Lisa's Reflections

Restoring Sanity

2012-01-25T02:27:00.005Z

I've been struggling with my temper lately. (It's actually always a struggle, to be honest!) My kids seem to be grumpy and prone to fighting, and that puts me into bad moods. I've also been lacking in sleep, due to working late nights. And after moving to Maryland, I've neglected to meet with a new healthcare provider and get my antidepressant meds refilled.

Yesterday things were really not going well, and by the time Steve got home from work, I knew I had to get away. Thankfully he was fine staying home with the kids while I "ran away" for 3 hours, hiding out in a Mexican restaurant (because Starbucks was shut at 8:05 PM!!!) to read, think, pray and generally enjoy silence!!

The first thing I did, before I even got there, was to pray in the car, confessing to God how sorry I was for my mean and unjust behavior towards the kids that day. Then when I sat down to wait for my food, I opened the Bible to read Philippians. I was really struck with chapter 1, verse 27, which says, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." It hit me hard, as I knew that I had *not* conducted myself in a manner worthy of the Gospel that day!! I'd like to make it my "mantra" of sorts for the next few months.

I spent the rest of the time jotting down lists (what exactly is bugging me about the kids, goals I have for school, home, chores, and my own self-discipline, etc.), speed-reading a few books ("Teach Your Children Well" by Christine Allison and "Creative Correction" by Lisa Whelchel), and giving myself the time and quiet to re-focus. I couldn't believe how refreshing it was to have a 3-hour chunk of uninterrupted-by-children silent time!! I think I'll try to make it a regular habit, if not weekly then perhaps biweekly. It definitely restored some sanity!

Playing at St. Simon Island, Georgia with cousins!

2012-01-25T02:14:00.000Z

Two Months in Maryland

2012-01-25T01:57:00.002Z

We've been in our new home for 2 months now, and I've been frightfully negligent about writing! It's been a whirlwind 2 months of having overnight guests, going away for Thanksgiving, having family stay for Christmas, 3 of us having birthdays, and then going away again -- first to Williamsburg and then Steve to England and the rest of us to Georgia. We've hardly had any normal weeks!!

But we're definitely feeling more and more settled. We really like our townhouse. Highlights of it include a fireplace, 2 spare rooms which we use for school and guests, a gorgeous kitchen, and a play area just across our tiny street. It's been hard to get to know our neighbors, partly because we've led such crazy lives ourselves, and partly because it's been getting colder and colder so fewer kids are playing outside. But we have intentions -- now we just need to act on them!

Steve is enjoying his new job, and finding that it really does suit his skills and interests. He's gotten many compliments on his editorial work, which confirms that he's doing the right thing! He's also just formally begun his PhD work through the University of Exeter, which at the moment means lots of extra reading. He's "all-but-dissertation" so the next few years will entail lots of research and writing, and editing and writing, and yearly trips to Exeter, England.

Our most recent news is that we've finally found a church that we're 98% sure we'll commit to as our new home church. We're really excited about The Falls Church -- about their worship, outreach, preaching, people and devotion to Jesus. And we're grateful to finally know where we're going every Sunday, and to finally look forward to church!

In our new home...

2011-11-17T21:25:00.001Z

We're here in Maryland! We still have no internet at home so I haven't had time to post pictures of our new house yet. And it's been a crazy week, trying to unpack and adjust to Steve's new commute and schedule. But we're blessed in many ways, and will write more soon!

Picky Ethan Prays

2011-11-11T02:39:00.003Z

Ethan has given us trouble over food for a long time now. When everyone else is happily eating, he complains about the "yuck" food. I've tried all kinds of reactions and strategies, but here he is, almost 5 years old and still as finicky as ever.

Tonight Mimi had made a new recipe, and it was completely child-friendly, healthful and tasty. Ethan rejected it, as usual, without even tasting it. I decided to be extra-strong. I told him that not only would he not get any crackers or the candy he'd been told he could eat after dinner, but I said he'd also not get anything else to eat later in the evening, not even fruit. And while he didn't seem to care about all that, I added that he couldn't get down from the table either, though his siblings were watching the last few minutes of a Magic School Bus video begun earlier.

He was not a happy camper. He cried and pleaded, but I stood strong. I made small goals he could easily accomplish in order to get one cracker at a time as rewards. But he still complained and refused. I left the room to get other stuff done, and after being called back numerous times for him to plead further with me, I told him to only call me again if he was ready for me to watch him eat his bites (to verify he deserved the cracker).

I was gone again for a few minutes and wasn't happy to hear my name called out again. This time he said that he wanted to tell me two things, whispered in my ear. His first whispered phrase was, "I love you." And his second was, "I prayed to God to help me eat my food."

And wouldn't you know it, he ate that dinner! Not every bite, and not enough to get his piece of candy. But almost all of it, which was enough for him to get some nutrition, not have an empty tummy, and to be rewarded with a few crackers. And best of all, it was because of sweet prayer!

Things are Changing...

2011-11-01T23:18:00.002Z

Steve got the job at Georgetown University, and we're moving to Capitol Heights, Maryland (D.C. area) in just 11 days! The Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS) at Georgetown has offered Steve the job of "multi-media editor," which will be a full-time, 9-5 job, and which will support him in his endeavor to begin PhD research this January (long-distance through Exeter University). We're all very pleased, as you can imagine! It seems to be a great fit for Steve's skills and interests, and will also finally give us a chance to grow some roots. Who'd have thought we'd be planting ourselves in Washington, D.C.?

Also, Ethan's speech evaluation testing is finally done and we had the official meeting today, determining where he'd go from here. He's been "diagnosed" with Speech-Language Impairment, which means we'll be able to go to any school district in the U.S. and get speech therapy provided for him. The therapists admit that Ethan is a unique case -- he tested at above-average in his understanding and expression, and average in his articulation, and yet while speaking longer sentences, he can only be understood about 50% of the time, at best.

Steve starts work on November 7, but we don't move into our new home until November 13. So he'll be staying with friends for his first work week, and then coming back to Lexington (3 1/2 - 4 hour drive) to help us move. We're grateful to have found a house already which we'll rent for 12 months, and then re-evaluate our situation. Next we need to find a church!

Though we're excited about all the upcoming opportunities, we're also sad to leave this beautiful location and dear friends and family. I still enjoy every time I drive through the abundant trees, with wooded hills in the not-too-far distance, and past green pastures and grazing livestock. City will be a bit of a shock to my system, but at least it's an American city, complete with public libraries, free museums and a zoo!

October update

2011-10-18T07:03:00.003+01:00

It's been one month since last post, and Ethan is still not fully evaluated for speech therapy!! He's supposed to have his final test this week ... we'll see. Then there will likely be another time lag before we have a meeting with the therapist to "decide the plan of action." Red tape!

Steve's had 2 job interviews for an editorial position in D.C. and we're waiting to hear back as to the results. He's also having another interview this week for a job in NC. It's hard not to be impatient, as we'd really like to get settled in our own place and have income again!

One week ago, Steve's sister got married in a lovely outdoor ceremony. Naomi was a junior bridesmaid in the wedding and delighted in dressing up!

Other autumn highlights for the kids include learning how to shoot a bow and arrow (while in Baltimore with Wheatie friends), and building & painting & playing in their new "clubhouse" in the woods below our yard. They love that it has windows and a ladder, and Steve's dad most recently added a second ladder so they have access to the roof. They'd climbed to the roof one night to watch stars, so Papa decided a 2nd ladder would make the climb safer.

I'm still hanging in there ... kind of. I'm trying to lose weight, trying to do my best at homeschooling, and trying to survive the loneliness that comes from yet another international move.

Ethan's Speech Update

2011-09-17T03:49:00.003+01:00

Every time we move, Ethan goes through a new evaluation process to receive speech therapy at our new location. It was fairly quick in Amman, but here in VA, it's taking a while. We began our inquiries a month ago, and had two meetings near the end of August. Today, almost a month later, Ethan got through 2 of 3 testing sessions, and hopefully will do the final one next week. Then we still need to meet with the school district's therapist to hear their final evaluation and recommendation. Who knows when Ethan will finally be getting therapy again??

Today's first test was with the speech therapist, evaluating Ethan's speech production. For the first time, we heard that Ethan may possibly have oral apraxia. An early warning sign that he exhibited was his inability to reproduce "p-t-k" in quick repetition, even though he could say each of those sounds individually in repetition. He would need more testing done to discern whether apraxia is actually one of his problems.

It's interesting to me that the therapist here has a very different reaction to Ethan's speech than did his therapist in Amman (whom we love!) Many of the missing blend sounds (for example saying "boo" for "blue") or incorrect consonant sounds are considered normal preschool speech patterns here, and don't worry the therapist. In contrast, those were the very issues we were last working on in Amman. And as he was making great progress in Amman, it's hard for me to hear them say here that the issues are no big deal! But who am I? Not an expert, that's for sure.

Ethan's second test today was at the Virginia School for Deaf and Blind in Staunton, VA. It was free, with our referral from the local school district, so we decided to go ahead and have the thorough testing done, just to make sure we hadn't missed some small hearing problem in the past. The teacher at VSDB who tested Ethan was awesome -- very engaging, kind, and thorough -- as was her graduate student helping out. Despite Ethan's fears, he had a positive experience, and it turns out that he has nothing at all wrong with his ears. So -- that's one good thing!

We will keep you posted as we wrap up the evaluation process and find out about Ethan's eligibility for therapy. We thank God for how far he's come, and for his intelligence, outgoing personality, and natural curiousity. Now we just need to keep working on his intelligibility!

(Picture is Ethan in July with our dear friend Rachel Waterman)

Family Reunion

2011-09-03T04:32:00.002+01:00

The Kids in Chicago

2011-09-03T03:59:00.002+01:00

End of Summer

2011-09-03T01:40:00.003+01:00

It's hard to believe that it's already September. The summer seemed to whiz by. We've been back from Jordan for 2 1/2 months now, most of that time spent here in Lexington, VA. We're living in the basement of Steve's parents until further notice -- Steve is looking for work as he prepares to start half-time, long-distance doctoral studies through the University of Exeter (England) in January. Both of us are doing computer work from home, which helps but doesn't pay all the bills. We're very grateful for Mom and Dad Gertz's hospitality and generosity!! They are long-suffering and patient.

The highlight of our summer was a trip to the Midwest to visit friends and family. We spent a week in the Wheaton (Chicago) area, catching up with college and church friends, and sharing memorable places with the kids, like the John Hancock Center and Cosley Zoo. It was wonderful to spend time with people who know us well, and the kids had a great time playing with our friends' children, canoeing and pedal-boating, fishing for the first time, and splashing in a few different water/splash parks!

My immediate family also got together in Wisconsin for our first family reunion in years. Grandpa and Julie, and my uncle David and aunt Pamela, all flew out from CA; my parents flew in from Nigeria (!!), and my two siblings, their spouses and kids made the trek as well. What a sweet time it was to meet my 3 nieces (for the first time!), play with my nephews, and catch up with all the adults! I loved seeing my kids get to know their cousins, while playing "football" (soccer) in the garage, hide-and-seek and sardines in the house, and throwing stones into the nearby lake. I loved singing with my whole family while my dad played guitar -- great family favorites by Simon & Garfunkel, and Peter, Paul & Mary.

It was all too short, though! Thankfully my parents were able to spend an extra week with us in VA, but when you only see each other every 2 years, 14 days doesn't seem like enough!! And it had been even longer than 2 years since we'd seen my other relatives. Sigh...

Back in Lexington, the kids enjoyed going to two Vacation Bible Schools, having an overnight with their cousin Owen, swimming a bit in the city pool, and generally enjoying American life again. We can't get enough of the color green! Can't get enough water, either!

Now it's September and we've done two weeks of school. We're using "My Father's World," Math-U-See, and Spelling Power for Naomi and Josiah's 4th grade, as well as Count on Math and Picture Book Activities for Ethan's preschool. More to come...

What we're missing about Amman...

2011-09-03T01:34:00.002+01:00

Arab music
large dining room table, great for school!
neighbor kids
pita bread
Books & More librarians
going to church on Friday nights
Oasis (our church)
cheap iced drinks available everywhere
dry heat
goats, donkeys and camels

Weight Watchers

2011-08-15T01:49:00.002+01:00

1 1/2 years ago, I gave a brief attempt at Weight Watchers in Oxford. I was impressed with the system and philosophy, but for some reason didn't continue (and in Amman, it seemed near impossible). Now I've signed up for three months of WW Online, and really really want it to make a difference! My eating and weight are out of control, and I don't like that feeling!

Today was my first day. By the time I sat down to input my morning and lunch food, I'd already surpassed my daily allowance of points!! Oops... So "dinner" was just fruit and veg. Not bad, when it's ripe peaches, watermelon and home-grown basil with home-grown tomatoes! Please pray for me, as you feel led, to stay strong and resist temptation as I seek to treat my body more as a temple of the Holy Spirit, fearfully and wonderfully made. Thanks...

Final Countdown...

2011-05-29T20:57:00.001+01:00

The kids are crossing off the days on our calendar, and our countdown is now 24. Twenty-four days left to enjoy scrumptious yogurt, cucumbers, pita bread, olive oil, date syrup, falafel. Twenty-four days left to be surrounded by Arabic script, language and music. 24 days before we trade our spacious 3-bedroom flat for our cozy 1 bedroom basement apartment. 24 days to get medical and dental appointments taken care of so that we can avoid the crazy American healthcare system for just a bit longer. 24 days to see the last special sights in Jordan and Israel – hoping to make it to Petra, Karak, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Galilee.

Our friends have already been leaving for a few weeks now. Because Ramadan falls in the height of summer this year (and will for the upcoming years), even more Westerners are going on overseas vacations than would normally. Though I haven’t experienced it for myself, they almost unanimously agree that Amman is not a nice place to be during a baking-hot month of fasting. So between people leaving for home assignments and others leaving for vacations, we’ve said goodbye to multiple dear friends this month.

In a way, I’m grateful for early departures of friends, as Amman will feel less and less like home, the fewer friends we have here. And the less it feels like home, maybe the easier it will be to leave.

Kid Update April 2011

2011-04-09T09:39:00.013+01:00

Ethan (4 1/3)– can write his name, and form all letters by copying them. He loves to write notes to people! With his improved verbal language, we can now understand him much better as he asks all sorts of questions and shows great thought. He has a good throwing arm and a great sense of humor (his speech therapist says he's the silliest child she's ever worked with). He still uses some British terms, like “sweetie” (for candy) and “biscuit” (for cookie), and can not answer the common question "Where are you from?"

Josiah (7 1/2)– is our natural teacher in the family and loves explaining things to Ethan. He loves to run and is so happy to now be playing T-ball. His spelling is on a 5^th grade level and he easily keeps up with Naomi in all our 3^rd grade home school work. He still enjoys playing with his stuffed animals, but also likes to read Hardy Boy books and help me cook. He is quite the comedian and loves entertaining our family with his antics. He is anxious to go back to America to see relatives and toys he'd left behind 3 years ago.

Naomi (8 1/2) – sings constantly, often making up her own songs or lyrics. She also remembers tunes incredibly well, some after hearing only once, others after years of not having heard them at all. She is fascinated with cursive writing, and so I've begun teaching her the cursive alphabet. She reads every minute she can. After having read every Enid Blyton mystery we own, and all the Little House books, she's now working on Nancy Drew. Naomi is great at batting and is loving baseball. She says she’s liked living in different countries.

Things I Miss...

2011-04-09T09:30:00.005+01:00

about America:

my bread machine
my electric mixer
having a car
my pastry cutter
Root beer
Cool whip
Always understanding everybody
Being able to easily read all price tags and signs
Endless water supply
Hot water on demand
Mexican food
Big libraries
Wearing seatbelts
Not standing out as different
air conditioning and central heat
One-stop shopping at places like Wal-Mart

about Great Britian:

Gorgeous old architecture everywhere
Libraries within walking distance
The Thames
Green
British vocabulary and accents
Orderliness (queuing!!)
Zed
Ginger beer and lemonade (fizzy)
Ginger cake & mince pies
Buses and trains
Zebra crossings
River walks and other paths
Cycling
A keen awareness & interest in European & world affairs
Tea with milk and sugar
Choir-singing (me and Naomi)

And what I think I'll miss about Jordan:

Best fresh pita bread ever
Fresh hummus
Fresh falafel
Palm trees
Cheap taxis
Very international church
Spacious house
Sunshine
Modestly dressed women
Camels, sheep, donkeys & goats
Crazy driving
Bakeries
Roman ruins and Biblical sites
Arab music
tea with mint
being next door to a corner shop that carries (almost) everything!

But of course, for everywhere, what I miss (or will miss) the most is dear people. Family who have known me my whole life. Friends that I've made recently, and friends who I've known for years. And godly, Bible-teaching, hospitable churches in every home we've had.

