Open Mic. at the Goodenough's

We are having another live music night Saturday, February 5th at 6pm. The last one was super great!

Share a few songs, a poem, a story, etc. or just come and watch. Leon and the children will perform for you.
Come if you can. Please spread the word and invite your friends, we'll move the couch. Email me for information j e n n y f a c e at y a h o o dot c o m.

p.s. yummy and healthy treats!

--jeni

Most Days- part 3- a Normal Day Drawn To a Close

Most Days part 3

Jen was content to look out the window. The sky and ground were all white. The snow had melted so much that a little grass and the grey street were visable again. The blue mountains in the distance were covered with trees. In front of that were large trees of every color of green and some dead trees shining a beautiful copper color. Long grasses peeping through the snow in her woods were shades of brown, but most were under the white capetting. The melt wouldn't last long, the snow would deepen. Spring would not appear to have sprung before at least mid April.

Jen wants to get bread rising before lunch without becoming vexed by her little ones who come crashing into her leg for an excited hug, offer clumsy help in the kitchen and quarrel mildly.

Serenity and sweetness is there but, disharmony is ever waiting to intrude. No behavior is shocking to a mama and papa with a house full of healthy children. If we are shocked by our own or our children's sins then we don't understand how wretched we truly are and how great Jesus work on the cross was.

During chore time the children make a pact to help each other by each grinding 100 grinds so we can get the flour for the pizza. After lunch and noisy chores all are down for 1 1/2 hours of quiet time. Several of the children use this time for finishing their school lessons. A couple read and a couple sleep. The bread is rising again.

After naps, Asaph and Zion are working on making bows and arrows.

It's growing dark already, Oh, how I already look forward to longer days.

When the 5th and last load of laundry is dropped on the couch, the area is straightened and made ready for Papa and dinner is served.

At dinner Mia picked up his spinach and carrots and placed them on the table. Jen said, "Mia eat your veggie's". "No thank you", he stated calmly. Jen said, "You must eat your veggies". Despite his dislike of them, he seemed willing to try so Jen flew them in and offered him something yummy when he finished.

She realized too late that she should not have coaxed so much. He couldn't hold in the offensive veggetables nor at this point anything else that he had eaten recently. His face, hands, clothing, floor and chair were all spoiled. All sitting before a full plate of food that they were beginning to enjoy, looked at him at that moment. Some groaned, some laughed.

It's a good thing he had found underwear that morning for he needed to be stripped and taken to the bath. Comments touching on the vomitus event continued to trouble those with weak stomachs and amuse others throughout the meal.

Band practice that night included Ephraim, Havilah, Asaph, Zion and Leon and was concluded by 7pm.

The day like most days had been full to the brim with situations and difficulties as well as the amusements and pleasures of being surrounded with those we love through the daily stuff and all along Yeshua was our panoply.

Pictures

Nehemiah (3) Don't give this boy spinach.
jeni (the mama) We love the bread with extra butter!
Sim and Zuriel (9) The Wonder Twins
Elsie Ammiel (1.5) with her defender and play toy Ephraim (16)

Most Days- part 2

Most Days part 2

Using the knife he usually had in it's sheath at his side, Ephraim started shaving the plastic on the zipper to get the zipper-pull back on the coat.

"don't shave toward his head", Jen said, slightly alarmed. After a few minutes Ephraim was the hero.... again and 3 year old Mia was zipped up and solemly heading out to milk Crackers the goat.

Naphtali called out excitedly from the couch, "I'm almost done with my hat!". He was crocheting a hat for Uncle Hug Bear.

As was their custom; chore time, which followed each meal, was slightly crazy. As long as all were on task and being friendly it was not discouraged.

When breakfast Chores were all over they gathered for reading time. Currently Asaph and Havilah were reading, Farm Boy, to the rest of us. Then most students went to the table for school. This time was mostly for reading and writing and then math.

Sitting under a blanket with the baby, Jen smiled as she heard the familiar sqeak and groan of Ephraim opening the wood stove door and then the clang of the tool helping a large log in. She was glad.

