Susan, Susan...my how your children grow....

Kelsey Anna on the last day of monastery camp, she is 13 1/2! She LOVES this camp and this was her 6th year I believe and her last. They announced that they would no longer be holding camp here at St. John the Forerunner monastery in Goldendale. There were lots of tears! She has a love and appreciation for the monastic life that is beautiful and her years at camp have grown her love of Orthodoxy deeply. She loves her faith and above all God! In fact her email address starts out with "iloveorthodoxy....."
She picked up her first book at 9 months old and hasn't put it down. Constantly reading she is growing faster than I care to admit. She recently devoured a series we found recommended in "Well-Trained Mind" which covered every old fashioned fairy tale imaginable, "Andrew Lang's Fairy Books". Well, now that I looked on wiki I don't think she's read them all. But close. As I walked out the door this morning I saw her with a stack of National Geographic.

Charissa just turned 11! wow! Vibrant and full of energy and I am desperately trying to learn and seek God's guidance on how to channel it in the right direction. You know the saying about red heads? It's true! Lord have mercy on me as I learn to guide this bundle of determination. She loves, loves, loves God's creation and loves to create just about anything herself. I need to stop being so selfish and find things for her to create!

Nicholas is 9 1/2 and within 5 months will be a double digit!
He is such a cuddly, handsome little man who desperately wants to be a man. He is growing so fast and I am trying to teach him the gentlemanly way of doing things.
Nicholas loves to cook! He will make breakfast of eggs and toast for everyone and his favorite lunch to make is fried tortillas with cheese. And boy are they good!

Last but not least in any way, shape or form, we have Joseph. My baby!
He will be 8 tomorrow and is so excited about his birthday!!! But at the same time he's discovered he's not so sure he wants to grow up and has crawled up into my lap with tears in his eyes to tell me he just wants to stay little. He was a gift from God in every way, if you know his story you know this to be true. I cannot wait to see what wonderful thing God has in mind for this very sensitive and loving little guy. He loves to love people and makes quick friends with everyone he meets!



Thank you, Lord, for these little angels you have given me. You have entrusted me with them. To teach and mold them in the way they should go. I pray for a renewed vigor to nurture and love them so that they may see You in me. Guide me and give me wisdom in all my interactions with them. Give sweetness to my words, pushing any harshness away so that their ears will only hear the love of You through me. Protect them as they grow independent and seek to be on their own more and more each growing year. Protect them and guide them where I cannot be or where I fail to be. Thank you for each of them and now be with me for even though You've given them to me, I cannot do a single thing without You.
Amen