Jeneric Jeneralities ~ by JenIG

Now I know that being married for 13 years is not *that* long, but you’d think I would pretty much have my husband figured out by now.  But I learned something new over the weekend. 

First, let me give some background.  My husband is always teasing me because I rent these old movies with Jimmy Stewart, Carey Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Mickey Rooney etc.  He thinks they’re ridiculous. And I suppose they are, but i still think they’re fun. 

So get this… yesterday my husband goes to the store and comes back all giddy about a movie that he bought.  He didn’t rent it, he bought it.  And he couldn’t wait to watch it.  It was an old John Wayne movie.  And the guy grinned thru the whole thing.  I have to admit, I did find the movie amusing, especially since it had Jimmy Stewart in it.  Afterwards I told him, "i thought you hated old movies" and he said, "no, i love old movies", so I reminded him, "you always say you hate the movies i get" and his reply was something like, "that’s because those movies are dumb and they don’t have John Wayne in them" 

And now, the text messages he’s sending end with the word "pilgrim".  "I hope you’re up, Pilgrim"  "I need you to mail something today, Pilgrim"

I just never knew.  I never even suspected.  I wonder what else I don’t know about that man…

January 29th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

So we are back from Ohio, safe and sound.  It was great fun to meet Jay’s family (his 5 month old baby made me wish I had one!)

It snowed like mad while we were up there, so that was also fun.  I wonder if snow will always amaze me.

Coie and Ryann stayed home with James while we took the three middle kids with us.  They stayed busy (coie and ryann) by getting their dresses ready for the big party in Feb.  I am really looking forward to that.  It is going to be great fun. I still can’t believe that gena already swooped in and stole our friends before we even got to meet them in person. See what I had to grow up with?? The girls also tried out a bunch of new hairstyles while we were gone.  They took pictures so they could show us when we got home.  Here are my two favorites, aren’t they lovely?

Ryann

 Coie

Julie Austin has a great post up right now about courtship, and she includes a neat link to a courtship site, which is worth reading.  It is a good thing to figure out how you will approach the ‘courtship years’ when your kids are still little.  Seriously, as parents, aside from the knowledge and reality of living life as Christians, what could be more important than the choice of our kids’ spouse? It will affect the majority of their lives!  I’d be very interested to hear what your thoughts are on the subject; if you blog about it, let me know, so I can check it out.

My husband, the non-blogger, has also finally posted again. His blog posts always crack me up; I wish he would blog more, but he despises blogs and blogging, so I will be thankful for his twice-a-year entries.

Ok, time for me to go make enchiladas…

January 26th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

It’s 1:45 am and I should be sleeping — especially since I have to get up in an hour and 15 minutes to drive up to Cleveland with Mr. Handsome to pick up some stuff (and to also crash in on JayFromCleveland and his lovely Bride and see what’s going on with the new baby).  But I can’t sleep, which is no shocker, because I can’t hardly barely practically ever sleep (insert visual of me banging my head against the table). So if I seem a little punchy, it’s because mortals were meant to shut down and I aint can’t do it.

So, being in this non sleeping state, I got up and ate a small cargo container of chocolate chip cookies (which is what one is supposed to do when having sleeping trouble).  And then I realized that I almost forgot that either yesterday or today, is Paul Suarez’s birthday.  And that made me want to blog, because honestly, I have the most incredibly best brother in all of humankind.  I am quite happy that he was born and i’m quite happy that he is still alive.   I can’t seem to bring myself to call him my ‘brother in law’ because he really truly is fully mine and geoff’s brother.  I am so glad that he married my sister.  So , Happy Birhtday, Paul.  And to gena, good job on marrying that guy.  I cannot imagine what a fruitific psychopathic crack pot you would have turned out to be if you wouldn’t have.  No offense.  But seriously, you know what a hopeless twinkie you were before he straightened you out.

In other news… we had a total of six eggs hatch.  BUT, and this is quite tragic, for some unknown reason Veronica died.  We put another little chickie in with her after it hatched out and then within hours, Veronica was dead. I have no idea why (i.e. i am innocent).   I know.  it’s awful. and now i feel extra especailly like a heel for complaining about her earlier.  So we now have five little cute chickies out of the 30 eggs that we stuck in the incubator.   Our hens are laying about eight eggs a day right now, so when we get 30, we’ll fill the incubator back up and try it again. Hopefully we’ll get a better result.  Any and all egg advice is most welcome.

