Owner: Joy in the Morning URL:www.mamahooper.blogspot.com Join Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:29:31 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Finding joy in the hilarious antics of my 3 children, the love of my minister husband, and in the complete grace of the Father. I'm always searching for areas in my life that need change, which I, in turn, proceed to write about. I review children's boo Site statistics:Click here
Children's Book Monday 2007-06-25 08:00:00 (I'm also over at the cafe today.)John Muir and Stickeen - An Alaskan Adventureby Elizabeth Koehler-PentacoffIllustrated by Karl SwansonWhen I asked my boys which book out of our most recent library pile I should review this week, they chose this one!The day depicted in this book is recorded in John Muir's journal. It is a true story, and full of peril, bringing many gasps and quiet, wide-eyed looks from my little ones!John Muir was a famous explorer, and you can read more about his own story at the end of the book. But this story is devoted to the bravery of the dog who was with him on this journey; Stickeen, named for a tribe of Indians.Stickeen belonged to John's friend, the Reverend Samuel Young, but he accompanied John the day they explored a glacier. They left early in the morning, and shared a meager breakfast of a piece of bread, their only meal for the entire day. The day was full of storms; wind, ice, snow, rain. But they pressed on, jumping over crevasses in the glacier; Read more:Children
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The End of the Season 2007-06-29 20:46:00 Baseball season is now over, but I thought I would share a couple pictures of my boys. Not in action.It may not look like they're doing much at the moment, but it was hot! They both learned to slide this year, and really enjoyed playing - without the competitive aspect. (No scoring.)Have a blessed weekend, friends! Read more:Season
Reading in Snatches 2007-06-28 08:00:00 I glean.Baby splashes in the tub, and every few seconds calls out for help in retrieving a wayward duckie. Finger holding my place, I reach over and push the prodigal toy closer to her dimpled hands, then return to the paragraph I have read three times over.But God is good, and the nuggets of truth that I glean from my books still penetrate. A glimpse for you, my dear reader, of reading in snatches; gleaned truth, and damp paper corners from the bubbles on my fingers.Georgie looked up, his gaze clouded in thought. "So Mr. Edmund is a spirit now? Like a ghost?""Not a ghost, George. But yes, he's spirit, and he's in heaven with Jesus. If you were in heaven, you'd see him plain as day. You'd recognize him in a minute. Because you'd be spirit, too."Georgie hugged himself. "I don't want to die like Mr. Edmund. And I don't want my mom or dad to die or Mr. Caleb or Miss Annie or Miss Birdie or Miss Bea-""Georgie." Zuriel dropped his hand on the boy's shoulder. "You don't have to fear Read more:Reading
This Journey 2007-07-01 18:54:00 The washing machine is swishing, rocking on its uneven legs. The dryer is tumbling. I've overhauled the contents of our refrigerator, and there are lists scattered about like so many leaves on a fall day. Piles of clothes take form in my mind, and I've been muttering, "Wipes. Don't forget the wipes!" all day long.We prepare for a journey this week; tomorrow morning, we pull out and head to Utah, first picking up my sister on the way. Pray for us, friends, as we look for a temporary home for our family until our house in Boise sells, and we know the area better to make an educated decision for the long-haul.While we are away, the tenth anniversary of our marriage covenant will be celebrated! My beloved and I had dreamed of being in Europe for this momentous date, but here and now, surrounded by the three children that made us such a family, we smile over their blonde heads and imagine... someday. For now, life takes precedence over travels and the future is exciting. We are so thankf Read more:Journey