Trust in the Midst of Darkness

2011-04-07T15:28:00.005+01:00

Our year in Amman is winding down, with a departure date now set for
June 22. Everyone assumes this means we have a “next step.” We don’t.
We’ll have a 24-hour layover in Rome (YAY!!) and then arrive in D.C. on
June 23. Thankfully Steve’s parents are gracious enough to let us crash
at their place in Lexington, VA, while we get our life sorted.

Steve had applied to many graduate programs, hoping to do a PhD in Islamic history next year, but most have said “no.” It’s a bad time to need a funded program, as everyone’s finances are so strapped. We still have two possibilities, but I don’t know how much to hope for. One would be in Tennessee, the other in Exeter, England.

It’s not a fun place to be, in this desert of uncertainty. With loans to pay back and 3 kids to care for, the stress can overwhelm us. We alone do not have the means or the strength to endure, but we have a God who knows no bounds and works all things for good. The hard part is trusting him through these dark valleys, and surrendering all plans to him. He might very well have something completely unexpected in our future. May we have the grace to accept whatever it is.

Memories of Grandpa's House, Part 2

2011-03-27T16:20:00.001+01:00

Though my grandparents’ house is small, every one of its few rooms holds sweet memories. There are two bedrooms, and in one of those, I remember watching a few great movies. I’m not sure if the TV was always in that room, or whether it was wheeled in there so the grown-ups could have some adult time. But “Black Arrow” was one story that impressed me as a child.

I spent my first 14 years living within a couple hours of San Diego, so I had many chances to spend nights at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. One such night, I was sleeping in a sleeping bag, on an inflatable air mattress, and woke up in the middle of the night to the repeated sound of a bell ringing. In my groggy half-dream state, I assumed it was the grandfather clock striking midnight. The next morning, I found that I was completely on the floor, rather than on the air mattress, and heard the report that there had been an earthquake the previous night. My grandparents didn’t own a grandfather clock, so what I had heard was the doorbell dinging during the quake. And I’d slid right off the mattress during the shaking as well.

The kitchen holds both really early memories and much later ones. My grandma was an artist and I treasured the times we spent in the kitchen working on projects together. Sometimes she would have ceramic figurines ready for us to paint, and I’m not sure which I liked more: painting them myself or watching my artistic mom painting hers. Sometimes she would have iron-on crayon activities for us. One year she let us decorate pairs of underwear with our own designs. This was a fun thing for 6- and 8-year olds! Another year, she had us make designs that reminded us of special summer memories, and we ironed them on to bed-sheets, one for each of us kids.

I also have fond memories of my grandpa in the kitchen. The funniest was when Grandpa would throw spaghetti noodles onto the ceiling to see if they stuck. I think the idea was that if they didn’t, they weren’t yet ready to eat. But many years later, as a college student, the kitchen is where Grandpa and his wife Julie kindly taught me about American football. On the small kitchen TV, I watched my first football game. Can you believe it took me 19 years to see football? At the time, I was developing a friendship with a classmate who was quite athletic. Football was one of his sports, so Grandpa and Julie felt I should learn at least the basics. A month later, as I watched the Superbowl at Jeff’s house, I was glad that Grandpa and Julie had helped me out like that!

And finally, my very sweetest memory of Grandpa’s kitchen was when I was 21. My friend (now husband) Steve had graduated from Wheaton College in ’97 and was living back in San Diego. He and I had spent some time together over Christmas break, while my family was staying at Grandpa’s house. As a grand finale to our time together, I planned to “kidnap” him and take him out to coffee. I borrowed our family’s car, made arrangements with Steve’s parents, blindfolded him, and took him to Starbucks, where we had a great time to talk and pray together.

Then, not wanting the evening to end, Steve borrowed his dad’s car and took me for a driving tour of the hills above his neighborhoods of Escondido and Poway. We were both falling in love, but hadn’t said it yet. And as I drove back to Grandpa’s house at midnight, though I was on cloud nine, I was a bit worried about waking my family up when I arrived.

Imagine my surprise and delight, when my dad greeted me at the front door, and invited me into the kitchen for cups of cocoa. He wanted to hear all about my evening and all about Steve. He’d waited up for me and shared in my excitement. Because my parents and I had been an ocean apart for all my other dating experiences, I hadn’t gotten to share like that with them any other time. I thanked the Lord for a dad like mine, and for my Grandpa’s kitchen.

Memories of Grandpa's House, Part 1

2011-03-26T15:11:00.002Z

I have lived in 27 homes over the course of my 34 years, some of which were only for a few months, and none of which include my 4 years of dorm-living in college. My homes have spanned 4 states and 4 continents, and yes I feel homeless in many ways.

The one geographical constant during my entire life, is my grandpa’s house in San Diego. Though I sadly haven’t visited there in the past 5 years, I still have many precious memories of every room in his house. When I do go back, I feel like it’s the one safe place in the world. My refuge. My place of identity. My place where I belong, even just as a grand-daughter.

In the front yard, my memories involve plants. Under the living room window were some strawberry plants which provided yummy fruit for little fingers. And along the driveway were sweet pea plants, fragrant and beautiful, as well as an “Elizabeth rose,” which I liked because it matched my name. A large tree on the street sometimes dropped seed pods that I remember coloring in an effort to create pretend food for our childhood make-believe games.

The living room is one of the most precious places. A large wardrobe stood in the corner, the bottom drawer of which held games and children’s books for us to enjoy whenever we visited. It also had a full-length mirror which was fun to dance in front of. When I was little, the living room couches were ones that rocked. We spent many hours cuddling with Grandma, Grandpa, aunts and uncles, on those couches, reading books, singing Christmas carols, playing “Dictionary.” My grandparents used to have a black cat, who would also join us in the living room. For my first 9 years, it was the only “pet” in my life.

Another prize of the living room was a player piano. We would choose a song scroll, load it on the gears above the keyboard, and then pump the foot pedals to make the piano “play” the music. I remember watching in fascination as the piano keys magically moved up and down, producing beautiful music. It was so fun!

The piano was also my first place to test out some piano playing of my own. I’d fallen in love with Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata (movement 1) and when my uncle David heard me trying to copy it on the piano, he offered to get me the sheet music for it. For years, it was the only music I owned, and I quickly memorized the first two movements.

My mom, my aunt Marybeth, and my Grandma all played piano, and Marybeth and Dad also played guitar, so we spent many hours enjoying music in the living room. I have a cousin Marcy who’s 2 years younger than me, and since I didn’t have a sister until I was 5 ½, we liked pretending we were twin sisters. One year at Christmas time, we planned a “ball” and dressed up and danced as the adults patiently and kindly played Christmas carols for us. Those were some of the happiest moments of my life.

Other precious moments were sitting in Grandpa’s lap, enthralled while hearing him read the “Bear story;” lying in my sleeping bag on the floor as Grandma stroked my hair – she was the only one I remember doing that; and then more than a decade later, Grandpa comforting me (the big college student) as I writhed in pain on the living room floor because of a terrible boil in my ear. “If these old walls could speak, they would have a tale to tell…”

Reflections on Sports

2011-03-26T12:19:00.004Z

My first memories of sports are fond ones. I remember kindergarten field days and winning a second place red ribbon in the standing long jump. I remember happily running through my family student housing neighborhood, and learning how to ride a bike.

But as elementary years progressed, I felt less and less happy about sports. I didn’t have a physically active family, so didn’t have any weekend practice at throwing, batting, or catching balls. I seemed to be uncoordinated when a moving object was approaching me and I had to make it go somewhere else. And because I felt I was bad at sports, I chose to not even try. I remember even lying sometimes to my teacher when it was P.E. time, saying that I didn’t feel good so that I could sit on the side, watching everyone else do baseball or some other game.

Upper elementary was the worst. By then, kids were choosing their own teams in P.E. games, and I was inevitably one of the very last picked. I remember being proud of my time after running the mile, but everything else was negative.

Finally, in sixth grade, I had a long-term substitute teacher who was really kind, and spotted an ability I didn’t know I had. While I thought I was bad at everything athletic, she helped me see that I was pretty good at sports like basketball, where I could have the ball already in my hand and then make it go somewhere. Soon I was playing basketball everyday during recess, and even the boys were calling me “Magic.” Basketball continued to be my favorite game through middle school years, and to this day, basketball and Frisbee are my most loved “sports.”

Junior high youth group leaders also had a huge influence on me. As I entered the group at age 10, I was self-conscious about my lack of physical ability, and in the midst of a boy-majority group, often chose not to play the games. But college-aged friends like Tracy and Katy encouraged me to just go out and try, and have a good time. And as the years passed, I became one of the most enthusiastic youth group game players. It’s what I missed most about youth group when I moved to Nigeria.

Now my own kids are 7 and 8. Since they have always been homeschooled, they have not had much experience with sports and group games. When I was invited to join a group of ex-pat families, meeting weekly at a park for sports and games, I excitedly went. My kids were shy and unsure of themselves, and it took a while for them to warm up to the group. But in the last few months, they’ve gotten to play volleyball, dodge ball, tag, and baseball with this group of kids ranging in age from 3 to 12. I’ve watched them grow from being timid and whiny, to being enthusiastic and risk-taking. And now they’re thrilled about being part of Amman Little League softball.

What made me so happy about the Tuesday park group was the sweet encouragement my children received from both kids and adults. They were cheered on, even when struggling to connect bat to ball. They were gently invited over and over again to join games that they weren’t sure about. They were made to feel a special part of the group.

When I think of the horrible feeling in my stomach, time and time again, at being ridiculed for my inability or at being picked last, I thank God that my kids have such a positive beginning. I want them to enjoy using their bodies and playing with others. I want them to grow in their skills, even if they’re never MVPs. I want them to feel good about being team players and to always have hope.

Snorkeling in the Presence of God

2010-12-30T19:34:00.003Z

I have always been someone who seems to meet God most easily in nature, witnessing his splendid creativity. I've praised Him while seeing the Grand Canyon, snow-capped mountains, lightning storms, and gorgeous flowers.

But I never anticipated what it would be like to go snorkeling for the first time. I have to say that it was one of the most wonderful days of my life, and definitely a spiritual experience.

We live in Jordan, so traveling to Aqaba was an easy thing to do. With my in-laws visiting, we'd decided to spend 3 nights in a hotel just outside of Aqaba, only a couple kilometers from the Saudi border. I'd heard that the coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba were beautiful and I couldn't wait to try snorkeling.

Even though it was mid-December, the water was very comfortable and I was grateful to not need a wet-suit. All I rented was a mask, snorkel and a pair of water-shoes. The reef was only meters from the shore, and for much of the time, in shallow water. The coral themselves were not colorful, but the fish and other creatures were amazing. I would see a few kinds of beautiful fish, thinking I'd seen what the reef had, and then I'd discover many more, in completely different colors and designs. Even after snorkeling for a couple hours, and not going more than 200 meters along the length of the shore, I still encountered new fish right up to the minutes before I got out. Highlights were the blue sailfin tang, cornetfish, lionfish, bannerfish and butterfly fish. And being in the midst of a school of fish, even so near the sea's surface, was just an amazing feeling.

Not only were the fish more varied and intricately colored and patterned than I'd expected, the moment of putting my head underwater also brought more peace and quiet than I'd thought possible. Above the surface were wind, waves, noise, and other people. Below, I felt alone and tranquil, as in a perfect sanctuary. As a quiet observer, I received just a small glimpse of God's abundant and passionate creativity. I could not help but worship.

The Bakery

2010-12-15T11:05:00.002Z

We’ve passed our 3-month anniversary and are definitely in a bit of a routine now. One of our routines is making weekly trips to one of two local bakeries to buy 5 stacks of pita bread (about 20 pitas per stack), and then putting it all in the freezer at home. Most mornings, our breakfast involves taking out a pita or two per person, dipping them in olive oil, and then dipping them in za’atar, a popular Jordanian herb blend of oregano, sesame seeds, sumac, etc. All of us love it, except for Naomi! We often eat pita bread again at lunch, with peanut butter and jam. And if I make pita-pizzas, it’s possible to have had pita bread at all three meals!

The bakery is a wonderful place, filled with mouth-watering aromas. It’s difficult to pass by the trays of goodies (though many of them are unfamiliar to us) and it’s rare for the kids to not beg me to buy a cake or some doughnuts. The best part of the bakery is seeing the cooks at work. When we first went there, it was at the very end of Ramadan, and pancakes were a traditional food for that time of year. We saw a conveyor belt making hundreds of pancakes.

The next time we went, that was all gone, which surprised us since we didn’t know that pancakes were associated with Ramadan. But since then we’ve seen huge tortilla-type breads being formed by hand and then cooked briefly on an upside-down wok-looking device, similar to a gigantic crepe-maker. How amazing to see blobs of dough turn into larger and larger circles in the adept hands of a baker!

By far, the most popular item in the bakery is pita bread. I learned recently that the Jordanian government subsidizes pita, which is why I can buy a stack of them for just 0.25 JD (slightly more than a quarter). I love getting good-tasting, fresh bread for such rock-bottom prices! The kids do miss my homemade bread-machine bread, as that was our norm in Oxford. But I haven’t gotten around to making bread from scratch yet here. There are better uses of my time !

More Differences

2010-10-21T11:27:00.003+01:00

Children are given painkillers by suppository instead of liquid suspension. (This was unsuccessful when I tried it with Ethan!)

Plastic bags are used aplenty, with no "green" thoughts at all.

Powdered drink mixes come in flavors like mango, orange and peach, instead of grape and cherry. Same with juices, for that matter!

Prices are listed with thousandths instead of hundredths (i.e. 1.200 JD)

Men never wear shorts -- it's considered to be like wearing one's underwear in public.

Taxis are the norm instead of buses, and bikes are non-existent.

Tea is usually served with mint (and hot, no milk).

Pita is cheap to buy fresh from the bakery -- YUM!!

No floor is carpeted, though area rugs will be used in the winter.

Fruit and veg need to be sterilized.

Children are seen as a blessing, and are treated as such, even by strangers.

Rubbish is collected everyday. We put our bags out on the sidewalk, where a donkey & boy/man come get it within a day.

Our Amman House

2010-10-17T15:29:00.003+01:00

1) Our living room looking towards the sunroom.
2) Our living/dining room looking from the sunroom
3) Our sunroom
4) Naomi's room, which is next to the sunroom at the front of the house
5) Master bedroom, with a shower bathroom in the far corner
6) Naomi inside our building, by our inner door. We're on the ground floor, which is actually a few steps up from the outside ground.
7) Our building from down the street. Notice the trees in the middle of the pavement!
8) The kids by our sunroom gate.
9) Ethan by our main front gate
10) Our street sign

Dead Sea

2010-10-17T14:56:00.005+01:00

On Saturday 16 October, we hired a car and made a quick visit to the Dead Sea. I'd heard how you can float without any effort, but to actually watch my own feet bob up was just amazing! The kids didn't like it very much, so they were glad there were also pools by the sea. They had a great time swimming, splashing and floating!

One Month Update

2010-10-14T21:01:00.002+01:00

We've been here for 5 weeks, and I've hardly blogged a word! Upon getting a letter from my sweet mom and being reminded that she "reads every word" I write, I feel I should add something tonight, though it be short and cryptic.
If I had to sum up our first month in a few words it would be...
Naomi and Josiah are finally reading novels. The pick of choice is Enid Blyton's Famous Five mysteries, though Little House on the Prairie comes a close second for Naomi.
Ethan is talking up a storm!! It's hard to believe that two months ago, he was still just barely putting two words together. Now he puts sentences together and asks in-depth questions. Still incomprehensible to most folks, but precious communication for us!
Steve is busy and happy learning Arabic. He feels adequately challenged by the material, and enjoys getting to know a few fellow classmates especially over study and lunch breaks.
I spend more time than ever schooling the kids, but I love this year's curriculum focus of world geography. I'm learning right along with Naomi and Josiah, re-memorizing geography that I first learned 20 years ago. We're just finishing up North America, and will do the Middle East next.
We're still uncertain how long we'll be living here.
We love getting to know our neighbors, both Jordanian and American. The 3 kids who live above us (also from Virginia!) are such good friends to our kids, and we truly treasure their friendship.

Some things that are different about Jordan…

2010-09-20T14:45:00.000+01:00

Toilet paper does not go in the toilet – it goes in the bin (trash can).

Almost every bathroom (even public ones) has either a bidet or a spray nozzle.

Water shouldn’t be drunk from the tap.

A fig tree grows in my neighbour’s garden and hangs over into mine.

Every floor has a drain in it because floors are “mopped” by pouring water directly on the tiles and using a squeegee to push it along.

Our water is heated with diesel fuel so two rooms of my house have a constant diesel smell. Yuck!

Many mosquitoes, but at least our windows have screens!

Pita bread is typical.

Yogurt comes in big containers – great for all the smoothies we make!

Cars don’t have functioning seatbelts in the backseat.

Horns are used rather than turn signals.

Bathtubs are short.

Outside of Amman, a woman without her head covered is a very unusual sight.

The “sidewalks” seem more decorative than anything: they often have big plants or trees growing right in the middle of them.

