The Overflow

2011-03-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

#116 marvelling at what marvels my 2yo
#117 the health and strength to take on a too-full new week
#118 what's left of my memory
#119 the perspective gained from a sick-bed
#120 fresh starts and second chances
#121 the huge community reading and living out this book and all the great articles and blog posts in response
#122 2yo + Playdough
#123 Truth & Life Dramatized Bible for Lent and beyond
#124 the difficult child, whoever he/she might be at the time
#125 being remembered with birthday gifts, cards and online wishes
#126 a visit from our dear friends the Ennis'
#127 those dear friends taking our daughter on a spring break adventure to their house
#128 snow, even when I'm tired of it
#129 Great Uncle John teaching the great nieces and nephews to ski
#130 a day cuddled up sick with my baby
#131 child with a trauma background being brave through 6 stitches on his hand
#132 smiling teen recounting his day's adventures out in the big world
#133 the benefit of fresh eggs as we chicken-sit my brother's flock
#134 inside jokes and rituals
#135 strong boys that can shimmy up trees like nothing

Still Counting

2011-02-28T22:59:00.000-08:00

#98 first spring bulbs blooming
#99 kid's cousins
#100 my dear husband who has taken to cooking meat for the carnivores in the family
#101Pandora!!
#102 five day media fast thanks to the winter snow storms
#103 movie theater popcorn
#104-105 great moms who plan homeschool field trips that my kids get to participate in and a grandmother who helps me get them there
#106 rising and setting with the sun while we had no power - all of us
#107 getting to wake up next to the person I want to be with most in the whole wide world - every day
#108 and that person can trim my hair
#109 and he can hang art and pictures that have been in storage for over 9 years since we built our house
#110 the crockpot - almost impossible to burn things
#111 snow
#112 videos to go with the book
#113 Lent on the horizon
#114 turning a new calendar page
#115 Six Flags Read to Succeed - these kids are motivated!

God's Love Language - gift giving?

2011-02-14T18:42:00.000-08:00

All of the 5 Love Languages probably originated with God but I've certainly become more aware of His delight in lavishing His gifts upon us. How opulent!

Some more underlinings in 1000 Gifts:

"Behold glory and be held by God"

"I pay tribute to God by paying attention"

And some of those lavish gifts unwrapped this week:

#79 baby pictures
#80 toddler waking, blood-sugar stabilized, entering into the imaginary world of play
#81 an occasional invitation to enter into the imaginary play world, to wrap a "baby"and pick which cabinet she should "sleep" in, etc.
#82 8yo boys in blanket capes at bedtime
#83 lifting up little girls by the tights while dressing "to get them on all the way"
#84 big girls who reminisce about being lifted up in their tights
#85 tomboy who does home-repairs for me
#86 new starts and second chances
#87 90+ Valentines leaving our home this morning
#88 our little neighborhood charter school, only 3 minutes away despite our rural location, offering our family the change we needed this year
#89 my mom explaining the concept of a "career change" that I was calling an "identity crisis" now that I don't have all my children homeschooling under one roof on most days.... still wrapping myself around that.....
#90 the promising visual and performing arts highschool that my first-born daughter will attend next year....still wrapping myself around that too....
#91 the flicker of shadow, sunbeam, shadow, sunbeam as I drive through the tall trees on a sunny day - low February sun coming at us from an angle
#92 my sister-in-law enjoying 1000 Gifts too and recommending it to others - it's not just an Internet thing
#93 automatic dishwashers
#94 I was able to upload and old, random photo with this post for the first time in over a year! must have been a Blogger thing. yay! hope that means I'm back to posting pictures. maybe they'll work on Facebook too
#95 good quality salt.... makes me ponder what it means for a Christian to be salt and light...
#96 the "like" button on Facebook
#97 children that accept my simple cooking - they mostly don't know any better

"Freeze Frames of Thanks"

2011-02-07T23:24:00.000-08:00

Part of what helps me justify my book "habit" is that I can always resell my books. Most do get resold eventually. It's a special book that earns a permanent place on my shelves that are ruthlessly purged each year (wanna-be minimalist.) 1000 Gifts has definitely earned a place. I knew that early on. So I started underlining in pencil. Some of my recent favorite quotes:
-these chronicles are "freeze frames of grace"
-"Eventually, I am guaranteed to lose every earthly thing I have ever possessed.......All human relationships end in loss. Am I prepared for that?"
-"How do you know how to sift through a day, a life, and rightly read the graces, rightly ascertain the curses?"
-"..the spirit-to-spirit combat I endlessly wage with Satan is this ferocious thrash for joy."

