For the last 8 days we've been in Bavaria. Tom attended a medical conference at a hotel there, and the little guys and I just enjoyed the mountains and swimming pool at the hotel. The boys and I swam every day. We took a cable car up to a mountain peak and enjoyed the view from the top. We "hiked" every day, too. A hike with a 2 and 4 year old is more like a wander-back-and-forth, but at least we enjoyed our surroundings and could praise our God for His fantastic creation. The fall colors were nearly done, but there were a few trees still hanging onto their leaves. Together we contemplated the amazing possibilities about the ways God created mountains (were the rocks like play-do in his big strong hands or did He draw it with His finger and then it took on shape and form??). We enjoyed our time together. One day when Daddy was out of his classes earlier in the afternoon we took a fast ride down the mountain side on a rodelbahn (alpine slide). It was an exciting rush!
After the conference was finished for Tom, we went to stay at a farm near Berchtesgaden for a couple days. The boys enjoyed petting the cats and goats and maneuvering the toy tractors and trailers. We wandered around the barns, observed the cows, checked out the tractors and came to the conclusion that farming is a LOT of work! We also enjoyed the boat ride in the Königsee and a hike up and around peaks at the other end.
Enjoy the photos from our recent Bavarian adventures!
With the cold days settling in, and quite a lot of rain, too, the boys and I have been getting creative indoors.
Nathaniel is not really "into" coloring or sitting for much time to create art, so he's been dancing and singing and making lava rocks of our couch cushions (jumping from cushion to cushion to avoid the hot lava on the floor). He's creative in his own energetic crazy way. I just have to take it and help him channel that craziness into something that doesn't destroy the house or his brother! He sings a lot, too. His singing is often an indicator of the mood for that day. He likes to sing all day sometimes - all his conversation in song - some days he wakes up and says he wants to have an "opera day" and then he just starts singing everything he says! He's been making up lots of new dance moves and asking me to watch his "dance shows." Very, very funny.
Josiah has been finding his own preferences and personality. While Nathaniel has been at kindergarten, I have been learning about and enjoying my little boy's humor and creativity. We've been attending the weekly story-and-craft-hour at our local library. Josiah is loving this! He especially enjoys anything with glue and talking with the other kids about their crafts. And he loves to play with play-dough! He's painted several times at home, too. While I have been working on a couple small canvas paintings to decorate the boys' bathroom, he's been painting right next to me at the table. It is fun to be near each other and just hear him chatter about his "creatures" he's painting.
I have been painting and sewing and baking, too. It has actually been a joy to have a few cold days, and it is good to sometimes slow down and stay home. I just finished a couple 8x10 inch paintings for the boys' bathroom - a water/pond theme - one has a lizard and one has a flamingo. They are just silly and not realistic - no great works of art - but cute nonetheless. And it is really fun for me! I have sewed and patched up about 5 pairs of jeans and took in the waist. I also sewed a horse mane and tail and ears on an existing sweatshirt for Nathaniel's Halloween costume. He has been galloping around the house for a fews days whinnying and snorting. The more I sew and paint, the quicker I get and the set-up and clean-up process becomes more efficient, too.
There have been many lonely days and the Lord is prompting me to pray when that lonely feeling nags in my heart. While I lay in bed between 6:30 (Tom is up, but not the kids yet) and 7 each morning I've been asking the Lord to review my day's to-do list for His plans. Nathaniel's anger and mouthy moments have lessened over the last 2 months. God is answering our (and your) prayers and I can see a little softening of his heart here and there with sweet conversations about our Savior.
I used to think that spending time doing "frivolous things" was not what God wanted for me, and staying home with children might be boring or not "big enough" to serve God. I have been realizing more and more lately that having a peaceful home, helping Tom whenever I can, working to discipline the children, working on peace in my stubborn heart, and creating a home with pleasant walls brings blessing to Him, as well. So, why don't y'all come visit us here???!
