The Winslow Family of Ten!!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

WMUR's Kevin Skarupa does a Weather Unit at the Union School House!

We had a wonderful field trip yesterday to the Union school house where WMUR's Kevin Skarupa came and did a weather unit for us. It was really cool, and the kids totally loved it! Check it out on video!

http://www.wmur.com/weather/School-Visit-Union-Schoolhouse/-/9859398/20154322/-/wjk3db/-/index.html

Also, too, here is a photo of all of the kids in attendance!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

There is Almost Nothing Like Starting our Garden!!

In simple humility, let our gardener God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. James 1: ~21

I just LOVE this time of year! Glenn tilled the garden while I was at Word of Life, and I could just "hear" the soil calling out to me! "Plant me!"...and so....yesterday we started our planting. Gardening always helps me to feel closer to the Lord. I LOVE to meditate on His word and what it has to say about gardening both spiritually and physically.

I also LOVE how it makes me feel close to my Mom. She was an avid gardener! Growing up, she had a huge vegetable garden which my brother and I would help to keep free of weeds. (not our favorite job in the world back then!)

My Dad gave me my Mom's gardening gloves, and so as I worked in the garden yesterday, planting, and weeding our strawberry bed, I wore my Mom's gloves! Such a blessing to me!

So...yesterday while the boys were on a roof job with Glenn, we started planting! Nicole had many jobs yesterday. She did some watering and then she was my sawdust hauler! Glenn got a trailer load of sawdust from his Uncle to put as a weed barrier in between our rows. She must have hauled over 20 or more buckets for me yesterday!

My Mom's gloves!

I put Grace and Madelyn in charge of planting 50 crowns of asparagus. It was quite labor intensive with VERY specific directions to follow. They had to dig a hole 8-10 inches deep and space each crown about 4 feet apart and the rows had to be 18 inches apart! We've not had a bed of asparagus like this before! I'm soooo excited as we ALL LOVE asparagus! Oh and yes...Madelyn truly multi-tasked yesterday as she also served as our photographer! Thank you Madelyn!

Elisha and I planted peas here! Glenn made me a wonderful fence for them to climb on!

Elisha was in charge of planting: radishes, 2 kinds of lettuce, kale, spinach, some peas, and 2 kinds of swiss chard. Thank you cutie pie Elisha!

Many hands truly do make light work! When Glenn got home from work he couldn't believe how much we had gotten done!

Nicole...my one-gal bucket brigade! She did a great job!

This is one of the crowns of asparagus. We planted 50!

Job well done girls! I couldn't have done it without you! May God bless us with a bountiful harvest!

What A Blessed Mother's Day!--2013

"Her children will arise and call her blessed!" Proverbs 31:28

This Mother's Day was such a blessing to me! This was a google plus post Madelyn did for me:

Happy Mother's Day....By Madelyn Winslow
Mom, you are so precious to me.
I am so grateful for you and your example.
You may not realize it everyday, [as you teach new math lessons, correct papers, clean up messes, change diapers, clean, cook, and the countless other things you do] but you have a huge, priceless, and amazing impact on your children's lives....I am so grateful for the life lessons [yes, the hard lessons are included] , Biblical principles, and practical skills you've instilled in me. Your guidance is priceless....your wealth of knowledge is a wellspring.
Really, I can't put you to words. You're worth far above rubies. I can't even begin to describe your virtue.
You helped to lead me to the Lord. For that I am so grateful.
You have shared with me your mistakes, and triumphs so that I may learn from them. Thank you, Mom. You really are the best mom ever. I love you!
Love, Madelyn

Thank you soooo much Madelyn and ALL of my children who made my day sooooo special! I am blessed to be your Mother, and fulfill the role that God has called me to. Would you like to take a peek at our day? We started with a wonderful breakfast cooked by Grace, and then we had church here. There were 36 people in attendance! A wonderful message was given by Kevin Edwards. We enjoyed a lovely luncheon all together and lots of fun and fellowship. The Edwards older kiddos stayed and hung out and so did the Lowmans. They got to be here when Brittany came and brought me some lovely Mother's Day gifts! Thank you Lord! What a blessing! Then Glenn took us all out to Johnsons for appetizers and icecream to end our day!
A day that was truly a gift from the Lord! I'm still basking in the glow of it! Take a peek!

Thank you everyone for a blessed day!

Celebrate with us the private donations to our adoption fund!

