Ok, folks, time for another update. I decided to post our monthly letter here for those of you who don't get it regularly.
Let's hear from all the departments this month.
Smucker's School Department--
The children are continuing to struggle through their winter's school work. Today when one of them announced that there are only 12 weeks left, everyone's spirits seem tolift a little. It is at this time every year that I think we are not goingto make it to the end of school. Every year about this time I'm ready tosend them all out the door, but I'm hoping in another month or so some ofthe subjects will be finished and dropped off so it will make a lighter loadfor all of us. There are many arguments (Smuckers say they are discussions)about history and science, since my boys love facts and history. Today the"discussion" was centered around whether the St. Lawrence Seaway is made up of only the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes and if it is manmade or not. Maybe you would like to join the discussion.
Smucker's kitchen Department--
This lady spends more time in the kitchen than she really likes. It seemswhen any one of the eight bodies enters this kitchen, food disappears into thin air. When I walk out the store door with more bags than I can handle alone, I can see people thinking I'm stocking up for the month when in reality I'm only getting fresh bread, eggs, milk, and a few things we need for the day. I could tell a difference in the amount I cooked when Les and Robin were inIreland and I was only cooking for our family. Even though I still had to cook, the amounts seemed a little more manageable.
Smucker's laundry and clean up crew--
The children would say this is what they do all the time when they aren'tdoing school. Well, I beg to say that is a little exaggerated, but I do getweary of all the wet clothes hanging all around our heaters and all over the downstairs in the cold winter weather wehn I can't hang the clothes outside. It is a full time job to keep our play room tidy and I think we all agree that it is the worst chore around here.
Smucker's music and art department--
The boys are enjoying their piano lessons this year with a voice teacher from the local music school. I do sometimes weary of the repetition, but I see improvement in their playing, so that's good. We have been singing together as a family some and the children enjoy that. Conrad has really picked up playing Les's guitar and he really enjoys it. Robin has a banjo and Austin has learned a little from Robin on this instrument as well.
And the children have made sand art, snowflakes, leaf wreaths, andalso learning some drawing skills in their weekly art with Corleen. This is a highlight of their week. Our hats are off to her!!!
Smucker's head department--
John spends a lot of time with daily school administration and mission stuff. It would drive me crazy, but he seems to thrive on it. We have been so blessed with the number of students we have had this year. It's amazing how God keeps bringing new people to sign up. The changeover is large which is normal for a small language school, especially with our emphasis on conversation. That makes a lot of paperwork each month which is one thing that keeps John busy. He spends time talking with students, trying to keep them happy, taking monthly payments from them, and trying to encourage the teachers in their work.
Smucker's events, weather, and other headlines--
John enjoyed many cards, emails, and phone calls for his birthday. Thanks to all of you who contributed. It is so fun to get mail during the drearywinter months. He had a great birthday although he had caught on what was going on before he received his first birthday wishes. :( Oh, well, it was still fun. I painted his office, put up a border, hung a tapestry and a clock, put some classy framed pictures of his family on his desk, and the for a finishing touch, a big plant in the corner. He never dreamed that I would go to that much work for his birthday and it was fun to see how pleased he was. He told me he might enjoy being in his office more now than being at home.
The weather this winter has been so mild. We have had almost more rain thansnow. Strange! But the nice part is that with no cold, cold, cold weatherour house is staying reasonably warm and that is something to rejoice about.I still remember last year when we totally blocked off one room in our houseand put all the heaters in that room, so we could enjoy one warm room and wespent a couple of evenings huddled around those heaters during the coldestof the cold weather. I remember one evening last winter we went to a localpizza restaurant, just to be in some warm place and lingered over our pizzaas long as we could. But this winter, PTL, we are warm!!! I don't miss theincredible cold. We've had some wind and rain storms through here but wehaven't had any damage thankfully.
We just finished two weeks of winter break. I didn't give the children vacation totally but I lightened their load so we could still have a bit of a break. John spent several days being sick which wasn't what he had in mind.
Prayer Requests:
--Jacek and Agnieszka, a couple that had made a commitment to the Lord, but after their marriage have not indicated any interest in spiritual things.
--Wanda seems to have hit the bottom and has nowhere to turn. Pray that she would be willing to give up everything including her ungodly boyfriend and return to God.
--Henryk and Irena, our neighbors, seem to think that we are their family, but are very closed spiritually. Pray that God would open their hearts.
--Wojtek and Agnieszka, Laura's friend, just recently told me that she didn't realize you could pray for anything except thanking God for her health and her family's health. She felt like she wasn't worthy of asking God for anything else.
--Once per month we have a Sunday evening service at Andrew's, a single man's house close to Warsaw. He invites his friends and family and it is always a good time together. Pray that God would speak to people through Andrew. Have a good month.
