Snowman Igloo! Helmet on for when he melts and tumbles. I could even fit inside!
Our backyard - beautiful!!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Snowy
I just love this profile picture of Vincent - he's telling me he wants to climb up the snow pile we were making for our snowman igloo (the picture below).
Snowman Igloo! Helmet on for when he melts and tumbles. I could even fit inside!
Our backyard - beautiful!!
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Miss Annaliese - don't you just want to kiss her???
Snowman Igloo! Helmet on for when he melts and tumbles. I could even fit inside!
Our backyard - beautiful!!
Crazy Quilt
A crazy quilt some ladies from our church (along with one single guy who lives with Marian and Roger - his piece is the heart piece!) pieced and sewed together for our pastors mom, Marian Copeland, who was recently diagnosed with luekemia. Roger and Marian are part of our home group, and we are going to their home this Thursday to hear Marian's spiritual journey...I know we'll be blessed and challenged by her story. Her inner beauty shines. We love you Marian!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Life at 5th Street
A picture of Annaliese just because she's so darn sweet!!
Life here at 5th Street is full, and I like it that way. Here's a glimpse into what's been happening recently...
Last week:
Monday I babysat 2 little children of a woman who has been in an abusive relationship and is trying to get on her feet again as a single mom. I try to help with childcare when she has appointments she needs to be at. A 2 year old and a 7 month old, sweet children, but they've been through some tough times already in their young lives. She's a beautiful lady who loves her children and challenges me with her honesty and ability to forgive. In the evening Annaliese and I went to Birth Circle and heard birth stories of 3 different women while Martin stayed home with the boys, Nick went dumpter diving, and Via went to Shekinah practice. We met back together in our chapel around 9:15 for house prayers and intercession for each other and our community.
Tuesday I babysat again, and in the afternoon my sister Rachel and her children came over to chat and play. Over supper our family went to Anita and David's for a delicious meal of chili, salad, and shoe-fly pie. Then me and Anita went to Peace House for sewing night, where some ladies from our church got together to piece together some squares for a crazy quilt for our pastors mom, who is terminally ill with leukemia.
Wednesday I stayed at home and played with my children! Fun. In the evening the 4 of us got together for a house meeting, to review 6 months of community living - what we like and what we want to change. We all agreed we want to be together more - play games, pray together more, etc. We all still like each other and still want to be in community together - that's nice!!
Thursday was another nice day here at home, and the boys went to Brian & Rachel Ferells in the morning. Via and I both fixed a dish for our bi-weekly community meal with our lovely neighbors, Tom Benevento and Margot Zonor, and their 2 children Zach and Silas. A wonderful meal together at 6 p.m., good discussion about Mother Teresa and energy uses, then Martin and I dropped the boys off with the Rhodes Grandparents and took Annaliese with us to visit Roger and Marian Copeland in the hospital. We both remarked how wonderful and inspiring it is to visit with someone who is at peace with dying and yet who is open to a miracle of healing. What a wonderful couple! Still act like newlyweds after 40 or 50 years of marriage.
Friday morning I took the kids to the Childrens Museum, then in the evening ordered food at Earth & Tea Cafe for supper, then took the boys with me to Phoebe Copelands birthday party while Martin and Annaliese hung out here at home. Nick was sick so Via stayed home with him here.
Saturday morning we hosted the Missionary Support Team for Philip & Betsy here at our home - a potluck breakfast - then we "met" with them over skype to hear how they are doing and what life is like for them and prayed together. In the afternoon Martin put the boys bunk bed together and we began emptying our green room out so we can make it available for people to stay here who need a place to live short-term. In the evening we hosted another potluck supper with people from church who gathered here for communion and worship.
Sunday morning was church - meaningful worship and witnessed/participated in Philo Wettig's baby dedication. After some rest, Annaliese and I walked to Amber's house to visit with her and her 2 small children for a bit. The evening was restful.
Life is good, full, meaningful, challenging. Not every week is quite so busy, but I enjoy community life and sharing our home and lives with other people. Through it all I am learning to be more Christ-like.
Life here at 5th Street is full, and I like it that way. Here's a glimpse into what's been happening recently...
Last week:
Monday I babysat 2 little children of a woman who has been in an abusive relationship and is trying to get on her feet again as a single mom. I try to help with childcare when she has appointments she needs to be at. A 2 year old and a 7 month old, sweet children, but they've been through some tough times already in their young lives. She's a beautiful lady who loves her children and challenges me with her honesty and ability to forgive. In the evening Annaliese and I went to Birth Circle and heard birth stories of 3 different women while Martin stayed home with the boys, Nick went dumpter diving, and Via went to Shekinah practice. We met back together in our chapel around 9:15 for house prayers and intercession for each other and our community.
Tuesday I babysat again, and in the afternoon my sister Rachel and her children came over to chat and play. Over supper our family went to Anita and David's for a delicious meal of chili, salad, and shoe-fly pie. Then me and Anita went to Peace House for sewing night, where some ladies from our church got together to piece together some squares for a crazy quilt for our pastors mom, who is terminally ill with leukemia.