Regarding Trash and Treasure 2007-07-07 08:00:00 As my boys walked down the hallway, their towheads inclined conspiratorially towards each other, I leaned closer from my position behind them to hear what they were saying.Corban looped his arm around Micah's neck and pulled him closer."Micah," he whispered. "If you have anything really special that Mama thinks is trash, you might want to hide it in your dresser."I smothered a laugh as we rounded the corner into their bedroom. So they weren't buying the claim that I wanted to rearrange their room just to make the most of their space! Yes, this Mama purges her house frequently. Clutter doesn't stand a chance.And I'm continually amazed that it still finds its way in! No matter how often I clear my desk, papers and baby books and school books and cd's still manage to fill the space nearly the moment I've finished. Drawers in my kitchen collect odd twist ties and clothespins and toothpicks, seemingly by magic!And that leads us to my sons' room...To read more from today's post at CW Read more:Trash
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He Considers Even We 2007-07-05 21:31:00 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:25-26)I'm continually overwhelmed at how much He cares about the details. My details. Yours.And look what He orchestrated this week!Do you recognize her? I was so privileged to hug the shoulders of this flourishing woman, whom I have admired, chatted with, and prayed for from afar. On Tuesday, not only did we discover we were in the same state, but the same city. Same week. Within minutes from each other. (Absolutely God-orchestrated.)Kevin drove me to the coffee shop, for he knew I would never return if he didn't; I get so very lost. And when we opened the door, my eyes scanned the room and fell upon this beauty; blue
Peace is an Answer 2007-07-10 23:47:00 Lord, please help our house to sell. My heart utters this desperate prayer. Wait, Beloved.And then I spend my days in worry, letting it curve my back with its cumbrance, feeling the lines in my forehead furrow like the surface of a mature cabbage.Wait? What does that mean? Isn't that what I am already doing? Just once, I wish You would give me an answer I can see.Then You.You linger nearby. I know this, for I offer perfunctory prayers throughout my days; mindless words beseeching You for help finding a box in the garage - one among the dozens - and finding myself directed to it immediately. Realizing I have forgotten an ingredient for the party I am holding for eleven women tonight, casting a frantic prayer heavenward, and finding an unlikely extra in the freezer.Some may say coincidence.But I say it's You.Reminding me that You're here. Calling me to come, walk across the water; only when I sink, you simply cup my chin with Your hand and hold it above the surface. It isn't divine Read more:Peace
Children's Book Monday 2007-07-09 08:00:00 A Story For Bearby Dennis HaseleyIllustrated by Jim LaMarcheSnuggle up with your little bears, and read them a tale that is sure to remind them of you, and all of the magic you bring to life through the stories you read.A young bear lives in the woods, where he finds a scrap of paper one day. He examines the writing carefully, and carries it to his cave where he keeps it for years, wondering at its markings.One summer afternoon, he wanders far away from his cave, and finds a cabin with brightly colored laundry on the line, and a woman reading. He is so fascinated by her expressions as she reads; gripping the book tightly, eyes wide, or laughing out loud. And when he lumbers back to his cave, he is startled by a blue jay call, because he thinks, for a moment, that it is the woman, laughing.When he finds her chair unoccupied one day, and one of the mysterious books lying there, he flips it open, staring at the paper, taking in the scents of glue and ink. And the next time he returns, she Read more:Children
, Monday
Children's Book Monday 2007-07-16 08:00:00 Watch the Stars Come Out by Riki LevinsonIllustrated by Diane GoodeHere is one of our favorite books to "jump into" - we search the pages, and imagine what we would be doing if we were in the story.This tale is told by a little girl, recounting the story her grandmother told her mother every Friday night, "after the dishes were put away."A little Irish family is divided when Mama, Papa and an older sister leave for America, followed by another brother and sister. Two more little brothers, who are too small, will follow when they are older.The little boy and girl are put into the care of an old woman, who is to watch over them. When she dies, Brother tells Sister not to worry. He will take care of her! Sister is sad, though, for at night, asleep in the belly of the ship, she cannot see the stars come out.When they catch their first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty, everyone is very excited and relieved, waving and dancing and embracing. It took them twenty-three days to reach America.Wh Read more:Children