#66 forgiveness extended
#67 hand-me-downs
#68 kids who buy meat and cheese when they get a little spending money instead of asking for treats
#69 the good kind of guilt that keeps my selfishness in check
#70 husband aglow in new business ventures
#71 6yo loving her jump rope
#72 T-Tapp, every time I do the workout it's like a visit to the chiropractor - the Pearl of Great Price in exercise for me. Once I found T-Tapp I got rid of every other exercise related "thing" in my life
#73 the writings of Brian Jacques, God rest his soul.
#74 Power Writing lessons from Grand-daddy - it's been awhile but we still use what we've learned
#75 pure spring water coming right through the tap
#76 not being able to see neighbors but being only 10 minutes from town - the best of both worlds
#77 spell checks
#78 each day's Gospel reading

Unwrapping Gifts

2011-01-31T22:21:00.000-08:00

Gifts I have recently unwrapped:

#46 toddler napping in the fetal position
#47 self-awareness in my children - expressed
#48 a dear friend and mentor whose influence is still with me daily though she has moved away
#49 the delicate tops of young Douglas Fir trees yet to be split by harsh weather - as seen from the chairlift
#50 family parties
#51 home grown lettuce
#52 grandparents who are retired teachers who have invested YEARS in our homeschooling efforts
#53 a really clean kitchen sink
#54 clear kid lungs - breaths that you can't hear
#55 opportunities for big kids that don't require much driving
#56 Ordinary Time
#57 six year old's dialog
#58 hockey for almost all the kids, free equipment, barter for the cost, totally into it coach and no weekend commitments
#59 skiing the last run with one of the birthday boys
#60 my tomboy
#61 beginning readers reading to me while I work
#62 I absolutely LOVE being a homemaker - can't think of anything more fullfilling
#63 parents that have loved me unconditionally - I'm only gradually starting to wrap my mind around such love
#64 a quiet house
#65 a loud house

Learning a New Language

2011-01-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

Thank you Ann Voskamp for these language lessons. Were you speaking of me when you wrote "Long, I am woman who speaks but one language, the language of the fall - discontentment and self-condemnation, the critical eye and the never satisfied."? I have heard the need for gratitude whispered in the confessional, laying the foundation for this awakening:

#21 shoes piled around the door - evidence of 8 healthy walking children each with two legs
#22 The Litany of Humility
#23 Elizabeth Foss - if I were stranded on a desert isle with only one blog I would choose hers
#24 homemade cream-top yogurt (a new experience as a recovering vegan)
#25 family all around - through the woods, up the mountain, down toward the valley, and across
#26 our technology angel who visits us several times per year and is able to solve almost any problem
#27 my husband acting like an 8th grader again with that technology angel
#28 The dear Ennis Family with whom I like to plan arranged marriages between loads of laundry and dinner prep.
#29 children recovering from illness and thriving again
#30 a dear Godparent and mentor who makes it possible for my daughters to attend the West Coast Walk for Life
#31 a room cleaned by some one other than me
#32 "Even though we ain't got money, I'm so in love with you honey...."
#33 an 8 year old cook
#34 many short attention spans plus aging memories - a school of patience
#35 little girls mass-producing paper crafts
#36 baby snuggling first-born
#37 a baby sleeping in my bed for a while longer
#38 biggest daughter showing littlest daughter what I once showed her
#39 wood heat
#40 tree silhouettes at dawn and dusk
#41 my children surpassing me in so many ways
#42 having just enough
#43 coconut oil for inside and out
#44 my book arrived!
#45 good doctor/patient relationships developing - who could ever replace Dr. Borgquist?

