One month since I last blogged! I think when life gets going too fast and my schedule is busy, I don't take enough time to reflect on life. I hope to bring back some reflection time. May have to schedule it in.

I have been spending lots of time on Facebook... such fun to be able to keep up with so many different people. It's rather addicting. Sign-on, check emails, go to Facebook.

I'm starting the second semester with eighth and ninth grades at home. Contemplating a drama production - Les Mis and also fencing lessons for Jono. Timithi is immersing himself in his computers: game design, web design, re-structuring computers for other people. He's amazing.

I'm teaching Lucy to 'roll over'... she's almost got it!

The name of God I studied yesterday was El Roi - The God Who Sees.

"Lord, I praise you for you know the whole story. From beginning to end, you see it all. Give me the humility to admit my limitations. For I don't always see the past accurately, my vision of the present is often blurred, and I am blind when it comes to the future. Help me fasten my eyes on you, trusting in your vision for my life and in your watchful care."

Snow is back!

I love the snow! So, as I look out my window, feeling like I'm inside a snow globe, I am happy! It's beautiful!

We've been in Jenison for almost two months now and the church did pass their annual budget which includes Chris's job, so he's got some job security for awhile. Let the ministry begin! We are enjoying being in a healthier church than before and are already growing to love these people! The boys are making some connections and so am I.

I need to find some employment and am open to anything... retail, elder care giver, housecleaning, temporary work. Praying that God will lead me to the right type of work.

I've been scrapbooking lately... with Dawn, Cheryl and Laurie... and I'm back in the scrapping 'zone'! Now I can't seem to stop. Except to home school, make Christmas cookies, and crocheting some Christmas gifts!

The boys have been shoveling the driveway as we have about 8-10 inches on the ground. Lucy loves it and we're going to try to fix her up with a longer tie-out so she can romp more freely in the snow. Sometimes Mocha, a neighbor dog, comes by and the two of them 'dance' around together... very cute.

Facebook is connecting me with all sorts of wonderful people: my brother, Rod... second cousins, Sara, Camille, Ben... nieces and nephews, Camilla, Seamus, Simone, David, Deanna, Kristina, Aquilla, Mamie, Libby... My dear High School friend, Jenny... and some former students from New Jersey. Such a fun way to re-connect with long-distance friends and family!

I'm still finding my way in getting settled in this house, becoming a part of a new church, and preparing for Christmas. I love my life-long friends in Muskegon... they have become like family to us all!

God is good and His hand is always upon us. I am grateful for His peace, joy, and grace which floods our lives on a daily basis!

November is national Adoption Month!

November is national Adoption Month! Praise God for adoption and for the blessings of Jonothon and Timithi! They have always been, for me, God's expression of his great love for me. After 10 years dealing with infertility... within FOUR days of applying for adoption, Jonothon was born and we brought him home from the hospital two day later! Miracle!!! A year (and 12 days) later, Timithi was born and one month after re-opening our adoption file, he was in our arms. A second Miracle! What a courageous and loving sacrifice on the parts of Kristen and Marissa, our birthmothers, to place these precious lives within our empty arms. God as done marvelous things for us and we thank him everyday for our boys! So many others we know have been blessed by adoption (or are currently going through the process)... Russ and Laurie, Tim and Maria, Dan and Kerri, Paul and Vicki, Chad and Carrie, Jeremy and Kathy, Matt and Stephanie... and many more. I'm praying for women to be courageous and making the loving choice to give life to families who long desperately adopt a child. Pray for Christian counselors at pregnancy centers, pray for loving support of young pregnant girls, and pray for the older children in foster care who need stable, loving families.

