I am ...

... officially an American citizen. On Friday I took the Oath at the Federal courthouse in Concord. There were a total of 91 new citizens.

Taking the Oath.
( you cannot see me I was way up front)

The judge had a few little things for the kids. It was so sweet.

After we were done we went back to get our things where Fil sat with the kids. The lady that sat in front of them turned around and told me that she had a great conversation with the boys. She told me she knew right away they were homeschooled because she could talk to them about anything. You bet I felt very proud.

Children's Museum (Happy President's Day)

We spent our day in Boston today and took the kids to the Children's museum. It is one of their favorite places to go. The picture below is not only a picture of the museum but also the place where the 'Boston Tea Party' took place. The boys are enjoying history so much this year and I am taking advantage of every opportunity to show them the history around us (Boston Tea Party is one of their favorites). There is not much to see at this point (just water) There use to be a restaurant on the water but it looked like an old shack more then anything. They are trying to rebuild it again and I am looking forward to it.

We spent three hours inside and it turned out to be way too much for our girl. However we had a great time. Here is Nate climbing a three story high structure at the museum.

Sam 'showing' Jo the construction zone.

Jo started to enjoy tunnels lately. She got a big kick out of the constructions ones.

So did Emma.
Sam posing for a picture and ...

... Jo running up to him to give him a slobbery kiss (Jo has 6 teeth coming in).

Girls driving who knows where.

And having a great old time.

Rock climbing.

Pyramid climbing.

Enjoying the slide.

Boys trying to get something working.

Emma helping them.

Jo lost it after 2 1/2 hours. I mean lost it BIG time. She screamed LOUD and there was nothing we could do about it. She wanted to play but was so tired and did not want to be in the stroller. I took her outside for a little walk and she screamed for 35 minutes and then she FINALLY fell asleep. During our walk on the boardwalk by the water (Boston as you all know is right on the ocean) one of the seagulls landed right next to me. He waited patiently for me to pull my camera equipment, while Jo was screaming bloody Mary, waiting till I got my setting done and posed for me.

After all the kids were done at the museum and Jo was sleeping we took a short walk in Boston (well we walked to our favorite restaurant). I am always amazed how they are trying to preserve the old buildings in Boston. I do not know if you can see it from the pictures but they keep the front of the building as it was supported it with all kind of iron beams and stuff and are build a new building behind it. I cannot wait to see it all done.

Here are the girls all bundled up and waiting for me (while I was taking pictures).

Happy President's Day

Sunday Reflections

"Conversion is the lifelong transformational process of being remade into the image of God. It is so much more than simply trying to avoid sin. The focus of repentance and conversion is Jesus, not my sin nor myself. My attachment to sinful ways of being is much too strong to ever be undone by mere willpower. There is no substitute for surrender to divine love as the fuel to propel such undoing. Divine love (accepting the Gospel) transforms both my heart and my will. Divine love enables me to choose God's will over mine. Without this, repentance will be nothing more than a self-help scheme based on effort and resolve."

David Benner, Surrender to love But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Galatians 5:5-6

Happy Valentine's Day

New place

In the last few weeks we were busy helping our church move into a new building (at least the boys did). I stopped by the day before our first church service to see how "hard" the boys were at work. The girls 'tested' out the new nursery and I believe they both like it. Jordan is doing so well in the church nursery each week and she warms up to most of the church members.

Last Sunday one of our friends walked by the nursery during church and Jordan look at him with her big brown eyes and asked:"Where is mommy?" He told her that I will come soon and she said:"OK" and went back to playing (by the way she is a big talker in our family).
Here she is testing the new chairs out with her evil smile.

And here is the innocent look.

Emma and Jo being silly.

By the way I did find Fil hard at work (working on the sound) and the boys taking apart our pastors office (with his sons) some things will never change.

I hope our lives will slow down a bit now. With the kids activities and two new Bible studies (one in our house) and many more extra things I feel like my calendar is overflowing. It is also winter. What will we do in the spring. We have plenty of snow on the ground but the kids are tired of playing in it (part of it is that it is so high that they have to climb mountains of it from the driveway to play). We had a taste of spring in the last few day but we have a long way to go.

Sunday Reflections

Most men are not satisfied with the permanent output of their lives. Nothing can wholly satisfy the life of Christ within his followers except the adoption of Christ’s purpose toward the world he came to redeem. Fame, pleasure and riches are but husks and ashes in contrast with the boundless and abiding joy of working with God for the fulfillment of his eternal plans. The men who are putting everything into Christ’s undertaking are getting out of life its sweetest and most priceless rewards.
--J. Campbell White, Secretary of the Laymen’s Missionary Movement

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.

(Psalm 67:1-4)

Sunday Reflections

We must remember that God will never drag us along the path of true-hearted discipleship. This would greatly lack the moral Excellency which characterizes all the ways of God. He does not drag but draws us along the path which leads to ineffable blessedness in Himself. If we do not see that it is for our real advantage to break through all the barriers of nature, in order to respond to God's call, we forsake our own mercies. But alas! Our hearts little enter into this. We begin to calculate about the sacrifices, that hindrances, and the difficulties, instead of bounding along the path, in eagerness of soul, as knowing and loving the One whose call has sounded in our ears.

-C. H. Macintosh I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

John 12:24-26