Showing Off Our Students' Art!

Well, as usual, I am late getting this out. We hosted an end of the year art reception at our house (over a month ago), but not everyone was able to participate so I decided to share our students’ work here. I hope you enjoy seeing these! We are so proud of our students!

All of these pieces were done in graphite.

And these are the colored pencil pieces finished this year.

We can’t put out all of the art work done in our Experiencing Art class (ages 5-10), so here’s just a sample of our students’ work.

These were all done in colored pencil.

These ones are watercolor pencil.

We didn’t do a lot with acrylic this year, but we did learn about the pointillism technique, and we studied Van Gogh’s Irises, as well as modern art.

And, because we like to throw in a couple projects each year that are not strictly drawing or painting, here are some farm animal sculptures and mosaic coasters.

I hope you all enjoyed viewing our students’ artwork. They did an amazing job, and we couldn’t be prouder!

Mud Puddles and Daffodils

Random thoughts, and a peek into my sketchbook.

The other day (a couple weeks ago now), I looked out the window and saw a huge puddle at the base of our property. It’s very rare for us to have a puddle that size (probably due to the fact that we hardly ever get rain), so when I saw it, my brain instantly thought of a tiny pair of rainboots and a little voice asking to “Pash”. It’s been five years since I have heard that voice make that request. Five years since I have held that small hand as we walked down our long driveway together. Five years since I have watched those little feet splash through the water and mud. Five years. So why is it that, for a split second upon seeing that puddle, it felt like just yesterday? Why was my automatic reaction a feeling that I should be taking a two-year-old girl outside to play before the puddle disappeared? 

The mind is a strange thing. How is it that simply seeing something can trigger an almost muscle memory type response? It’s as if everything about me (physically, mentally, and emotionally) has now been programmed to respond a certain way to a specific situation. Not that this happens all the time. It doesn’t. That’s, I think, what makes it so odd. It happens when I am not thinking about it, as if my brain has decided to go on autopilot and revert back to its default setting. What I don’t understand, is how such a short season of my life could have become what I default to. 

It’s interesting how you can become programmed to do certain things without even realizing it. When I was eighteen, we had to put our dog, Major, to sleep. I had no idea until after he was gone how many times a day I would detour past his bed to pet him. As I would walk past the empty spot by the back door (where his bed used to be), I would constantly catch myself preparing to reach down for the dog that wasn’t there. It was honestly muscle memory. Just like the times when I was stressed and I would find myself sitting next to where his bed had once been. It wasn’t a conscious decision on my part. I just automatically, without thinking about it, went to a place where I had found comfort before. I could understand my response then. Major had been a part of my daily life for five years. But the mud puddle? We only had six months with those two little ones. 

Memories are odd. Well, not so much the memories themselves (I mean, they can be...) but rather how they are made, and what brings them back to the surface years later. Why is it that daffodils always remind me of the baby my Mom lost when I was fifteen? Yes, they were blooming at the time Mom miscarried, but there were other things happening during that time as well... And yet, for some reason, my brain chose to associate daffodils with the baby I never met. Maybe it was because those daffodils were something bright, pretty, and happy breaking through the cold, dark dirt. Maybe they represented hope during a painful season of my life. Or maybe it was something else entirely. I really don’t know. What I do know is that when I see daffodils, I remember that baby. It makes me wonder... 

If mud puddles and daffodils can so easily bring memories and emotions to the surface for me, are there ever moments that remind those two little ones of us? I don’t expect them to remember their six months in our home (they were so little...), but are there sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and experiences, that trigger emotions and responses for them? Does the sight of a train bring them comfort? Do wildflowers make them think of laughter and hugs? Does the smell of tea bring a smile to their face? Are there vaguely familiar songs that give them peace?

They may not connect those things directly to us, but I would like to think that deep down something in them remembers us, even if they can’t put a face or a name to the memory. It may seem silly, but part of me hopes that the thought of splashing in a mud puddle reminds them that they are loved. 

~Elisabeth~

Back In The Water

Well, it’s been four years, but the Macy family finally got the boat out on the water again! And this time, it wasn’t just for one day either. We were able to get away for FIVE whole days! (Of course, only three of those were actually spent on the lake, but still…)

If we are going to be completely honest, some of us (okay, most of us) were a little skeptical about going so late in the season (and to a lake that we weren’t familiar with), but it ended up being a wonderful time. Here are some of the highlights.

Seeing Dad out there again was a definite highlight! His first run was a bit rough, but that was partly due to the fact that Josiah was learning how to tow him. After figuring out how much speed to give Dad, Josiah was doing great. Dad was up and looking good. But then Dad gave the thumbs down, and “little” sign (which, if you don’t know, means slow down a little). We relayed that to Josiah by saying “Down a little.” Well, the boat is pretty loud and Josiah only heard “Down”, so thinking that Dad was down, he backed off the speed almost entirely. As we watched, Dad started to sink lower and lower in the water as he frantically motioned for more speed. Josiah stepped on the gas, yanking Dad back out of the water, and somehow, Dad managed to stay up and ride it out. (If you are not familiar with waterskiing, you may not realize the difficulty of that, but I still can’t believe that Dad didn’t go down.) Let’s just say that we are all very impressed with our Dad!

The look on Dad’s face after a good run!

Another highlight was seeing multiple family members get to drive the boat. For some, it was their first time. We discovered that Susanna takes after our Mom and drives the boat like a sports car! (Which to be fair, it basically is a sports car on water.)

Everyone improved by leaps and bounds on single skis (sometimes quite literally)! But for me, the crashes were the real highlight! Unfortunately, we weren’t able to capture the best crashes on camera, but I will do my best to describe some of them. There was the one where Melissa fell sideways and then proceeded to tumble across the surface of the water for quite a while at a very rapid pace. It was rather surprising to see how long it took her to finally sink below the water. And then in contrast, you had Christiana. Somehow, she managed to incorporate ballet poses into most of her crashes. It was very graceful. (Because we don’t have photo evidence, she doesn’t believe us, but there were multiple witnesses.) Of course, Josiah and Daniel don’t believe in doing anything half way, so when they crashed, they crashed hard! I mean, really, really hard. I didn’t see it, but apparently Daniel skipped across the water during one crash. (And I don’t mean like “Skip to my Lou” skipping. We’re talking skipping a stone type skipping, only it was Daniel, not a stone.) I guess Josiah went into a splits position while crashing and he assured us that it was quite uncomfortable. (I’m not exactly sure how he managed that one, but crazy things happen when you are being pulled through the water at high speeds.) And then there was the time that while kneeboarding Daniel momentarily left his board and flew into the air. He quickly became reacquainted with his board as he crashed down on top of it. The bruise from that one began to take shape instantly. I think my favorite crash though, had to have been one of Josiah’s. I have never seen anything like it. One minute, he was up and looking good, and the next, well, he was still up and looking good, but his ski was no longer on his feet. It was gliding across the water to the left of him! It happened so fast that we didn’t get a picture, but once again, there were multiple witnesses and we all saw the same thing. There were a lot more crashes, but you get the picture. Everyone was comparing bruises each night.

Kneeboarding is also a lot of fun!

Apparently, it’s mandatory to keep your eyes tightly closed until after you get up on your knees!

You know that moment when you suddenly realize that you and your sister are not only matching, but are also sitting right next to each other? Well, you just have to embrace it!

Susanna’s first time experiencing getting gas at a marina. The cost was a bit shocking for her!

As for the campground and lake itself… Well, the lake was low since it was late in the season, but the water was perfect for waterskiing. It was like glass! And there were hardly any other boats on the lake (again, probably due to it being the end of October), so we practically had the lake to ourselves. Of course, with the water being so low, we had to walk a ways down to reach it, and we couldn’t keep an eye on the boat from our campsite. But it still worked out.

Seriously, look at that water!

This campsite had Mom’s and Dad’s tent, our “kitchen”, “dining room”, and “living room” (meaning it’s where we made food, ate food, and just hung out).

This campsite had the girls’ tent, Daniel’s tent, Josiah’s hammock, and only one tree. So, yeah, you can see why we hung out in the other campsite.

It was very cloudy the entire time we were there, but you can see some blue sky peeking through!

