The jet lag from my trip to Rwanda was not bad at all.
I think about Rwanda daily. I think about those whose life is so different than mine. I think a lot about Benjamin and Hope, the unanswered questions (longing for some answers) and the what-ifs (which really don't matter at this point).
I know that I really want a less selfish life. I want to live more like a servant of Christ each day, that includes inside and outside of my home. After all, if you can't serve those in your home well you aren't going to serve those outside of your home very well either.
I want to teach my children to love the Lord with all they are and to instill deep inside them that nothing but eternity in heaven matters. I want them not to waste their life here on earth but to search for and embrace what God created them for.
You have to be so intentional in life. You have to have a defined purpose and know whose you are and where you are going.
As my mind has focused so much on Rwanda life here in Tennessee has continued much the same. We are trying to focus on some spiritual disciplines more intentionally with the kids.
After my first week home we dove into school. Benjamin started Kindergarten this year (I have my work cut out for me for sure, wow- details in another post hopefully). I have very little down time but I am doing what I feel is most important for my family. Some days it is hard. Many many days it is rewarding.
Now that I have been home a little over 2 weeks let me share what we have been up to here, in no particular order (and this will probably bore you if you are not family)...
The day after I flew in our friends from Lousiana stopped by. They make a yearly trip up and we were fortunate to see them before they headed back home. Later that afternoon we got to see Rusty's brother's family. Our kids had really been missing their cousins and they just happened to be in Nashvlle dropping someone off at the airport.
The Rutledge and Hasley kids...
Aubrey and Carter both got blue ribbons and Aubrey took 1st place for having the top birds. Funny thing is that all teh hens have been together from the start. They were really just as much Carter's as they were Aubrey's. After 4H got their cut of the sale the kids brought home just over $257!
Our duck named Goosey laid 14 eggs. Looking forward to see baby ducks hatch we checked on them daily. At about day 10 of sitting on them another animal got them. Hope is still sad. She wanted to eat the eggs!
A lake trip with our friends, the Wrathers.
Wasting no time getting into the water!
These kids would ride on that tube all day if we let them. Benjamin prefers the SeaDoo but wants to ride anything available. Thankful for our generous friends!
FINALLY THE FIRST EGG APPEARED! We have had 1 per day for a little over a week now. These two are ready for all 34 hens to lay so they can get their egg business going!
Just a peak at some of the garden produce, its been so good...
INTRODUCING our newest family member!
GRAHAM NASH JETER, born to my sister-in-law and brother this past Friday!
He is a sweet baby boy!
Saturday we went to KY to visit the cousins.
Blaze is their newest addition.
The kids loved him.
They had a horse on loan and found out she was expecting so they bought her and the baby:)
And then down to the lake we went for the day...
Tuesday we went on a nature walk in the woods...
Amazing what you can find when you take time to look just a little!
And we made lava lamps as part of Carter's science...
Yesterday we went to the library. When Hope realized that the books had to go back she was not happy, at all. She has cried at least, no exaggeration, a half of dozen times over her books going back. This afternoon she finally enjoyed a book she chose.
I think about Rwanda daily. I think about those whose life is so different than mine. I think a lot about Benjamin and Hope, the unanswered questions (longing for some answers) and the what-ifs (which really don't matter at this point).
I know that I really want a less selfish life. I want to live more like a servant of Christ each day, that includes inside and outside of my home. After all, if you can't serve those in your home well you aren't going to serve those outside of your home very well either.
I want to teach my children to love the Lord with all they are and to instill deep inside them that nothing but eternity in heaven matters. I want them not to waste their life here on earth but to search for and embrace what God created them for.
You have to be so intentional in life. You have to have a defined purpose and know whose you are and where you are going.
As my mind has focused so much on Rwanda life here in Tennessee has continued much the same. We are trying to focus on some spiritual disciplines more intentionally with the kids.
After my first week home we dove into school. Benjamin started Kindergarten this year (I have my work cut out for me for sure, wow- details in another post hopefully). I have very little down time but I am doing what I feel is most important for my family. Some days it is hard. Many many days it is rewarding.
Now that I have been home a little over 2 weeks let me share what we have been up to here, in no particular order (and this will probably bore you if you are not family)...
The day after I flew in our friends from Lousiana stopped by. They make a yearly trip up and we were fortunate to see them before they headed back home. Later that afternoon we got to see Rusty's brother's family. Our kids had really been missing their cousins and they just happened to be in Nashvlle dropping someone off at the airport.
The Rutledge and Hasley kids...
They rode 4-wheelers and collected chicken feathers and had fun seeing each other again!
Friday night we gathered up 10 hens and 3 roosters to take to the 4H sale.
Aubrey and Carter both got blue ribbons and Aubrey took 1st place for having the top birds. Funny thing is that all teh hens have been together from the start. They were really just as much Carter's as they were Aubrey's. After 4H got their cut of the sale the kids brought home just over $257!
Our duck named Goosey laid 14 eggs. Looking forward to see baby ducks hatch we checked on them daily. At about day 10 of sitting on them another animal got them. Hope is still sad. She wanted to eat the eggs!
A lake trip with our friends, the Wrathers.
Wasting no time getting into the water!
FINALLY THE FIRST EGG APPEARED! We have had 1 per day for a little over a week now. These two are ready for all 34 hens to lay so they can get their egg business going!
Just a peak at some of the garden produce, its been so good...
INTRODUCING our newest family member!
GRAHAM NASH JETER, born to my sister-in-law and brother this past Friday!
Saturday we went to KY to visit the cousins.
Blaze is their newest addition.
The kids loved him.
They had a horse on loan and found out she was expecting so they bought her and the baby:)
And then down to the lake we went for the day...
And on Sunday it was back to see baby Graham...
Tuesday we went on a nature walk in the woods...
And we made lava lamps as part of Carter's science...
Andrew found a little caterpillar that he brought inside...
Yesterday we went to the library. When Hope realized that the books had to go back she was not happy, at all. She has cried at least, no exaggeration, a half of dozen times over her books going back. This afternoon she finally enjoyed a book she chose.
Like I said, school is in session.
The oldest kids are at New Frontiers.
I have not one picture of us doing school, except the nature walk.
Our school room is a DISASTER, a complete and total disaster.
The classroom is in the kitchen:)
Benjamin is LOVING Kindergarten.
Andrew is the most eager to do school.
Carter loves science, pre Chemistry and Physics.
Aubrey is in 8th grade, what a challenging year this will be:)
Rusty is teaching Aubrey Physical Science this year!
And that is the past 2.5 weeks in a nutshell.
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