**T-H-R-E-E**M-I-L-E-S**

'nough said!

Frustration, Cracks and Hearts

Frustration: I could only make myself run 2.45 mi. this a.m. I wasn't felling well this morning. My tummy was rolling and I took a break to get some H2O, got back to running and nearly puked. I reasoned that my body just wasn't up to it this morning, and gave myself a break. I was just slightly dissapaointed. I managed 4.26 miles total; 60 minutes.
Cracks: Had another Chiro. app. today. I learned that I need to be running thrice a week......UGGG! I thought he'd tell me to run only once a week. I can dream, can't I?
Hearts: Happy Valentine's Day! While we were getting to my app. Esther pointed to some birds flying in a 'v'. Zach saw them and said "Hey! V for Valentimeb's Day!" He seriously thought the birds flew in that letter for the special day! Silly boy!
New Running Goal: Run three times each week; Mon., Wed., Fri. Sarting tomorrow.

Kiss/hug your lovelies today. Celebrate relationships!

Are We There Yet?

I made my goal! YEA! 3 miles ran! It was terribly hard. I wanted to quit at 1.5 miles. Ugggg. In all I walked/ran 4.7 miles in not quite 62 minutes. Usualy I stop at one hour, but I had to get to a round digit......you already knew I was weird so this shouldn't surprise you.

I also packed three boxes yesterday. I've pack all my china, teapots, fancy glasses, all my vases, 3/4 of the kids games-puzzles-books, 3/4 of our board games and 9/10 of all movies.

Running goal for this next week: match my accomplished goal on Thursday. Run 3.5 miles next Monday.

Once I get to 4 miles, it's going to be hard for me to make the run more than once a week, due to the time it takes......but that's a consern for another day. I will revel in the light of acheiving my goal today! YESSSSSS!

**corretction from last post** Ben explained to me that marathoner's (people who run in marathons) do eat snacks....power bars or pieces of fruit....they just don't stop and rest while they do. How's that for fast food?

Jesus, the Personal Trainer

*What's up with my blogger spell check? It's still not working:(*

Catchy title, huh? Let me explain. I've been running again. I'm not sure if I'll ever run a marathon (26.2 mi.), but I find running a challange.
Monday I ran 2 miles ( I ran last week, but before that I'd not run since Sep. Doing other aerobic stuff though). It was hard. To help pass the time, I started counting my strides. It takes 1,000 strides for me to nearly make a mile. I know, I know! Weird. Now you know for sure I'm strange.
Back on track. I went to my Chiropractor yesterday (my left hip has been out since Sep.) and while conversing I found out he had just completed a mega marathon. Curious as to what that was, I asked "Is that the one where you lift weights too?" He said "No. Mega refurs to anything longer that 26.2 miles." After asking more questions I learned that he had run 100 miles without a break, without sleep and without food. It took 26.5 hours. I told him he was CRAZY! I also said that I'd setted and come to the realisation that God must've not made me to complete a marathon and that was okay with me. Anyway, he encouraged me and gave me some tips like lengthening my stride and run/walking.
This does all have a point:) This am I took his advice and ran 2.5 miles. As I was nearing the 2 mile mark I really, really, really wanted to quit. I just imagined Jesus on the cross and thought, "If He can do that, I can do this." Then I imagined Him satnding in front of the treadmill saying "You can do it Katy!" Seriously, it helped! I honestly didn't notice my rubbery legs or side ache as much. Then to push myself more (just before I met my goal) I whisper sang one of my favorite worship songs.

All of You is more than enough for

All of me, for every thirst and every need

You satisfy me, with Your love

and all I have in You is more than enough

You are my supply my breath of life

Still more awesome than I know

You are my reward worth living for

Still more awesome than I know

I'm glad there wasn't anyone within earshot! (Not that I'm a bad singer, I just didn't want to break anyone else's consentration.) At that point though, I so wanted to reach my goal, I don't think I would've cared if someone would've heard me! In all I walked/ran 4.41 miles in 60 minutes. YEA!