First snowfall of the season this weekend and I'm so excited! Here's how silly I get about snow. Last night we picked up Chris at the office and went to a movie in Grand Rapids... "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" - I highly recommend it! Anyway... on the way home we had to stop by the church so Chris could get his car. The parking lot was virtually empty and was covered with a dusting of snow. A perfect 'slate'.... Now this takes some skill... I wrote "Lori" (in cursive) by driving my car in loops.... it's a BIG parking lot. My boys thought I had totally lost it when I got out of the car and 'dotted the i' with my feet. As we left the parking lot, I underlined my name. It looked pretty cool!

At church we are on a three-week journey of praying for the persecuted Church. We've been given a 21-day devotional that leads us in praying for specific countries and issues. Then the movie last night... about the holocaust... plus I've been reading the end of the Left Behind series... "Blessed are you when men persecute you for My sake..." "Pray for your enemies..." "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." "I am with you always, even to the end of the age." "The prayers of a righteous man availeth much." "Pray without ceasing."

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated this... I'll try to do better!

Blessings!!

The view from my room...

I'm sitting at the computer, looking out the window at two acres of fields adjacent to our house... to the south, I think. For some strange reason, I'm having trouble getting my bearings on which way I'm facing at any given time. I'm usually so good with 'directions' - able to follow my nose to get anywhere I need to. A couple of mornings ago I woke up incredulous at how the sun could already be in the west so early in the day! DUH! I've got to get my bearings!

The Lord has graciously provided a farmhouse on five acres of land with 5 bedrooms and three bathrooms (with heated floors, I just noticed the other day! My toes love it!) Hardwood floors in all but two of the bedrooms (and the kitchen is linoleum).

Chris is getting acclimated to his new ministry position at 1st Jenison CRC. He is enjoy working alongside Terry Scholten - describing him as the perfect blend of Russ Carlson and Ron Story (for those of you who may know them): two pastors for whom he has high respect. He is working in three areas (listed by percentage of time): Worship, Outreach and Youth Advising. Many hats, but the pastor is supportive and gives great counsel and ideas - helping Chris to strategize and prioritize.

As Chris settles in at the church, the boys and I have been settling into our house, day, by day, little by little, box by box. I am so thankful for their strength and help in moving things around, lifting boxes, etc! They are great! (We'll be back to school work this coming week.) In case you're wondering... Lucy, the beagle is getting used to her new home, too. She's a little freaked out about all the wood floors and has developed a tentative style of stepping gingerly across the hard wood floors. She'll jump from braided rug to braided rug around the house.

Today I will need to call the propane company, Consumer's energy, go the hardware store to get some items to protect the floors from furniture... that kind of 'stuff'.
We've got trash pickup set, our phones and internet are functioning. I need to find the cell phone chargers... Anyway! God is so good and His ways are perfect.

Who is like our God? There is none like our God! His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. His glory is displayed in the heavens (and here on earth in the gorgeous autumn colors!). Come and exalt the Lord with me!

Need to move by October 15th...

God can do anything! We've been blessed to be living in the parsonage of our former church in Holland. They have been gracious and caring to allow us to live in this beautiful home.

Three weeks ago, Chris was offered the job in Jenison and officially started on Oct. 1. We began looking for homes as soon as he was offered the job and we knew what town to look in. Because his job in Jenison is temporary, we asked people at the church about the possibility of staying in the parsonage a little longer until we know for sure if the job will be permanent. While many Maranatha church friends acknowledge that the house "is not being used for anything", it is apparently a serious tax issue if they have someone living in it any longer.

We've been looking in Jenison and 'networking' with folks in the area to find something... Nothing as of today.

But there's always tomorrow! I'm going to start boxing things up and get ready for the next 'home' God takes us to. Please pray with us.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." His "grace is sufficient" for my need. I will "call unto" Him and He "will show me great and mighty things which I do not know." (Like where to find a home!) My "ear will hear a voice in it saying, "This is the way, walk in it."

God has been providing consistent part time work opportunities for me through the Sentinel (yes, I quit, but I've been 'subbing' routes for twice the pay) and Providence at Home (new name)- as a care giver.

Chris wrote a song, "Lord, I seek Your face" and the words are great....

