The Grands

by Steph // Wednesday, September 11, 2019 // Comments off

As I sort through, organize and edit WAY too many photos from the end of July to now (too many photos has always been my thing!), I decided that our grand babies need their own post!

I actually have been setting my phone aside when we are with our grand babies – a desire of my heart is to be fully present and not distracted by trying desperately to get a good, not blurry photo of them!

Most often we spend Wednesdays at Briar’s place for lunch and play time, Thursdays we take dinner there and everyone meets us there for a big family meal, and then on Sundays Briar and her people come to Twin Oaks to have snacks with us in the evening.

WE LOVE BEING TOGETHER!!

The weekend of Tate’s birthday back at the beginning of August the big kids went to stay at Grant’s place and we invited Clyde over for a sleep over with Tate and Eliza.

You guys – this was THE BEST!

Blake was out of town with work so it was just me and these three cuties!

These photos are all from Briar’s place – Shiloh Valley Farm – our home away from home!!

We had Clyde, Ellie and River one Friday a while back, and it was SO sweet to see their Aunt and Uncles include them in everything – even their chores!

I left Addie Mae with a pile of kiddos and took two of them with me to get groceries that day.

SUPER, SUPER FUN!!

Grocery shopping is the pits until you see it through the eyes of two little people!

We also all meet up at Grant’s place on occasion – it is a great place for Sunday night snack night!

YEP.

Pretty much living my dream.

Being married and having children was my heart’s desire way back in High School – but I don’t think I ever could have imagined that the Lord would grab hold of my heart in my early 20’s and write our story the way He has.

Praise be to Him for these children!!!!

The First Day of School

by Steph // Sunday, September 1, 2019 // Comments off

We started our “new year” of school on Tuesday, August 20th.

Because we were in Madison and at therapy the whole day on the 19th, some of our first day of school traditions did not happen this year!

I still remembered to take our first day photos though!

Just look at these awesome students I have!

Chad Ryan, 15 years old, in the 10th grade.

Lane Stevan, 11 years old, in the 6th grade.

Tate Owen, 8 years old, in the 2nd grade.

Eliza Claire, 7 years old, in the 2nd grade.

Cute, aren’t they?!

And getting SO BIG!

These kiddos THRIVE with structured days – so we are enjoying our school days very much already!

We start our day with our group Bible time – singing, studying God’s Word, practicing our memory verses and catechism questions and answers, and prayer.

This was this past week’s worship song!

A new favorite from church!

Tate and Eliza are singing in this photo!

Next up is Math – ABeka for Tate and ELiza, and Teaching Textbooks on-line for Lane.

On-line math for Lane has been a game changer – a literal answer to prayer!

Chad is also trying out Teaching Textbooks for Algebra I.

Lane, Tate and Eliza (and I!) are using the Bible as our “textbook” for this year.

BRILLIANT.

Not my idea – so I can say brilliant!

We are walking through the Old Testament stories, memorizing the books of the Bible, memorizing verses, and running with whatever we feel led to run with to learn more about!

The first week was all about Creation, so we studied the solar system, planets, stars and the sun!

I always try to give them an opportunity to paint, draw, or do a craft too.

Our second week was all about Noah.

We studied floods, tsumanis, different animals, and painted some rainbows.

Chad is on his own again this year, studying the New Testament with the curriculum My Father’s World.

We all gather back together late in the morning and are all studying this book about Nutrition for our Science this year.

THIS BOOK IS GOLD!

And it ought to be considering how much it cost – ha, ha!

We are learning SO much about foods, toxins, health, our bodies and how they work.

Of course daily chores are part of our routine.

I could never keep up with this nest we call Twin Oaks without the help of the kiddos!

Even as small as it is!

We started our new chore routine a while back so that I could teach the new chores and inspect them often.

This way when we started school chores were going smoothly!

Eliza offered to keep track of the Keurig – keeping it full of water, and keeping the glass jar with the K-cups in it full.

Why, yes, thank you sweetheart!

I added a coffee helper disc to her daily chore list!

Lane has the chore of mowing this year!

His first year to be our main mowing guy!

He still gets help if there is a problem.

We have many other routines that fill our days that are continuing on this year.

Library day is a favorite for us all!

We also go to Briar’s place on Thursday afternoons and evenings – there will be a post about that soon!

Right now school is happening only in the mornings because therapy and doctor’s appointments fill our afternoons.

We are still very grateful for a GREAT start to this “new” school year!

These kiddos make my job super easy and fun!

2019-2020 school year here we come!!

Chaddy Boy

by Steph // Friday, August 30, 2019 // Comments off

I thought today’s post would be a good time to give an update on Chad!

Chad started therapy with a Certified Hand Therapist at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in LaCrosse on July 31st, over four weeks ago now.

We could not possibly love Chad’s therapist MORE!

She is the BEST! We consider her a friend now!!

Lots of things happen in therapy, which is twice a week right now.

August 14th was a big day for therapy because most of Chad’s scabs and stitches were removed, and his day time splint was changed to just having his fingers “buddy” splinted!

We headed back to Madison on August 19th to see Chad’s hand surgeon.

He was pleased with Chad’s progress!!

We see him again on September 24th, and we are expecting Chad to get the GREEN LIGHT to DO ALL THE THINGS again!!

According to his ability at that point, of course!

This past week Chad’s therapist gave him the go ahead to be splint free while here at home.

YAY!!

This week she also made the plan to make a new splint for Chad next Monday – one with some rubber bands to hold his index finger and middle finger at certain angles because they are not wanting to bend right now.

She showed us a photo of this kind of splint and it is going to be quite the contraption!

In the mean time Chad does exercises many times a day to try to get his fingers to make a fist again.

He is getting to about 40 or 45 degrees so far.

Progress, progress!!

Chad and I spend a lot of time in waiting rooms!

Sometimes we have helpers!!

And sometimes therapy days call for ice cream!

Amidst all the running back and forth to therapy and doctors, and starting school – Chad took his driver’s ed test and got his driving permit.

That is one happy boy in this photo!

Since Chad’s injured hand cannot grasp that steering wheel, we have been practicing driving in parking lots and on deserted streets.

Chad has driven before on the farm so this is not new to him anyway!

We are hoping he will be able to sign up for his instructor hours soon!

We know we still have a ways to go to see Chad regain full function of his hand.

It is impossible not be thankful though!

For how far his healing has come since his accident!

For the team that Chad has helping his hand heal!

Every single person we have met along this journey has been nothing short of amazing, kind, compassionate, concerned, and helpful.

It’s inspiring to meet so many people who love what they do when what they do is help people get well!

Thank you all for praying for Chad with us.

Please keep praying with us!

For that index finger and that middle finger to BEND.

For FULL FUNCTION of Chad’s hand!

For the grit that Chad needs to keep working hard at his therapy.

For his heart as he waits to do everything he longs to be doing!

We appreciate the prayers SO much.

Thank you, thank you!!

Happy Birthday, Tate Owen!!

by Steph // Thursday, August 29, 2019 // Comments off

**Hey, Hey! Just a little intro paragraph before this post! I have been on a screen break for awhile – SO, SO good for this Mama to do that!! We have been back to full-time school for two weeks now and it is busy – but my goal is to get back on this little space to keep some GREAT memories of ours! Stay tuned!

And he is EIGHT.

Eight!!

August 3rd was Tate’s birthday!

August 4th was our celebration!

Tate asked for fish tacos (a favorite around here!) and ice cream sundaes.

You got it buddy!

Great choices!!