Our First Attempt at a Nature Table...or Corner...or Center...or....

I love nature...
The hiding rocks, scurry-bugs, and mossy sticks.
The welcome flowers, promise-of-rivers, and winking stars.
And I'm fully convinced that--

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone,

but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.

~Martin Luther

I'm convinced that we should tell our children to--

Go Out and Play !!!

But for us, the dilemma is--

What to do with all the

pockets-filled-with-treasures-that-they-bring-back home.

And so--

Here is our first attempt at a Nature Table.

Or Center.

Or Corner.

A special spot to show them that we value the

newly-discovered treasures-from-God.

Reading about nature is fine,

but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully,

he can learn more than what is in books,

for they speak with the voice of God.

~George Washington Carver

Nature is the art of God.

~Thomas Browne

When I look at Your Heavens,

The work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,

What is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

~Psalm 8:3 & 4

Every child of God is--

...formed to be a spectator of the created world –
and given eyes
that he might be led to its Author
by contemplating so beautiful a representation.
~John Calvin

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A Chuppdate-- The Sequel

"Sequel"

For some reason that just doesn't
look right to me.

But I've checked the spelling twice and considered changing it to

"Update"

But--

A Chuppdate Update ???

...maybe a bit too much.

Just in case you missed the
first Chuppdate...

         It's where I get to fill you in on
             life with the Chuppies in
                 whatever way it

         splashes out onto the page...

First,

let's talk about daffodils and how happy they make me.
A tiny taste of spring...

Valentine's-Card-Making...

And my husband's Valentine's Day gift--

smoke bombs for paintball.

I was just thankful the fire dept. didn't pay us a visit.

Speaking of the fire brigade...

Do you wear bi-focals, enjoy swim fins, use the library, or play the armonica?

Ar-

Not Har.

Then, please thank our friend Ben Franklin.

I've also been getting to know the heart of Scotty Smith

through his book Everyday Prayers.

And his prayer about Lent got me thinking...

"Over the next forty days intensify our hunger,

our assurance, and our longing for the day of your return--

the day of consummate joy, the wedding feast of the Lamb.

In light of the banquet, we choose to deny ourselves

(fast from) certain pleasures for this brief season. 

But we're not looking to get anything from you, Jesus--just more of you."

Some resources for Lent

in case, like me, the idea is relatively new to you...

Noel Piper's Lenten Lights  (an 8 week family devotion leading up to Easter)

Ann's beautiful posts on Lent and what it truly is all about

My friend Shannon's post about Lent (one that I can very much relate to)

Jessica's beautiful Lenten gathering-- Contemplating the Cross

Talking to your kids about Lent-- from What's In the Bible

The Cross.

Keep me near the cross.

Always makes me so thankful for Him, my Savior.

And it also makes me thankful for those

who have walked closely in His footsteps.

This month we also studied Adoniram Judson & Burma (now Myanmar).

I've read his biography several times,

but the way he asked for his wife's hand in marriage...

always hits deeply.

Take a moment and just read through his words to her father--

"I have now to ask,

whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring,

to see her no more in this world;

whether you can consent to her departure,

and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of missionary life;

whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean,

to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India;

to every kind of want and distress;

to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death.

Can you consent to all this,

for the sake of him who left is heavenly home,

and died for her and for you;

for the sake of perishing, immortal souls;

for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God?

Can you consent to all this,

in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory,

with the crown of righteous...?"

The eggs have arrived.

Last time we hatched ducks.

And yes--I bought the eggs off eBay again.

And so the 21-day-countdown begins...

I also discovered inter-library-loan...

And took home a book that many of us have been looking for--

Natural Science Through the Seasons.

It's from Winona State College, Winona, Minnesota...

So--if you live around there, my copy is due back on March 7th.

This afternoon I found a picture of the big kids

in front of the Pittock Mansion in December

and Colson's photo of

our beautiful Portland, Oregon.

The Better Mom Pinterest Page is up and running...

for those of you who are looking for one-more-thing-to-follow  :)

But in all honesty,

it is a great resource and I love writing for

The Better Mom (as in--I need to be one) website.

