And The Survey Says....

It's a boy!!! Andrew was born at 3:48 this morning, he and mom are doing great.

With the timing it might not be until Monday that we get to come home, but we are trying to get an early discharge.  We will be posting pictures after we get home.  Thank you everyone for your prayers.

Lee

Not That This is "Breaking News" Anymore at This Point...

  You know, considering that this is the third time we've done this. We are back on our way to the hospital. Will today be the day?! At this point I think your guess is as good as mine ;). But, I'm fairly certain, sort of, I think...

   No, seriously, we let them strip my membranes this morning because they weren't going to let me go past Monday without inducing. I've been pretty miserable all day (and boy did it hurt when she did it!!!), but at this point they are 3-4 minutes apart and OUCH!

   Just to recap, we're hoping to be home within 24 hours after the birth but Lee will post sooner than that if he gets a chance to run home.

   Hey Tanya, there's still a chance I'll make it by midnight ;)...

Any Day Now...

   I realized yesterday that we could end up with another October baby. In fact, while Bri was hoping he would be born (2+ weeks ago) on her birthday he could very well end up born on Tori's, the 2nd of October! How funny would that be?

   We went out yesterday and got prepared...again :). Our last big "before the baby shopping trip" store of supplies that we set in over a month ago has been nearly depleted. We even got a new coming home outfit, there is little chance he's going to fit into the outfit we had picked out months ago. The girls have all worn preemie size (for about a week) when they were born. I don't think that's going to happen this time...just a hunch.

   We go in tomorrow morning for another ultrasound and an appointment with the midwife. We're supposed to have made a decision about whether or not we want to try to speed this up as naturally as possible. Any prayers or advice would be greatly appreciated! Tomorrow would be a great day to be born, don't you think? Have the whole weekend ahead of you to kick back and relax ;)... Besides the biblical meaning of the number 29 is supposed to be "departure", very fitting date for leaving the only home you've ever known ;).

Yep

   The Ticker says two weeks over, and we're still waiting.
I may have to go walk...and walk...and walk...and...you get the picture :).

These were Lee's words of wisdom the other night during our devotions (borrowed from the wisest man to ever live) for our obstinate son ;)...

   "My son...Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ....the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught...Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it--when you have it with you." ~Proverbs 3:1,5,6 & 26-28 You know, as in, what has your mother ever done to you to make you tease her like this?

   All in good fun, of course ;).

Just Another "Muffin Morning Monday", Sort Of

   A couple of years ago we started having muffins every Monday morning. When morning sickness set in this pregnancy Bri took over making the muffins and for the most part it has been a fairly smooth process. Well, poor Bri has had a bad day today ;). Here are just a few of the sounds I heard this morning:

Crack, splat..."Ewww".
That was when the egg rolled off the counter and onto the floor.

"Yuck, I've got milk running down my arm.".

Clatter, clatter, "No worries mom! It was just a lid!!!".

"AAAWWW!!! Oh! I caught it before it dripped all over the oven! That's going to be one funny looking muffin...".

...and I am confident that a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser will get up the blueberry juice stains that are all over the counters. Those things really do work. I highly recommend having one, or a box, on hand for days such as these :).

Mmmm...

   Lee took me out for Mexican food tonight, you know, spicy food. Apparently I'm not the only one who is having a hard time being patient ;). In all seriousness, we're hitting a really sticky time for this baby to be born. Lee's Christmas season (ya, we can't believe it either) has already started and his one other full-time person is on vacation. This could mean some creative maneuvering schedule wise...

   The couple who lives next door to us came home from a week long vacation yesterday and, assuming we had to have had the baby by now, when they saw Lee out in the yard she pointed out that he had forgotten to put out the "blue ribbon" (baby announcement) in the yard. He told her that we haven't had the need to yet and her jaw dropped. Poor Lee has had customers come in right and left telling him congratulations on the new baby :)...

   It's getting kind of funny...

   Oh, and you should have heard the "veries" in the girls prayers tonight. If I didn't know how heartfelt they were it would almost seem sacrilegious :).

Still Waiting...

   I thought I might want to post something so that my sluggish posts don't lead anyone to think I'm just really busy with something important or something. I'm becoming convinced that I'm going to make it to that two week mark, that will be an experience...and great material for a guilt trip in his later years, don't you think ;)? Just kidding...

