Merry Christmas, 2014!

When we remember 2014, our family will have some easy-to-recall milestones. This year saw "Pearl" and Daniel travel to the Holy Lands for our oldest daughter's first trip abroad. Shortly after they returned, we settled on our new home, just five minutes up the road from our old place.

We spent much of the summer moving, painting, and repointing our dream house. Daniel hung a long rope swing for the girls, which entertained them for hours.  This fall, we brought home a dog from the SPCA.



I'm pleased to tell you that the book that I was first asked to write way back in the summer of 2011 came out in October.  My new book tells the story of the first Christmas and how it developed into the modern global phenomenon.  I learned so much while writing it, and it has allowed me to share the beauty of Christmas with a wide audience. 

"Pearl" and Daniel at the Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

 Also, after even more years of planning and praying, our church family broke ground on our new building. It has been amazing to watch it grow behind our current building each week. Like the other church children, the girls took part in a musical and a books-of-the-Bible memory challenge to help raise funds for this big project. 

I thought I could summarize our year in one opening paragraph, but, five paragraphs later, I suddenly realize how impossible that is for 2014.

Our 1875 homestead (which came with four independent ducks)

The girls have all had milestones.  "Pearl" learned so much about world history and travel as we prepared her for the trip to Israel in Jordan in March. Now in third grade and wild about Harry Potter, she's improving with her piano playing and has learned to knit. Her devotion to her dog, for whom she prayed for years, is adorable.

"Sapphire" is just on the cusp of learning to read. While this kindergartener has had some bumps along the way (if you scroll down, you'll read about self-hair-cuts and a series of rabies inoculations), her jumpy joy for life livens up our whole family. If you need someone to recite The Grinch, she's your girl.

"Ruby's" hard work with her speech lessons has led to greater clarity and confidence. She had a hard time with the move initially, but now she wants to invite everyone over and show them her room. We celebrated our second year altogether as a family this August. It is a great answer to prayer to see how far our family has come in that time.

Really, I could go on with the 2014 highlights. The American Tang Soo Do Association promoted Daniel to his 5th degree black belt in March.  I became an aunt for the twenty-second time and the twenty-third time when both my siblings had their first babies this year. Overall, writing this Christmas newsletter has been a useful experience of self-realization. Things have changed!  Phew!

One thing hasn't changed. Our family is delighted to share the joy of Christ's birth with yours during this Feast of the Nativity. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cookie Factory

As of now Sapphire is done the four rounds of shots for her possible rabies exposure. The ER nurses are probably as happy as we are that this is done. When I asked Sapphire how it went, she said it went better than the rest, but her daddy later told me it took three nurses and himself to hold all the parts of her down while she screamed.  I think her resilient mind has rewritten the course of events.


Our church Christmas program filled our 1774 stone church with beautiful music, and a very cute nativity scene, complete with a real baby. 


My interview with the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC went very well, and I'm set up for two more interviews with him, one planned for the television broadcast next week.  I am well aware that my inbox will stop receiving emails about radio chats next week when Christmas suddenly becomes old news, but at least I now know what it is like! 

Our annual sand tart party took place today. Three little girls, a dozen cookie cutters, five bowls of colored sugar, and only one mommy/rolling pin combination. 

Brie has become such a fixture in our family in the two months since we found her at the SPCA. We think now Ruby isn't having the allergic skin reactions she had at first, so she gets to shower the doggie with love too.

You have to love a pup that adores your daughter as much as she does.  When I take Brie out for a stroll at night, she can't keep her mind on the purpose of our walk because she has to keep checking to see if Pearl is coming, or, at the very least, watching her from a window. When we walk down the road, she is distracted as we head away from the house but very focused as she hikes back home, back to her Pearl. A girl and her dog.

Tinsel Time

 

Our little orange belt has turned into a green belt. This is when her karate school studies get a little more serious. She will now stay for two classes instead of one, and she will be expected to break her first board. 

I have found one review of my book online, and it pleased me enough to share a link here.  The fifty minute interview went well, and I'll have an interview with WNYC, an NPR station, on Monday. 

Here in our home, we've made a list of things we want to do to prepare for Christmas. They include making gingerbread houses, visiting a live nativity down the road, seeing the Rocky Ridge Christmas lights (the park puts on a huge display), and making sand tarts. 

