Vacation Pictures!

Updates on trip and other things

I, Nancy, hardly get a chance to Blog anymore much to my dismay, but I just have to do so when I can as I chose to work and go to school (both of which take up 40+ hours/week put together). So this is a bit long, just read the parts you want:

David II: steadily driving and chipping away at the 45 hours he eventually needs to get his license but we have not taken him on the interstate yet. He has refereed a few soccer games now-not center but side line, but still, it earns him experience and money. He takes his history AP test in a couple of weeks which I am strongly encouraging him to study for as if he gets a 4 or 5, will earn him 3 college credits (plus we paid $85 for him to take the test).

Elizabeth: just got into the Jr. National Honor Society which was exciting. She continues to win art and academic awards. We plan to send her by herself on a plane to Mississippi this summer to visit her friend. It will be her first time flying alone! She is plugging away at soccer.

Jonny: We are back to no meds again for his ADHD after talking to several friends and we have decided to at least try him in public middle school after meeting with the middle school staff at our last child study. They have things in place to help him. He is steadily chipping away at his work and surprised us by stating he wanted to finish his Awana book which requires that he do 16 sections in 3 weeks, but he is doing it! I am proud of his motivation and we told him so. From him I always get my daily "smoochies".

Arianna: Just got into the gifted program-one out of 2 (her friend got in as well) children in the whole 2nd grade. Her teachers love her and think she is perfect (I told them they need to come home with her for a while, but that she is a joy) and she loves them and school. She has 5 teeth lose but hasn't lost any for weeks now-Dave said if she loses them all at once, we'll have to get her dentures to eat! Like her sister, she is reading up a storm and is going to a Virginia Reader's sleepover at school this weekend.

Our trip: I have to convince the talented among us to put up picture of our trip to London and Iceland, but I will say, it was amazing. I knew I would especially like London and we saw a lot in our 4 days there. Our host and hostess were so kind and it was wonderful not to pay to stay. We enjoyed Tea, Pubs, Museums, Palaces, Art, The London Eye (huge observation wheel/ferris wheel), Churches, Shopping, Gardens, and the city as a whole. In Iceland, we enjoyed seeing our dear friends the Garmans and catching up with them. They were so kind as to plan excursions for us which we enjoyed so much. We saw lava pits, waterfalls, mountains, the beach, lighthouse, and the hot outdoor pools. It was a nice break and hard to come back to our busy, hectic life and the heat-it was in the 90's earlier this week-good old Virginia and its heat never disappoints! What an amazing privilege to see more of God's world and people!

Lancaster, PA: I had 4 days home from our Europe trip, worked and then headed to Lancaster with some ladies from church. It was busy, but I mostly enjoyed the Site and Sound theater production of: Behold, the Lamb-the ministry, death and resurrection of Christ. I would recommend seeing that. I enjoyed shopping on Saturday and could have done that another day as they have such different things to see and buy, but had to come home Saturday night. I enjoyed time away with my friends.

School: I have 1 1/2 weeks left of this course and to be half way done, but 50% of my grade hinges on the last week's test and paper! That is what I am starting to work on now. I have registered for 2 more courses for the summer, so will just keep plugging away. Long breaks were not working and I want to get done and actually be a counselor before I either get old and senile or old and die!

Book: I just grabbed a book from the library of poems called: Sad Underwear (the title intrigued me) by Judith Viorst. It was ok, but a few poems stood out to me which I will write here:

Credit

You asked me to do it.

I promised to do it.

I planned to do it.

I started to do it.

I really meant to do it.

Except I forgot.

Couldn't I get some credit

For promising,

Planning,

Starting,

And really meaning to do it?

Guess not.

(When we do not keep our word, it actually counts against us. Try telling God you meant to accept His Son and see how that goes!)

This one is to Dave:

You knew me when I didn't know myself

And when I lose myself you find me.

Whenever things get bad

And I forget the good I've had,

You help remind me.

I tell you of my joys. My joys increase.

I tell my sorrows. They diminish.

And when I want to quit

You keep me going, bit by bit,

Until I finish.

Friendship is an art and you have made

The act of friendship your great art form.

I know that I can bear

The biggest chill because you're there

To keep my heart warm.

(I am so blessed by God to have you for a husband and do not say so enough)

What Dads Do (to Dave and to his and my dad-made me miss my dad so much)

Make bookshelves.

Make burgers.

Make money.

Make funny faces that make you laugh.

Scratch your back when you can't reach where it itches.

Lift you up on their shoulders.

Snore when they're sleeping (but say they don't).

Pitch-but not so fast that you can't hit their pitches.

Play tickles with you when you feel like a silly person.

Snuggle up close with you when you feel like a sad one.

Dads explain electricity

And peninsulas

And help you count the stars.

I wish I still had one.

(I am so glad I will see my dad again someday in heaven and that Dave and his dad are saved so I will always see them too)

Hymn: We just sang a hymn last night in church that I have not sung in a long time. The words are absolutely beautiful and meaningful and since I was feeling tired and sort of empty and stressed, they really reminded me of how much I have in Jesus.

Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners

Jesus! what a friend for sinners! Jesus! Lover of my soul.

Friends may fail me, foes assail me, He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Jesus! what a strength in weakness! Let me hide myself in Him.

Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing, He, my Strength, my victory wins.

Jesus! what a help in sorrow! While the billows over me roll.

Even when my heart is breaking, He, my Comfort, helps my soul.

Jesus! what a guide and keeper! While the tempest still is high.

Storms about me, night overtakes me, He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

Jesus! I do now receive Him, more than all in Him I find.

He has granted me forgiveness, I am His, and He is mine.

HALLELUJAH! What a Savior! HALLELUJAH! What a Friend!

Saving, helping, keeping, loving, he is with me to the end.

I am going to sing this for a while to drum these truths into my stubborn heart and brain!

Food: an issue with me and lots of Americans, especially women. So I have unearthed my book on the Lord's Table not to lose weight, but to make sure that food or anything else is not an idol or too important. The Lord's Table is a special program to help people lose weight, yes, but mostly to glorify God in their eating or whatever they do. It is found on the website, www.settingcaptivesfree.com and I did it in 2005. I love all the Scripture and the thought provoking questions and applications in it and would recommend it to anyone for any issue not just food/drink. I am meditating on the verses: I Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your Name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth.

It is not about me and my plans and desires, but about God and His will! Again, I must get this through my thick skull.

Work: coming along but it is hard to be a leader, especially middle management as I am. I am still excited to be a part of a new hospital.

I must try to start this paper and studying.

-Nancy