SIBTLP Workshop

For the last two weeks, men from all over the Solomon Islands have met here in Honiara to learn more about the Psalms and how to translate them into their own languages. Thursday morning, Sarah, Benjamin, and Olivia sang some Psalms they had memorized. I was really proud of them as they faced a group of unknown men! Sarah also baked goodies each afternoon to share with the men during their afternoon teatime. Thanks for praying for this workshop as SITAG continues to equip and encourage translators.

Technical Difficulties

Obviously, our internet connection has been down for a while. We are doing just fine, and we hope that the internet cooperates so we can share pictures of what we have been doing during the last two weeks.

Simple Woman's Daybook

Tuesday, February 24 (it's still Monday in the States!)

Please stop by Peggy's, the creator of this lovely daybook

Outside my window...dark for another hour and Kira, the watch dog, padding across our porch

I am thinking...about my new language helper, Caroline, and how excited I am that God has provided her at just the right time

I am thankful for...SITAG families who provide supper and breakfast when we come back from a trip

From the learning rooms...Civil War, Andrew Carnegie and his famous concert hall (Tchaikovsky conducting on opening night!), Sarah - journaling, addition and subtraction of mixed numbers, Benjamin - multiplying a two digit number with renaming, learning how to correctly write quotes, Olivia - ordinal numbers, making plurals of words that end in S or Z, Katherine - matching sizes and shapes, learning finger plays, PE - concentrating on situps to reach the Presidential Fitness standard, introducing intervals and ear training in piano lessons, Confederate submarine "Hunley" (aka "crew killer"), still more science experiements with magnets, Abraham Lincoln, hymn study - "How Firm a Foundation"

From the kitchen...pancakes for Shrove Tuesday, of course

I am wearing...cotton pajamas still, hair down and unbrushed since it's still a little cool

I am creating...order out of chaos as we unpack

I am going...to learn how to drive on the left side of the road and how to shift with my left hand

I am reading..."Gifts From God: Encouragement and Hope for Today's Parents" by Dr. David Jeremiah

I am hoping...that my nasty ear infection clears up soon

I am hearing...Aaron turning pages, geckos scurrying around trying to catch breakfast

Around the house...Aaron sitting near me as he reads his Bible, children sleeping (hopefully for a while longer), laundry from our trip waiting to be washed

One of my favorite things...children lined up on the couch early in the morning and reading their Bibles

A few plans for the rest of the week: kids singing their favorite Psalms for the SIBTLP (Solomon Island Bible Translation and Literacy Partnership) conference finishing up this week, baking goodies for tea time to share with SIBTLP, mornings spent catching up on science experiements, afternoons spent language learning with Caroline, restocking the pantry after being absent for nine days

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

sunrise picture courtesy of Sarah (did I mention there is a mango tree outside our bedroom window?)

Happy Banana Bread Day!

Our new favortie banana bread recipe, from the Wycliffe International Cookbook:

Combine:
1/2 cup shortening (120 ml) or 1/3 cup oil (80 ml)
1 cup sugar (250 ml)
1/4 cup water (60 ml)

Add:
1-2 beaten eggs, optional
2-3 bananas, mashed
1 tsp. lemon juice, optional (5 ml)

Combine separately and add:
2 cups flour (500 ml)
1/2 tsp salt (2 ml)
1 tsp baking soda (5 ml)
1/4 -1/2 tsp cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg (1-2 ml)
1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)
1/2-1 cup chopped nuts, optional (120-250 ml)

Pour into greased loaf or 9x9 pan (23 x 23 cm). Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 45-60 minutes.

Life with Olivia

This is Kokey, Olivia's elephant. Most of her "babies" have pierced ears right now.

Also heard in the kitchen as Olivia put up the playdough and cookie cutters, "God is never, ever sleepy, Daddy!"

Thank you, Babra!

Babra is a young lady from Malaita who left today for Australia to finish high school.

A smart and musically talented student, she made an excellent Pijin teacher for me, and our family fell in love with her.

Thank you, Auntie Babra!

CBA (Choate Basketball Association)

Look out, WNBA! Here comes Olivia driving the lane...

Benjamin practicing his free throws...

Katherine gets a little help from Daddy...

My sweet valentines

Trip to Munda

We leave the dock early Sunday morning (2 p.m. CST on Saturday) to travel to Munda and observe the translation project there. Our boat makes the trip in about 10 hours in good weather, and we would appreciate your prayers for safe travel and happy kiddos. You can also pray for the sweet couple with whom we are staying - they are getting quite an invasion! We will return on Monday, February 23. I've scheduled some posts while we are gone since we won't have access to the internet. We are so thankful to know that this trip is covered in prayer.

Piano Recital

Sarah and Benjamin performed in their first piano recital this afternoon using my old piano books. Our audience consisted of neighbors (who had two children of their children participate), a set of grandparents visiting the Solomons, and two adopted aunties, in addition to the proud parents and siblings. They did a great job, and this low key recital was the perfect introduction to the world of music.

Move Over, Van Gogh...

We've been studying some of Van Gogh's techniques, here is Sarah's version of a bird on our porch rail using pointillism (the flowering tree in the background is Frangipani, a very fragrant and beautiful tree that grows on Pacific Islands).

We also learned about impasto, the technique of applying undiluted oil paint very thickly to create interesting textures. Sarah used acrylic paints, and the others used poster paints thickened with detergent. Instead of paint brushes, the kids created texture with popsicle sticks.

Simple Woman's Daybook

Once again, the icon for "The Simple Woman's Daybook" won't upload, but please visit Peggy to peruse other entries.

