News

I know this is a picture post but I just realized that I don't remember where I've placed my camera. The boys and I have watched the demolition crew tear down an apartment complex at the end of Josephine St that the school purchased a few months ago. Allan was very glad to see the big "huncher" (excavator) "hunch" (tear down) the building where the "wicked people live." I'm afraid he's probably right! When you see a place like that come down it does tempt you to feel a little bit safer. That is: you feel safe until you get the next notification from the Sheriff's department that a Tier Three sex offender has moved within two blocks of you. I'm reminded frequently of Psalm 127:1 "Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain." I can do all I can to keep my children safe but ultimately God is the one who will have to take care of them.

I forgot to post this the last time: One of Philip's former student's has started a podcast with Philip's Sunday School lessons. He's also working on digitizing all of Dad Brown's sermons. Some of you may be interested in tuning in.

I administered the first test of this semester in Philosophy of Ed today. That's always more traumatic for me than it is my students.

Another week

Another busy week is about to close. Monday and Wednesday I teach so those afternoons are spent entering attendance, grading homework assignments, and getting ready for the next lecture. The first test is this next Wednesday so I'll have tests to grade this week.

 Monday's are laundry day but I realized that I was running out of detergent and so I mixed up another batch. Thursday we went grocery shopping, Friday was cleaning day. Allan asked me as I was combing my hair if he could "dust" the bathroom floor (he meant scrub) so I gave him some wet rags and he went to it! That was so nice...otherwise it wouldn't have gotten done this week.

Friday night was also date night so the boys were able to spend some time with Gramme and Pop-pop while Philip and I went to Panara Bread. This morning Philip went to the men's prayer breakfast and when he came home I got the rest of the day "off." I spent 2 1/2 hours at Sam's Club doing comparative pricing. In our attempt to be tightwads (so that we can replace our vehicle) I've been working on a comparison notebook and will soon be finished. I overstayed my welcome though at Sam's because they finally sent someone to check and ask what I was doing and who I was working for!

 I came home and made some potato soup (new recipe) that was so nasty hardly any was eaten. That's the first time since we've been married that Philip has not been able to eat what I've fixed. So...it's been a busy week and I'm looking forward to the Lord's day and resting. That's about all I remember on a Saturday night at 10:00.

 Note about the pictures: The one of Allan - he needed to fold some laundry before he went to bed and when I went in to transfer him to his own room his pile of washcloths was on his chest, all folded and ready to go. Daniel - this picture doesn't show it very well but he is getting so big. The crib will soon be retired.

New Year!

Well, school has started once again, the Christmas decorations are put away (except for the few odds and ends {nativity scene pieces} I'm finding under chairs, couches and beds), and life has returned to some resemblance of "normal."

Philip is teaching: Life of Christ, Hebrew, Greek, and two sections of Principles of the Christian Life. I'm teaching Philosophy of Education for the fifth time and have one of the smallest classes I've ever had. It's also unusual in that I have the same number of guys as girls.

The past week was for a very busy one. Monday I taught and prepared lunch for Philip and the student he mentors. Tuesday I made a quick trip to Oblong, IL for the memorial service of the mother of a college friend. I hadn't made a trip like that by myself since I got married. I spent Wednesday recovering and attended the school revival Wednesday evening. Thursday I busied myself with all of the things that got pushed aside for the trip Tuesday (laundry, grocery shopping, etc.) Friday is cleaning day and Saturday I spent getting ready for Sunday and playing with the boys.

Allan decided this week that it was time that I have a checkup with a Dr and so he told me to sit on the kitchen floor while he gathered all of his instruments. He told me that "he's a good Dr. because he knows how to give shots." First came the temperature, mine was "3 1/2", then the blood pressure which at that time was "6, 7, 8 years". But what really scared me was when he looked into my ear and said, "Your tonsils are really bad!"

The following conversation took place this morning while he was laying in bed with me right before we got up. He rolled over, gave me a kiss, and said, "I love you mommy!" I said, "You do? Why do you love me?" He sighed and said, "Well, actually I don't love you but I love Daniel." Curious I asked him why he loved Daniel to which he responded, "First of all, I love him because I saved him from drowning (which is true), and the second reason is because it makes Jesus happy if I love him and the last reason is because I hate spidermen!" It was almost as though he's already learned every good argument or outline has three points and so he had to come up with another one somehow.

Daniel is learning new things every day. We've taught him to say, "Yes ma'am" by shaking his head up and down, and "please" by doing the sign language form. Usually he just pats his chest so we know what he means. He's also started opening and closing his fist if he wants you to follow him which makes him feel pretty important. Usually he's leading you to something he has gotten into that he wasn't supposed to have gotten into!

We've been praying recently as a family that God would help us to save money for a new vehicle and give us wisdom as to what kind, when, and how to go about replacing our car. Allan has been included in those prayer times and the other day he came to the conclusion that we need a minivan so that we "can have ten kids!"

That's a few tidbits of what has been happening in the Brown household. Have a wonderful week!