The campground wasn’t exactly my favorite, though. You see, I am used to camping with lots of trees, and well, this campground just didn’t have that. (A lack of shade can be a bit of a problem for someone who burns as easily as I do.) The bathrooms also could have been better, but then again, they could have been way worse. (Although, I think they may have won the award for worst quality toilet paper. I am not sure where they got that stuff, but I don’t think it even qualified as “single ply”.) Those really are rather minor complaints though. The biggest downside to the campground was that it seemed to attract the local party scene. Most of the campground completely disregarded the quiet hours rule and had no concept of sleeping at night. There was a large party of RVs that, as our neighbors said, were “drunk by six” and had a woman whose laugh could “cut glass”. That particular laugh continued for hours! (The last time I checked the clock, it was 1:00 am and the party was still going strong.) And then there was the campsite next to us on the north. They had the most fascinating conversations during the middle of the night. There was a very long one about Lord of the Rings, goblins, and the origins of racism. Or there was the one about autism and transgenderism. Unfortunately, those conversations were not only late at night, they were also loud, and the vocabulary was extremely limited. We did have a very nice camp host though, and our neighbors to the south of us were great! They were from Germany and were not only friendly, but also quiet and considerate. The ideal campground neighbor! We very much enjoyed meeting them.

We thought these were the oddest looking bear boxes we had ever seen. And then we opened one. First thought- “Shelves in the closet. Happy thought indeed.” (If you don’t know the reference, I pity you.) Apparently, they don’t have a bear problem, but they do have lots of squirrels! So, these aren’t actually bear boxes, they are squirrel… cupboards?

A huge plus for this lake was the fact that we had wonderful sunsets every night!

Our first night wasn’t a stunning sunset, but it was still pretty.

Our last night started out with lovely, but calm colors.

And ended with the sky on fire!

Susanna managed to capture photographic evidence of their bald eagle sighting! Meanwhile, back at camp, I was alternately fighting off squirrels, visiting with an adorable little bird that was hopping under my chair and around my feet, and watching a vulture circle overhead (not quite as majestic as an eagle, but hey, you’ve gotta take what you can get!)

We really could only comfortably have six people in the boat at a time (and sometimes that wasn’t so comfortable), which meant that there were usually at least three of us at the campsite. Although all of us love being in the boat (it’s honestly pretty awesome), we managed to enjoy our time at the campsite as well.

Playing games (I lost…)

Relaxing in the hammock

Looking at pictures from earlier in the day 

I enjoyed doing some quick watercolors during my time at the campsite. 

After getting banged up out on the lake all day, staring into a fire is surprisingly relaxing. (Okay, so maybe he was actually making dinner, but it sounds more like vacation to say he was relaxing.)

It’s not camping unless you make s’mores. And you can’t properly make s’mores without catching a few marshmallows on fire! Don’t worry, the burnt flavor is part of the experience! 

One more quick story, just to prove how good our Dad really is. We encouraged Dad to take one last run before calling it a day. He was reluctant, but finally agreed. Daniel teased him about not forgetting to correctly buckle his life vest. Dad just rolled his eyes and brushed him off. Well, Dad got into the water, put his ski on, and yelled “Hit it!” He popped up right away! But something looked a little different than normal… There was a black strap flapping against his arm. He realized about the same time we did. Only two of the five buckles were actually fastened! Anyone else in our family would have let go of the rope and gracefully sunk down into the water before attempting to fasten the buckles (either that, or used it as another excuse to crash hard). But not our Dad! Nope, he just casually hooked his arm through the handle of the rope and went to work on securing his life vest. That was also the run where he narrowly missed skiing straight into a buoy! He swerved around it at the last minute. You know, he may be getting close to seventy, but it’s still a lot of fun watching Dad ski!

The moment he realized that only half of the buckles were done on his life vest.

No need to stop, just buckle on the go.

And here’s a few more pictures, just because I like them (do you have any idea how hard it is to narrow them down this much?)

It was a wonderful time together on the lake. We are all in agreement that we need to do it again without taking such a long break. Maybe this next spring!

Oh! Before I sign off, here’s one last highlight. I came away with only a minor sunburn! For those who tan without even trying, you won’t get it. But try to imagine what it’s like to get a third degree sunburn from the light reflecting off the water each time you are in the boat, and maybe you can somewhat understand my excitement. (Okay, so “third degree” might be a slight exaggeration, but still…) So yep, it was a good trip!

~Elisabeth~

Season of Joy

The wind whips her hair into her face, but she’s too pleased with her handful of wildflowers to notice.

At first glance, this is just a brightly colored painting of a happy little girl doing what countless other little girls have done since the beginning of time. When I look at this piece though, I see something more.

I see a toddler who just a few months before would force a laugh because it was expected of her, but never giggled like a normal two-year-old. She would attempt to stretch her mouth into the form of a smile, but it never reached her eyes. I see a child with a dark and troubled background, who had to be taught what it meant to be a child. I see a little girl who, after a few months of being loved and feeling safe, learned what it felt like to experience joy. I see someone who began to find beauty in life, even with the wind pushing and pulling at her. I see a precious little one who, in just a short season, blossomed like the wildflowers clutched in her hand.

I know, only those who walked that journey with this little girl might see what I see, and that’s okay. It doesn’t bother me if no one else sees anything other than a colorful painting. When I started this project, I was really only trying to capture her joy. And I think I did that. But for me, this piece became more. It became symbolic of how far this little one came in such a short time. And it became a reminder of how much I loved seeing that smile every day, and how much I miss being part of her life. I look forward to the day when I hear that she is still finding beauty in the little things, and that she has discovered the true source of joy.

~Elisabeth~

Favorite Brands?

So… You know how artists will sometimes review art supplies? Compare and contrast brands, list pros and cons… that type of thing? Well, I haven’t ever really done that. When I find something I like, I stay with it. If I enjoy the process of using it in my art, and I am happy with the outcome, I really see no need to try out other products. If you ask me what colored pencil brand I use for my art, I would wholeheartedly recommend Prismacolor. I could list all the reasons you should invest in a set, and I could give you pointers as to how to use them. I could even tell you some of the peculiarities of specific colors in the set. I love those pencils! However, if you ask me how they compare to another brand, I really couldn’t say. One day, I should probably try some other brands… just because. But for now, I honestly have no interest in it. All that being said… Our Experiencing Art class (ages 5-10) has forced me to audition multiple brands.

Penguin Parade - watercolor, watercolor pencils, and colored pencil on watercolor paper

You see, with our younger students, I want art supplies that are inexpensive, yet still can achieve a good result. They can’t be costly, because I need to be able to replace them easily. (At this age, things break much easier, and you end up with as much paint on the kids and table as you do on the actual piece of art. I want to instill a love of art in these kids, not a fear of wasting paint.) But the supplies still can’t be “cheap”. I always use the supplies that I get for these classes myself. If I can’t use them and get a decent outcome, I am not going to ask my students to use them. In the picture above, I used two different brands of colored pencils, two brands of watercolor, and one set of watercolor pencils. Keep reading if you want my take on these art supplies.

Crayola Watercolor Pencils

For the first penguin, I used Crayola Watercolor Pencils. I actually really like these pencils! The pack of twelve has a nice color range, they mix well, and can be extremely vibrant when needed. As for downsides, I don’t particularly like the black as it only takes a little to go very dark. This can be hard for younger artists who are still learning how to control the amount of pressure they use when coloring. Some of our students have carefully added a hint of black to their artwork because they want just a bit of gray, only to realize after adding the water that they now have a dark charcoal shade. It is, of course, a wonderful pencil if you are wanting something very dark. I also don’t understand why they include a white pencil in the pack. Our students are never allowed to use it! If they want a lighter color, they learn to apply less pressure to the pencil, allowing more of the white paper to show through. All in all though, I would definitely recommend these watercolor pencils for younger artists, or even someone who is just wanting to have fun. They will not perform the same way higher quality watercolor pencils do, but I still enjoy using them!

Crayola Colored Pencils

The next one I used Crayola Colored Pencils. Again, these pencils have a nice range of colors, mix relatively well, and can achieve a pretty good intensity. My biggest complaint with the pack of twelve is the lack of a pink. We really don’t need the “Red Orange” pencil. If any of our students need that color, they can easily mix red and orange together. However, the missing pink pencil has been a bit of a problem. We tried mixing red and white together, but it wasn’t the greatest result. I have had to add a pink pencil into a set of pencils that would have otherwise been adequate. Other than that, I really don’t have any complaints about these pencils. Crayola offers a nice, inexpensive option for colored pencils for the young artist.

