Happy New Year from the Tordoff Troop

This was actually written the end of December, first of January.  I thought it had posted, but obviously had not. 

The traditional Christmas letter didn't happen this year.   I always think as I get older that I will eventually have more time since children have been leaving the nest every few years now, but nope.   My days seem fuller than ever.   However, they aren't stressful and exhausting so I can't complain.  They are definitely full of wonderful people and eternity worthy things.   However, I still wish I had more time to write.   Everyday little things happen or are said that I think, I need to write that down, or that's good, and the children will get a great laugh one day or see how God was moving in their lives so young.   Before I know it, I'm waking up to another day, and that mental note is in a pile on the desk of my brain probably forgotten forever.     Here's an example of those things I don't want to forget, and want my children to know.  The other day I heard some scary news.   My mind was about to travel a road I didn't need to go down that would have filled my heart to overflowing with fear and worry when Christopher comes banging on my door calling my name.  "Mom, Mom, hurry up, you've got to see this!"   It was a beautiful sunset that he wanted to share with me.   It was even more beautiful because he was completely unaware that He wanted to share it with me to encourage me that God is still in control.  I need to rest in Him. I was reminded of the Scripture in Ruth 3, where Naomi is reminding Ruth to "Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out."    My heart was filled with peace and wonder.

2016 Recap

Mission Trip to India

India was amazing.   Timothy, Praise, Michael, and I went on a 10 day trip in April to Rajasthan to encourage a family and a bunch of boys they are raising in a boy's home.   We painted rooms in the home, and ran a VBS that week.     We were blessed more than we were a blessing by many hugs and smiles, by their generosity, and by their love.   I could fill this whole letter with just the preps for India, the flights, the travel days to Delhi, the Taj Mahal, Jaipur "The Pink City", the Amer Fort, the monkeys, the chipmunks, just animals everywhere, the sweet family we stayed with, the joy of the boys, and so much more.  ( If you want to support Indian widows and orphans, I'd encourage you to make gift purchases through chunkyjunk.com. They sell jewelry, purses, and more.)   The plane ride was long, the Muslim call to worship rang out daily, the weather was like a hot Georgia summer, Michael and his buddy Charlie got pretty ill, our plane ride home nearly missed, things we bought were broken or missing upon our return, yet we never really thought about those things nor talked much about it since our return.  We never really felt inconvenienced, but more of an inconvenience when this family gave us the best rooms, sacrificed their food to serve us, and loved us well.  When we talk about India we remember the sweet family, the boys singing, their joy, the poverty, the majesty, and our Emmanuel for God was surely with us.   He knit our hearts to this sweet family and we want to return as soon as possible.  

2016~what a year.   December marked 5 years since I found out I had cancer.   It seems like so long ago now thankfully.      I'm feeling great, and my mind is clearer each year post chemo.    I'm still home schooling, tutoring with Classical Conversations, and working part-time at Control plus.  In the spring, we took a trip to Florida to celebrate my Uncle Mike's life.   The trip was bittersweet.  We had such a good time visiting family we don't normally see, but was definitely sad I couldn't have laughed with Uncle Mike one last time.  Rusty has been busy making cabinets.   We just returned from spending Christmas with his family in North Carolina.  It was such a fun trip full of laughs, hikes, food, and family.   He gave up his Mountain Dew this year due to a diabetes diagnosis.  Since giving up his beloved soda (😉), he lost 20# and has no problem with his sugar levels.   Also giving up all that sugar, he no longer has arthritic symptoms.     That's pretty exciting.  He's such a good Dad and has helped the kiddos build all kinds of projects this year.   

          Cindy moved to the Burn Unit as a surgery nurse this year, and has loved it.   She and Brandon have separated, but are keeping the children's lives as normal as possible.  Cindy also started her own business CRAFT (Custom Re-purposed Art Furniture & Tiles).   You can find it here on face book.  Rylie is in band this year playing the drums.   She is in 5th grade, and has caught up with Emily in height, and is such a smart girl.  She loves to dance with Emily, read, and play games.   Jackson is in 2nd grade.  He's also grown so much.   He loves legos and playing outside with Christopher climbing trees and just being all boy.

