Thanksgiving

This year marked 4 years in a row of celebrating Thanksgiving in a different country.  I think 4 countries in 4 years is a good record, next year I'd like a nice, boring repeat.  We'll see what the Lord has in store for us.

This year was a pleasant celebration.  We celebrated with our colleagues at our home.  Everyone pitched in and we had lots of delicious food.  We played some games and just enjoyed visiting.

Here are a few pictures of our Thanksgiving day.

 Some of the spread.  As you can see, we're finding plenty to eat over here!

 A little bit of America, here in Africa

 Playing with friends in the yard.

 The youngest of our attenders, trying to get close to the puppy.

 Playing "bingo for prizes."  It's not to hard to please folks as we get excited over little things like a jar of salsa, a chocolate bar, or a packet of tuna.

Party Like It's 1985!

A couple of weeks ago, I turned 40.  Next week, Ryan turns 40.  Our friends here thought that was too good of an opportunity to pass up and they threw us a birthday party.  They did reveal that they were going to have a party for us, but they didn't let us in on the theme.

We arrived to the sound of Cyndi Lauper playing in the background and the sight of our children and friends dressed in 80s style.  They had even been kind enough to pick up some 80s style accessories for us at the used clothing market.  It was a fun surprise.

Ryan and I were talking about the fact that the idea of an 80s party seems a bit silly to us.  Then we came to the realization that the 80s is to our kids, what the 50s was to us.  How can that be?  I have to confess that, in my opinion, poodle skirts and bobby socks make way better costumes than big bangs and neon leg warmers.

We're thankful for 40 years of life and pray the next 40 are as delightful as these have been.  We're also thankful for children and friends who put time and energy into celebrating with us!

 I really did spend lots of time playing on a Rubik's cube in the 80's, though I never mastered it!

 A true friend acid washes his own jeans and wears a purple and lime green windbreaker from the used clothing market to make your day special!

 I'm pretty sure the kids outnumbered the adults

 Our family.  Ryan was given that lovely jean vest to sport!

 The ladies

The whole clan. 

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

1 Down, 3 To Go

For the four years before we left the States, our family used a curriculum called Tapestry of Grace for many of our homeschooling subjects.  We were involved with a co-op of other families that we kept pace with and we had lots of great times learning together.  I really like the curriculum and the philosophies behind it, but I had to abandon it as we were going through all of our transition.  I really missed it and the way that our family learned with it.

This year, we were able to return to it, with some modifications.  The  curriculum goes through a 4 year cycle of history and so this year we are studying ancient history.  Since we took time off to go to the States, we've just recently finished the first of four units.  In that unit we covered ancient Egypt,  ancient Mesopotamia, and the ancient Hebrews.  The kids finished up the units by completing research projects based on Jewish holidays.  In addition, we participated in a geography fair with several other homeschoolers in our city.  The kids presented on the country of Israel, which allowed them to extend their research on the Jewish culture a bit.  I forgot to take my camera, but did get these photos of their projects, after the fact.

 Here's Isaac with his sukkah, which is a hut like structure used by the Jewish people during Sukkot, or the feast of the tabernacles.

Lizzy made a peep-through diorama of a Jewish Sabbath meal.

Lily made a mobile about Purim and the story of Esther.

The 5th Time Around...

I'm teaching "1st grade."  Again.  Child number 5.  I'll confess, I don't particularly like first grade.  It's a big responsibility teaching a little person to read.  It's stressful, and the whole sounding out the words day after day thing gets old, fast.  But then there comes a moment, when it's so rewarding.  Because, at some point, they typically take off.  Seemingly overnight, they go from laboring over ever single sound to really reading.  At least, that's the way that most of my children have done it.  

With my first child, I purchased the full on multi-subject curriculum which I stuck to with such intensity.  I wouldn't  dare skip a lesson or let a sloppy p or g go unnoticed at handwriting time.  Tears, well, they were a common part of our school days.  I knew that I wanted her to love learning, but I also was very, very worried about getting behind or being lazy.  I nearly destroyed our relationship with my desire for her to excel and honestly, with my fear of how things would reflect on me if she didn't.

Fortunately, God showed me a bit of the darkness in my heart and with each of my children, my approach to teaching reading (and most everything) has become more and more relaxed.  I still have my freak-out moments, but for the most part I really believe what I say to most moms when asked about homeschooling in the younger years.  They often ask me about curriculums and programs and such and I usually say to them, "The most important thing you can do is teach them to love learning.  Read to them a lot.  Take them on field trips.  Help them discover things.  Focus on shaping character and teach them to love Jesus.  Have fun.  Relax about the skills and teach them a few at a time, as they are ready."  