Monday, February 9

Outside my window...SITAG staff leaving for a lunch break

I am thinking...about this quote, "Like everything which is not the involuntary result of fleeting emotion, but the creation of time and will, any marriage, happy or unhappy, is infinitely more interesting and significant than any romance, however passionate." by W.H. Auden, and I'm so glad that I have a godly husband who is interested in both a happy marriage and a passionate romance

I am thankful for...great read alouds shared as a family, hearts thumping almost audibly as the book culminates

From the learning rooms...Missouri Compromise, Eli Whitney, Harriet Beecher Stowe, James Polk, Van Gogh and impasto painting, Sarah - math review, creating a Bill of Rights, Benjamin - math review, writing a narrative, Olivia - counting backwards to subtract, writing mechanics (series), Katherine - painting with brushes and stacking blocks, basketball free throws, more experiments with magnets, hymn study "Oh, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing"

From the kitchen...curried lentils, rice cooked in coconut milk, stir fried veggies, papaya, worms & dirt for dessert to celebrate National Jello Week

I am wearing...seafoam green skirt, white t-shirt, hair in French twist (it's finally long enough!), opal pendant that was my grandmother's, bare feet

I am creating...jars of food to take to the village (a new skill for me!)

I am going...to help the kids polish their piano recital pieces

I am reading...the detailed instructions for the huge canner/pressure cooker I just bought from another family here at SITAG

I am hoping...two girls I befriended at church will accept my invitation to drop by and play after school

I am hearing...leftovers being warmed up in the microwave for lunch

Around the house...rice on the front porch left from Katherine playing in the rice box during school

One of my favorite things...listening in on my kids' converstions (as they eat lunch, they are discussing why they love to go to the dentist and what kind of toothbrush is their favorite)

A few plans for the rest of the week: preparing to leave on Friday, finalizing Valentines and treats for friends here and some to take with us to Munda, women's Bible study on Tuesday afternoon, Pijin learning each afternoon with Barbara, piano recital for the kids

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

from our family time the other night, Olivia as one of David's older brothers fighting the Philistines

Sweet Sabbath

"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:3

Go West, Young Man

Benjamin helping a colleague clean out the rain tank last week

Thanks for all your prayers as we've been pondering the best course of action for our family. We've decided to head west to Munda as a family and stay about a week observing the Roviana translation project. As we buy the tickets for our overnight boat trip and solidify the dates, we'll let you know!

the big puzzle of Mount Rushmore we began on National Puzzle Day

"A housewife's work...is surely in reality the most important work in the world. What do ships, railways, mines, cars, government, etc. exist for except that people may be fed, warmed, and safe in their own homes?...We wage war in order to have peace, we work in order to have leisure, we produce food in order to eat it. So your job is the one for which all others exist."

C.S. Lewis

Simple Woman's Daybook

Wednesday, February 4 (Monday was just a rotten and busy day)

Outside my window...lots of rain and flooding on Guadalcanal

I am thinking...about all of the people on this island who have had their homes and gardens washed away and trying to figure out the best way to help

I am thankful for...prayers of people around the world lifted up on behalf of me and my family

From the learning room...biography of Harriet Tubman, dribbling and bounce passing a basketball, more experiments with magnets, Van Gogh and Pointillism, Katherine - fingerpainting (she tried to eat it!) and ball rolling, Olivia - subtraction sentences, writing mechanics (sentence length), Benjamin - subtracting and renaming over several place values, conjunctions, writing a decalogue, Sarah - multiplication & division by a 2-digit number, writing a narrative poem, hymn study - "This is My Father's World", routes escaping slaves may have used

From the kitchen...chicken fetuccini alfredo (per Sarah's request), green beans and pineapple that I bought at the market yesterday

I am wearing...a meri blouse (green with orange flowers and purple piping!) and lap lap from PNG, a gift as we left the village to come to the Solomon Islands

I am creating...a happy home - physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally

I am going...to eat a Snickers bar today to commemorate the introduction of the best candy bar ever

I am reading..."If a Bus Could Talk" in memory of Rosa Parks' birthday today

I am hoping...that Benjamin's glasses can be soldered again and that they will stay together until the new pair comes

I am hearing...kids fixing sloppy joes and carrot sticks for lunch, happily chattering about the "five-corner fruit" (aka starfruit) I found at market yesterday

Around the house...laundry piling up waiting for sunshine, surprise care packages in the mail filling our souls and our pantry

One of my favorite things...watching Katherine chasing Benjamin on the basketball court, trying to steal the ball, fearless and undaunted by his size or speed

A few plans for the rest of the week: a kind teenager from Malaita coming each afternoon to help me with my Pijin

Here is picture thought I am sharing...can't get pictures to load again, sorry!

Flooding on Guadalcanal and Savo Island

Please pray for the 4,000 people who have lost their homes and gardens during the recent flooding on the northwest part of Guadalcanal and Savo Island. We are looking into ways to help out, and we will let you know what we discover.

In loving memory of Robert E. Fort, Jr.

Professor, mentor, friend

Candlemas

We won't be able to make these beeswax candles to celebrate Candlemas, however you can order them and try them out for us! As we eat breakfast, we'll read Luke 2:22-40 as a family to remind the kids of the story of Simeon and Anna.

Our Christmas decorations came down on Epiphany, but I'll still read this poem by Robert Herrick to the kids:

Down with the resemary and so

Down with bays and mistletoe;

Down with the holly, ivy, all

Wherewith ye dressed the Christmas hall...

We'll dine by candlelight tonight as we await the groundhog's weather prediction in the States.

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter will take another flight.
But if Candlemas be clouds and rain,
Winter's gone and won't come again.

We have clouds and rain this morning - that predicts more water in the rain tank and clothes that will take a little bit longer to dry on the clothesline.