We just felt it was important to keep track of these amazing gifts from the Lord! Thank you for being obedient to Him!! 100.00--dear friends from church 200.00--relatives of dear friends. 2,000.00--dear adoptive friends! 1,500.00--another gift from our dear new friends in the Lord. 200.00--my number one scarf customer! 340.00--donations at our latest craft fair 20.00--from a 12 year old adopted friend! another 2,000.00 from our same adoptive friends! Wow! 200.00 from dear friends from church 50.00 given just today (1/3/13) from some dear homeschool friends! What a wonderful way to start the new year! 100.00 given by our tech support teenager friend at church! Wow! 85.00 in cash and gift cards from our same precious 12 year old adoptive friend! See his story: www.hoperisingfarm.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-heart-of-child.html another 20.00 from our dear 12 year old adoptive friend! Same one listed above! He told me today when he gave it to me.."Okay Mrs. Winslow...this is the last of my Christmas stash, and I want you to have it!"...makes my heart just melt it does. So precious! 200.00 from the dear adoptive friends who have give us so much already! (by the way..they are the parents of our 12 year old friend!) The totally love and support adoption as we do! They also gave us 2 coming home backpacks filled with things for Edward and Zoey, and a build a bear for each child, too. Receiving those today was just what we needed. Such a blessing and encouragement, and a tangible gift straight from the Lord as though to say..."hang on..set the table...they are coming!" We are humbled this day--2/2/13--by a cash gift in the mail from a family from our church who has recently suffered financial strain themselves! Gift--180.00! Amazing! Thank you Lord! Today..3/10/13--we received two amazing gifts toward our adoption! Just incredible. One from our dear adopted friend who is now 13. He got some birthday money. Today he presented us with a $50.00 bill! Isn't that amazing?? What 13 year old does that these days?? I'll tell you! One that was an orphan, and now has such a heart to care for and support the orphans, especially our soon to be rescued Zoey and Little Eddie! Thank you dear, dear friend! We also received a gift from another dear family from our church today. This is a family that themselves are praying about stepping out in faith and adopting soon. This is a family with 11 biological children of their own. They blessed us with a gift of $400.00! This is a single income homeschooling family from church...and this truly was a hugely generous gift from their heart! Thank you dear, dear, friends! We LOVE you! $11.00 received yesterday at church from the 9 year old adopted brother of our dear 13 year old adopted friend! A beautiful gift from the heart! Reminds us of the widows mite! God is sooooo good! We received the most amazing gift in the mail today! It was in the form of 2 checks from a wonderful Alert Cadet family that we have become acquainted with through their son Daniel. Our son Edward and Daniel have become pen pals since Daniel stayed with us last year. Edward sent Daniel a prayer card and told him about our adoption of Zoey and Little Eddie and asked him to pray. Today, Edward received a letter from Daniel, along with 2 checks. One from his parents and one from 17 year old Daniel himself. Daniel gave us a gift of $200.00, and his parents a gift of $150.00! Thank you so much dear, dear friends! We stand amazed at how God continues to provide in His perfect time and in His perfect way! To God be the glory!!! This resurrection day we celebrate a generous gift from Memere Janine of $50.00! Thank you!! 4/20/13---A generous gift of $20.00 from our adopted friend Jason! Thank you so much bud! We LOVE you! We can't wait for Zoey and Little Eddie to meet you--their brother in the Lord! You continue to amaze us with your compassion for the orphan! 4/20/13--A $20.00 check received from a dear homeschooling local sister in the Lord. Thank you Linda! ***subtotal so far of gifts directly to us: $6,206.00!

Our Monument Timeline to the Lord!