          John Russell and Lindsey have had a busy year.   John Russell continues to work for Advanced Industrial Refrigeration and has put in a lot of hours this year to help support Lindsey's last year of college.   We're so proud of the man he has become.   She graduated this December with a Biology major.   She wants to pursue a P.A. degree, but taking a year off to work first.  We are excited for her.    They still attend Grace Fellowship.  They are such a sweet couple, and I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for them this year.

        Nicholas is still with John Deere.   He has worked hard at getting healthy himself this year and it shows.  He has registered with Augusta Tech to begin 2017.    He and Lydia are still a couple, and they attend Journey together.   They have been involved in Bible studies there, and enjoy movies, Mexican, and hanging out with friends.    He is moving out in a week.   Love seeing how the Lord is growing in him and the wise choices he makes. 
       Timothy graduated this year through Classical Conversations' Challenge program.  He has been working for  Door Hardware Contractors when he's not in school or studying.  He is also been enrolled at Augusta Technical College in their welding program since the fall.   His sweetheart's name is Olivia and they like hiking and being outdoors.    He still attends Kiokee when he isn't at Olivia's church (Lakeside).   He has a great heart that serves others well.
     Praise is in her final year of high school.   She is enrolled in the Challenge program as well as the Cosmetology program at Augusta Technical College.  She and all the younger ones are still at Kiokee with us.   Cosmetology is definitely a great fit for her as her hair color has changed quarterly for the last few years.   She was homecoming queen this year.   She's not only beautiful outside, but inside as well.    She wants to go to Jamaica on a mission trip in 2017.
     Michael is a sophomore this year.  He loves sports, and working hard.   He doesn't like to be bored, and wants to be moving all the time.  He gets up early to get his school done early so he can work with his Dad, meet with friends to go to the gym or disc golf, play football.   He fell in love with India and wants to go back 2017.     I love his heart to serve.
    Emily is nearing the tween stage.  She is 11, and in 6th grade.  She loves dancing, singing, playing cards, going to every church youth activity as does Michael, bicycling, and more.  She is still such a happy girl, and still very social.   She's always helpful and fun.  She's such a joy to our family.
   Christopher will always be the baby, but he no longer looks it.   He has grown so much.  He loves everything outside from basketball, bicycling, climbing trees, running races, etc.  He loves playing legos inside as well as drawing and coloring.   He has a sweet heart that loves to cook breakfast with his Daddy in the morning and me at night.

That wraps up our year.   Hope you all have a Happy New Year!

 

Thanks-living

  

I'm listening to the pitter patter of water splashing around my front window, as I'm snuggled warm and safe from the wintery elements, and am so thankful for this rain.   I'm thankful the fires in TN and NC are out.  I'm also so sorry for the families who have lost their homes and family members due to the fires.   [If you are looking for a way to help hurting families, search Renee Hand on my facebook page.  She is gathering things together to deliver to many folks north of us.]   As the children are already resting in their beds, (I doubt with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads), I reflected on the fact that I haven't written in forever.  Everyday I think of things I want to write about, but I never get a chance
 to sit down and type away.  So today, even though I've already taught all morning, picked up my sweet girl from college, lunched and led our Bible study group at  the house, worked for a few hours, and went to a Women's event tonight at church, I'm going to stop and write.

We are entering the season of Advent, and have begun decorating our little Jesse tree as we do short devotions daily as we approach Christmas.   However, I never wrote during November, so I'm going to step back a bit as I ponder on all the blessings that surround my life.   First of all, I'm thankful to the Lord for saving me and calling me His own.    This may seem like hogwash to someone who doesn't know Jesus personally, and I get that.  But to anyone who has tasted and seen the goodness of our Lord, you can't help but be overwhelmed by His grace and mercy towards those He calls His own.  I'm truly thankful, and wish I had adequate words to express how my heart rejoices in Him.