One Thousand Gifts

2011-01-17T21:37:00.000-08:00

I've stopped blogging because I've had some trouble getting pictures to upload to Blogger. I like pictures. I don't really like to read blogs that don't have images so I want my blog to have them. I'll keep working on that but for now I have a new purpose for my blog. At least for now I'll be recording my One Thousand Gifts:

#1 2 year-olds that remember to say please and thank you
#2 Raw milk shared with us weekly
#3 A 16 year old that can drive himself out into the world
#4 Unconditional spousal love
#5 64 degrees in January
#6 Three 8 year old boys running through the woods in the 64 degrees in January
#7 apple cider vinegar
#8 HOT water
#9 borrowed vacuum cleaners
#10 a talented young photographer in the family
#11 naps
#12 I love laundry
#13 The writings of other introverts and melancholics
#14 secret notes slipped under my door during Quiet Time
#15 conversations with my very verbal toddler
#16 my "puffy blanket"
#17 big siblings helping little siblings
#18 almost 8 year old Liberian son in size 5 shoes- the gift of decent nutrition
#19 gifts from Godparents that keep on giving through the years
#20 driving into the fog only one mile down the road from our spring-like hill-top

Back to School

2010-01-09T13:52:00.000-08:00

2009-09-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

The boys have a bunk bed now. They are ages 6 1/2, 6 1/2 and 7. If you have any experience with boys this age in a group you might wonder how they ever get to sleep in such proximity: twins on bottom double bed and 7yo on top. I've come up with something far better than continually reminding them to quiet down from the other room long after tuck-in. I've become The Quiet Old Lady Whispering Hush. Mind you this is not in place of several stories and bedtime blessings. But even after all the lovely routines and rituals the pack mentality of a crowd of boys dies hard. I haven't taken up knitting yet like the Quiet Old Lady. But here I sit blogging which might be even better since I can do it with the light off.

Shared items

2009-06-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I made the switch from Bloglines to Google Reader. I finally figured out how to list my "Shared items" in my side bar. So if you don't usually visit my blog directly to read my occasional posts, I invite you to pop in now and then to check out my Shared items. I read blogs a lot more than I post and it's fun to be able to share some of the great inspiration, humor and creativity that I find out there.

Father's Day

2009-06-20T19:03:00.001-07:00

You know you're a Catholic family when........

.......you're sweet little four year old announces that tomorrow is St. Fathers Day!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

Little Leprachauns

2009-03-11T12:54:00.001-07:00

I love this. I haven't even gone to pick the kids up from homeschool co-op yet but the teacher has already sent this picture via iphone and here it is on my blog. Mine is the leprechaun without front teeth.

Tour of California

2009-02-21T10:43:00.000-08:00

My first-born is very influential. Somehow he managed to get me to the finish line of Stage 3 of the Tour of California. Did I mention yet that I had all 8 kids which involved a double stroller and backpack? And it was snowing when we left and pouring rain when we arrived at our destination which was 1 1/2 hours away? How on earth did he convince me? Something about if he ever wanted to see these cyclists again he would have to go to the Tour de France and here they were in our own backyard (sort of.) Lance Armstrong riding again.... etc.

As we sat in congested traffic, trying to find a decent parking space the sky cleared and the sun actually came out. The clouds were black all around us but it only started drizzling as we watch Levi Leipheimer get his awards and talk to the world about his crash. I had a great workout pushing the stroller (and backpack) the many blocks back to the van as the rain increased. I'm sure I burned off the dark chocolate bar I justified to keep me awake and more energetic than the kids.

Here are some little ones trying to see the awards over the crowds. They saw it all on the Tour de France in July so they sorta knew what was happening: pretty girls handing roses to tired cyclists, etc.
That influential first-born had all the little ones playing "virtual Tour of CA" so as they squatted down and poked their heads through the metal sidelines they rooted for "their" teams. "Go Team Jelly Belly!!" "Go Liquigas!" "Go Rock Racing!!"
I'm glad August stretches me out of my comfort zone for things like. The children all did wonderful and stayed safe and close in the crowds. I just pray that all of this strength, power, influence and leadership will be put to good use in making the world a better place in August's fast-approaching adulthood. I better get back to my research now - college, drivers ed, etc. I can't believe I'm there already.

