Samantha Pierce

Saturday we took the kids to the local science museum with hubby's parents. Wandering around the museum reminded me of the vastness and the marvel of creation. There's more to creation than just our little blue planet spinning in the darkness of space. There are thousands of galaxies out there beyond our own. It's a real mind bender to think of it all. But we don't have to go so far from home to see such amazing works of God. Stellar quakes and our own Milky Way galaxy are awesome sights to behold. It all makes you feel very small and very grateful that God bothers with us at all when he can create something as magnificent as this. The geology exhibits added another layer of wonder to the experience. For as vast and amazing as the universe is our little blue rock is a marvel all in itself. Continental drift, plate tectonics, volcanism, weather. Just walk out into your backyard and I'm sure you'll find something to amaze you. We are surrounded on every side ...

I've been a bit of a slacker with the blog lately but I'm trying to mend my ways. So to that end today I am thankful for/that: Isaiah starts at his new school in less than two weeks (just got the call from the school district to confirm it). Sophia writing on and with anything and everything she can get her ink stained little fingers on. She may be a great writer or blogger some day. Maybe I'll have her start blogging for me once she learns how to read. The sight of Sophia clomping around the house in her brother's old snow boots. She's had a thing for shoes ever since she learned how to roll over as a baby. I suspect that she learned how to crawl so she could get at the shoes that I kept moving out of her reach. Peace and quiet. Central heating, indoor plumbing, electricity, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers... What are you thankful for?

I'm a day late but, today I'm thankful for/that: Knitting. I thought about knitting a sweater that says, "I'd rather be knitting" because it's been true for the last few months. I think I'll have to settle for a t-shirt, knitting a sweater would take more time than I have right now. The gift of a bag full of knitting paraphernalia. A friend recently gave me some of her deceased mother's knitting gear. I'm currently endeavoring to use them skillfully. Me: (after receiving a requested hug) Did you just wipe your nose in me?! Ethan: Yeah! (sounding like I'd just asked him if he wanted a cookie.) We've found a full day pre-school program for Isaiah. Now we have to wait a month or two for the bureaucratic juggernaut to say he can go. What are you thankful for?

Today I am thankful for/that: Patience and a mild mannered disposition. My life would a whole lot harder to manage without those qualities. Hubby made me take my vitamins this morning. How thoughtful. Comedy Central is doing a benefit show for autism education . The cynic in me cocked an eyebrow at autism's apparent rise to the status of a celebrity cause. The mother of autistic children in me sighed and thought every little bit helps. What are you thankful for?

Ethan had his first official homework assignment last night. He had to list five words that started with the letter A. He really wanted apple to be on his list but the teacher had already given that as an example. So the words he came up with were airplane, alligator, acorn, and, and at. I was surprised when the first word out of his mouth (after apple) was airplane. It took the most work to get the shortest words out of him. I'm looking forward to more homework. I'll have to make some up for him if he doesn't start getting more.

It seems hubby is rubbing off on me. Or maybe it's thhe kids. I used to be INFP. You Are An INFJ The Protector You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity. Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is. You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience. You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them. You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher. What's Your Personality Type? Your Hair Should Be Red Passionate, fiery, and sassy. You're a total smart aleck who's got the biggest personality around. What's Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

Today I am thankful for/that: Ethan seems interested in house work. Yesterday he helped put a load of laundry in the washing machine, cleaned the dining room table (with a little help from me), and he was supposed to help make dinner but he saw a can of ravioli that hadn't been put away so that was all he wanted for dinner. He's helped make dinner on several other occasions though. Isaiah's CPSE meeting went very well. The committee agreed that a change of program was in order. We're now looking for a full day program for Isaiah. Isaiah has been keeping his clothes on more often. I guess he likes being cold less than he dislikes clothing. Sophia willingly got into the bath tub yesterday. She still had a fit when I washed her hair but one hurdle at a time. Friends to share a meal with. The witness of the persecuted church. We haven't had to turn the heat on yet. What are you thankful for?

Below is a letter sent to us by a couple living overseas. We've been receiving news of their activities for several years now. Recently the situation in the place where they were living began to deteriorate to the point where they had to leave. Their letters have never mentioned specifically where they were because the government was always distrustful of Christians and foreigners. I've removed their vague references to where they were serving. O God,do not keep silent: Be not quiet, O God, be not still. See how your enemies are astir, How your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; They plot against those you cherish. (Psalm 83: 1-3) Do to them as you did to Midian... who became like refuse on the ground. (vv9, 10) Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, Like chaff before the wind (v. 13) The Psalmist often expresses the cries and longings of our souls. Over the last months scripture like Psalm 83 have become alive to us as we have left our home an...

Killer teddy bear behind deaths of 2,500 fish MILFORD, N.H. - A teddy bear has been implicated in 2,500 deaths. Of trout, that is. State officials say a teddy bear dropped into a pool at a Fish and Game Department hatchery earlier this month clogged a drain. The clog blocked the flow of oxygen to the pool and suffocated the fish. You Are a Margarita Jelly Bean Wildly optimistic and jovial, you know how to get through anything with flair. You have a certain "je ne sais quoi" that makes you an alluring companion. What Flavor Jelly Bean Are You? You Belong in the UK Blimey! A little proper, a little saucy. You're so witty and charming... No one notices your curry breath What English Speaking Country Are You? Well, I was born in a recently former colony of the Empire and now I live in another former colony.

