Thankful Thursday

1. I turned 53 on Monday. I'm thankful for the years the Lord has given me so far. On April 18 Cheri treated me to lunch at a restaurant we'd never tried before located 2 miles from our home. We hadn't seen each other since December. 

2. I'm eternally grateful for the price Jesus' paid for my sins and that He rose from the grave. We celebrated these occasions by attending a Good Friday service as well as a service on Easter. The choir started the service with the song "He's Alive" that I remember singing with the church choir in Maryland in the 1980s. Nadia worked from 7:30-12:00 on Good Friday and from 4:00-6:15 on Easter. Her generous boss gave her an Easter basket filled with goodies that Friday. 

3. Oliver got a lot of candy at his final two Easter egg hunts on April 19. He had eaten and given away some candy between April 12-19, but after his fourth and final egg hunt his candy bag weighed 7.5 pounds! 

4. I had invited Al, Millie, and Paul's dad to join us for dinner on Easter. Paul's dad planned to come, but he woke up with a cold and a toothache that day. Paul and I had been working in the living room on Friday and Saturday, so we were able to continue working in there on Sunday. Paul did a lot of spackling and sanding. He's not done yet. I sanded, primed, and painted the two window frames in that room and began doing the same to some of the trim. I will keep working on the trim this week. I hemmed the tops and bottoms of seven sheer curtains by hand since I have no idea how to use Paul's mom's sewing machine that is in our basement. I did a lot of ironing (6 drapes and 7 sheer curtains). After Paul finishes the spackling/sanding, then we can repaint the orange walls grey. I'm thankful for the progress made! The kids were thrilled that I made the yeast rolls that I typically make for holidays. Nadia helped me make them.

5. Our family went out to eat at Olive Garden on Monday. I enjoy the soup, salad, and breadsticks as my entree, and on your birthday, you get a free dessert. I always enjoy the black-tie mousse cake. Yum! 

6. On our way home on Monday evening, we got some mulch at Lowe's (only $2 a bag!), and I weeded, trimmed bushes and spread that mulch on Tuesday. The weather has been simply lovely the last several days!

7. The kids all saw the dentist on April 14, and it turns out that Nadia's wisdom teeth never developed. Since most people end up having to have them removed, that seems like a blessing! 

8. I called my friend, Joyce, on her birthday (April 19). I received three birthday calls on Monday (my dad and his two sisters), and Yvonne called me on Tuesday. I received six physical birthday cards, two e-cards as well as some happy birthday text messages. Oliver got me a bag of Fritos, Paul gave me some white gold hoop earrings, Nadia and Ian got me a Snuggie, and my dad gave me some money. I'm grateful!

9. Ian played the keyboard for the youth group last night. Grateful he has these opportunities. Our piano was tuned on Monday, and three broken strings were replaced. 

10. It involved scheduling her party to take place 3+ weeks before her birthday, but we found a date that is good for Nadia plus five of her friends. I can't believe she'll be turning 17 in two months!

11. Last fall Paul and I enjoyed seeing a sandhill crane a few times near our home. Yesterday while we were walking Milo and Cooper, we enjoyed watching a great blue heron. 

Thankful Thursday

1. We're thankful that Nadia is able to work at Warrior Run Petcare year-round, and that she also has been hired to be a counselor at Camp Susque this summer.

2. The three performances of the musical went very well. Overall, more than 1,400 people purchased tickets to see the Wizard of Oz. Seven of Yvonne's kids, Yvonne, Toby, my dad, Paul's dad, and Tab all saw one of their performances. I'm thankful they had this experience and that some of their family and friends were able to come and see them perform. I am also glad the rehearsals are DONE. Our schedule is much less hectic. This year I helped with serving meals to the cast. Next year I think I'll go back to volunteering to help with concessions.

3. On April 6 all 17 of us went to church together. My dad then drove to Pittsburgh for his cousin's funeral. The rest of us drove to Camp Hill to have lunch at Panera/Chipotle and see a passion play. I didn't think my dad would be able to see the kids' performance AND attend his cousin's funeral, but he was able to do so when they scheduled the funeral for Monday. 

