Have I ever told you about our science museum? (Yeah, okay it’s not OUR science museum…we just like to visit there.)  It’s only about 25 minutes away from us and it is an incredible hands-on museum filled with all kinds of scientific wonders. We bought a family membership so we can go visit whenever we are able to.

Once a month, the museum hosts a “homeschool day” inviting families to come participate in the planned lesson for the day. Our kids have learned about building bridges and heating a home efficiently and everything you could ever want to know about reptiles (and then some!). 

Before and after the program…the boys love to hang out in the great big room full on science exploration! 

Here’a nice view of several of the tables filled with educational fun. 
Asa’s trying to re-create one of the shapes on the table with his tangrams.

Here’s Elias doing…something cool…sorry I’m not as familiar with this activity. I think it has something to do with the speed of light? (Am I smarter than a first grader? Apparently not.)

Have you EVER seen an Operation game as big as ths one? 
That poor patient has HUGE butterflies in his stomach. 
It’s okay though…Dr. Justus is taking care of it.

I’m so grateful that we have such a neat facility so close to us and that our boys love exploring there. I love all the great things they’ve learned and that the hard working folks there are so “homeschooler” friendly. We can’t wait to go back next month!

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What are you grateful for this Gratituesday? Read the details here, write about how God is working in your life and link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, please leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

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Do you hear that? 

Ahhhh. Nothin’. Not a thing. I’m the only one home right now. (I’m writing this on Monday afternoon.)

Since it was such a beautiful day today, several of my friends and I met at the park with our kids to have a picnic and play. For once…my boys were not very interested in food…but more interested in playing in the sunshine. Whoa.

THEN, as we were packing up to go home…somehow all of my boys got farmed out to go play at their friend’s houses. ALL OF THEM. 

I came home by myself. ALL BY MYSELF. 

This so rarely happens…which is fine of course. I like being around my kids…usually and except for when they’re fighting. But oh the quietness around me right now is quite lovely.

On my way home…I stopped by our health food store and treated myself to a bottle of mineral water and a bottle of organic lemonade. I mixed them together and now, I’m sipping on a yummy,refreshing, fizzy glass of delightfulness. AND NO ONE IS ASKING FOR A DRINK OF IT. 

Later…when they come home…I’ll be so happy to see them and I might find it in my heart to share.

Oh, but for now, I am grateful for the rare quietness that I hear around me. It’s a blessing to be refreshed. 
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What are you grateful for this Gratituesday? Read the details here, write about what you’re thankful for, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, please leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

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You know how you can hear something your whole life and understand it and appreciate it and be happy about it…

And then you hear it again and think more deeply about it…

And the idea suddenly seems new to you?

That’s how I feel about grace this week.

I’ve known that I was saved by grace. I’ve been thankful that Jesus loved me enough to die for me…extending his grace to me. I’ve understood that my salvation was a gift because of the grace of God.

Oh, but sometimes it’s just good to sit and think about what that all means. My Nana sent me a link to the song Amazing Grace  sung by Il Divo last week…it’s beautiful. (I’m sorry I wasn’t able to embed the code for you here…you’ll have to just click over and listen.)

Grace.

Amazing grace.

That saved a wretch as me.

I once was lost…but now I’m FOUND!!

Was blind but now I see!

Old familiar song….unending beautiful message.

I’m so grateful for God’s grace…that is quite simply…amazing.
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What are you thankful for this Gratituesday? Read the details here, then come link up with us so that we can all read about what you are thankful for! If you don’t have a blog, please leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for.

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If I keep talking about spring coming…will it actually happen?! I thought a new spring Gratituesday banner was in order…since it’s March now and spring will be here somewhere between 10 and 109 days. 

What’s the weather like where you live? Are you looking forward to spring like I am?

I love the change of seasons. I’m glad I live in a place where we have a definite four seasons. (Although sometimes it seems like we only have two seasons…Summer and Winter…with two days of fall and two days of spring sandwiched somewhere in between). 

Usually by now, I am so sick of winter I can hardly stand to be around myself. Guess what? I haven’t felt that way this winter! 

And that’s what I’m grateful for this Gratituesday. 

God blessed us this winter with several days of reprieve here and there from the harsh, bitter cold. Some of the days this winter…the SUN has actually been shining. Some of the days, the boys were able to play outside in light jackets. Some of the days, we haven’t even needed to build a fire. 

One day this winter (I think it was in January) I actually took a book outside and read on the porch. In January. 

