1000 Gifts: Gratitude- Even When It's Tough

505.   Mondays, a fresh start to a new week, even if it means an extra set of husband hands have gone back to work.


506.  Rain - watering the earth with God's refreshing goodness... a day inside instead of playing outdoors


507.  God's refining fire... uncomfortable to this stubborn metal... but eventually used to reflect His face - if I am willing - after the dross has been removed


508.  God's love for me being so deep that He yearns to transform me into being more like His Son - even though it can be full of pain and strife at times


509. My son's memory verse for last week reminding me that "All discipline seems not joyful at the time, but sorrowful; yet for those trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Hebrew 12:11


510.  Gramma visits:  for field trips, watching the boys for doctor visits, and giving Mom and Dad a time just to get out to be together.


511.  A new refrigerator... given by a friend - God's provision for our family.


512.  Recognizing that accepting stress is a choice - and instead basking in God's command to "Be still."


513.  Trusting that the Almighty will not give me more than I can handle... even when my wits seem at their end.


514.  A deep breath


515. God's grace liberally given to me...so that I may give it in return.

Homeschooling: Project number 2

We have been in school for four weeks now.  It's quite hard to believe.  It seems like we just started yesterday, but almost a month has passed,  and we are well on our way into our studies.

One thing that we really have had fun with is our Story of the World Activities.  There are so many cool ideas.  I have left Fridays open for field trips and activities - and boy, have we been busy!

Our first project was the archaeological dig.  The boys loved it.  Which leads us to our most recent project --- flooding the Nile River.  We gathered materials and made a Nile River replica after studying it during the week.  We added rocks for the mountainous area and lined the riverbed with some pebbles to keep the foil (which was the river) from floating.

Yet again - another "knock it out of the park" project.  Both my boys loved it.  What was even more exciting was to see the "crops" grow.  The flooding worked.  The crops were bountiful.  Another project successful.   (Thanks Heather and Kit for a great recommendation in this book!) 

This week we are looking at Joseph. I think that a coat of many colors is on the agenda... we'll see.