A bit of everything

Apologies for sorely neglecting this blog of late. Somehow things have gotten busy. For one thing, we're selling our church. This has gone quickly and been a remarkably smooth process, but it still takes lots of time in meetings and otherwise. We plan to vacate at the end of the month, and the final worship service will be on December 27 (see more info here). After that a United Hispanic Pentecostal Church congregation will take possession and most likely fill it up again!

Aside from that, it seems that Christmas is coming. We got out the trusty old tree after being in Kansas for Thanksgiving.

The kids had great fun decorating it this year (I worked so hard to not manage the situation). It happened to be on a day that school was called off due to snow, so it felt rather festive. That snow was the first and last we've had this year - long, long gone already.

The Schrocks will recognize the ornaments, I think.

I was very grateful for the snow and to the school for releasing Anna's playmate back to her (it's hard for her all day without Jonathan). Here he is teaching her how to "do things." In the left-hand column he wrote words or drew pictures, which she was then to replicate. And like the good second girl-child, she dutifully and willingly did so (yes, this is all very, very reminiscent of my own childhood).

We're always very glad when Oma comes for mate in the afternoon. Here Jonathan reads his weekly booklet to her. I'm simply amazed at how quickly kids are learning to read these days.

Creativity abounds when Jonathan is home. Someone on the bus said he needed a "superhero," so with a bit of paper, tape and a washcloth he transformed Fetch into one.

Note the goggles, cape, and horn.

Ramont bought another cow about two weeks ago! Ginger is another Jersey/Low-line Angus mama with a month-old calf, George. She's been giving about a gallon of milk per day, so we have 3-4 gallons to deal with every day. Customers take 2-3 gallons each day, and the rest we drink or consume as yogurt, butter, or cheese. This was an experiment that turned out well: Stirred-curd cheddar with dried tomatoes and basil.

I also tried making a different sort of fresh cheese (on left), which doesn't need to be pressed - just gravity. It turned out just fine, but we didn't care for the soft, creamy texture as much as pressed cheeses.

As I mentioned, Anna's been having a bit of a rough time at home alone. She also can be quite creative, but more often feels like "there's nothing to do." This girl needs school.

Or a store with customers like Opa. Or friends like Emma to come over once a week - those two are like peas in a pod (and third cousins).

Activity books also help. Here they enjoy new ones from Grandma Schrock! We very much enjoyed a visit from Radell, as well as Freeman friends, in November.

My folks and we drove to Kansas for Thanksgiving together with both my brothers and their families. Here Anna amuses The Hand (of Baby Marie, banished to the bedroom for a nap).

If you look closely, you can see a picture of aliens in outer space, all (almost) properly labeled. Seriously, how is he learning so fast to write?

And now it's Christmas program season. Sunday was the Sunday School program at Bethel Church. Jonathan and Anna were camels - you can see them waiting in the bottom part of the collage made by their amazing teacher, Brenda Adrian.

Singing about shepherds, sheep, and looking for the baby Jesus. J and A are second and third from the right. In this preschool/kindergarten class are three pairs of siblings, all with older brother/younger sister. The teacher said it makes for a surprisingly peaceful and cooperative dynamic.

And last night was the program at Mtn. Lake Elementary School (more photos here). The kindergartners began the program - J is second from right going onstage.

The music teacher did a fantastic job with grades 1-5. The kids sang SO enthusiastically and even in parts beginning in third grade. Just one more reason we're so glad to be in this school!

Aside from these happenings, I've started working one day a week, am directing a mixed choir for Christmas Eve and our final worship service on the 27th, keep busy with my grandparents' elderly needs, farm accounting, Care & Share volunteering, and the like. It is such a good life, and we are so grateful for it.