They don't want to hear that.  Well, most of the time they don't.  Their eyes glaze over and I understand, I didn't either when people told me that 10 years ago.  The shiny curriculums were just too appealing.  I was to eager to do "real" school.  

This year, for first grade, I decided to do a basic phonics curriculum, a basic math curriculum, and for everything else, I finally decided to use a curriculum with Abe that I have rejected with the others because I felt like it wasn't enough.  The truth is, it's just right for where we are these days.  It's called Five in a Row and it's a gentle approach to learning.  The idea is that you read the same book every day for 5 days.  Then, each day you explore some aspect of the book like a science, social studies, or art concept that is there. 

Let me just say that another one of the reasons that I initially overlooked it is because the thought of reading the same book aloud 5 days in a row made me want to rock in a corner.  I'll confess, we've never actually made it for 5 full days.  My goal is 4, and we usually accomplish that.   So far, we have "rowed" 7 books together.   Abe and I have had a great time and it has set my very busy boy up for success.  

Last week we explored a book called "Who Owns the Sun."  It's one of the few books that I wasn't already familiar with and it was a profound book for us to work through.  The book focuses on a slave boy who questions his father about who owns the sun, the moon, the wind, the flowers, the birds, etc.  With each question, his father explains that each of these things is too wonderful to be owned and he helps his son see the wonder in each.  Then, toward the end of the book, the boy overhears his plantation owner comment about how he owns his father.  Confused, the boy goes to his father, questioning how this could be.  At that point, the boy realizes the awful truth that his father, and likewise he, are slaves.  

The book is beautifully written and provided an excellent way for Abe and I to have one of our first real discussions about slavery.  You can imagine the questions that he, as brown boy, had for his white mama.  Once again, I was reminded of how terribly unqualified I feel for this inter-racial parenting gig.  But, I am always amazed at how God gives me the grace and wisdom for each situation as it arises.   I just pray that when it's all said and done, he'll know how loved he is and how powerfully the Lord can use his life.

I'm trying hard to treasure the moments each day when Abe crawls into my lap for his reading time.  I've been on this train long enough to know that they grow up too fast.  I'm so thankful that the Lord has changed my heart concerning first grade.  Now, if I could just gain some wisdom about teaching Algebra, I'd be in business!

Two Special Gifts

My mom was good at birthdays.  In fact, when Ryan and I got married, he had some big shoes to fill in the birthday celebration department.  Let's just say that it took several years for me to lower my expectations to a realistic level while he simultaneously learned to "up his game."  Now we live at a pretty happy birthday medium.  Well, we do after one terrible Wednesday birthday that ended with me crying in a Food Lion parking lot after church at 9:30 PM and Ryan inside purchasing a birthday cake from the markdown case.  That only happened once.  I did develop a love for whipped cake icing that year.  Not that I could find that stuff in Africa, which is probably good because I'm sure it's totally full of hydrogenated something or other.  How do I get off on these tangents?

Anyway, while we were in the States, Abe turned six.  It was fun to celebrate there, where gifts and goodies are readily available and effortless.  My mom had already planned ahead for Abe's birthday because she had intended to send his gifts in a piece of luggage that was supposed to come in with volunteers.  

She had started a handmade gift for him.  All of my children had received lots of garments sewn by their Grammy.  She was concerned that Abe didn't have as many as the others, so she had made up her mind that she was going to make him a nice cape.  

Unfortunately, she got sick before it was totally finished.  However, she wasn't one to give up easily.  So, one day at the hospital, shortly after I arrived, one of my cousins came from Ohio to visit.  Her mother, my Aunt Alice, and my mother have done quite a few sewing projects together through the years.  My mom called my cousin Charity to her side and whispered something to her.  Later, I found out that she had given Charity instructions on where to find the nearly completed cape and the task of getting it to her mother for completion.  She knew she wouldn't be the one to finish the cape, but she insisted that it had to be done.

My Aunt Alice took up the task and managed to get the cape back to us in time for Abe's birthday.  As you can imagine, there was not a dry eye at the table when Abe opened that special package.  Abe really did love his cape and has enjoyed wearing it.

Trying it on for the first time.

Super Abe!

Even super heroes like donuts!

My mother also planned ahead for my birthday.  Today, I turn 40 years old.  I have no idea how I can possibly be forty, but I am so thankful for the delightful years the Lord has given me (I'm also thankful for the not so delightful ones!)  My mom had already planned to give me a special gift for my birthday, a recording of friends and family sharing special memories and words of encouragement with me.  Like the cape, she was unable to see it to completion, but a dear friend took it upon herself to see that my mom's dream was accomplished.  This morning, we sat at the breakfast table and we cried as we listened to many of you share so many kind words.  I am thankful to all of you who took the time to share.  I am thankful for a mom who took the time to start something so beautiful.