Just so you know, that’s really unusual in Nebraska.

So, while I’m very excited that spring is coming soon full of all the green and loveliness that comes with it….I’m so grateful for the coziness we’ve had this winter and that God gave us a little taste of warmer weather here and there to bring relief.
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What are you grateful for this Gratituesday? Read the details here, blog about what you’re grateful for, then come link up here with us. If you don’t have a blog, please leave a comment telling us what you’re grateful for! 

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On Saturday night our church hosted a Mother/Son Banquet. I took four very handsome dates with me. (Although when I was making Elias put on church clothes for the event on a SATURDAY…he whined, “Ah Mom…why do you want me to look handsome?” He much preferred the holey sweat pants he was wearing.)

The banquet included a nice meal (which included plenty of food since there were so many BOYS at the event), a music video, and a couple of ladies sharing some stories about raising boys (I was one of them). To end the evening, they asked any of the sons who wanted to share something about their mom to come on up to the microphone.

That was my favorite part. Some of the little boys shared some pretty sweet things about their moms. 

But here is my favorite. The little guy got up to the mike and said,

“Once my mom and I went to a movie when I was really little. I fell asleep in her lap and she didn’t leave me there to go to the bathroom or let me fall off of her lap. That’s how I know she loves me.”

Is that the cutest?! :)

The night ended with the boys bringing roses to their moms. Because of the volume of boys I am mother to…I ended up with a whole bouquet! Yay for me!

I was a little nervous to be speaking during the banquet…therefore I left the house without my camera. (I was concentrating on leaving the house with my notes and the four boys who are my sons.)  So…the pics of the flowers are all I have to show you for now! A couple of others took pictures of us though and hopefully I can show them to you soon!

Even though I don’t have pictures to prove we were at this wonderful event..I’m very grateful for the opportunity to make special memories with my sons!
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Share what you’re grateful for this Gratituesday! Read the details here then come link up with us! If you don’t have a blog, please leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

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God is good…all the time. Here are a few bits and pieces I’m grateful to be able to share with you:

• When Matt’s cell phone fell out of his pocket as he was leaving for the airport on his way home from California last week…he dropped it IN our sister-in-law’s car. Not on the sidewalk…not in the driveway…not in the middle of the airport. He could have lost it forever…but it was safe inside Kari’s car. Good ol’ Fed Ex had it to him two days later.

• Last week I caught a sinus infection. (Which beans by dose is pretty plugged right dow.)    With by asthba my asthma…any kind of infection I catch usually makes it’s way into my lungs, then it takes me a LONG time to get over it. This time my lungs stayed clear and felt much better in only a few days! Yay!

• At just the right time over the weekend when I was experiencing some moments of discouragement, my friend Char called. The phone call was just what I needed and I’ve felt better ever since. Aren’t Christian friends the best?

• The past two mornings, I’ve actually heard birds chirping outside our windows. In FEBRUARY. It’s the sweetest sound…and holds the promise of spring!

• Through Facebook, I’ve re-gained contact with several high school friends. I’m really excited about that. What a neat tool for keeping in touch with people!

I love that God works in big, bold ways…and that he works in simple, everyday ways too. I love that he never tires of blessing me.

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How is God working in your life? What are you grateful for? Read the details here, write about your blessings on your blog, then come link up with us. If you don’t have a blog, please leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

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For this special valentine edition of Gratituesday…I want to share something that I love…our family’s Christian heritage. 

As is easy to do with things we love…this is something I have taken for granted. When I’ve talked about my family in past posts and when I recently talked about Matt’s grandpa who was a godly man, several of you have pointed out how wonderful it is that we have the blessing of Christian parents and grandparents. You are so, so right. It is a huge blessing and I’m ashamed that I have not appreciated it like I should.

It is an amazing thing that both Matt and I were raised in Christian homes and had family all around us who were Christians. It is wonderful to know that because my mom loved and served God…I can have peace about where she is now. It is thrilling to think that just last Tuesday Matt’s grandpa got to join the huge joyful worship taking place in the very presence of God. 

And it is an honor to be able to carry on the legacy started by our family members. 

Yes there have been problems. Yes there has been sin. Yes there has been conflict. No family is perfect. 

But how rich is the gift of the understanding of Christ that our parents and grandparents gave us…and that we accepted.

And now there are four more Coppinger boys in our very own house that we have the honor and challenge to pass the legacy on to. Thank you God for this lovely, joyful blessing of our Christian heritage.