 

Next, I am thankful for my hard working, fun, handsome husband.   Our journey in this life has taken us through beautiful sunshine filled mountains, and some difficult dark valleys, but we have trekked through together hand and hand.  It has made our love richer and stronger.   Out of that overflow of love for one another, the Lord has blessed us with 8 wonderful children, 2 children-in-loves through marriage, and 2 beautiful grands.    The privilege of raising these children for the kingdom of God, and sharing their joys and pain, is an incredible thing.   You never knew your heart could love so deep, or hurt so much.  You rejoice with them over their joys and accomplishments, and your heart breaks for the things that they struggle with in this life.  When they are little, you try to fix everything for them, but it's not too long in parenting that you discover that you can't.  You can pray for them, encourage them, love them, then you must watch them fly, flounder, fall, and prayerfully rebound.   It's a beautiful thing to realize that the Lord, who is the perfect parent, does the same for us.   However, He is far more patient, and does nothing in fear of His reputation as we are tempted to do or wring His hands in worry.  

I'm also thankful for my family (Moms, Dads, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc) and friends who fill my life from end to end.   Family and friends who I can go without seeing or speaking to for literally months or years, and we are as comfortable as if we only spoke yesterday.  Ahhhh, the sweetness of friendships.    I'm thankful for women who fill my life from my various Classical Conversation groups, Potter's Hand group, Kiokee Baptist Church, my sweet K-Group ladies, Grace Fellowship, old neighbors, classmates, coworkers, and more.   I'm rich in people whose steps I've walked beside, enriching my life in so many ways as our paths have crossed throughout the seasons.

Choosing to live thankfully may be difficult at first.   I'm a half glass full (and overflowing) kind of girl, so honestly it's not too big a struggle for me.   But, I can tell you if you can habitually put it into practice it can change your life.    It's hard to be thankful, and gripe in the same breath.    So when you are tempted to complain, look at life or a situation with a half glass empty attitude, find something to be thankful for.   It works! 

I'll end this post with a poem I found along the way.   May we all choose to live our lives full of thanksgiving.   

A Thanksgiving

For summer rains, and winter’s sun,
For autumn breezes crisp and sweet;
For labors doing, to be done,
And labors all complete;
For April, May, and lovely June,
For bud, and bird, and berried vine;
For joys of morning, night, and noon,
My thanks, dear Lord, are Thine!

For loving friends on every side;
For children full of joyous glee;
For all the blessed Heavens wide,
And for the sounding sea;
For mountains, valleys, forests deep;
For maple, oak, and lofty pine;
For rivers on their seaward sweep,
My thanks, dear Lord, are Thine!

For light and air, for sun and shade,
For merry laughter and for cheer;
For music and the glad parade
Of blessings through the year;
For all the fruitful earth’s increase,
For home and life, and love divine,
For hope, and faith, and perfect peace,
My thanks, dear Lord, are Thine!

~~John Kendrick Bangs

 

India, Homeschooling, graduation, girl's weekend, great reads, and rest

It has been a while since I've had time to blog.  I finally took a deep breath from the busy-ness of the past year.   There are so many things I would like to write about as you can tell by the title of this blog.   However, it's late Friday night.  I will be writing on all those things asap.   I'm excited about them all.  We had graduation rehearsal tonight for child number 4.  I'll say what every old person says, "Where has the time gone?"   Except I know where they went.   Years of school, church, co-ops, friends, family, great days, hard days, days of disappointment, days of thankfulness, sick days, messy days, and fantastic-joy filled days.   It's been and continues to be an adventure.   So tonight as I await my little girl's arrival from an out of town birthday trip, I'm thanking the Lord for allowing us the privilege of raising children for His kingdom.   I'm trusting He will take my meager attempts, successes and failures, and bless them.   I'm thankful that He is giving me 4 more chances to lean on Him and grow as a Mom and teacher.  Tomorrow we watch our fella walk across the stage and towards the next stage of his life.  What an exciting day.

I'll add some graduation pictures later.   Good night and God bless.