January 24th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

I actually slipped on a banana peel today.  How cartoonish is that?  Lucky for me I did not hit the ground.  I dislike nearly all forms of pain.  Isn’t it a total drag how things get more painful when you get older?  Ever notice that?  I won’t ask why it gets more painful as you get older, because I am pretty sure that JayFromCleveland already knows and will tell us whether I ask or not. Heh heh heh.  JayFromCleveland, you are a regular walking encyclopedia.

Guess what? Yes, it is more chicken news.  We finally got another little chickie out of the incubator — and two more of the eggs look like they have little hatchy cracks– so now Veronica finally has a friend.  Maybe a pal will hush her up.  I have to admit, tho, I am convicted to stop complaining so much about the chirpy little chirper.  The other night (before Geoff and the other kids got home) I had Bo and James sleeping in my room, and when I got into bed my son said, “Mom can we pray?” and then pretty much before I had the chance to say whether I wanted to or not, he launched into this prayer, saying, “Dear Lord, please help us to be thankful for the baby chicken and not get mad when it’s so loud and help us to be thankful for the gift you hatched us”.  Okaaaaaaaaaaaay, point made.  You’ll be relieved to know that “I wish that stupid chicken would shut up’ has been stricken from my terminology. 

Anyone got any ideas for a name for this new little fella?  I was sort of thinking "Mortimus", but, I’m not completely sold on it. Ryann thinks we should name it Caroline.

Have any of you gotten your Winter issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine yet? I heard they have started to hit mail boxes What do you think?  As always, you’re welcome to post your thoughts, opinions, questions and suggestions on Gena’s blog, or here.  Many of these comments are posted in the Teacher’s Lounge section in the following issue, so if you do not want your comments put in the print magazine, please say so. OR if you have blogged about the latest issue, would you let us know?  We love hearing feedback; it’s very helpful!

January 21st, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

Geoff should be home tonight. Yippeee!  The house sure has been quiet around here with just me, Bo and Jamesy.  Actually, that is not entirely true…. it would be quiet if it were not for Veronica.  Truly, that baby chicken has completely kept me up for the last two nights.  I could hear the thing chirp chirp chirping thru my bedroom door and across the house in the dining room (granted, it’s a very small house).   And when I did fall asleep, guess what I dreamed about? Yep. Chickens.  Last night I dreamt that I was trying to keep the eggs warm enough with a heating lamp.  And then I dreamt that a bunch of puppies and kittens and even a human baby hatched out of the incubator.  I’m afraid that henceforth Veronica is going to have to sleep downstairs in the basement.

In non-chicken related news, Geoff sent me this picture of Ryann and Coie from his cell phone a few minutes ago.  I miss my lovely girls, but I am glad they are having fun in the snow up in MI.  See that four-wheeler?  I heard that Gramma Sally and Grampa Jim gave it to them as their Christmas present.  Wow! That is pretty cool, eh?  Anyhow, hopefully they are done packing up and will be home soon.

 

Lastly, me and Coie have been on an E.D.E.N Southworth reading kick.  She was such an excellent author.  Presently, I’m reading thru, Ishmael, which was written in 1876 and set on the American east coast.  Her characters are so real and so lively that I actually caught myself praying that God would bless one of them last night.  I kid you not.  I think I need more real-life human interaction.  Anyways, have you ever loved a book so much that you became seriously depressed when you finished it?  

PS The review that Jess, from RonandJess , gave about Charlottes Web was spot on.  The little girl is indeed pretty bratty and she does end up holding hands at the end with some kid. Bo and I still enjoyed our date; it is too bad, tho, that even movies rated G stitch in threads of tripe.

January 19th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

I am so blessed.  Our group started up with our bible study again.  It is so good.  We’re going thru the book of James.  I encourage you to study God’s Word, fully in context.  It is so rich if you pick a book and read it thru.  And then go back and read it (over and over) chapter by chapter.  It’s a great way to remember God’s Word and to get it stuck in your head (and in your heart!). 