I've researched and written about the 'burden' of Christmas preparation, but by identifying what we really want to do, I think it will be a joy.  My secret weapon to Christmas busy-ness is our neighborhood elf who has wrapped our gifts more beautifully than I could ever do

We were surprised to see that the local drive through nativity, which is done very well, had two real camels this year! The girls like to hear about our memories of taking part in live nativities--and all their family members who played music, cooked, or organized them.  Pearl is especially impressed that I played Mary several years. 

Birthday Breakfast in Bed

We had a very snowy Thanksgiving in western PA in a spot where wi-fi and cell reception is so dicey we feel like we are back in the 90s, but we appreciate that. Back home, the girls and a little friend helped me decorate for Christmas in our new home.  We had a blast figuring out how to arrange all the beloved old decorations in the new window sills and shelves.  This year we have a hearth for the first time.  It holds firewood, not a fire, but it came with five old, hand-made nails. So the stockings are hung by the...woodstove...with care.





We also had the last Youth Group meeting of the year. We have hosted it in our home so far this semester, so I never quite know what I'll find when I come home from Awana with the two little girls on Sunday nights.  This week my husband thought he'd try bobbing for apples.  I had suggested putting the tub on the porch, but he assured me they wouldn't make to much of a mess.  Then one of the high school seniors slipped and went into the tub, sending a tsunami of apples and water all over my kitchen.  So, I ended up with a well-mopped kitchen floor. 

I had my first experience with a radio interview. It wasn't my best ten minutes ever, but I did get to share a tiny bit of what I've learned about Christmas.  The interview is the result of the October publication of my recent book.  It is available in hardback and for the Kindle. I have two more interviews lined up so far, each of them longer time increments. My husband has kindly been helping me prepare by throwing tough questions at me.  I know he enjoys this more than I do.

I also had the chance to give talks developed from my book this week.  I shared about the origins of Christmas with the ladies of my mother's church, and I talked about the astonishing characters of Christmas at my campus library.  These were a lot of fun.

Today was my birthday, and I had my most successful breakfast in bed ever. No one bounced my tea out of the cup, no one tried to take my food, and it came speedily, so I wasn't stuck in bed waiting very long (they once tried to make pancakes--from scratch--while I was more than ready to roll out of bed).  This year's success is partly due to my husband's thoughtful preparations ahead of time.   The girls were so excited to participate as my little maids.  Later we went out for lunch, and then I had the thrill of taking a child to the ER for a totally over-cautious, potential rabies-exposure visit.  Don't worry, all is well, but man, can Sapphire put up a fight when she sees the needles coming at her.

Chocolate Stars

This was our sixth and final meeting for our co-op.  We enjoyed our time of being with friends and learning in groups. Sapphire especially fell in love with her teachers as only a kindergartener can.  We always return on the evening of our last day for a Show and Tell, and here Pearl is sharing the poster she made from her First Aid class.

Here in York County we have a delightful fall tradition: chocolate stars. I've had recourse to grab a box this week because of the exciting and nerve-wracking book-related opportunities that keep popping up. I'm growing a bit nervous about opening my email in the morning, because my British publisher has been busy making connections for me with media in the UK.  I've been drafting blog posts for a UK university and my publisher, as well as an article for the Irish Times, and I'm in the process of scheduling interviews with national public radio talk hosts, including a talk show in Ireland.

As someone who listens to a lot of radio interviews, I feel a little intimidated, but, I figured, I might as well experience it. I'm not going to post any links to the shows, because the only way I plan to get through the interviews is by thinking that no one I know is listening!  That and what will probably be my third box of chocolate stars. 

Introducing Brie

Keeping our promise to Pearl to find a family dog took some work.  I really wanted to try to find a shelter dog, and this meant applications, waiting, and some disappointments.  It also taught us about the pet industry and delayed gratification, and that is not a bad lesson.   

On Saturday we drove to the Chester County SPCA to meet a black and white terrier, but she was already reserved by another family.  Instead we met with a little ten pound, four year old Yorkie mix, and an hour later she was driving home with us.  A few days later we visited the vet, and her health and personality impressed him greatly.  He was smitten. 