4. I've taken at least one child to multiple Easter egg hunts every year from 2010 to 2025 with the exception of 2020. This is Oliver's last year so this phase of life as of April 20 will have come to an end. On April 12 I took Oliver to an egg hunt at the Alliance Church which is very close to our home. Because it was raining that morning, they moved the egg hunt into their gym. They had over 6,000 eggs on the floor!!! Oliver filled a LARGE basket once, dumped it out, and filled it a second time. There were still eggs on the floor when he decided to call it quits as far as collecting more eggs. He had found one prize egg - which meant he was given an Easter basket filled with an assortment of goodies (peeps, stuffed animals, etc.). Paul took him to another egg hunt in the afternoon at the park in our town. Usually, this egg hunt features hard boiled eggs for all the older kids, but I assume due to the cost of eggs these days, they had plastic eggs this year. Oliver found four prize eggs! I believe that's a record for him. All four prizes were solid chocolate bunnies. He shared some with his siblings. He plans to attend two more egg hunts this Saturday, and that will be the end of egg hunts for our family.

5. On Sunday I dropped Nadia off at church at 7:00 am so that she could ride to Philadelphia to participate in a ministry to homeless/ drug addicts in Kensington. She returned back around 6:00 pm. I am thankful she had a desire to serve in this ministry!

6. From 1992-2008 I owned plants that I kept either in my classroom, home, or office. When we moved to our current home in September 2008, I got rid of my plants, and I haven't had any plants in the home since then for any significant period of time. Last week I purchased two plants for the dining room - a monstera and a snake plant. Over the last month we've painted the dining room ceiling white, painted the walls grey, and painted the baseboards and window frames white (which had been stained for the last 26 years). We also removed the miniblinds, installed a curtain rod, and hung some drapes. I also hung up some additional artwork which included buying a frame for one my grandma's paintings that Aunt Janet gave me in 2020 before she moved to Reno. Next up is to change out the light fixture, and then I think the update in that room will be done. I really like the new plants, painted white trim, etc. Oliver also really likes the plants. I hope these plants are hearty enough to be able to go without being watered for two weeks while we're on vacation. I'm planning to tackle the living room next in terms of sanding, priming, and painting the trim and window frames. I will wait to paint the living room walls until after Paul does some spackling and sanding in there. 

7. Last week I had to cancel co-op at 7:30 am, which is about one hour before the first kids usually arrive, because some of us were sick. We're not all 100% healthy yet, but I'm thankful we were able to have co-op this week. We plan to meet three more times before taking a break for the summer.

8. On Sunday the boys attended a birthday party for a younger sibling of one of their friends at a playground. Ian went fishing with Ben, and they both caught trout! Ben is doing us the favor of chopping off the head and such, freezing it, and giving the fish Ian caught back to him so that he can eat it after I cook it. 

9. In October I permanently deleted my Facebook account. On March 22, I created a new account because I wanted to give away two curio cabinets. I have a whopping one friend right now, and I only sent her a friend request because she wanted to send me a video of her son's ninja competition via Messenger. I think this is the best of both worlds. I have spent zero minutes looking at a FB news feed for six months, but now if there's something I need to look up on a church or business's FB page, I can do so, and now I can resume selling things or giving things away on FB marketplace. This week Oliver sold some of his Paw Patrol toys for $50, and I gave away some plastic lawn chairs we hadn't used for more than 17 years. When I went on a FB yard sale page to list the Paw Patrol toys, I noticed a lot of 1,000-piece puzzles, which I proceeded to buy for Nadia on Monday. The seller met me at the dentist office while the kids were getting their teeth cleaned. I don't plan on posting anything on my wall or adding more friends as I don't plan to read a news feed, but there are other ways Facebook can be useful it seems (unfortunately). Anything that helps me with decluttering is appreciated. Paul made a trip to Goodwill to donate a trunk load after he took the boys to the birthday party on Sunday afternoon.

10. Nadia and Ian have recently started going on a walk together every day. A few weeks earlier Ian and Oliver started getting some exercise together outdoors. Ian often runs while Oliver is riding his bike or roller blading. Ian is the one getting the most exercise since both of his siblings ask him to join them! Milo is also getting more exercise because he's still walking with Paul and I twice a day, and now he also often joins Ian and Nadia. 

