Last Monday, almost all the family gathered for our annual mulch party at GiGi’s.
Christopher is our coordinator, and he manages obtaining the mulch, ordering the pizza, and figuring out a day people can come.
The evening felt pretty perfect, and the sunlight added the crowning touch to the blossoming spring colors.
Not only did we dispense mulch, but the little kids also picked up sweet gum tree balls, and others did odds and ends.
Love you, GiGi!
Love, Sarah
Some of the odds and ends projects
Lots of little kids running around
GiGi enjoying baby holding time and watching the progress
Betsy and Grandma
“These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.” Psalm 104: 27-28
As warm weather arrived, we once again planned Grandma’s Spring Picnic. With 10 grandchildren who can walk and are eligible to participate in the outing, I am grateful that the aunties want to help.
Danny was almost unstoppable with exploring.
Ellie came with Sarah, and Ellie’s always a highlight to the little ones.
This year our picnic was on a day public schools were out, which allowed us to have it at our local elementary school that has two wonderful playgrounds. We took Nathan’s van for his children, Christopher’s for his, and our Civic to pick up Calia and bring the food.
When we ran between the two playgrounds, I sent them off in age order to give the littles a head start.
We easily filled over an hour on the playgrounds before moving into lunch time. Each child brought his own drink bottle, and we supplied the rest of the picnic. Because it was a windy day, we did it without paper plates.
Our menu was: apple slices, cheese sticks, PB&jelly sandwiches, Pringles, and vanilla sandwich cookies.
After lunch, some went to the playground while I took the older 6, three at a time to learn hopscotch. We tried that last year and several remembered and were looking forward to it again. For our crew, the four year olds seemed to be the youngest that were able to throw the marker and hop one-legged.
We are already looking forward to next year’s picnic.
Blessings, Teri
“Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Spring had a slow start, but now it’s in full gear, with warm temperatures, abundant sunshine, and trees budding out.
This past month has been full with normal life and work, launching Mom’s book, time with family and friends, and opportunities to seek Jesus more fully.
For the anticipation part, we’re excited about Nathan and Melanie’s newest addition, now due in less than a month. When will Baby Maxwell vote to come? Any guesses?
Love, Sarah
An after-lunch-on-Sunday happy kiddo + aunts + uncle rousing game of tag. If you watch the progression of pictures in this post, you’ll see how much spring really blossomed.
Uncovering strawberries
Unloading books from the printer
We take the seats out of the van (Nathan and Melanie let us borrow theirs), and use a wooden platform Dad had built years ago. It turns an ordinary van into a cargo-type van!
Dinner with friends (and they love Ellie and wanted her to come)
Saturday work project: oiling garage doors and replacing a spring which broke the day after Dad’s heart procedure
The team
A gift for Lydia’s birthday!
One Sunday, Joshua hurt his nose while playing outside and ended up with a nosebleed. Anna’s quick thinking kept it at bay, and it wasn’t serious.
Shipping books out!
Abby made a treat for Anna who was studying hard for some tests.
Mom and Dad love to do projects together
Liddy (left) and Ruthie (right) helping Danny (middle) learn to ride his Strider
Some days just call for a cat nap (aka Pickles, Tina’s cat)
Did you know Ellie is really partial to fleece blankets?
Time to mow the yard!
Jesse playing with the kids one day–I believe this was ball tag of some kind.
Melanie’s Dad raises goats, and Nathan’s family brought this little one back. Her mom didn’t accept her, so they are bottlefeeding her. She acts more like a cuddly puppy than a goat!
This past week, we girls were able to take some time off work and enjoy a shopping trip out. And coffee.
Arnold likes to be where people are
At the Deanna Rose Farmstead
When temperatures reach 80, the shade is just the best place to be when you’re a dog with lots of fur.
Since we don’t have a fenced-in yard, sometimes I’ll run Ellie next door, and we’ll play with Christopher’s kids in his yard. Monkey in the middle is a favorite of Ruthanne’s.
Speaking of Ruthanne (and Lydia), they wanted to go on a run with the aunts. Ruthanne figured out a plan: they could ride their bikes while we ran. Great idea, and great company!
Enjoying company
Friends
Grandpa and Benji, his helper, putting away things after church
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
“He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words.” Luke 24:6-8
“Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” John 20:27
Whatever you may be struggling with in your life right now, remember Christ’s words to Thomas, a man who doubted. “Be not faithless, but believing.” We can trust God fully with our lives.
And with that trusting heart, we can proclaim, “Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul“ (from a hymn written by a man who had experienced deep tragedy and pain, Horatio Spafford).
I’m grateful for parents who want to grow old together. In a world that de-values marriage, it’s a joy to have parents who love each other and are committed. As Mom shares in her new book, My Delight, it’s not always been easy.
Only four months away from 45 years since they said “I Do,” my parents love to spend time together, and they are living boldly for Jesus! As an encouragement to our blog readers, know that your example is watched by your kids … and the world. Show them that your marriage is worth fighting for.
I love this quote from one of our pre-release readers of My Delight.
Many couples stay married only because they know they should and sadly settle for a marriage of strife or, at best, a ho-hum co-existence. Teri gives hope, from experience, that there is a better option – endeavor to build a delightful marriage. A wife can do much to create and maintain an enjoyable marriage, and this book gives both encouragement and ideas to realize that hope. Linda
“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18
Sometimes a treasure comes into our hands. We received a several page letter from a young mom about her experience with Sweet Journey along with her filled-in copy of the book plus a few pages from her notebook. She wanted us to use what she sent in any ways that might encourage others. You will see from her pages that she is not only a lover of Jesus but a thinker and artist.
Here is part of her letter:
I just wanted to take this opportunity to personally write and let you know how valuable your book Sweet Journey has been in getting me back on the bandwagon of daily prayer and Bible reading. I am 27 years old with four children.
Before, it was a chore to make time to open my Bible. It felt more productive to get the dishes done. Now I crave my Bible time. I am like Martha and Mary wrapped up in the same body! I now feel like I am better balancing my roles as mother, wife, daughter, and disciple. So nice!
I wanted you to know how valuable your study was in providing a focused, attainable path back to daily Bible-reading and prayer. I now have a journal half-filled with chapters and am working on memorization again. I have torn out a few pages of the completed “Homework” assignments so you can see them and know that they were effective in my own sweet journey. I have also sent you my copy of your book, complete and filled out, as a gift to you and your family to say “thank you” for choosing to minister to mothers everywhere! Please look through the book to see months of progress.
What joy the contents of that package brought to our hearts. It’s our great desire for each of you to have a sweet journey with Christ.
This book is a perfect compliment to My Delight. We’ve noticed some ordering the new book have also purchased Sweet Journey.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105
The Maxwell family and ministry blog of Titus2.com.
