• Oct. 7, 2009
MOVING

I am moving. Don't get excited. My house didn't sell. I'm not moving out of this house.

I"m moving my BLOG!! I need more options so follow me over to my new blog address and then bookmark it so you can follow our journey... http://amymomoffive.blogspot.com

 

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• Sep. 30, 2009
Apple Picking

Hi. My fam went apple picking this past Sunday. Mike invited my parents to go along as they have never been before and we thought it might be fun. We all had a SUPER time. I took a few pics. The weather was super and the apples were delicious.

Here are the boys- Blake & Ethan

Here are the girls- Alison & Abigail

And Chase sleeping

Here is a pic of the sky

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• Sep. 28, 2009
Phil Stacey- You're Not Shaken

Verse 1

I am sinking in the river that is raging

I am drowning Will I ever, rise to breathe again

I wanna know why I just wanna understand

Will I ever know why? How could this be from Your hand?

/Chorus/

When every little thing that I have dreamed would be just slips away like water through my hands

And when it seems the walls of my beliefs are crashing down like they’re all made of sand

I won’t, let go of You now because I know, oh, You’re not shaken

Verse 2

I am trembling in the darkness of my own fear

All the questions with no answers So grip me while I’m here

And I may never know why Oh I may not understand

But I will lift up my eyes, and trust this is Your plan

Repeat /Chorus/

When I am in the valley of the shadow of death You’re not shaken You’re not shaken

You're right here beside me and You have never left You're not shaken You're not shaken

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• Sep. 26, 2009
Long Days

This has been a long week. Mike has worked every day and every night. He had Wednesday night off but after dinner he went over to his brother's house to hang out for a bit. Today he is off of work but he is helping his sister move the rest of the stuff out of her apartment. The kids and I are feeling a little sickly. We all have coughs and stuffed up noses. Our throats hurt. Most of us are at least eating. This makes for a long week.

On a good note we are still current in the school planner... minus one day of history which we'll cover during lunch today. Abigail isn't struggling with anything so far.

Ethan is starting to fight me on his writing book. He's learning the writing process this year (pre-writing, sloppy copy, etc.) and he's not a big fan of writing. He did write a short story yesterday about Alison getting stung by a bee and he got through it pretty quickly with minimal fussing.

Blake is struggling with letter formation. He has 2 issues- he likes to start each letter from the bottom AND he has a tough time fitting letters onto all those lines on the paper. Which letters go in the "upstairs" and which go in the "downstairs" and which parts go down to the "basement." I can see why it would be confusing. I am going to take a break from his handwriting book and we are going to do a few weeks of handwriting without tears. I think this will help out a lot.

I just finished folding 2 loads of laundry and putting out a few fall decorations and sadly it's time for lunch. I'd really like to just lay but everyone is telling me that their bellies are grumbling. So lunch it is.

Today I'm thankful for cozy rain, hot tea, and comfy clothes.

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• Sep. 21, 2009
What do you do?

On Thursday evening we had the missionaries over for dinner. One of the missionaries asked us, "So what do you do??" I assumed he was wanting to know what we do for a living. I said I was a stay-at-home Mom and homeschooled the kids. Mike said that he worked for Continental Office at their warehouse by day and by night he did various home improvement projects on the side for extra money. I thought nothing else of it at that time.

Later that evening while this missionary was speaking to our church the Lord brought his question back to my mind. He said one of the things that discourages him the most is when he comes home on leave he sees so many Christians not "doing" anything. (His question at our dinner table may have been just what I thought it was at the time he asked it... but no matter what he intended by the question the Lord was using the missionary's words to speak to me.)

That got me thinking. What am I doing????? Yes, being a stay-at-home Mom of 5 children is very busy. Yes, I homeschool. Yes, I do everything at church that can possibly be done. But is that good enough?? How hard am I trying? Don't get me wrong... these things need done. But working at church is easy and safe. I need to get out into my neighborhood. I need to meet my neighbors. PLEASE be praying for us (Mike & I) as we seek open doors. Pray that we will keep on trying even when we face rejection.

"All believers should build relationships with non-believers because of their need for love, hope, and salvation."

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever- do not abandon the works of your hands. Psalm 138:8

Today I am thankful for our missionary conference, soft rain on the window, and candles.

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• Sep. 20, 2009
What to do???

This has been our missionary conference week at church. Very encouraging and CHALLENGING to Mike and I. But let me start off by sharing a HUGE weight I am feeling on my heart right now. It is also an AWESOME thing but I am sure you will be able to understand my heartache. Abigail said she might want to be a missionary. While I am thankful that she is sensitive to the Lord I also ache at the thought that one day she might be far, far away. Of course I want her to follow wherever the Lord leads but still my heart feels great sadness thinking about it. I will NEVER say out loud that I don't want her to be a missionary. I will stand behind her no matter what. Even if secretly I would hope that the Lord would keep us all near each other. Okay... moving on before I can't see to type....

Mike and I have been feeling the past few years and REALLY the past few months that we are doing NOTHING for the Lord. We feel like we should be doing something to help share the Lord with the unsaved right here in Columbus, OH. Neither of us have felt any particular direction from the Lord (and our house isn't going to sell... will be off the market by Nov.) so we continue to go on as we have been. But still we know there is something waiting for us and so our eyes/ears/hearts are open. We want to give.

I really should be going to sleep. I am rather tired tonight but I do cherish these quiet moments when the kids are all asleep. I will have a hard time waking up tomorrow for church though so I better sign off and lay down. Night, friends. :(

Tonight I am thankful for a simple life, my 5 beautiful children, and cranberry juice. :)

 

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• Sep. 16, 2009
Why

Why are my kids arguing so much today?????? And why of all days do I have to have a bad headache?