11. The battery on Paul's iPhone wouldn't charge. Thankfully he was able to get an appointment right away at Best Buy. They said it would cost over $400 to repair it so they suggested he purchase a wireless charger instead which was much cheaper than buying a new phone or repairing the phone. 

12. I'm thankful for Paul's help with the dining room update. I bought him a sledgehammer recently so that he could begin breaking up the piece of concrete in the yard that the spinning seesaw had been attached to. A few years ago, we had quite a few things in our yard - trampoline, spinning seesaw, shed, fence, and a slide/swing set. Gradually we've gotten rid of all of those things. The only things that remain are our grill and the two concrete pads. I'm not sure what we're going to do with the one that had been under the shed, but I figured if he broke apart the smaller slab, we could put a little bit in the garbage each week until we finally get rid of the entire thing. 

13. The plan *had* been to not take classes at MCS next year. Nadia and Ian have changed their tune. The school just changed the policy for homeschoolers. Up until this year homeschoolers have had to be in chorus to be able to audition for the musical. Starting in the fall, the policy is that homeschoolers can audition as long as they are taking one class at MCS. All three want to only take art at MCS next year, and Nadia and Ian want to be in The Little Mermaid musical in April 2026. The last two years they've taken art and chorus on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Wednesdays are rather hectic because they also have Bible quizzing and youth group from 4:30-8:00 pm. I asked if their second section of art could be on another day. They could take art on Mondays. I asked Ian's piano teacher if Ian's piano lessons could be moved from Monday to Friday, and they can. The kids have been at church from 1:15-8:00 on Wednesdays. I'm grateful that won't be the case next year, and the kids are grateful they don't have to take chorus next year. 

14. Nadia, 100% of her own initiative, has been helping out rather regularly in the kitchen with baking, cooking, reheating, etc. I want all three kids to be adept at cooking and baking before they graduate. I'm trying to do a better job of asking the boys to help at least once a week to develop their skills as well. It means a lot when Nadia offers to help of her own initiative.

Off to see the Wizard!

Winter is my least favorite season, so I'm always thrilled when the weather starts to turn warmer, the grass gets greener, the trees begin to blossom, etc. I always think of my mom on the first day of spring because her birthday was March 20. She would have turned 80 this year if she was still alive, but she passed away in 2016. Rita's and Dairy Queen give a free treat to all their customers on the first day of spring. The boys and I took advantage of these offers this year, which was a first for us. I intended to last year, but I didn't realize that in a leap year the first day of spring is one day earlier than usual. In some locations ice skating rinks are open year-round. Ours closes at the end of March. Several of the kids from our co-op plus some of their younger siblings went ice skating together on March 21. We had two free passes, so we only had to pay $5 for the three kids to skate since Nadia already owns her own ice skates. 

Ian had his annual physical on March 14. Usually, it costs $50 for us to see the doctor, but awhile back they started charging us $100 for the kids' physicals because they said the hearing/vision screenings also cost $50. This time I asked if those screenings could be declined. She said they could. Ian had just been to the eye doctor the previous month, so I knew the screening wasn't necessary and was happy to save $50. The boys got their new eyeglasses last month. I have to say in both instances I liked their previous glasses better than the ones they picked out this time around. Ian's glasses are more similar to a pair he had previously so that wasn't as big of an adjustment. Oliver's have definitely taken some time for me to get used to seeing them on his face. This is only his second pair of glasses. I prefer his first pair, but to each their own. The good news is that he's gotten much better about wearing his glasses. We have had to buy a few different nose pads for Ian's new glasses because they were sliding down his nose. Ian's sleep study plus nose surgery was the first time we had a significant expense to submit to Samaritan (our health sharing program). So far, we've received checks for a grand total of $5,852 (most of them were $139 each). We are only waiting for the last $278 to come in, and then we will have been reimbursed for everything we paid. It's reassuring to know from experience that this system does work. 