   Last night part of Bri's prayer was, "And please let Andrew be born very, very, very...(you get the picture) soon!". After Bri was done Tori says, "Well, not THAT soon!", to which I replied with a reminder that "soon" in "God" time could be thousands of years. Bri's reply: "Oy, I should have put a few more "veries" in there...". :).

   Lee has taken the girls outside to give me a little quiet time so I'm going to go read a few blogs, have some ice cream, and then go rest for awhile.

My current motto:

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

~Psalm 27:14

Our Newest Reader

Yeah, she did it!

Tori completed the entire 193 page Dick and Jane chapter book.

Way to go, Tori :)!

"Are You Through Drew?"

...was my hubby's greeting the other night to our yet-to-arrive Andrew. Kind of catchy, don't you think? Hopefully we won't have to be asking that question for much longer!

We have come up with many theories on what is keeping him:

Theory #1: All of our girls are definitely daddy's girls, maybe I've finally got "mine". I certainly feel like he's attached at the hip already ;)!

Theory #2: He is his father's son, a theory my husband outlined in this post a few days ago.

 Theory #3: He is a boy and I have been indulging my every craving, I mean, his every need of protein (namely hamburgers and ice cream...). Perhaps I need to switch to straight fruits and vegetables... ;).

Theory #4: He is a Shaffer (A variation of "he is his father's son"). Don't tell a Shaffer they can't accomplish something unless you want it accomplished...like the time Bri, our oldest was about a year old (that's over eight years ago!) and Lee and I sat on the couch watching her contemplate climbing into her dolls basket. Lee told her she wouldn't fit, after five minutes and a lot of maneuvering:

 

So, if this theory is correct, my mistake was saying about three weeks ago, "Surely he can't wait much longer!", and he is now saying, "I'll show you!!!" ;).

Or, most likely...

Theory #5: It's just not his time to be born yet.

My Consolation Prize...

...for making it to my 41st week...Baby in 3D. If I can't hold him then at least I get to admire his chubby little cheeks :). Aren't they cute?!!!

   I have another appointment next Friday, if I make it that long. (Oh, PLEASE be born before next Friday little one!) At that point we will probably be considering whether I should try having the membranes stripped or something. For now we're still waiting!!!

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ~Psalm 139:14

Just Overheard:

Bri (9): "Tori you're a stinker"...said affectionately, of course ;). I'm not exactly sure what started this conversation)!

Tori (4): "No I'm not!"

Bri: "Then why do you kick me every night?"
...They are currently sharing a bed so that Bri's stays nice and fresh for Cheryl when she comes to stay with the girls when (if?!) this baby ever decides to come...

Tori: "I guess I've got clausterphobic..."

Maybe I Should Rename This "The Baby Blog"

   I promise I will get over my obsession with Baby. Just let me get past this birthing thing (eventually), hold him at least once, and celebrate his eighteenth birthday ;). Then I can get back to normal...

Just Call Me "The Woman Who Cried Labor"

   My life is beginning to look a lot like a bad sitcom...grrr. I'm kind of starting to lose confidence in my ability to read my own signals, imagine that?! My first was eight days late and we never went to the hospital for false labor. Not with my second either. And we didn't even have any "false runs" with Bethani who also had me in labor off and on for weeks. Though I often asked myself "Is this it?", I was always able to answer myself eventually. When contractions were five minutes apart for over two hours last night, and eventually got down to 3 minutes, getting stronger and stronger I kept seeing myself giving birth on the interstate if we didn't go soon. The midwives keep telling me I'm probably going to go quickly once it finally starts accomplishing something. We did the whole drag-poor-Cheryl-out-of-bed-pack-up-the-car-check-into-the-hospital routine, again. Then they started spreading apart to ten minutes, back down to eight, and then...whatever. After several hours the midwife told me that I wasn't progressing (one centimeter in five hours) so I should probably go home, rest, and hope it picks up and becomes more regular and progressive. So, that's what we've done, it could take hours, it could take days. I have to say that I'm not completely disappointed that, with the assistance of a heating pad/massage mat I got an opportunity to sleep a bit but I'm getting really nervous about them completely stopping again. I just keep reminding myself that had he been born a week ago he would already be a week old and I would never have that week again, at this point I still have that part to look forward to. If we can just get through this part :).