New goal: complete 3 mile run Monday am. Just me and Jesus!

I Can't Think of a Clever Title

Maybe I can't think of a clever title because I've been up since 4.50am. Or amybe it's because I've had to get the kids up by 6.40 and out the door by 7.40 the last week and a half? Or maybe it's just because I'm not very clever today? Whatever the reason, a cutsy title just evaded me today.

Three things for ya today:

1. Sam's doing GREAT! The only hang-up we've had thus far is, today he forgot to bring his lunch bag home:( NOt a big deal! YEA for no big deals!


2. Zach came to me last night holding his bloody mouth and upset (but not crying. Strange thinks the Mother). He then unfolded the terrible tale. He and Joey were up on his bed (top bunk) and Joe jokingly swung at Zach. Well, he made contact and inadvertantly 'helped' Zach pull his wiggly tooth! Needless to say, Zach wasn't upset for long.


3. Our house sold and we'll be moving on the first of March! Praise to God who blesses us inspite of ourselves. Isn't He GREAT?!?

My Zachy telling the tooth story to Grandma.

Why We Do What We Do

This post will be my attempt to answer questions that have arisen in regard to the schooling choices we've made for the children.

A) We pray, pray and pray some more. Ben and I know that each child is a gift from God. He's just loaning them to us so we better do what His will is for them. This, in part, includes corporate schooling.

B) Obeying God's will :) Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." We believe part of the reason the public schools are in such poor spiritual shape is becasue the light of Christ has been removed via lack of christian kids as well as lack of christian parental involvment. How would our schools look if all the christian kids and parents bombarded them? Quite a change, I think.

C) We feel that eliminating our children from the public arena will not prepare them for this life(that is, once a good, godly foundation is set). Leaning to deal with people, that break rules or hurt our feelings or don't believe as we do, is a part of life. Making huge mistakes is also a part of life. Better my child make a gigantic mistake while still under my roof and more protected. It's better than being sheltered while under my roof and leaving the nest to make big mistakes being more vulnurable and less aware.

D) This Momma was a stressed out one! I felt like I was doing more harm than good. Oh yea, and getting a job and saving will be a perk too!

F)This particular charter school offers elective classes I could never afford. Spanish and chinese languages; wind and band music lessons; drama classes and plays to go with. Oh yeah....no cost to us for the lessons. *HUGE SMILE*

So, we'll do what God's will is, however that may look. I encourage you to do the same, no matter how it looks.

With that said.....here's my Boy on his way out the door to school. I haven't accualy let the tears fall, but they're there, just waiting to spill.

Ben showed me how to rotate photos.....but I couldn't do it! Sorry!

Space Needle Picts

Oh, so windy!
Check out Sis' hair.
This wacko almost fell off the edge due to the windy conditions. :0)

Oposites

*spell checker still checked out*

This is what life is full of, right? Oposites. Growth and stagnantsy, life and death, home and errands, big and little, mature and imature. It hurts at times though, these oposites.


Sadness; My coffee caraf was broken a few weeks back. Joy; I was able to replace it two days ago!
Sadness; We're moving into a rental in a few weeks. Joy; NO DEBT!
Sadness; Samuel starts school this Monday and will be gone for 7.5 hours (8am-3.30pm) every school day. Esther will soon follow. I seriously start to get all teary when I just think on this. I'm going to miss them!Joy; No longer home schooling the two oldest and able to be what I enjoy best....being MOMMA! (can you tell I yelled that?)and not being what I do not enjoy....an elementry teacher. In all acctuality, I'll still be their teacher, just not their school teacher:) Oh yea, more Joy; praying more strongly for them knowing that they will be tested more often. Knowing that they will stand firm in the foundation already esstablished. Joy and sadness together; watching them grow. *sighing with a teary voice*
Joy; Organizing our files for taxes and anticipating our refund! (silly side note here....I love office supply stores. Just walking into one quickens my puls. Psycho, I already know!) Sadness; acctualy using my time to file:)


I know most of us in America have never experienced trial and tribulation like the early Church but this passage comforts me none the less.
James 1:2-5 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops persevernace. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given him."