Crayola Watercolor

With the third penguin, I once again used the Crayola brand, but this time it was the Watercolor set. There are eight colors in the set, and I love how vibrant they are. Having said that, it is hard for me to recommend any kid’s watercolor sets, unless it really is for a (young) kid. The reason for that is because you really can’t layer very well at all. If you attempt to add another layer of paint over an area that has already been painted (even if that section is completely dry), you will often end up lifting the first layer off without adding anything to it. Extremely frustrating for me, but usually younger kids don’t even notice, they are just having fun watching the various colors bleed into each other. As an art teacher trying to expose children to various types of art, I want to also lay a good foundation of how to work with multiple mediums. Because you have to use kid watercolor sets in a very different way than you would regular watercolors, I really only use these sets for specific projects.

Prang Watercolor

This next one was done with Prang Watercolors. This set also contains eight colors. What I said above about kid watercolor sets applies here as well. In some ways though, I think the Prang watercolors may have been slightly easier to work with when it came to layering. I was able to get the darker shades by (carefully) putting down about three layers of paint and it still looks like watercolor. With the Crayola brand, I had to put the paint on very thick to get it dark and it dried with a shiny, almost waxy look (it’s hard to see in the picture, but you can kind of make it out under the wing). I do have a problem with some of the colors in this set though. The orange is very muted so it’s best to mix colors if you want something brighter. The brown is very dark and grayish, and the black isn’t black. It’s really more of a very dark gray/green. It’s not a huge problem for me personally, as I like mixing my own colors anyway. However, for a younger artist who is only just learning how to mix the colors they want, it is a bit challenging.

Sargent Colored Pencils

And the last penguin was done with Sargent Colored Pencils. I initially bought these for our younger art class because the reviews seemed to imply that they were better than Crayola. After one semester of using them, I went back to Crayola. These pencils aren’t as vibrant as I would like, so the outcome tends to be slightly muted. They are also very brittle. I was constantly resharpening the pencils because the tip would break while a student was drawing. With Crayola, I usually only have to worry about the tip breaking when someone drops their pencil on the ground. Their color selection in the set of twelve is good though. They have pink! And they do blend pretty well. They really aren’t a horrible pencil, and you can still accomplish a decent drawing with them. I would just personally recommend Crayola over Sargent, if you have the choice. In my opinion, you have to work harder to get a satisfying outcome with these pencils. If I can find something else that is still inexpensive, and yet easier to use, why wouldn’t I go with that?

So, there you have it. I like Crayola Colored Pencils and Watercolor Pencils, but I am not in love with either the Prang or the Crayola Watercolor sets. I am open to testing other brands, if anyone has recommendations!

(Alright, how was that for reviewing and comparing/contrasting? Did I do alright?)

~Elisabeth~

Courage In The Midst Of Darkness

Some of you may know that I have a series of orchid drawings that I have created over the years. These drawings have all been done in colored pencil on a black surface. They all have “In the Midst of Darkness” as part of their titles. And they all were created during various seasons in my life when I needed encouragement to look beyond the darkness that I was seeing. My latest piece is titled “Courage in the Midst of Darkness”.

Why courage this time? Beauty, Joy, Peace, and Hope were the subjects for my other “In the Midst of Darkness” pieces, and now, Courage. Why?

Apparently, I don’t use pink very often in my art…

Whenever I thought about drawing one of these particular orchids, the word courage came to mind. I couldn’t explain why. It just seemed to fit. Maybe it was the colors I would have to use. It’s not my normal color palette. Some of the pencils needed for this piece have been sitting in the box untouched since I first took a colored pencil class, nineteen years ago (yeah, I feel old). Maybe it had something to do with how bold and daring this little flower looked, like it was ready to take on the world. Or, maybe God was just preparing me that I would be needing courage in the coming days.

So, what does it look like to have courage in the midst of darkness? Is it an Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli moment out of the Lord of the Rings? Charging straight into the battle, knowing that survival is not the goal? Sometimes. Sometimes courage looks like fighting the battle. But other times, it is simply taking the next step and living your life faithfully as the world crumbles around you.

Courage is choosing to dream when there is no hope. It is continuing to praise God when that dream is shattered. And it is choosing to dream again, trusting God with the outcome. Courage is speaking when everyone is silent. It is saying the truth no matter the cost, even the loss of what you hold most dear. It is loving someone enough to hold them accountable, knowing you might be rejected. Courage is staying firmly planted where God has you, even when you feel unwanted by those around you. It is choosing to let go and move on when God calls you forward. Courage is pushing through the pain. And it is admitting when you can’t go on. Courage is living in truth when you are surrounded by lies. It is doing what is right when everything is wrong. And it is trusting God to do what He has said, even when it looks impossible.

(I feel that I need to be clear, I am not advocating what the world calls courage. The world tells us that courage is following your heart, and standing up for what you believe in. They paint a heroic picture of change being created by individuals who are willing to get in the face of their opposition and shout them down. But what if your heart is lying to you? What if your beliefs are wrong? Is it still courage to take a stand and die fighting for it? Real courage is always founded on truth. And it only comes from one source, God. Anything else is not courage, it is insanity.)

So what does all of this have to do with me and my little orchid? Why write about courage with this drawing? Wouldn’t a depiction of a lion have been more appropriate for this topic? I will do my best to explain, but I make no guarantees that I will succeed.

I have a bracelet I like to wear. It says “Why fit in when you were born to stand out”. At times I worry that it may come across as arrogant or rebellious. But I am not saying “Everyone, look at me! I am different and special!” I am actually wearing it as a reminder and encouragement that it is okay to be different. It’s okay to be me. You see, I have found that I often am in the most need of courage when it comes to being who God made me to be. I tend to be the most fearful when I know that God is calling me to use my gifts. Maybe I am worried that I will fail, and let Him down. Or maybe I am concerned that others will notice and disapprove. Whatever the reason, there are definitely times when being able to “fit in” sounds wonderful, and the thought of “standing out” is terrifying.

When I look at my orchid, I see a flower bursting open, while all the other buds are still tightly closed. I see it reaching up and out, while the others droop down. I see a flash of color surrounded by darkness. I see a flower doing exactly what it was created to do; providing beauty for others.

So yes, sometimes courage looks like a lion roaring. But sometimes, courage just looks like a flower blooming by itself. Sometimes, courage is simply a matter of standing up, and standing out.

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
— Joshua 1:9

~Elisabeth Macy~

Experiencing Art!

Our Experiencing Art Class is for ages 5-10, and we have so much fun! I can’t include every piece by each student (there are a lot), but here is a sample of our students’ work.

These paintings were all done while studying Van Gogh. Starry Night, The Sower, and his Sunflowers, all make good studies. All of these were done in acrylic.

Audubon is another wonderful artist to study. Sometimes the projects were based off of his artwork, and other times the projects just applied what we learned about him as an artist.

Monet and impressionism is a more challenging project to tackle, but I love how all of these are individually unique. Each student saw things a little bit differently then the others, and it shows in how they approached their piece. These are all watercolor.

Pointillism is a fun technique to learn! If you’re not familiar with that term, it is a form of art that is comprised entirely of dots. These were all done in acrylic.

Still life and floral pictures are great for learning how to use shapes and color in your art.

We learned how to get dimension by using different values.

Animals, butterflies, and fish are all great for learning texture, color, shapes, and values. All of these were done in colored pencil.

And, here are some of the projects from when we learned about mosaics, stained glass windows, and modern art.

I hope you enjoyed looking through the art. I can guarantee that the kids enjoyed creating all of it!

An Online "Art Reception"

Well, plans seem to change all the time. We were going to have an art reception for our students this summer, but had to cancel. So… although it’s not the same as being in person, here is our online “art reception”. I hope you enjoy viewing our students’ art! They worked so hard, and we couldn’t be prouder!

(Unfortunately, we didn’t get pictures of all of our students’ work. So, if you don’t see your piece on here, just know that we wanted to include it, but couldn’t. You could always send us a pic of your completed piece… :) We actually would love it if you did!)

