extra-Ordinary

I started Our Ordinary Life a little over a year ago. Happy Belated Anniversary to me! -- I debated about the title because ordinary sounded so plain. I even explained it in an early post. The title came from the Romans Scripture on my blog that directs us to present our every day life before God.

We do have everyday life of course and most times it's pretty ordinary yet at the same time life is pretty extraordinary (especially life raising boys!). We also strive to be extraordinary for God.

extraordinary defs - a : going beyond what is usual, regular, or customary b : exceptional to a very marked extent
So because of my orginal debate and several recent comments (thank you for the encouragement), I have decided to add "extra-" in front of my blog title. I'm not changing the address though, because I don't want to!

On the Home Front - August 20

A peek through my window… S – 101 S – 100 M – 95 T – 99 W – 102
I’m hoping October gets here quickly!

What’s going on this week… football and soccer. The boys have drs. appts. on Monday and they will get out of school early. I don’t like to schedule it that way, but with specialists, you take what they give you!

What “the boys” are doing…wow, 7th grade looks like it is going to be “rigorous”, that’s all I can say! We have family math homework this weekend (I sure hope I know how to do it!) M has a scrimmage Sat. morning and L. has one Sunday night.

On my mind… teaching is still on mind. I’m wondering if anything will work out this year or I have to wait til next.

On my bedside table… Wild Things, The Art of Nurturing Boys

I am richly blessed… Both boys have to be at school at the same time so they can ride the bus together or if I take them, it works out perfectly. We’re blessed with a great school system and good first two days for both boys.

I’m praying for… L’s hand is badly bruised from being kicked with a cleat (he was the ball holder). I’m praying it gets better quickly and for an injury free year.

Our home… I still haven’t unpacked my carry-on from vacation. I promise as soon as I post this, I’m going to do it AND clean the bathroom!

Menu planning… I’m going to get an already cooked chicken at Walmart and use it for a casserole tonight and sandwiches tomorrow. It is soooo hot that I’m going to have to change up some menu plans to not use the oven this week (again!)

A photo or two…

M. with his scorpion towel friend. Last night of cruise.

On the Home Front...Coming Soon

I did it! I created something for my blog that I want to use. Now, that may not sound so wonderful to you creative bloggers, but it's an accomplishment for me! I don't have a lot of fancy software or time to create, but, Tamara at All of a Kind Family pointed me in the right direction for some clip art. I had some time after I got the boys off to school so I made something to try-out this weekend. It's not perfect, but it will work!

I have participated in Simple Woman's Daybook for almost a year and half now, but I have been wanting to do my own - no linking up, just a weekly journal for my family. So.....this weekend I will unveil "On the Home Front". The under-a-dozen friends and family can check back and always see what's going on with us!

Multitudes

I'll warn you...it's a long list! It reflects our trip to Colorado, cruise, a few days in Maimi and about five days of being back home.

483. It’s okay that I don’t know
484. Lower humidity
485. Reading to a therapy dog
486. Walking w/L while he plays disc golf
487 The front lawn mowed
488 Carpet cleaner
489 Snakes “snaking” in the mud
490 Many interests
491 Using things from long ago
492 God’s sovereignty
493 Library days
494 Field after field after field
495 Rain dancing on the windshield
496 On a road I’ve been, but never with my family
497 M. did a great job loading the car!
498 Books spread across the table
499 A semester mapped
500 I’m on vacation. With my Hubby and boys.
501. The cool air on my skin
502 The boys traveled great!
503 Hugs and love from a five year old
504 Petunias
505 An amazing morning outside
506 The Lord is good. His love endures forever. (Ps. 118:29)
507 2 year anniv (at Hubby’s job)
508 Looking around the 4th floor with the boys
509 A peaceful place
510 Lions, tigers, and bears
511 Popsicles
512 All you can eat Italian restaurant
513 Mountain views
514 A train ride in the mountains
515 Clear water
516 A cousin wanting to be in the middle
517 Learning in an old mine
518 A dog waking you up
519 Farm machinery
520 Corn all in a row – a single corn stalk
521 Aunt taking care of home and dog
522 A perfect Love
523 Snow still on the mountains!
524 A super fun local water park
525 Seeing the snow from the water park
526 The gift of photos
527 Sitting on the porch all four mornings of Denver
528 Downtown Denver
529 Seeing where Uncle J works
530 Knowing people care
531 Ms. Tracy
532 A few moments in the park
533 The trek to Rudy’s
534 Eating outside
535 Finishing before the rain started
536 Watching a thunderstorm from the fourth floor
537 A window seat (“my office”)
538 You can see the train from our window
539 Fleeting conversation in the window seat
540 Mountain vistas
541 Changing mountain vistas
542 The wonder of M as he sees the sun peak out from the clouds around the mountains
543 Best interests
544 Honesty
545 New sunglasses
546 Relatively stress free prep for the trip
547 Playing a game while waiting
548 Seats on another flight
549 Flights over
550 Shuttle service
551 Comfy bed
552 Family
553 Lounge chairs
554 Medicine
555 Meeting people from other places
556 A balcony to watch the water
557 The mighty rolling sea
558 Just the right taxi
559 Wild iguanas
560 Strong arms around me
561 Internet access
562 Trusting God
563 The Florida Keys
564 Marine life
565 Having fun together as a family
566 Touching a nurse shark
567 A forecast of cooler weather
568 A new school year ahead of us
569 Great hotel rate – thank you to Uncle
570 Challenges
571 A break in the heat
572 Good transition to a new pediatrician
573 A friendly greeting as I leave
574 Water in the creek
575 Shoes
576 Help
577 Escaping the worst of the heat
578 Groceries

