Infant Swimming Resource

While doing some 'catch-up' reading the other day, I went to the blog of a friend who lives in Colorado. Since their climate doesn't lend itself often to swimming pools, she had an entry about Infant Swimming Resource but she didn't elaborate much about their services.

However, I live in Phoenix where close to 50% of homes have a pool or some kind of backyard water feature. In the summer, rarely a day goes by where there isn't a news report of a child drowning somewhere in the valley. The frequency of drownings is incredibly heart wrenching and this summer our own Pastor attended a funeral for a friend who's toddler drown.

The video link above is amazing. To see a baby fall in a pool and not panic was incredible to watch. He remained calm, so much so that I noticed the water in the pool became almost still. He called for his daddy, but stopped himself from crying when he started to get water on his face. Children are born with the intelligence they will have as adults, and they can learn the techniques necessary to prevent them from drowning if they are taught.

The service is expensive, but how can you possibly compare it to the cost of losing a child, especially now that you know they can be safe around water by taking this course.

Shine

I woke up to another day
Another day to celebrate
Your beauty and Your mystery, it’s more than any eye can see
I’m not the man I was before
With You, my life is so much more
Break the chains and open doors to a world I can't ignore

Chorus
Lord let me shine, shine like the moon
A reflection of You in all that I do
Lord let me be a light for Your truth
Light of the world, I wanna be used
To shine for You

As simple as a passing smile
Or listening a little while
To someone that's convinced that they are in this all alone
Here's my chance to share the news
To introduce the good that's You
Here You go again, You never cease to blow my mind

Chorus

You're the love that we all need
You lift us up to our feet
You hold the key to eternity
The King of Kings alive in me

Chorus
Lord let me shine, shine like the moon
A reflection of You in all that I do
Lord let me be a light for Your truth
Light of the world, I wanna be used
To shine for You

Shine by Salvador

Here We Go Again

Tomorrow we will start our third week of school. That's right... AZ schools all start early August. I think that's crazy since we have another month of summer. This week it will be 110 again, Ugh! Even though it's a broiler here, the kids are loving school.

K is going to Montessori at Anthem this year and she is doing very well. She's an artistic right-brain thinker and she should do great with the open structure of the Montessori method. N is going to preschool three days/week but asks every day if he can go to school! He is such a neat kid... a total bundle of energy. I think that has a lot to do with just being a boy, I love it. J is too old for her age. On the first day of school she went and got a lunch box from the pantry and said, "I'm going to school". I really want to savor every moment with her, it's going by too fast for mommy!

Here's a pic from the first day of school. Next year there will be three kids in the picture, sniff!

Complete

A great song from Andy Chrisman's album One, I highly recommend it!

Don't be disturbed if I'm not melancholy all the time
Don't be surprised to find a smile upon my face a mile wide
And don't be alarmed if it's so hard for me to stand still right now
But there's something going on right here
Even as I sing this song

There's a joy I know dancing in my soul
And it comes from being with You
It's unbelievable how my heart is full
And it comes from knowing the truth
That I am complete in You

Don't be afraid to jump right in and help me sing this song
Don't be surprised to find a smile upon your face a mile wide
And don't be embarrassed if it's hard for you to stand still right now
'Cause there's something going on right here
Even as I sing this song

There's a joy I know dancing in my soul
And it comes from being with You
It's unbelievable how my heart is full
And it comes from knowing the truth
That I am complete in You

Money won't complete me
Fame won't complete me
I am complete in You
A big house won't complete me
A nice car won't complete me
I am complete in You
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no I won't do it
Nah, nah, nah, I still won't do it
I am complete in You
Well all these things yeah, they're nice things
But I am complete in You

Yeah I am complete in You
Yeah I am complete in You
Yeah I am complete in You

Complete Andy Chrisman

Summer in Anthem

So... summer in Anthem is in full swing and we're having a ball! For those who are interested, here's what our schedule has been like up to now:

Monday- Errands
Tuesday- Library
Wednesday- Arts & Crafts
Thursday- Waterpark!
Friday- Homeschool

We've been sticking pretty close to this schedule up to now. With Dan's departure to Sudan this Saturday, the kids and I will put the Summer Schedule on hold and spend some much needed time in Prescott with my parents. The weather up in the Arizona mountains is at least 15 degrees cooler than the Valley of the Sun so the kids will get to play outside for a change. We are truly blessed to be this close to my family and we take advantage of it as much as possible!

Please pray for Dan and Marcus while they are in Sudan for two weeks:
For hearts to be prepared for the message of Christ
For physical safety in the coming and going of travel
For logistics with baggage, equipment and supplies while in Sudan and Kenya
For physical health including restful sleep in their tents at night

Sam has updated the Impact Africa site with much more information about the vision of their mission to Sudan and the long-range goal to claim Africa for Christ.

Thank you for your continued prayers for our families while we pursue the lost for our Lord Jesus Christ, one step at a time.

Birthday Catch-up

I should have posted this a long time ago, but I really haven't had the time before now to go through my iPhoto library to pick the cutest photo from "the Dude's" birthday. This is from the actual birthday day, Dan has all the pics from the family party and I haven't looked at them yet.

This boy is such a doll, I can't describe the feeling I get deep down for this adorable little guy. He has been such a blessing to our family and my heart feels like it will just burst when he says "Mommy, can you hold me?"

Um, yeah!

Craft Day!

