Family

A weekend away in Sand point... We went to the beach one drizzly afternoon. It was balmy, fall weather really. The weekend was very relaxing. We spent most of the time in the hot tub and pool at the motel. The kids were all suffering a nasty cold and were rather tame all weekend long.
The plan was to get away before the mad rush of school sale and Thanksgiving season. Bruce has also been giving most of his spare time to the building of his "Hummel Bird" I'll post pictures of that another time. But for that particular weekend, I was hoping to pull him away for a little family attention. He remained with us in body but his spirit was far from us. Occasionally I waved my hand in front of his face to see. He WAS glazed over. He was appreciated for being a sport for the rest of us though. The kids and I had fun anyway. We took paints and glitter glue, paper and colors. I played a couple games of "go fish" Great fun! We went through the McDonald's drive through once and ordered all the goodies the kids like.
Now, I want to brag about our kiddies a bit... Laife was wondering why I haven't posted any pictures of him... so here he is. Almost ten and getting to be quite the gentleman. He has an annoying habit of making repetitious noises. I love him anyway of course, but it is rather wearing to hear him drumming the wall in his room and have the pictures on the dining room wall go thud. I am having a hard time keeping in clothes that fit. He is loving school this year. He feels like a real "man" having Mr. Schlabaugh teach him this year. Plus there's
something about fourth grade that changes a boy.
And then Toria, She is my elegant lady with many likes and dislikes that we
get to hear about whether we want to or not. I am learning with her that to whine and complain is not a good habit. We are also practising the attitude of thankfulness when things don't go my way. {teaching my daughter a "no self pity" attitude is more challenging than I ever thought possible now that I am finally learning it.} Toria is loving school and getting a great grade average. I am so thankful for a Christian school after last year homeschooling in Chile.
Finally, Shaunti, the spoiled baby. She's four and won't allow us to help her. She is finallly starting to realize her own independance. I still insist on helping her now and then with her clothes; otherwise she would wear three short sleeve shirts all on top of the other all different colors. { It's true she tried it just last night.} Toria and I laughed her back into the closet to change.
I think we are in the best years right now. We are finding out what makes a family be family. Learning to work together, cry together, stick up for each other, love each other in spite of our faults. Learning to love God above all else and then all the other loves and priorities fall into their rightful place.