Restless in Carolina

Restless in Carolina is a great summer read. I purposely chose it to have along for summer vacation and I wasn’t disappointed. Bridget Pickwick, the main character is believable and a well-rounded character. She has several story lines to face – how she feels about being a widow at thirty-three (especially when so many family members are marrying), what “happily ever after” really means, finding a “green” buyer for her family’s estate, and learning to trust God again.

This book is a romance, but not drippingly so (thank goodness!). Bridget can spot a “widow sniffer” a mile away. Although she has feelings being awakened, she’s not so sure she’s ready to give up her “widow’s weeds”. The book is an easy read – but, not in a bad sense. It was light enough for an enjoyable beach day, but, not shallow or predictable. It kept me guessing and had some surprises too.

I’d recommend Restless in Carolina to others – I like Leigh’s writing style and would like to read some of her other books. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing for this review.

Daybook - August 14

Outside my window… it almost looks like fall because of how dried up everything is – excessive heat and no outside watering allowed

I am thankful for… new neighbors – the ones I have been praying for

I am wearing… khaki shorts and navy tshirt

Some plans for the rest of the week… I need to make a run to Sam’s Club and L. still needs shoes, then school starts Thursday!

I am hoping … to get really settled in this week

On my mind… what God has for me teaching-wise

Hearing…. doors shutting – M. getting ready for football and Hubby coming in and out from grilling

I am praying for… our military

From the kitchen….. burgers, corn and zucchini/tomatoes/red peppers tonight. I put together honey mustard meatloaf muffins for the freezer and boiled some eggs for Hubby and L to have for breakfast

Around the house… helped one son clean under his bed. Oh, my! Who would have thought all that was under there????

One of my favorite things…. walking with J., I’m sure I’ve said that before. I also love being at home. Where did the weekend go?

From my picture journal… Next to M (walrus) is Cousin M and Hubby. I'm reflected in the sunglasses.

To view more daybooks visit Simple Woman's Daybook.

Garitas

I must confess, I'm not much of a beach girl. History, however...wow! One of the ports on our recent cruise vacation was San Juan, Puerto Rico. We visited the two fortresses in Old San Juan and I was fascinated with the garitas, or sentry boxes. I've included several pictures - the boxes, three of views out of one and a pic of M. and me. A sentry in a garita would keep watch and "detect attacks from foreigners".

In Scripture, there are many references to keeping watch. A few are Luke 2:8 where shepherds are keeping watch over their flocks on the night Jesus was born; Mark 14:34 (and Matt. 26:38) where Jesus asks his disciples to keep watch with Him in the garden and Matthew 24:42 Jesus instructs us to keep watch because we don't know the time or hour of His return.

I reflected some more on keeping watch and an internet definition I found for sentry was "a guard posted at a given spot to prevent entry of unauthorized persons". As parents we are a sentry for our family, especially our children. While in our care we are posted in many "spots" to prevent the unauthorized entry of anything contrary to our family's Christian worldview.

This summer has been quite a time for Hubby and I as M & L's sentries. God has strongly shown us to be on guard. In normal every day situations, in culture, whenever we take flack for it, in unexpected times, as our boys are growing and making more of their own decisions and we teach them to keep watch - we have to keep guard.

I Peter 5:8, The Message: Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up.