Planes, trains and buses...

 

 

 We recently took a trip to Baltimore and Washington DC.  Marc had a business trip and we decided that Mariah and I would tag along!  We had to get up super early for our flight out!  I was excited about going and spending some time with  just Mariah but nervous about leaving my others back home!

 

 

 

 This was Mariah's first time flying! She wasn't really scared of it, but her ears bothered her the whole time. :(  I on the other hand.... do NOT like to fly!

 

 

 

 

 We stayed at a hotel right across from the Baltimore Harbor.  It was very nice but we didn't spend much time there at all!  There was way too much to see!

 

 

 

This was the view from our window.

Headed out to explore!

 

Tons of shopping all around us and we didn't shop at all!  There were way too many cool historical sites to see!

 

 

We became quite acquainted with the train stations in Baltimore and Union Station in DC.

Our first stop was the US Capitol!  We took a tour of it and actually went back on our last day and had tickets to see the House and Senate in session!  (I will post pictures from that day on another post.)

 

The architecture in DC is so beautiful!

 

These were the old Senate and House rooms.  So cool to think of all of the men that served here over the years.

We walked to Washington Monument.  The weather was beautiful!

 

And.... we walked to the White House.  We couldn't get tickets to tour it but hope to do that on our next trip!

 

I don't have all of my pictures on my computer, but I took a picture of Michelle Obama's garden. I have read about her gardening, so it was kind of funny to see it in real life. It wasn't anything spectacular. :)

 

The rotunda in the capitol was being renovated. 

Mariah is studying American History this year and also reading through some of our hero classics.  It was neat for her to see things and names that she recognized!

This was the National Archives. I think this and the American History Museum were two of my favorites. Oh..... I don't know!  There were SO many favorites!

Benjamin Franklin's walking stick.

This was another ceiling in the Capitol.

A horse from the War of 1812.

 

A drum from the war.

 

A cast of Abraham Lincoln's face. It was kind of creepy.

 

 

Dinner on the harbor after a long day!

 

 

The next day Mariah and I ditched the cute shoes and wore our running shoes!  We got on the train in Baltimore and went to DC for another day of exploring!

 

One of Mariah's highlights was seeing a traveling Amish family. :)  We laughed as we looked around at the people in the terminal and said we probably had more in common with them than the others around us. :)

What do you do about breakfast when you hit the ground running and don't take time to eat? You grab a coke and a donut while you wait for your train! :)  A VERY rare treat for us!

Not sure if this was on a bus or the train.  We spent a lot of time on both!

Well, that is all for tonight!  I will post more next time!

~Goodnight

Happy Birthday, Madeline Grace!!!

On March 3rd, Madeline turned 17 years old!  Crazy!  It seems like she should still be about ten! :(
Marc, Mariah and I were out of town all of last week (I will blog about that later!) and we didn't get home until the middle of the night after her birthday. I was so sad missing her day.

Friday evening I took Madeline out by myself.  It was a sweet time of just getting to focus on her.

McKenzie planned a surprise birthday party for her on Saturday.  Madeline is so much like me that she kind of picked up on me acting a little odd.  I told her we were going to go pick up McKenzie and Mariah (she had spent the night to help McKenzie get ready) and we were going to go to lunch.  She didn't know for sure, but she wondered if something was up. :)

The girls did such a good job!  Everything looked so pretty and the food was yummy!

 

Some of them played a very lively game of "spoons"!

 

 

My sister and her daughter came down for the party and several sweet friends were able to make it. I was so thankful for all of the ones that traveled a distance to come celebrate with us!

 

                                                             The birthday girl.

 

                                               Sisters...... I sure do love them!

This is a very special lady to Madeline.  She is the mom/grandmother of some dear friends of ours.  We have always had someone that prays for each of our children, and there is no doubt in my mind that Mrs. Linda takes it very seriously. Madeline has loved Mrs. Linda since she was a little girl.

A couple of friends left before we took pictures.

Happy Birthday, Madeline!  You are a blessing to all that know you and much loved!!!

"One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
 For in the day of trouble
    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.

 Then my head will be exalted
    above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
    I will sing and make music to the Lord.

 Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me." Psalm 27:4-7

Barefeet...

 The mild weather has given all of us spring fever!  As soon as school and inside chores are done they all want to be outside!  If at all possible.... without shoes too! :o)

 

Macheus is enjoying his new sandbox.  Of course, being a little boy he doesn't play with regular sand toys!  He hauls sand in his trucks and I can see we will be replacing a lot of sand this summer.