Face paint...

Because--why not?

(by our artist-in-residence-Colson)

And today's field trip through

Wells Fargo Bank.

The kids loved it !!!

Does this bird even look real?

I had forgotten how much I love the zoo.

Lydi's favorite animal was the cow--

Because it looked "yummy!"

She's clearly her daddy's daughter.

And finally,

we'll end with a note of

Amazing Grace...

So thankful.

Choosing the Right School Option...

Did ya catch that?
Are you making the right choice when it comes to education?
Now that's one way to open up a can of worms.
I'm sharing over at The Better Mom today about how...

We started considering school possibilities
when we were expecting our first baby.
Of course, back then--
It was all hypothetical.
And we made a lot of great (but unrealistic plans)
prior to the actual arrival of our first
3 in 3 years.
Then we got more serious about school choices
when our oldest turned 4
and we started hearing about the
many
different available options.

It used to be so simple--right?
At least that's how I remember it.
The first day of school meant--
new Strawberry Shortcake backpack,
labeled Care Bear lunch box,
and maybe some fancy jelly shoes.
I don't remember much beyond that
except for the posted-class-lists
that went up about two weeks ahead of time
so you could see who your teacher was going to be...

Mom would pack my lunch,
send me out the door
to the bus stop at the corner,
where my brother and I
would throw fallen avocados
into the cherry-tomato-field next door
until our yellow school bus pulled up
and we hopped inside.

Now, we find ourselves prayerfully
considering,
evaluating,
processing,
on an-almost-yearly-basis.
And for us (and for many school options)--
February is the sign up month !!!

Today I'm over at The Better Mom...
Sharing 25 questions to consider and pray through
when you're trying to make a decision about where--
To send...
Or not send...
Or partially send...
Or log onto...

for school.

Please stop on by and say hello...
Would love to hear how you decided which option is the best fit for your family.

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The Chuppies...

Please consider connecting with us

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or by email.

Thanks for stopping by!

The First Valentine (and Chamber Pots)

Valentine's Day Memories...

I just finished filling out a medical release form
for our middle kiddo...

I love that I had to write:
May still have a quarter in him.

I checked...

(a very nice way of putting that--for those of you who know what they ask you to do when your child eats a coin)

...for over a month but never found it, so please make sure to      x-ray him before ever giving an MRI or CT-Scan because he can't have those if the quarter is still in him.


Why-oh-why do they do things like that?!?

At what point does it sound like a good idea to put dried pinto beans or tiny Legos up your nose?

Do they really think I will be pleased that their rainbow drawn in the middle of the family room carpet looks
"just like the one in the book" ?

Or that they then helped by using dishwashing soap to
"clean the carpet" for me?

And how do you recover from calling 911 and then trying to explain to the police officer that it isn't actually real blood on your kid, but just red nail polish that he used to paint himself?

How do you stop your heart from pounding when the thud on the tile entry turns out to be your children in a pile after they emptied out their laundry baskets and climbed inside to take wild rides down your very steep staircase?

And there's nothing like the feeling--
When your toddler walks up to you with half a worm and you realize she's chewing the other half...

Or when you are cleaning and pull up the vent in the floor and find it crammed full of empty candy wrappers...




Or when you go to get your newborn up from sleeping and find that his head has been decorated with a jug of Vaseline...

Or when you see something brown on the carpet and you realize that your toddler has "changed" your baby's diaper...

Or when your son sees the cloaked-lady next to you in the Spaghetti Factory restroom and SCREAMS-IN-TERROR--
"It's a witch!!!"

Or when your dog's breath smells "minty fresh" and you decide it's probably best that everyone gets a new toothbrush because...

...you just never know.

But there is a point in the journey of parenting when it actually (kind of) makes sense to you that
"the bathrooms were all full"
so using a soldier's helmet as a chamber pot was
"the only thing"  he could do.
But you are still sad that he couldn't empty it without spilling all the way to the bathroom.

And eventually you get past trying to impress other people...

So when you hear that your Pastor's wife had to come clean your house because her daughter was babysitting and your boys decorated their room with their babysitter's mascara, it really is actually something you can laugh about...