 As Christians we MUST know God’s Word, and so must our children.  If somebody was going to burn you at the stake because you believe in the Trinity, would you be able to defend your belief? Or would you recant and deny our Lord because you really actually don’t even know if or why you believe in the Trinity? Or could you point to Philippians chapter 2, Colossians chapter 1, John chapter 1, Hebrews Chapter 1, 2 Corinthians 4:4 and boldly proclaim that Jesus is God, and the Holy Spirit is God along with God the Father?  Do you know why you believe what you believe?  God’s Word is so rich and so full of treasure—and it’s available!  Dig in!  One of my favorite resources is BibleGateway

Ok, now for some bad news.  Our Christmas egg did not hatch.  If the little guy was going to come out, it would have happened yesterday (at the latest).  However, my eyes popped out of my head when I went down to check on Christmas and I found that THIS little fella popped out instead.  He wasn’t supposed to come until the 18th!   

Luckily, Coie’s dear friend, Veronica, was here, who just so happens to be a professional poultry mid-wife and she told us everything we needed to do with the little fluffy puffer.  I guess we should have figured out that stuff before we started this adventure.  Anyhow, in her honor we named our new chickie Veronica.  Veronica is very cute (they both are) and very strong (they both are) very smart (they both are) but *so* loud – all Veronica does is chirp chirp chirp (just Veronica jr).

Here are Veronica’s brothers and sisters.  HOPEFULLY more will pop out today. 

 

Lastly, if you think about it, would you pray for Geoff and my kids?  They headed up to Michigan this morning.  I am at home with James and my valiant son, Bo.  

My son is so sweet.  He was supposed to go with his dad and siblings… and he was excited to go because they are all going to see Gramma and Grampa and open presents and ride the four-wheeler.  But my son, Bo, came to me and insisted on staying home because he was worried that I would be all alone and he said he didn’t want me to have to take care of all the animals.  I LOVE this ten year old boy.  I think I am going to take him on a special date today to see Charlottes Web at the theater. He is so special.  

Ladies, please raise your daughters  up to be pure, helpful, cheerful and godly.  Us mamas with boys are counting on you!

January 17th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 24 Comments

January 15th, 2007
A Cheap Cheep

This is incredible to me; today, Emmiko and I went rushing down stairs to check on the Christmas egg in our incubator.  (recap) On Christmas morning, our chickens presented us with the first egg we’ve ever gotten (that we didn’t have to buy at the store).  My husband immediately deposited it into an egg incubator and we’ve been on pins and needles waiting to see if it would hatch.  Anyhow, today was the Christmas egg’s due date – thus the reason for the great rush downstairs.

Well, Emmiko beat me to the incubator and announced, “No chicky”.  But she also said something that made me laugh. She said, “there’s no chicky, but I hear chirping”.  So I laughed and came over and looked in the incubator, and there was just a tray of completely sealed brown eggs.  We stayed for a couple minutes to stare at them, and to look for cracks (there were none) and then, I kid you not… I heard it too!  I heard chirping.  

When I told Geoff, he gave me the same look that I originally gave Emmiko, but — undeterred, for I know what i heard — I did a search on the internet and found that hours before a chicky hatches, it moves into the ‘air pocket’ of the egg and you can hear him chirp from the inside.  Is that not amazing?  It shouldn’t be long now!  Our very own hatched chickies from eggs we didn’t have to pay for.  I love free stuff.

Another thing that has hatched this week is the new issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.  We are shipping this week, so check your mailboxes!  This issue, we have bloggers featured again. Fun!

Lastly, tonight is the night we try out the Scottish Dance class in Johnson City.  We’re looking forward to it!  I hope some of you Johnson City bloggers show up, because me and Gena want to meet you.

Soon, I’ll post pictures of dancing, and chickies.  And if we’re really lucky, pictures of dancing chickies.

PS i’d like to publically thank Coie, who just now brought me the best breakfast burritos i ever had the priveledge of wolfing down.  I don’t know where that kid learned how to cook so good.

January 15th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

You know me, I love getting myself worked up about fatalistic apocalyptic doomsday scenarios.  My non-covenant theology –non-theonomy- non-preterist views cause me to quite literally believe that the world is indeed winding down, groaning as if in the throws of labor, and that the earth is yet to go thru the trials and tribulations that are spoken of in Revelations. 