P.S. Zach and Joe will finish Kindy at home and start the charter school this fall. Oh, and about the last post, I forgot to mention that I'D NEVER BEEN TO THE SPACE NEEDLE BEFORE! SUPER FUN!

How Long is Far?

*warning*spell*check*is*not*working*today*

Is far......half and hour?......ten miles?......three years?......from here to N.Y. city?

How about 60 stories high and six hours?

Now for the explaination. We've had the two older kids on a public charter schools waiting list since mid December. I called yesterday to see if our position had changed. "Yes" said the nice reseptionist "I'll probably get to you by Friday." YEA! This ment that Sam would go to school by Monday....THIS coming Monday.
Now, to today. Ben called in the am to see how our day was going (we'd already had a dry run to the school and were late by ten minutes). He asked where our errends would take us. I jokingly said "New York!" Then the idea came to me to go to Seattle and visit the Space Needle as a last hurah of home school. I will be more flexable when Sis and Sam go to school, but they won't be. He (Ben) loved the Seattle idea so we kidnaped my mom and were off!

As we were getting on I-205, I remembered I'd left my camera. Fortunatly my mom had hers. She's still got the picts. stuck in her camera ;) but I'll post them when they get unstuck :)

I got a little nervous on the ride up and first step off the elevator (it was a very windy day and the elevator was slightly rocking on the 84 second ride) but I did fine.
On the drive back we nearly got stuck in snow on I-5. The weather was terrible, aside form 5 patches of sunbursts. Thanks God for traveling mercies!

What's in a Name?

My full, legal name is Kathleen Cristin. I've loved my name for as long as I can remember. I've never wanted to change it or go by my middle name. I think it's because, as a very young child, I can remember my Mom telling me why she and Dad chose my name. It was the meaning of the name they loved; pure christian. I remember feeling good to have a name of good meaning (in my memory I was about 5 years).
And when Ben and I were choosing names for the kids, we looked at the meaning first, then how much we liked the roll of them off our tongue. We also chose names that could be shortened into a cute nick-name.
Now for the reason behind this post......to share our full names, nick-names and meanings! Yup, after you read this post, you'll be part of the family!

Ben: Benjamin Dean *the leader, son of my right hand *Ben, Daddy, Dad, Babe, Hon, Knight-in-shinning-armor, and as a child.......Benji (this is what his Mom will affectionately, on occasion, still call him).
Me: Kathleen Cristin *you already know the meaning! *Katy, Mom, Momma, Hon, Babe and my personal fav., only used by Ben....Beautiful.
Es: Esther Joy *God's pleasurable, glory hidden *Es, Essy, Sis, Sister, Sue, Suzie, Sister Sue or Sister Suzie. The whole Sue name thing just came out one day when she was about two.
Sam: Samuel Benjamin *The son of my right hand that God heard *Sam, Sammy, Brother, Brother Brown and Sambo. The latter one only Dad uses and Brother Brown came out around the same time as Sue.
Zach: Zachariah Aaron *The honored one God remembers *Zach & Zachy. Poor guy! Both the twins don't really have many nick-names:( He would have had even less because I didn't want anyone to call him Zachy. He started to call himself that around the age of 18mo. and it sounded so darn cute that everyone started calling him Zachy too.
Joe: Josiah Andrew *The courageous king of fire *Joey & Joe.

I'll call all the kids dude, bud, or buddy; yes even Sis!
Now it's your turn; what's your nick-name, given name or meaning?.....or God forbid maybe you don't have a nick-name! If that's the case I'm sure we could come up with something.......