My husband thought this blog would be a great way for all our friends and family to keep tabs on our completely insane life. We live in a Christian soap opera called "The Young & The Restless" We're not restless, we just Rest.........LESS. With the two boys, Ethan & Noah in school, it's a little insane in the Metzner house. I don't remember having this much homework as a 4 year old. Ethan is doing terrific in 2nd grade, he reads at the 3.5th grade level. Math is one of his favorite subjects (for those who know me, it's just further proof that he inherited none of my genes.) Noah is learning his vowels and their long and short sounds, his numbers and Bible verses weekly. He's 4 going on 14. His favorite phrase is "Actually, Mom . . . . " I guess you have to be a parent before you realize that you know, well, nothing. Aidan is a wonderful little man, at 2 1/2 he knows his shapes, colors and some numbers. He's got peeing in the potty down to a science, but mommy would be really happy if he would stop pooping on the floor. (Praise God for wood and laminate flooring) All three know all of the lyrics to all of their fathers favorite worship songs. It's rather freaky actually.

Shadric and I are looking forward to recording live for the first time. The world really is a small place, we keep running into people we've known before. Our recording engineer for the project is Martin Forenzi, (he owns The Corner Studio in Amherst, Oh) and it really is kind of cool to get to collaborate with people who knew you when you were a scrub. I am teaching Art and Music at the Academy again this year, this is year three for me (yeah mom, I know, a world record for longevity of employment for me) I truly enjoy it. I think I'm getting old because I find myself surprised at the worldly sophistication (read level of backtalking punkness) the kids are displaying these days. I've actually heard myself becoming my mother, "these kids are exposed to things, saying things, and doing things that I didn't see, say, or do until I was an adult." or better yet "If I had done that at your age, my mother would have beaten me senseless." I keep thinking that there has to be an answer, a way to shelter my babies from this world. Because for all it has to offer, I think we're trading away their innocence for freedom and experience. I can't help but fear that when this generation is grown that we will regret allowing the world to decide that experience is always positive, regardless the cost. I'm hoping to raise the kind of young men that my grandparents raised, respectful, kind, generous, and without a period of debauchery to reap a lifetime of consequences from. I want my boys to respect themselves, their mates, and those around them. I hope that when my children encounter perverted and depraved things, that they look on them with scorn and horror. We've all lost the ability to be shocked by anything. That makes me sad. But I'm rambling, I can't help it, the Lord has been speaking to my heart about the little men He has entrusted to our care. I don't want to pour my life into our career, and into the church, all the while neglecting the most important task I will ever undertake. I want to raise men of God.

My lesson schedule is insane, I have more students than spots, and I just can't take on any more without completely losing my mind. I will try to post a picture of January's recital, we have a really good time with that every year. I would post pictures of my lovely house, but being in New York, it's so small I would have to enlarge the pictures until they were blurry. I'm joking. The house is great, it was completely gutted before we moved in. Pastor Craig and Sharon Butler live in the 1st floor, and we occupy the second floor. Living in the parsonage has it's advantages, borrowing things, for example. (I think Sharon has loaned me about 10 pounds of sugar in the three years we've lived here)

Anyway, we love NYC, and we're filled with vision for what the Lord will do here, in us, for us, and through us. Remember, HE is faithful! More Later. . . .