Thankful Thursday

1. Ian overcame his fear and had his testimony videotaped for his upcoming baptism. The creation of the video was the whole reason he waited to be baptized. The size of our church intimidates him sometimes. I had signed Oliver up to also be baptized, but I contacted the church last week to let them know we decided to wait. For one thing everyone being baptized has to make a statement which includes the phrase "profess my faith" and that was a tongue twister for Oliver. Thankfully Oliver took the news well when I told him that we decided to have him wait until he's a bit older. Nadia was eight when she was baptized, and Ian will be baptized a few weeks before his tenth birthday. I was very proud of Ian last Thursday! He chose three verses to quote during his interview - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Philippians 4:13.

2. I TOOK A SHOWER ON TUESDAY MORNING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A MONTH!!!!!! WOOHOOOOOO! It was heavenly. YAHOOOOO!

3. It only cost a little under $200 to get the van to pass inspection on Monday, which was far better than the $1,800+ estimate Toyota gave me last Tuesday. Whew... Have I mentioned that cars and houses are not cheap?

4. The kids enjoyed three trunk or treat events Thursday through Sunday. The trick or treating that would have taken place in our community this evening has been rescheduled for Saturday night due to the weather forecast.




5. We were able to tour a coal mine on Saturday. Paul, Cheri, and her friend (Leon) joined us. It was perfect timing as this week in science we have been discussing various types of energy including from fossil fuels.

6. I made pork chops last Friday, and all three kids liked it! Paul isn't a fan of pork chops, but he will eat them. I made chicken and corn soup this week. Oliver and I loved it. Ian thought he wouldn't like it, but then he said at the end it was okay. Nadia couldn't stand it, but she did eventually consume a small bowl of it. All three kids liked the cornbread I made to go with the soup. Here's to hoping that some day I can find a stew, soup, or chili that Nadia will eat without making horrible faces.

7. Nadia has been drawing a lot more lately. Her skills are improving!

8. Nadia decided to check out the second Anne of Green Gables book when we were at the library on Monday. As a child two of the authors I tried to read every single book or short story they wrote were Lucy Maud Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott. I'm really hoping she'll also read Little Women sometime this school year. She's currently reading the sixth Harry Potter book.

9. I purchased a gallon of apple cider from a man in our town. Yum! I usually go by the rule that I "don't drink calories," but once a year I buy apple cider as the kids and I enjoy it. It's delicious!




10. Nadia's tooth extraction went smoothly yesterday. Ian hasn't had to have any pulled by a dentist, but Nadia has had three canines pulled over the past two years, and Oliver had his bottom two central incisors pulled in January. In each instance their permanent teeth came in and their baby teeth weren't wiggly! Our co-pay is $72 for an extraction so it's much cheaper when the teeth come out without a dentist being involved! Plus the tooth fairy gives more money for teeth pulled at the dentist office since shots are involved in the process. I called the orthodontist yesterday to cancel Nadia's appointment in January. I said we want Ian to be seen next summer, but for now we are not planning to have Nadia get braces due to the cost involved and the fact that I am no longer employed. Ian's teeth are in dire need of braces so we will save up the money to pay for his. I'm grateful that all three kids have been very cooperative at the dentist office from their first appointments to the present. I know it can be a struggle for some children, and I'm very thankful it has gone smoothly thus far.

11. The leaves are SO SO SO pretty right now! It's time for me to take some pictures of my kids with the lovely fall foliage in the background.

12. The kids are going to Saturday Science in two days with Micah and Isaiah. This was the only session of Saturday Science this semester I had on our calendar. When I signed up I saw the topic was the moon, and I planned to take the kids even though I didn't think it tied in at all with what we are currently studying in science, but I was wrong! The topic on Saturday is actually about PHYSICS which is what we are studying (physics as it relates to the moon such as Kepler's laws, angular momentum, gravity, tidal forces, mass, weight, etc.) I love it when field trips correlate well with what we are learning at home. I'm also thankful that someone else is taking my kids as it means I can attend a grief group session at church. Normally the group meets on Wednesdays at the same time as my choir rehearsal so I haven't attended any sessions either after losing my mom in 2016 or my brother this year. But this Saturday session is focused on the topic of surviving the holidays after losing a loved one. Hopefully the Saturday Science will be beneficial for the kids and the grief session at church will be helpful for me. I'm thankful friends are willing to take my kids along with theirs to the event!

13. Speaking of correlating well, this week we are studying the physics of sound in science and in history we were learning about Alexander Graham Bell today. In a few weeks an assignment in writing will be to write about a few inventors including Alexander Graham Bell. This week Nadia and Ian are writing a story about a Civil War battle. Writing, history, and science are fitting together quite nicely!

14. I *think* that Ian has outgrown the problem of throwing up when he laughs too hard. He has had this condition since he was an infant, but it has gradually decreased. He laughed a TON when his cousins were here, and he never threw up! Now I have to remember this as I have been programmed for almost 10 years to remind him not to laugh too much.