The penultimate post (perhaps). At least for the Season.   

 

 

The big kids are coming home from college for the Summer in the next week or two. For the second weekend in a row, I’m going to have all 13 kids under one roof. My oldest flew home on the 19th and will be flying back on the 8th of May. Things won’t be the same without him

 

(again)

 

 

 

The cherry blossoms have come and gone and I suppose children are the same way    :)

 

 

       

Samantha Elisabeth

    

Siobhan Noel

 

Last Easter weekend we visited my siblings and my Mom (who is doing amazingly well. A heartfelt thank -you to all those who prayed for her) 

Now, that woman is a testimony to answered prayer. She’s been living on her own for quite some time now. The progress she’s made has stunned all those who had taken care of her all those many months. 

She’s an incredible woman, but more to the point, God is a gracious God.

 

For those who don’t know her story, my old blogs tell a small part of it. Here they are:

 

http://bakersdozen2.xanga.com/710850906/date-night–first-day-of-school–and-an-amazing-lady/

http://bakersdozen2.xanga.com/711383039/pour-vivre-/

 

The funny thing is, I didn’t intend to write about her tonight. It just struck me as I posted the last 2 pictures that we had just celebrated Easter weekend with a woman who had been so wonderfully restored to health. When I remember how debilitated she was and where she’s at right now….. no other word but *amazing* comes to mind. 

 

How could I have overlooked it until just now?

 

I don’t know

     

Benjamin Liam

 

 

 

 

Ian Christopher

 

But busy doesn’t begin to describe this past month. We’ve done soooo much and yet much of what we “needed” to do went undone. 

Much of what I needed to do that is has remained undone. That’s part of the reason I’m going to take a brief hiatus after my next post.  :)

 

On our field trip to UVA/ Monticello several weeks back

 

 

     

 

T.J. liked tulips

 

    

 

 

      

 Near Jefferson’s Wine Cellar. 

     

 

 

 

 

      

Erin’s Volleyball team

 

We came into town just as the Deb, Erin, Sarah & David were finishing up their classes. We picked them up and took them to dinner.

The next day we toured Monticello and then left later that evening. Shivy was particularly happy to see the “Big Kids” 

 

 At the echo wall on the South Lawn

 

One week later I picked my son up at Dulles at 1 O’clock in the morning and we headed back to UVA the next day for an interview with Professor Larry J Sabato the popular political guru. 

My son’s fiancee has him as a Prof. This was another “History” field trip.

Gotta love homeschooling….

Frankly it exhausts me but my students can get their teacher to go off on tangents “blah blah blah blah”.  :D

We were able to ask Dr. Sabato about the upcoming elections; Birthers and the field of candidates including Donald Trump (though technically he’s not a candidate yet) before he had to head off to an interview with Jim Leher. It was interesting and very informative.

 

That night we headed back home (2 hours away) and left the next day to spend Easter weekend with my family (4 hours away).

 

 

My family is always so gracious. Can you imagine hosting a family as huge as mine?

Not many people would do that even for family.

It was 15 people plus Whitney (my future DIL) for a 4 day weekend 

 

 

 My Mom; all of her grandchildren and one great grandchild! 

 

 

 

My nephew Matt Matt and his dog Seamus the Irish wolf hound

 

 

 

 

    

 

Progression of the   *Swing*   

 

 

“Please push me Daddy”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whoops!  Daddy pushes too hard sometimes.  

 

 

 

He did better the next time around.  

 

 

 

Now that warm weather and pretty colors are back, I’ve polished up my camera lenses.

I’m going to spend more time taking pictures & enjoying ALL the kids again!

 

 

 

We celebrate the Resurrection because it means victory.

 

1. It is victory over sin and death ~ perhaps the most obvious point but there is more..

 

2. It’s a victory for those who would fear death. Jesus went before us and conquered much like a father shows his frightened child there is nothing to fear from the dark. He walks beside us.

 

3. It is victory over the Evil One. Satan lost what little he had. “his head was crushed while Christ’s heel was merely bruised. Nevertheless, this was a battle fought and won on our behalf. The death of God was not needed to restore His own position of power…His standing as Sovereign King did not change. This was for His children. Earthly Kings use their subjects for personal gain. To restablish authority. This is not my Jesus.

 

My Jesus fought (and it was a fight) for us. He was already King.He had a kingdom. Satan was subordinate.

 

What kind of King fights for His subjects knowing that he himself will be the one to experience pain and death? 

 

My King does.

 

The most relevant victory speaks to the modern critc who has taken the leap from skeptic to proud mocker.

 

Christ has victory over those who would call Him (or His Father a “moral monster”. Christ did for us what we could never do for ourselves OR others. He endured the pain and humiliation in orderto ransom anaturally selfish and ungrateful people. 

Some of whom would refuse to acknowlege His sacrifice; point a wagging finger and say things about the Creator and Redeemer that really only applies to themselves….. to us ALL.

 

Christ fought and won the victory for US. 

 

What kind of king does that?

I thought I’d post this as we head into the Easter weekend. Lee Strobel makes a great case for the Historical validity of Christ’s resurrection. A fact that transcends the issue of inerrancy and cuts straight to the heart of historical accuracy. Textual critics have had a difficult time explaining this well attested event. Serious scholars discuss the “How’s” of the empty tomb not the “If’s” of the empty tomb. 

 

 

 

Happy Easter!  :)

 

 

On twitter.