   I like Lee's take on the situation in his post below, Baby's STUBBORN, just like his daddy ;). That's O.K., I love his daddy just the way he is :). At least Lee didn't have to work again today ;)...

He is His Father's Son...

STUBBORN! Who me? Yes me, and apparently my son too. We are back home, labor seems to have slowed down, but not stopped.  Shelby is trying to get some much needed rest right now and I am cooking lunch for the girls. We are praying that labor does not completely stop again, Shelby is getting very frustrated. 

We appreciate everyone's prayers and we will update this again as soon as we know something more.

Still ANOTHER Birthday!!!

And YES!!! this is the one we have been on pins and needles about! I just called the midwife and we're leaving in just a minute. If hubby gets a chance he'll post as soon as possible. If not, we're hoping to be home within 24 hours of the birth so stay posted...Yeah!

O.K., I Get the Message

Note: You must be up on recent past posts to really get this one...though a close glance at my ticker will probably give you a really good idea of where I'm coming from ;).  

   God spoke to me last night. No, there was no lightening and no audible voice came down from heaven, but it was loud and clear just the same. 

   We read a chapter out of the bible to the girls every night at bedtime and last night we were all sitting on the couch while I "just happened" to be reading something to Tori out of her bible before we read our nightly chapter, and I "just happened" to glance at the opposite page as I read, where my eyes "just happened" to fall on this one particular verse, Isaiah 66:9, "Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?" says the Lord.". 

   O.K., I get it now. I will not be pregnant forever, no matter how I feel at this present moment.

   :)

A Silver Lining

I can't believe I made it to my 40 week appointment with the midwife...

Baby was very active with a great heartbeat and growth rate...yep, he's getting bigger everyday... If he's not born by next Wednesday (surely he will be!) we will be going in for an ultrasound, just to make sure that everything is still in good condition and there is no reason to induce. As hard as it is to wait I really don't want to have to induce...been there, done that, it was awful! So, if I'm not smelling his sweet baby smell and holding him in my arms then at least we will get to see him, you know, sort of.

If you give a baby a cookie...

...she may need a bath to go with it ;).

 I think she liked it :).

To Every Thing There is a Season

and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born... ~Ecclesiastes 3:1&2

...that's a promise, right?!

I'm still here. I'm still on pins and needles, and I'm starting to feel really sorry for poor Lee who was up half of the night because we thought it was "time"...again :). Contractions slowed down (and then all but stopped) and he had to go into work while I get to nap...

Note to hubby: "I really do love you sweetie ;)!!!

Another Birthday :)

   This time of year is referred to as The Birthday Season in the Shaffer house. With Lee and I in August, Tori in early October and Bri sandwiched in the middle there, we spend about six weeks celebrating and recovering from the celebrations ;). This year has only been all the more exciting with the impending "mystery birthday" of baby #4 yet to be revealed. Bri says he has until midnight...

   Bri, our oldest, turns nine today. Wow, where has the time gone?! One more year to double digits!!!

Bri-1 day old

   Silly as it may sound, the thought that went through my head when I first held her was, "I'm going to have to teach her how to read!". It was a scary thought at the time but I'm happy to report she is now a proficient reader and has even been enjoying passing down that knowledge to Tori :).

   She loves chinese and mexican food, purple (the color), horses, writing (stories and letters), and her dolls (both the" live" ones (her sisters) and the less animate ones ;)).

   I'm often amazed at her insight and skill in many areas. I am so impressed at how quickly she picked up on knitting and the projects she has created with it out of her own head. She's already a better artist in many respects than I'll ever be, and it has been fun to watch her stories and letters "grow up" over the last couple of years. She can make a Maple Twist Coffee Cake all by herself and she's almost got cinnamon rolls down. She is such a help around the house and with her sisters. It makes me feel so good to see her helping out just because she wants to or because she notices a need, like when she sits down to play or read to her sisters to help "keep them quiet" because she's noticed "mom doesn't feel very good" :). I've loved sharing the Anne of Green Gables and the Little House books with her as well as the more serious The Hiding Place and it's sequel Tramp For the Lord. I love that her reaction to this new baby (well, after the initial jumping up and down) was to snuggle a nine-month-old Bethi and say, "Babies are such a delight, and we're getting another one!". When I saw the "Mom's Sidekick" T-Shirt at the store that she's wearing in the picture below I just couldn't resist, that is exactly what she is!!!