She had one of her favorite skirts on today. It was green with little red roses all over it. She made it 9 years ago while living in Vancouver, WA. Under that skirt she wore a wool skirt and long johns. She also wore 3 layers on top. Despite the layers, she was cold. After the baby woke she would warm up by grinding grain or climbing the stairs.

Havilah and Mia were leaning over a paper. Quietly Havilah urged Mia, "let's see if we can find the 5." Asaph had been teaching Zion the first Saxon math book. Every concept and phraseology was new to him and he couldn't yet read it alone.

Happy Zuriel had finished her math book after 2 years of hard work. She earned $50 and a full week off of school. "I think", said Jen with a desire to give pleasure, "she will be my pizza maker today." This was considered by all the children, to be a grand priviledge.

Zuriel taught Language Arts to Naphtali and Sim under Jen's supervision. Both Asaph and Zuriel were patient teachers, hardly ever using a negative tone with their students. Jen was surprised therefore, when she heard Zuriel lose her patience after Sim repeatedly gave a wrong answer.

Jen was amused and said, "Zuriel, remain patient. If I wanted someone to get mad at Sim when he got the wrong answer, I'd teach him myself."

Havilah and Mia must have found their 5 down by the wood stove because they soon came up stairs. Mia had ashes on his face exactly like a 5 o' clock shadow. He said in a deep voice, "Since I'm an adult can I split a Kombucha with Havilah?". He loved when this type of thing was taken seriously, so after laughing, Jen assumed a sincere tone. "Of course, I can see by your beard that you must be an adult".

Naphtali noticed that this worked pretty well for Nehemiah and decided to try it for himself the next day. Jen was not surprised to see him come up with a 5 o' clock shadow and he received the same grace.

At 11 am they all had rowdy fun with their flashcards. At 11:30 they enjoyed a break before lunch. The big children were sent out to play. What a play room. The odor of the cold , damp air this day was full of forest secrets. Jen felt called out by them but, her little flock was going to come in hungry like only boys can.


Thank you for visiting. How do you feel about spinach? Mia feels the same way, check out part 3

Most Days- part 1

Jen was awakened in the middle of the night by Mia. "Mama, Will you please come and cover me?, my blankets just fell off." "I will", answered Mama determinedly. Inside she prayed, "God, please help me to get up". After Mia was tucked, kissed and hugged, Elsie, the little darling of the family for the last 17 months, cried. Jen rocked her and She fell back to sleep almost instantly. Still Jen rocked on.

It felt so good to hold a sleeping baby. She took time to hold Elsie while she slept some every day, especially since they stopped sleeping together at night. While rocking she was thinking and praying about these pleasures and happily wondering about any future babies that God might have for her.

The alarm went off with music at 5am. Jen lay sleeping and praying until getting

up at 5:55. "Thank you God for my pillow and bed, thank you that it's not too cold. Thank you that I'm not sick. Please help me to get up."

She met with Leon and her 16 year old son, Ephraim until 7am. They were going

through a study to define their life purposes. Mia was sitting beside them, wrapped in blankets and quietly mimicking the funny voices that his toy cars were making. Elsie scowled and said, "stop". She looked like she meant it and was not used to being disobeyed. Mia equally sincere in tone and expression answered her slowly, "Elsie, I'm not mocking you".

About 7am Sim sat crocheting something for Elsie. It was a pouch to hold her rattle ball. Asaph was making butter eggs for Papa, and Zion was feeding the big chicks in the garage.

"Thank you God for this last can of coconut milk, Thank you for this, the last of the molasses," Jen said with sparkling eyes towards the children. Papa prayed over the whole family, "Thank you God for all the provision of food, clothes, and

warmth."

There had been some weeks of late when they couldn't shop and God had provided so much bounty. The children were wondering why the food was, "extra good" lately. Ephraim said, "It seems like you've been making my favorite things". Jen had smiled and felt The Lord's smile upon her.

The plates did seem fuller even than usual. Carrots, yams, potatoes, lentil sprouts, humus, tortillas, bread, doughnuts, beans, rice, sourdough, spinach, okra, eggs and more satisfied their hunger and were all home made, strength food. The chickens even obeyed God and started laying again, just 3 eggs a day, but it was a help.