Let's hear from all the departments this month.
Smucker's School Department--
The children are continuing to struggle through their winter's school work. Today when one of them announced that there are only 12 weeks left, everyone's spirits seem tolift a little. It is at this time every year that I think we are not goingto make it to the end of school. Every year about this time I'm ready tosend them all out the door, but I'm hoping in another month or so some ofthe subjects will be finished and dropped off so it will make a lighter loadfor all of us. There are many arguments (Smuckers say they are discussions)about history and science, since my boys love facts and history. Today the"discussion" was centered around whether the St. Lawrence Seaway is made up of only the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes and if it is manmade or not. Maybe you would like to join the discussion.
Smucker's kitchen Department--
This lady spends more time in the kitchen than she really likes. It seemswhen any one of the eight bodies enters this kitchen, food disappears into thin air. When I walk out the store door with more bags than I can handle alone, I can see people thinking I'm stocking up for the month when in reality I'm only getting fresh bread, eggs, milk, and a few things we need for the day. I could tell a difference in the amount I cooked when Les and Robin were inIreland and I was only cooking for our family. Even though I still had to cook, the amounts seemed a little more manageable.
Smucker's laundry and clean up crew--
The children would say this is what they do all the time when they aren'tdoing school. Well, I beg to say that is a little exaggerated, but I do getweary of all the wet clothes hanging all around our heaters and all over the downstairs in the cold winter weather wehn I can't hang the clothes outside. It is a full time job to keep our play room tidy and I think we all agree that it is the worst chore around here.
Smucker's music and art department--
The boys are enjoying their piano lessons this year with a voice teacher from the local music school. I do sometimes weary of the repetition, but I see improvement in their playing, so that's good. We have been singing together as a family some and the children enjoy that. Conrad has really picked up playing Les's guitar and he really enjoys it. Robin has a banjo and Austin has learned a little from Robin on this instrument as well.
And the children have made sand art, snowflakes, leaf wreaths, andalso learning some drawing skills in their weekly art with Corleen. This is a highlight of their week. Our hats are off to her!!!
Smucker's head department--
John spends a lot of time with daily school administration and mission stuff. It would drive me crazy, but he seems to thrive on it. We have been so blessed with the number of students we have had this year. It's amazing how God keeps bringing new people to sign up. The changeover is large which is normal for a small language school, especially with our emphasis on conversation. That makes a lot of paperwork each month which is one thing that keeps John busy. He spends time talking with students, trying to keep them happy, taking monthly payments from them, and trying to encourage the teachers in their work.
Smucker's events, weather, and other headlines--
John enjoyed many cards, emails, and phone calls for his birthday. Thanks to all of you who contributed. It is so fun to get mail during the drearywinter months. He had a great birthday although he had caught on what was going on before he received his first birthday wishes. :( Oh, well, it was still fun. I painted his office, put up a border, hung a tapestry and a clock, put some classy framed pictures of his family on his desk, and the for a finishing touch, a big plant in the corner. He never dreamed that I would go to that much work for his birthday and it was fun to see how pleased he was. He told me he might enjoy being in his office more now than being at home.
The weather this winter has been so mild. We have had almost more rain thansnow. Strange! But the nice part is that with no cold, cold, cold weatherour house is staying reasonably warm and that is something to rejoice about.I still remember last year when we totally blocked off one room in our houseand put all the heaters in that room, so we could enjoy one warm room and wespent a couple of evenings huddled around those heaters during the coldestof the cold weather. I remember one evening last winter we went to a localpizza restaurant, just to be in some warm place and lingered over our pizzaas long as we could. But this winter, PTL, we are warm!!! I don't miss theincredible cold. We've had some wind and rain storms through here but wehaven't had any damage thankfully.
We just finished two weeks of winter break. I didn't give the children vacation totally but I lightened their load so we could still have a bit of a break. John spent several days being sick which wasn't what he had in mind.
Prayer Requests:
--Jacek and Agnieszka, a couple that had made a commitment to the Lord, but after their marriage have not indicated any interest in spiritual things.
--Wanda seems to have hit the bottom and has nowhere to turn. Pray that she would be willing to give up everything including her ungodly boyfriend and return to God.
--Henryk and Irena, our neighbors, seem to think that we are their family, but are very closed spiritually. Pray that God would open their hearts.
--Wojtek and Agnieszka, Laura's friend, just recently told me that she didn't realize you could pray for anything except thanking God for her health and her family's health. She felt like she wasn't worthy of asking God for anything else.
--Once per month we have a Sunday evening service at Andrew's, a single man's house close to Warsaw. He invites his friends and family and it is always a good time together. Pray that God would speak to people through Andrew. Have a good month.
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