                  Bri-nine years later!                  

Sidekick: 1.A close friend. 2.An assistant. 3.My Bri :).

   Most importantly I have no greater joy than to see her walking in the truth (3 John 1:4). The verse that best fits as our family motto is 2 Corinthians 10:5, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ". Bri has brought some thoughts into captivity that would never have crossed my mind! A while ago, after hearing the children's bible song "Who Built the Ark?", Bri came to me and said, "They are wrong! The bees didn't come swarming from the hive! There only would have been two of them because bees are too little to sacrifice and two bees can't swarm.". Sacrificing bees, isn't that a picture :). Just this week she sat down with Bethani and her bible and tried to explain to Bethani why she needs to stop, ummm, biting. Yes, we have finally gotten a biter, she's only accomplished her goal once though, poor Tori, and she hasn't tried it yet since. Anyway, it was sooo cute (Bri trying to reason biblically with a one year old, not the biting...)! The other day Lee assigned her to read Proverbs and pick out a verse for them to discuss and her insight into the verse that she shared at the supper table astounded me for her age! Not to mention the example in this recent post.

   I feel nothing but grateful that God allowed me to be her mother :).

Happy Birthday Bri!!!

We love you!!! 

Every Night is a Father/Daughter Dance

   Well, not every night, but the more pregnant I get the harder it is for both Bethani and I to get comfortable. So, more often than not Lee will take her and every time she will point to the CD player which is his cue to put in "their" song (Take Me In by Kutlass, yes, it puts her to sleep). She's usually asleep before the song is over. So cute :). I've tried it but it just doesn't work the same for me, could it be her precarious perch over my abdomen ;)?

  

O.K.

   The above ticker was fun for awhile but at this point it is just becoming annoying, it has never seemed to move as slow as it has this last week. Not that the moment it "ticks" over to 40 weeks means I'm done or anything, in fact it doesn't really mean anything at all, so what am I waiting for, right :)? If I go for one more day it will be the longest I've gone in a pregnancy since Bri (who was 8 days late and induced...). Tori was 8 days early and Bethi was 4 days early. I know, I know...they all come in God's "fullness of time", apparently I need some practice in patience :).

   Anyway, a couple of weeks ago we went out to Macaroni Grill with Lee's employees and they presented us with a baby gift, a blanket they had had made especially for the baby. Before you see the picture I have to give you a little background...A couple of months ago Lee's store got a whole new computer system and Lee's store employees are mostly of the "older lady" age group and the two who aren't are also not of the computer savvy types themselves so this has been a big headache for them all, one poor lady is just now catching on to the simple practice of how to clock in :). Luckily Lee is very computer proficient, many times he has called the help desk about an issue and then figured it out himself before they have been able to come up with a solution. When it was looking like we were going to be leaving they were all panicking about who was going to handle computer issues :). Things have settled down somewhat at this point. Everyone is catching on and most of the problems currently seem to be directly related to a poor choice in the program rather than human error. Here is the blanket they had made for our little man:

Isn't it cute? And it is really cushy too, just right for a floor blanket.

Now, look really closely at the material they chose for the backing ;)...

So funny...

Labor Day"s" Weekend...

   ~Or~

   What I wish my midwife had told me before I went crazy :).

   We spent labor day in labor, and then it quit!!! Who knew that just because your (painful!) contractions are timeable, it is no indication that there is a baby at the end of all of that work...