We are all delighted with her.  She has latched on to Pearl, who is so excited to have her own dog at long last.  Brie is fairly timid, but it has been amazing to see her warming up to her surroundings.  When Pearl's Chinese class of six people met here, Brie made some very brave (and distractingly cute) forays into the kitchen to make sure Pearl was safe and sound. 

Sapphire has learned to regulate her voice and movements to gain the trust of our timid little Yorkie.  Ruby is doing better too. She calmly scratched Brie's ears, and said she loved her, but then added that we still need a cat. 

Outside the house my little preemie niece is growing gram by gram. I had the chance to visit her in the NICU, my first experience there, and even hold the little bundle.  Soon she'll be five pounds. 

Dropping off our Operation Christmas Child boxes

A last outdoors hurrah before the cold vortex hits

Spooky Pumpkin

Like most of our events, Halloween was pleasantly extended throughout the week.  On Halloween night itself, the two bigger girls went to karate with their daddy, and Ruby and I experienced trick or treat in our new town.  It was a little overwhelming. We headed back to our old neighborhood to visit our friends.  

    

We had a little setback this week with scissors.  While Pearl and I were out to see an abridged performance of Hamlet, the two little girls perpetrated a tragedy of their own. Everyone has already been told, clearly, that we don't cut our own hair.  Sadly, that did not stop them. Their loving daddy rushed them to a salon before I even saw the first effects.

Sapphire lost scissors for six months last time she thought this was a good idea.  Now she may be in junior high before I let her cut again. 

 

 

Pumpkin Plans

Today Daniel came home with some farm stand pumpkins. The girls set to work. They planned and planned some more. Their daddy heaved a sigh of relief when Sapphire said she wanted the basic triangle model.  And then we cut. 

They all went to the parade Monday night and had a great time. It seems like a big event in town, with the marching band, twirlers, karate schools, and churches parading by. 

Someone thought they should write on my living room wall in pencil. It didn't take much to figure out who the perpetrator was, since, though she had written backwards, the letters spelled her name.  I've read enough crime fiction to figure that one out. After a nice calm talk, we decided that we only write on paper, and she practiced doing just that fifty times. It took about half an hour.  Thank goodness for magic erasers.

The girls dressed up for some early trick-or-treating with friends. They were pretty cute, but the little girls were very temperamental. I think they were overexcited about the outing. Pearl is smiling deceptively, since she's dressed as the White Witch of Narnia.  Ruby is a ballerina, and Sapphire is Tiger Lily. 

Say "Pumpkin!"

Fall Flowers

This week has been so normal I'm not sure what to share. We had a break between the two cavity appointments for Sapphire. She isn't really aware we're going back in.

Pearl and I have been researching shelter dogs.  She has earned her twenty popsicle sticks, for so many good days of good attitude during school time.  That means she has earned her cat, but her dad prefers a dog, so we're on the look out for a nice, cuddly terrier.  I think I have finally found a list of shelters that allow homes with children to also have dogs. If they don't work, we will have to track down a puppy.  I personally would prefer a dog that is already house-trained.

The goal had another nice affect. The other day Pearl told me she enjoys school because she is bored when she doesn't have any lessons.  That is a big step from the end-of-summer's rough transition into schoolwork!

On Sunday we had a chance to celebrate my sister-in-law at a baby shower.  It was so nice to see the aunts and cousins.  The theme was rubber duckies.  Right now there is a pink ducky strapped to a monster truck in my living room. 

Wedding in Western PA

Our wood stove sits in front of a ten foot wall of field stone. It is, to me at least, an improvement over the coal stove. No shaking the unburned coal into the pan, no noisy metal-on-coal rattle every time you add a shovel of fuel--I came to understand why the ladies of Cranford found coal distasteful. The wood stove quietly accepts a log or two. 

So far, I haven't discerned the same cantankerous nature here; our old coal stove seemed to know it was me handling it and always tried to put out its fire. Daniel touched up this wood stove so it looks brand new. 




The girls and I enjoyed a family reunion during my cousin's wedding in Somerset. The primping and planning that went into the wedding, and this was entirely on the part of the three little girls! We packed their fanciest dresses, and Pearl planned hair styles. She couldn't wait for the day to come.