 

 We invested in a really nice swing-set when Mariah was little, but the boys would much rather play with the homemade swings we have around the property.  This rope swing is one of their favorites!

Always funny when we get a tiny egg!  Someone was slacking. :)

For whatever reason (and I am not complaining!) our hens have laid well all winter!  We usually don't have a lot of extra to sell over the winter.  These girls have laid like crazy!  We have sold a lot and eaten lots of omelets and quiche!  Really looking forward to the goats being back in milk.  We have been buying from a local Mennonite dairy farmer since Christmas.

We always know Madeline's birthday is close when the daffodils bloom!

 

           Daffadowndilly                                               
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour:
"Winter is dead."

A.A, Milne

Thinking Spring!!!

We have had the most delightful weather lately!  It has caused us all to want to be outside as much as we can! 

 

 

Myles spends most of his days outside!  He hangs out with Barnabas.  They sort of keep each other out of trouble! :o)

 

Our goats will start kidding in a few weeks!  It is a bit overwhelming.  We have six does that we are pretty sure are pregnant.  It will be a VERY busy spring!

Matthew doing some much needed repairs on the horse stalls. 

Mariah perched on the roof of the barn basking in the afternoon sun.

Our free range hens are greedily trying to steal the goats' food.

 This is Mariah's prissy little cat "Oreo".  She stays in the barn or in trees most of the time because she hates Barnabas. :o)

 

Where is Myles?  There he is... in the horse food!

 

Headed to bed.  Long day and busy Saturday planned for tomorrow!

~Goodnight

Moving Grandpa

Two weeks ago we moved my 90 year old dad to live close to us.  My sister and I have worked hard the past almost four years since my mom died to take care of him.  It hasn't been easy, but life isn't always easy. 

The summer following the spring that my mom died my oldest sister and I took turns going back and forth to the town where they lived.  We were trying to clean out their home and get it ready to sell.  The trips were exhausting as we were mourning the loss of our mom, taking care of our own households and children, and trying to take care of our dad too.  We stayed at his house some and also took him to our homes. It was a challenge because he was so much older than our mom and didn't need to be driving.  I got pregnant with Macheus that summer and that added to an already really tough summer.

 

We did a variety of living arrangements trying to make him happy and also trying to share the load of caring for him.  It has been HARD!  He was in a retirement duplex for the past year and a half and wasn't happy there.  It was expensive and he wasn't utilizing the food or enjoying the other residents.  My sister was weary of caring for him, so I started looking for an apartment close to me.

We found a cute two bedroom apartment that is in a safe area and a good size for his stuff.  McKenzie and I busted our tails a couple weekends ago working until almost midnight two days to get him settled.  I had no choice because I needed to home school on Monday!  My kids have always been so willing to help with their grandparents.  Honestly, I don't think they think a whole lot about it.  I'm thankful they are learning to sacrifice and serve, and that life isn't all about them and their comfort.  Serving others is never easy or convenient. 

Last Friday evening we took him to a local church for a concert.  When we took him home Mariah asked if she could spend the night.  He was tickled that she wanted to and we ran to the store to get her a toothbrush.  She cleaned his apartment while she was there.  Saturday I grocery shopped and then went to his apartment and cooked some food for his week.  That night when I got home I wanted to cry.  It was a long tiring week and it all came crashing down on me.  I know God will give me what I need each day to do this.  McKenzie and I are going to come up with a master list for his meals and hopefully we will get into a routine.  She is a huge help to me, but with a  baby coming soon I know her flexibility won't be as easy.

This is our mission right now.  It is not always fun and it certainly isn't glamorous.  You don't have to go on a summer mission trip to do missions.  Sometimes it is right in front of you.... sometimes it is even your own dad.  And if you can't take care of your own... you really don't have your priorities right anyway. :(

"This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness." ―Elisabeth Elliot

Do The Next Thing

From an old English parsonage,
Down by the sea,
There came in the twilight,
A message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend,
Deeply engraven,
Hath, as it seems to me,
Teaching from Heaven.
And on through the hours
The quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration-
DO THE NEXT THING

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment,
Let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity,
Guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows,
Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus,
DO THE NEXT THING

Do it immediately;
Do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence,
Tracing His Hand,
Who placed it before thee with
Earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence,
Safe 'neath His wing,
Leave all resultings,
DO THE NEXT THING

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
(Working or suffering)
Be thy demeanor,
In His dear presence,
The rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance
Be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness,
Praise and sing,
Then, as He beckons thee,
DO THE NEXT THING

-Author unknown