Here are some of our beginning drawing students’ pieces!

Natalie did awesome with the texture of this wolf’s fur! She is only 9.

This hummingbird with all it’s detail was done by one of our adult students.

Zoey, age 11, chose to draw her family pet.

Cezar started in our Experiencing Art classes, so after a few years of that, we let him move up to the Beginning Drawing class a little early. Not bad for an 8 year-old!

Tabitha, age 12, was definitely going for something more dramatic with this one.

Colin, age 11, decided on a cute puppy in a rainboot.

This 9 year-old did a great job!

Lila, age 9, was another student who chose to draw her own dog. This piece took second place in the Air Force Art Contest.

This 9-year-old thoroughly enjoyed drawing the bird, but realized that the flowers had more petals than she originally thought. This piece won first place at the A.V. Fair.

We don’t normally let 8 year-olds in this class, but his older siblings were signed up, so we made an exception. He did great!

This pup was done by a talented 12-year-old.

(Apparently, dogs are a favorite subject in this class.)

Here’s some of the artwork from our other classes. We have watercolor, pen and ink, graphite portrait, and colored pencil represented in these pieces.

Ariana’s first watercolor at age 15.

Colin, age 13, chose quite the challenge when he decided to do a white duck in pen and ink.

Lila, age 10, succeeded in getting the vibrant colors of this butterfly.

Susanna, age 17, loved painting the old wood in this watercolor. This piece won first place and Committee Choice at the A.V. Fair.

This graphite portrait was done by one of our 13-year-old students.

Lila, age 11, used lines, stipple (dots), and crosshatch on this pen and ink flower.

Noelle, age 11, did this butterfly in colored pencil.

Chloe, age 14, used lines and stipple, along with sponging and brushing to get the look she was wanting with this pen and ink.

Colin, age 13, didn’t realize how challenging this colorful snake would be when he first chose it. Check out that eye though!

Colin, age 12, did this graphite portrait.

Unfortunately, we only have a photo of this one through glass… Some of the detail gets lost in this photo, but you can still see that Ariana, age 14 did a great job with this colored pencil!

This pen and ink by one of our 12-year-old students used lots of stipple and crosshatch. This piece won first place at the A.V. Fair.

Reece, age 15, chose to challenge himself with this colored pencil drawing. So much blue!

This cute little guy was drawn by Susanna in graphite.

This 12-year-old did a great job with her first watercolor. This piece took third place at the A.V. Fair.

Joanna, age 14, used lines, brushing, sponging, and lots of stipple with this pen and ink.

These adorable bunnies were done by one of our 9-year-old students with colored pencil. This piece won first place at the A.V. Fair.

Susanna, age 17, had so much detail in this pen and ink piece. This piece took second place in the Congressional Art Contest, and second at the A.V. Fair.

And just for fun, here are a few of our pieces!

Watercolor by Hannah

Colored pencil by Melissa

Charcoal by Elisabeth

Colored pencil by Hannah

Watercolor and graphite by Melissa

Watercolor by Christiana

Watercolor by Elisabeth

We'll See You Soon

Today, my parents and Grandpa are in Iowa saying goodbye to my Grandma, Barbara Macy. Grandma passed away June 18th, and her memorial service was July 15th, but today is the graveside service. We (my siblings and I) were not able to make it out there for the “final” goodbye, so in honor of Grandma, I wanted to share what my Dad read at Grandma’s memorial service.

Mom was raised as an only child by her wonderful mother, who worked a government job that included lots of moves. All those moves during her growing up years caused Mom to purpose that her children would someday have a different sort of life, one that felt more stable with deep roots.

While at nursing school, Mom fell in love with the man of her dreams. After they married during her last year at school, they lived in an old, rented farmhouse with running water, which, as Dad says, “meant that someone would run out to the well, pump the water, and then run back to the house with it.” Thankfully, they had electricity, because when the furnace would stop working in the dead of winter, Mom would turn on their electric oven, open its door, sit down in front of it with me on her lap as an infant and rub my legs to keep me warm until Dad came back from working in the fields. Sometimes, Dad just had to pack us all up and drive to his parents’ farm because of the extreme cold.

When their landlord sold the farm they lived on, Mom and Dad decided to move to Palmdale, CA with their two little boys in February 1957 for a couple of good reasons. They had family out here, and there were job opportunities for both Mom and Dad. (And... As an aside, Dad did honor Mom’s wishes. They put down roots here in the AV, and still own their original home. Terry and I still live here, too, though I've moved to distant land of Rosamond.

Mom was quickly hired as an RN at AV Hospital. As Mom and Dad wanted Terry and me to have at least one of our parents with us as much as they could manage, Mom worked the night shift and Dad worked days. Now as an adult with my own family, I realize what a sacrifice that was for my parents. I also need to add that if either Terry or I got hurt, we always went to Mom to get patched up. Her manner was so very kind and loving.

If you were to describe Mom’s major love language, it would have to be gift giving. She loved to give gifts to her loved ones! I will always remember one very special Christmas. Our family business was just getting started, and finances were tight. However, come Christmas morning, Mom had somehow managed a Christmas miracle for her boys. When Terry and I woke up, we found two brand new 3 speed bikes by the tree! Mom had been faithfully putting a little money aside every pay period for the entire year to surprise us.

As I said, Mom was a nurse, and a very good one. Over the years her coworkers have told me just how gifted she was. One Saturday sometime in the 80’s, I stopped by the hospital while Mom was on duty to say “Hi” and to give her a hug. As I walked down the hallway, I saw her in one of the rooms, gently caring for her patient, tending to an IV, checking vital signs, and giving meds. I just stood there and watched, thinking, “Wow! That's my mom.” Someone once told me, “It takes a special person to clean up a messy patient and then later give them a kiss on the cheek when they are discharged.” Mom was that kind of special person.

Because Mom was somewhat private about her faith, I didn’t really know for sure where she stood with Jesus. I knew she enjoyed the fellowship at this church, and I knew, too, that my mom was pretty amazing. Had she wanted to, there was a lot she could have boasted about, though of course, she didn’t. However, neither her good standing at this church nor her natural goodness was enough to give her eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 states “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one can boast.”

The last three months of Mom’s life here on earth gave us many opportunities to pray with her. Throughout that time, Mom would say over and over that she was scared. We would ask her what she was afraid of, and her answer was always the same. “I don’t know.” Along with Dad, we would try to reassure her, but nothing seemed to help.

On one such occasion, our daughter Hannah was with her grandma in the bedroom, while her youngest sister was with their grandpa in the front room. Nothing was calming Mom’s heart, and Hannah’s heart was breaking. Fighting back tears, Hannah told her grandma that if she’d ever done anything wrong at any time in her life, the Bible said that she could confess her sins, and that Jesus would be faithful and just to forgive her and to cleanse her from all unrighteousness. She reminded her grandma that no one can take those who belong to Christ out of His hand and that He’ll never leave nor forsake them. Mom was quiet for a few minutes. Then lying there on her side on the bed, Mom raised her hand and said, “Jesus, Jesus! I love You, Jesus! Oh, how I love You, Jesus! Oh, sweet Jesus!” Then Mom said, “Jesus, Jesus, You’re my Savior! I love You, Jesus!” Peace filled the room, and Mom’s heart. Romans 10:13 says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

After Mom cried out to Jesus, Dad shared with us that although she had never been one to pray much, she had begun to pray to God during the night.

I am so grateful to know with confidence that I will one day see Mom again along with every other loved one who has put their faith and trust in Jesus. This longed-for reunion in presence our Lord is something that I know mom would wish for each of you to share in. Till that day, I know that Mom would want each of you, her beloved family and friends to know the peace that passes all understanding which can only be found in Christ.

As you can see, Barbara Macy truly was a remarkable woman. However, the most amazing part of her story didn’t come until the end of her life. It was so difficult for everyone to watch Grandma suffer with fear and pain during those last months, but God is faithful to bring beauty out of the most painful situations. I am so very grateful to know that this goodbye on earth is only temporary. We will see Grandma again, one day soon.

Fifteen Years Later

This post is a little late (okay, more than a little), but we are very proud of these two! So, better late than never, right?