Papa left to everyone calling out as usual, " I love you, God bless you, see you

later".

The zipper on Mia's coat broke just when he wanted to go out milking with Havilah. Jen called, "Ephraim, can you see if this zipper can be re-attached? Ephraim came right over, took his long, sharp knife out of it's leather sheath and said, in a serious deep tone, "hold still Mia".

Thank you for reading about our normal days. Come back soon to find out if Mia can hold still.

love, jeni

Winter Water, a story

Last afternoon the Goodenough family went hiking. The return hike was in darkness. It was thrilling. They never thought of being afraid. Light was reflecting off of the lake. first it was the bright sky, then the glorious colors of sunset, then darkening, we began to see lights shining in it from an opulent lake front resort and all it's manicured trees still covered in Christmas lights.

They could hear the water sloshing on the rocks below the cliff that they walked on. Overhead big boulders would sometimes hang over- seeming more of a protection than a threat now that it was dark.

The children were allowed to run ahead so Leon and Jennifer, Elsie and Mia could walk together, hold hands and muse about the changes so rapidly occurring in their lives.

When the Leon and Jennifer re-united with their children they found the whole bunch squished in together around a tree spying on some teenagers like a friendly gang. The children were so still and quiet that the parents didn't see them until they were quite close.

Jennifer said, "oh, there you are!". They all said ,"shh". They were so serious about their play that sometimes it makes their mama laugh out loud.

Now Ephraim faithfully delivered a report that Zion had disobeyed one of Papa's rules. While all the others ran ahead playing their games, Zion had to hold his papa's hand and walk along with him and his mama and baby siblings. He did not look thankful for this privilege.

Mama tried not to chuckle as this big black boy with a mean scowl held the strong hand of the sweetest man on earth.

love, jeni

Woven Hand Show

Leon is taking a group of 6 to see the band, Woven Hand.

It's this Thursday in Pullman, WA

If your anywhere around, they would be delighted if you showed up. Woven Hand plays music that is a sweet, creative air of grace and truth.

ym ym fam at Calypso's

Our family band is playing the open mic at Calypso's. It's a nice atmosphere to sip coffee of have some treats.

Monday, January 24th. It usually runs from 6-8pm or so.

116 East Lakeside Avenue
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
(208) 665-0591

Home Show Saturday, Feb. 5th

We are having another live music night / house show Saturday February 5th at 6pm. The last one was super great! I'm not sure who the bands will be. Come if you can. All are invited. Spread the word, we'll move the couch. Email me for information j e n n y f a c e at y a h o o dot c o m.

p.s. yummy and healthy treats!

--jeni

encouraging strong immune systems

A friend recently asked how we stay healthy and keep from contaminating everyone when someone is ill.

We don't worry too much about contaminating everyone. We are sticklers for washing hands regularly and not touching our faces especially the ears, eyes, nose and mouth. I say, "get your fingers out of your mouth". Quite often.
We try to keep our immune systems strong. We try to stay away from any refined or processed foods. We have a wonderful tonic that actually works. I got the recipe from www.aboverubies.org . We all take tonic when we eat too many sweets or feel something coming on.

Tonic: 2 jalapenos, 1 whole head of garlic , 2 Tablespoons ginger, 1 Cup onions. All are fresh produce, peeled and chopped. Put all in a quart glass container and fill up with raw, apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for 6 weeks or more. You can take out the veggie's at that time and put them in a yummy spicy spaghetti.

I call, "Line up", grab a hand full of Tablespoons and feed one to each child (except the wee one) and myself. It's pretty fun and everyone likes it. They ask for more. Simeon thought he didn't like it when he first came but, peer pressure won out and now he takes it along with the rest.

We also benefit greatly from putting Hydrogen Peroxide in our ears when we feel something coming on. You can learn more about that from Dr Mercola. If that doesn't work we put a cotton ball dipped in warmed coconut oil and garlic or just plain breast milk into the ear.
So far, we have not had to take any antibiotics for ear infections these 16 years. We still get sick but, we are able to treat it at home most of the time.

Thank you for asking, I am honored that you let me share my experiences with you. Truly.