   It actually started Saturday evening when I woke up from a nap with contractions three minutes apart...that can wake you up really fast! Well, after about an hour they were ten minutes apart so I figured it wasn't the "real" thing. The next day I had contractions every ten minutes or less seemingly all day long, but they weren't really strong. Monday morning I woke up at five in the morning with contractions (maybe I should just stop trying to sleep?) every 7 minutes, then 6 minutes, getting stronger and stronger. My back hurt sooo bad, I just knew that this was it. We called Lee's store and told them he wouldn't be in (they proceeded to call everyone with "We're having a baby!!!". Lee said this has become the stores baby as opposed to ours ;). We called Cheryl to come be with the girls. Poor lady, she gets into town and runs into a detour! She gets up to the traffic cop and tells him she has got to get here so we can leave for the hospital, he gave her his map and tried to explain where to go. She proceeds on her way only to run into another detour, with no traffic cop...luckily Lee was able to guide here over her cell phone pretty well. The girls were thrilled to have her here and Lee was available to "baby"  me in my misery. And then, they...slowly...petered...out... grrr! By this time I was exhausted! I hadn't had any real sleep since Saturday because the contractions were constant, even when they weren't timeable. We went walking at the duck pond for awhile and the contractions started back up and quickly went from every five minutes to every three but they just didn't hurt. I "knew" it wasn't labor, but I didn't know, if you know what I mean... Lee finally convinced me to go to the hospital if only to find out what was going on. I told them when they were hooking me up to the sensors that I wasn't going to be surprised when they sent me home, I just wanted to know something! Well, big surprise, I wasn't in labor. In fact, I only had one contraction strong enough to even register on the computer the whole time we were there! Apparently the more children you have the more likely you are to have "false starts". It was sooo nice to know that I wasn't crazy and feeling contractions that weren't even there! On the other hand, all of that work and nothing?! Of course, she did tell us the comforting (?) story of one of the other midwives who works in the hospital who had contractions 3-5 minutes apart for the last week of her pregnancy that weren't "doing anything" and then when "real" labor started it went so fast that she couldn't get to the hospital in time...that's all well and good when you're a midwife, I'm not! Then she gave me something to help me get some sleep. I really don't like taking medication, I haven't taken so much as a Tylenol more than a handful of times in over two years, but I was really emotionally unstable at this point from the stress of timing contractions for three days straight and getting virtually no sleep as well! After about eleven hours of sleep (!) I woke up the next morning feeling sooo much better! I'm so glad that Lee convinced me to go, who knows what a kind of a basket case I could have become by now without that recharge and reassurance :)? We had our appointment yesterday and Terre said that of the four women she saw in the hospital on Monday, every single one of them had been into her office, still very pregnant, Wednesday morning. Glad I wasn't the only one...

   So, we're still waiting and I feel like more of a ticking time bomb than ever. But, I feel much better and I'm not even timing contractions anymore, I'm just trusting God that when it's time I'll know it. What release! Now, why didn't I think of that before?!

   The girls were so disappointed when we came back home on Monday. Bri just knew it was time because she had just gotten done with this blanket she's been knitting for the baby to come home in, won't this be a neat keepsake for Baby? She worked on it so diligently this last week to make sure that it was done in time, I think it's adorable!

  

   We stopped at Babies "R" Us yesterday for a little motivational boost, to get my mind off of the process and back on the baby we'll have at the end, eventually :). Just what I needed! And I finally found a pair of "normal" blue jeans in 0-3 month size! Who knew how hard it was going to be to dress a boy?! Most of the jeans we have found have had that faded, ragged, or "pocket overkill" look.

   Six more days until the due date! Bri is still holding out for the 12th, she wants a birthday buddy :).

Update #4: Praise Report?!

   Well, Lee has learned that he isn't exactly going to get a new DM, he is going to be realigned and put under another current DM. Lee talked to him today on the phone and he'll be meeting him in person soon. So, yeah! that is taken care of. 

  

  

It's a Wrap!

   To tie up my home series I thought I would post a few pictures from outside our home that Lee has taken that will give you an, albeit vague, idea of our home from the outside. I'm just not brave enough to post pictures of the girls room right now, you understand ;). We're in the process of redecorating in there right now anyway, I'm leaning toward a Victorian flowery look....right now it is decorated in 4 and 8 year old ;). My room isn't quite done yet when it comes to decor and at the moment it is also doubling as a nursery and tripling (?) as a workshop :). Lee is working on a really big surprise for the girls for Christmas. I would give you details but my eight year old reads my blog over my shoulder...keeps me honest ;)...So, this is it for now! I hope you enjoyed the little peak into our home...

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

-Genesis 2:15

Room #6: The Living Room

   The flowers appear on the earth...