Lord, I seek Your face and my heart desires to follow after You
Lord, I need Your grace to forgive my sins and turn my heart to You
And, Oh, when my life begins to crowd
You know that my vision starts to cloud
Even so, I can stand and shout aloud,
"I will depend on You."

Lord, I seek Your face and my heart desires to follow after You
Lord, I need Your grace to forget my past and turn my life to You
And, Oh, when my life begins to crowd
You know that my vision starts to cloud
Even so, I can stand and shout aloud,
"I will depend on You."

I am seeking His face and depending on Him.

autumn things....

Picking peaches with the family at Vince Brown farms.
Canning peaches.
Picking apples with the family at Vince Brown farms.
Making carmel apples.
Autumn decorations.
Soups in the crockpot and homemade bread.
Pressing leaves and making collages of them in picture frames.
Hiking with the family (and Lucy) at Hemlock Crossing park.
"PayDay" mix - peanuts and candy corn.
Rainy, then sunny, then cloudy, then sunny, then rainy.....
Making homemade cocoa mix.
A fire in the fireplace.

These are a few the Monteiro's favorite fall things!

Happy Fall!

I love Autumn!

Happy Autumn! Living in Michigan, we enjoy a beautiful autumn here and I am looking forward to seeing the leaves turn brilliant in color! Raking them is a pain, but I bought a small leaf blower at a garage sale this summer, so that'll help. I still like to press the most interesting ones and sometimes frame them.

We put in our last day as paper carriers last Thursday. Getting up at 3am was rather disruptive to a "normal" home schooling schedule, so we gave The Sentinel one month notice and we are officially 'done'. The route managers know that I'm open to subbing routes when they might need it and they promised to give me the weekend off before they started calling me to sub. (Ha Ha!) Well, the call came this morning at 5am. The person who took over our old route suddenly quit - after one weekend. So we are running the wholesale route for the next couple of days.... but this time we're getting paid double what we used to. Ahhh.. the pay of a last-minute sub!

Chris has accepted a full time position at 1st Jenison CRC, near Grand Rapids and he begins in October, which is also when his gig at the Dutch Village comes to an end. God is perfect in His timing. The position at Jenison is Music/Evangelism/Youth. As far as I can determine, the three part-time jobs were combined and came just short of full time status, but things were arranged in order to create a full time position with medical benefits. This all is only guaranteed through this December... the congregation will have to vote on a permanent position in November.

So we are appreciative of the full time job with medical, but we can only count on it through December. Of course, in the big picture, we can ALWAYS count on God supplying our every need.

We have not yet found a housing solution and are currently looking for that. (Thanks for praying!)

Home schooling is going well, and I am enjoying my work as a Private Duty Care Giver and Resident Aide at Royal Atrium Assisted Living - part time, evenings and some nights.

I withdrew from the Holland Chorale after only a couple of weeks. After I passed the audition and was extended membership, I felt that perhaps I should not do it - probably the Holy Spirit's nudging. I let the conductor talk me into joining the group and during the first rehearsal-camp-weekend, I knew it was not the right place for me. It's a fine organization with some very talented musicians... but the room seemed to 'drip' with 'ego' - close to eighty musicians - and it all felt like music for performance sake, rather than existing to honor God. It's just not right for me at this point in my life. I've been there, done that 'performance' thing and nothing fulfills me like giving myself to psalms, hymns and spiritual songs that honor the Lord Jesus and put HIM in the spotlight. So, I'm no longer a member of the Holland Chorale and it feels like my priorities are in line with what God would have me do right now.

This past weekend, we picked our first apples of the season at our favorite orchard. Just a half bushel for eating... we'll pick some for applesauce and more for eating (Fujis!) later in October. But it's an autumn thing... apple picking. The boys were thrilled when I made the first carmel apples of the season.

So as the leaves get ready to turn and this season of 'change' has begun, so is our life entering another season of change. With God, it's all good!