13 years and an eternity

I written a lot in the past few years about my losses- Some Personal Thoughts,  12 Years..., When the Tears Fall Like Rain.  This is one of those years where I feel like I can't even express my thoughts or feelings.  The grief is still there, but tears and words just won't come.  Not yet, anyway. 

Instead, I leave you with some words of comfort that are not my own...yet in some way over the years have become a part of me and this journey.

Psalm 34 (selected verses)

¹ I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
² I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are helpless take heart.
³ Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
let us exalt his name together.
⁴ I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
⁶ In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
he saved me from all my troubles.
¹⁷ The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 46:1-5

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. ⁴ He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. ⁵ For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. ⁶ Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. ⁷ We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.


This world is not our home.  One day we will see Him face to face and all our present troubles and sufferings will seem like a dim memory.  One day....

Fun Day

The whole community comes out to support our local fire department. 

Tons of firetrucks....

Tons of bounce houses and slides....

Sno- cones

  Tons of fun, treats and prizes...

And tons of tractors, of course! 

  
It's a tradition...Community Fun DayFun Day 

Hodge Podge

Shell necklaces made by Tera from her beach treasure hunting.  

  Fashion show by Michael(another child makes an appearance but you have to look really hard)

Our co-op met last week.  We had a lesson on the fish of the Great Lakes.  Then the kids did these awesome oil pastel fish drawings.

I had read a review of Hands On Equations and really wanted to get this program, but it was a bit pricey for a supplemental material.  But....when I saw it in a plain manila envelope marked $1 at our library book sale, I snatched it up.  We started doing one lesson a week.  I think it will reinforce some concepts for Tera and introduce the same concepts for Daniel.  Great find and great curriculum!

Some samples of the kids' language work.



Final glimpses

   Downtime

Our last sunset 

The only downside of Edisto is the lack of reasonable restaurants/ice cream places.  So we decided to stop at the Piggly Wiggly our last night for ice cream.  I don't think the kids minded at all. 

Michael fell asleep within an hour of being in the car.


All sunburned, tired and happy 

Michael after a battle with a dry erase marker. 

We had so much fun at the beach.  So relaxing for the adults, too.  Can't wait until the next time!  Then, I can come back and write 10 more posts all about the beach.  :)

The Fair

Tera with her 4 Credible Ribbons from the Tennessee Valley Fair.
 Daniel with his 2 Blue Ribbons (and $10) for his origami turtle and T-shirt.
  An extra treat!

We are so proud of their effort with their entries this year.  They came home planning for next year.  JP and I just might enter some categories ourselves.  What great fun!

Abundant Wildlife

We saw so much wildlife on our trip to the beach! Racoon

Dolphins
   Hermit Crabs and Sand dollars

Jellyfish

Alligator

All kinds of sea birds

  And a cute little doggie that visited us at our cottage!