May I just say a word to those of you who do not have a Christian heritage like the one I am so grateful for?  YOU yourselves will be the ones your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren will get to share the story of someday. Someday they will talk about you, their parents and grandparents, and tell about how you met Jesus and how you shared Jesus with them. You are beginning your own Christian heritage. How exciting for God to use you this way! He is so good.
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What do you love? What are you grateful for? Please share on your blog and come link up here so that we can read about how God is working in your life. If you don’t have a blog, please leave a comment to share what you are grateful for!

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Recently some friends of ours handed down a small sized pair of coveralls. I gushed over them when I saw them…the cutest little coveralls I’ve ever seen. They are just like the kind Matt wears when he works outside…except they’re pint sized.

Just the right size for Elias.

Elias is so proud of those coveralls because they are his. His brothers didn’t wear them first. HE got to wear them first. (Not something this third born boy can often brag.)

The best thing Elias loves about these coveralls is that they are just like Daddy’s. He wants to be a hard worker in his coveralls like his Daddy. He insists on putting them on every time he and his brothers take a trip with the wagons to our “carriage house” out back to get wood. “Mama, where are my worker clothes that are like Daddy’s?”

All my boys want to be just like their daddy. 

I couldn’t be more pleased. 

If all four of our sons grow to be hard working, God fearing, servant hearted, loving, caring, strong leaders like their daddy…that’s a good, good thing. I’m so grateful that God gave my sons such a wonderful role model.
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What are you grateful for this Gratituesday? Read the details here, then come link up here and share how God is working in your life! If you don’t have a blog, please be sure to leave a comment to share what you’re grateful for!

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I always tend to get a little bit whiny in January. It’s so, so cold! And it has been for three months. And it will be for a couple more months. And our house is old and big and drafty…and it’s hard to stay warm in the house unless you’re doing jumping jacks. By the fireplace. With five layers on.

So I decided that today for Gratituesday I need to take time to be grateful even while I’m cold. So here goes… 

• I have a fireplace and a furnace.
• I have a husband who chops wood like crazy and four boys who bring wagon loads of wood up to the house for us to burn.
• We have plenty of clothes so that I can layer us all up.
• The change of seasons and the snow and the cold weather all show God’s power.
• Icicles are beautiful.
• There’s no better time to eat warm soup.
• The boys love playing in the snow and have SO much fun.

• I get to surprise the kids with hot cocoa.
• Hot tea is so cozy.
• We have plenty quilts and blankets and they are soft and warm.
• Winter is less hectic than soccer season and we can all be home together most evenings.

Okay…I’m better now. Making that list warmed me up… :)  God is good…every day of the year!
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What are you grateful for this Gratituesday? Write about it on your blog, then come link up with us here! If you don’t have a blog, please leave a comment sharing something you’re grateful!

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Saturday night my dad called and said these words:

“Kevin and Michele and the kids were at a basketball game tonight at the juco and Renee fell through the bleachers. They were sitting at the top. They’re on their way to the hospital right now. I’ll call you when I know more.”

Whew. I felt sick to my stomach with fear. (Kevin is my brother…Renee is their two year old.)   Matt, the boys and I prayed together then, and constantly over the next few hours. 

Waiting for the next phone call was yucky (that’s the best word I can think of to describe it). I wanted the phone to ring so that I could hear how she was. I was afraid for the phone ring so that I could hear how she was. Yucky.

I told Matt that in a situation like this if you hear that she “broke her arm” it would actually be a relief.

We finally talked to my dad around 10:15 that night. Renee was okay. But she did fracture her skull. Her vitals looked good. There was no swelling on the brain. She was eating a popcycle. She was jabbering. 

I’m pretty sure Renee’s  jabbering sounded like beautiful music to Kevin and Michele.  Just hearing the words, “She’s jabbering away” was enough to make me cry.

Here’s Renee in the hospital the morning after her fall. 
I love how she’s smiling for the picture.

After a night in the ICU…she was allowed to go home. When I last talked to my brother, he said Renee is acting normal…running and playing. My question was, “Wow, does she not even have a headache? I’m pretty sure I’d have a headache.”

God is good. I’m SO GRATEFUL for His protection and that Renee is healthy and whole. 
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What are you thankful for this Gratituesday? Read the guidelines here, then come link up and share how God is working in your life. If you don’t have a blog, please leave a comment letting us know what you’re thankful for!

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