Small Sucesses 3

2009-02-05T19:55:00.000-08:00

This is my first time participating in Small Successes. Check out all the other successes Faith & Family Live.

1. I successfully diverted what could have been a major freak-out when one of my adopted sons nearly knocked out a tooth. Through the blood (which he was sure was a sign approaching death) and tears I cheerfully explained how the tooth was going to be coming out soon anyway and that meant the Tooth Angel would be coming all the sooner. Eventually he asked if we could e-mail a picture of it to the orphanage director "Grandma Patty" whom he lovingly remembers. He went to bed with a smile. Phew!

2. I prepared a homeschool learning record for 5 of my learners to present at a meeting tomorrow. Phew!

3. I did those things today in addition to the usual 3 meals and 3 snacks and all the other bare essentials that go with 8 kids 14 and under without calling a sick day (to my husband who was running around putting out fires) even though I wanted to be in bed. Thank you God for big kids who are learning to do SO MUCH!

Newsworthy

2009-02-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

Gotta like the small community newspaper on a slow day. They found my children newsworthy.

White Christmas?

2008-12-20T16:28:00.001-08:00

This is the first year that I've dared to dream of a white Christmas. We've had unusually early snow. Here are the kids making molasses candy in the snow a la Little House on the Prairie. The wet weather will continue and I just saw that we might get snow the day after Christmas. I had plenty of white Christmases growing up (15 minutes further up in the mountains) but a white Christmas here would be a rare treat indeed!

Readoption Complete!!

2008-12-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

In California we have to go through a "readoption" process if both parents don't see an internationally adopted child before he is brought home. On Thursday we completed this process. Yes we were real slackers in getting this done. It could have been done a year ago and I'll admit that we were motivated by the accountant to have this completed in 2008. Still here we are celebrating the completed adoption process!

These pictures uploaded in reverse order. Above I had them pose on the way out for a post-placement report picture. The reasons for the smiles are the policemen and metal detectors behind me.

Here we are with Judge Boscoe. He said this was the highlight of his day.

Waiting our turn. We had great talks about all that we were seeing in the waiting area- frustrated people storming out of the door, the policeman's gun, the camera surveying the waiting area. The children were good waiters.

Now we await their U.S birth certificates with their new last name and new birth date. It will only take Sacramento 9-12 MONTHS to get it to us. Seriously. So in the mean time we'll be getting them passports for ID. Just when we thought the paperwork and errands were behind us!

A happy day.

Christmas Parade

2008-12-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

Cold kids. Where do we stand?

African Angel

Clare as Baby Jesus.

A Heavenly band of angels.

A sweet small town parade.

My Handsome Men

2008-12-13T18:29:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-26T20:47:00.001-08:00

Today's critter

2008-10-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

Yes it's a young rattlesnake. I didn't get to see it but it was the big news when I returned from morning yard saling.

Funnies

2008-10-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

This evening Gianna and I were talking about obesity and how one might become obese. I was rambling about various reasons that came to mind and I mentioned fast food. She interrupted to ask "What is fast food anyway?" I explained and then she said "Oh I thought it had something to do with fasting."

Aliou was flipping through the calendar and carefully studying each page. Finally he came to a blank white page at the end and asked me in all seriousness "Is this when we die?"

Athan told Aliou that he wished he was black. Aliou looked up from his play and suggested "Then go to Liberia!"

Never a dull moment.

Benefit #644

2008-10-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

Benefits of having a large family #644: Watching the stoic 14 year old fall in love with his baby sister.

Freezing Time

2008-10-08T18:43:00.001-07:00

Can we please freeze time now?

But then I guess I said that when this guy.............

.......was the age of this girl.

Video. Testing 1, 2, 3.........

2008-09-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

Here is my first attempt at adding some of our own video to the blog. Anna Mae (age 11) took this video of Clare's actual baptism from the front pew. Doesn't Clare look happy to be a child of God?

Baptism Day

2008-09-16T17:33:00.001-07:00

SHE married HIM....!?

