Memorial Day Weekend

The unofficial start to summer is one of the best weekends of the year. Scott's family goes up to my mom's house on the lake - and we have TONS of FUN!!!

 

We eat lots of juicy watermelon...

We ride on the big inner tube...

 Even Nana gets on...

We swim...

Ella Beth finds mud to play in...

The kiddos nap on long boat rides...

Mama and Daddy sneak off for a bit...

And, of course, we catch fish...

We had a blast! Thanks, Mimi, for such a fun time. We all can't wait to come back!!!

Multitudes on Mondays

276. long weekends

277. long weekends at the lake :)

278. time with family

279. swimming

280. splashing

281. riding on the inner tube

282. the kiddos squealing with laughter

283. hearing Landon cry, "faster faster!!!"

284. catching 30+ fish

285. good sunscreen

286. caramel cake

287. air conditioning

288. home made ice cream to end a great weekend


Psalm 69:30 "I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving."

Just 2 Weeks

As tonight comes to a close, reality started sinking in. Two weeks from tonight I will be leaving my family for 10 1/2 days.

These two weeks are going to be bitter sweet.

Unless you know me really well, you probably don't know that I am terrified of flying. I cried 2 years ago when the plane took off on every flight to and from Kenya (in Atlanta, New York, London, Paris, Cairo, Sudan...), and I cried last year at this time when the plane took off to and from Haiti - and Scott was sitting right beside me. I just really don't like to fly.

And I really don't like to leave my family. I miss them already, and I cry just thinking about kissing them before I leave.

But, I also know that I will cry as I kiss those sweet people in Ngaamba, Kenya, before I leave them to come back home, too. As most of my heart is here with my family, I can't deny that there is a large piece still left in Ngaamba. And it is calling me.

Not everyone is called to GO. It's not an easy thing to do. Many are called to SEND and PRAY for those going. I have been called to go. As hard as it is to leave my sweet family behind, I simply TRUST that He has a greater purpose.

The last time I went to Kenya, it was on the heels of Ella Beth's horrible illness. In all honesty, the only thing that kept me going was the obligation I felt towards all of my financial supporters. I sure am glad for that feeling of obligation. Little did I know what God was going to do to work in my heart during those 10 days. Little do we ever know, really.

The Lord taught me so much about faith while I was there. He opened my heart to people who have nothing - absolutely nothing - and yet they have the biggest faith I have ever even heard of. Every single day the people in Ngaamba pray about, not when, but IF their next meal will come. They pray about their safety. The women wonder if their husbands will ever return home.

Yet they trust God for everything.

They complain about nothing.

They are the true example of Philippians 4:11-13
"For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." 

Why am I going back when it's so hard to leave? I don't know the answer to that yet. But I do know that God is up to something. And as hard as it is to GO, I'm going.

Deuteronomy 31:8 says, "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." 

--
I would love for you to pray for me and our team of 12 going to Kenya on June 9. Please pray for our safety, our health, and that God will use us for His Glory.


I would also love for you to pray for Scott, Ella Beth, and Landon as I am gone. Please pray for their health and safety. I ask you to pray specifically for Scott that he will be able to manage well with his work schedule. And also to pray specifically for Ella Beth - she is such my little Mommy's girl, and she is going to have a hard time with me being gone.

Thank you.

Fishin' for a Good Time

One of the best things about living in the country is being outdoors. There are SO many things to do - so many adventures to go on and many great memories to be made. And all of them are close by.

A couple of evenings ago we went fishin' at our friends' pond. We had such a nice time together, and we were all successful at reeling in fish.

 It was a very quiet and peaceful evening.

And then it got exciting as we all reeled in a fish one right after the other!
Scott caught a bass, and as he was reeling it in Landon caught a crappy. Landon was so proud, and his daddy was, too!

And, literally at the same moment that I snapped this picture of Scott and Landon, this little girl caught her own fish!

She was very proud of her catch, too!

And then it was my turn to reel one in. Pay no attention to the fact that my fish was the smallest - or the "baby fish" as Ella Beth and Landon called it. A fish is a fish, and it put up a good fight thank. you. very. much. ;)

We all kept Scott very busy getting fish off our hooks and putting crickets back on. 'Cause Mama doesn't do that!

We are so blessed by fun things to do outdoors as a family. Where we are, it's just a hop, skip, jump, and a fishin' cast to a good time!

Multitudes on Mondays

263. long weekends as a family

264. excited kiddos who love to play, play, play

265. working in the yard side by side with my honey

266. anticipation of a fun weekend at the lake

267. a good kitten

268. Landon not being allergic to Buttercup

269. watching Ella Beth be a little mommy to Buttercup

270. seeing how responsible Ella Beth is with Buttercup

271. organizing (I know...I'm a nerd!)