Said sidewalks also don’t come to a ramp at the corner, and on a hill, this means that they end in about a 2-ft drop!

One Week Anniversary

2010-09-14T20:25:00.005+01:00

We’ve been in Amman for one week now. Hard to believe. It all feels kind of surreal. Our new house is really really nice, the biggest place we’ve ever had and more than adequately furnished. We laugh because now that we’re in a large home with plenty of cupboards, closets and bookcases, we hardly have any stuff!! The building we’re in is actually a 5-story building, and we’re on the ground floor, though up a few steps from the actual outdoor ground. We have two entrances: one through a sun-room that’s just ours, and another through the main building entrance. When we first got here, the sun-room was an oven and I couldn’t imagine ever wanting to be in it. But I’m told that it will get quite cold in the winter and we’ll be glad for it then.

My kitchen is large, with an American-sized frig/freezer (again, hardly any food in it!!), a 5-burner stove and large oven, state-of-the-art washing machine, and nice amenities like microwave, blender and electric kettle. It also has plenty of cupboard space, including a floor-to-ceiling pantry.

The entire house is tiled, which again feels nice now, but will be cold come winter. Our neighbours upstairs (from Virginia) said that it feels especially cold in the winter because of the lack of insulation and the steep prices of heat (diesel or electric). They pretty much only heated one of their rooms and kept the door shut. I don’t know what we’ll do, but I’m trying not to worry about it quite yet!

Our building is sandwiched right in-between a very busy big street and a smaller one. Steve’s and my bedroom has windows on the busy street, we hear lots of traffic all night. During Ramadan, we’d also hear a drummer going up and down the street before dawn, waking people up to eat their breakfast. After the first few nights, I began sleeping through the 4:30 call to prayer, but last night it woke me up again.

We have two bathrooms (well, one only has a shower) and they both have a bidet in addition to a toilet! So far all of us have gotten used to the bidet except for Naomi. It’s very nice to have two toilets for our desperate times!

So far my most difficult adjustment has been shopping and cooking here. We have a little shop just next door to our house (and it’s open til 2 AM everyday!!), which has been great, but most things aren’t labelled with prices, so it makes it hard to make the most cost-effective purchases. At least Steve has taught me my Arabic numbers so that if there is a price tag, I can read it!

There are some foods I was really used to using, both in the States and England, like tinned tomatoes and oats, which are expensive here. Breakfasts are baffling me, as cereal and oats are both expensive, and the local shop doesn’t sell bread! I’m sure I’ll get the hang of everything eventually. I’m glad that I’ve been able to buy most of my basic spices, herbs and staples, and that my kitchen came with a few pots, pans, and dishes.

The kids are adjusting pretty well to not having a large garden. We do have some shared outdoor space, but it’s all tiled. My creative Naomi and Josiah have decided to use the porch swing as a jungle gym. They can climb on to it by opening our sun-room windows and getting out that way. It’s strange, though, to not have bikes anymore.

We finally met our upstairs neighbours a few days ago, and had dinner with them on Sunday. Their names are M and A and they have three kids: H (12), E (10), and N (8). They’re in their first of two years of Arabic language school, preparing for long-term work here in Jordan or elsewhere in the Arab world. The kids are going to a Jordanian school, though in an English-language track. I felt a bit sad and lonely at first because it took a few days to actually meet this family. But now that we’ve met up once and broken the ice, I think we’ll enjoy getting to know them better. The kids get along great. On Monday, their 3 came down to play with my 3, and it worked really nicely. I like having an older girl around for Naomi to spend time with, and it’s sweet that their E is happy to play with Josiah, too.

We went to Amman International Church on Saturday night (their normal service time) and it was nice to meet other westerners (strange though that most of them, including the pastor, were American!!) I met one homeschooling mom who’s already invited us over for dinner this Thursday. She’s got 5 kids and one on the way!! The church is a bit far from us, though, and not terribly easy for taxi drivers to find. So I’m not sure how many extra activities we’ll be doing with them. We missed the preaching that we’re used to at Magdalen Road, but on the whole, the service was good.

I’m feeling a bit “out-of-it” since I don’t fit into any of the normal boxes – I’m not here as a missionary or a military wife, and I’m not actively learning Arabic, as it seems many wives have or currently are. I know it doesn’t really matter, but I get a little tired of explaining our situation to new people, and being asked the same questions.

Ethan is feeling the lack of toys and books. I’m kicking myself now that I brought so many of Naomi’s and Josiah’s toys, and fewer of Ethan’s. He’s the one who needs to be occupied while I teach the older two. We’re also all missing the library. I only brought 5 picture books, and Steve and I are both tired of reading them to Ethan every night! I’ve been told that there’s a Christian library attached to JETS (Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary), and I’m hoping to check it out on Saturday when we’re already there for something else. The older two are occupied with some novels I brought to read aloud with them, as well as some Usborne young readers I brought for them.

We’ve done about 2 days of school so far, though our first day was spread out over two. Josiah is annoyed with the switch to less play time. But the curriculum is fun and interesting. I’ve just got to figure out balance with Ethan and housework, as always. Some things are the same, no matter what country I'm living in!

Traveling from Oxford to Amman

2010-09-13T15:41:00.006+01:00

Our day of travel on September 7 began at 7:45 AM with two friends taking us and our luggage in two cars to St. Clement’s, where we said our goodbyes and caught the coach straight to Gatwick. Everything went smoothly at the airport and our boxes and suitcases were all exactly at the weight limit or up to two kilos shy. We’d forgotten that we had to pay per piece, even though they were in our basic allowance. We were glad that friends had given us £100 because that just covered the additional costs! Thank you, Lord! There were no seats in the area before security check so we sat right on the floor to eat our lunch.

The flight to Latvia was without incident. Ethan slept the whole way. The rest of us liked looking out the windows and seeing the coasts and countrysides of Denmark, Sweden, and finally Latvia. Riga seemed like such an interesting city – it was heartbreaking to not have enough time to leave the airport and see a true glimpse of Latvian life. But we did go through passport control, to get “Riga” stamped in our passports and to sit outside eating a picnic supper. I think the mosquitoes ate as much as we did!

We’d read that Latvia does not use the Euro, but then discovered that Euros can be used in the airport. We had some left over from our trip to Spain and used them getting a few ice-creams for everyone. I tried to buy a bottle of water for the flight, but by mistake bought carbonated water. None of the kids liked it much!

The second half of our journey was much longer. Not only was the flight an hour longer, but we sat in the airplane for an hour before ever taking off, waiting for a few late passengers. Hardly surprisingly, our kids did not fall asleep. They played on the plane’s floor, playing “spies,” and even used a plane blanket to make a little “tent.”

We finally arrived at the Queen Rania airport at 1:30 AM. The kids and I waited for Steve to get money out of an ATM to pay for our visas, which cost 10 JD (Jordanian Dinars) each. The whole process was painless and quick, and we were so happy to see a man holding a sign that said “Steve Gertz” as we exited the passport control area. Steve’s Arabic school, Qasid Institute, provides airport transportation for all their students. Steve went in one car with Josiah, while I travelled in another with Naomi and Ethan.

I’d forgotten that many countries, including Jordan, tend to not have working seatbelts in the backseat. I found myself praying fervently as we raced down the highway at 70 mph, in “interesting” Jordanian fashion. Qasid Institute also provided a free phone call "home" so I got to talk to Steve's mom and let her know we'd arrived safely.

We arrived at our new house at 2:30 AM and our sweet landlords were still up, cheerfully welcoming us and ready to show us around. Josiah had fallen asleep on the ride home, and wouldn’t stir even to eat a sandwich. The other kids were starving so we all ate something before heading to bed. 20 hours after it had begun, our day of travel was finally over. That is, until we were awakened an hour later by drumming and the call to prayer!!

Almost Done

2010-09-06T03:18:00.002+01:00

In 48 hours, I'll be sleeping in my new house, Lord willing. We've been living out of suitcases for the past 37 days and are ready to have our own place!! On Tuesday morning, we'll take a coach directly from Oxford to Gatwick airport, catch our first flight which will take us to our layover in Latvia, and then we'll spend the evening flying three more hours to Amman, Jordan, arriving soon after midnight.

We're only allowed a total of 140 kilos for our family of five, and that's including the carry-ons. It's been tricky to make decisions about what's most important to us as individuals and as a group. It's made harder by not knowing exactly what will be available (and for what price) when we get there.

We had a lovely Sunday today. Our pastor prayed for us in church, and afterwards we got to chat with lots of friends over tea and biscuits. At lunchtime we picnicked in the neighboring park with our home-group, and eventually visited with lots of other church friends who came along to say goodbye. It was really ideal -- the kids were busy playing, and we could leisurely chat with those we'll miss the most!

Naomi and I also then went to visit our previous neighbors, a Christian Malaysian family who have a daughter Naomi's age. Again, she had a good play while I had a lovely visit and prayer time. And finally we had a yummy dinner cooked by our friend who is currently hosting us, followed by her taking care of our kids' bedtime routine. What a delightful break for me!!

Walking Through Tidal Mud

2010-07-29T21:09:00.001+01:00

Moving

2010-07-15T12:58:00.004+01:00

The days are ticking by, leaving just slightly over 2 weeks until we move out of this house, which has been our home for the past 10 months. Not long, you say? Well, believe it or not, it's long enough for it to feel like home. Long enough for us to love the grounds, have good friends, and love the neighborhood. So it will be sad to leave.

But the hardest part this time is that we don't know where we're moving to. So we're not quite sure how to pack ... do we pack to store stuff here in Oxford, in the event we come back in a year? Do we pack as though we're not returning, but are going to the U.S.? Do we pack like we're moving to Jordan? Sigh.

So for now, I'm advertising lots of things, hoping to pare down our possessions considerably. I'm packing some "essentials" into boxes for Oxford storage, in case we do come back. And I'm trying to prioritize everything else. The kids don't like getting rid of anything, so I try to hide the "give-away" box as much as possible. Hopefully this will be teaching them a lifelong value of not holding tightly to material possessions. Hopefully they'll benefit from these moves and separations, and not be too scarred.

Oh, it's a knock at the door. Here's the lady who's buying our TV cabinet. Got to go!

(Pics are of our neighborhood -- middle one is our own house)

Ethan's Speech

2010-06-02T13:36:00.003+01:00

Ethan is steadily growing in his speech and language. It’s slow progress, but very encouraging. I’ve made it my top priority to do daily therapy with him, which I call “Talk Time” and he calls “Ba /D/” (after the first 2 consonant sounds we worked on together). And he continues to meet weekly with a professional therapist.

He enjoys the therapy, even though it is work for him. What we all take for granted as easy sounds, copied by babies even under a year old, are work for Ethan. I can see his concentration as he watches my mouth closely to copy what I’m doing, or tries his hardest to remember what I showed him last time.

We began by taking consonant sounds he could already say, and having him go back and forth between them to practice agility. So his first exercise sounded like /b/-/d/-/b/-/d/ and /t/-/p/-/t/-/p/. Then he practiced vowel sounds. Next we put together his easy consonants with a vowel, so they’d sound like “doo, dee, dah.” At the same time we also began introducing actual words, with their own pictures, that followed the pattern (for example “me” and “bee”) and encouraging him to use those words in daily life.

Because /t/ and /p/ are not voiced sounds, Ethan finds it easiest to combine them with a vowel if he whispers the whole thing. If he doesn’t whisper, his /t/ can come out sounding like /d/ and /p/ becomes /b/. He’ll get it eventually. He gets better at it every time.

We’re now also including combinations where there is a vowel followed by a consonant ending. And I’m stopping Ethan as much as seems reasonable, during his daily communication, to encourage him to try using actual words, now that he has the building blocks to do it.

I’ve been encouraged by his ability to say words when prompted, like “bunny,” “frog,” and “banana.” But the most encouraging thing lately has been his own attempts without outside help.

The other day, he wanted a cup of tea. For the past few months, his word for tea has been “bee,” but “bee” has also been used for any word with an ee sound in it (please, bee, cheese, etc.). So I generally have to clarify with him what he means. This time, he saw a brief glimpse of confusion on my face and before I even asked him what he meant by “bee” he said /t/ and I knew what he wanted.

And yesterday, he was hungry in the afternoon and showed me a piece of pretend bread. I said, “Oh, you want bread?” He said, “No, toe.” I couldn’t believe it. He wanted “toast” and without having ever practiced that word or even talked about it, he was able to say the first two sounds. I happily gave him some toast, even though we were about to sit down to dinner, because I was so pleased that he’d said “toast”!

My Little Girl

2010-05-19T05:39:00.003+01:00

I find it really hard to parent my daughter Naomi.

She is a wonderful person much of the time, in many ways. She has talents in various areas and and is a faithful friend. She can be sweet and kind to her brothers and other smaller children. She can be very helpful around the house. I especially admire the way she sings whenever she has a job to do -- she can be very cheerful!

But there are some characteristics of hers that I really struggle with. I know that sometimes I should simply lower my expectations and remember that she's only 7. Other times, I should be more pro-active and look for ways to truly address her problems instead of waiting 'til I'm reacting like a volcano. And all the time, I should be praying for her, something I've sadly neglected.

I bought a book a few years ago called "Just Mom and Me Having Tea" that has Bible studies, activities and question/answer ideas for moms to do with their daughters. I'd like to set aside time to spend with Naomi regularly to go through this book and hopefully build up a better relationship. Maybe doing that first will give me a more positive outlook, in preparation for the more difficult issues.

I pray that God will help me be a better mom. I can not do this job well on my own.

Crying for Ethan

2010-05-09T23:35:00.002+01:00

Friends gave Naomi and me a ride in their car to choir practice yesterday. On the way, I was able to listen to the mom converse with her 4-year-old (just turned 4 a month ago). I marvelled at the normal dialogue, which for me has become something longed for in the unknown future.

Later that night, my recollections of the give-and-take, the detailed words, and the easy understanding, caused tears to run down my cheeks. It made me keenly aware of what I'm missing in my relationship with Ethan.

I've grown accustomed to how Ethan communicates. I consider myself the expert at understanding him (though perhaps rivaled by his siblings!), and I don't think twice about my methods of asking follow-up questions, watching his signs carefully, and using context. We generally get along fine, though there are frustrating moments. Speech therapy is helping, and I notice continual growth.

But every time I hear a child with normal speech development interact with his parent, I catch my breath, realizing again how different Ethan is. And I wonder ... what thoughts of his am I missing? What observations is he making that he can not explain to us? What intelligence is lurking in him that we are not privy to?

God, grant me patience and determination, as I hope and long for the day when I can talk with my son about anything, no matter how abstract. Wipe my tears, as I miss these moments now, and Lord, please, please help him speak.

Tadpoles

2010-04-29T00:32:00.004+01:00

My animal-loving son was absolutely thrilled when friends offered to let him take home some of their many tadpoles just over a week ago. With pleasure, he scooped out five and brought them home in a glass jar.

Ever since our fish died in January, our plastic fish tank has been sitting empty in the closet. Josiah excitedly filled it with water and introduced his pets to their new home, complete with pond-weed and boiled lettuce. All four of us hovered above, watching the wiggling, swimming critters with wonder. I'm not sure I'd ever seen a tadpole up close before.

When we were away for a long weekend, I was slightly worried that our tadpoles would not make it in our absence. But upon our return, we were relieved to see all five still happily swimming around. I'd had no idea how much tadpoles poop, though! The water was definitely looking a bit yucky, so yesterday, the kids and I went to the Thames to collect some new water.

Unfortunately, during the transfer of tadpoles from the old to new water, one of them was injured and we could see blood. I hoped that it would recover, but late that night, I discovered that it had died. I reminded the kids that in the wild, a significant percentage of animal offspring do not survive. Hopefully our home will provide a semi-safe space for these tiny creatures to become full-grown frogs.

Then today, Naomi came to me saying, "Mom, one tadpole has a white head. I'm afraid something's wrong with it." I was busy at the time, but later checked on the pets, only to discover that indeed, the white-faced tadpole had died.

So now we're down to three tadpoles. I'm really hoping that at least one survives to frog-hood! We're all anxiously awaiting the chance to see metamorphosis up close and personal. Hang in there, guys!

Milestones

2010-04-21T12:00:00.009+01:00

The past few months have held a number of milestones for our family. The first was Steve and I celebrating our ten year anniversary in early January. Just saying that makes me feel old! I'm grateful to God for the gift of a husband who loves me patiently and faithfully, persevering through all the ups and downs that ten years brings. Steve is the biggest blessing in my life.

Then in February, I made a concerted effort to get my kids to the pool and help them conquer their water fears. At first, Ethan would sit timidly on the steps, content to play with his toys, but crying if I carried him further into the water. Naomi and Josiah were scared to even put their faces briefly in the water. By the end of that month, Naomi was able to swim, both she and Josiah were happy to be underwater as much as above water, and Ethan was also confident in his floaty-ring anywhere in the pool.

