Skeleton Models

None of the Lambs were ever attached to a security blanket or a stuffed animal. So I was really surprised at the beginning of the year when Lamb 3 became attached to a small model of the human body that was half skeleton and half muscles. He called it Bones. He made a small house for it out of a shoebox, had it sleep next to his bed, made a few clothes for it, etc. He did this for a couple of months and then seemed to forget about it.

About a month ago we were stocking up at Costco and I took the Lambs around the toy section to browse while Ram paid. Lamb 1 and 2 were making mental notes of all the Legos and Lego books they wanted to put on their Christmas wish list. Lamb 3 wasn't interested in any of the toys. I asked Lamb 3 what he wanted to go see. He wanted to go to the Halloween section. I couldn't figure out why he wanted to go there, until I saw the life size skeleton. Even though he begged, I didn't even bother to look at the price.

About a week later I saw a child size plastic skeleton at Michaels. Of course I used a coupon and bought it and saved it as a surprise. When the Lambs completed some chores a few weeks ago I gave it to them. Lamb 3 was thrilled. He brought me the small Bones and said he didn't need it any more now that he had a big Bones. Bones started going every where with us, usually staying in the car while we went to activities. The Lambs set up his place to sleep in our library. The Lambs made sure Bones did exercises with us every night just like the Lambs. They figured out that Bones was a female.

Then last night, Lamb 2 was careless and now Bones needs major knee surgery to reattach his fibula and tibia. Of course I sent Ram out to look for a new skeleton and it is so close to Halloween that he couldn't find one. Bones hasn't attended Trunk or Treat with us at our church nor has he been used for a school lesson to learn the names of the bones of the body. So now we need to add knee surgery for Bones to our schedule this busy week. Oh, what homeschooling parents will do for their children!

Bones and the Lambs watching a movie before the accident

Reformation Day Observed

It was an eventful day at church today-our first prize day for our new catechism memory program! It began a busy week. Tonight we are off to a Trunk or Treat, we plan to go to another Trunk or Treat on Tuesday, Reformation service on Wednesday night, our church Trunk or Treat on Thursday, and then Saturday is our church bazaar. We will also do school and exercises, attend piano lessons and speech therapy, we have a couple of doctor appointments, and some time in there find time to bake cookies and other treats for the bazaar.

Lamb 1 was quite proud of himself for figuring out the Latin during Sunday School after he sat near these banners for worship. 

Lamb 2 recited Asking a Blessing Table Prayer and earned a certificate. 

Lamb 3 recited Asking a Blessing Table Prayer and earned a certificate.

Lamb 1 earned two certificates when he recited Asking a Blessing Table Prayer and Luther's Evening Prayer.

Most of our other Sunday School students recited the Lord's Prayer and earned a certificate for that. The Lambs are going to work on the Lord's Prayer next-we say it every evening at bedtime, but they haven't recited it yet. Our Sunday School catechism memory program is off to a great start!

Grocery Shopping Humor

I found two things about grocery shopping humorous recently.

There is a new grocery store in our area. I especially like their natural foods part. I have been shopping there almost every week, buying what they have on sale. A few weeks ago they had cookies on sale and I decided to pick some up for church fellowship time. I had shopped at this store a lot and I realized I had no idea where the bakery was located! I guess I really am shopping gluten free.

There is a cheap grocery store here. We buy most of our basics here-canned goods, bulk section, and even laundry soap. They recently sent a coupon-$10 off a $50 purchase. I had to work to come up with a $50 list-unless we buy local honey my bill there is usually around $20. Milk was not included in the $50 purchase, just like you would expect alcohol and gift cards. We don't buy much milk any more, but that was funny. Would people really buy $50 worth of milk? Ram thinks some of the large families around here would.

