The Goslings

Time to introduce the Goslings.   Jeff and I have been given five precious covenant children to raise for God's glory.  Four daughters and one son.  Each wonderfully made by our God and placed into our family at just the right time to fulfill His plan for their lives and our lives.

Emily has the distinction and responsibility of being the oldest.  I am amazed at how quickly time has passed since her birth, she is almost 11 and on the verge of young womanhood.  Em enjoys baking, sports, playing with her baby sister and playing games. 

Kate comes next in line.  She just turned nine and is a sweet young lady.  She is very patient with the younger kids and cares for Jordyn very well. She likes to do crafts, play soccer and softball, play with games and bake.  Kate is in third grade and thoroughly enjoys school and her friends.

Troy is the only boy and he is the middle child.  He is almost seven and "all boy".  He is tender-hearted and very loving, especially with Jordyn.  Troy loves anything with wheels, so farm life is right up his alley.  He is always playing hard with his tractors or following his Pake around.  As my Mom says, "He is so worthwhile to wash up at night", because he is generally dirt from head to toe!

Summer is "free and a half".  She is a bright, funny little girl who sometimes surprises us with her use of big words.  Her strongest sense is that of smell and she often wrinkles her little nose up and asks what smells.  After my parents visit she will walk into the room they have stayed in and declare that it smells like Oma and Opa! :-)  Summer is my little sidekick and loves to help me out, no matter the job; cooking, baking, folding laundry or cleaning windows. 

Jordyn is our baby.  She just turned one last week. Where did a year go??  Time only flies this fast when you have a baby!!   JJ is a delight and the older kids (and her Daddy) dote on her!  She is a giggly, sweet little girl.  She is walking now and has a few bruises to prove it.  She waves, gives kisses and hugs, and Emily taught her to turn the light switch off and on.

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This morning I was surprised and most pleased to be served breakfast in bed by Emily and Kate.  They made scrambled eggs, toast with peanut butter and honey, and tea.  These were accompanied by fresh strawberries, an apple and some orange juice.  It was a yummy way to wake up.

Summer stuck around to help me eat it.   Once the big girls left the room she settled down on the bed and announced that I owed her twenty dollars.  We have been playing restaurant lately, so this was not a surprise.  I gave her the twenty (imaginary) dollars and she was pleased.  She promptly polished off almost all the strawberries, the orange juice and some of the toast.  Perhaps she had a momentary feeling of guilt, because she said, "Mommy, tell me that I have to pay you six dollars."   So, breakfast in bed was a bargain at only fourteen bucks!! :-) 

Florida Days

Sandcastle extraordinaire!

We have had the delight and privilege of going to Florida a number of times over the years with our family. We go in March and meet up with lots of family and friends from Canada. The week we spend in Kissimmee is Jeff's favorite week of the whole year! Last year Gosling #5 was due during Florida week so we were not able to go. So, this March was looked forward to even more eagerly than normal.

Celtic boys

 We heard about an auto train that we could take from Washington D.C. to Orlando. We bought tickets and talked excitedly about our first train ride. Three weeks before our day of departure, Jeff started to rethink the train. It would be a long trip, 10 hours of driving, 17 hours on the train and then another hour to our resort. Jeff has always wanted to drive to Florida, just to see what it would be like. He was able to get a full refund on the train tickets and for about a day, we talked about driving.

Jeff's hobby from about October til the night before we leave is to check flight prices online. He found direct flights for a great price and asked me if I would be willing to fly. I just laughed and said that what ever way he chose to get us to Florida, I would go with him. So we flew. Three hours. Nice. The kids all traveled very well.

Buddies

Our week was fantastic ( and lovely :-))! We spent loads of time with my parents and aunt and uncle. The kids each had at least one cousin their own age there. The weather was perfect. We swam, played in the sand, soaked up the sun, and relaxed. It went way too fast!

Done!!

Silly baby

Em and JJ

Opa and Oma

Summer

We even went to a Disney park! We never have before, and didn't really plan to this year either. But that is a story for another post.

Easter Weekend

Easter.  What a time of celebration. After the contemplation of Jesus' death in my place on Good Friday,  Easter Sunday is a most wonderful day.  The day that we remember that Christ is Risen!  He is risen indeed!  Death could not hold the Lord of Life.  Hallelujah!!

Our Easter Weekend activities began a little early.   On Thursday afternoon, I took Kate and five of her little friends to a beading store to celebrate Kate's birthday.  The girls each made necklace and bracelet and had a lovely time.  ( I think!!)

 I enjoyed watching them work and listening to their chatter.  We had cupcakes and Kate opened gifts.  Usually the kids get to choose a cake for me to make for their birthdays, but this year I told Kate what I was making.  I saw a really cute Owl Cake online and decided to make it......

Growing up, our family had a Good Friday tradition of going to my grandparents' home after church and enjoying Kentucky Fried Chicken and a candy hunt for the kids.  When I moved to Vermont, where the nearest KFC is 45 minutes away, the tradition died.   For 10 years there was no KFC on Good Friday.  Until my dear sister married Jeff's cousin, moved to VT and decided to renew the tradition.  

Now in its second year, the VT KFC tradition is lovely and looked forward to by all.  The kids get even more excited by the Easter egg hunt that follows lunch.  Gerrit and Laura hide eggs outside and the kids are let loose.  To add to the excitement, there is an egg for each of them with their initial on it which entitles the finder to a special little gift from Aunt Laura (this year coloring books, chalk and stickers!).  Aunt Laura is so fun!

We all attended church on Friday evening to remember Christ's sacrifice on our behalf.

On Saturday I took the kids to an Easter egg hunt at the nearby CRC.  Lots of their friends were there and they watched a short movie about Easter, using the Resurrection eggs to explain Jesus' death and return to life. 

After church on Sunday we enjoyed a lovely dinner with Jeff's parents and a quiet afternoon. 

Blessed Beyond All Measure

Good Friday. 

A day to consider the death of Jesus.  To think on the sacrifice that He made to reconcile to Himself sinful human beings.  Sinful me.  My sin alone would be enough to nail Him to the tree.  My sin alone is capable of separating me from God for all eternity.  Only the death of a perfect Person could save me from that separation.  Only Someone who was truly God could conquer hell and emerge victorious!!    The question is why?  Why would He want to suffer and die for sinners?  Why would He go all the way to the cross, knowing the agony that was to come?    ^"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."   John 3:16
 
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

What wonderful truth!!  God's love is awesome!  This is the truth that my husband and I are striving to teach our children every day.  God created you, He loves you.  You have sinned and effectively separated yourself from this Holy God, BUT  He has provided a way for you to be reunited with Him, to be adopted into His family.  And that is through the death and resurrection of His Son. Because He loves you!

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I have wanted to write a blog for a while.  Mostly for my own enjoyment, to chronicle our lives, post a few pictures and have something to look back on, a way to trace our family's days.  A good friend encouraged me to get going already!  So here it begins.

Let me tell you a little about our family.  Jeff and I have been married for 12 1/2 years.  We have been blessed beyond all measure with five children, wonderful family, and lovely friends. We are seeking to build a home in which Christ is honored and glorified above all else.  A most challenging and humbling endeavor to say the least.  One for which we find ourselves ill-equipped in and of ourselves but God has been gracious and patient and supplies us daily with strength and joy to continue this road.