2008-09-13T16:26:00.001-07:00

Some time back an internet ad caught Michael's attention. It read "SHE married HIM and they had eight kids?!" and it was inviting him to look up old highschool friends. Well I guess that was us in real life today at my 20 year class reunion.

We did meet in highschool and though we didn't date until my senior year I still like to think of us as highschool sweethearts. We'll be celebrating 15 years of joyous marriage on October 2nd.

By the way, Michael would like the above family picture to count as a Christmas photo (yes it can be painful to get everyone lined up and looking the same direction.) So if we don't get a good picture tomorrow after Clare's baptism then you can consider this blog entry our Christmas photo ;-) This one even has the van in the background.

Class of 88

2008-09-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

Can you find me?

On Clutter

2008-09-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

Ginger's word s could often be my words.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

Real Baby

2008-07-13T20:22:00.001-07:00

How many little girls out there get to put a REAL BABY in their doll buggies?

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

I don't know who started Wordless Wednesday but that's my kind of blogging! Oops. I'll use words just this once.

Baby Clare

2008-07-09T06:21:00.001-07:00

Clare Olivia Tippett
Born at home on July 8, 2008
8 pounds, 10 ounces

July Baby

2008-06-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

It looks like our new little one will be a July baby. We've been having fun looking at all the feast days and birthdays of friends and family to help us with middle names for the baby but they keep passing by and we keep looking forward a few more days..........

My mom has been blogging about us again. I appreciate her grandmotherly perspective on our last prenatal visit. We are planning another home water birth and I'm blessed to have my own sister-in-law from next door as my primary midwife accompanied by the same midwife who attended our other 5 births. Reading my mom's post refreshed my perspective and reminded me of just how fortunate I am.

Aliou just realized that the new baby will be white and not black. Most of the babies he's seen were in Liberia so I think he was expecting a sweet little black new baby like all the ones in his memory.

Since the children have been mostly caught up on chores (chores go so much faster when we're just maintaining all the nesting work!) I've had many little sessions of working alone on things in a quiet house while everyone plays outside. It's much easier to pray through my work at these times and I've been offering most of my prayers for little Baby Joe. Join me in offering a prayer for him and his family.

The things I've been meaning to blog about.........

2008-06-19T17:03:00.001-07:00

We've been busy taking advantage of summertime opportunities before the baby comes. We're at a rare stage in life. Our family consists of 7 children under 14yo and NONE IN DIAPERS! This makes us fairly mobile. There is no one screaming on little road trips because they can't understand why they are strapped in a carseat instead of being held in my arms. Everyone can change their own clothes and walk next to me in the store. So we've been on the go and when we come home it is to sleep and catch up on chores. Good thing someone else is blogging about us. Check out Leon and Aliou's 1 year anniversary post by my mom here. And my due-date status here.

Being a Bandaid

2008-05-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

Wow! I'm borrowing the following from someone who borrowed it from another adoptive parent's blog:
"It is easy to sink into the bliss of being an adoptive parent - but it is important to always remember that the bliss comes at great expense - often the heartbreak of a birth parent left without options, or the hopelessness of a child's prospects in their broken birth country, or the death-knell of an incurable disease, or the ramifications of poverty on a small life.

Adoption is not the answer - it is a band-aid and it is absolutely necessary, but something needs to be done about the problems - poverty, disease, war, racism, economic disparity - that leave children in this chasm.

It is imperative that those of us who walk down this road vow to always engage ourselves in solving the bigger problems - the very problems that brought our children home to us. Find an organization that is addressing these problems and send your money, give your time, advocate on their behalf."

It's so easy to feel that "I'm doing my part" by just fixing the next meal and comforting the next owie and being the parent that Leon and Aliou need for the rest of my life. Really that feels all consuming at times! But I love a challenge like this to look beyond my little world to see how I might keep trying to make a difference at the root of the problems that brought them to us. My main calling is to be a band-aid but I don't want to limit myself and my family to only that.

Pictures!

2008-05-24T22:49:00.000-07:00

For some reason I can no longer put captions under each picture. My Blogger adviser isn't due for a visit until mid-summer so I'll comment on all the pictures down here.

First is our Little Flowers/Blue Knights Clubs end of year BBQ. Can you find the 5 Tippett kids in the picture?

