LIFE GOES ON

I wanted to post a few small updates about life in our home (and out of it). I enjoy reading everyone else's posts, so just in case someone out there is curious, here goes. No need to hold on tight; this is more like the little kid boat ride at the amusement park than a full-blown roller coaster.

The girls are plugging away in school. They have endured a few test and quizzes in their co-op classes, and I am learning all the things I should have learned in high school by sitting in on Mrs. Ganster's composition class. I am so grateful the girls are able to learn to write and love literature in this setting! On Friday, I have the opportunity to put it all to work; I must help those budding writers improve their first essays. This will either be fun, humbling, or both. The truth will come to light on Friday.

As for Brian, he is still training for the marathon in Atlanta on Thanksgiving Day. Should he actually succeed in making it in one piece to the race, we will spend Gabrielle's 13th birthday morning watching Dad try to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I am praying he makes it; he has always wanted to do it. The problem is, potholes in our little haven of Woodstock have not been kind to him recently. He severely sprained his ankle on the last mile of his early Sunday morning run. My husband now has a tree stump for an ankle, and it is not looking good. He can walk on it, but is not supposed to walk on it. He attempted to install new basement plumbing while balancing precariously on a high ladder ON his swollen ankle. Maybe not the best thing to attempt, but we are grateful the new piping works great. Ice baths and packs have been his dearest friends over the past few days. We are praying for a miracle folks. Healing does not come as quickly when the body is on the upside toward fifty.

Joel is loving his first semester at Georgia Tech. We blessed him the other day by buying a house flag to fly his new school colors. He came home for the weekend to a "sweet" new flag. It brought a smile to his face. He took two tests on Monday and feels decent about them. There is another one tomorrow. We pray constantly for grace for him to learn and to be diligent. God is helping him do both. Joel is working faithfully and diligently in all his studies. He is enduring a few so-so professors (rather eclectic ones), and loving a few outstanding professors. Joel spends precious free time with friends, doing things like going to football games, buying Tech t-shirts, and playing ping pong with guys who can actually beat him! He is also keeping up with the latest political and economic news. (Who is this stranger?) He walks everywhere, works out regularly, and has lost seven pounds. I promptly took him to the store a weekend or so ago to buy him more food! I thought it was supposed to be the "Freshman, 10" not the "Freshman -10." (Joel would be grateful if I clarified that he is actually a Junior. :) )

I am enjoying the school year and am trying to keep my house in order, etc. Things are never as neat as I would like them to be, but the fridge is mold-free at the moment and we have food to put on the table and clean clothing to wear. (Though some of it is still sitting in my laundry room waiting to be put away...)

I love the fall, and it is just around the corner. It is only 74 degrees today, and the evenings are supposed to be quite cool this week. Yea! Callie, you should have moved to GA! This topography is beautiful and enjoys four real seasons. Thank you, God.

We just celebrated Aliya's 17th birthday (see other post) on Sunday with about 17-20 teenagers. They played foosball, ping pong, games, and ate food and watched football. We apparently had many Colts fan in the room. It was hot, LOUD, and fun. Thanks for coming, everyone! Pics taken were rather unusual; I am afraid they may end up on someone's blog or facebook. They were not immoral - just weird. Never leave the camera lying around.... I will not be posting any here unless I can find "real" ones.

I am going out with my hubby tonight. I can't wait. Aliya is going to be working on a school project with a friend, Abby is going to be hanging out at home, and Gabrielle is going to be babysitting for someone in the church. Joel will be on campus studying like crazy for his test tomorrow. So there you have it.

To be continued...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALIYA!!!!

I am late recalling the story of how our first baby girl entered our lives eight days early. Aliya entered this world on September 11, 1991, weighing 7 lbs., 14 oz. Our lives have thankfully never been the same!

Aliya came into the world with a pronounced little will. She cried more piercingly and persistently than any other baby being wheeled through the halls. We could always guess she was coming for a nursing visit to my hospital room way before she arrived at the door. She managed to outcry all the other wailing babies with her.

She spent her first few hours in Daddy's arms. If there is any truth to that bonding lore, then she was definitely affected by those hours. Aliya is definitely a daddy's girl! Thankfully, however, she and I have developed a wonderful friendship over the years.

Aliya has come a long way from the baby who used to roll stealthily around the family room eating newspapers before Mom found out. (If it was quiet and Aliya was missing, trouble was in the works!) She is less sneaky and much more honest! She is still persistent. However, this persistence increasingly shines in her God-given determination to grow into a godly young woman. She is more outwardly focused, yet inwardly focused in the sense that she is sensitive to areas in her heart that need change. She loves the Lord and is continually seeks to grow in Him and apply what she learns through daily devotions and weekly sermons. I am grateful for her tender heart that yearns to please God. She is quick to come back again to God when she fails. God uses Aliya in all our lives to remind us of his never-failing grace.

Aliya also loves her family, sports, literature, music, math, science, art, writing, and administrating her life and those around her. :) She often serves as my second brain by planning for me and remembering details I always forget. She is full of drama, has very big dreams and too many things from which to choose in life. I think she still identifies at times with Louisa May Alcott's character, "Jo." Hers is not a predictable path. God seems to use Aliya as one joyful surprise in our lives.

Aliya, you are a blessing to me! Your smile makes me smile. I love your laughter, your drama :), your zest for everything, your sense of humor, your left-handedness, your willingness to learn and work hard in school and in life, and your beautiful, blue eyes! You are still my soft, cuddly, sweet, baby girl!

Happy 17th Birthday!!!

Aliya Nicole: "To go up to the city of God victoriously"
Keep climbing by God's grace, Sweetness!!

"Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false. ^[a]

He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior." Psalm 24:3-5