March 18, 2013. Finally received updated homestudy and emailed it to our placing agency! We are praying this is the final revision needed!
February 23rd, 2013--Our placing agency sent the changes that need to be made to our homestudy back to the homestudy agency! Hopefully it will all be completed by next week!
February 22, 2013--We learn that our homestudy is complete! It was sent to our placing agency for review on February 15th! Thank you Lord!
February 12, 2013--We receive word our homestudy is almost complete. We fax our FBI checks to homestudy agency!
February 10, 2013--Dear friends begin a Go Fund Me page for us!
February 6th, 2013--We receive our apostilled FBI reports back from Washington, DC
February 4th, 2013--Received our renewed passports in the mail.
January 25th, 2013--We send our FBI checks to Washington DC to be apostilled.
January 24, 2013--Received our criminal background checks from the FBI in Virginia.
January 14, 2013--We sent out our passport renewals.
January 13, 2013--Glenn and I have our passport photos taken for our renewal. A real date!
January 5th, 2013--We have our first visit from the social worker who is doing our homestudy!
December 21st, 2012--We go to our local police department and get fingerprinted. We mail them to the FBI in Virginia
December 20th, 2012--We meet our newest friends in the Lord...The Pressler Family!
December 14th, 2012---We fax copies of all documents to our placing agency!
December 13th, 2012---We are featured on a local radio program and talk about our adoption!
December 7th, 2012--We bring completed contract to homestudy agency with money, and we go to our state house and have adoption documents apostilled. Our Reece's Rainbow account is approved!
December 5th, 2012--Our placing agency tells us about Edward, and a private donor who will give a large donation if a family includes him in their adoption. We say..."YES!!"
December 4, 2012--We say "YES!" to Zoey and commit to her. We send the $3,500.00 commitment fee!
November 29th, 2012--We find out about the need for a family for Zoey. We pray! We receive a call from a dear friend who says..."Did you see the post about Zoey?? I think she is supposed to be a Winslow!"
November 28th, 2012--We found out that Theodore was matched with the other family! We cried and prayed.
November 23rd, 2012--Began other fundraising efforts--to include the Winslow Warmer from the Dutch Candle Company! Thank you Jon!
November 21, 2012--God provided us with a homestudy agency only 1/2 hour from our home that was willing to take all of our previous homestudies and compile them to help complete our new homestudy!
November 15th 2013--Completed interview process with About A Child agency!
November 13th, 2012--$3,500.00 goal reached!!
October 20th, 2012--We received our first chip in donation!
October 20th, 2012--We set up a chip in fund to raise money for the commitment fee for one child of $3,500.00
October 15th, 2012--We contacted About A Child Agency and put in an official inquiry about Theodore!
October 13, 2012---After Adeye had put out a plea for several children...we prayed..and then we stepped out in faith and said "Yes" to Theodore!

Our Theme Songs for 2013

Deep Love of Jesus

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Vast unmeasured, boundless,
free! Rolling as a mighty
ocean in its
fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me,
is the current
Of Thy love
Leading onward, leading
homeward to
Thy glorious rest above!

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Spread His praise
from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever
loveth, changeth
never, nevermore!
How He watches o'er
His loved ones,
died to call them all His own
how for them He intercedeth,
watcheth o'er them
from the throne!

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus,
'Tis a heav'n of heav'ns to me
And it lifts me up to glory,
for it lifts me up to Thee!

Give Me Jesus
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

When I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

Our prayer to the Lord and other Winslow Prayer Requests!

*Please pray for God's will in our family in 2013 *Join us in praying for our newest additions coming this year to our family. Handpicked by God! Zoey and Little Eddie. They are from Bulgaria. What an amazing journey God has us on! *As you know, my Mom is in heaven now after a 12 year battle with cancer. We miss her so much! Please pray for my Dad, David, and his adjustment to being without his life partner of 50 years. Please pray, too, for all of us as we adjust to life without my beautiful Mom. It truly will never be the same! Pray that we will grow closer to the Lord during this time! *Please pray for continued carpentry work for Glenn. *Please pray for our daily homeschooling. *Please pray for our married daughter Brittany and her husband Christian and their 2 old daughter Marlena! We are praising the Lord they live in NH, now and we get to see them more often. Pray for them as they just welcomed their newest addition, Annalie Beatrice yesterday...October 5th! Everyone is doing great! *Please pray that we would all grow closer to the Lord and strive to walk closely with Him each and every day.

Our Favorite Read A-louds!

We LOVE to start our day each day with a read a-loud. It's become a tradition in our homeschool. I read each morning after breakfast. We have read some of the best books this way. It started 10 years ago at the beginning of our homeschooling journey. We started with Anne of Green Gables, the complete edition. That took many years to read. Since then, we've read many other wonderful books. Here are some of our favorites from this last year:

Christie's Organ

The Exact Truth by: Isabella Alden

First Impressions of God by: Ann Wells

The Cheerfulness Character Book

Godliness is Great Gain

Wisdom and the Millers

Storytime with the Millers

Two Roses

Walking with The Living God

Even Donkeys Speak

The Long Winter

The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

Little Daisy and the Swearing Class

Godliness is Great Gain

The Bible in the Wall

Tampering With Temptation

The Bulletproof George Washington
Wandering May

We also like to try and read one chapter of Proverbs each day making us read the entire book of Proverbs each month. What a wonderful gift of wisdom God has given us in the book in the Bible!

Current read aloud: The Weed with the Ill Name
(from the Grace and Truth book series)
We are now reading the Then and Now missionary stories. We loved reading Hudson Taylor and are now reading George Muller. Such amazing stories of strength and provision from God!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

WMUR's Kevin Skarupa does a Weather Unit at the Union School House!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

There is Almost Nothing Like Starting our Garden!!

What A Blessed Mother's Day!--2013

Help Bring Tommy Home!

Holly Dustin's New Business Adventure

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