, Monday
Look What We Found in the Garden! 2007-07-13 12:29:00 Eliana and I are the two tomato lovers in this home, so we were the only ones rejoicing when I came in from the garden with two little beauties this morning! I promptly sat down in the kitchen with a paper towel and took a juicy bite, while Eliana, who is teething, cranky, clingy, and picky about all food that enters her mouth this week, traipsed over to me and took her place in my lap.We ate every single bite of that warm, fresh, summer tomato! I'm saving the other for an afternoon snack. I'll probably put it in the window so it stays warm, too - that's the best way to eat 'em!Enjoy the little show - Corban took the pictures, standing an appropriate six feet away; that's as close as he would get to this silliness!Have a blessed weekend, friends! Read more:Garden
Kindness 2007-07-13 08:00:00 Andrea, Lady Laura, Lisa, Grafted Branch. You are so kind.You yourselves, and so many others, reflect Christ to me here in this realm. Thank you! For Miriam - who reflects Christ through her emotion, and the honesty with which she portrays it.For Beka - who reflects Christ through her faith, and the courageous manner in which she walks through trials.For Jenny - who reflects Christ through her vulnerability, and the striving to be Christ-like.For Bethany, my sister - who reflects Christ through her servant's heart, and the sweet spirit in which she does so.For Sarah - who reflects Christ through her striving to be an excellent wife and mama who reflects Christ.(Much as I would love for you to stay, I hope that you go straightaway to visit these dear ladies - and be blessed!) Read more:Kindness
Who Needs A Dog? 2007-07-20 08:00:00 Situation: Stealing a few moments to clean my pantry in preparation for the move.Speed bump: Eliana.Result: Raw spaghetti scattered all over the floor, including under the fridge.My reaction: Laughter when she plopped down next to me while I cleaned up, and popped one into her mouth, saying, "Mmmmmm!"Eliana's reaction: Sobbing in despair when I finished cleaning up and there were no more dusty, icky spaghetti sticks to chew on. I pray you are blessed - and a blessing - this weekend, dear ones! Read more:Needs
Riding With Micah 2007-07-19 08:00:00 "Mama, is that God's hot breath, do you think, blowing in our faces?"I blew a wisp of hair out of my eyes and wiped away some drops of sweat with the back of my hand. Smiling at Micah, I thought for a moment.It was seven-thirty in the evening, and my chance to have some quiet time had been foiled when Micah overheard me talking to my husband about taking a bike ride. The baby was asleep, and the evening was cooling down (a bit), so the quiet country roads were calling to me."Oh, Mama, can I go with you? Please?"At my quick, "No, Micah," his face fell, and his neck hung low. I glanced at my husband over the top of Micah's cowlick, and he smiled and tipped his head, giving me a look that said, "Why not?"To read more from today's post at CWO's Internet Cafe... Read more:Riding
Letters to Eliana 2007-07-24 08:00:00 We are not communicating very well, my darling.I wonder what you are thinking, when you pull on my leg to follow, streaming words that mean something only to you. I come, and together we look, but I cannot tell what you are meaning.This gibberish, this Eliana
-speak, had us in stitches when it began. Your expressions were so vivid that we imagined we knew what you were saying, and so responded with, "Oh, really?" One day, our van erupted in laughter when Micah, from the back seat, mimicked your sounds perfectly. You sat in astonished quiet, as if thinking, "That's what I said!"Here and there, I catch a word...nana (banana)...mum (more)...Daa-ee (Daddy)...Mama...shooooo (shoe)...I am so thankful for the signs that you know. They have helped us to avoid more melt-downs than we ever could imagine, I think. A line of gibberish will be followed by an exasperated sign for "bird", and I know you are telling me you've seen one of the robins playing in our yard. Some Eliana-speak with a questi Read more:Letters