From there we usually go to Costco. It's an hour from home so we do big shopping and Trader Joes shopping and the Catholic store shopping, etc. All things we don't have at home. Here we are shopping with only 5 kids. Yes they look lively but they were very good shoppers that day. They are getting better all the time!

Next is a top secret card-making session headed by Anna Mae for Gianna's First Holy Communion tomorrow. God willing I'll have some lovely photos of that to share soon.

And I just had to share the picture of my favorite book-end given to me by my mother-in-law. It is symbolic of my recent decluttering efforts since I usually have been unable to use book ends because the book shelves are usually too stuffed. Ahhh how refreshing is open space - on the bookshelf and everywhere!!

36 weeks

2008-05-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

I had grand plans to document this pregnancy here with weekly photos. Now here I am with less than 4 weeks until my due date. I hope you can see what I've been doing with my free time instead of blogging. Here I stand with my largest load yet ready to be donated to St. Vincent de Paul on our trip out of town to our Little Flowers/Blue Knights clubs. I just love the recreational decluttering that comes with the last 5 or 6 months of pregnancy. I was hoping that adoption would trigger the same thing in me but it didn't. So with our current baby already 3 1/2 and with 7 children ages 13 and under in the house - well this intense nesting was LONG over due.

I've been wanting to read It's All Too Much but I've been too busy aggressively purging to read a book about it. And though I love systems and plans I've found that other peoples systems and plans only "work" for while and are harder to follow through with. I better save that book for the next clutter slump and make the most of this passionate nesting while I can.

Proud Parents

2008-03-15T21:33:00.001-07:00

August ran his first 10K race today. We we are so proud of him and he had quite the cheering squad at the finish line with all our little kids there. Maybe I'm especially proud since I'm completely non-athletic and marvel at athletic talent. It's also neat to watch the talent skip a generation as my parents were runners. (My mom marveled at sewing skipping a generation from her mother to me.)

Grand-daddy, my dad, is sponsoring August in all the local runs this year. Today he came in second for his age group of 12 and 13 year olds. It's exciting to watch him make strategies for improving his time with hopes for a marathon down the road when he is fully grown.

Passing the true test?

2008-01-21T21:22:00.000-08:00

Gosh I wonder if I would ever pass the true test of homeschooling. I mean I thought it was challenging to face a week of snow/rain in the California mountains with a low of 35 degrees and "only" 4 boys in the family...........

Jet-Mom

2008-01-18T15:38:00.000-08:00

We've had some hilarious language mix-ups as Leon and Aliou switch gears from Liberian English to American English. I wish I had been recording more of them along the way. Some have already gone down in family history. Here is today's funniest:

Leon and Aliou and Athan were playing with their friend. Aliou reported that his friend said his mom was his "jet-mom." It took me a minute but (cracking up inside) I said "Do you mean step-mom?" "No JET-mom!" This was enough for a good laugh but it was complicated by the fact that the mom had been making paper airplanes for the boys so OF COURSE she was a "jet-mom"! Who could argue.

Belly update

2008-01-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

At 18 weeks I'm almost to this point. Once I look a little more pregnant than fat I'll start posting belly shots.

Trying For a Redhead

2008-01-06T22:42:00.000-08:00

Yes it's true we are expecting a new baby! Now I can use my handy reply I formulated a few babies back- "We're trying for a redhead." I'm over 16 weeks along which is a little longer than we usually wait to tell the happy news. We needed to wait and see how things went with Natalie first. We told the children today as we were all gathered around opening our Epiphany gifts. They are pretty excited and of course they are busy deciding the names and gender. Leon and Aliou had no questions. They new just what we were talking about and they were beaming.

Mary Autumn was born when I was 34. I'll be 38 when this baby comes. I'm waking up to find myself in the new category of "older pregnant mom." I'm gray at the temples. I'll also need to find new care since both our homebirth midwife and our family doctor have retired since our last birth. Our first was a regular home birth, then we had 3 home waterbirths, then a hospital transfer which ended well. We are hoping for another home waterbirth this time.