I have to say that the recording was both painful and healing.  To hear my mom's voice was so bittersweet.  I have been living in such a discouraging and seemingly fruitless season, yet the Lord used so many of you to encourage me to be faithful and to remind me of how the Lord has used some of my pitiful attempts in the past to advance his kingdom and bring glory to himself.  

A Few Impressions

Pretty much since about a month after we got to Africa, I have asked Ryan to take me home.  Home being America.  Not to live, just to visit.  It was just an itch that I felt like I NEEDED to scratch.  If I could just go back and experience things through the lens of “what I know now.”  I needed to see if it was as wonderful as I remembered it to be.  

Now I’ve been here.  The itch has been scratched.  I’m happy to go home.  Home being Africa.  I have thorougly enjoyed my time in America.  I’ve enjoyed spending time with family and friends.  I’ve enjoyed the conveniences and the availablilty of anything you could possibly want. It’s been nice for a season.  But one of the nicest parts of the whole experience is that I am more certain than ever that this is not where I belong for this season of my life.  That’s a good feeling.  

That being said, here are a few of the things I’ll miss and a few of the things I won’t...

Wish I didn’t have to say goodbye to:

• The open road.  Free flowing without hundreds of brake lights stretching in every direction.  Oh Accra traffic, how I loathe thee.
• Dairy.  Or at least good, cheap dairy.  I’m not looking forward to shelf-stable milk and $12 a pound cheddar.
• The Voice.  I got hooked.  I’d like to see it to the end.  Not gonna happen.
• Butter that is wrapped in little sticks, already measured into tablespoons.  I didn’t realize how awesome that was until I didn’t have it anymore.
• Holiday themed retail.  I don’t know why, but Hershey kisses taste so much better when they’re wrapped in seasonally colored foil.  Heavens, any reasonably priced Hershey kisses would be welcome where I live, no matter what color the foil.  And Christmas wrapping paper, I love that stuff!
• Dr. Pepper.   Need I say more?
• Our awesome church and the awesome people that make it such a special place.
• And of course, our families!

I’m not gonna miss:

• The pace.  You Americans are insane.  No wonder we have shelves full of antacids and pharmacies full of anti-depressants.  Come on you people, take a sabbath, have a family dinner, try closing the gate when the sun goes down.  Oh wait...wrong continent.  Let’s just say, we like the closed gate at sundown lifestyle.
• The constant tempation to upgrade, spend more money, need more stuff, buy something new and improved.
• The non-stop American-centered news.  Heavens to Betsy, next time I come home I’m gonna try and avoid a government shut-down!

I can assure you though, in 14 months, when it’s time to board the plane and head back to the land of marshmallows and grandparents, we’ll be ready!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

I'm sitting in the Raleigh airport waiting for my flight to board.  36 hours ago, I put my husband and kids on a plane to West Africa where I'll meet up with them tomorrow.   It seems like it was only a couple of weeks ago that I was arriving at this airport, with no idea of how long I'd stay or what would unfold during my time here.

Truth is, it hasn't been a couple of weeks, it's been a couple of months...  a couple of very emotional months.  We have ridden a total roller coaster of emotions.  We have grieved deeply, been loved fervently, experienced reunions joyfully, and said our "see you laters" with gut-wrenching sorrow.  In so many ways, it seems like we've been experiencing these highs and lows at a rate that is simply too fast to process them all.  I expect that in the days ahead as we digest all that has happened there will be more than a few smiles and tears.

I thought I'd share a few highlights of our time here in good ole 'Merica.

We enjoyed family time...even if the only jeep available was pink!

We celebrated some birthdays...  Lizzy turned 13

 A good friend hit number 11 and we took note at Cracker Barrel

And Abe celebrated SIX years with a Dunkin Donut.  Hey, we can make cake in Africa.

We also got to experience fall, complete with pumpkins...

You might be a TCK when mom suggests that you paint a face on your pumpkin and you don't realize that she means just the face, not the body.

My glamour girl's pumpkin...

 Roller skating was a big hit too.  In Africa, we have one pair of skates and they often share them with two people each using one, kind of like a skateboard.  Abe could not believe it when we walked into this place and everyone got their own pair PLUS there was so much smooth surface to skate on.

 

We loved the open road.  No traffic, no middle of the road salesman, lots and lots of miles with no brake lights.  I could get used to that!

Best of all were the visits with people that we love.

 

friends and 

 family! 

 They may have grown, but they are still big buddies!

 We even got to see dear friends we made in Nigeria.  It was a bit surreal being with these lovely ladies in the American world.  They are just as loveable here as they were when they were one of our only social options!