Anyways, all that to say that I was shocked to hear about birds dropping dead in droves over Houston, TX and of the thousands of birds that fell from the sky over Australia, convulsing and twitching as they died (as many as 5,000). I am astonished that the story  is getting such little coverage.  Maybe I am wrong, I don’t have a television, but the front pg stories on the CNN and Fox News websites don’t show it. Click here to read the story on WND.

And to my many covenant theology friends (you know who you are!), news stories like these almost make me wish that I held your views. Not that I am certainly assuming that this event isbiblical one (but I do think things like these will come)…but anyways, aren’t all of those dead birds a little freaky one way or the other? What in the world could be going on with that?  And what happens if a ton of birds die in a certain area like they did in Australia?  Good golly, the pestilence problem could be overwhelming. 

January 11th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

*** Edit and Update *** I want to thank, very heartily, Kay Pelham, Miiko Gibson and Kaitie Lou.  James got the letters and the gifts and cards today.  Boy was he delighted!  Miiko, James is still playing with the cars and stickers (and we’ve been home for a while now!) Kay, I don’t have your email so I was not able to email you… i hope you read this! we were stunned with your gift.  You are too kind and we are just shocked at your generosity. Thank you so much!!

*** original post from 1-09 this AM **                                                                                                                     This morning my husband pulled opened our bedroom blinds and then gently rubbed my forehead until I woke up and he said, “look out the window”.

Huge puffy white snowflakes are still falling – the first snow fall of the season. What a pretty way to wake up.  I won’t tell you what time it was.  Watching snow fall is still a big deal to us since we’ve moved from California.

This Monday, we are going to do something new.  My friend sent me a notice about a Scottish dance class in the Johnson City area and we’ve decided to go; we’re also bringing Gena and my nephew Paulie. Paul. Pogs.  I’m not supposed to call him Paulie.  

If you are in the Johnson City area PLEASE COME!  Email me at JenIG@TOSMag.com and I’ll send you the details. It’s free. And that way me and Gena can finally meet some of you! Coie called the couple who leads it and she said he was a very very very sweet older guy and he sounded really happy to have more homeschoolers show up.  And no, he did not have a Scottish accent.  Too bad, but we won’t hold that against him.  So the next time you see me and Geoff the Great, we’ll be dressed like this:

CHICKEN UPDATE: The first of our new chickies are due to hatch in seven days!  We have a total of 32 eggs in the incubator!  I sure hope our egg hatching is successful. There is nothing sweeter than a box full of fuzzy little chickies.

January 9th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

January 6th, 2007
Home to the Sweet Sick House

Thank you, so very much, for your emails, herbal concoction recipes and your sweet comments and prayers.  You guys are so nice.  We even had friends show up with gifts at the hospital and meals brought over for our family.  Wow, we are so blessed.  Thank you for the encouragement. 

James seems back to himself again.  Actually, he is *more* than himself.  They have him on steroids to keep his lungs open; the doctors account for the extra surge in energy to the medication.  Good golly, that kid has been bouncing off the walls.  But it is a good sight to see and I am so glad we are all home!

The rest of the family now has the flu, all except Coie.  Poor Coie, she has been taking care of everybody plus she has taken on all of her siblings’ daily chores.  Right now she is mucking out the goat pen (Bo’s job) and taking care of the animals. What’s more, she continues to be cheerful and if I get up to help the children or get them medicine she tells me, “Mom, let me do that for you”.  She is such a good girl; I really do not know what I’d do without her.  Thus, I’ve decided to give up our search for a godly man for her and keep her at home with us forever. Heh heh 

It seems a lot of our family and friends are sick right now and/or going thru various trials.  God is so good to give us each other.  A friend sent this verse from Galatians and it is so true:

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then,while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

This morning I’ve also been thinking about this verse in 1 Peter ch 4:

The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

God works thru His people. May we remain faithful and live a life worthy of His calling.  Please remember the Blacks as they travel home this weekend from ministering to the brothers and sisters in Ethiopia.  Please also remember The Dawson family.  And if it comes to mind, would you also pray for an 18 year old girl named Sarah?  I got an email from a dear woman who is agonizing over poor life choices that her daughter is making.  That is a rough place to be in and I know she’d appreciate your prayers this week.

 

January 6th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

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