Science-filled Day

Yesterday was full of science for us. For Kenna, it was Science Fair day - the culmination of weeks of hard work. For Camden, it was a field trip to the Elm Fork Science Center at the Univ. of North Texas.



Kenna worked very hard on her science fair project. She was a little dissappointed that she didn't win an award, but I think the experience was its own reward. I have been guilty of not really teaching her much in the kitchen (you know, you get so busy and it's just easier to do things yourself than take time to teach someone else). The question of her project was "What will happen to the diameter and thickness of sugar cookies if you leave the baking powder out?" Since the scientific method requires three trials, we made three control batches and three test batches. I helped some on the first batch, but by batch 6, she was doing all the measuring, mixing, rolling and cutting on her own! I'm very proud of her!


Camden's class had a great time on their field trip. Although I've been to Elm Fork with the other two more times than I want to think about (it's a close, inexpensive field trip, so the kids go almost every year), I'm still glad I got to go with Camden yesterday. It was neat to see all those eager five and six year old scientists. Here's Camden with his journal, ready to learn:

Digging for "fossils":

With some of his classmates:

Inspiring Weekend

I spent an amazing and inspiring weekend at a missions conference at Mission Arlington. It's impossible to describe the experience, but I want to try to record some of my impressions.

The volunteers and staff at Mission Arlington have this incredible humility, graciousness, and passion for reaching their community for Christ. Their love for Christ and for those in their community is evident in everything they do. They have many different ways to reach people, but their primary focus is apartment churches - "taking church to the people." We had the chance to work along side them, as well as tour their mission facility and attend breakout sessions about different aspects of their ministry. I can't say I came away with a lot of notes or a list of things to do for a successful ministry, but that wasn't their goal in putting on this conference. They said several times, if you go home and try to duplicate our ministry, you'll probably not be successful. You have to do what God leads you to do for your community. What they conveyed through the conference was not a formula for a ministry, but a heart and passion for following God's lead to meet the physical needs of their community, in order to share the gospel with them.

Our church started an outreach ministry in our community about 18 months ago, that I have had the priviledge of working with. Each Sunday, four teams from our congregation go to different locations (one apartment complex and three mobile home communities) to lead Bible studies. This conference came at just the right time for us, giving us the encouragement and inspiration to see where God is leading us next.

Seven of us attended the conference and had a great time. Here's our group enjoying a lunch break on Saturday:


We spent some time Saturday morning volunteering in different aspects of the ministry (I got to ride in a truck and pick up and deliver donations). In the afternoon we went to one of the apartment complexes and helped sort snacks for their after school program.


We also got to meet and play with some of the kids from that complex:

On Sunday morning, I was blessed to attend a worship service at one of the apartment complexes. I can honestly say that this was the first time I've ever attended a worship service on a tennis court! It was such a great experience.

After worship, we helped out in their preschool Bible study class. Here's my dear friend, Lisa, with one of the precious children we met:

The weekend ended with a Sunday afternoon service. The Bible study leaders from all the apartment churches meet together for corporate worship and prayer every Sunday afternoon. What a blessing it was to be a part of that! I can't wait to see what God does next in our church and community!

Thankful Thursday (a day late!)

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High." Psalm 92:1


This week I am thankful...

1. ...for wonderful, sweet, funny children.

2. ...for a great belated Valentine's celebration with Robert on Tuesday evening.

3. ...for my Valentine's flowers. I have enjoyed them all week. Some of the flowers have opened up, so the bouquet is even more beautiful than when Robert first gave them to me.




4. ...that I'm leaving in a few minutes for a missions conference. It should be a great time of information, motivation, inspiration, and fun hanging out with some girlfriends.

5. ...for my amazing husband who will be taking care of the kids all weekend so that I can attend the conference. Thank you, sweetheart!

Happy Heart Day!

We had a fun family day yesterday.

In the morning, Cullen had a basketball game; he scored his first goal in a game - way to go, Cullen!

Nana and Papa came for the game and then we all went to Chick-fil-A for lunch. We hung out at home in the afternoon.

We enjoyed a special Valentine's dinner last night - homemade pizza and strawberry soda.