A Goodenough Christmas part 4 -The End

Suddenly, a large family was standing on our porch singing ,We Wish You A Merry Christmas. They stood in the cold and sang four lovely hymns to us while Zion and Simeon watched curiously. They gave us smiles and loves and some Christmas treats. Then they hurried off. Just then, Ephraim, Havilah, Asaph and Zuriel came in from the animal care. "Where did you get those treats?" they asked. "Oh" I responded "didn't you hear the Christmas carols?".

(To be fair, I should tell you that this wasn't the actual December 25th. We moved Christmas Eve and Christmas one day forward this year to fit in better with Leon's work schedule. So the carolers were actually visiting on Christmas eve.)


After our surprise snack we assembled in the living room.
"God", Asaph prayed, "I haven't remembered that today is for celebrating you being born".
It was then that we realized we had not surrendered that day to God. We had been trying so hard to give the children and ourselves the best Christmas we could. I could only put my head in my hands and remember how pitiful and weak my own abilities had been.

I asked Asaph to sleep in our room that night as a comfort to me. Havilah read me to sleep and I was sure the next day would be better.

After a few sweet hours of sleep Elsie woke and I went to her. After I nursed and comforted her I laid her back in her crib. Just as my own covers got warm and comfortable I heard Elsie fussing again. Again I nursed and comforted her and laid her down. This time she slept until 4:30am when Zuriel brought her to me and we snuggled under the covers.

December 25th- a better morning dawned. I, The Mama, remembered the Lord as I began cleaning. I didn't get farther than moving a few glasses from the living room to the sink when two small faces came looking for me. "Mia and Naphtali you should go back to bed until 7. Here, wrap up in our new quilt." Mia thought I meant snuggle together and he crawled into my lap. His face was bright with anticipation for the snuggle time that he thought I had just offered him. I wouldn't resist him. "Alright", I said with a sigh and a happy smile. "Let's snuggle a little while. Come on Naphtali and read a book with us. Let's read about Shaggy."


This concludes the story of our Christmas. What should I right about next?

A Goodenough Christmas part 3

Around noon the children were dispersed throughout the house. The girls were having a tea party, Leon and Asaph worked with their soldering iron, Ephraim was inventing with Arduino, Elsie walked around with her new dolly and Nehemiah rode his red noise, fire truck. He was wearing a crown made out of the bottom cuff of a pair of jeans with buttons sewn on for jewels. His shirt and face were covered with snacks and he had found a piece of extra cake somewhere.

The ham was in the oven but the rest of supper still had to be made. I said to Havilah, "you better go milk, massage her udders and use a warm cloth." She nodded knowingly. She had quite a bit of milking experience.

When I tried to prepare the meal I had a long series of more important needs come up.

A few days before, Elsie had got her finger stuck in the step up and then had fallen on it. Her own weight pinched and cut her tiny thumb. During the afternoon we noticed that it was infected. She had to have a long bath. Then we soaked it in Betadine and salt three different times that day and rubbed it with hydrogen Peroxide twice.

Nehemiah napped late and was crying and needy all afternoon and evening. The big children all cashed in the chore free cards they had received that Christmas. They also were busy with the animal care.

I had to search in every room of the house for something to use as a diaper for Elsie because we had not washed them the day before. Frustrated, I once used Mia's shirt and once a dish towel. (The diapers were still in the dryer when I went to bed that night.)

The dinner did not end up on the table until close to 5pm. The original plan was 1pm. All were pleased with the delicious Christmas supper. We had ham, home made macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes with ham gravy and Ceaser salad. The only dessert that I was planning on was a cherry pie for Ephraim.

Things did not get any easier. Leon and I were both grumpy from unmet expectations of ourselves and guilt over the grumpiness. We finally decided to leave the house a disaster. After all, no one's going to stop in for an unannounced visit on Christmas. We would forget the cherry pie and gather the whole family to pray.

Then the door bell rang.