Children's Book Monday 2007-07-22 14:24:00 Ah, such a treat I have for you today - a review of a wonderful book for your one to three year olds, and a dramatic reading by a precious two-year old!Cock-a-Moo-Moo by Juliet Dallas-ConteIllustrated by Alison BartlettWell, if your little one is currently learning animal sounds, or even if they already have, this is a wonderful book to hone that skill!To begin with, Rooster has forgotten how to crow! He accidentally uses the cows' "Moo", but after the cows set him straight about that, he moves on to the duck's noise, and then makes his way around the barnyard. When all the animals call him "Silly Rooster," he vows never to crow again!But that night, when something happens that requires a warning, Rooster, in all of his misunderstood glory, saves the day and wins the praise of the entire barnyard.Eliana knows most of her barnyard animal sounds, so this book has been such fun to read with her - it is very short, and simple, yet it makes us giggle and shout the animal sounds at the top Read more:Children
, Monday
Reading in Snatches 2007-07-26 08:00:00 I don't know why I keep trying. Maybe I secretly hope that one of these evenings, dinner will be a silent, uneventful affair, and I will read aloud chapter after chapter from our book.But it was not to be on this particular night. Daddy is away, directing a teen camp all this week, but we have still been sitting down to meals while he is gone; it helps us to keep a sense of normalcy and routine. On Monday, we had read three chapters from The Long Winter at different points during the day. By suppertime, my boys had cajoled me into cooking "authentic" Ingalls fare; baked beans, whole wheat flax and apple muffins and tall, cold glasses of milk. That's all. We pulled the curtains closed in the house. The overcast sky made the natural light dimmer than usual, so the lit lanterns cast a cozy glow that bespoke an hour later than it really was.We gathered around the simple table and served hearty helpings of beans and muffins. The boys munched quietly, and Eliana crumbled her muffins into a Read more:Reading
Children's Book Monday 2007-07-30 08:00:00 Home.Scents, sounds, safety; all swirling together to remind us of home. Where we can love and be loved.Under the Moonby Joanne RyderIllustrated by Cheryl HarnessMama Mouse leads her youngest mouse from place to place, teaching her important lessons one moonlit evening.Where to find the fattest seeds and sweetest berries.The safe, tiny places to hide when owl flies by.And when it is time to go home, Mama helps her little one to remember... where it is...what it smells like...the sounds she remembers...how it feels.On the way, there are hard lessons to learn, as they come across places where it is not safe for a young mouse to be, and discovering that the ground is not always soft and comforting, but sometimes sharp and hard.And soon, Little Mouse rediscovers why home is such a special place.This book is written more for three and four year olds, but my little ones, nineteen months through eight years old, love it just as much!And as Corban reminds me daily while I am packing up our hom Read more:Children
, Monday
Confessions of a Life-Long Beatrix Potter Enthusiast 2007-08-01 08:00:00 I do agree with those who believe that the effects of eating too much lettuce is considered "soporific". I have suffered those effects myself; sleepy, satisfied. It is a summer malady, to be certain.I commiserate with the rage of Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca when they tried to eat some of the lovely dishes set out in the dolls' house, only to find they were nothing but painted plaster. Can you imagine a greater disappointment?And I confess to an affinity for a certain mouse.A woodmouse, to be exact. Mrs. Thomasina Tittlemouse. Her creator, Beatrix Potter
, fashioned the characteristics and features of this little friend with such sweetness; I've been known to fancy myself as a creation of hers from time to time.I've clattered my dust-pan at the errant beetle found in my kitchen. I've sent uninvited ladies in their red spotty cloaks home to their children, and spiders, of course, are never welcome. They cause such mischief with their cobwebs scattered about my house, yes, but even more
Discovery 2007-08-03 08:00:00 Eliana has discovered the joys of the telephone! Her little plastic pretend telephone, that is. A couple of weeks ago, when she and I visited Boise for my mama's birthday, she took to carrying around her phone and talking to "Da-ee? Da-ee?" (That's Daddy to the layperson.)I tried to get her to say "I love you!", which is really just a kiss blown into the phone, but she would have none of it. To say "I love you!", apparently, means to say goodbye, and she was simply just not ready. There was ever so much more to tell Da-ee. I find it particularly amusing how she wanders in circles as she holds conversation on the telephone. Where on earth did she pick that up? *smile*(The giggles you hear in the background come from my twelve-year-old sister, Maddie, who is always delighted in everything Eliana!)Be blessed and a blessing this weekend, dear friends! Read more:Discovery