Today I am thankful for/that: Isaiah kept his clothes on all morning. I'm about halfway done knitting my first sweater. Things are going well so when I'm done I'll start on sweaters for the kids. The new stove is here! What are you thankful for?

Happy first day of Fall! Bring on the pumpkins and apples! I've got a new stove coming and a good pie crust recipe. I'm ready for the season. Are you? We've got a norway silver maple out back that has been slowly turning a fetching shade of burgandy for weeks now. In the country there is wave upon wave of goldenrod flowering in the fields.

Your Taste in Music: 80's R&B: High Influence 90's R&B: High Influence R&B: High Influence 90's Hip Hop: Medium Influence 90's Pop: Medium Influence How's Your Taste in Music? (Via Dappled Things .) You Are 10% Redneck I'll slap you so hard, your clothes will be outta style. You ain't no redneck - you're all Yankee! How Redneck Are You? You Are 35% Left Brained, 65% Right Brained The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports. Are...

Updated Today I am thankful for/that: I am alive. I am a child of God, justified and sanctified. I am an American citizen living in America. My children are as safe as one can expect in this world. "Let's pray!" Spoken by Ethan at the dinner table a few nights this week. Last night we let him have at it. What a joy it is to hear your children pray. Update: Apparently Isaiah has been going around at school declaring "Lord Jesus!" His teacher is delighted because he's talking and she can understand what he's saying. Ethan playing with Sophia and letting her poke at him with the toy stethoscope. He even showed her where it was really supposed to go. I was able to change the date of Isaiah's CSPE meeting without much fuss (once I finally made contact with the person responsible for scheduling those meetings). The notice that the school district sends you about these meetings also tells you that they will hold the meeting to make decisions about your chi...

Hugo Chavez Harshly Criticizes Bush at U.N. Speaking at the United Nations in New York Wednesday, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez unleashed a verbal assault, calling President Bush "the devil." Is it just me or does the translator sound like she's trying not to laugh? I wish I had video of the UN staffer who looked rather amused as Chavez declared President Bush the devil and crossed himself during his speech yesterday.

I've been doing research into autism, dyspraxia, how the normal brain works, and how an autistic/dyspraxic brain works (or doesn't work). Traumatic injury to different parts of the brain can cause the same problems suffered by autistic and dyspraxic children. Compare this list of the functions of different parts of the brain and the problems caused by injuries to those areas with these descriptions of dyspraxia and autism. What is Developmental Dyspraxia? Developmental dyspraxia is a disorder characterized by an impairment in the ability to plan and carry out sensory and motor tasks. Generally, individuals with the disorder appear "out of sync" with their environment. Symptoms vary and may include poor balance and coordination, clumsiness, vision problems, perception difficulties, emotional and behavioral problems, difficulty with reading, writing, and speaking, poor social skills, poor posture, and poor short-term memory. Although individuals with the disorder may b...

Great, the world is not chaotic enough as it is. There seems to be a coup going down in Thailand. Thailand declares state of emergency (via Instapundit .) Thai Military Launches Coup to Remove PM Thaksin Thai PM calls state of emergency (Via Michelle Malkin .) Only in the 21st century would you see people calmly taking pictures of a military coup in their country with their camera phones.

I've been thinking a lot about sin and forgiveness lately. Why are we so willing to sin against God? Because we know that those sins will be forgiven. Why are we so unwilling to admit our mistakes to our fellow man? Because people are nowhere near as forgiving as God. More often than not you can expect to have you nose rubbed in your mistake by your fellow man. God doesn't rub it in when we make mistakes. We may have worldly consequences to deal with but we know that God will grant his forgiveness when we seek it. Before I go any further let me be clear about who and what I mean when I say God. I am talking about the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, triune God of the Bible. The Hebrews called him Elohim and Yahweh, among other things. I'm talking about the God who created heaven and earth and all things therein. I'm talking about the God who made mankind in his image and then sacrificed his son for our sakes after humanity spurned him and sought our own ruin. Karl M...

My life seems to be going in fastforward and slow motion at the same time. Still I am thankful for/that: The car wasn't moving when the deer hit. Ethan is really enjoying school despite the after school bus drama. Well it's mostly drama for me waiting around for half an hour to more than an hour for his bus to arrive. The school's only 5 minutes away. Isaiah didn't wreck the house while I was waiting for Ethan to get home yesterday. I made my first mitten! (Finished it while I waited for Isaiah to get home.) It looks pretty good for having made the pattern up myself. Now I'm working on the second one of the pair. Magic skinny black pants. The kind that take ten pounds off when you wear them. Autumn. Winter. Come January I may be rethinking this but right now I'm ready for the season to change. What are you thankful for?

As if a summer of expensive car trouble wasn't enough (the highlight of which was a tire falling off of the car) Isaiah just broke the door to our oven. He popped the hinges out of place. In the process of trying to fix it it came off completely. Now we're in the market for a new oven. I guess the bright side is that neither the stove nor the oven were in use at the time. Thanks to the internet I can at least shop from the comfort of my couch in my pajamas. Or make hubby do the shopping for me.

Sigh, back to school week. Anyway, I'm thankful for/that: Ethan and Isaiah are very happy to be back at school. Ethan started walking to school yesterday when the bus was late picking him up. Sophia seems to be fine with Ethan being gone for so much of the day as long as she gets to wait for the bus with him. Got the house clean. The downstairs anyway. God's forgiveness. No matter how big the mistake we can still receive God's forgiveness and the strength to suffer the consequences. What are you thankful for?