Finally, in the past two weeks we've had two more momentous changes. Naomi has taught herself to ride a bike and Ethan is out of diapers! Naomi had some help from me a year ago, just on a couple occasions, but I was never good about following up. She's taught herself out of desperation, and even cycled the 20 minutes to church on Sunday!

Ethan also pretty much trained himself. I used candy rewards for the first two days but after that he was doing so well, I dropped the rewards. He's already using the big toilet, mostly dry at night, and has only had a handful of accidents in the past three weeks.

Even though much of our life is uncertain right now, and Steve especially is under huge stress, it's helpful to celebrate the milestones, and to remember that God is working no matter what!

Daffodils

2010-04-21T00:12:00.002+01:00

The kids and I have been memorizing poetry together this school year. Our repertoire so far has been “The Caterpillar” by Christina Rosetti, “Dreams” by Langston Hughes, “Ducks’ Ditty” by Kenneth Grahame, “Silverly” by Dennis Lee, and a few short ones by authors unknown. My language arts book includes poetry memorization, but after using a few of the selected ones in the curriculum, I decided I’d rather choose our own poems.

We were just ready to begin a new poem when Spring came in all its glory. I was inspired and chose “Daffodils” by William Wordsworth for our next poem. I had memorized it as a fifth grader and still had snatches of it in my heart. It seemed fitting to learn it as Oxford’s own daffodils bloomed.

Now a few weeks later, we have learned the last line. It has been hard work, but also such a joy to say these beautiful verses together. It was a delight to hear Josiah say, “The last line is my favorite.” Yes, he actually gets excited about poetry!

“And then my heart with pleasure fills

And dances with the daffodils!”

Little By Little, by Amber Stewart

2010-02-22T16:59:00.002Z

Little By Little is a sweet story about an otter who hasn't yet learned to swim. He recognizes that he has many things he can do, but feels bad that he can't swim. His sister kindly helps him by encouraging him to take small steps forward -- first hopping in water, then floating, and eventually swimming. It's a nice way for kids to see that growth comes little by little. It also has lovely illustrations!

December Day with the Gertzes

2009-12-07T23:11:00.004Z

December 7, 2009

Believe it or not, Ethan is still not completely weaned. He'll be three in 2 weeks, but this morning wanted to nurse in my bed. For the past year, I've been torn, not knowing whether I should be glad or annoyed that he loves nursing so much. Nursing a pre-schooler is so unusual that my biggest fear was what others thought of me if they found out. Most people probably don't even know though.

In the last month, he's begun to taper off, and at times I even thought we were through. So I think the end is in sight. But this morning, I enjoyed cuddling with him in my warm bed.

I heard that the other kids were up so hauled myself out of bed at about 8. In an effort for more breakfast diversity (we'd eaten cold cereal for the past few days), I made oatmeal and flavored it with maple. Yum! We had no trouble finishing the entire pot! Following breakfast, we spent some time cleaning up the living room and entryway, particularly vacuuming. It was long overdue.

As my Christmas concert is just 6 days away, and my last regular rehearsal was to be tonight, I decided to spend some concentrated time on trouble spots in my music. Josiah was working on his Arabic, using the Rosetta Stone computer program. He's on a lesson about the numbers 1-10. Naomi colored in a new coloring book. After 20 minutes, I had them switch. Steve also contributed today with a 15 minute lesson on the first few letters of the Arabic alphabet.

It really helped me to go over my music. I'd gotten a piano keyboard a few weeks ago from someone on Freecycle, but didn't yet have the correct power supply for it. I finally found one at a charity shop last Saturday, so was able to bang out the notes that have been giving me a hard time.

After Arabic, the kids and I read from our "One Year Bible for Kids." We're just at the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua. Today we read Moses' song of praise to God, as well as God's words to Joshua in Joshua 1. What a great way to start the day!

Then we did spelling. We use a spelling curriculum called "Spelling by Sound and Structure," and today we began a review unit. The kids and I looked at the past 5 weeks' worth of words, reminded ourselves of the various structure patterns, and focused on the tricky words (head, said, front, son, catch and wash). Josiah loves spelling. Later in the day, he opened his workbook to a future lesson and began doing it just for fun!

After spelling came math. The key principle of "Math-U-See" is that kids should "build, write, and say" as they learn their facts. It's a hands-on approach, using colored blocks, and today the kids used the blocks to show me their "+2" facts. Ethan was at the table, too, drawing while we did spelling and playing with the blocks while we did math.

I made pasta and chicken for lunch, and then we read some books. Though our new furnished flat included 2 black faux-leather love seats, we also decided to keep a couch that friends had given us. It is long, soft and perfect for winter reading. All of us cuddle together on it and try to ward off the cold. Reading is our favorite thing to do together!

Ethan went down for his nap, I washed dishes and did some more music practice. My intention was to do more school with the kids, particularly beginning a book called "Sarah Whitcher's Story," but I got too sleepy. I sent the kids to various rooms to do quiet activities and fell asleep on the couch.

Naomi and Josiah have apparently just realized how close Christmas is. They got super-excited today and spent half of the afternoon making and wrapping gifts for family members. I have no idea what they made. Guess I'll have to wait until December 25! But the presents look gorgeous, nicely wrapped, complete with bows and labels. Very cute...

I lazily made frozen fish, chips, and peas for dinner, but did make homemade applesauce for dessert. I got ready for choir while the kids were clearing the dirty dishes and emptying the dish drain. This meant collecting my music, bike helmet, bike lights, gloves, reflective shoulder strap, check for my choir fees, and debit card to use later at the grocery store.

It takes me just over 10 minutes to get to choir rehearsal, but I also add in time on both ends for getting through locked gates and dealing with my bike. I cycle through our tiny village of Iffley, then onto busy Iffley Road which leads straight into city centre. Though many bicycles travel that road and technically there is a cycle lane, the road is narrow and it can be a little scary to share it with buses and rush-hour traffic. Still it's better than bussing or walking!

Choir rehearsal was fun. It's great to be this close to the concert and hear how far we've come in just the past few weeks. I'm getting to know another new choir member (a fellow Californian!) and tonight we had a good bit of time to chat. After rehearsal (over at 9:30), I cycled to Tesco Metro on Cowley Road. I wanted to get a few things necessary for making Christmas cookies and eggnog. I used the self-checkout line and packed my groceries in my backpack.

I got back home by 10:20 and have been cleaning the kitchen or on the computer ever since! Another day in the life...

Josiah's Beginnings

2009-11-26T00:00:00.004Z

November 25

Six years ago, I was one week overdue and drove to the hospital, thinking I was just getting a routine check-up. Instead, I was told by my midwife that contractions were happening (unbeknownst to me!) and that we should go ahead and try to have this baby!

My parents had already cared for Naomi the previous 2 nights, so I called them, asking if she could stay at their house a bit longer. They brought her to say hi and goodbye to us one last time before our family enlarged. What a feeling of uncertainty and excitement we had, being on the cusp of such a change.

I remember feeling the self-assurance of being a second-time birthing mom. I thought I knew what was coming. I thought everything would go more smoothly and easily than the first time. Since Naomi's delivery had been fairly quick and un-traumatic, I had high hopes for my second labor and delivery.

I'd found 2 midwives working together in a hospital in Aurora, Illinois, who were willing to let me try a water-birth. I really liked the midwives, trusted them and respected them. The prospect of birthing in water was exciting to me! Little did I know what lay ahead.

My midwives told me later that they'd wondered if I had a large baby inside me. When they saw my body working so hard for this second baby (who was supposed to just pop out!), they were worried that a water-birth might not actually happen, and they moved the hospital bed to be adjacent to the pool.

Sure enough, my rascal second child got stuck on his way out. He had to be pushed and pulled, amidst high tension and slight panic. I had no idea what danger we were both in. I just knew it hurt and that this wasn't supposed to be happening! At 12:08 AM Josiah Steven was finally born and I'm forever grateful to my midwife, the nurses, and God for helping my sweet son come safely into the world that morning.

As the nurses busily rubbed and cleaned my baby, I heard someone call out "12-08" and I said, "That isn't his weight is it?"

"No, no," I heard. "That's the time he was born." Phew. I didn't think that could be right!

Then they weighed him and we all gasped. My little guy weighed 12 pounds, 10 ounces. We could hardly believe it. My midwife thought it likely that this broke my hospital's record for an unmedicated, non-surgical birth. No wonder he'd gotten stuck!

Josiah proved to be not only a sturdy tank of a kid, but also a great sleeper, a super eater, an entertaining friend to Naomi and a blessing to many. Six years later, I can still say the same! He is my 6-year-old ray of sunshine, continually thanking me for my cooking, making his siblings laugh with his antics, falling asleep quickly and waking up bright and cheerful. He has his rough edges, but I take comfort in knowing that God is very real to him. I pray that day by day, he becomes a more faithful disciple of Jesus, knowing God's love him more and more deeply.

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of my son.

Frustrated

2009-11-19T03:07:00.002Z

That word pretty much sums up my existence these days. My two biggest frustrations centre on Ethan and my lack of discipline.

Ethan still does not talk, yet is growing increasingly frustrated by his desire to communicate. I get so tired of hearing "Mama" repeated over and over again, often amidst tears, as he's unable to tell me what the actual problem is. I'm also stymied by his picky eating. He won't even try foods anymore. Tonight he just sniffed my stir-fry and said "Bleh" (his new-found word for all things yucky) He didn't touch it.

And then there's myself that I'm frustrated with! My lack of discipline with time, with food, and with money management. I struggle to get enough sleep, tending to stay up past the time I'm tired, and then when I've slept in, the whole day starts late and feels off-kilter. I struggle with over-eating ... eating for the wrong reasons, not stopping when I should, etc. And I haven't been good about keeping track of expenditures and really trying to stick to a budget.

There's a place near our new home that has at least one speech therapist available to the community and I'm planning to call her first thing, tomorrow. I'm really desperate to get help for Ethan because we're all starting to go crazy from his lack of speech!

Regarding myself, I don't know what to do. I have the feeling I need accountability, but beyond that, I'm not sure where to start. And I don't know who to be accountable to. How do I keep from hiding my true self? How do I get out of my state of denial? If you know me well and are a pray-er, I certainly would appreciate your prayers.

My Secret Love

2009-11-01T23:42:00.007Z

Up until about three years ago, I hadn't ever listened to country western music. I'd heard it, of course, while line dancing, and so I thought I knew what it was like. I had a typically Southern California bias against country music, "just because." But then my sister somehow started liking country music and on long car drives together, I finally spent some time listening to it.

She moved to Nigeria, where she could no longer hear country radio, and mourned the loss. I decided to make her a custom-made c.d. of country songs I thought she'd like. This meant I had to listen to country radio, to find good songs. I was surprised at how many I liked!!

I tended to only listen to radio while driving (this was when I lived in Virginia still) and there were many times I'd scramble for paper and pen at a red light to jot down what I thought was probably the title of a song I'd just heard. I'd later go online, search for the lyrics, and eventually pay to download the song. Certainly there were many I didn't care for, but I found over 20 that I loved!

Now I've had a bit of a gap in my own country listening, as England doesn't have a great selection of that style. I was introduced to jango.com last week, though, and I've set up my own custom-made online radio stations, one of which is country western. The other night I discovered some new songs that I really like. The lyrics are awesome!

Tell Her, by Lonestar

So you say your love`s about to end
Say you can`t take no more
She`s out the door
And you`re lookin` for a friend
Who am I to tell you why
I`m just curious: were you furious
Or did you swallow your pride
And look her in the eye

And tell her that you love her
Tell her that you need her
Tell her that you want her to stay
Reassure her with a kiss
She may never know
Unless you show her what you`re feelin`
Tell her you`re believin`
Even though it`s hard to say
`Cause she needs to know you`re thinkin` of her
So open up and tell her that you love her

Brother I`ve been right where you are now
My heart was broke
`Cause I never spoke
Those healin' words out loud
But I`ve learned my lesson well
And now every night before I close my eyes
I look at my woman and I ask myself
Did you...

tell her that you love her
Tell her that you need her
Tell her that you want her to stay
Reassure her with a kiss
She may never know
Unless you show her what you`re feelin`
Tell her you`re believin`
Even though it`s hard to say
`Cause she needs to know you`re thinkin` of her
So open up and tell her that you love her

Tough, words by Monty Criswell/Joe Leathers
sung by Craig Morgan

She’s in the kitchen at the crack of dawn
Bacon’s on, coffee’s strong
Kids running wild, taking off their clothes
If she’s a nervous wreck, well it never shows
Takes one to football and one to dance
Hits the Y for aerobics class
Drops by the bank, stops at the store
Has on a smile when I walk through the door
The last to go to bed, she’ll be the first one up
And I thought I was tough

Chorus
She’s strong, pushes on, can’t slow her down
She can take anything life dishes out
There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough

We sat there five years ago
The doctors let us know, the test showed
She’d have to fight to live, I broke down and cried
She held me and said it’s gonna be alright
She wore that wig to church
Pink ribbon pinned there on her shirt
No room for fear, full of faith
Hands held high singing Amazing Grace
Never once complained, refusing to give up
And I thought I was tough

Chorus
She’s strong, pushes on, can’t slow her down
She can take anything life dishes out
There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough

She’s a gentle word, the sweetest kiss
A velvet touch against my skin
I’ve seen her cry, I’ve seen her break
But in my eyes, she’ll always be strong

There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough

My Parents Are Here!

2009-10-07T23:53:00.003+01:00

We only have 5 days left with my parents. They've been visiting us here in Oxford for the past (almost) 2 weeks, as they're en route from Nigeria to home assignment in the U.S. It has been so unbelievably great to watch the kids and them get to know each other in person. I wish it could last longer.

This morning we decided to play a board game, since we've been talking about playing games but hadn't yet accomplished it. We played the kids' version of Cranium, called Cadoo. It's a multi-sensory game, involving play-dough, acting, drawing, and thinking skills. We all had a great time! Josiah and Naomi understood the questions, and each team had a turn at winning (we played 3 rounds).

Steve took the kids to the playground while the rest of us did chores at home before lunch. After lunch, our pastor Peter Comont and his wife Judy came over for a visit. I'd really wanted them to meet my parents, but it was also good to catch up with them ourselves. Steve and I love our church and love the Comonts!

As soon as the Comonts left, I took off on our bike to get fresh fruit and veg at my regular Wednesday market in city centre. It was raining by this time, so I had on my rain jacket, but my trousers and hair got wet anyway. I was already late for market, and knew they'd have a more limited selection by then. But I was horrified to discover, upon my arrival, that I had left my cash and my debit card at home. I found 2 pound coins in my backpack, bought some bananas and broccoli with it, and then raced home to retrieve my money.

When I returned 30 minutes later, the market was being put away, but I was still able to get what I needed. I was grateful for our bike, which makes getting to town so much quicker than walking! I also stopped in a hardware store to get a few bolts and nuts to fix the kids' scooters. I got home wet and tired. Over a cup of tea, I read a Today's Christian Woman article to my mom. (She can't read the small print of magazines anymore.)

Mom helped me prepare hamburger curry for dinner, and for once, everyone cheerfully ate the entire meal! Even Ethan ate his meat. Dad played guitar for us afterwards and Ethan joyfully bounced to the music. He loves to hum and is quite good at keeping a tune. Once the kids were in bed, I read a few mystery short stories aloud to Steve, Mom and Dad. Now I'm late for bed. Another day in the life of the Gertzes...

Brief Updates from my Facebook

2009-10-07T23:27:00.004+01:00

Oct. 5: My parents told my kids that I used to race snails when I was little. Josiah looked very quizzically at me and then said, "I guess you won a lot, Mom!" I didn't understand at first, but then realized he thought I was racing against the snails and was always faster. We laughed so hard...

Oct. 4: Kids flew their first kite today, and my parents went punting with us for the first time. I'm so thankful for sunshine, even though it's getting chilly.

Oct. 2: Steve comes home tomorrow!!!! We survived 4 weeks apart.

Oct. 1: I'm dreading moving house in two weeks...

Sept. 30: I love having a mom who can sew (mended and hemmed a pile of kids' clothes today) and a dad who does computers (we've saved all our queries for him!)

Sept. 28: I sang with the City of Oxford Choir tonight -- gorgeous music, lovely voices. If I can work out a reduced fee, I'll be so happy to join them for the year!

Sept. 26: I am SO happy with Naomi's choir (Oxford Youth Choir). She's only 7, but learning about enunciation, reading music, posture, listening, tonal accuracy ... and having a great time, as well! Her two teachers are amazing, and I'm so grateful she has this opportunity.

Sept. 25: I'm having fun, catching up with my parents in person! (lovely, too, to have some extra help with the kids and dishes)

Sept. 22: I love watching and listening to my kids demonstrate what they're learning by incorporating it into their play. Today we discussed "Great Plains Native Americans," made some paper tee-pees, and the kids immediately went off and used their Lego people to re-enact what they learned!

