What's New?

1. We have a "new" foosball table. When Bob was leaving to take the boys to soccer practice Thursday, he noticed our neighbor a few houses up putting a nice-looking foosball table out for trash. He called to see if we could have it, and the neighbor said sure. So after practice he and the boys brought it home. Well, it's one of those "many games in one" tables, so the foosball part actually sits on top of a poll table, which is the part with the legs. The pool part is pretty much shot to pieces, but never fear! Bob got the bright idea to set the foosball part on top of his old USAFA trunk (use #1082 for those things). It fits great, and, even better, it is now exactly the right height for the boys! How great is that?! The boys are loving it.

2. I was looking forward to a relaxing Tuesday where Jonathan, Anna, and I could run some errands while the boys were at co-op, but it was not to be. Monday afternoon a woman called who was "aiding" (in their co-op, the morning is split into 2 parts--one half is the "teaching" part, or the unit study, and the second part is the "aiding" time, or character building time. It's when they have lunch, have show and tell, play organized games, and work on a character trait.) She was supposed to aide for the first and second graders, but her nursery-aged daughter was sick, so she couldn't do it. Would I be able to? I hemmed and hawed, but I really didn't have any plans, so I said yes. At least she had everything all set for the time. It was pretty exhausting--those first-graders were like little pieces of popcorn, everyone popping to a different place at one time! Whew! So once again I had to come home and take a big nap in the afternoon. The good news is that the lady is going to work for me in February when I am planning to go to Ohio to visit.

3. Last night we had our annual "Night at Chuck E. Cheese", which the boys look forward to with great expectations and excitement. The other 3 families in our Bible study were there, and later on 2 of the (big) families from co-op came in (each has 9 kids). The boys had a great time! This year some people came before trick or treating, and there were some yucky costumes. Usually there are only the cute kinds of costumes because the people who come are trying to escape the gory parts too. Oh well.

4. Since I couldn't run errands yesterday, we went to Trader Joe's this afternoon with everyone. That store is just not big enough for all of us! To reward me for my troubles, I bought a 73% dark chocolate bar. Yum. And you can all applaud me for my self-control since I only ate half of it when we got home, and I also ate a banana.

5. The new formula has not been an unqualified success. Anna still spits up with about the same frequency, I would say, although the output is less. It also smells slightly less nasty and fermented. So is that worth paying about 3 times as much?! I don't know. Anna is not bothered by this, however. She started pushing herself to sitting on Monday, and yesterday, she pulled herself to standing for the first time. She is so motivated to be on the same level as her adored older brothers (who are less than thrilled with her little face and eager hands peeking over the coffee table, grabbing at their papers, LOL).

6. Today Bob called to see what on earth is happening with our waiver request, which we sent in 3 weeks ago. Well, it is still in the "command suite", whatever that means. Apparently it has to go through "several channels", and the first person it was supposed to go through was on vacation for awhile. And she has no replacement, so everything just sort of sat. We have no idea when we'll hear something. Elisabeth Elliot's daily devotional was on patience a few days ago. Here is an excerpt. Obviously this is where God is working on me!

Waiting requires patience--a willingness calmly to accept what we have or have not, where we are or where we wish we were, whomever we live or work with. To want what we don't have is impatience, for one thing, and it is to mistrust God. Is He not in complete control of all circumstances, events, and conditions? If some are beyond His control, He is not God.
Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in His hands. "Peace I leave with you; I do not give to you as the world gives" (John 14:27, NEB). What sort of peace has He to give us? A peace which was constant in the midst of ceaseless work (with few visible results), frequent interruptions, impatient demands, few physical comforts; a peace which was not destroyed by the arguments, the faithlessness, and hatred of the people. Jesus had perfect confidence in His Father, whose will He had come to accomplish. Nothing touched Him without His Father's permission. Nothing touches me without my Father's permission. Can I not then wait patiently? He will show the way.