Travelers 2007-08-05 14:47:00 Again, we travel.We go to be embraced by extended family for a few days, a reunion to celebrate the 60th wedding anniversary of my grandparents. I so look forward to the fellowship, worship and laughter that is shared when we are together!I am always amazed at how my sons click with their great-uncle; he and my papa take the boys on nature hikes and respond to their every question, listening intently to every word. They bring home rocks and sticks and bugs... it is a joy.I myself relish time in the kitchen with my sisters and aunts, brushing shoulders and laughing as we trip over each other in our haste to feed the hoardes of hungry men and children. We have quite the menu prepared; the sisters and I have been making extra casseroles and freezing them this month, along with about twelve dozen cookies (each!) to throw across the counter in between mealtimes. Lettuce and veggies from our own gardens will produce delicious salads, and for this we are so grateful. A bounty is even more bou Read more:Travelers
Answers 2007-08-15 08:00:00 In our evening prayers these months past, my husband whispered over me...An unprolonged wait for the desires of our hearts. Dreams coming to fruition. HIS will be done.Think you that he was praying for our house to sell, so the purchase of our next home, one in which we will send our roots deep, would be possible? Yes, dear reader. You are right. A home. But also...Another child. And the answer?A second heartbeat has awakened beneath my own. My womb stretches; pushing, growing, making room. My nine-week-old little one has fingers and toes that are newly separated from each other, and facial features decidedly more human than alien-like. It has nestled in the center of my body, to be safe and protected until March.When asked, "Where is the baby, Eliana?", she pats my tummy. Or my chest, leg; whatever is nearest her little hand. The boys tug on my arm, whispering into my ear, "May we tell?" whenever we run into someone in our little town. The postal workers, grocers, librarians, and swea
A Time to Dance 2007-08-13 20:09:00 Remember this picture from my sidebar, accompanied by this story?Run, don't walk, straight to Beka's place, and rejoice with our dear sister!He remembers. Love to you, friend. There is much rejoicing and dancing in the Hooper household tonight! Read more:Dance
Fine Tuning 2007-08-13 08:00:00 Come Thou Fount of every blessing,Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;Streams of mercy, never ceasing,Call for songs of loudest praise.Jesus sought me when a stranger,Wand'ring from the face of God;He, to save my soul from danger,Interposed His precious blood.As I sat at the dining room table Sunday morning and prepared a lesson for my children, the words to this hymn poured out of our stereo. And the second line, one I've sung a hundred times, caught me by surprise.How I have needed a fine tuning of late.To read more from today's post at CWO's Internet Cafe... Read more:Tuning
Hear the Beauty 2007-08-26 08:00:00 I carried our wind chimes in from the back porch; one of the very last items to be packed. Three solid days of careful thought when labeling boxes "apartment" or "storage" had resulted in an empty and echoing house.As I firmly shut the door, the flapping of the tattered roof of the ancient barn behind the parsonage traveled across our yard and followed me inside. The chimes in my hand rang out and I felt a tugging at my heart for the small town we were leaving. The cows meandering through the pastures, the wheat fields bending in the hot wind blowing over the mountains, the deer bounding through meadows and delighting us on our family bike rides.This is the only home Eliana has ever known. It is a place where my sons learned to relate to the sweet people who were ten times their age. Where a deeper relationship was forged between my husband and myself, for at times it surely seemed we were the only two people our age for miles.It will always be so. Home. I did not want to leave.To read Read more:Beauty