Sept. 21: I think the book "Watching the English" by Kate Fox should be required reading for all foreigners living in England, and strongly encouraged reading for all English!

Sept. 21: I am SO excited to see my mom and dad on Thursday for the first time in 1 and 2 years respectively. They're visiting from Nigeria for 2 1/2 weeks. They'll be amazed at how the kids have grown!!

Sept. 21: My early-bird son makes me smile. Josiah came running to me as I lay in bed this morning saying, "Mom! Mom! I saw the sunrise!!" and later "Mom! There's a hot air balloon right outside our house!" Now if only the rest of us could wake up as alive and cheerful as he.

Sept. 20: Anybody want three kids for real cheap? Free? Mine are on offer for a *limited time only*!! Don't miss out on this amazing bargain!

Sept. 19: I just got some great tips and encouragement for helping my boys from Steve's cousin, Judy, who is a speech & language therapist. Now to put it all into practice!

Sept. 19: Naomi said this was the "best day of her life -- except for her birthday" because we went to an old park that had been updated with some new equipment as well as painted. N liked the zip line and the bird's nest swing the best. The park's transformation was truly amazing!

Sept. 19: We're halfway through our month without Steve. All four of us (at home) are still alive and speaking to each other. This is a good thing.

Sept. 18: I *loved* attending our church's first film club of the year. Knowing "Slumdog Millionaire" would be inappropriate for my kids, I brought along my laptop and some kid dvds, set them up with blankets and pillows in the back room, and we all had a good time. What a movie -- thought-provoking, heart-breaking, sweet ... good conversations afterward.

Sept. 17: We had quite the interesting day yesterday, between losing my toddler in downtown for a scary ten minutes and having a toilet disaster with one of my older kids (who shall remain anonymous). Could have been worse, though. Everything turned out okay in the end.

Sept. 16: Home-educating is quite unusual and unknown here in the UK, so I'm looking forward to a fun publicity and solidarity HE event today: bubble-blowing on Cornmarket Street. After an hour there, complete with media coverage and interviews, we'll walk to the Natural History Museum together and picnic (and I'll face-paint!)

Just an Average Day

2009-09-15T23:11:00.005+01:00

Today we got off to a pretty good start. I'm still trying to figure out what the best routine is for our family. It's sometimes hard to know how to balance teaching both Naomi and Josiah, with keeping Ethan occupied, happy, and learning himself.

In contrast to last week, when I taught N & J together for hours each day, today I tried teaching N & J together just for a little over an hour, and then split them up, giving each of them time with Ethan while I taught the other. I did Bible, spelling, history and science with both of them. Then Josiah and Ethan played together, jumping onto sofa cushions and laughing hard, while I did reading, language, math and handwriting with Naomi. Later we switched and I did the same with Josiah.

While it felt a little less efficient (in my head), it's fair to say that things worked out more smoothly this way. I also could focus more on each child. I'll keep trying it this week and see how things go.

A nice surprise was my neighbor Sarah knocking on my door mid-morning, asking if we wanted to join her and her girls at the new playground nearby. This didn't fit in with my "schedule," but I'm still glad we did it!

Sarah's 2 1/2 year old Amy and my 2 1/2 year old Ethan get along famously. It's so fun to watch them play together! And Sarah is my closest friend here, so I always enjoy chances to talk with her. Josiah and Naomi particularly like the pond area that is part of the new park. We all had a good time. It was great to get out in fresh air, brisk though it was. Autumn is on its way!

Following a crackers-and-cheese lunch back at home, I walked with the kids to "The Cowley." Cowley Road is a major thoroughfare in Oxford, beginning close to City Centre (at a roundabout called "The Plains") and extending through East Oxford and Cowley, as far as the ring road. Nicknamed "The Cowley," it has a high number of shops and restaurants in the part closest to town.

Since East Oxford is quite an ethnically diverse area and home to the only mosque in town, many of the shops feel like they belong in a different country. I've been able to find all kinds of African foods, Pakistani, Indian, Chinese, etc. It's amazing! There are also many charity shops (thrift stores), bicycle shops, discount shops, and my favorite, Tesco Metro (small grocery store, huge grocery chain).

When Steve is at home, I often try to do my shopping sans children. But seeing as he's gone for a whole month, I bit the bullet today and took 3 kids with me for my errands. First we did a little bit of grocery shopping at Tesco. Then we bought bubbles at a stationer's (for a home-education event tomorrow involving bubble-blowing). We went to a cycle shop to buy a bike tire pump. I visited Boots Pharmacy for a medical item.

I also discovered a new (to me) charity shop and had to pop in. Josiah found a huge plastic T-Rex he loved, Naomi found a tiny plastic pony, and I found 3 fun kid videos (Tom & Jerry being the highlight). Since the dinosaur cost 2 pounds, Josiah's not playing with it yet, but looking forward to buying it from me in 6 weeks. Naomi's pony is also in storage, but she'll get hers in just one week!

[I began giving the kids "pocket money" (allowance) some months ago in order to help them begin to understand money better. I don't give them very much, so they have seen what it means to save for something special. Because they're usually interested in buying something from a charity shop, and we're never sure when we'll next return and if their coveted item will still be there, I've occassionally bought the said item and kept it in storage (at home) until the full price has accumulated in the child's savings. I find this works really well. ]

We also popped in to another charity shop and found a pair of sneakers for Ethan. Both boys really need something warm for their feet now that summer is ending. I was tickled to find shoes that seem to fit Ethan (and that light up -- what a bonus!) for only 1 pound. Another 2 videos and a Hello Kitty hand-held fan for Naomi, and we were homeward bound.

On our way to the Cowley, Ethan had been riding his scooter (2 wheels at age 2 -- can you believe it??) and was always way ahead of us. But on the way home, he was smitten with his new shoes and walked slowly behind us. It was so cute to see how proud he was.

Back at home, my kids played for a while with the neighbor kids, particularly Anna. Most kids on our street attend the (very) local primary school called St. Michael's. But Anna goes to a Catholic school and so has bonded with Naomi, who also does not attend St. Michael's. Really all 4 of the kids that age, in our row of houses, get along great together. But it *is* nice to not be the only one who is different.

We splurged and ate our "tea" (supper) while watching Tom & Jerry. It was so fun to laugh with my kids. Even Ethan was hysterical at times! Bubble bath, reading books about vehicles, Squanto and Columbus, then songs and bed. I've spent my entire evening catching up on e-mails, facebook, and blogs. I'm so grateful for the internet!

So that's a day in the life of the Gertzes. Just in case you were wondering ;-)

School Starts Tomorrow

2009-08-31T23:50:00.002+01:00

I'm starting our home-school year tomorrow. Today was a bank holiday in England, and though tomorrow is also a day off for students (while teachers resume work), I decided we needed to make a start!

The kids helped me today as I created some materials we'll need this week (and year). They watched in fascination as I made a "Decimal Street" poster for math, and eagerly helped me decorate the box that now contains our math manipulatives. They picked the colors of paper for our history timeline and colored in their outlined names to glue to the front of their all-subject binders. Naomi finally admitted that school might just be fun, after all.

My curriculum suggests getting off to a slow start, gradually introducing handwriting practice, foreign language, and English. So tomorrow we're doing Bible, spelling, history, math and art. I'm excited and feel almost like this is my first year of true home education. It's the first time I've bought a curriculum and the first time I've felt serious about what we're doing.

My prayer is that I'll be a patient and loving parent as well as an effective teacher. And that my children will grow in respect, love and obedience, drawing closer to God each day and deepening their awe of his created world.

British Words: Children, Food, Clothing

2009-08-28T10:59:00.002+01:00

Here's another quiz! See if you can figure out the American equivalents for each of these British terms. American choices will come in a day, to make it a bit easier ;-) E-mail your attempts to lisagertz@hotmail.com. And just to warn you: none of them are the exact same in "American."

Babies & Kids
1) Nursery
2) Crèche
3) Dummy
4) Nappy
5) Do a wee
6) Push-chair
7) Plaster
8) Cotton buds
9) CalPol
10) Suncream
11) Vest
12) Chute
13) Round-about
14) Roly-poly
15) Stabilizers
16) Rubber
17) Felt-tips
18) Soft toys
19) Knots & crosses
20) Draughts

More Food/Kitchen
21) Gateau
22) Pudding
23) Barbie
24) Starter
25) Pancake
26) Flapjack
27) Kitchen roll
28) Take-away

Clothing
29) Dungarees
30) Swimming costume
31) Trainers
32) Poppers
33) A zip
34) Pants
35) Knickers
36) A waterproof
37) Wellies
38) Trousers
39) Waistcoat
40) Dressing gown

American Choices for British Food Quiz (see below)

2009-08-22T20:20:00.002+01:00

A) Jell-O
B) cilantro
C) oven
D) cake sprinkles
E) candy
F) Saran Wrap
G) Eggplant
H) cotton candy
I) stove-top
J) zucchini
K) cookie
L) can (of food)
M) cupcake
N) 7-Up
O) soda pop
P) chips
Q) Kool-Aid
R) pitcher
S) toothpicks
T) French fries
U) tomato sauce
V) dish-soap
W) baked potato
X) popsicle
Y) Canadian bacon
Z) chocolate-coated ice-cream bar
a) lollipop
b) tomato paste
c) cup of tea
d) tortillas
e) oatmeal
f) cornstarch
g) ground beef
h) powdered sugar

British English Food/Kitchen Quiz

2009-08-21T20:47:00.004+01:00

All of the following British words are different in American English. Can you think of their American equivalents?
Send your attempts to lisagertz@hotmail.com (if this seems too hard, don't worry -- I'll post a list of possible choices in a few days) Have fun!!

1) Lemonade

2) Cling-film

3) Biscuit

4) Aubergine

5) Fizzy drink

6) Jelly

7) Squash

8) Corriander

9) Courgette

10) Aubergine

11) Fairy cake

12) Candy floss

13) Cocktail sticks

14) Bacon

15) Corn flour

16) Jacket potatoes

17) Crisps

18) Chips

19) Porridge

20) Cuppa

21) Wraps

22) Jug

23) Tomato puree

24) Passata

25) Mince

26) Hundreds & thousands

27) Ice-lolly

28) Sweets

29) Lolly

30) Icing sugar

31) Tin

32) Washing-up liquid

33) Hob

34) Cooker

35) Choc Ice

Edinburgh Trip -- Day 7

2009-08-11T10:53:00.012+01:00

Our plan for Wednesday was to visit a nearby castle ruin called Craigmillar Castle, and follow that with a trip to Gorgie City Farm. Steve, however, could not find his wallet as we were preparing to leave. He searched the flat to no avail. He knew he’d last used it the previous evening, just before arriving at Maristela’s house for dinner. I said that we may as well buy our bus day passes and head back to Maristela’s neighborhood to check the shop where he last remembered having the wallet out.

Unfortunately, Steve’s wallet was not at the corner shop, and then we were stuck, wanting both to enjoy our day out but also get the wallet issue resolved. Steve phoned the police who had no record of it but took down his information. We decided that the kids and I would go ahead and see the castle while Steve would go back to the flat to look again and await a call from the police. (It turned out that the wallet was indeed at the flat, so though Steve missed our outings for the day, he was able to do his own fun things without further worries.)

Naomi, Josiah, Ethan and I arrived at Craigmillar Castle after having eaten lunch on the bus. Craigmillar Castle is over 600 years old and 3 miles outside of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. It was never the full-time residence of royalty, but did host Mary Queen of Scots and others when they needed to get away from Edinburgh Castle or Holyrood Palace.

Craigmillar Castle is not on the “must-see” tourist list, but in my mind, it’s the best place to take kids. It is small compared to Edinburgh Castle, but plenty big enough for a few hours of exploration. There are many rooms and staircases, nooks and crannies, all perfect for little people to enjoy. We saw medieval fireplaces, ovens, pantries, dovecot, bedrooms, and even a toilet! (Just a hole leading to the outside of the wall.)

More than one staircase led to the roof, where we could imagine we were medieval soldiers, keeping guard with our bows and arrows. We could see the Firth of Forth in the distance (where the River Forth begins to meet the North Sea – it’s body of water that Edinburgh is built next to), as well as Arthur’s Seat and Edinburgh Castle. I was grateful for such a beautiful day – clear skies and warm weather.

From Craigmillar Castle, we headed to Gorgie City Farm, back in our old neighborhood. We got there only ½ hour before closing time, so it was all a bit rushed, but we had fun nonetheless. A horse managed to grab a bag out of our stroller with its teeth, and we had to wrestle it back from him. The sheep sounded so funny; we thought they were cows at first!

We saw a bunch of piglets that looked very newborn, as well as older ones that were very entertaining. I think they were the favorite of all 4 of us. It was especially funny to see them trying to climb into the feeding trough, and we were tickled by their curly tails. We also saw goats, turkeys, chickens with hairy feet, rabbits, and cows.

In the evening we had our friends Adrian and Kit Herbert over for supper, along with their two teenage kids, Cara and Alexander. The whole family had been in Asia for their summer holiday, and we’d thought we wouldn’t get to see them at all. We were thrilled to find out they’d returned and could come visit us for an evening.

Kit and Adrian had hosted us for many meals when we lived in Edinburgh, sometimes having us for lunch *and* dinner on days when our strategy games took a long time! They loved our kids and we loved them!

It was nice to catch up in person and we reminisced about old times. It was a bit of a hodge-podge dinner as I’d ordered stuff from Tesco in quantities just for us, and had to combine them for guests. We had ravioli, pizza, and fish ‘n’ chips – strange but it worked!

Edinburgh Trip -- Days 5 & 6

2009-08-07T12:13:00.007+01:00

Monday, July 27, found us on a train to North Berwick, a village just east of Edinburgh. Friends Kate and Hugo had recommended the beach there and offered us birthday money to pay for the train (and ice-creams and sand toys!) We were grateful to be on a very short train journey instead of a 5 hour one!

Though it poured rain for the first few minutes after we’d arrived, the rest of the day was clear and beautiful. We were all so excited to be by an ocean again! Josiah ran right into the water, cold as it was. Naomi and Ethan began digging in sand.

I was able to find a hardware store and buy some gardening shovels, some differen t-sized plant pots, and a utility bucket. I figured these would all last longer under the kids’ play and abuse, plus I’d be able to make use of them once we got back to Oxford. I also got a long-handled net and a beach ball (both of which we’d lost by the end of the day – sigh…)

We started at the western beach, and after 1 ½ hours, walked through town to get to the eastern beach. There we found lots of tide pools, as well as a “paddling pool” (a walled-in bit of sea water for kids to play in). Naomi, Josiah and I went off to see what we could discover in the tide pools. I told them about doing the same thing with my grandma when I was their age. It’s one of my favorite memories of her.

We saw lots of hermit crabs, caught a few small crabs and fish, and saw some red sea anemones. Naomi and Josiah were amazed to see sea creatures right there in the wild! We ate baguette sandwiches for supper, lingered ‘til past 6 and finally walked back to the train station. I really really didn’t want to leave. If we hadn’t made plans to have friends come over for coffee that same evening, I would have been tempted to stay on the beach until past 8!

As it was, we got home around 8:30 and our friends came by for a “cuppa.” Inke was the secretary in the Edinburgh Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies when Steve studied there. She and her husband James were missionaries in Egypt for years before settling in Scotland. It was nice to catch up with them in person, just before they were leaving for a holiday of their own.

Tuesday, July 28, was pretty boring! We needed a day to relax at home so we didn’t go anywhere special. I took the kids to the nearby park, just a 5-minute walk away. Naomi preferred to stay at home, looking at her new seashells, though. Josiah wanted to stay home and watch the crab (the token animal we brought home).

At supper time, we caught a bus into town and enjoyed a nice dinner and visit with our friend Maristela Lima-Napier and her three boys, Jonathan (5), Andrew (2), and Daniel (newborn). We’d known her from church, and though we missed her husband Gary due to his being on a work trip, had a nice time talking with her and watching the kids enjoy each other.

Only two more days before it was time to head home…

Chicken Recipes

2009-08-07T09:47:00.004+01:00

Due to high prices here in the UK, I’ve taken to buying whole chickens from the grocery store. I’m not the best at cutting them into individual pieces, and I don’t have too many recipes that call for a whole chicken. But what works for me is cooking the entire chicken in the microwave. I use a big glass casserole dish, turn my microwave to half-power, and cook the bird for 30-35 minutes.

After letting it cool for a while, I can start pulling off the meat with my fingers. Call me barbarian, but I find this much more effective than using a knife! It means I can get all the little bits that are hard to reach with a utensil. Once I have a ziplock bag of meat, I can freeze some or just refrigerate it and use it in many recipes that call for meat!

Here are a few that I tried and liked this week (and my kids liked too!). They come from the cookbook called “Extending the Table,” which is similar in some ways to “More-with-Less.”

