His Name is Jake

We named him Jake. It just seemed to be a good Treeing Walker Coonhound name. Lily is smitten. He's gotta be one of the snuggly-est doggies I know. He's not content unless he's on a lap with his nose nuzzled into your neck. Jake sleeps in Lily's bed with her. That seems to make both of them very happy. Jake is doing well with house training with less accidents every day. He knows how to sit on command, and he's learning his boundaries as far as what he can chew and what he cannot chew. It's been said that hound dogs aren't all that smart, but this boy is breaking the hound dog mold. This boy is pretty smart, and a real family man. I've owned a hound before, a Bassett Hound named Oscar. He was sweet but annoyingly stubborn and difficult to train. Jake, however, responds perfectly well to correction and doggy treats.  The vet says he'll probably weigh between 60-70 pounds. He'll know for sure how to estimate his growth when he sees him again at his next vet visit. According to the vet, if he gains 2-3 pounds per month then he will reach about 70 pounds at adulthood. However, if he gains 4-5 pounds per month he'll probably reach 80-90 pounds at adulthood comparative to a large Labrador. We saw Jake's mother at the shelter where we found Jake. She was a good-sized Coonhound, probably 70 pounds. But we aren't familiar with Jake's father so time will tell how he turns out. For now, the kids (and their momma) are all about Jake.

The Day-After-Thanksgiving Hike

It's a tradition with my family to hike the day after Thanksgiving. No shopping and bargain hunting for us. No sir-ee! We hit the trail. Go here to get a glimpse of the day through my uncle's lens.

A New Addition

Over the past 9 years, we have added a new family member every two years. Hence the ages of our children - 2, 4, 6, 8. It seems the tradition continues with our newest addition…

The newest family member…still nameless.

He's a 3-month-old Walker Coonhound puppy at the animal shelter.

BJ said he knew this was the moment when it went from a rational decision to a purely irrational one. There was no turning back. In my defense, I just thought he smelled like a puppy, and he liked to snuggle :-) 

We sign the paperwork tomorrow (Monday) and pick him up on Tuesday after he's neutered. He was a perfect gentlemen with the kids - friendly, lovable, and even sat at their command. He will be one big lap dog.

A Man of God

Although he has a few years ahead before he can officially be called a "man," my little man Schaeffer now has the power of Jesus living in his heart and life. That surely makes him a mighty man of God! God is so good to answer a humble mother's prayers! BJ had the honor of baptizing Schaeffer on Sunday, Nov. 10. Schaeffer actually prayed to receive Christ back in August, but was fearful of baptism. The week leading up to Sunday, Nov. 10 Schaeffer eagerly asked to be baptized. BJ called our pastor and it was all set. Lily, Griffin, and I observed the baptism from the side (Charlotte was in the nursery).

Our pastor observing BJ baptize Schaeffer.

Just about now is when Griffin let out a loud "Whohoo! You did it Schaeffer!"

What an amazing answer to prayer!

Life Don't Stop

For about a week prior to our move and three days after our move, our family life was chaotic to say the least. But now we are moved into our new house and we are back to our normal busy schedule. Here are a few pictures of places we've been recently...

The park along the river in our new neighborhood

To see Nana

McBee Dairy Farms (that's a cow jaw in case you were wondering)

Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge on the day, unbeknownst to us, that TN Forestry had planned to do controlled burning. An entire field was completely burned in under 10 minutes. The kids were amazed. We decided to leave before they began burning the grassy field you see on the right because we would've been enveloped by smoke.

A cabin at Standing Stone State Park. We joined friends who were staying in the nearby campground.

House For Sale

We are now moved into our new (which is old) house, and the old (which is newer) one is officially on the market. Check out the listing here and pass it along to anyone you know who is looking for a great family home in the Knoxville area.

Photos of Our New Home

We are getting all packed up and ready to move! We close on the new house on Monday and hope to be moving the following Saturday. Because this is a downsize for us, we are paring down our belongings. This has made the packing process a little more complicated because every object and piece of furniture is being scrutinized. We will be eliminating 1,000 square feet so not everything can go. I'm sure that sounds crazy for a family with 4 kids. But with homeschooling and the way we live, we think "less is more." We are a busy family, always on the go, and we enjoy outdoor activities. Our home is a place for learning, discipleship, meals, and sleeping. There's some playtime, too, but we have found that our kids are content with just a few favorite things. More stuff causes stress for them and for the Mommy and Daddy who have to clean it up. Despite my affection for farmhouses on little country roads, we are excited to be moving into an urban neighborhood close to downtown, parks, greenways, and the like. 

Front view from the street

Side entrance

Two-car detached garage (Yes, the neighbor's garage is that close!)

Kitchen

Dining area with access to back deck

Playroom

Master bedroom

Living room

Charlotte's bedroom

Upstairs hallway and stairwell

Boys' room - this is only a partial view of their massive bedroom

Lily's bedroom - only a partial view