The wedding itself was relaxed and perfectly decorated for the fall.  Pumpkin perfect. The rising host of bubbles as the bride and groom left the church was one of the prettiest sights I've seen for a while.


At the reception Sapphire wandered off to make friends with just about everyone, especially my cousin's patient girlfriend. Pearl and I joined a tour of the wine presses and tanks below the reception hall. Later she assisted the photo booth attendant.

 

Back on the farm and out of their fancy dresses, the girls also enjoyed corralling the barn cats. We took one kitten along on a walk to the family cemetery, which is maintained as a garden by a distant cousin.

Co-op Week

We had co-op this week. The girls are used to the routine now and disappear into their first classes. I spend the first period chatting with other moms, and it is a great time to ask questions of more experienced homeschoolers.

Pearl's favorite class at co-op is Greek Mythology.  She likes how there are so many stories, and she is always learning about a new Greek god. 



Daniel is still working away at repointing the wall in his free time.  He is now racing against the cold, which comes a bit earlier in the year for him than for normal mortals.  We decided to repoint the sunny side first because it is against the deck, but now he gets chilly in the shade of our two one-hundred year old pine trees on the other side.  He has developed real talent for this craft. His repointing is beautiful.


Now the girls and I are off to a wedding!

Weaver's Orchard makes for a nice fall backdrop

The Varied Life of Our Kitchen Table

I came home from class Monday night to find our table covered in steamed crabs.  A friend had been crabbing that very day and delivered them.  The girls feasted.  Daniel was picking the remaining crabs when I walked in. The scene reminded me of a crab dinner twenty years ago at a beach house in the Outer Banks. 

The purple floating thing is a jellyfish, of course.  Sapphire made it in her Oceans class.  When she was telling me about the crabs, she explained that the man had poured seasoning into the ocean to flavor the crabs before catching them. 

Yesterday Pearl had her first Chinese class.  Making this happen in rural central Pennsylvania isn't as easy as in the big city.  I found a native speaker willing to give lessons. She is a substitute teacher at a local school and was a science teacher in China.  I also invited other homeschooling families to join the class.  Daniel is a student too.

Happy October!

Children of the King Sunday, 2014

Our girls have been rehearsing songs and learning lines since way back in May or earlier.  A gifted woman at our church wrote a musical and titled it "Jonah and the Worm," and the big performances took place on Sunday. Twenty five children participated, and here they are lined up before the show.





Pearl was a pirate captain with a solo, and she loved her role. All the kids did a marvelous job, largely because of all the rehearsing and encouragement the adult leaders offered throughout the summer.

We met once a week for practice, and the kids formed such a sweet bond with each other as they worked together.











Sapphire was a fish diva who spent some time with Jonah in the belly of the whale.  She was very tickled with her blue costume and headdress.  I have to think there is a especially golden mansion in heaven for people who volunteer to wrangle ten preschoolers backstage, costuming, feeding, and entertaining them until it is time for their cues.
















The girls love their co-op, and this week Sapphire showed off the coral reef she created out of play dough.

Harvest Moon Festival

The girls enjoyed the York Fair's 4-H petting zoo.  Sapphire kept asking to hold different kittens, guinea pigs, and rabbits, while Pearl preferred to lull her kitten to sleep.  She did eventual switch to a guinea pig.

We also popped in to see the circus, which had Sapphire squealing in delight. The trapeze act especially thrilled them. The tricks on the rope swing at home have jumped up a notch or two since that show.

Sapphire also followed her co-op teacher's advice and found the hatching chicks. This is mesmerizing, as is the slippery duckling slide.  

Later in the week we attended the local FWCC group's Harvest Moon Festival. We learned that the Chinese see a rabbit, not a man in the moon.  The girls made lanterns.  

Just this week we had our two year visit from the adoption agency.  They report back to China on Ruby's progress.  It went smoothly. 

Our Sunday service was a ground-breaking ceremony for the new building.  Daniel and several others had been planning this for weeks, and it was very moving. I helped by updating the eighteenth-century language from a Covenanter's Oath so that it would be readable today.  In effect, we took the same oath the original church members took back in the 1700s.

The kids are plugging away at their musical practice. This week was tech week, and the performances are on Sunday.