Groundnut Stew (from Ghana)

Brown:

2 c. onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Add:

1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded

½ t. ground ginger or 1 T ginger root, minced

2 c. stewed tomatoes or 2 large fresh tomatoes, mashed

1 beef bouillon cube

1 t. salt

2 c. water

Ground red pepper to taste

In small bowl, mix:

½ c. peanut butter

¼ c. water

Slowly stir peanut mixture into stew. Cover and simmer, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. Add salt and red pepper to taste. Serve with rice.

Bang Bang Chicken (from China)

In wok or frying pan, stir-fry briefly in 1-2 T oil (preferably peanut), until chicken is cooked through:

1 whole chicken breast, cut in strips (I used already cooked and shredded chicken)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 t ginger root, grated or 1/8 t ground ginger

1 scallion, chopped in 1-in. pieces

Add:

¼ c. water

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. peanut butter

1 T. red wine vinegar

Simmer 5 minutes. Add:

2 c. broccoli florets

1 cucumber, sliced

Cook until vegetables are crisp tender, about 7 minutes. Serve over rice

Edinburgh Trip -- Days 3 & 4

2009-08-03T23:47:00.013+01:00

Saturday, July 25, we headed to the Edinburgh Zoo. My parents had given us money to pay for it and we all had a great time! The sky was blue and the air was fairly warm – a perfect day to be outside.

Our first stop – and one of our highlights – was feeding the lorikeets in the aviary. We bought two servings of nectar, which Naomi and I held out in our hands. The birds were a bit cheeky: they wanted to stay on their rails and not make the effort to fly to us. But we stood firm and eventually they came.

I was proud of Naomi. Though sometimes shy among people, she showed no fear with birds! She bravely let the lorikeet come sit on her hand, tickling her a little with its talons.

The birds were brilliantly colored. My biggest reason for liking any zoo is the reminder of how awesome God is. What a creative mind He has, to come up with such diverse, beautiful creatures, each species uniquely designed to thrive in their own habitat.

Naomi and Josiah excitedly ran from exhibit to exhibit, thrilled to be seeing monkeys and lions, hippos and zebras. They could hardly wait for the 2:15 “penguin walk,” when zookeepers open the penguin gate and let penguins walk down the pavement in front of onlookers. We’d gotten there early and staked out a good spot. We were not disappointed as we saw cute little guys waddling right in front of us.

Naomi also bravely tried a turn on a trampoline/bungee jumping gizmo. It wasn't quite as fun as she expected, but we were impressed that she gave it a go!

At the end of the day, our friend Kate picked us up and drove us to the home we’d be staying in for the rest of our holiday. Kate’s friends from our old church were away for the week, leading a Scripture Union camp, and had offered to let us stay in their flat. It was so nice to have a 2-bedroom place to crash each night after long days out. I especially appreciated having a dishwasher, and the kids enjoyed the Legos.

On Sunday we worshipped at Gorgie Parish Church, close to where we used to live. I was amazed at how many people greeted us, as though 3 years hadn’t gone by. It was a blessed morning.

From church we went to the home of our friends Quintin and Fiona Bradshaw. They are both medical doctors, prior missionaries to Thailand, and parents of 4 teens. We had been blessed 4 years ago by their youngest two kids (twins Rory and Kirsten) befriending Naomi and Josiah, and also by their sweet hospitality as they had us for meals and let us use their home.

Fiona made an amazing spread of Thai dishes for our Sunday dinner. It was all very yummy! Our kids enjoyed the spacious yard, bouncing on a big trampoline, climbing and sliding, and playing with the Bradshaws’ springer spaniel Tia. They also got to go on a countryside romp, through woods and farmland, while Steve and I played a game of Settlers of Catan with Rory (14) and Chris (17).

We had so much fun playing Catan that we decided to do another round of it, pausing for tea-time. Fiona had baked homemade scones and served them with jam and clotted cream, along with tea and biscuits. Our Sunday gave us the best of two cultures’ cuisines!

Grateful for friendship and fellowship, we reluctantly returned to our flat. Our tummies and hearts were full. Thank you Lord for friends!

Trip to Edinburgh: Days 1 & 2

2009-08-02T23:34:00.011+01:00

On Thursday, July 23, we left Oxford by train, heading first to Birmingham (an hour away) and then to Edinburgh (another 5 hours). We were going “home” to where we’d lived during the school year ’05-’06. Steve and I were excited to spend time in a city we love, as well as catch up with old friends. We also looked forward to re-acquainting our kids with places and people that used to be important to them.

The trip there was fairly uneventful. Ethan was thrilled to be on a train! This was his first long-distance train ride. We had a 3 hour layover in Birmingham, during which we explored the city a little bit on foot, and got caught in a rainstorm. The kids liked chasing pigeons in a grassy square we found.

The 5-hour ride to Edinburgh was trying on our nerves. By the end, the kids were stir-crazy and tired (we didn’t arrive ‘til after 9 PM) But we survived! At least the train was almost empty by the time we were in Scotland, so the kids’ noise wasn’t bothering loads of people. Naomi and Josiah spent the last 20 minutes of the journey picking up rubbish from throughout our car, and filling a bag with it. At last, a useful way to expend their energy!

For our first two nights, we stayed with good friends, Kate and Hugo Allan. Their daughter Rebecca is Josiah’s age and was one of Naomi and Josiah’s best friends. They also have a 2 year old foster son. It was a delight to see the kids play together, as if three years hadn’t gone by since they last saw each other. Rebecca and Naomi even had a “sleepover” together on Friday night in Rebecca’s room.

On Friday, we took the kids to see our old cottage. We didn’t see the inside, but took pictures of the outside. Two big changes had occurred in the last three years: 1) the car park that used to be completely empty (and available for tricycle riding) behind our house was now full of cars; 2) the huge derelict building that used to be such an eyesore from our kitchen window is gone, and in its place is a huge Sainsbury’s (grocery store).

We made the walk down our road to nearby Saughton Park, where I used to take the kids to a Winter Garden on cold days and the playground on

warm days. We enjoyed the goldfish in the greenhouse, the beautiful rose garden, and the huge sandpit in the playground.

From there we crossed the street to our old library. Balgreen Library had seemed so small to me when I first arrived from the Chicago suburbs. It’s only one room and has no bathroom. It is much bigger than our current local library in Marston, Oxford, though! We checked e-mail, read to the kids, colored

unicorn and dragon coloring sheets, and waited out a brief rainstorm.

We began the 40 minute walk back to Kate and Hugo’s, passing the McDonald’s we ate at every now and then, and discovering that a brand new Aldi grocery store was in our neighbourhood. It would have been only a 5 minute walk from our old house – a bit farther than the Sainsbury’s across the street, but not much!

At home we enjoyed the Allan family. Kate served the kids their own supper, we bathed them all, and then Hugo made a special meal for us adults. It was very nice to catch up in person with good friends!

Touch

2009-07-09T01:52:00.003+01:00

I love to touch...

a rose petal
sand between my toes
the hair of someone I love
the new, soft skin of a baby
flour
summer rain
kittens
my husband's hand

What do you like to touch?

Sickness Abounds

2009-07-09T00:51:00.006+01:00

I'm not sure what is happening to our once-healthy family. It seems like we're the house of contagion these days.

Six weeks ago Naomi and Josiah each came down with some kind of sore throat virus thing (a week apart), and I followed them with my own cold. All five of us got head lice and it's taken 2 weeks to get rid of it by wet-combing.

Naomi's been battling impetigo on her mouth and nose for a few weeks. I was diagnosed with erysipelas (a superficial skin infection) on my cheek last Sunday, and now my visiting sister-in-law has come down with tonsillitis.

What is going on?? These are not major issues, but it's getting a bit tiring always having someone not feeling good! Naomi's impetigo and Genelle's tonsillitis are the current prayer needs .... let's get this family healthy again!!

Enjoying Owen

2009-07-07T23:22:00.003+01:00

My nephew Owen has been with us since Friday, and solely in my care yesterday and today. The kids and I are having so much fun with him! At times it’s a bit tough having four, mostly because it changes our normal dynamics. (Both Ethan and Owen idolize Josiah and fight for his affection.) But mostly it’s been great!

The best parts have been going to playgrounds and parks, watching the boys wrestle together, and hearing the three older kids having conversations more intelligibly than ever before!

We’ve spent time at every park we know of: Christ Church Meadows, South Park, Headington Hill, Parson’s Pleasure, Meadow Lane playground, and our local playground. Lots of space to run around is just what the kids need. They also love throwing rocks and sticks into water, feeding ducks, finding bugs, and using their imaginations on play equipment. (Owen said his favourite part of yesterday was “riding the boat” at the park, referring to a large steering wheel on a jungle gym.)

Though an only child, Owen seems to be adjusting well to my physical boys. He’s jumping right in when Ethan tackles him, or whacks him with a pillow. And there are remarkably few tears resulting!

And it’s just great over-hearing the kids’ conversation. I love listening to them compare Virginia and England, share favourite parts of funny movies, and explain things to each other. I wish I could capture all their cute voices!

My last experiences with Owen had been less pleasant. A little over 9 months ago, he seemed grumpier, a bit rebellious and whiny, and a pickier eater. It’s amazing how much can change in that time period! He seems like a different kid! I am so thankful for this chance to spend time with him now that he’s a little older. He’s been fairly easy-going, cheerful and respectful.

And he makes me laugh everyday when we talk about our upcoming rest time. He reminds me repeatedly, “I don’t have to shut my eyes, right Lisa?” I assure him that he most definitely does not have to shut his eyes; he just needs to lie down for a quiet time. And every day, he falls fast asleep. Smile…

Family Visit

2009-07-07T00:00:00.005+01:00

Steve's sister Genelle, her son Owen, and her boyfriend Bill arrived in Oxford last Friday, just in time for Naomi's 7th birthday (July 3). We had a great weekend together before Bill left on Sunday morning. Since then we've continued to enjoy local parks together and general cousin fun!

This is actually the most visiting time I've ever had with Genelle and I'm really enjoying getting to know her better. Owen (age 3 1/2) has matured a lot in the past 9 months and is fun to hang out with. We're getting some extra time with him while Genelle does research at the Bodleian Library.

See the post below for some pics of our time together so far...
1) Steve, Owen, Josiah, Genelle and Bill
2) Bill and Steve talk in Pembroke College Chapel
3) Ethan and Owen both love "Cars"!
4) Feeding the ducks and swans by Christ Church meadows
5) Fun at the local playground
6) Bill and Genelle try punting
7) The kids take shelter during a light rain.
8) 4 kids in a tub is pretty full!
9) Yummy ice-cream on a hot day
10) and 11) Enjoying the horses near our house

P.S. If anyone can give me tips on how to mesh text and pics on blogger, I'd appreciate help! I can't seem to give my pictures captions...

Family Visit Pics

2009-07-06T23:23:00.010+01:00

London Pics

2009-06-21T18:44:00.003+01:00

Lost in London

2009-06-21T16:35:00.003+01:00

My kids and I just got back from a last-minute 5-day visit with friends in London. We initially went because a childhood friend of mine was visiting family in England. I hadn't seen her in 12 years and it was great to catch up a little! But I've also got some good friends, Becky and Claire, who live in London (one block apart from each other), so I decided to hang out with them for a few days and make a little holiday of it.

Becky tried to give me directions for how to get to Claire's house in Peckham from the British Museum by bus, but apparently I didn't understand exactly where to get off. We reached the area near her house and I recognized it from previous visits, but thought that the bus would soon get us even closer to our destination. So we stayed on the bus.

Alas, we should have gotten off the bus when I knew where we were. By staying on longer, we not only got farther away from Claire's, but I also ended up lost since I didn't have a map! We got off the bus and by looking at road signs, I started walking with the kids in the general direction of Peckham. We walked and walked and walked.

The kids were slightly worried because their own mom didn't know where they were or where they were going. It didn't help that we were exhausted from a long day out, having left Oxford at 8:30 AM, and tramped around London all day. It was now 8 PM and we hadn't had dinner yet, and didn't know when we'd arrive at Claire's.

When I saw a little shop that was still open, I popped inside to ask if they had a map. They didn't, nor did the next shopkeeper I asked. Finally, after 30 minutes of walking, we came to a police station that had a local map posted outside. I found where we were and where we were going -- and the quickest route there! We all cheered up, knowing we'd get to Claire's in the next 30 minutes or so.

We arrived around 9, ate dinner a little later, and I got the kids in bed at about 10:00. A comfy bed never felt better! My friends told me later that it was probably a good lesson for my kids -- to watch an adult be lost, persevere, and figure out how to get there in the end. It was also an inspiration to me to buy my own detailed map of London!

Favorite smells

2009-06-15T00:01:00.007+01:00

I love the smells of ...

freshly grated lemon
cooking apples
homemade bread
vanilla
fresh mint
oranges
cinnamon

What are your favorite smells?

Naomi's Pics

2009-06-04T23:31:00.005+01:00

1) Naomi sports an Easter hat she made at a playgroup.
2) Naomi and church friend Imogen dress up in pink!
3) & 4) Naomi loves caring for her friends' guinea pigs!
6) Naomi dressed up as Rapunzel for a friend's birthday party
7) First she caught the moth; then when she let it go, it sat on her hair for a minute or two!
8) On a winter walk
9) & 10) On a spring walk

Ethan's pics

2009-06-03T23:13:00.005+01:00

Top: Ethan being dedicated by Pastor Peter Comont at Magdalen Road Church in Oxford on Easter Sunday.
2) Ethan LOVES trains!!
3) and 4) Ethan also loves water -- boating, swimming, beaches, baths -- everything!
5) With Mimi (Steve's Mom) on a steam train ride.

Week at the Pool

2009-06-02T14:39:00.004+01:00

Thanks to Fusion Lifestyle (an Oxford fitness center) and to a homeschooling yahoo group, the kids and I enjoyed a very wet half-term (school holiday) last week! In honor of "National Family Week" Fusion sponsored parents to swim for free at Oxford city pools if they went with their kids. (And in Oxford, kids can always go free.) I found out about it through my homeschooling group. What a blessing it was to us!!

I mentioned it to my neighbor Sarah at the beginning of the week, and we started making tentative plans to go together to the outdoor pool on Wednesday. The day arrived, though, and it was rainy, plus Sarah could not come as she'd hoped. I told her I'd like to go anyway, to an indoor pool, and that I could take her 7-year-old Jonathan with us. She was thrilled with the idea and offered to drive us all there.

We had a great time at the Ferry Sports Centre pool. In addition to the regular pool, there was a "learner's pool" which had very broad steps (the whole width of the pool) and only ranged from 0.8 to 1 meter deep. This meant that Jonathan, Naomi, and Josiah could all stand by themselves, and that Ethan had quite a big space to play in shallow water (on the steps).

Jonathan goes to a pool every week so is quite comfortable with water, unlike my own kids. I think he helped Naomi feel more confident. Also it was nice to have four kids so that I had two pairs: Ethan and Josiah played well together, and Naomi and Jonathan spent almost all their time together in the 1-meter deep area.

We had so much fun on Wednesday that we decided to do it again on Friday! This time it was sunny and warm, so we decided to try the outdoor pool (Hinksey Pool). Again I offered to take Jonathan, and again Sarah said she could drive us there. It was really a perfect day to be outside in the water.

Hinksey Pool is a zero-depth pool and Ethan enjoyed the large "beach" area, where he could push his car around and lie on his tummy to splash. Naomi, Jonathan, and Josiah were happy to see that our neighbor friend Anna was also at the pool. She had come separately, with her mom and brother.

The problem with Hinksey Pool was that there was no shade and unfortunately, I was not careful enough with our sun protection. When we got home, I found that Naomi and I had burned our backs and shoulders. All three kids had a touch of sunburn right under their eyes. I learned for the next time!

On Saturday, we went yet again to the Ferry Pool, this time with Steve so he could see it. Again we brought Jonathan, but this time we walked both there and back (an hour each way). We went in the afternoon, and while the pool was shut for 1 1/2 hours (due to a private party), we enjoyed a Burger King dinner on the grass outside. We stayed until the pool shut at 7:30 and still had plenty of light to walk home in.

Finally on Sunday -- the last day of the free deal -- we went to the Hinksey Pool straight from church. Learning from my mistakes, I brought umbrellas and T-shirts to wear in the water. We wore sun-visors and got out from the water after every hour to spend a half hour in the shade, re-applying sunscreen. Steve, ever the busy student, brought his book with him so he could study while we played. Naomi didn't like the feel of wearing a shirt in the water, so she chose to stay in the shade of our umbrella with Steve, coloring with crayons I'd brought. I enjoyed the few hours of focused time with my boys, playing "hide-and-seek" with bath toys I'd brought and watching Ethan push around his cars again.

So that was our week of holiday, at home =) Now we're recovering from our vacation, trying to get the neglected house back in order and get ourselves some much-needed rest.

Week at the Pool -- pics

2009-06-02T11:36:00.003+01:00

Josiah and Naomi loved playing with our neighbor friends Jonathan and Anna! (Anna's family had come to the pool at the same time, unbeknownst to us.)

