my very own Amelia Bedelia

This week at lunch Mrs Baumann was telling the 1-6 graders about our next fundraiser. She told them that we are going to be selling magazines. Later that evening I found Jacob collecting up all my magazines I had laying around the house. He said, "Mom, we need to sell all these magazines to get money for our school!" I tried to explain that Mrs. Baumann meant you buy a subscription to have magazines sent to your house or you get your friends to buy subscriptions. He said very seriously, "Mom I went up to Mrs. Baumann and said,'So you want us to sell magazines to other people and she said Yes." I was laughing so hard by this time that he started laughing and said "your laugh is making me laugh!" What a funny kid...you never know what there little minds are thinking when you are telling them something. They think so literally.

A Saturday at home

I am loving being home today. It has been cold and rainy since Wednesday. I haven't had a whole day home in about two weeks. So today was cleaning day. I love the feeling of a clean house, coffee is brewing, cookies are in the oven...life is good. :) This week flew by for me...not sure why. I am getting ready to take Katelyn and her friend to go visit Cedarville University next week. We will be driving out Thursday afternoon, leaving school around noon. They have a science fair at school that day so we have to wait until after that to leave. Hopefully, we won't have any car trouble. Pray for us if you think of it. We went to a college fair a couple of weeks ago in Philadelphia and talked to their representative. His sister goes to The Kings Chapel in West Chester, Ohio...the same church I went to during my summers in college. We had a great conversation about all kinds of stuff. I feel like I have said all this before...hmmm. Anyway, we are going to visit his church as well to see if that would be a good church for Kate if she ends up going there. He said there are two good reformed churches in the area.
Yesterday, I drove to Philadelphia with Mary Ellen's class to go the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We had a tour guide who was very smart and brought out so many points about different art that I wouldn't have known....very interesting tour. I was so proud of our students and how they engaged with her, answering her questions, asking questions and making good conversation. She asked me if I was a mom and I told her I was but I also teach at the school. She said, "They are really smart!" :) I confess, I had a little proud moment...even though I don't teach any of those kids. They were great and so polite and kind. I want to go back because there was so much we didn't get to see. I think it is free on Sundays in Jan. or Feb...I bet Jeannette knows.
A funny thing happened in first grade about a week ago. I was beginning my Bible class and one child says, "Mrs. Stover, what's wrong with your hair?" You gotta love first grade....brutal honesty. You would never get that in the older grades. Of course, then they all had to comment, "Yeah, it's kinda big." another says, "like an afro"....no one has ever said that to me. The other teacher in the room just cracked up....definitely a first grade moment!
If you pay any attention to sports you know that the Phillies were in the World Series again this year. One of my first graders is one of the most devoted Phillies fans I know. We were working on a project, making a book about the life of Joseph. I was helping him with some of the cutting and glueing. As I looked closely at his Joseph and Jacob characters, I noticed something unusual about them. I asked him, "Grant, are Jacob and Joseph Phillies fans?" He replied proudly, "Yep, and one of Joseph's brothers has a Phillies tattoo!" Teaching is never dull! :)

opening day and other things

I really need to post some pictures on here. The new Chick Fil A store opened this past Thurs. It's in the mall (about 2 minutes from our school). David is one of the managers there and one of our students is working there too. We are getting to know all the Chick Fil A people around here and enjoy them so much. I told David I feel like having them all over for dinner and get to know them better. Kate and David work with some really wonderful people. I'm sure they are kinda sick of seeing us hanging around all the time.
Saturday Mary Ellen, Jonathan, Jacob and I went up to Newtown Square, PA to see our friend Nathan Taylor in his middle school play. He was Smee in Peter Pan and did such a great job! He is such a great kid...love him! He and Jonathan have been friends for awhile. We stayed with him for two weeks while his parents went away on their 25th anniv. trip. He got to find out what it is like to have a little brother and big sisters to pester! :)
Sunday we were back up to PA for church. We made a whole day of it. Left the house at 7AM and got back at 7pm. We had a baptism service in the morning and an ordination service in the afternoon. Our friend, Peter Doerfler was ordained into the PCA. Both services were absolutely wonderful. God once again reminded my weary soul that it is ALL him. His gentle proddings of grace and love warmed my heart as we sang and heard the stories of God drawing His children to himself. One young man said, "It was like I was wandering around not knowing what direction to go and God just reached down and took my hand and said, 'This is way to go. Come with me." I thought that was so beautiful because isn't that how it is with all of us? God reaches down and rescues us from ourselves, takes us by the hand, shows us the path of life, and walks with us.

