Will they remember?

I often ask myself this question: ” What will Samuel, Sarah and Sophia remember about their childhood?” I just read something a friend of mine wrote – she said that she remembers her mom having a bubble bath ready for her after school one day. How sweet!! Just that simple thing she wrote caused me once more to evaluate what kind of memories I am making for my children.

Yesterday was a big cleaning day and I gave the kids jobs as Bob mowed the grass. My Sophie loves to clean and she really does a great job! So, I was putting clean sheets on our bed yesterday afternoon and Sophie came to help me. She had been complaining about her head hurting. So, I sat on the bed and told her to crawl up onto our bed. I covered her with a blanket and put her head in my lap and gave her a facial massage. She smiled up at me and said, “this feels so good, Mommy, don’t stop!” So, I continued with the massage and I watched as my little Sophie-Faith girl fell asleep to the sound of the lawn mower and the feel of a cool breeze. I snapped a picture as I tiptoed out of my bedroom, smiling.  ( You can see where I was massaging her temples.  : )  )

Will she remember? Will I remember?

I really, really desire to know what goes on in other families. My husband says I am nosy : ) but I tell him I am teachable. I ask a lot of questions – sometimes from total strangers – if I see something I like and admire about their family.  So, this is something we do in our family:  An If/Then Chart.  It has been such a great tool in our home.   I took a picture of it to show you.  ( I have always been one to have a chart of some kind in our home. )

This is the website that I ordered the chart from: Doorposts
On the left side is a behavior issue.  In the middle is a Scripture verse that goes directly with that issue.  On the right side is the consequence.  IF one of the children chooses to Disobey  THEN there is a consequence.  It has helped me so much to be consistent.   If I hear a grumbling word about something, I take the child to the chart, we read the verse together and then the consequence – additional work.    If they lie about something, they know exactly what the consequence is.   I am really pleased with how well this works with our children.

This past week I have been trying to get the kids to look for ways to be a help around the house without me having to ask them to do something.   I was thrilled yesterday to see Samuel at the sink washing up some dishes for me.   And then last night, I was helping Sophia with brushing her teeth and tucking her into bed and I asked Bob where Sarah was.  He said,  “She is hanging up the laundry for you.”  ( It has been kind of my lot in life not to have a dryer all the years we have been on the mission field.  I am not complaining – I am very much used to it.  )  I was impressed and pleased to see Sarah hanging up the wash!  She did such a great job … guess all these years and hundreds of times I have hung up clothes, she has been paying close attention.   She said to me, “Mommy, do you know why I am hanging up the clothes for you?  Because I want to make you happy with me, Mommy. “   What a sweet child of mine!   I love that the kids are so eager to please.  ( I now know what Sarah’s new helping chore is! : ) )

Can I include a recipe in this post??  ( I guess I can since it is my blog, huh?? )  We had an Estonian family over for dinner the other night and I made a marinaded grilled chicken, roasted Italian potatoes, garden salad and an apple pie.  I thought I would throw in the apple pie recipe if anyone out there would like to try it.  It has been our favorite for many, many years.

Vermont Apple Pie

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust deep dish pie
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 Macintosh apples – peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup sliced almonds (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 3 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large mixing bowl combine white sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add sliced almonds if desired. Mix thoroughly, then add apples. Toss until apples are well coated.
3. Turn apples into deep dish pie shell, sprinkle with almond extract if desired, and dot with butter or margarine. Cover with top crust, seal, and cut slits or decorative vents in pastry.
4. Place pie on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 55 minutes, or until filling bubbles and apples are tender. May need to cover edges of crust during last 20 minutes to prevent burning.

This is Siiri, a sweet Estonian woman.  We really enjoy having their family to our home.

Is 10:30 pm so I think I will settle in for the night with a good book.  We hardly ever get thunderstorms here but tonight we are having a wonderful storm.  It was the warmest day of summer here today – 85 degrees.   It is starting to get darker at night now … it has been interesting to have it light outside at 1 am and then light again at 4 am.   It has been such a nice summer here.        God bless!!!