Wednesday I stayed at home and played with my children! Fun. In the evening the 4 of us got together for a house meeting, to review 6 months of community living - what we like and what we want to change. We all agreed we want to be together more - play games, pray together more, etc. We all still like each other and still want to be in community together - that's nice!!
Thursday was another nice day here at home, and the boys went to Brian & Rachel Ferells in the morning. Via and I both fixed a dish for our bi-weekly community meal with our lovely neighbors, Tom Benevento and Margot Zonor, and their 2 children Zach and Silas. A wonderful meal together at 6 p.m., good discussion about Mother Teresa and energy uses, then Martin and I dropped the boys off with the Rhodes Grandparents and took Annaliese with us to visit Roger and Marian Copeland in the hospital. We both remarked how wonderful and inspiring it is to visit with someone who is at peace with dying and yet who is open to a miracle of healing. What a wonderful couple! Still act like newlyweds after 40 or 50 years of marriage.
Friday morning I took the kids to the Childrens Museum, then in the evening ordered food at Earth & Tea Cafe for supper, then took the boys with me to Phoebe Copelands birthday party while Martin and Annaliese hung out here at home. Nick was sick so Via stayed home with him here.
Saturday morning we hosted the Missionary Support Team for Philip & Betsy here at our home - a potluck breakfast - then we "met" with them over skype to hear how they are doing and what life is like for them and prayed together. In the afternoon Martin put the boys bunk bed together and we began emptying our green room out so we can make it available for people to stay here who need a place to live short-term. In the evening we hosted another potluck supper with people from church who gathered here for communion and worship.
Sunday morning was church - meaningful worship and witnessed/participated in Philo Wettig's baby dedication. After some rest, Annaliese and I walked to Amber's house to visit with her and her 2 small children for a bit. The evening was restful.
Life is good, full, meaningful, challenging. Not every week is quite so busy, but I enjoy community life and sharing our home and lives with other people. Through it all I am learning to be more Christ-like.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Hide & Seek
Hide & Seek Elliot and Vincents way...
Ewiot, wanna pay Hide & Seek?
Yeah. I hide, you count.
Ok. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,16,18,17,20. Here I come. Where are you Ewiot?
I'm over here!!
Where?
Here.
In what room?
Mommy and Daddy's bedroom.
Vincent finds him and squeals and laughter erupt. Then...
Vincent you hide, I count.
OH!!!, OK!!!!! (oh, kay, eee)
1,2,3,4.............until about 12 or 15, depending.
Vincent where are you??
I'm over here.
Where?
Here!
Where?
Here!
In what room?
Oh! The chapel! (Vincent can usually be spotted standing in plain sight, but sometimes he's picked a corner or hides under a chair).
And sometimes I join in the fun, only I don't give away which room I'm hiding in!
Ewiot, wanna pay Hide & Seek?
Yeah. I hide, you count.
Ok. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,16,18,17,20. Here I come. Where are you Ewiot?
I'm over here!!
Where?
Here.
In what room?
Mommy and Daddy's bedroom.
Vincent finds him and squeals and laughter erupt. Then...
Vincent you hide, I count.
OH!!!, OK!!!!! (oh, kay, eee)
1,2,3,4.............until about 12 or 15, depending.
Vincent where are you??
I'm over here.
Where?
Here!
Where?
Here!
In what room?
Oh! The chapel! (Vincent can usually be spotted standing in plain sight, but sometimes he's picked a corner or hides under a chair).
And sometimes I join in the fun, only I don't give away which room I'm hiding in!
Elliot Hans Witmer Rhodes
"Dinosaur" by E.H.W.R.
I love this boy!! He is very sweet and has such a curious mind. He loves books - has loved them even before the age of 1. He loves learning things, asking questions, and sharing his knowledge and joy with anyone who has ears to hear. Here's what he's been up to recently:
1. Is learning to read. He can sound out words like cup, tap, pat, pup.
2. Loves to read books, and read books, and read books, and read books.
3. Loves to play the following computer games: Peep and the Big Wide World, Curious George, and Starfall. He is completely knowledgeable about the basic use of computers and uses one by himself.
4. Wants to do everything by himself. "I can do it." "I want to get some by myself." "No, I wanna do it".
5. Loves to help with anything and everything - helping Martin stack wood, make breakfast and basically anything in the kitchen, do laundry, vacuum, etc.
6. Loves puzzles and can put a 60 piece puzzle together by himself.
7. Loves to draw and paint.
8. Comes up with some crazy ideas. Is starting to ask questions about God.
9. Likes to provoke his younger brother.
10. Likes to play with his younger brother, like hide and seek, jumping on the bed, "flashlight dog" (a game they made up themselves).
11. Has an ear for language and vocabulary in general.
12. Has an incredible memory - for things he's done a year ago and for music/songs.
13. Is starting to write letters.
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