Ethan's favorite part was pushing his cars around in the water.

The Golden Field

2009-06-01T00:14:00.004+01:00

It was a sunny bank holiday here (Memorial Day in the U.S.) and our friend James Greig invited us to join his family on a nature walk near our homes. He wanted to take his kids, Alistair and Izzy, as well as ours to the "golden field," where buttercups take over during the month of May. Steve was in a class just then, but I happily brought Naomi, Josiah, and Ethan.

The Greigs brought along some nature guides, with the goal of finding and identifying various wildflowers. They also packed a lovely snack picnic of hot tea (a necessity for every British picnic!), "squash" (like Kool-Aid), and zucchini bread (which I'd made and given them earlier as a thank-you for babysitting).

Naomi and Josiah were very happy to have an outing with their friend Izzy (who is in their Sunday school class). It was great for me to see all three of them enjoying each other and having a good time. Ethan did not want to stay in the stroller (he'd been napping just before we set out), but instead got out to run ahead of me. What energy children have!

After jumping and running through the field of buttercups, the children's socks, shoes and/or toes were tinted yellow with pollen. We found quite a few species of flowers and later at our picnic, were able to identify many of them. Naomi even spotted an orchid!

In addition to flower-identifying, we looked for little critters. We found that a previous visitor had left some parsnips just outside what looked like the entrance to a rabbit tunnel. We saw many rabbit pellets, and Alistair even found some mole holes, but we never did see a critter in the flesh.

We were out for two hours and by the end, Ethan was losing steam. We'd all had a great time and were ready for a late supper. God has blessed us with sweet friends right on our own road, and has also given us the gift of living in a beautiful part of Oxford. We are grateful...

The Golden Field - pics

2009-05-31T23:39:00.003+01:00

Latest Kid Pics

2009-05-28T23:47:00.002+01:00

Naomi's new teeth are getting bigger all the time.
Ethan is our silly boy!
Josiah has just lost two teeth in two days this week!

What I Like About Living in Oxford, England

2009-05-25T13:57:00.010+01:00

Hearing so many languages, everywhere I go (French and Arabic seem to be some common ones)
Convenient public transportation
Historical significance everywhere!
Learning about famous local authors (Lewis Carroll, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, etc.)
Being relatively close to London and the ocean
Different UK accents
Always being offered tea
Bike lanes
Beautiful gardens
Amazing architecture
Itsy-bitsy cars
Elderflower-flavored soda
Fizzy lemonade
Ethnic restaurants (even though I never eat at them!!)
Sidewalks and pedestrian crossings
Environmental awareness (recycling and bring-your-own bags at the store)
Fun spelling like: tyres, kerb, pyjamas, neighbour, centre, and realise
Having so many neighbors right around me
Diversity of churches
The Thames and Cherwell Rivers -- waterfowl, walking paths, lots of boats
Freecycle
Concerts and plays (though I don't go to those either!)
Being able to cycle to my store, shop, and come back in under an hour (but I can't carry much on the bike!)
Our church (we love, love, love our church!!!)
New friends

Okay for Now

2009-05-23T11:42:00.003+01:00

To allay fears, I wanted to write a follow-up to my last post. Yes, I was desperate. Yes, it was scary. But yes, I'm still around and thankful for the prayers and encouragement of many.

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of when Steve proposed to me right here in Oxford, and he's planning something for tonight. A friend from church will come over to stay with the kids.

We've had a really fun time during our last couple movie nights with the kids. We watched "Sword in the Stone" last night, and "Dumbo" last week. I'd forgotten how hilarious Disney made their movies. The kids and I laughed so hard! I love hearing the kids bust up laughing.

Ethan is now saying "Dada" and "Mama" consistently, not only for us, but also for items of large size (compared to smaller sizes). He was doing some beading the other day, and called a big bead "Mama" and the smaller bead was given his squeaking sound for "little." He's trying to say "Iya" for Josiah, but it comes out sounding more like "Ira." He's also been doing lots more signs and animal sounds. We just got word that Ethan and Josiah are officially "in the system," waiting for an assessment appointment with speech and language therapy.

I've made some decisions about home-schooling for next year, and am trying to find stuff as cheaply as I can. I'm going to use a math program called "Math-U-See" and an all-subject curriculum called "Adventures in My Father's World," for everything else. I hope that it helps me to have this structure set up. I'll keep you posted...

another day?

2009-05-18T21:29:00.002+01:00

I don't know if I can make it another day. I feel like my whole world is out of control. I know in my head there are many steps I could take to help it get better, but I just don't have the will or the energy. I want to sleep and never wake up. I don't want to struggle and battle and feel like a failure every single day. I know this is wrong. But I can't seem to get it right.

What I miss about the U.S.A....

2009-05-14T15:49:00.004+01:00

Cool Whip
good Mexican food
tortilla chips (available but not high quality)
root beer
frozen fruit juice
frozen lemonade
libraries (with organized children's sections,
quality children's books,
free video-borrowing,
and toys/puzzles/learning sets available)
swings with curved, flexible seats (here they are hard and rectangular)
central heating
Christian radio
clothes-dryers
Wal-Mart
Medicaid-provided counseling
graham crackers
M&Ms and Snickers (available, but expensive)
ranch dressing
math tutoring in a system I'm familiar with

And about Virginia...
mountains
starry skies
sweet tea
Pet World
Woods Creek
great playgrounds
friends
family
my car

Teaching "Tots"

2009-05-11T22:15:00.003+01:00

As I'm thinking more about how to teach my kids next year, I'm exploring various blogs and websites, and have found the following one to be especially helpful. This mom not only teaches her older son, but includes intentional "teaching" time for her 3 year old. Go to her site for terrific ideas. I'm inspired!!!

Disco Fun!

2009-05-10T22:14:00.000+01:00

When Naomi was invited to her friend Izzy’s 7th birthday party, we were thrilled! When we were told it would be a disco dance party, and that all the others coming were from Izzy’s school class (of which Naomi is not a part), we were a bit nervous. I asked Naomi if she really wanted to go to the party, knowing these details, and she replied that she would go if I would go too and stay with her.

So on Saturday, the two of us went to our first disco … and had a blast!

Naomi was shy at first. She stood against the wall, watching all the other kids. I offered to dance with her, figuring she would be happy with me as a partner, but she stubbornly stayed glued to the wall. The music was loud, the room was dark (with fun, multi-colored, moving lights), and there were about 20 other kids racing around. I did not blame her one bit for hanging back and watching! I would have done the exact same thing probably.

Then Izzy’s mom Emily (whom Naomi knows fairly well) got all the kids to grab hands, forming a big circle. Naomi and I joined up with the others and we all ran around in a ring. This seemed to break the ice for my shy daughter, and I smiled inside to see her laughing. After that, I couldn’t stop her from dancing!!

She played the few organized games (musical bumps and pin-the-horn-on-the-unicorn) and creatively did her own dance moves to the free-dance music. She was even one of the winners of the “dance competition.” (Thank you, Emily, for affirming my daughter in that way!) I made a few bathroom runs with small groups of girls, and Naomi stayed behind in the dance studio, dancing away (instead of clinging to me like I was afraid she’d do). I could kick myself for not having brought my camera along. I don’t know when I’ll next see her being so free and having so much fun!

We had a nice “tea” (sandwiches, chips, veggies, grapes, cakes), took a group photo, and then Naomi helped Emily and me pack the goodie bags. (I’ve discovered that in England, you send home a piece of the birthday cake as part of the treat bag. Note to self for Naomi’s upcoming party!) When we got home, she said it was the best birthday party ever. (I asked her why, and she said it was because of the food.)

I could not have been more proud of my Naomi. All the kids there knew each other super-well, having seen each other everyday at school for the past few years. There was my daughter: American, new, home-schooled, and a stranger to all but Izzy. But she’d jumped right in and had a great time. Maybe her shyness is gradually receding…

Duck, Duck, GOOSE!

2009-05-08T23:51:00.005+01:00

On our way home from town on Wednesday, the kids and I stopped in "Parson's Pleasure" (a small riverside section of the huge University Parks) for a much-needed break.

Every Wednesday is a marathon for us, as it's our "in-town" day. We attend an unstructured play-time at a church in City Centre. We buy a week's worth of fresh fruit and veg at an open market. Sometimes (as was true this week) we visit Central Library and pick up a new load of books. By the time we come home, we're tired -- of being inside, of walking, and of pulling/pushing heavy loads. Now that the days are longer and warmer, it's hard to pass by Parson's Pleasure without stopping for a nice rest!

We always see many waterfowl when at this park: coots, ducks, geese, swans. This time, though, as the kids ran through the green grass, they spotted a dead goose by the water's edge. They begged me to let them take it home with us, wanting to pluck it and cook it (!). I have to admit that I did consider it (taking it home; not cooking it). I thought we could perhaps disect it for an interesting biology lesson. We all stroked its feathers, and I considered the options (including seeing how much it weighed -- it was heavy!), but in the end I decided to leave it.

As Naomi has spoken of wanting to pluck a bird's feathers for many months now, we attempted to "pluck" a few on her behalf. I didn't realize how difficult it would be, though! I had to yank and twist with all my might to get just one feather, as did Josiah for his. Naomi was so happy that we'd plucked two feathers, she proclaimed it the best day of her life. (Yes I do have a drama queen for a daughter!)

All in all, it indeed was a good day. I was grateful to not carry home a monstrously large bird, but slightly disappointed that we missed out on a chance for dissection!

Homeschooling Quandries...

2009-05-01T05:27:00.002+01:00

I can not figure out what direction to take our homeschooling. I've written to friends, asking for their recommendations. I've looked online. I've thought about pros and cons of various styles, philosophies, and methods. But nothing is clicking for me. The pieces are not falling into place, revealing the best answer for my own family.

I should probably spend some time journaling, heart-searching, praying, listing. I should probably also ease up a bit. I tend to be an "all-or-nothing" sort of person, therefore thinking that I need to have this all figured out by next school year and that there is one BEST way eluding me which I need to find. But as my friend pointed out, there isn't an "only" way. My kids will learn, whether I use the classical method or unit studies. And if I try something next year, and it doesn't work the way I'd hoped, I can always change for the following year (or sooner!)

Steve's Headaches

2009-04-28T00:38:00.003+01:00

For the past two months, my husband Steve has suffered ongoing headaches, which he's told are probably tension headaches. The onset of them seems to coincide with his receipt of the news that he was denied a scholarship he'd been counting on for next year. So far none of his scholarship applications have panned out, and we're looking at huge loans to get us through the second year of his master's program (and our living expenses).

The headaches make it hard for him to sleep, and sometimes make him feel sick, as well. During the bad ones, it's difficult for him to concentrate on his work, and he's getting very discouraged. He's not sure he'll even be able to make it through the program.

I'd appreciate prayer for him. Not only for his physical healing, but for peace of mind. I'm looking for work that's either very part-time or else from home. No matter what, though, staying here will put a huge financial stress on us for decades to come. We need wisdom and guidance, faith and hope, realism and optimism. Thanks for caring...

A Leisurely Saturday Walk Through University Parks and by the Cherwell River

2009-04-25T23:31:00.003+01:00

Sign Language for Ethan

2009-04-23T14:20:00.004+01:00

It was back in late elementary school that I first remember being interested in sign language. I don't know why my parents bought "The Joy of Signing," but they did and I'm pretty sure that sparked my interest. I didn't have any deaf or hard-of-hearing friends or relatives. We had no deaf ministry in our church. But something about it intrigued me.

I learned all the lyrics to a few praise songs. I started a "sign language club" for my friends at school (it never got very off-the-ground!). I studied the book and tried to learn as much as I could. Later when I was in high school and living in Nigeria, I had a few opportunities to go to a local deaf school there. I didn't remember a lot of sign, but I used what I could. It was delightful to finally put my second language into practice!

Now it's more than a decade later and I've hardly given sign language a thought. I used a few "baby signs" for Naomi and Josiah when they were infants and toddlers, but not many. My two-year-old, however, is severely challenged in the language department and I am being re-inspired to take up sign again.

Ethan is 2.3 years old and communicates great with me. He has awesome understanding, great eye contact, and huge desire to be understood. BUT his only word is Mama. He knows a few animal sounds, a few vehicle sounds, and that's it. He doesn't try to copy our words. He doesn't babble or play with sounds. He points, gestures, sometimes yells, and is often left frustrated.

I'm having him seen by a doctor in a few days, to try to get him referred to a speech therapist. I feel like I've waited long enough to see if things just resolve themselves, and nothing's improved. In the mean time, a neighbor recommended that I use sign language with Ethan. I actually had brought my "Joy of Signing" book to the UK with me, so last night I made a list of about 100 words that I use a lot with Ethan, and began to learn them. I've already used a bunch today, and am also trying to teach Naomi and Josiah.

I don't know if it will make a difference. It might very well be pointless. But I'm willing to try anything that might help my little guy on the road to communication.

Oxford City Centre

2009-04-06T02:38:00.002+01:00

I know I’m a mom when…

2009-03-28T22:46:00.004Z

I find stones (and feathers and seed puffs) in my pockets

I stop in the middle of the sidewalk to watch a construction site

I find toys hidden in my shoes

I take super-quick showers

I put all scissors and permanent markers up as high as I can reach

I have “Wheels on the Bus” running through my head

I have a picture book (currently Hairy Maclary) memorized

I’m nonplussed by wiping snotty noses

I notice various animals and vehicles even when not with my children and feel like shouting out, “Hey, there’s a …..!”

I can serve myself and three kids at a potluck, carrying 3 plates on one arm

I don’t go anywhere without a spare diaper and wipes

I wake up at a moment’s notice, any time of the night

I can tell something’s up just by the silence

I’ve breast-fed and changed nappies for what seems like 6 ½ years straight!!

I'm drawn as a stick figure with curly hair and labeled "MOMO" (based on the rule that "o" says "ah" in beginning phonetics)

I somehow explain intercourse, racism, mastectomies, and countless other topics on a regular basis in language that my kids mostly understand!

I comfort my sobbing daughter who’s traumatized by seeing a whale calf separated from its mother, attacked and killed by orcas in a nature video

My kids cuddle against me as I read book after book to them

My art ideas are copied by the cutest little amateur artists

I’m forgiven and loved even after messing up so much

Invitation from Naomi

2009-03-14T23:20:00.002Z

My kids absolutely love having people over to our home. I guess we've had a lack lately because Naomi and Josiah began planning their own social get-together this morning. They decided to invite their Sunday school class over next week (which is only 3 other kids besides themselves), and wrote out invitations while I was still getting up and showering! Most of them were sealed in envelopes before I got a peek, but here is one I found still open, addressed to a classmate named Imogen.

Imogen, luv Naomi

Pleez com to or hows on next sadr da. 39 Faree rowd.

Love Naomi

She drew a picture of the front of our house next to the words, and the details she included were her bedroom windows, our dining room windows, the handle of her scooter which just barely shows above our short wall, the number on our door, and the big bush we have out front (which had spherical, dried-up flowers all over it until I pruned it just a few weeks ago).

I love seeing my kids use their writing and reading in everyday life. That's what it's for, after all! (In fact, I'm beginning to think I might try "un-schooling" for a while, but more on that later....)

Caught in Bad Weather

2009-03-08T23:56:00.000Z

When we left for church this morning, it was sunny and slightly warmer than frigid. Boy were we in for a surprise when we returned home a few hours later!

I needed to be at church early so I rode my bike, leaving Steve to walk with the kids (2 on scooters, 1 in the stroller). I figured I would get hot and sweaty by cycling so I left the house wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Steve usually wears a coat everywhere, but today decided to only wear a sweater. Ethan wore a coat, Josiah had on a long-sleeved shirt, and Naomi wore short-sleeves and a light shawl.

On the way to church, I was cold. I’d forgotten how much the wind chills my hands and arms when I’m cycling fast. I wished I’d worn a sweatshirt and gloves. It wasn’t too bad, though, and I did work up a sweat that kept me a bit warmer.

When my family arrived at church later, they seemed in good spirits. I think they’d all been comfortable on the 35 minute walk.

Two hours later, I headed home in a rush to finish cooking for friends coming over for a late lunch. It was sprinkling as I set out, and I almost turned around to warn Steve. I didn’t, though, and just hoped that maybe he’d ask some people for rides so that he and the kids could avoid the rain.

I was already cold from being in a short-sleeved shirt, and then the sprinkles turned to rain. A storm had come just during the window of time in which we were trying to rush home. It was frigid, windy and wet. I’ve rarely been so uncomfortable outside. My hands became numb, my arms were dripping and I could hardly see out of my glasses (in the end I took them off). I knew I’d be home within 15 minutes, though, and kept thinking, “I can handle anything for just 15 minutes.” But I also was dreading what my kids might be facing if they were walking home in the same conditions.

