Summer

Summer is already swamped!

This week, I begin a new semester at DMACC with two classes. We are trying to get ready for Tom's parents' 50th Anniversary party on Memorial Day. It looks like 80-90 people are coming.

My parents have their 50th this summer as well, so we are planning a 50th for them on July 3rd here in Des Moines.

Kesse is working for HyVee and looking for other work. Kyrie is working a LOT at Cracker Barrel. Kayren is planning on babysitting and working at HyVee, and Lorien is planning on babysitting. Aleya will probably just play!

I took a class today on electronic gradebooks, and was excited about the Excel program that DMACC has set up, however, it didn't exactly fit my grading program. The lady who was teaching was trying to help me with my program, but finally she just laughed and exclaimed, "You have the most complicated grading system I have ever seen!" After quite a few hours now, I think I've got it! Finally! Now - I hope it works.

I can't believe that May is almost over!

Summer

We are in summer mode now, but it doesn't really feel like it. Two of my girls are still in school, and right when they get out, I start again. My college girls are home and working as many hours as possible in order to make enough money to get back to school in the fall. Also, May has been very cold for Iowa. It is nice because we aren't running the air conditioner, but it is just so unusual! Everything is green and growing, and beautiful. My flowers are thriving this year. I always forget how busy the summer is.

This year we are celebrating Tom's parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary (on May 31), and also my parents' 50th (on July 3). It is remarkable that both sets of parents would be celebrating their 50th in the same year. The celebrations are quite different - one with almost 100 people, and the other just with close family. But, we are grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate with them an occasion that is not common anymore. God has been very gracious to our family!

We are hoping to take another trip out east this year, but haven't had the time to think about when to go. We are hoping to see Robinson family in August!

We are very thankful for our church, and learning a lot through the preaching and teaching there. It has been a constant encouragement to us.

Well, Kesse made it home safely, even driving the crummiest car that we own. She had to stop periodically and put oil in it, but smoked it all the way home.

Kyrie, however, missed her plane because of weather and was stuck in the Detroit airport. Then, a very nice flight attendant got her a free hotel and breakfast! She was thrilled! She should be home in the morning.

We are giving a ladies' tea on Thursday for the ladies in the church and friends, and it will be so nice to have the girls home!

May is already so busy!

May just started and it is already full!

This week is my last week of school. I will give finals and compute grades for my classes at DMACC. On Saturday, the girls have a piano recital (fun!), and then we immediately leave for PA to pick up Kyrie Jo. We will be gone until Tuesday.

In the meantime, Kesse will make it home on Sunday.

On Thursday, after we get home we are hosting a ladies' tea at the house for ladies in the church.

About a week and a half after that, I start school again.

On Memorial Day weekend, we are hosting a 50th Anniversary Party for Tom's parents.

There is so much to do! We are thankful to get the girls back for another summer. One of these days, they will probably find a job elsewhere, and we won't get to have them around as much, so we are thankful for each summer that we get. The house will be back to 7.

I think one of my favorite parts of having the girls home is going to worship and filling up the pew; hearing them sing with us, and having the discussions about the sermon afterwards.

Welcome home, girls!

Posting for my college girls

Some days I don't have anything exciting to write about, but I am just thinking and praying for my two college girls, and I want them to know that. Blogging is our main communication. They write at times and scold me for not blogging more. So, on a beautiful Wednesday morning, I just write a quick "hello" to my college girls. I hope you girls are having a wonderful day. We miss and love you so much, and Dad and I prayed for you this morning.

Tom and I appreciated the sermon so much this past Lord's Day. It was on Numbers 11. Jody was showing the contrast between the complaints of the people of Israel and the complaint of Moses and then the difference in God's response to both of them. It was so encouraging to see how patient God is with us, when He judges the wicked. It was a good sermon - and if you are interested, it is now posted on our website - Providence Reformed Church in Des Moines. If you google it, you can find the church; click on sermons, and listen to the one on April 25th - the morning sermon! It is exciting that Jody's sermons are now available to hear. So, listen up girls!

One More Week!

Only one more week until school is done. I have two more classes to teach, one make-up class, and two finals. I still have plans to teach this summer, but at least I will get a short break!

I know that everyone is ready for the semester to be over. You can tell that all the kids are ready for swimming, sleeping in late, bike riding and more.

Our college girls will be home in a couple of weeks!

I love the summer.

Wishing Kyrie Jo a Happy, Happy Birthday!

I did get to call Kyrie this morning, but wanted to close the day by saying, "Happy Birthday! We love you so very much, and miss you!" We are so thankful that the Lord is blessing your year at Grove and we are praying for you as you close out this semester.

I am so thankful that the girls have been blessed to be in Christian colleges and have Christian friends and godly professors, and good churches. We are grateful for God's full blessing that way. We are always excited to get the girls home for the summer and learn about what they have learned. We are hoping to see them in a few weeks.

DMACC will end the first week of May, but for now, I have committed to teaching two courses in the summer and two in the fall. Tomorrow I have an interview for another teaching position that is associated with DMACC, but is off the beaten path a bit. It would be very similar to what I was doing at Faith Academy. I am meeting with the director of the program to learn more about it and see if it is something that I might be able to do.

Life only gets busier and busier. I miss the part of summer where life slows down!

We had a great Bible study last night on Revelation 5. Jody was recently approached by some Jehovah's Witnesses that were denying that Christ is God, so he took us to Revelation 5 as just one example of where scripture shows the deity of Christ. In the end though, it would be such a hopeless theology to believe in Christ as only a man. How could we ever be saved? Revelation 5 shows that Christ was able to open the seals - which only God could do, and then He is worshiped and glorified.