-Song of Solomon 2:12

   This is my favorite room in the house, along with the kitchen. Good thing too! Bri and Tori both learned how to read on the couch in here, a time consuming task, you know ;). The living room is where Bethani learned to walk, it's the only really "open" room we have. It's where Lee and I have our nightly "dates" playing board games, watching a movie, just talking, etc. We do a good deal of our schoolwork in here and at night time we all pile on the couch and read together for awhile. We have just started the Anne of Green Gables series again, now that Tori is old enough to enjoy them. We also do a lot of our hummingbird watching from here :). Bri tried to keep a log of her hummingbird sightings but when she was writing something down every two minutes she got a bit burnt out with that pastime ;). Here is one of our little friends that Lee was able to "immortalize" from our living room window:

   The living room is decorated with a pansy theme. I love pansies, they always seem so happy. These pictures were ones that Lee took of pansies he grew for me. Anyone noticing a theme here? Lee is very creative and he has me quite spoiled :).

    Ahhh, bookshelves...We have more in the hall, the girls all have some in their room and we have books in our room as well. Yes, we love to read! I also love meaningful knick-knacks. The picture was a Christmas present from Lee last year.

The above and below pictures are close-ups of part of my willow tree collection. Lee has given me a willow tree figurine to represent my relationship with each of the children and our relationship with each other, that one is standing next to the unity candle that we used at our vow renewal ceremony a couple of years ago.

  

   This is my favorite wall in our home. It usually has a big blue pack-n-play, turned baby gate, sitting in front of it which kind of ruins the feel a bit, so I decided to move it for the picture ;). It was returned promptly, it is no fun trying to clean up soot tracked all over the floor...ask me how I know...

   The family picture is pretty outdated :). We'll be redoing that soon...

   The following picture is very special to me. That is Tori as a tiny tiny baby :). In the hospital room where Bri was born there was the sweetest picture of a baby in a quilt. I loved it and lamented the fact that we hadn't taken a good picture of it for Bri's baby book at least. Oddly enough, when Tori was born in Iowa, hundreds of miles away from Bri's birth state of South Carolina, that very picture was also hanging in the lobby of that maternity ward! Lee took pictures of the picture and when he couldn't find a copy he borrowed a few quilts from a friend and recreated it for me with Tori as the subject. Isn't he sweet ?!

   Lastly, as for that couch, it is currently being put to very good use ;).

Room #5: THE Room

     You know, the dining room/office/schoolroom :).

   We spend the greatest majority of our day here and in the living room.

   Here is our dining room area: 

  

   Below is our office area, where I pay bills, write emails, blog, type up my family novels newsletters, occasionally write letters (though most of them are written at the coffee table in the living room), etc..

      This is the least lovely spot in the house. I had to force myself to post this picture but it just seemed vain to "only" post the "pretty" pictures :). Anyway, this is where we keep all of our schoolbooks, a lot of our craft supplies (most of them are in the cabinet in the hall), and other "stuff".

   We don't say the pledge of allegiance every morning, but we do recite the Christian and the American pledge periodically so the girls will know them. The picture between the flags was a Christmas gift for the girls from a neighbor couple. It has a bible verse for each letter of the alphabet, I thought it was neat. The other one is our "official" certificate that our homeschool association sends us annually. Tori practically taught herself how to read with the alphabet poster I think :)! The girls have a lot of fun with the sign language alphabet poster and looking up their pen pals on the map.

  You'll never guess where I got the idea for our chalkboard set up...Barney, you know, the show starring that big purple dinosaur ;). Seriously! It was years ago when Bri was about Bethani's age I think...the only good thing we ever got from that lovely show...haha :). Anyway, I love it (The chalkboard set up, not the show ;)). We had to look pretty hard for just the right curtain and Lee painted little apples around the frame of the chalkboard (you can barely see them along the bottom in this picture...). The chalk lives elsewhere for now because Bethani couldn't seem to figure out where the chalkboard ended and the wall began...

     This was another of Lee's creations for me, maybe later he can "recreate" this picture for me so you can actually see them ;). Our school is registered as ALL Academy, which stand for "A Lesson Learned". He painted these apple plaques with each word of our school's "name" on a different one in celebration of Bri's start in Kindergarten. 

"And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children." -Isaiah 54:13