, ice cream etc... and I was very happy that I could live without those things... although I did spend a lot of money buying imported American chocolate... a small bag of Hershey's kisses was $7.00 and it was so small I could eat that in one sitting.  The choices were very limited...Hersheys or Cadbury.  ( OH, the picture is of Annah and my grandson, Elias. He is 3. Its a wee bit ticklish having a 5 year old daughter and 3 year old grandson. :) )

There are a zillion ways to make the most amazing meals out of beans and rice to which are gleefully served at every meal. I became so dependent on my meals of rice and beans that when I got back home that is what I wanted to eat.  

Transportation... I would never ever ever drive there or own a vehicle. I would take public transportation. Absolutely no road rules followed.  And pedestrians absolutely do not have any rights. None. Cross roads at your own risk.  I kid you not. 

Even though it was July there, it was the beginning of their rainy season so it rained everyday. It was a very happy experience.  I can't say that I would be jumping up and down to live there but, if I was given that opportunity to go serve God there, I would jump up and down for that. But, to just want to pack up and go live there for the heck of it....no.  I haven't been to very many places but of all the places I've been, I've never been anywhere that I love more than Texas and more than my spot on earth here at home. But again, I'd trade it all for an opportunity to go serve God on the mission field full time. That is what I came away with.  :)  I LOVE YWAM. Love it.

This particular YWAM base in Heredia is very focused on raising their own animals, farming, training how to live in the jungle and live off the land. Most of the juice we drank was all freshly made from fresh  fruits. Annah loved helping to cook.  Very time consuming.

My amazingly handsome son, dad and of course, Annah. My parents went to Costa Rica for the first week and stayed at a really  nice Villa down the road from the YWAM base. It was so much fun having them there.

My mom and daughter in law, Karmy!!!! They are both sweeter than sugar. They are so sweet you will get a cavity just being around them. 

We did LOTS O'walking. Lots.

I loved this little house.  We passed it every day on walks...walks that felt like you were lucky to be alive when you got back home because cars do not care that you are on the road and I had to constantly be on guard.  But, isn't this just the cutest house ever. :)

  In the meantime, we got back home and even though we are homeschooling Annah, she is enrolled in an all day homeschool enrichment program where she is in a Kindergarten class,Spanish and Math class. So, this is her first day of homeschool school away from home. AND, the baby that I had to crop out is a foster baby we have had for almost a month. Not allowed to show her face. She is a dear dear dear dear baby girl. I love her oodles.

Annah's first soccer game! We have had two so far. LOST big time. Like major lost. I said I was NOT going to be one of those soccer moms but, gosh. I am just so competitive. I was basically pulling my hair out and pacing the field and trying to be nice and clap when they 'try' ... but inside I'm wanting to scream PAY ATTENTION...... GOAL IS THAT WAY, NOT THAT WAY.... and the little Pink Princesses were kicking in goal after goal after goal.

 You can't tell here but Annah lost her first tooth. You can't see it because she already has the other permanent one in. But, What was SO SO cute was she told me she had hidden the tooth under 'a pillow'...not her pillow but 'a pillow'.... she told me she wasn't going to tell us which pillow it was under because only the Tooth Fairy needs to know and can find it herself.

Lots of first... first skating rink..... Paul is the brave one going out on the rink to help her. I stayed behind the safety bricks because I had the baby. :)

AND, I read the most AMAZING book, "The Man with the Bird on His head."... you have to read it. You just have to.Its a true account of a man who was an atheist turned Christian, pastor, and then went into YWAM, went on his first outreach on a ship to an island that was partially reached but, the other part was not because they were waiting for a prophesy to be fullfilled... they were waiting for John Frum... (in National Geographic and was featured on 20/20 or something years ago).... John Frum was from America and come on a big white ship and bring them medical supplies and help them live... they completely rejected the message of Christ... and this man, John...well, you have to read it to believe it. 

So to sum it all up... First time in Costa Rica, First day of school, first lost tooth, first skate, first soccer game.... wow. :)
"The moment a man falls into sin, divine life ceases to flow, and his life becomes one of helplessness." - Smith Wigglesworth