November!!

It's November already!! I am at home this morning for the second time this week. I just pulled some pumpkin scones out of the oven to have with my coffee and share with my friends at school. I put this yummy spiced glaze on them. They are so good. David took the kids to school or should I say the kids took David to work and then Kate drove over to the school. They have to leave a bit earlier than usual (is that spelled right??....looks weird).
It's almost time for Christmas music!!
It is a beautiful fall day and I am so thankful for the opportunity God has given to me today to enjoy Him and His beautiful creation.

so many things...

I have a hundred different thoughts that I would like to write about. Some of them I think, "oh dear, better not write about that or some might think I am completely whacky."
I am so excited about Kate's race tomorrow. Actually, I am way more excited than she is! This is it for her, unless by some act of God she decides to run in college. She could do it, but she doesn't think she wants to...which is fine (as Diana would say). This is the league championships and she has a good chance of placing 1st or 2nd. She doesn't think she has a chance at first. Mary Ellen is going to take pictures. We will post those on FB.
Next topic, am I just a paranoid parent or will I ever get used to my daughter driving on these crazy highways by herself! I breathe a sigh of relief when i see her pull in the driveway. You should hear me preach to myself! I am so glad they changed the laws in DE so Mary Ellen has to wait an extra year!
Next....I love those seniors at our school. I got to sub in one of their classes today and they are just the best!!! They totally crack me up! I want to have them all over to my house and just be a fly on the wall and watch them interact with each other.
Next....I love food. I love cooking it, baking it, serving it to my family....it loves me back....nuff said. I think it has become an idol in my life....pretty sure about that.
I just started reading Tim Keller's book Counterfeit Gods....It's awesome.
David preached the best sermon EVER on Sunday. He had me in tears because I saw so much of what God has been doing in his heart over the past couple years as we have been in the "wilderness". I love him so much and God has been working on both of us....He promises to do that and to work in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. The gospel just becomes more and more real to us as we struggle through this life.

sad.....but feasting

I was just reading through my summer blogs and now I am sad that I haven't taken the time to do more blogging the past couple months. Oh well....I'm back.
I have been contemplating (while eating my warm apple crisp) about feasting on Jesus. What does that look like practically in my life. My pastor preached on it a few weeks ago and we had a good conversation about it the next day. While he was preaching, I kept thinking of the song that Chris Rice sings called "Come to Jesus". I posted it on my FB that day or the next. Piper talks about how we fill ourselves with the white bread of the world so we aren't hungry when our Father spreads a wonderful feast before us of wonderful, tasty, satisfying food. Jesus wants us to come to the table with nothing but hungry hearts and souls ready to filled by Him. He says to come to him, you who have no money. Come and buy and eat. Sometimes I try to bring things to Him...my good works, performance. So many times my sinful heart wants to be filled with other things (which may not be bad things), but they will never satisfy me. . I find out because I get frustrated, fearful, controlling, prideful, etc....the list goes on and on. Then I come running back to Him and he is always there....ahhhhhh yes once again I find His love to all that I need and want! Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling!

a couple months

I knew if I started a facebook my blogging would stop...and it did. David signed me up on FB and since then I just haven't felt like blogging. It's just easier to write a sentence or two on facebook.
Tonight was a beautiful fall night. David and I went for a run which hasn't happened in awhile! The sunset was absolutely glorious and the trees are just as breathtaking!
We are coming to the close of our fall sports. Mary Ellen was playing volleyball. The boys were playing fall baseball with our Little League and Kate was doing cross country. I was helping coach cross country. This is our last week! I am so happy because my schedule has been brutal...another reason why I don't write much. I am pretty much brain dead by the end of each day. I am a little bit sad about cross country being over because this is Kate's senior year and it will be different without having her on the team....my star runner! When she first started, I beat her all the time. Now she beats me all the time! She is waaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of me! It was a really good sport for her. We have league championships this week and I am pretty sure she will do well, Lord willing.
I am working at the school. I'm usually there all day even though I only work in the afternoons because I have to go up with the kids. David leaves the house around 5 am to go to work with one car and then we leave around 7. Kate drives now, but even if she drove everybody up I wouldn't have a way up there. David and Kate both work at Chick Fil A. It has been a great place for both of them. Kate looooves her job which has been wonderful for a first time job experience. The owner is a really great guy and Chick Fil A is a great company. We always have Sundays off and we treasure that day now more than ever! The end of the day is coming and I have to get ready for my week! That's it for now!