Hannah and I were the proud teachers at this art reception!

In May, we received the news that Lily won Overall for the Congressional Art Competition, and Susanna took Second place! It is an understatement to say that we were excited and proud. Nothing could have been more special than for these two lifelong friends to win together. They have literally been friends from birth and have supported and encouraged each other with their art from a very young age. And, what makes it even more perfect (in my opinion) is what happened fifteen years ago.

My amazing art teacher, Alicia Garver, me (feeling very awkward), and Kevin McCarthy

In 2007, I entered my first Congressional Art Competition and won. My piece of art was a colored pencil drawing of three young girls wearing matching dresses. Those three girls weren’t just some random cute kids though. They were all three girls that I knew and loved. These three were born to be friends (they really didn’t have much of a choice, just ask their moms), and this picture seemed to capture their relationship perfectly.

Susanna, Sarah, and Lily

I had no idea when I drew that picture fifteen years ago that two of those little girls would one day win the Congressional together.

Lily and Susanna next to their artwork

Lily’s graphite drawing Want Some?

Susanna’s pen and ink drawing Time Moves On

Lily and Susanna, we are so proud of you two! You are no longer those cute little girls (I kind of miss them sometimes…), but instead beautiful young women (both taller than me…), and incredible artists. God has amazing plans for you both and I can’t wait to see how He is going to use you and your talents in the future. I love you both!

~Elisabeth~

2021 Highlights: Art Reception

Because the 2020 AV Fair was canceled due to covid (and the 2021 Fair was up in the air), we decided that our students needed another way to showcase their work. So, on June 19 2021, 42 pieces of art from 26 of our students were on display for family and friends to see. It wasn’t a contest, and there weren’t any prizes, but it was a wonderful time to fellowship and enjoy the accomplishments of others.

Here are a few of the pieces of art from our “older” classes (9-adult) that were displayed. (Unfortunately, we don’t have pictures of all of them.)

We also displayed some of our 5-10 year-old student’s work.

It wasn’t fancy, there were no speeches, and, as I said, it wasn’t a competition, but it was wonderful just the same. I think I can safely say that this was only the first of many art receptions to follow. (We already have some incredible pieces of art taking shape for this next year!)

2021 Highlights: Caleb and Emily

It seems that I have somehow managed to go an entire year without writing any sort of update. So… over the next couple of months I will be catching you all up on some of the Macy highlights from 2021. The first one is also the most recent- The first Macy sibling got married!

On Oct. 11th, Caleb and Emily decided to run away and have a quiet wedding ceremony with just their two closest friends as witnesses. (Just to clarify, we did have a heads-up. Caleb and Emily kept us in the loop on their plans, and we were supportive.)

Caleb made both their rings himself out of wenge wood (also known as African rosewood) and purpleheart wood.

The location was beautiful and the weather perfect for their special day.

Of course, as it was Caleb’s wedding, there had to be a little excitement! The wind stole Emily’s hat and Caleb attempted to retrieve it (after all, he has done a fair amount of rock climbing over the years). Part way down though, he decided that a hat was not worth his life. Emily agreed!

We are very excited to see what God has in store for Caleb and Emily as they embark on this new adventure together. And, we are thrilled to welcome Emily into the family. For the first time in the history of the Michael and Carol Macy family, the girls outnumber the guys!

Choosing to Love

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Why do such small feet leave such deep imprints in our lives? How can such tiny fingers have such a strong grip on our hearts? How is it, that when removed from our lives, those little hands take such a large part of our hearts with them? How can those tiny people leave such a big hole?

I knew before they came that it wasn’t going to be forever. I understood that they would quickly become a part of the family. And I realized that when they left, I would miss them. But I wasn’t prepared for the agony of walking through this journey.

I have always seen the great need for foster families. It’s a ministry, really, to open your home to kids that you have never met before and to give them a safe and loving environment for as long as they are with you. And then, having to let go and move on with your life when the child is removed from your home… That is the part that I have never understood. I have never figured out how to love someone while protecting myself. Every time I love someone, I automatically give them a piece of my heart. Once given, that piece is irretrievably lost to me. I can never recover it and restore it to it’s previous condition. Is it even possible to love without risking injury to your heart? Love and pain go hand in hand. I know you can have pain without love, but honestly, can you really experience love without pain? It seems that every time you open yourself even slightly to love, a door gets thrown wide open inviting pain in.

It has been five months now since they left, and life has gotten back to “normal” (as normal as anything is right now). No more screaming in the middle of the night. No more scheduled visits. No more trips to Urgent-Care. No more court dates. No more social-care drama. But somehow, there is a hole now. The high-chairs are gone. The toddler bed and crib have found new homes in new families. The cute clothes we were blessed with are now blessing someone else. And the nursery is gradually being turned into a guest room. Everything is as it should be. And yet…

I miss the sweet voice saying “I missed you!” when I walk in the front door. I miss the little hands reaching to help unload the dishwasher. I miss the big brown eyes pleading for food off my plate. I miss the sticky faces begging for “more please”. I miss the little feet stealing our shoes. I miss the giggles and shrieks when playing hide-and-seek. I miss the tea parties and forts. I miss rushing to the window to watch the train. I miss being asked to go outside so we could “sit an’ watch” as the world went by. I don’t miss tripping over toys, but I do miss the ones who scattered them across the house. I don’t miss being woken up by a screaming baby, but I do miss the midnight cuddles. I don’t miss the temper tantrums that could last for hours, but I do miss the ones throwing them. My arms and back don’t miss carrying two toddlers around all day, but I do.

Those six months were crazy and difficult. So. Very. Difficult. (Taking care of the babies was the easy part.) If we had known from the start even half of what we were about to go through, we might have made a different decision. If we had known the betrayal we would experience, the helplessness we would feel, and the level of pain that would be inflicted we might have tried to build a wall around our hearts. But we didn’t know, and oh, how we all grew to love those two kids.

We were warned to guard our hearts. We were cautioned about the pain we would experience. And we were told to prepare to have our hearts broken. Broken hearts? No. A broken heart brings to mind an image of a heart with a crack running through it. What we experienced was not a cracked heart. Instead, our hearts were torn out of us and thrown to the ground. We were forced to stand by and watch helplessly as our hearts were reduced to powder under the weight of a sledgehammer. Blow after blow fell, and we wondered if we would ever be able to salvage anything. The pain was so intense… Even if we could somehow manage to piece things back together, how could we ever choose to open our hearts to love again? The risk is too great. Why put ourselves through that again?

The answer is simple… Because we have been commanded to.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

— John 13:34

God never said that loving someone would be easy or painless… And if we look at His demonstration of love to us (John 3:16) and choose to follow His example, we should not be surprised if heartache is the result. Pain is inevitable, whether we obey or not it will most assuredly come. But when you walk in obedience to the Lord, He is faithful to give you the strength to endure whatever comes your way.

So we will choose to obey, knowing that pain is most likely right around the next corner.

And those holes that have been left in our hearts? They will never really go away. Instead, they are filled with memories. Sweet, funny, and even painful, I wouldn’t trade one of them. You see, those memories are gifts. The giggles, the hugs, the mischief, and the conquering of fears were all signs of growth. They serve as reminders that it was all worth it. With the time we invested and the love we gave, we saw confidence take root, tenderness instilled, and joy bloom. Yes, it was worth it. So when the pain becomes more than we can bear, and we feel the need to build a wall of protection around our hearts, we force ourselves back to truth. Instead of boarding up the hole like a broken window and pretending that it doesn’t exist, we will allow God to use the pain as a reminder of what He has done. We will trust Him to continue working even when we can’t see it. And we will choose to love again, knowing the risk, counting the cost, and following in our Lord’s footsteps.

~Elisabeth~

Nineteen Years Later...

9/11 Memorial, NY. Photo credit Josiah Macy

9/11 Memorial, NY. Photo credit Josiah Macy

I wrote this nine years ago but I thought that I would share it today.

It’s the tenth anniversary of 9/11. It’s hard to believe that I was only ten when it happened. I can’t see myself as being that age as I watched the towers crumble, knowing that human beings were trapped inside dying a death more horrible than I could imagine. I remember watching it live on TV as a plane disappeared into the second tower. I remember the terror written on the faces of those who watched, unable to do anything. I remember the panic as people screamed and fled. I remember seeing bodies fall through the air to their death as many tried to escape being burned alive. Mostly, I remember the feeling of helplessness.

