How ever rare, Even Mom's do make mistakes.

We have been given an opportunity to welcome our seventh child into our family. No I did not stutter, I did say seven. Amy has been for weeks, even months been saying that she was carrying a girl. She even tricked the ultrasound tech to refer to the baby as a girl. I had some doubt when the wives tale survey we did said 61% for a boy. Well low and behold we delivered a wonderful boy. Now we need to come up with a name. What is in a name? Identity means so much, he would be equally loved with what ever name we decide to bestow upon him. Even if he wants to be called by a different name, like when Alec walked in stating that he would only go by "Diego," luckly that phase was short lived and he returned to his birth name. I hope my children don't think that their names come from a game of boggle. As was once pointed out to my wife. We take lots of thought into names. Their are stigmas to some names, some more than others, like Jack is a great name their are many good people who have used this name. There has been associated to that name some personel stigmas that I am trying to forgive and let go in my life. I am sure that their are some people in this world that dislike the name Michael due to my imperfect behavior. Too which I say sorry. I have thought long and hard about how a name associates us to many things. It could be to tyrants or heros, sinners and saints. The most important link is the identity that we make for ourselves. Although some things I have done in my life may not be forgivable by some. I am the some of my experiencies. I guess that it comes down to picking a name we are proud of and nurturing with love and gentle direction to help my children stand proud of who they are over the choices they have made. Humble enough to forgive and ask for forgiveness for errors they have committed. Walk tall my sons and daughters we have a rich history of men and women who have stood up for their beliefs. Who love God and will work on their relationship with him.

D. I. C. T. I. O. N. A. R. Y.

We do are primary schooling at home. The children enjoy some of the freedoms from not being in a traditional school, yet have teachers that they report to. The older ones are learning to write papers on their own. They ocasionally ask for some help. "Dad how do you spell 'science'?" I spell it the way my father taught me D. I. C. T. I  O. N. A. R. Y.
It is brilliant you stumble with a word and dictionary. You dictionary any thoughts that you dictionary dictionary.
Of course there is something lost in interpretation! But I don't give a dictionary. Thanks Dad, I sure do miss you.

"When you were a little girl, Daddy?"

Luella wants to know what it was like when I was younger. I was thinking of the 'up hill both ways' answer I always recieved. My Father did not grow up with all the wonders that we now deem a necessity now a days. Some of his stories would rival the four yorkshire men. I am sure that my own children might question some of my adventures. They sure like to push my buttons when they try to ask for everything. 'I want this! I want that! I want..... I want.... I want!!' Then hearing them dislike items that are needs like food and clothing. This drives me crazy. I just need to keep reminding them of what is important. That we don't need objects to make us happy (even though they may make life enjoyable), we need the love and support of our family and friends. We are very fortunate for having great friends that have supported our family like family. It will be great to move close to our children's uncles and aunts, yet it will be sad to leave the relationships that we have grown and nourished. Now I have to find a way to kindly enforce that daddies never were little girls!

Nice Daddy vs Mean Daddy

So we have less than a week til number seven arrives. There is school things on the go, our house is having construction being carried out, the older girls were participating in the Provincial Music Festival. We are pretty busy. With us moving at the end of summer, the kids want to spend as much time as they can with their friends. So yesterday after school Miss Maya wanted to go to a friend's house to play. When both I and her mother said no we were deemed mean and Maya was saying that she was being punished. Well mean daddy was in my head 'You think that is punishment let me teach you punishment!' Luckly nice daddy was in there also 'explain to her about how she will have to get home, all the events that we must do and the short time line we are working with.'  She still thought that she was being punished yet was willing to follow her parents. Mean daddy was once again defeated. Til the next conflict like Luella biting Reuben.

Breaking Gas!

Well yesterday we had a gas line break outside our house. Everyone was evacuated from the street. The emergency crews would not let us on our street for about three hours. We were refugees for that short time. What was the lesson learned? We really could have used our 72 hour kits. That would have provided the family with a change of clothes, some entertainment, and something to snack on. We never know when an emergency will happen, as a Boy Scout I was taught to be prepared. I guess I need to take heed of those childhood teachings. Okay family time to follow good teachings.

Fighting the Inner Electromelon!

My family and I enjoy Veggietales. One episode I really enjoy is Larryboy and the Angry Eyebrows. There is a scene where Larryboy comes in late for his superhero class. They are learning about controlling their anger. One of the students is named Electromelon. The instructor tells his students they must control their anger. Electromelon says, "Electromelon become Electromelon when angry."
What triggers the inner Electromelon? Everyone is different, one of my moments is when my children undo a day of cleaning in five minutes. The remarkable thing is how they have the power to defeat Electromelon. Whether it be Leulla needing a hug, Reuben with his grand greetings, or Alec giving himself a wedgie, all powerful bane to my inner Electromelon.

In the Beginning

I have decided to start a blog. I have been thinking of doing this for some time yet didn't know what to write about or what my purpose is in doing this. My wife and I have been trying to encourage our children to write so we set up our oldest on a blog. I guess that part of this is to be an example. I have based my blog URL on two of my favourite Hymns "Master the Tempest is Raging" and "Come Thou Fount" both songs have great meaning to me from various experiences in my life, of which I will relay in some other posts. I guess that I just want to get started and make a commitment to post at least once a week. I don't write this for anyone other than myself. I guess that if it was for anyone then it would be for my God, but I recently found out that He doesn't read Facebook and probably doesn't follow blogs either. So I will leave those kind of things to Our daily conversations. I guess that I am not really looking for my fetter but wanting to express that I know what my Ebenezer is that I struggle to hold on to my end of the chain that binds me to my Lord. For His end is held fast and does not change like the waves of trends that cause our boats of life to be tossed on the stormy seas. Well That is all the rambling that I will subject you to today.