On March 21 five girls from our co-op had an appointment at YWCA's Cinderella Closet to shop for prom dresses. Four of the girls found a dress. They are normally $20 each, but someone had paid for the next twenty-five girls to get their dresses for free, and we happened to be the first four to take advantage of that kind offer! Nadia also got a free pair of heels. Nadia picked a purple dress. I think all of the girls looked beautiful in the dresses that they chose! Five girls and two boys from our co-op are planning to attend a prom together on May 3. Ian, Ben, and Lydia opted not to participate in the prom. The other kids in our co-op are in middle school and therefore not eligible to attend yet. After this year's prom then we can decide whether next year Nadia will be attending the prom OR her cousin Andrew's graduation from Cedarville University as they are going to be held the same day. 

Over the period of March 24- April 5 the kids had Wizard of Oz rehearsals or performances 12 out of 13 days. Their only day off was Sunday (March 30). I'm helping with serving meals to the cast/crew this week. Paul, Paul's dad and Tab will attend on Friday, and the Towfighis, Toby, and Grandpa will attend the matinee on Saturday. I think this will probably be the last time my three kids will be in a musical. I attended the dress rehearsal last night so that I could take pictures. I overheard another mom telling someone else how funny Ian was and that he was going to "steal the show." Last week and this week I would have appreciated if Nadia had her driver's license, but it was worth all the driving for the kids to be able to participate in the musical together. The rehearsals have been going until 10:30 pm this week, which is definitely past my bedtime. Paul has done most of the late pick-ups.

Last Monday Paul and I painted the dining room. When we purchased the house in 2008 that room was painted white. I painted it light green in 2016. This time Oliver and I picked out a light grey. Last Saturday I sanded, primed, and painted the trim that had been stained for 26 years. It's now painted white. What a difference that makes to go from stained to painted white trim! I think it looks much better. I'm planning on doing the living room next. I have no idea how many months or years it will take me, but eventually I'd like to redo the trim in the whole house. It will make the house easier to sell whenever we decide to move.

None of our relatives passed away in 2020, 2022, or 2024, but I've had two relatives pass so far in 2025. My mom's sister's husband died at the age of 83 in January. My dad's one and only cousin died at the age of 87 last week. The last time our family saw Charlie was in August of 2023 when we had dinner with them at a restaurant in Pittsburgh. I spoke on the phone with him a couple of times last year after I read his book that he had recently written. We also exchanged Christmas cards in December. I would have attended his funeral except for the fact that #1 we already had plans with Yvonne's family for this weekend (we have tickets to see a passion play on Sunday afternoon) and #2 a deer plowed into the van on March 27 when I was driving home after dropping the kids off at a Wizard of Oz rehearsal. The auto body guy says it's drivable, but I'm wanting to drive it as little as possible until it's repaired, which won't be until June unfortunately. The earliest available opening conflicted with our upcoming vacation to New Orleans/Texas. 

I can't recall any President in my lifetime who has been working to do SO many things in such a short amount of time like Trump is in his second term. Although I like a fair amount of what he's doing domestically, I think he's turning into a train wreck when it comes to foreign policy. In his first term he negotiated the Abraham Accords in the Middle East which seemed like a very positive thing. This time around I don't understand why he's being so hostile to Canada, friendly to Putin, or making ridiculous assertions like possibly considering using the military to annex Greenland. WHAT?!?!? I also find it equally disturbing that he thinks there is ANY chance he could serve a third term. I don't want any President to be able to serve a third term. George Washington, the best President we've probably ever had, saw the wisdom in stepping down after two terms. If another country has been imposing tariffs on us, I think a reciprocal tariff on them makes sense, but it seems like Trump is going WAY overboard with the tariffs - far beyond just making them reciprocal. I'd love to see an end to the war in Israel and the war in Ukraine, but I don't think just letting Russia take whatever they want from Ukraine is a good idea. I wish the people of Russia would do something about replacing Putin. The Russians have already sacrificed more than 800,000 people to this cause of attacking Ukraine. Why are the Russian people allowing this to continue? I certainly hope Trump's actions don't cause more countries to get nuclear weapons because they now realize they can't count on the US to help them if Russia continues to try to expand its borders. I hope Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania aren't Putin's next targets. God is in control.

Nadia as one of the tornado dancers