And with this birth I receive a promotion! I can then be called a "grand multipara." Multipara means "to bring forth much." And I like the "grand" part too. I'm happy to share the news of our promotion with you. We'll be a family of 10. What an honor to be blessed again.

4 Temperaments

2007-12-31T23:00:00.000-08:00

So... which personality are you?

I was so excited to read Ginger's Post on the Four Temperaments which included this link with a personality test. I've enjoyed reading about the Four Temperaments from mostly Catholic books and I've been meaning to see what the Internet had to offer on the topic. Ginger headed me in the right direction. Knowledge of the Four Temperaments has influenced my outlook on life and relationships. Even the children can be heard saying "My friend _____ is really Choleric like August (big brother)" And August, who has been really into taxonomy lately, has been making up Latin names for each family member often bringing some version of our temperaments into the name. It's quite comical and such a classic homeschool geek thing to do. I love it.
So what's your temperament? You might be able to tell just from the comic above. Actually I think this is a personal question. Which might make my temperament be a dead giveaway.

Edited to add: Hmm....I can't figure out how to shrink the comic to fit so I'll have to just give you the link which also gives my test results.

Christmas Eve Eve

2007-12-28T10:03:00.001-08:00

Here's a quick photo from Christmas Eve Eve (Sunday). We had an early celebration hosted by my mom. This is no small endeavor considering the size of our growing family. She even took into consideration the various dietary preferences we have. There was plenty for the vegans, the vegetarians and the Liberian carnivores. A very nice afternoon indeed. Thanks mom!

Today's Laugh

2007-12-18T10:55:00.000-08:00

The Embarrassing Truth About Homeschoolers

Christmas Story in Liberian English

2007-12-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

Leon and Aliou have been home for 6 months now and they are still hard to understand at times. Someone told Michael while he was traveling in Liberia to enjoy their accents because they would be gone in 6 months. Not so. I think people outside the family can still barely understand them. If you ever wondered what Liberian English is like here is a fun, familiar way to get glimpse at it:

"Every Man Heart Lay Down"

Long time past - before your father live - before his father live
Before his father's father live - long time past
Before them big tree live - before them big tree's father live
That time God live.

And God look on the world - that He done make
And Him heart no lay down.
And He walk about in the town to see the people.
And He sit down in the palaver house to know the people.
And He sorry too much.
And God say "The people no hear My Word.
The people no walk My way. Nev mind.
All I can do is make a new country - and make new people."
And this time God's one small boy - Him small child
Hear God's Word, And the child grieve for people and for His Pa.
So he go for God's face and make talk for His Pa.
"Pa, I come for beg you," so He say,
"I come for beg you; Don't make the new world.
Don't lose the people what you done care for. I beg you.
Make it I go, I talk to people. I walk with people. Bye-m-bye
They savvy the way."

And the child go down softly softly and hold God's foot. (i.e.
begged Him)
So God look on Him small boy. And Him heart be very soft. And God
say,
Left me now, but hear me good; If you go you must be born like a man
You must live like a man - and you must have hurt and have hunger.
And hear me good; men will hate you and they will flog you, and
Bye-m-bye they will kill you, and I no going put my hand there."
(i.e. interfere)
And the Child say, "I agree."
And bye-m-bye God call Mary to be Ma for the child.
Now Mary be new wife for Joseph and Joseph ain't touch Mary self.
So first time Joseph vex. But God say, 'Nev min', Joseph; this be
God palaver.
And Joseph heart lay down.

And God see one king who try for do good for all him people.
"Ahah, now I send my Son for be new king."
And God send star to call the king.
And in a far country, God hear a wise man call his name.
And God say to the wise man, "I send my Son to be new wise man;
Go now with the star." And the star call. And the wise men follow.

And by the waterside - men lay down to take rest.
And they hear fine music in the sky like all the stars make song,
And they fear. And all the dark make bright like day.
And the water shine like fire. And no man can savvy.
And they hearts turn over. But God's angel come,
And God's angel say, "Make glad, all people,
God's child be born in Bethlehem."
And the star come low and stop. But when they go for mansion house
The star no be there. And when they go for big man's house,
The star no be there. And bye-m-bye when they go for hotel,
The star no be there gain - "Ahah, the star be by the small house
Where cattle sleep! " And it was so.

