What's "Normal"?

Well, school has started back with everyone now and we are back to a "normal" schedule for the first time since the end of this past May. We have been almost a week into seeing Papa off to work in the mornings with a small sing time and Bible reading with everyone who can read, and we are thoroughly enjoying the feeling of being on a consistent and predictable schedule at least for the time being. Something is being passed around right now, so a few of us are under the weather, but, Lord willing, that will be gone soon.  

The violin and piano studio has fired back up now, so Anna's staying busy with teaching and directing private piano and violin lessons every as well as violin group classes, and she is thoroughly enjoying it! 

Elisabeth has started making bread to sell and already has a few weekly costumers! She has become our family's "kitchen queen". She likes it and the rest of us are very thankful for all the hard work she puts into it! 

Josiah is heading in the direction of getting his pilot's license, and should be picking that up full steam in September.

Laura is taking off in her ability to play the clarinet, and has just joined our church's small orchestra! She is working very hard and is coming along at an incredible speed!

Christina is the pianist for the violin group class and is wanting to dive into piano theory and playing even more which will be such a blessing in the future when she, Anna and Josiah can all trade off in different accompaniment occasions and specials!

Charity is our family gardener and loves to help Elisabeth in the kitchen! She is blossoming into quite the little homemaker! 

Joshua is our business man! He is always bargaining, trading or trying to sell something to one of his siblings. He is also a very good worker and has been able to help Josiah with his custodial job on several occasions as well as start taking over the small lawn jobs with Josiah around our neighborhood. 

Joanna, Sarah and Carolyn love playing house and being mommy's to their little baby dolls. It is such a joy watching them foster the desire to be real homemakers someday, but for now their time is well spent  training their little babies and keeping their houses running smoothly, especially the mommy's part of things :)

Caleb and Joseph find their days full of adventure and learning good character between the two of them, especially, and are learning so much in school! Addition, subtraction and reading are the main academics that they are learning to diligently apply themselves to. What a team they are together, and we look forward to seeing what the Lord has for them in the future!

Daniel… he is the little angel in our lives and we are so thankful for him! His bright smile and happy, encouraging shouts cheer us on in the race of life that we so often find ourselves in. But God is faithful to use even the little examples of a child in full dependance on his parents and older siblings to show us what we are supposed to be like in our relationship with Him as our heavenly Father. 

Well, back in May, shortly after the OK tornadoes around here I said that I would see if I could get the pictures that Papa took on his phone from our church parking lot of the tornado that passed right over our neighborhood, and I finally got them. So here they are:

We praise the Lord for His protection!

So here is a short update in a nut shell of where we are and what's going on with us. We are looking forward to, Lord willing, being able to settle down a little bit through the winter months, But we will see what the Lord will have for us then. He will never lead us where His grace cannot keep and sustain us. He is so faithful and good, we have been blessed!

"And He said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy to whom I will show mercy."

Exodus 33:19