September 3-12

September 3:
For the last day before school, we took the kids to the Lego Store!!!

Gideon picked out a Ninjago Black Ninja keychain.  And Naomi made 3 mini-fig girls.

We enjoyed our family day.

Sept. 4:  G's first day of School.  To see more about this, check out the special post!

Sept. 5:  N's first day of school.  You can check out her day in her special post.

Sept. 6:
Gideon really wanted to ride the bus.  So, here's his first bus ride...

 We love to wave the I-Love-You sign until the bus moves. :)

Then it was time to take N to Stepping Stones...

 Despite saying she didn't like her first day, she hopped out of the car and left very willingly. :)

At the evening Bible class, JR started  co-teaching the class on discipleship.

Sept. 7:
We decided that G would ride the bus TO school, and I will pick him up on the way home.  This works out for everyone. :)

We are starting to get our routine down.

Friday evening I started my couch recovering project.
Before:

This is Fred and Teresa's couch that sat in their sun room.  The fabric was DESTROYED by the sun.  You moved a cushion and the fabric ripped.

So I gathered 3 drop-cloths and went to work... but the machine didn't work. :(  So the bulk of the project got moved to Sat. morning.

Sept. 8:
We had a deadline of 5 o'clock for me to finish the couch.  The McCains hosted the Children's Ministry candidate get-together.

While I was sewing, N played dress up:

Here are some close-ups...

So, here's the reveal:

$45... 8 hours of work... Pottery Barn inspired couch!  (I'm pretty proud of how it turned out.)

The evening was pleasantly full of conversation and new friends.

Sept. 9:
I didn't get a photo of this, but JR began his (joint class) on Deuteronomy.  He has already been given the nickname:  Professor.  The class was great!  And when he mentioned how the structure of the book echos treaties of the period between a Lord and his vassals, it made light-bulbs go off all over the multi-generational classroom. :)  (so proud)

Gideon went for the afternoon to the Gulicks.  Naomi missed him all afternoon.

Then we enjoyed small group with the Gulicks, Pattersons, Gibsons, and the McKinneys.

Sept. 10:
7th Wedding Anniversary:

I'll leave you with a copy of the vows we said to each other September 10, 2005.

JR's Vows to Daisha:

Daisha Lynne, only the Lord is above you in my heart, mind and soul. I vow to forsake all others, and sacrifice even myself for you.

As surely as the Lord lives, I vow to honor you-- to give you an undying faithfulness, to take care of you in the worst times, and laugh, smile, and cheer with you in the best.

I vow to you a righteous home, filled with all the love I am capable to give-- giving glory to God for all we go through. You have my undying support for all that you do-- and guidance to help along the way.

I will be a nest for your heart-- a helpful guide for your mind-- and a partner with your soul.

Together, we shall become more holy and pleasing to the Lord.

I love you; and I vow to you my commitment, companionship, and my Spirit's sword and chariot for times of battle.

Daisha's Vows to JR:

I prayed to to the Lord, and the Lord granted my request: He is giving me my husband... my best friend through this life...

Keith Edwin Sheets, Jr., God has lead our journeys thus far. Today He joins our paths and unites us as one.

This moment, and every moment after, I pledge to you my unending love and respect. A love that is a decision of will and a willingness of spirit... and a respect that is seated in who you are as a follower of Christ.

I vow to forsake all others and be wholly united to you... Depending on you as my confessor, my comforter, and my hero, because you never cease to point me to the True Source.

I vow to communicate with you in all honesty and Christ-likeness, growing to understand you better and to further develop an atmosphere of total trust.

I vow to make our home a place of peace, laughter, and comfort for you and our children. A place where you always find what you are looking for: a comforting embrace, a warm smile, and the knowledge that you are loved unconditionally.

I vow to support and encourage you as the head of our family. As your "help meet," I will pray for you and do whatever I can to help us follow the Lord's leading.

No matter the trials we face, I will be by your side: your fellow warrior in this life. And together we will weather the tempest meant to tear us apart. With god's strength we will become more holy, more united, and more His.

May my faithfulness reflect the faithfulness of our God.

And may the Lord, Himself, deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates us.


