Wordless Wednesday

How does your garden grow?

I snapped this picture a few weeks ago, trying to capture the hawk in the middle-right section of the tree, but my lens wasn't quite powerful enough to snap the picture I wanted.  Little did I know I'd be using this photo as a reference shot, after Irene stormed through.

The entire tree is dead and sticks up above the others.  Enter Irene - with upwards of 50 mph winds, and there's going to be some natural pruning taking place.

So, yesterday, I snapped this picture of the same tree, minus the hawk and half the upper part of the tree.

And then I inspected the fallen branch a little more closely...sigh...

So, how does your garden grow?  Mine isn't growing so well right now.

Schooltime!

We are into our 2nd week of school so I thought I'd share about our school year.  Quintin is in 4th grade, Elle is in 1st grade and Colin is in pre-k.

We are again using My Father's World curriculum and are beginning our first year in their 5 year plan.  Last year we did Adventures in My Father's World and this year it will be Exploring Countries and Cultures.  Hosting Artem this summer gave us a taste of the Ukrainian culture and country - so the kids are ready for more!

 HANDS ACROSS THE WORLD!

Wordless Wednesday - Airshow

Shade...

Stretching fabric over a frame - hedgehog applique

I am in love with the applique blocks at Wee Folk Art.  As soon as I saw the little hedgehog pattern, I knew I had to make it for Elle.  Before I could even start it though, I had to figure out how I was going to display it.  I had first thought I'd make a pillow, but I really wanted it to hang on her wall.  To hang it, I didn't want the expense of framing it.  I started researching stretching fabric over a frame.  Most websites I found used a canvas art board, with a 1" or 1.5" side.  I had found one website that mentioned stretcher bars.

When I got to the craft store, I found the stretcher bars, for the size I needed, were considerably cheaper than the canvas art boards.  The thing I like about these stretcher bars (see below) are you buy 4 sides so it can be whatever size you need.  I wanted my final project to be square, so I bought four 9" bars. 

Their notches and grooves made it easy to connect them.  I only needed the outside corners to be square - the inside corners didn't join perfectly, but it didn't matter because the fabric would cover them.

The hedgehog was easy and quick to stitch up - and lots of fun!  Elle loved observing my progress.  After I finished the 6x6" piece, I used a blanket stitch to stitch the applique onto a purple gingham.  I used a felt sheet (9x12) to back the fabric.

Using my dad's staple gun, I attached the fabric to the stretcher bars.  There are plenty of websites to show you how to attach it at the corners (I didn't take pictures of that).

And here's the final project (from Friday's post).

And, here it is displayed in her room. 

Sneak Peek

I've been working on some projects around the house.  My mom made Elle this quilt a few years ago and I finally have hung it in her room - it is gorgeous!

And Elle's love of Peter, her hedgehog,

inspired the embroidered piece in front.  I found the pattern at Wee Folk Art, but needed to search for inspiration how to display it. 

I'll share a little more next week, how we finished the piece and then a picture of her room, all gussied up! ;)

Have a great weekend!

Rain, Rain (don't) Go Away!

We've had a pretty wet August and the kids have been enjoying playing in the rain!

Wordless Wednesday

Backyard

I hung out at my parents' house the other night while Q was a few blocks away at soccer practice.  I took my time enjoying the backyard and getting some pictures around their house. 

New Horizons & Transformers!

This past January, a good friend told us about a program called New Hori.zons for Chil.dren based in Atlanta, GA.  It piqued my curiosity and I started researching.  I found out that every winter and summer, a team from New Horizons for Children heads to orphanages in Latvia and Ukraine (they've gone to Russia in the past) taking humanitarian aid with them and to interview various children.  They talk with the children, watch them play and interact and then make the very difficult decision of which children they think could benefit from and flourish in American for 4-5 weeks.

Orphan care has always had a HUGE piece in my heart.  So one evening, on the way to Bible Study (we were leading The Truth Project), I mentioned it to T. 

Let me back up a little and let you know that the "theme" for The Truth Project is Transformation.  I had also started a devotional written by various people in our area that had the theme Transformation.  And I had begun Ann Voskamp's "One Thousand Gifts" at the beginning of the year...with the theme, Transformation.  So when I prayed about a "word" for 2011, the Lord had already brought Transformation to the front and center of our hearts and minds.  I joked with my sister in law that I need to buy a Transform.ers t-shirt for the year - to wear under my clothing! ;)

With Transformation, being our word for the year, we prayed and felt God calling us to this mission opportunity for our family.

We submitted our application and back on February 28, we selected a 9 year old boy, Andriy.  A whole realm of emotions followed for our family, but we were excited!

Then in May, we found out that Andriy would not be able to travel to America for the summer and we were given a chance to view the "second chance photos" of children who had not been selected, because at this point, the time to choose host children had been closed.  We talked as a family and decided on a 13 year old boy, Artem, from Andriy's orphanage.  I have pictures of both boys (from a facebook friend who was on the interview team and met them) sitting aside one another playing and talking.  It was a crazy rollercoaster of emotions making the adjustment - and we hadn't even met either of the boys.  But God had already made a huge spot in our hearts to love Andriy and we knew he'd do the same for Artem.  And He has!

This past Tuesday, June 28 (exactly 4 months after we had made the decision to host), Artem and many others flew into the USA.

(the top photo was taken with my phone and has such a long delay that we lost the boys' attention!)

Prior to his arrival, I was quite anxious.  But we have some amazing prayer warriors who have held us up in prayer.  My "pity party" quickly ended when I looked at everything from Artem's vantage point.  Not only did they have a tremendously long flight, but they had to interview for their visas in Kiev on Monday morning and there was travel involved to get there.  They've had a long journey and we are happy to have him in our home.

He's a joy to have despite the language barrier.  We have some books, flashcards, goo.gle translate and charades! ;)

He came with just a little clothing, a hat, 1 pair of shoes.  And, he brought a few small toys - I'm sure they are his prized possessions as they are just one thing that he can call his own.  Right now, they are on the dresser in his room (Colin is sleeping in Quintin's room so that Artem can have his own room).  We went to Wa.lmar.t yesterday and I was thrilled to see his smile when I let him pick out a t-shirt featuring his favorite toys.

His favorite toy?

Transfor,mers. 

Coincidence?  NO WAY! 

What's that old commercial?  "Transform,ers!  More than me,ets the eye!"

I can say that God is transforming this family!

[The periods and commas placed in words throughout the post is to keep my blog posts from showing up in goog.le searches for those words/phrases.]

Wordless Wednesday