And they found Joseph and Mary and the small child fold up in
country cloth.
And the king bring gold for gift
And the wise man bring fine oil
And the country people bring new rice.
And they look on the God child
And every man heart lay down.

Blogging grandmother

2007-12-06T21:00:00.001-08:00

Good thing my children have a blogging grandmother otherwise they might not ever have their birthday blogged in a timely manner. Don't miss Mary Autumn's entry. I'm still back in November hoping to post pictures from Leon and Aliou's baptism and our beautiful Thanksgiving dinner in Yosemite.

Thanksgiving

2007-12-03T12:42:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving after Mass with Dearma. Heading out for a Thanksgiving feast in Yosemite!

Baptism planned!

2007-10-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

On November 11 we will walk up these steps to bring Leon and Aliou to the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. We never intended to wait so long. All of our infants have been baptized within 3 weeks of birth. That's how we prefer to do it. But with the early summer Mass schedule and our Priest undergoing cancer treatments (please pray for his full recovery!) it just kept getting pushed out further. It's been interesting having the time to talk with them about baptism. Leon, especially, talks about it and desires it.

For those of you who are not local, this is the same little church where Michael and I were married 14 years ago and where all of the children have been baptized. It is the same church that participated in a bake sale fundraiser to help bring Leon and Aliou home. With their help the sales and donations totaled over $2200!

Please join us in praying for them on their big day.

Name Change

2007-10-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

I've just changed the name of our little blog. It took me a little while to think of something meaningful. This quote from Elizabeth Foss explains what I mean by "The Overflow."

"Serendipity represents what we are actually doing in the heart of my home. It's blogging from the overflow, the afterglow. It is a record of our learning but it is not nor will it ever be anything but the bubbling over of the good that exists in my real life with my real children. I won't rob from them to blog for someone else. I will, however, gratefully share from abundance."

Many, many times I have found my feelings and aspirations in Elizabeth's words before I was able to put them into words myself. She has been an unknowing e-mentor and inspiration. I can't wait to hear her talks from this summer's conference!

Contrast

2007-10-12T16:52:00.001-07:00

I was inspired by a lively discussion about Waldorf inspired, Catholic home education on my favorite forum when some one sent me this video. A marvelous contrast. It also served as a good examination of conscience. How many of these things have I found myself saying and do I want to continue saying them?

Also being a serious type, I was delighted to find something that made me laugh until I cried. Anything that makes me laugh like that is worth holding on to for for future use. Here is a book that had the same effect.

A dying breed

2007-10-12T16:23:00.001-07:00

I read in a recent National Geographic Magazine that red heads will be just about extinct by the year 2100. Normally it takes a red headed couple to pass on the gene according to the article. That wasn't the case with our resident red head above and his brother. Their hair showed up out of no where. I'm especially fond of this red head. He came with brownish red eyes as well and he can even get a tan! I'll bet THIS type of red head is even more rare.

One of my favorite replies when some one asks about the number of children we have is that we are "trying for a red head." But according National Geographic our chances are slim and the chance of it turning up in grandchildren is even slimmer.

Now hopefully my darling wont make me remove the picture above. He really doesn't own anything pink and had just thrown on his mother's sweater on a cool evening at the cabin. It was the best picture of his hair I could find to go with my newfound knowledge.

The article

2007-10-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

The local newspaper interviewed us in August. We finally saw the story published today. Take a peek.

I did it.

2007-10-07T20:36:00.000-07:00

I finally started a family blog. I've resisted for over a year and a half because I just don't want to have another reason to be on the computer. But notice I'm calling this the Tippett Family NOTES? That means I'm going to be brief and just share something fun now and then. Maybe a prayer request, maybe let my older children try their hand at blogging here......things like that. Also I wanted a place to collect links to my favorite places and thought I might as well make them available to you as well. So here I am the reluctant blogger.

I love blogs that are full of pictures so I'll be including a lot of those. Above you see Michael and I with Mary Autumn at the lake - spring 2007. Anna Mae, age 10, is turning out to be the family photographer so I'll ask her to contribute something more recent soon.