I was ten.

Although I didn’t see myself this way at the time, I was just a child. I believe that most people would agree that a ten-year-old child should never have to witness such an act of violence, but I do not regret it. Don’t get me wrong, I wish it had never happened. If I could go back in time to change what occurred I would. But I can’t. I too wish that children did not have to experience such hatred, but reality is, we live in an imperfect, evil world. We do not do our children a service by protecting them from the knowledge of the suffering of others. It is important for us to understand, even at a young age, that we can not control the events of our lives. We can however, control our response.

I listed some memories from that day, but there are more. I remember firemen rushing in, sacrificing their lives to rescue others. I remember a plane whose passengers chose to crash in a field rather than allow others to perish with them. I remember flags everywhere you looked. I remember how everyone acknowledged, unapologetically, the need for God. I remember a glimmer of hope that maybe something good would come through this situation. I saw how our nation responded to a crisis, and I had hope that our country would truly turn to God.

Sadly, I learned that America has a short memory and quickly returns to its old ways. It was a hard lesson I learned from the terrorist attack, but it was important. I am grateful that my parents didn’t try to shelter me from the painful truth. I needed to know.

I wrote that nine years ago in my journal, and even though it has now been nineteen years since the attack took place, it is still fresh in my memory. Somethings you will never be able to forget. As I look back at the USA of 9/11/2001, I can’t help but contrast it with the USA of 9/11/2020. Our nation is again in a crisis, but there is a big difference in how we are responding. Nineteen years ago, strangers wrapped their arms around each other and held tight. Today, friends won’t come close and risk the possibility of getting sick. Nineteen years ago, the church opened its doors and welcomed the hurting in. Today, you can only come if you meet certain requirements. Maybe. Nineteen years ago, our nation came together. Today, we are splintered. Something needs to change. We need to reach out to our neighbors again. We need to encourage one another. We need to stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder. Most of all, we need to join hands united in prayer for our country.

~Elisabeth Macy

Last Year: Short, But Sweet!

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Art classes during the 2019-2020 school year were so much fun!

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We had a lot of new students join us…

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…And we saw a lot of talent born!

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Check out some of our students’ completed work from last year!

And here are a few of the works in progress interrupted by the lock-down.

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Art classes may have been cut short last year, but we are still so proud of our students, and we can’t wait to see what they do next!

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A Successful Experiment!

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Last year, we decided to try out a new art class, this one for ages 5-10 year-olds. I must admit, I wasn’t sure how it would go… Teaching this age range was completely different than what we were used to.

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We focused on shapes, colors, values, and of course, a whole lot of fun!

Learning about shading

Learning about shading

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Most of last year’s classes were spent in drawing (graphite and colored pencils) and painting (watercolor and watercolor pencils), but we also experimented with sculpting and mosaics. It did get a little messy at times… But don’t worry! Almost everything was washable! (We did use acrylics one week, and unfortunately, those aren’t washable… BUT aprons were provided!)

It didn’t always look this crazy…

It didn’t always look this crazy…

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I didn’t always remember to take pictures of finished projects, but here are a few that we did get.

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If happy students who are excited to come (and can’t believe that it’s really time to go), are any indication, then I think our class was a success!

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Peace In The Midst Of Darkness

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Do you ever long for a quiet, “normal” life? I do. I have never enjoyed adrenaline rushes. Who in their right mind actually thinks that going on a roller-coaster is a good idea? I just don’t get it. Personally, I hate them. I haven’t gone on very many, and I have no intention of changing that. They aren’t natural. So why does it feel like life is just one roller-coaster after another? I get off one, take two steps, and find myself strapped into another one. Sometimes, all I can do is hang on for dear life and pray fervently that God will let me feel firm ground under my feet again. Don’t get me wrong… I am not wanting a boring life, but I prefer to find my excitement in the form of a book.

While we all find the action-packed life of a character in a book (or movie) thrilling, very few of us would actually enjoy living their life. You know those books we all read as kids? The ones that had about a hundred in the series, all with the same main characters (who never grew any older, by the way), with a new adventure each time? Well, even as a kid I thought they were very unrealistic. (After all, how many murderers and kidnappers can one twelve-year-old really be expected to help capture?) But as I look back over the years, I sometimes think my life resembles those corny books. No, I haven’t ever come upon an unidentified body washed up on the shores of some lake or beach. No, I haven’t ever stumbled across an ancient treasure map stashed in a random library book. And no, I haven’t ever had a serial killer on my trail (at least, not that I know of). But I have had enough adventures in my life to write my own book series. The only problem is, the stories wouldn’t work for kids because not all of them have what we would call a happy ending.

It was in Aug 2014, at the beginning of one of those “adventures”, that I created this piece.

Beauty in the Midst of Darkness

Beauty in the Midst of Darkness

I titled it Beauty in the Midst of Darkness, and I drew it as both a reminder and a commitment. A reminder that God is faithful to give beauty during every situation, no matter how dark and ugly it may seem. And as a commitment to always look for the beauty, especially when it was hardest to find.

A little while after I completed Beauty in the Midst of Darkness, I began Joy in the Midst of Darkness.

Joy in the Midst of Darkness

Joy in the Midst of Darkness

This piece seemed appropriate as God was continuing to give our family joy in the middle of the intense pain we were experiencing.

I knew that I needed a third piece and that I couldn’t stop with just two, so I began the process of drawing out another orchid picture. For some reason, I had barely started working on it when I chose to put it aside for another time. I don’t completely remember why I stopped, but I think part of it was that the piece just wasn’t speaking to me. I hate to use that as an excuse for not doing something, but this time I think it was true. With my first piece, other than the concept, I honestly didn’t think about what I was doing. I just did it. My next piece was a little more deliberate, a little more thought out, but it still came naturally. This one though was different. It was forced. I felt as though I was fighting against the colors (not a normal feeling for me). So, I guess when I had to put it aside, I really had no interest in picking it up again. Anyway, it was over five years before I pulled it out again.

White flowers are never actually “white”. These are the colors I used in my latest orchid drawing.

White flowers are never actually “white”. These are the colors I used in my latest orchid drawing.

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During the past school year, as I have watched the progress of our students’ artwork, I have felt a need (yes, need) to pick up the colored pencils myself and use them. I really didn’t have the time to start a new piece, and yet the longing continued to grow stronger. Suddenly, around the first of March, I remembered the orchids, and I knew the time had come to dig it out. It was the perfect piece for what I was going through, and I already knew what I was going to title it.

Life was feeling chaotic and out of control, and very dark. It felt as though the darkness was pressing in from every side. At times, it seemed to be winning. I know the truth. I know that light always triumphs over darkness (even when we can’t see it) and that God is victorious, but sometimes the darkness becomes so overwhelming it can be hard to remember. There is a heaviness it brings, and it begins to suffocate. Panic or despair often follows. I needed another reminder in my life. And I needed to state the truth. God will bring peace even during the darkest situation.

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This time, as I worked on it, the colors came naturally to me. I wasn’t fighting against the piece, instead, it was almost as easy as breathing. Honestly, it’s hard for me to understand how I could have ever hit a roadblock with this one. I could have worked on it for hours without getting tired. Of course, I didn’t often have hours to devote to it. Sometimes I was only able to grab fifteen minutes at a time, usually late at night before heading to bed. Once, while just standing looking at it for a minute, I found myself holding our two-year-old foster child in one arm while adding a few touches to one of the flowers. Another time, I sat on the ground with my art in front of me. It wasn’t the most comfortable way to work, but it was hard to resist picking up my pencils, and there wasn’t any space at the table.

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As I continued to work on the orchids, I began to realize how appropriate this theme was/is for the time we all find ourselves in. When I pulled it out with the concept of Peace in the Midst of Darkness, I honestly had no thought of the coronavirus, social distancing, or a toilet paper shortage. I was acknowledging that God is the only source of peace, but my reason for that statement came from a completely different situation. As unrest continued to grow worldwide though, I became increasingly grateful each time I picked up my pencils for the reminder of where true peace can be found.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
— John 14:27

It’s a crazy world I live in, on so many levels. Often, I will find myself desperately wanting the ride to stop so I can step off the roller-coaster, but I have no control over it. I can’t stop it myself. What I can do though, is rest in the assurance that I serve the God who is in control. That is how I can find peace in the midst of darkness. It’s not easy. I am constantly dragging myself back to this place. But it is true. God is in control. He knows what He is doing, and His plans are always best. And that knowledge brings peace.