Dessert was chocolate-dipped strawberries and grapes - yummy!


We gave the kids a few small gifts, one of which was a puzzle. It's called "A Time for Us" puzzle; it has half large and half small pieces, so everyone can work on it together. It did get a little crazy with ten hands all in there at once, but it was still fun.

Flowers from my Valentine:

Sweetheart Cafe

Oh my goodness! Camden's kindergarten class had the most precious Valentine's party this afternoon! His teacher has been talking to them all week about manners, so today they had a "Manners Party" at "Mrs. Wallace's Sweetheart Cafe." One of the moms made bow ties for all the boys and wrist corsages for all the girls; the girls also got tiaras. The kids were paired up and Camden's "date" was his friend Beth. They made such a cute couple:




Camden was quite the gentleman, pulling out Beth's chair for her:


They enjoyed a four course snack, with the moms serving them. We were very impressed with their use of manners. I accused Camden of using up all his manners at the party, because he was pretty "unmannerly" on the way home!


Cullen and Kenna had Valentine's parties today too, although theirs weren't nearly as elaborate.

Cullen with his Valentine's from his friends:

Kenna and her good friend, Megan:

Happy Valentine's Day!!

It's good to know your place in life

So, I was going through Camden's folder this afternoon and found this artwork:

Beth is his good friend that was in his preschool class last year and is now in his kindergarten class. He has plans to marry her someday. I'm not sure if I should be hurt that he put Beth first in his drawing, or if I should just be grateful that I'm on there, too!

He had also written me a Valentine's letter that said, "I love you mommy. you are the best mom in histre. you are sweet." - I'll take that!

Prehistoric Fun

We took a day trip yesterday to Glen Rose, Texas. Some good friends of our were having their son's fifth birthday party at Dinosaur World, there in Glen Rose. It's a park with over 100 life-size dinosaur sculptures. The kids had a great time.

The Birthday Boy, Caleb:

Walking through the forest of dinosaurs:

T-rex:

The boys trying to save Kenna from a hungry dinosaur:

After the birthday party we headed over to Dinosaur Valley State Park to do some hiking and see the dinosaur tracks:

Thankful Thursday

"In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us thankful, but thankfulness that makes us happy." (Author unknown)


Today...

1. I am thankful for sunshine!


2. I am thankful that Cullen lost his tooth. It's been barely hanging on for at least a week and it's really been creeping me out! He lost it yesterday and I haven't taken a picture of him yet with it gone, but here's one of it still hanging on:

3. I am thankful for sweet prayers. A couple of weeks ago Kenna bought a pen that also has a flashlight and laser pointer built in. The kids have been warned not to point the laser at anyone's eye, as it could cause damage to their retina. Camden had the pen today and informed Robert that he had pointed it at his own eye and was fine. Robert got on to him and told him that he hoped he wouldn't be blind in the morning (sometimes you have to use a little drama to get through to this kid!). At dinner tonight it was Cullen's turn to pray and after thanking God for the food and the day, he asked that Camden not be blind in the morning. Isn't that sweet?!


4. I am thankful for patience. Not my own, as that usually runs in short suppply. I'm thankful for the patience of my family as I try to get this mother/wife thing right (I know, I know, I'll never be perfect at it, I just want to be better.)


5. I am thankful that God is so much bigger than anything I could ever imagine Him to be and that He can do more than I could ever imagine for Him to do.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Eph. 3:20-21

From the mind of a six year old...

Camden really enjoys making up jokes. Since he's only six, most of them don't make any sense, which actually makes them kind of funny. He's also a typical six year old boy, in that he thinks anything having to do with burping or passing gas is funny. Here's a little joke he came up with today:

"What wears a scarf and toots?"

"Uh, I don't know. What wears a scarf and toots?"

"A cold toot monster!"

Ha, ha, ha!

One more quick story:
We had company for lunch yesterday, so in the morning we had a talk with the boys about not burping at the table (one of those conversations I never could have imagined before having kids). The lecture was aimed mainly at Camden who, as I mentioned, thinks burping is pretty funny. Cullen informed Camden that he would have to stop burping or he would never get a wife. Camden let him know that he would find a wife even if he didn't stop burping and that she would "just get used it".