this week on the island

is it saturday already? crazy. seems like we just finished with christmas. i guess we just did. we have gotten back into our full schedule again. have you? probably why i haven't blogged this year. oh wait i did blog this year about my new big bertha bag, but i don't really consider that blogging. that was just me sharing one of the little things in life that make me smile.

last sunday we spent the day at my grandma's. it was a holiday get together. we used to get together all the time; however, all my aunts and uncles are grandmas now too so it gets harder to do. i love getting together with everyone and seeing how all the little kids have grown.

we started back with gymnastic lessons, boy scouts, and swim lessons. today was our first swim lessons since last june. i thought the kids would forget all they had learned, but they picked it up very quickly again. they had ended in the intermediate class, but i put them back into the beginners 2 class. however, the instructor said they could move right back up to the intermediate class. they love it. of course i think it wore them out because my daughter hardly spoke a word on the way back home.

we have started back to school too. i need to start incorporating some home ec. into our schedule. as i have said many time before, i am not a great cook, so i may have to outsource cooking lessons. however, i need to teach the kids how to properly mop a floor, wash clothes, hang clothes up in their closet (instead of just pulling them down off the hanger and then putting them in the dirty clothes for me to wash because they can't hang them back up), and other miscellaneous things. i am not sure if it like this with other families, but sometimes it doesn't occur me to teach my kids to do something unless i find out they can't do something or unless someone else points it out.

i am very excited because some sweet friends of ours are back from the mission field. they actually got back last night at 1 a.m. it was a long flight back home, but they arrived safe and sound. for a little bit they will be living close by me. hopefully we will get to hang out a little bit while they are close by, that is after they get acclimated to the 8 hour difference. :)

my family has not been going through any tribulations at this time, but we have known several families who are. one of the family's prayers have been answer this past week. it has been so great to see their journey and to see how God has provided for them every step of the way. they give all the glory to God. another family is going through probably one of the toughest, trying times possible right now. i know of nothing i can do for them (they live out of town), except be constantly on my knees in prayer for them. they are strong christians and their marriage is strong. i know they have a good support group of people who love them. i know you don't know the circumstances of the situation, but if you could just pray for this family i would appreciate it. they need strength, patience, encouragement, and peace as they go through this time. my sister-in-law and her family are in the process of moving back to oklahoma. this is exciting, but it is also a time of being unsure what they should do. they have to sell their house back where they lived and get settled here. there are a lot of unknowns at this point and it's been like that for a while. they know God is in control, but you know sometimes it is difficult dealing with "not knowing" what the next step is.

the last family we know of that are going through difficult times are not christians. they are a sweet family but do not know any of the peace that God can bring. we are in contact with them frequently, so please pray for us to know how to help them, to take the opportunities God gives us to minister to them, and even have an opportunity to tell them about God's love for them.

i guess that's about it for now. we have fun things like annual doctor and dentist appointments coming up for the kids. they actually love going to the dentist. they like the doctor too, but not the "shot" part at the end of the appointment. of course, the doctor has nothing to do with that.

well my friends are almost here so i need to go. i hope you have a great week blog friends!