Peace in the Midst of Darkness

Peace in the Midst of Darkness

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
— John 16:33

~Elisabeth~

Having Fun At Home

This post is for all those parents and older siblings going crazy at home right now. No, I have never been a parent, but I do have a lot of experience as an older sibling! Here are some of my best suggestions for surviving with younger kids at home from school (or even for those not-so-young kids and adults who are willing to forget their age and have fun).

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Dust off your Imagination

Peter DeBroom made a divine dance partner!

Peter DeBroom made a divine dance partner!

Use your imagination! It is one of the best gifts God has given us! I know that our imaginations can seem to disappear as we grow older, but let me assure you that with a little exercise your imagination can become as strong as when you were a child (and that is a good thing!) So start exercising it and encourage your children to use theirs as well. Kids really don’t need someone to always help them occupy their time. With a little imagination, my siblings and I would transform a rocking chair, piano bench, blanket, and two stick horses, into a covered wagon, and our living room became endless prairies as far as the eye (or imagination) could see. Blankets are turned into ball gowns or heroes capes. Laminate flooring becomes an ice rink as you “skate” around in socks. Really, there is no limit to what you can come up with when you use your imagination. If you don’t like the idea of using your imagination (or of your kids using theirs), then you might as well stop reading now, because you are going to need it with the rest of my suggestions.

Do Art

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Obviously, art is going to be high on my list. And by art, I don’t necessarily mean a masterpiece that you will hang on your wall (of course, if you achieve that, I won’t complain…) I just mean pull out whatever art supplies you have and create something! Paint, pencils, markers, crayons… whatever you have will work. Younger artists should just be encouraged to have fun! For those who want a little bit of a challenge, help them find an object around the house or a photo and work on looking at the shapes that make up the object while drawing it. And for those who are too self-conscience to try drawing/painting something themselves (even in the comfort of their own homes…), there are plenty of free coloring pages online that you can print off at home.

These coloring pages were done on a girls camping trip. Everyone chose a page and started working on it. After a few minutes, a timer went off, everyone handed their picture to the person next to them and then started coloring the page they had just…

These coloring pages were done on a girls camping trip. Everyone chose a page and started working on it. After a few minutes, a timer went off, everyone handed their picture to the person next to them and then started coloring the page they had just received. This continued until all the pictures were finished.

If you want this to count as school, have your kids illustrate something from their history lesson, or do a nature study for science. Of course, art itself can count as school without being tied into any other subject!

Make Crafts

Arts and crafts are often grouped together, but I feel that they both deserve their own section. Crafts are extremely fun! They don’t have to be complicated, and they don’t have to come in a kit. Younger kids don’t need a lot of structure with their craft time; they will just enjoy being creative. Give them a few guidelines (like, “don’t put the glue-stick in your mouth”), and let them have fun! There will be a mess, but that’s okay. It’s part of being a kid. For a fun family time, pile a random assortment of craft supplies in the middle of the table, come up with a theme, and have everyone create something that fits the theme. Here is an example~

Due to mold, we were out of our house and living with a family from church. One day we all decided to make crafts that were house/home related. We didn’t have much in the way of craft supplies as everything was packed up so we pulled together a random assortment of materials. Egg cartons, cardboard boxes, toothpicks, plastic beads, paper, fabric scraps, and anything else we could think of. The result was an afternoon of creative fun!

If that sounds overwhelming, you can always look online for ideas, (because of course that isn’t overwhelming at all).

Up-cycle

Up-cycling is just a nice way of saying that you give trash a new life. Again, some people would put this into the crafting category, but not me. Up-cycling is more than just crafting! It is taking crafting to a whole new level! It is giving purpose to something that no longer has purpose, and having fun in the process! Actually, kids are great at up-cycling. The two year old in our house found the cardboard tube from a toilet paper roll and thought it was the greatest toy ever! And boxes! Don’t get her started on the incredible possibilities of boxes! And there isn’t even any crafting involved with that, just imagination. As children get a little older, they will want scissors, tape and markers with their boxes and cardboard tubes. For teenagers and adults, try challenging yourself a bit more. My favorite way to up-cycle is to take old clothes and turn them into stuffed animals. There is still a lot of good fabric in clothes that are no longer wearable.

This little mouse was made out of old socks.

This little mouse was made out of old socks.

The wonderful thing about up-cycling is it is very inexpensive and the options of what you can do are limitless.

Play Games

Games are a wonderful way to pass the time together as a family. There are your traditional store-bought games to get you started, but then you can take it to another level. Make house rules or take a normal, simple game and give it a slight twist. It sounds weird, I know, but we still have fun playing Double-deck Go Fish, even though we aren’t five year olds. Actually, we started playing it with our younger siblings when Caleb and I were in our early twenties. It all began when we decided to play with two decks of regular cards. For some reason, we couldn’t stop laughing! (I know, we’re weird. I admit it.) And then there was the time we decided to play Clue in the whole house. We all were the suspects and we gathered a random assortment of household items as weapons. We rolled dice to determine which room we went into, and everyone moved together. The best part was figuring out which of our siblings was the murderer.

Go Outdoors

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If you are blessed with a yard, take advantage of it! I spent a lot of time playing outside while growing up, and I loved it. Climbing trees, digging in the dirt (or mud), playing tag, dodge-ball, side-walk chalk, riding bikes, hot lava monster, and just make believe. Of course, you have to be okay with your kids (and maybe you) getting dirty. (But isn’t that why garden hoses were invented?)

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If you are too “mature” for such “childish” activities, then get outside and pull weeds! Go for a walk, or just sit outside with a good book. Fresh air and sunshine are good for everyone!

Build a fort

Outdoor forts are pretty awesome, too!

Outdoor forts are pretty awesome, too!

Blankets and bunk beds are a great place to start when building forts, but tables and chairs work well too. Pillows, couch cushions and boxes are also helpful. These make-shift structures probably wouldn’t hold up if you have the ceiling fan on high, but with a little imagination, they can be anything you want. A log cabin in the woods, a castle for a princess, a pirate ship in the middle of the ocean, or a cave deep in the mountains, are all possible with a little creativity.

For those who don’t have someone little to build a fort with, why not pitch a tent in your backyard, if it’s warm enough, and camp out overnight? Or, if you don’t have a yard, set it up in your living room. Roast marshmallows over your stove top and sip hot chocolate.

Do Chores

Okay, now you really will think that I am weird, but you can make chores fun. Letting your little ones help with unusual chores will make them feel special. Oiling the wood furniture and polishing silver were two of the fun chores at our house. You can also make chores fun by playing games while working. Our favorite games to play while folding laundry were the silent game and a game that we made up called “No no’s”. A strange name, but descriptive. How you play is simple. Just have normal conversations but don’t use the word “no” or any form of it including shaking your head or sign language. We also included “know” or “knew” in our list. The last one to successfully avoid all those words wins. This game is a great exercise in thinking before you speak. Competition is also a fun way to do chores. We would sometimes compete to see who could mate the most socks. In a family our size, there were always a lot of socks needing to be matched.

Sometimes, just doing a chore together makes it fun.

Sometimes, just doing a chore together makes it fun.

Read together

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I love to read! My love of books came from my Mom, who read to us all the time. Reading is actually another good chore time activity. We would do laundry, mop the floor, clean the kitchen, just about anything if Mom would read to us. There were even times when someone would run to see if there was another load of laundry to fold if it meant prolonging the reading time. This is also a great way to slip some more school time in. Find interesting books (preferably books that tell a story whether completely true or fiction) that tie into what your kids are learning in school. If you don’t have a large personal library, you can always find books online to read. If at all possible though, I would recommend real books with paper pages. It adds to the suspense when the reader has to stop in the middle of a sentence to fumble with turning the page. If you really hate reading out loud, there are also audio books that you can find online and listen to together.