272. counting down the days until my birthday

273. looking forward to date night with Scott

274. seeing how excited the kiddos are to see their flowers grow each day

275. another day to spend as a mommy

Revelation 7:12 “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

Restless

This song is such a beautiful prayer of resting in our Savior. It is my prayer that you are restless until you rest in Him alone.

Smitten

We have a kitten. His name is Buttercup.

 Yes, Buttercup is a boy.

 Named by this sweet girl who is just smitten. Smitten with this kitten.

 And, this little boy likes him a lot, too.

Just not quite as much as this little girl.

--
Buttercup is actually a kitten from our old kitten (Shortcake) that the kiddos were really too young for a year and a half ago. We gave Shortcake to our cousin, Bentley, who gave us Buttercup on Saturday. Funny how things come full-circle. :)

Multitudes on Monday

249. fresh plants

250. taste-testing gourmet cupcakes

251.the aroma of coffee first thing in the morning

252. playing cards with Scott after the kiddos are in bed

253. friendly neighbors

254. cinnamon bread

255. cool mornings

256. laughing at church

257. lazy Sundays

258. children's birthday parties

259. secretly praying for others and then hearing how they were blessed during that time of prayer

260. hearing Ella Beth pray at supper, "God, please give the people in Kenya and Haiti food."

261. antiques

262. homemade crafts

Romans 7:25 "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Castleberry Academy

Things have been going really well here at the Castleberry Academy. :) I am still in awe of how much Ella Beth has learned in just the past 4 1/2 months, and Landon is really starting to show interest in doing "lessons" just like his big sister. I can't believe Ella Beth is just about finished with Kindergarten. We have been stretching our lessons out because no one is quite ready for the end of this school year to end. But, we will be doing some school during the summer because Ella Beth just doesn't want to stop. I'm sure that will change as she gets older ;), but for now we'll be doing some fun outdoor science experiments a couple times a week. You know, when we can fit it in between going to the pool. Hey, I'm thinking we could do lots of experiments AT the pool - buoyancy, the effectiveness of sunscreens, etc!!!

Here are a few pictures from a day-in-the-life of school...

We did our first science lesson last week. The kiddos LOVED it. Sometimes I tend to forget that even simple activities can be a lot of fun. The was one of those.

I gave each of the kiddos a sheet with different things on them. They had to cut them out, and then decide if they were Living or Non-living things. I helped Landon with cutting because there were a lot of "things" to cut, but they both cut, glued, and placed things on their charts.

Both of my kiddos are very hands-on learners, so they really like doing activities they can touch and move around. Ella Beth l-o-v-e-s to play the Banker's Game (a Montessori game) with our manipulatives.

Basically, I will ask Ella Beth to bring me a certain amount from the "Bank" - I always write the numbers on the board for her so she can visualize the number first. Here, she's sitting with the manipulatives spread out on the floor. (We have a Thousands cube, 10 Hundred squares, 30 Tens rods, and 100 units...not all are out.)

 

 Ella Beth brought me 1,497 from the bank. She just LOVES this game, and asks to play every day!

Right now, Landon and I are working on number concepts. I will give him a number, and he has to count out the correct number of objects.

Here, he is using the Farm Boards. He is counting his animals and placing them anywhere he'd like on the farm.

Good job, buddy!

Ella Beth usually wants to begin each day with math because it is very natural to her right now, which means we tend to end our days with phonics and reading. There are some days that I will have her switch it up because even though she is reading very well, sometimes it's easier to end the day with a more hands-on activity than to end being confined to her seat. If she knows she has an "activity" to look forward to instead of just "being done" she tends to concentrate better. Typical human behavior I think. ;)

I love how sweet her mouth looks here sounding out a word. She really does try hard; well, when she wants to.

And, oh, I just love that little finger moving along as she reads.

It's not always picture perfect at the Castleberry Academy, but school has been going really well lately. I think it's all the prayer that's been going before it lately. :) I'm just so thankful for this time to teach my children. I even went yesterday to a curriculum sale and purchased everything for 1st grade and K4. Ella Beth asked when I came home, "Mama, did you bring me home some homework to do?!!!" Love that girl's enthusiasm!

A Warming Trend

With the weather warming up, we are finding fun ways to cool down.

Sprinklers are always a good idea. :)

Ella Beth had no hesitation.

Landon...well, he needed to watch his sister for a couple minutes before he dared get wet.

Smiles all around,

...and maybe a little shiver or two. :)