I Still Believe It... 2007-08-30 04:44:00 ...He does all things...well.The little one has flown to the arms of Jesus.This mama is left behind to rest in the arms of her family, overshadowed by the Most High. The tears come and go, and the smiles, too, as my children are most deft at pulling joy from the depths.- As Corban clings to my waist and reminds me, "We'll have lots more, Mama, I don't want you to worry," even as he weeps, for he so wanted to be a big brother again.- As Micah spontaneously declares, "I'm sorry you are not preg-n-ant, Mama," pronouncing each syllable and consanant with clarity.- As Eliana scrunches up her face and whimpers, mimicking Mama and yet comforting her as she pats Mama's neck with a dimpled hand.Kevin and I would covet your prayers, dear ones, as we wait for the physical proof of this baby to come forth. We yearn for a natural cleansing, as the body will do, when given time.Mentally, I am struggling as David did - shall I plead with God for the child? And yet...I know it will not return to m
Blooming 2007-09-21 08:00:00 Stretch, Beloved. Grow. Be malleable...He whispers to me when my heart begins to beat faster in anger. Fear. Worry.From our third floor apartment, the autumn breeze is blowing through the screen door on our deck. We sniff appreciatively and smile to ourselves; our favorite season is beginning.But before too long, our noses wrinkle. My head begins to ache, and I realize that the cool breezes we were inhaling have been tainted with the smell of cigarette smoke, from the neighbor on his deck below. In irritation, I close the sliding glass door against the smoke, and, unfortunately, against the beautiful crisp air we were enjoying.To read more from today's post at CWO's Internet Cafe... Read more:Blooming
Preparing for Morning 2007-09-18 17:55:00 Sow your seed in the morning,and at evening let not your hands be idle,for you do not know which will succeed,whether this or that,or whether both will do equally well. (Ecclesiastes 11:6)My early morning hours are so precious to me. I have a full hour and a half to read the Word, pray, exercise and prepare mentally for the day ahead before my active sons' feet have even hit the floor. And now, having implemented a new schedule in our household, I find my time in the evenings to be equally as precious.Preparing breakfast the night before is vital to the flow of our days. An Amish baked oatmeal that we love is prepared the night before and slides easily into the oven between my devotional time and making the bed. I boosted the nutritional value with some flax meal and millet, and that, along with increasing the cinnamon and nutmeg, makes it so hearty and delicious! And it is delightful with a spoonful of vanilla yogurt or your favorite fresh berries, or even just some warm milk poured Read more:Morning
Children's Book Monday 2007-09-16 21:32:00 Have but a few moments to post a review of my favorite find at the library this week!Around the Yearby Tasha TudorAs we come into the fall of the year, I am naturally drawn to the pumpkin colors and stewed vegetable scents of the season. Tasha Tudor's book about the months of the year caught my eye and I immediately sat and read through it right there at the library!Every month has a four page spread, two color pages and two black and white. The drawings, as always, by Ms. Tudor evoke warm and fuzzy feelings - who can resist them? Even more important than how you feel about the book, you will be pleased at your children's reaction, and if you are learning the months of the year with a little one, this is the perfect book. The months and their activities are set into poem form, and flow neatly throughout.The poem is reprinted at the end of the book for you to enjoy in its fullness - we are going to memorize and recite it for Daddy on October the first! Dinner including a slow-cooked Read more:Children
, Monday
Daily Joy 2007-09-14 23:12:00 The timer rings. An hour has passed; it is my reminder to drink another glass of water.But I am listening to Micah read his a words... Apple...at...has... and cannot move away, for he is tentative in this, his first lesson after a month away from his books.For a moment, I think of the water I need, mentally reminding myself to pursue it once the lesson is over.But before I know it, a hand rests on my shoulder. It is Corban, and he is holding a glass of water.A joy indeed, to witness the servitude that comes so easily to young hearts. I pray always for this heart to be in my children."He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he Read more:Daily
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