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Watch a Movie

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And yes, you can always put on a movie. I would encourage you though, to watch movies with your children. It is a great opportunity to discuss what is good and admirable about a character as well as what mistakes that character made and what they should have done differently. Ask your kids questions. Who was their favorite character and why? What was their favorite scene and why? Was there anything they didn’t like about the story? Watching a movie should never be a mindless activity. Discuss it. Look at the worldview. Talk about it from an artistic standpoint. Tear the thing apart (in a good way). Just don’t turn off your brain when you turn on the TV.

Hopefully, some of these suggestions will be helpful, but if not, maybe reading about how different our family is will at least make you thankful for yours. The truth is, I wouldn’t trade my crazy family for anything, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to grow up using my imagination.

Have fun at home!

~Elisabeth~

Most of the photos in this post are several years old, but only because I couldn’t get my siblings to pose for current ones…

Looking Back At 2019

Wow! It’s hard to believe that we are already in 2020! And not only that, but we are halfway through January! Believe it or not, I haven’t even thought about any New Year’s resolutions yet. That might be because I don’t always succeed at keeping them… Or it might be that I am still in denial that 2019 is gone.

2019 was a crazy, busy, fun, exciting, challenging, memorable year. So much happened during those twelve months, but somehow, the year seemed even shorter than normal.

The Macy family that not everyone gets to see.

The Macy family that not everyone gets to see.

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We had multiple trips planned last summer, but before we could enjoy any of them we were given a horrible surprise. Our dog discovered mold by our back door. (We were warned that beagles have incredible noses…) Given our past experience with mold, it was rather devastating. (Okay, that’s a bit of an understatement.) After tearing up the flooring, we were prepared to live with cement for a while, but thanks to three of our wonderful brothers (yes, I just called them wonderful), we now have a beautiful tile floor instead. It was quite the process putting it in (and we aren’t completely done), but it looks great and we love it! Of course, new flooring meant repainting as well. And then the china-hutch needed some updating…

Everyone took turns scraping the adhesive off the floor. Turns out that our family is also very sensitive to the chemicals in that! Go figure!

Everyone took turns scraping the adhesive off the floor. Turns out that our family is also very sensitive to the chemicals in that! Go figure!

Daniel did an awesome job laying the tile (with the help of his sisters). We had a pretty good system going that involved everyone. Dad did all the measurements and cutting, Melissa mixed the thin-set, Daniel and Hannah headed up laying the tile, an…

Daniel did an awesome job laying the tile (with the help of his sisters). We had a pretty good system going that involved everyone. Dad did all the measurements and cutting, Melissa mixed the thin-set, Daniel and Hannah headed up laying the tile, and the rest of us helped with clean up.

In between tearing up and laying down flooring, our family traveled the world! Well, part of it at least.

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Josiah and Daniel toured Prague and Vienna with their orchestra (there was quite a bit of fundraising for that one) before heading to Wales to visit some good friends. While there, Daniel discovered that falling (or maybe jumping?) into an empty moat is not the best experience. He now has the use of both of his legs again, but the healing process definitely wasn’t overnight.

They still managed to enjoy the remainder of their trip. Daniel just had to view everything from a different vantage point.

They still managed to enjoy the remainder of their trip. Daniel just had to view everything from a different vantage point.

The day they returned home to the states, Nathan took off for the Czech Republic. He took a group from our church to do both an English camp and a music camp for Czech teens. This was his third year going, second year leading the group, and first year doing a music camp. I have heard a lot of positive things about the trip from the various members of the team, but mostly I have heard that Nathan is an incredible leader.

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While the guys decided to travel out of the country, the girls were content to just get out of the state for a few days. Well, actually two weeks would be more accurate.

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Dad joined us for the first weekend in Zion and Bryce. After that, the six Macy females went on to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. It was amazing! We camped the whole way and proved to the guys that Macy women can survive quite well on their own (even with slight car problems and a tent that was determined to fall apart on us). We made quite a few memories on that trip and are already scheming on how to pull off another one. Thank you, Caleb, for helping to make it possible! (Did I mention that we have some great brothers?)

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Yes, we are wearing “matching” shirts. It’s been so long since we matched, that we thought it would be fun to do the stereotypical conservative home-school family thing again for one day. Don’t judge.

Yes, we are wearing “matching” shirts. It’s been so long since we matched, that we thought it would be fun to do the stereotypical conservative home-school family thing again for one day. Don’t judge.

In August, the five Macy sisters and some dear friends went camping in the Sequoias for a weekend. It was a wonderful time of hiking, laughter, meaningful conversations, and nearly burning out our campsite. I would do it again in a heartbeat! (Just not the nearly burning out the campsite part. And for the record, that wasn’t me.)

We were also able to take the boat out this year. That is definitely something we need to do more often!

Dad still has what it takes!

Dad still has what it takes!

On a less than fun note, our family has had some health scares this past year (maybe the mold had something to do with it?), and to be perfectly honest, they haven’t completely gone away. God has been gracious though, and He has given us the strength we need to get through each day. Not only that, but He also made it possible for us to go on our various trips despite all the health issues.

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Have you ever noticed that pets will start to pattern after their owners? Well, apparently Oliver felt left out and decided to have health problems of his own. Our seemingly healthy beagle scared us with three seizures over the space of three months. Each one worse than the time before. Next, he drank some bad water and nearly died! I have tried to convince him that there are better ways to get attention… He is thankfully doing much better now.

Leaving that behind and moving on to another topic, Nathan received his Masters and Daniel graduated from High-school! We are so proud of them both.

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We are also very proud of Susanna for winning the Metro Award in the Congressional Art Contest!

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Which brings me to another exciting part of 2019, the AV Fair. Every single one of our students that entered won a prize! Our family also took home ribbons, but honestly, I was much prouder of our students’ accomplishments than of mine. It’s strange how becoming a teacher changes your perspective.

Art classes have been going well. We have grown since last year, although not as much as we had hoped due to some unexpected roadblocks. But we love the students that we do have. It is so fun to teach people who actually want to learn. Plus, our students really do seem to enjoy being in class! It definitely makes our job easier.

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Our year was wrapped up in a very unexpected way. We were asked to take in two little relatives for a few months. After rearranging half of the house, baby-proofing everything, and Daniel moving in with Nathan and Josiah to free up a bedroom, we welcomed two little ones into our home and our hearts the beginning of December. They are adorable, lovable, and scary smart. Everywhere they go, people fall in love with them. They are such special blessings and they bring so much joy into our lives.

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I won’t lie though, it hasn’t been a completely smooth transition. Baby schedules don’t always match up with ours and consequently, we have had to bend some (well, a lot actually). Sleep also is getting sacrificed, as well as personal time (what is that anyway?), and with all the extra exercise, we all lost weight over the holidays instead of gaining it. Really though, we feel blessed to be able to invest in the lives of these two little ones for this season.

To “pash” in puddles is one of life’s greatest joys! (It can be hard to find them in the desert, though…)

To “pash” in puddles is one of life’s greatest joys! (It can be hard to find them in the desert, though…)

Little guy may not be walking yet, but he is determined to climb!

Little guy may not be walking yet, but he is determined to climb!

So how is that for a crazy year? (And that really was the quick version…) I don’t know what God has planned for us this coming year, but it is probably better that way. I am afraid, that given the choice, I would opt for a calm, peaceful, boring life. But life is an adventure! Never dull, sometimes scary, always exciting, and definitely worth living!

~Elisabeth~

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Okay, technically this isn’t from 2019 since it just happened this month, but it is close enough. Caleb is no longer a contractor working at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), he is now an official JPL employee!

It’s Time To Sign Up Again!

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Art classes are starting back up the second week of September!

For new students, we will be offering a Beginning Drawing class Monday evenings from 5:45-6:45, and Tuesday afternoons from 3:30-4:30. The cost is $100 for an eight-week course with all supplies included. We teach ages nine to adult. If interested, please contact us as soon as possible to reserve your spot in the class.

Here are a few pictures from last year’s classes.

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Check out some of our students’ work below! (Sorry, but they did such a great job, we have to brag a little.)

They’re pretty awesome, aren’t they?!

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We are so excited to watch this year as our returning students continue to grow and improve, and we can’t wait to see the potential in our beginning students! We would love to have you join us!!!

~Elisabeth and Hannah~