Praying for widows and fatherless

Ram went to our district pastor conference for two days this week. The first day that he was gone did not go too well. The Lambs had piano lessons and Lamb 2 left his flash cards at his teacher's house. I didn't want to go back for them so it is going to be difficult for him to practice this week if I don't take the time to print up some more for him.
Tuesday should have been payday and for the first time in our two years here Ram's paycheck wasn't direct deposited. So I spent time trying to figure out what happened. In the meantime I couldn't pay bills. It ended up they wrote a paper check, but I didn't know that since Ram didn't go to church to pick it up.
I "cheated" and took the Lambs out to eat so I didn't have to cook. Even though the Lambs are older, it is a lot of work for one parent to help them all get their food from the buffet, make sure every one eats more than just dessert, and help them when they need to go to the bathroom.
During bedtime routine a family member called and needed me to check something on our Snapfish account and e-mail some photos. I know how to do it, but Ram usually does all that. I was stressed doing it immediately and the Lambs wanted my attention and I wanted to continue bedtime routine to get them in bed on time.
During exercises before bed, Lamb 3 completely melted down. My Lambs are Papa's boys. It just wasn't right that he didn't see Papa all day. He was tired and I couldn't hold and comfort him like Papa would.
I have a friend that can't sleep while her husband is out of town. I'm just the opposite, when Ram goes out of town I'm glad to have a whole bed to myself. Maybe that is because I was single for so long. I think I'm so exhausted being in survival mode of being a single parent all day that I sleep well. In MN Ram often went to conferences. Here sometimes those conferences are near enough for him to commute. So in the last two years he hasn't been gone overnight much.
I know the Lambs and I are spoiled that Ram was home almost all the time while the Lambs were little. Now he is almost always home for both lunch and supper even if he is gone the rest of the day. He only has a few night meetings a month and some of those he is home before Lambs bedtime. He does a lot of the cooking while I focus on teaching the Lambs or doing other things in the home. On the weekends I send him with a list and he does a lot of the shopping.
I know it isn't like that for most families. Either dad works a lot more hours or dad isn't in the home at all. So when Ram is gone, it is a good reminder for me to pray for widows and fatherless and also to include military families. It doesn't compare for the Lambs and I to survive a few days apart from Ram. Even when I say I am a single parent for a few days, I'm not really. Even though Ram didn't have cell coverage, he e-mailed me a few times. May the Lord bless and keep those that have a separation that is longer than a few days and especially those who have forever separation.
Thankfully the second day he was gone went better. Ram connected me with another pastor's wife and we were able to e-mail a few times and get to know each other. I also didn't have any where to go the second day so I taught the Lambs and did some housework. We were all thankful when Ram came home though.

Bowling shows how old I am

Thrivent sponsored a bowling event and our family attended Sunday afternoon. I don't think I had been bowling for 30 years. I went roller skating or ice skating, not bowling. I think I should have asked for bumpers like the Lambs had so I didn't have so many gutter balls.
Our lane scores:
#1 Ram
#2 Lamb 2 (by one point!)
#3 Lamb 1
#4 Lamb 3
#5 Ewe (just glad that Ram didn't double her score)

I was amazed at technology at the bowling alley. The last time I bowled there weren't computers to keep score and at least one church bowling alley I bowled at needed someone to sit back there and reset the pins each time. It's amazing how fast you can play a game when you don't need to keep score. You can't cheat when the computer keeps score. It's easy to know whose turn it is on the screen. The bumpers came up automatically for the Lambs and went down for Ram and I. The computer congratulates you each time you get a spare or a strike. Wow! I knew about this, but hadn't seen it before Sunday. I kept thinking how impressed my grandpas and great uncles that are in heaven would be if they could bowl today. It shows how old I am that I remember two churches that had bowling alleys. Technology has also made all the churches that had a bowling alley close them.
Lamb 1 asked if he can have his birthday party at the bowling alley. I'm hoping to bowl again soon to try not to be in last place again.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day. It is bittersweet that our family has added two little lambs to heaven since this day last year. I looked back over my blog on this date the past few years: 2009, 2011, and 2012.

Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

Today I included in my prayers both my friends that I know personally are affected and also those whom I do not know. I also prayed for their families including their husbands, parents, siblings, and other children. I prayed for women with fertility problems; who have had a miscarriage or an infant die; and those that have had an abortion.  I prayed for my 9 sisters in Christ that I met at the He Remembers the Barren Retreat this summer. I prayed that all women affected by pregnancy and infant loss get the peace that passes all understanding through Christ.

Church yesterday

I would estimate close to half of our normal Sunday morning attendance wasn't at church  yesterday. It had something to do with the opening day of attempting to get some meat to put in their freezer.
Which meant that the people that always do certain jobs at church weren't there to do them. Which meant that even though they are a little young, Lamb 1 and 2 were asked to be acolytes. Lamb 1 had been an acolyte before so he lit the candles. Lamb 2 had not been an acolyte before so he was thrilled to get the chance to snuff the candles out. A benefit for me was Lamb 2 was very well behaved at church because he didn't want to miss the chance to acolyte!
Everyone that was there commented how well the Lambs did at their young ages. I think sometimes we don't let younger kids do enough at church. Ideally at our church the middle school students would be acolytes, but when they aren't there, let the younger kids.