Thank you for letting me muse with you. The Goodenough family are: Leon and Jennifer, Ephraim (16), Havilah (13), Asaph and Zion (11), Simeon and Zuriel (9), Naphtali (6), Nehemiah (3) and Elsie Ammiel (1.5)

A Goodenough Christmas part 2

The whole family of 11 gathered into the living room and sat down. Elsie sat under a blanket warm and smelling sweet. She fussed and wiggled. Then I held her a little tighter. Once she slapped me and several times she scratched my face. I corrected her and she cried for a few seconds. I showed her how to touch soft and gentle. For a while, while Leon read us the Christmas story, I kissed her hands and she touched my eyes and mouth and cheeks softly. Her clean hands still smelled like doughnuts.

I noticed that the sun was coming out on a wintry, buttermilk sky.

Leon read about Simeon and our own Simeon smiled big while everyone gave him the attention he loved. Sim is nine years old and was adopted from Liberia, Africa 6 months ago.

Liberia's national language is English but illiteracy is so prevalent that their English is unrecognizable to us. The different sentence structure, lack of grammar rules and limited vocabulary have combined with incorrect pronunciation to make communicating the most difficult adjustment with this adoption so far.

When Havilah was opening a present with a lot of tape Sim sighed and said, " I tink so it's is coming to tay so lah tah". Translation: "I think it's going to take a long time."
When the presents were passed out, each person had the gifts that they had prepared to give, piled around them. Some peoples piles were large and some were small. We went around the room taking turns. When it was someones turn they were asked, "do you want to give or pass?"

Ephraim had a special gift to give and saved it for many turns before he finally gave it to Havilah to open. He had hand crafted a wooden sewing box with finger joints and a beautiful finish of stain and beeswax oil. He put her name on the cover in a bold font by making a stencil and keeping the stain from reaching the letters.

Some of the bigger gifts were: A quilt made by Havilah. She had made the squares out of clothes that were too damaged to repair. She made one special square for each person in the family with their name embroidered on it. There were squares made out of clothes from when the children were babies. It contained some pieces of Ephraim's newborn clothes. I can remember him wearing them and he turned 16 this Christmas.
The batting was a stained, fleece blanket and the backing was a sheet that Leon and I received, from our sister Teresa, for our wedding 19 years ago.

Havilah and I made shop aprons for Leon and Ephraim out of old jean material. We left the pockets on for more character.

I made a blanket out of 15" by 15" quilt squares made entirely of cut up sweat shirts. We really needed a couple more blankets and free sweatshirts are easy to acquire. They can be sewn together overlapping like fleece so they look the same on the front as on the back.

Asaph and Zuriel made a wooden sled for Simeon. When all gifts were given I volunteered to clean up the newspaper and boxes and sent all the children out sledding.


Thank you for spending time with my family through reading this blog. Please check back in a couple days for A Goodenough Christmas part 3 and find out what we didn't have for dessert.

A Goodenough Christmas part 1

I woke up Christmas morning to whisperings. I could see the glow of Christmas lights coming from the living room. I finally got up at 6:40. I had been up late last night mopping the floor and cleaning the counters.

I put on a long skirt over my black long johns and turned the oven on to warm up the doughnuts. Asaph was sent back to bed for bugging Mia. Elsie Ammiel was snuggled in Havilah's arms under her softest blanket. "Be ready to milk in 15 minutes girls", I said.

We hadn't known that our goat was pregnant when we bought her. Yesterday she gave birth but, we found the goat kid dead. The girls got very little milk from her this morning. We would have to figure out later how to get her milk production up.

Soon everyone was sitting around the table eating hot, glazed doughnuts. I looked at the bright, salmon pink sunrise hovering over the icy blue snow. I saw a large black bird fly silently across the sky. I wondered if anyone else was seeing that bird right now. Probably not. The serenity of this scene was a secret between the bird, it's maker and me.

I called, "get your partner's and brush your teeth. Bring your 'Thankful Cards', and a pencil to the living room."
Everyone ran off to not be the last team to the couch.

Elsie needed her diaper changed. She was trying to crawl on the table to see if there was anything more interesting than the doughnut she had in one hand and the cracker she gripped in the other.

These were the best doughnuts ever. A new Goodenough tradition had begun.


(Thank you for spending Christmas with us by reading this story. Please check back in a day or two for part 2. Love, jeni )