And when your 2-year-old LOUDLY asks the man behind the counter at Subway--
"Are you Jesus?"
You simply smile and say--
"I bet you get that a lot."

You start to understand them and believe that when they cut off 12 inches of their sister's hair,
they really were "just trying to cut the gum out."

You LOVE how they hide under their dinner napkins when their daddy gets home from work.

And how they yell "chase me" and dart away in screams.

And how they plead for just one more story night after night.

And how they actually do stop and pray for the    
"sick guy" they pass in the hospital.

And how they tell you things like when they grow up they're going to be--
"a vet during the day and a circus clown at night."

And that--
"You and Dad are my best friend."

When they say--
"Even way under your covers
Jesus can still see you."

Cuz--
"God is real, but Superman isn't,
but even if Superman was real,
God would totally be stronger."

But there is nothing...nothing....nothing...
Like the day you get your first real Valentine from your child.

Not one you told them to make.
Or one you made for them and had them sign.
But one that they planned and cut and pasted and created all out of love...


That they hid and brought to you,
giggling from the joy of the surprise...

I got one of those this week...
One that said "I luv mom,"
And it meant the world.

(drawn and updated from the archives)

Linking up with: M.O.B. Society, The Encouraging Home,  The Better Mom, The Wellspring,

Your Thiving Family, Comfy in the Kitchen, Women Living Well, Growing Home,

Time Warp Wife, A Holy Experience, Raising Homemakers, Finding Heaven,

Raising Mighty Arrows, Women In the Word, and We are THAT Family,

In Honor Of Valentine's Day-- A Favorite Love Story

"For a moment Anne's heart fluttered queerly

and for the first time her eyes faltered under Gilbert's gaze

and a rosy flush stained the paleness of her face. 

It was as if a veil that had hung

before her inner consciousness had been lifted,

giving to her view a revelation of unsuspected feelings

and realities. 

Perhaps, after all,

romance did not come into one's life

with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down;

perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend

through quiet ways; 

perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose,

until some sudden shaft of illumination

flung athwart its pages,

betrayed the rhythm and the music;

perhaps...perhaps...

love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship,

as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath..."

—Lucy Maud Montgomery 

   Anne of Avonlea

Thank you for the Marriage Gifts...

So many encouraging posts out there about love this month...

And I'm working on a post about growing-friendship-love.  But the writing has been slow...

In the midst of--
Sickness and birthday parties and Ben Franklin reports and finding food that Adoniram Judson might have eaten.

In the midst of--
Lego classes and broken washing machines and fun baby showers and school registration and walking with friends and neighbor kids and paintball fun and new jobs starting.

But in the midst...
Isn't that where the deep-friendship-love shines bright?

The text message that lets me know I'm thought of.
The unspoken "thank you" spoken.
The wild flowers unexpected.
The phone call just to keep me in the loop.
The "I'm sorry" wiping clear a hurt-from-an-offense-so-small.

This month has been a beautiful month in our marriage story.
Not all easy...a few painful conversations.
But binding my heart even closer to his.
And His.

And today...
I'm still in the midst--
Of homeschool and monitoring a nap-time-escape-artist and packing for piano and valentines-to-mail.
But I wanted to take a moment to share some of the *marriage gifts* that we've received over the past few weeks. 
They truly have been a gift to our marriage.

With Love,
Kara


What You're Trying To Tell Him When You're Angry
(5 Ways To Fight Through To a Loving Marriage)

How To Make Love Into a Marriage

Real Marriage Series (weeks 1-4)

100 Ways To Make Your Marriage Rock

10 Practical Ways To Honor Your Hubby

5 Secrets To Make a Marriage Last

Communication Blindspots

The Key to a Good Marriage


*Sharing with thanks at We are THAT Family, Women Living Well,
Holy Experience, Women in the Word, and Titus2sdays.

Looking for the Perfect Valentine's Day Gift?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Valentine's Day approaches, you may be looking for--

the perfect Valentine's gift...

Just wanted to let you know that for a $10 donation,
we also would be willing to name one of our Madagascar Hissers after your loved one.

Fox News--Giant Cockroach Valentine