A Golden Birthday Indeed!

My 1st born turned 10 on February 10!  Ten years ago, I would have never thought that we would see this day.  My baby boy was born at 25 weeks gestation & given a 50/50 chance to live.  But thanks be to God...His plan was that, "This illness does not lead to death.  It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (John 11:4).

Our great God has been faithful to us throughout these 10 years.  They haven't all been easy years, but God's presence, strength, peace, & joy sustained us and still is...Praise the Lord!
I had been looking forward to celebrating this blessed occasion for quite a while.  We had such a wonderful celebration!  We invited a few friends from the Disability Ministry to celebrate with us.  Looking around our living room that day, we didn't see disability, we saw "His-ability"...all types of wonderfully & fearfully made image-bearers of God.  On that Saturday afternoon, we weren't just celebrating our son, but all the lives of the children present.  We don't know what the next 10 years hold for our son & our family.  But we do know, that God will be there & give us all that we need.  "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)"  On that promise, we strive to rest, trust, & joyfully live!

I truly enjoyed recalling God's goodness as I made this
"Decade of Birthdays" display for his party.

1st-4th

4th-7th

7th-10th

Father-Son Snuggle Moment

Christian was so blessed to spend this day with all of his friends!

His friend's shirt says it all...Life is not always good but God is (always)!

My big boy's cake 

(Sorry, blogger won't show the pic upright)

Christian was so excited opening his gifts!  

Just what I wanted!  

Oh yeah, being 10 is sweet!  

All the kids left with a Golden Treat

Our Top Toddler Activities

These are our 2 yr old's favorite things to do.  I've previously mentioned a couple of them but I thought it would be a good idea to list all of them just in case anyone is interested.  

I often have her do one of these activities when I need to work individually with her big sister.

 Dot Paints

Pipe cleaners & strainer

Clothespins & container

Beans, plate with sections, & spoon

Counting Bears & sorting cups

Putting stickers on paper

Recycle Bin Crafts ~ gather misc items from the recycle bin & just have them create! 

My Brother's Testimony!

My brother is a youth pastor & one of his students did this video presentation as a school project.  What a GREAT way to share the gospel in a public school!

Highlights from the Nest & Turtle Units

Nest Unit

The girls were so surprised to see that their big brother (at the age of 3) was once inside a nest.:-)

C added this craft to the top of her Words to Remember handwriting sheet. 

 Little sister working on her nest coloring sheet after we read one of her fav books.

We read the book, A House is a House for Me and then we made a "house".

We enjoyed reading books under there.  It was so warm & cozy...zzzz..."Wake up Mommy!" :-)

She also did a baby bird's in nest craft.  

Turtle Unit

I found this turtle sun catcher craft at one of my fav stores - Michaels.
FYI - For all you home educators out there, you can get a 15% teachers discount on everything you buy at Michaels & JOANNs.  All you have to show is your membership card from your home school association.

Working on her Words to Remember sheet.

Toddler School - Pipe cleaners in strainer activity. Keeps her busy for quite awhile.  

December Highlights

The 1st Big Snow of Winter was on Dec. 9!

We got 9.5 inches in one day!!!

 We celebrated Christmas with our favorite Minnesota Family!

Our families met over 5 years ago because of these two - 

Christian & Krista.  

Disability has a way of connecting us to precious people.  You heard of the saying "Home away from home".  Well, this is our "Family away from family."  We thank the Lord often for this family being in our lives.  

 

                                   

Maybe we'll submit this if there's ever a Cutest Scrooge Face contest.J

November School Highlights

Leaf Unit

Of course we had to start off by playing in the leaves!

Bean Leaf Craft

Spin & Graph Leaves

I combined two different ideas here: 1st she made finger painted leaves. Then she put them together to make a leaf wreath.

She also labeled the parts of a leaf & did leaf rubbings  

at the top of her Words to Remember handwriting sheet.  

Apple Unit

Apple taste test with a handwriting sheet to write her favorite one and the reason why.

Hand print Apple Tree in progress.

The Finished Piece!  

Since it was the week before Thanksgiving, we made it a "Thankful Tree". She wrote something that she's thankful for on each apple.  

My big girl is becoming such an artist!  

She drew this picture to illustrate the story, "A New House", in the book Grasshopper on the Road. 

She also labeled the parts of an apple & did apple printing

at the top of her Words to Remember handwriting sheet.

She ended the month with her Bible & Ballet Recital.  

Where did those 6 months go???

I cannot believe that my baby is already 6 months old today!  Those months flew by!  Our little sweetie is such a delightful baby.  I have several pet names for him.  At any given moment, he's either my chubby bunny, snuggle bear, chunky monkey, or baby bear.  I'm not sure if he even knows that his name is CalebJ.  Anyway, my sweet baby boy is growing up so fast.

His Top 6 favorite things to do

1) push up on his hands

2) roll in both directions

3) giggle at his sisters

4) sit in his ExerSaucer  

5) smile & look for mama around the room

6) blow raspberries

My Top 6 Favorite Pics of Caleb

 Excuse the pink & yellow flower sunglasses...his sisters set him up!J

Dear Caleb, may the Numbers 6:24-26 Blessing cover you all of your days:

May the Lord...

1) bless you

2)keep you,

3)make his face to shine upon you, 

4)be gracious to you,

5)lift up his countenance upon you,

6)give you peace.