We are having a great summer. Craft day is always a big hit with the kids, although some have more patience to finish a project than others.

More summer pics coming soon!

Long Time, No Blog

Until now I didn't have anything to write that I wanted everyone in the world to read... until I tried Coppertone Continuous Spray sunscreen. It is amazing. The Shewmakers were boating with the Parker boys on Bartlett Lake in Tonto National Forest for 6 hours last Saturday and no one got even slightly pink. That's not a big deal for my kids that have Dan's ability to tan with ease. I, however, am Scotch-Irish and do NOT tan. I sprayed this sunscreen on when I arrived on the boat and didn't reapply it for 4 hours. When we got home that afternoon, I didn't even have a hint of a sunburn.

Now the bad news. It was expensive (the cheapest I have found it was $8, which is what I paid at Walmart) and the can won't last nearly as long as the lotion sunscreen you have to rub in. Also, you shouldn't spray it on your face as the alcohol in the spray that causes it to dry quickly can burn eyes. On our faces I used Coppertone Water Babies lotion SPF 50 for the kids and Hawaiian Tropic Oil Free Faces SPF 30 for myself. Those were my only "downs" to the spray sunscreen and they are heavily outweighed by the easy spray application (especially on the kids), it dries almost immediately, and best of all no one got sunburned!

So, hopefully there's some useful summer shopping advise on sunscreen from a mom who found one that is really convenient and really works.

Really.



Kate and Daddy in the water, thanks again Jeff!

Shewmaker Reunion

Last weekend, the Sam Shewmaker family had a short reunion before Sam and Nancy return to the mission field in Africa this September. We were blessed to have Jon and Gayle come to AZ from AR to have all the children and grandchildren together, the first time since Christmas 2005! We had a wonderful time of fellowship, food, laughter, food, playing, food, and prayer. I love each member of this family more than I can adequately express in words. If you ever have the chance to get to know any of them, you will be equally tied to them, I just get to be related!

For a family photo to commemorate the occasion, we drove to Sedona on Saturday. This picture was taken south of Sedona, as on the north side of Oak Creek we received rain and snow, which are not conducive to taking photos with small children. We did have a great time, just not much hiking around in the weather.

May the LORD continue to bless the Shewmaker and Roberts families as we follow Him in complete obedience. Although far in distance, we are ever close in heart.

The Wisdom of Children

Several states have adopted laws enforcing "hands free" phone technology for drivers with the intent that it will make cell phone use while driving a car less hazardous. My own children have shown me how absurd this is. Let me give you an example of what happens in my house when I take a phone call. And mind you, I'm not driving a car. I'm just making lunch.

(phone rings)

Hello. Oh, Hi mom! Kids, Grandma is on the phone, could you please stop doing the Tarzan yell for just a minuet? Sorry about that, mom...

What was that, mom? I apologize, but I couldn't hear you over the crash of the lamp hitting the floor.

You'll have to repeat that last thing you said, your grandson just picked his sister up by her ankles and is trying to put her in the trash can.

At this point, I usually excuse myself from the phone and have a quick little talk with my children about respecting the person on the other end of the phone and that they need to be quiet while mommy is talking.

Back to the phone call:

I'm so sorry about that, but you know how kids are when you get on the phone (laugh). Anyway, you were saying...?

And as I continue in my grown-up adult conversation for a few minuets in beautiful silence, I am blissfully unaware that my kids have gone to the living room. I don't know how many of you have had that awful sick-to-your-stomach sinking feeling that it has been way too quiet for way too long, but this is definitely one of those times for me.

I run around the corner to the living room (the only real "adult conversation" area in our home, complete with antique piano and off white sofa that we purchased before we had kids) and there I behold the mayhem that has taken place while I was on the phone with the grandmother of my sweet children. What a blessing for them that I spend a lot of time in prayer asking God for wisdom in raising them to fear God and not me.

I've gotta go, mom. Please pray for my sanity and that I don't make the six o'clock news with what I want to do to myself or your grandkids.

This is some of what was on the floor:
-all the cushions, pillows, blankets and books that had been on something else
-all the Kleenex from a brand new box
-all the Spanish moss from my silk bamboo along with most of the leaves from the bottom third of the tree
-the baby's diaper that she decided needed to be changed ("change you di-po" is currently her favorite sentence)

I think my kids are genius children, however I think that they have capitalized on something rather obvious. After all, they are 2 and 3-years-old, but they know the benefit of my inability to comprehend what is going on right in the other room if I'm on the phone.

There are documented psychological studies that prove brain function actually slows down while talking on a cell phone, even with a hands free devise. You can read this as one example.

So why have some states gone ahead and made it ok to use a cell phone as long as you aren't holding it? I mean, come on, if my two-year-old has enough sense to know that she can get away with murder when mommy is on the phone (and I'm not even driving a car!), why can't all lawmakers see that driving while talking on the phone might not be a good idea regardless of where your hands are?

I found this info from cellular-news with the current list of requirements for countries and states for cell phone use while driving. Take Massachusetts, for example. They have a partial ban where drivers are required to keep at least one hand on the steering wheel while holding a phone. What?! When I was in driving school I was told I shouldn't take my hands off the 10 and 2 positions to change the radio station! And don't get me started on the ban in seven states for school bus drivers using a cell phone... they had to make that a law?

If you're still reading this and you're waiting for my opinion (just in case you haven't already figured it out), here it is...

Stop driving and talking on the phone at the same time!