Promotion

We have been having an eventful week, to say the least. One of the big deals this week is Todd's job. A few weeks ago at work he got the impression that their were going to be lots of changes and it could positively affect him. However, he had no idea what it would really be like or even if it was guaranteed to be a good change. But this week he started in his new role as Operations Liaison and he is really happy to be in the position. He will be maintaining some of his old duties (statistics type stuff) but he will be taking on lots of new stuff too. It is sure to challenge him and stretch him.

It is really exciting to see him in this new role, because I think that it will highlight his strengths and help him develop more leadership skills at work. Of course, he told me that I got the promotion too because I will have to deal with him working some overnight shifts and things like that. He needs to present at all major Mission functions, and I suppose a good wife would be right there beside her husband with the perfectly behaved children (smiling all the while!). But what about my pay increase?

Todd, I love you and I am very proud of you. You are a wonderful husband and father. I am blessed to have you by my side and looking forward to the things God will do with us in the future.

How to Find a Good Wife

This morning at breakfast, Gabriel and Cadence were talking about growing up. Gabriel said to Cadence, "Well I already know one way to find out if a wife will be a good wife or a bad wife." Now that was a statement that perked my interest... at least once when I have discussed growing up with Gabe, he has expressed concern about finding a wife. I told him how he should make sure he finds a good woman who loves God, loves him and will be a good helper and friend to him. But that was a long time ago, and I was wondering what piece of that conversation he had remembered...

As I listened carefully, Gabriel went on to share his knowledge with his sister: "If a wife has a mean face, she is a bad wife. But if she has a smile then she is good. That is one way I know to tell if she is good or bad." So if you want to be a good wife, go smile at your husband! (who knows where that could lead...)

Science

I decided that doing science over the summer is one of the best ideas ever. We are done with third grade, so we have lots of time to focus on science. I have found that Jacob is more likely to ask questions (and explore the answers) and he really enjoyed making a lapbook. When we have several subjects a day on our plate, he gets this "lets get all the school work done so can play" attitude no matter how I schedule breaks and playtime throughout the day.

The only problem is Gabriel...he really likes doing science with us most days. He is retaining and understanding (most not all things) better than Jacob. I have no idea how to curb the jealousy that my nine year old must feel toward his four year old brother. I keep hoping that he just won't notice, as he seems incapable of reading people and generally oblivious. But when Gabe knows the answer and Jake doesn't he notices.

Just a few minuets ago, Cadence asked Gabriel to read a book about moths to her. He was reading it and then he brought her over to the school wall to show her our picture of a pupa. "See number three, Cadence? That is what a pupa looks like." Both boys seem to feel that it is their duty to educate their little sister, but it was especially funny to watch Gabe give her a science lesson.

Berries!

*

It is the day my children have been anxiously waiting for....they have been daily checking the garden, looking for bright red berries. They were thuroghly dissapointed when their first discoveries turned out to be green on the bottom. "We have to wait a few more days." I told them. Every day more red appeared in the garden. And then today, right at lunch time, I found three berries fit to eat! These three berries were quickly consumed, with each of the boys yelling "I want the biggest one" so I gave the biggest one to their sister :)

Last year, something ate all but a few of the berries out of the garden. Hopefully this year we (and by we I do not mean me, as I do not eat berries) will get to enjoy many more of them in the coming weeks!

*These berries were harmed during the writing of this blog