After JR and I enjoyed a small lunch at the Cheesecake Factory while the kids were in school, I dropped him back at work and picked the kids up.  They get out of school around the same times on Monday.  So we headed to Frying Pan Farm Park.

It was a gorgeous day!

Naomi named her "Deary"

N named this pig:  Stick-Out Butt

After looking at (and naming and wanting to take home) all the animals, we headed to the playground.

Here is why I don't do this often:

This is N throwing a pout because she doesn't want to bend to go through a tunnel.  Luckily it only lasted 2 min. before she decided that I wasn't going to take her home.

Then she found G and had fun.

G came up with this game of pretending to sleep while going down the slide.  He was having so much fun that 3 other boys joined in the game, giggling and laughing every time they slid down. :)

I snapped these of N after bringing JR home.  A happy Naomi is a drawing Naomi.  And you can tell she's content because of the constant babbling she does slightly under her breath as her characters come to life in her imagination.

I got TONS of stuff done.  However, it's very true... You CAN'T get EVERYTHING done.  I cooked meals for my family, had a date with my husband, educated my children in the fresh air, worked out, but I DIDN'T CLEAN.  I mean... you can't do EVERYTHING. :)

After the kids went to bed, JR and I went to see "The Words" and both LOVED it.

Sept. 11
Jr's 33rd Birthday:

We did our morning routine of getting everyone where they needed to go and then, before Ladies' Bible Class started, I ran to KMart to get Shockers for JR.  (that's the only place we can find them)  I bought the store out!  My main goal for JR's birthday was to say "yes" as much as possible. :)

Ladies' Bible class was really different for me.  I've never been a part of one before.  And there were more women there than there are people who attend the church in Peterhead!  But I'm looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me through this study.

For lunch, JR wanted to go to Buffalo Wing Factory.  Yes.

Then he and Naomi headed to PetCo because JR had cracked N's fish tank.  JR also wanted to buy a new fish.  (The first fish... who I never got around to taking a photo of) was NOT doing well and had been flushed the night before.)  So, JR got a new fish...

This is Junior.

We picked up G all together and then picked out stuff for dinner.  JR wanted a GF version of Cal-Tex Mex Mix.  By all accounts (the McCains joined us for dinner) the meal was a success.  (I actually had to fix something else for myself since I am doing Gerilyn's Jump-Start 30 day Challenge.  (If you want to kick sugar cravings to the curb and jump-start a real-food way of eating and learn how to get great workouts for 15 min. this is the thing for you.  You have support from Gerilyn as well as a fb group.  You don't do this alone.  I have gotten rid of my head-aches and sugar cravings and feel tons better already!)

JR wrapped up his evening by watching the O's beat the Yankees and take first place in the AL East!  
Yes!

Sept. 12
Yesterday was another full day.  I don't know why I thought I'd have a lot more time with the kids in school... but I don't!

I DID, however, take 5 min. and shoot for myself. :)

This was taken in the backyard.  I was so struck by the light when I walked back to the house after getting the kids off, that I had to grab my camera!  This was the first shot.

I did my work-out, got cleaned up, packed a lunch and went to get Naomi.  JR, N and I ate lunch together and then N and I got groceries, put them away, did a load of laundry, and went to get G.

G remembered, half-way home that he'd left something on his desk, so we headed back to school.
When we finally got home, he did his spelling homework while I packed his lunch for the next day, I packed a dinner for us (GF) since the class was eating Chick-fil-A again before class, and we headed off to Bible Class.

I single-handedly distributed the food for the evening while the kids sat by themselves... JR was called into a meeting.  Then class started.  JR taught for the first half and then we left the kids to the care of "Mr. Fred" and headed to G's Back to School Night.

We are blessed to have Miss Kennard as G's teacher.  She is the only 1 grade teacher using word families (phonics) for spelling instead of sight-words!  And she already loves G. :)

He had had a hard day at school because he missed me so much. :(  So Miss Kennard said I could surprise G for lunch someday.  (I think I will!)

When we came home, the kids were disappointed.  Fred and Teresa read them a chapter in 1 Samuel for the  Bible time and sang some songs (mimicking our rhythm).  We are so blessed to be staying with the McCains!

Life is crazy... but good!
~Daisha