Sure enough, Steve walked home with the kids, choosing not to wait for a car ride because he felt pressure to get home quickly to help me prepare and because I’d asked him to pick up ice-cream at the store on the way home. Naomi came in the house, just beside herself, sobbing. She was freezing cold and soaking wet. (The boys were soaked, too, but are less fazed by things like cold.) I just held her and sympathized with her, feeling terrible that she’d walked for 30 minutes in a storm with no jacket or umbrella!!

Steve was at the end of his rope, having listened to Naomi cry the whole way home, and of course being cold and wet himself. He swore he’d never walk out of the house again without a raincoat or umbrella.

We got everyone out of wet clothes, put Ethan in a warm bath, made hot water bottles and hot chocolate for Naomi and Josiah, and pretty soon everyone was fine again. Our friends arrived for lunch an hour later, and we had a good time playing Settlers of Catan with them after eating.

Oh yeah, and by the time our friends arrived, it was sunny again.

Rear Garden: Stress Release Valve

2009-02-24T12:39:00.002Z

It's not warm and it's not sunny today, but my kids are in the rear garden regardless. Thank you, Lord!!! I'm starting to realize a big part of my frustration these past few months was probably due to having my 3 loud, active children crammed into my small house with me. Having some peace and quiet as they play outside is just wonderful!!

Our garden is all gravel, but a horse pasture adjoins it and there is a bit of dirt by the fence. It still amazes me how creative my kids can be with so few material things. Today they're collecting supplies to build a house (gravel, rocks, pieces of wood, "concrete"), and yesterday they were working on creating their own pond. Perhaps they were inspired by the presentation on amphibians we went to last week, in which it was stressed over and over again how important ponds are.

They come back in with filthy clothes, and manage to get dirt all over the floor. But it is so worth it!!! They're happy and I'm happy! You can't beat that!

The Namesake -- a review

2009-02-19T13:40:00.001Z

If you have not yet watched the movie, “The Namesake” (rated PG-13), and think you’ll want to, do not read beyond the section break below – it will spoil the story for you! But if you have seen the movie, I’d love to hear your feedback. And if you haven’t, do watch it and then let me know what you think!

A friend recommended and loaned this movie to me, and I watched it last night. It is based on a book about an Indian family living in America, beginning with the new marriage of the mom and dad and their emigration from Calcutta to New York. We see a bit of the culture shock, the birth of their two children, and the beginning of adjustment to Indian life in the States.

Then the movie skips forward 13 years to the graduation of their elder child, a son, from high school. We see a glimpse of normal parent/teen struggles, compounded by cultural issues, but also the beauty of family and heritage. And finally the movie skips another few years, until their son is working as a twenty-something architect, and dating an Anglo-American. The focus then is on marriage and the value (or not) of furthering Bengali culture.

I really enjoyed this movie! The glimpses of Indian culture were fascinating and the Indian music was beautiful. I even thought of going out to buy the soundtrack.

The development of a loyal, loving marriage between mother and father (previously strangers to each other) is unusual and inspiring. To me, it was the most redeeming part of the entire story. The couple faces life in a new country, separation from extended family, raising children who think and behave within a different cultural worldview, and yet they stay together and grow stronger through the years. Their love truly deepens and their commitment never wavers. This provides a rock for their children and a beautiful role model for all around them.

Though not dealt with in-depth, cultural adjustment is fairly portrayed, showing both the struggles and accomplishments, the joys and sorrows. Having lived overseas myself for half of my life, I felt keenly the loss of living so far from one’s relatives. I also resonated, though, with the closeness one can feel with “adopted family” when one establishes deep friendships.

The topic of one’s split identity – between one’s past heritage and one’s new country – is portrayed more at length. It gave me more insight to immigrants and their children who are raised in a western culture. It seemed fairly portrayed and not sensationalized, though the son does participate in smoking and sexual relationships (for those who care, there is a scene of rear nudity, and two implied sex scenes).

*************************************************************************

My disappointments in the movie came in the last ten minutes or so, and almost spoiled the whole story for me. Two critical things happen at the end: 1) The father dies of a heart attack, prompting the mother to move back to India; and 2) The son’s Bengali wife admits an affair and leaves him.

I think the divorce was so troubling for two main reasons. Firstly because of the way it contrasts with the lasting marriage of mother and father. And secondly because of the struggle the son went through in deciding between marriage to an Anglo or a Bengali.

But the final thought voiced by both son and mother is the most troubling. After his wife has left him and her husband has died, son and mom agree that they only now finally feel free. The emphasis on freedom flies in the face of the values and sentiments explored earlier in the movie – the importance of family, the strength of cultural roots, the love of marital relationships.

Perhaps freedom was not intended to overpower the story’s other values, but because the movie ends on this note, it’s hard not to interpret it this way. I don’t know how I’d evaluate “The Namesake” if I had to rate it using a score. I went to bed feeling sad, confused and disillusioned. Maybe I’m too much of a romantic, and the movie was just being realistic. I don’t know… I’d love to know what you think!

February '09 Update

2009-02-11T00:04:00.003Z

My 2 year old Ethan is still not talking, but he sure can communicate. He has the most priceless facial expressions and ingenious ways of getting his thoughts across to us. Ethan also is ga-ga for trains and makes the loud tooting sound every time he sees a picture of one. When he draws, he likes to do complicated “train track” loops while making train sounds the entire time!

Ethan also loves hot drinks (tea, wassail, hot chocolate), clementines, reading books (often upside-down), nursing, going for walks, and taking baths. The other day he was in the tub for almost 2 hours while I got stuff done in the kitchen (I can see and hear him the whole time). It was great! He loves to help people – bringing them things that belong to them, setting the table for me, cleaning up, etc. He’s a sweetie!

Josiah (5) is great at geography! He can identify all the continents, several countries and several states. He loves to point to the map and show you what he knows! He also loves riding his scooter, learning about the ocean, and playing make-believe with Naomi. They create all kinds of scenarios with their mega-blocks, Wow toys, and stuffed animals.

Last week was a special one for Josiah (and Ethan) since it snowed on four different days. (Our weather was the worst in 20 years, I heard!) Josiah was an expert snowball-thrower and never complained, even when his pathetic gloves were soaked through. He also continues to be patient with his little brother and teach him lots of good things. Ethan copies everything Josiah does.

Naomi (6 ½) is really taking off with reading. She reads more smoothly and cheerfully, often picking up random books or papers and figuring out what they say. (Josiah is doing this, too.) She loved watching the snow fall last week, and played outside in it for a little bit, but does not like cold and is more sensitive to it than the boys. She constantly asks me to read the next chapter of whatever novel we’re on (we just finished “The Stream that Stood Still” and “Dolphin Adventure: a True Story.”) I have the feeling that once she reads fluently, I’ll never be able to get her nose out of a book!

Naomi also loves make-believe and if she’s alone, I can usually hear her singing her pretend conversations and stories. Just recently she’s begun helping me cook more often. She actually comes to me asking if she can cook with me, so I let her work on whatever I’m doing. It’s nice to have company in the kitchen!

Steve is making progress in Arabic and just completed the last essay for his Islamic History class. He’s grateful to have more time now to devote to studying Arabic, as it really does just take so much time. There’s no way around it!

I’ve been enjoying having at least one family over for a meal every week for the past month or so. I appreciate getting to know some church folk better that way, and I also enjoy trying out new recipes on everybody! I worked in an office at Steve’s college for 20 hours during the last two weeks (as a temporary fill-in) and had fun being with other adults, doing administrative grunt work. It was a good break from parenting and housework!

We’re all looking forward to Steve’s parents coming to visit us at Easter time, and we’re also hoping winter ends soon so our house warms up a little. Happy Valentine’s Day!!

The Ugly

2009-02-01T22:08:00.002Z

Well, I’ve been happy for a while, and especially in blogs and facebook, trying to keep a stiff upper lip. But I’ve hit a low again. Today I just want to buy a plane ticket “home” and leave England for good. Can I whine a little here? You don’t have to continue reading if you don’t like the good, the bad and the ugly!

It’s cold – not as cold as in Illinois and Virginia, but it feels colder. My house is terribly insulated and I never feel comfortably warm in it unless I’m doing physical labor (or with Steve under a comforter, with a hot water bottle at my feet!). I’m also cold most days when I have to go outside to walk or cycle to work, the grocery store, the library, a friend’s house, church, etc. I’m tired of winter, of cold, of not having a car to warm up in and central heating to keep us cozy at home.

I’m also tired of living in cramped spaces with lively and noisy kids who bounce all over the furniture because they have no yard and no jungle gym. My home here is probably not any (or much) smaller than my apartment had been in Virginia. But it has no front porch or expansive yard of grass for the kids to safely romp in. And the rooms are all divided from each other, shut off with doors, so it has a more cramped feeling.

I had expected small because I thought everyone had small in the U.K. I’ve discovered otherwise. All the privately owned homes I’ve visited have been remodeled with extensions and feel just that much bigger. My friends are always amazed when they come over and see the space I have to cope in. To know that my English friends think my home is small makes me think: hmmm, yes, maybe my home is SMALL!

And then I’m tired of a myriad of other things … Naomi’s whining and crying (about walking too far, or getting hurt, or her brothers bugging her....); the kids fighting; worrying about money and future plans; such an irregular schedule that I feel like I can’t get into a routine of school and cooking; hearing people tell me I should put my kids in school; Naomi’s debilitating shyness; Naomi’s latest hearing difficulties and illness; not having a dryer; doing my shopping in frequent small bits (because of being on foot); having a messy home (mostly my own fault), etc.

I know it’s all relative. I have a lot compared to most of the world. I am wealthy by their standards and have a safe home that fits us. I know this all in my head. That’s probably why I try to focus on the good and be thankful. God has blessed me in countless ways. But today I’m down. Today I’m fed up and don’t want to be cheerful. Like I said: the good, the bad and the ugly. Sorry to give you the ugly!!

Recent Thanksgiving

2009-01-30T00:31:00.005Z

I'm thankful for:

Josiah being okay, even after he fell down our entire flight of stairs and landed with a bloody head.
Ethan's delight in coloring. He bends over his paper in serious concentration, as though he's doing a masterpiece.
Naomi's accomplishment in learning how to read. She's doing great!
My neighbor Sarah... her letting me join her in an online grocery order, her encouragement, her having me over for tea and toast...
Steve's hard work at learning to read Arabic. Everyday is a challenge for him, an uphill struggle. But he's seeking help and persevering.
The sweet ways in which Naomi and Josiah talk to Ethan when they're playing with him or helping him.
Baths -- the kids have so much fun with just water and a few plastic toys!
My new bike -- it has really helped me get around this past week. I can't believe how much faster cycling is than walking!
Hot water bottles -- my feet would be freezing every night without them =)
Flexible, temporary, part-time work at Pembroke College. I enjoy the company of other women, and the chance to get paid for typing on a computer!

Puddle Jumping!

2009-01-22T22:33:00.002Z

It's rained off and on for the past few days, and today the temperature finally rose a bit. I've had to go out by myself to run a couple errands yesterday and today, and each time, Ethan grabbed his shoes and sat by the door, ready to come with me. I hated to tell him that he wasn't coming! So today when I got back from an errand, I decided it was definitely a great day for a leisurely walk -- a puddle walk!

Ah, the joys of childhood.

The kids donned their wellies (rain-boots) and sweaters and we took off around the block. Naomi and Josiah took turns riding our one scooter and Ethan enjoyed every single puddle.

He was doing great at staying dry until we got to a mega-puddle (mini-pond!) near the end. This was so deep that stomping in it got his trousers completely wet above the wellies. Unbeknownst to me, his trousers and socks within the wellies were also soaked. (I only discovered this upon our arrival at home when I removed his boots.) This didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

Then he tripped and fell face-first into the pond puddle. I thought for sure that was the end of our fun, as he doesn't like to be dirty and now his hands were wet and cold. But he wiped them off, shed a few tears and then wanted to keep splashing! Naomi and Josiah both really liked scootering through the mega-puddle. They tried to get up enough speed that they could coast through the whole thing without putting their foot down in the water.

After a long, relaxed, fun walk we finally made it back home. We'd only gone down our street and the one parallel to ours, but the boys were dirty and wet. I stuck them in the bath tub where they merrily played and continued to splash -- this time on my bathroom floor.

Mysteries for God?

2009-01-21T00:07:00.001Z

I’ve got a question: is there any way I can use my love for mysteries/thrillers/crime novels to glorify God or further his kingdom?

I know it sounds crazy. I feel crazy sometimes! But I’ve been taught so many times that God’s made us who we are, and that he wants us to use every part of us in service to him. So I’m just wondering… why do I have this passion for the books and movies that I love, the whodunits? I feel lazy while pleasing this part of me, but is there a way to redeem it?

London - Jan. 2009

2009-01-20T23:49:00.011Z

It was so cold, but we wanted to show the kids the part of London we'd enjoyed while dating. So we dragged them to the Thames and made them see Tower Bridge (I used to live just a few blocks from TB). Naomi doesn't like having her photo taken, and Ethan was asleep in the stroller.

We rode the Docklands Light Railway because the kids were so excited about trains. The DLR uses a computer system to drive their trains, instead of actual people. The kids were thus able to stand right next to the front window of the entire train!

Meals were a little crazy with my family of 5 added to Becky's family of 4! For six days we were serving 4 adults and 5 kids who were 6 or under.

My friends Simon and Claire live around the corner from my hostess friend Becky. They'd come over with their 2 year old and newborn and then we'd have 7 kids aged 6 and under!

Playing with the kids while my friend Becky did some work at her church.

Anniversary Date

2009-01-16T01:34:00.009Z

Last week Steve and I celebrated 9 years of marriage, in the same city where he proposed to me in May 1999. Nine years is a drop in the bucket compared to some, but a milestone compared to many. I'm grateful for Steve's constant patience, encouragement, and tender love. He is faithful and respectful and such a gift to me!

For our anniversary, he brought home a dozen roses, of mixed colors. I think they're the best flowers I've received in years!! I was thrilled! We also asked a friend to come stay with our kids so we could go out to dinner. We went to a Mexican cafe in city centre for our main course and to the Eagle and Child pub for dessert.

Mexican food is not easy to find here in England, but we were impressed with The Mission. Their prices were very reasonable, the quantity was fairly large by British standards, and the taste was delicious! Guacamole was a highlight.

The Eagle and Child is a pub that was frequently used as a meeting place for a group of writers known as the Inklings. C.S. Lewis and Tolkien were among them, and as we love these two authors, we enjoy eating where they ate. (We also first went there while engaged.) A friend had recommended the sticky toffee pudding and we thoroughly enjoyed it as our dessert!

Here's to my loving husband, Steve, and many more years of marriage yet to come...

Naomi Misses Home

2009-01-12T17:14:00.003Z

Naomi said today that she likes our home in Virginia better than our home here. I asked her why and she said, "Because in Virginia it was summer. We could swim in our wading pool. We played with [cousin] Owen a lot. I liked going on walks and playing with the neighbors' dogs."

Sigh... She forgets how few walks we took during our winter in Virginia, and she forgets that until we lived with Mimi and Papa, we didn't have any neighbors with dogs. It was really our short summer living with Steve's parents that she remembers so fondly. And I told her today that it's true: we probably won't have a time just like that again; it's a treasure in our memories.

But this afternoon we have a girlfriend from church over playing. Izzy is also 6 and they've enjoyed decorating handbags, making bracelets, and sorting nature pictures. I'm sure that's raising her spirits =)

From Home to City Centre

2009-01-08T11:14:00.010Z

These are pictures from our weekly trek into city centre. We go on Wednesdays because that’s when there’s a farmer’s market in Gloucester Green. Walking with the kids takes about 45 minutes, if we don’t stop to watch the ducks in University Park. Then on the way back, we have more to carry because of our purchases at market. The kids usually take turns pulling our shopping trolley, while I pull another load and push the stroller with one hand.

The final picture, of a cab with the periodic table on it, is in honor of my Grandpa, previously a science teacher. I thought it might make him smile =)

Sing Your Praise to the Lord

2009-01-04T22:23:00.004Z

While down with the flu and sinusitis a few weeks ago, I lost my voice. I was annoyed to go through advent and Christmas without being able to sing carols. I missed reading books aloud to the kids. I couldn't sing songs as I put my three to bed.

I wasn't ill too long, but even after recovering my speaking voice, I still could not sing. I faced another Sunday of church when I couldn't outwardly participate in the worship music. I eventually could poorly sing just for my kids, but it wasn't fun because I felt weak and couldn't reach my normal range of notes.

Today I attended All Saints' Church in Peckham, London, with my friends Becky, Simon and Claire. We must have already been in our second or third praise song when I suddenly realized what a novelty it was that I was singing -- with gusto and joy! I was so happy to be able to join people of diverse races and ethnicities in lively adoration of a great God. I was so grateful to have my singing voice back!

We sang of the Lamb upon the throne, and I tried to picture Christ as John described him in Revelation. I imagined saints from around the world, and from all generations, worshiping just as we were this morning. I thank God for his unending love and his perfect sacrifice. I thank Him for the privilege it is to praise Him.