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• Sep. 9, 2009
Awesome Evening

I fix dinner every night and we eat at the dinner table 90% of the time. The kids use plastic plates and Mike and I usually use tupperware plates- sometimes Corelle.  Since we have no dining room, we eat dinner in the kitchen and I usually leave the food in the pans on the oven. But tonight I felt like being crazy. I opened up the hutch and got out Mamaw's dishes. I placed the napkins UNDER the forks and I put all of our food in dishes on the table instead of on the oven. The kids were especially excited to be using grown-up plates. :)

Our meal was not fancy (ravioli, salad, & garlic bread) but the conversation was good. Blake ate 3 bowls of salad. He's not a ravioli fan.

After dinner Mike helped me carry the dishes to the sink and I loaded some into the dishwasher. I then hand washed all of Mamaw's dishes and the pans. While I washed dishes Mike and 4 of the kids played the Playstation 2- our neighbor gave it to us FOR FREE a few days ago. We only have 1 game but it's racing and everyone seems to have a chance at it. A playstation is a HUGE gift to us as all we've had is an ORIGINAL Nintendo from Mike's childhood.

Anyway, why is this an awesome evening????? All of my family (except Chase who was sleeping in the crib) around the dinner table, taking turns sharing stories of our day, eating on Mamaw's dishes, and then relaxing in the living room all playing games together. Special, special times. Nothing majorly exciting... just us being together. I am SOOOOO thankful for this family.

Tonight I'm thankful for having the chance to know Mamaw (Mike's Grandma), my 5 sweet kids, and a husband who would rather spend time with his family than do anything else.

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• Sep. 8, 2009
Not Sure Why

Update: 15 minutes before we were to leave our house we got a call that the buyers couldn't make the showing. Guess it wasn't God's timing again.

Hi. We have a house showing this evening. I'm not sure why we agreed to it since we had already decided to quit trying to sell. But anyway, 7-730pm is the showing so if you read this blog please pray for us. We aren't trying to sell for a fancy house or anything. Not trying to go after our DREAM house. Just want something bigger. I taught Sunday School on Sunday and it was about trusting God for the impossible. This is an impossible situation we are facing right now. I know if God has it for us to move that someone WILL buy our house. If not, it just isn't His timing.

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• Sep. 6, 2009
Don't Have the Words

Hi (Kendra).

This past week or so I have found myself dealing with some major anxiety. I'm nervous, shaky, majorly stressed, and my mind is totally consumed. I sat in church today completely speechless. Here we were praying as a church for "our" future and I couldn't even come up with the words to say ANYTHING. Have you ever felt that way?? You are before God doing something you totally believe in (prayer) and... NOTHING.

The  most important thing to me is to do what the Lord would have me to do. I don't want to go after what I desire. I really pray for God to lead me (us) in whatever I (we) do. I believe I am feeling the Lord leading us in a particular direction but a weakness I have is allowing others to guilt me into things. I feel for people and I want to please everyone. I don't want people to be hurt by me. THIS is why I'm feeling like I'm gonna have a nervous breakdown. The stress of this is too overwhelming for me.

I can go the direction that I feel the Lord leading and some will be hurt OR I can ignore the Lord's leading and be guilted into doing something that would please the most people. 

Either way, if you read this blog I would appreciate your prayers. I need peace in my heart and I need the Lord's help to take a major step of faith.

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• Sep. 3, 2009
School Day 3 & 4

These last two days have been MUCH better. We are settling into our routine nicely. I start with 2 kids... and then we do group subjects. Then the first two kids leave and I finish up with the last two. (Alison isn't really in school but she has a preschool book and does a few pages out of it while I'm working with the others.)

**

Here's a pic from yesterday. Our history lesson was about the beginning of Christianity and our project that went along with it was mosaic crosses.

 

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• Aug. 31, 2009
First Day of School

Today was our first day of school. WOW!! I won't lie and say it was PERFECT but it was a good day. I can NOT teach 4 kids at a time. I think we'll go in rounds. Only 2 at a time.

**

Here are a few pics from our first day:

Here is our hutch with our school books on it (minus science)-

 

Abigail- 4th Grade

 

Ethan- 2nd Grade

 

Blake- 1st Grade

Alison- Preschool

Chase- no grade level but he's so darn handsome!!

 

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• Aug. 30, 2009
The Sweet Sounds of a Baby

Today I snuck up on Mike and Chase in the kitchen. I LOVED what I was hearing so I grabbed my camera and started shooting. :) Precious, precious sounds!!

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• Aug. 26, 2009
5 days and counting!

It's about that time to start school again. I have really enjoyed the summer. We have all relaxed and done whatever we wanted. The kids got into a new morning routine. I had time to sell 17 cakes. We were able to go away once for a few days. But all good things must come to an end. Only 5 more days until we say hello to our old homeschool routine. I don't believe in "practicing" to get back to it. We'll do just fine on Monday.

**

I still have to work on my school planner. I got one for $1 at Target and when I was filling it out I realized it only had 26 weeks in it. That wouldn't get us all the way through school. I ended up going to United Art & Education to get a planner that would get us the entire year.

**

We do school in our kitchen now and have sold our desks in the school room. We had too much distraction down in the school room. I took down at least half of our posters down there too. I am considering putting up some posters in the kitchen but I don't know if I will. A few of them might be helpful.

**

We aren't selling our house any more. As soon as we can, we'll take our sign out of our yard. I think we have a contract until November. We are bummed about it but we know it is the right decision. We'll make due and we thank the Lord for giving us peace in our hearts about this AND for providing us with this house.

**

Chase got a new toy... $69.99 new but we got it for $10 at a yard sale. WOOHOO!!!! Actually Dawn was out of town and saw it at a yard sale. She called and picked it up for us. SUPER!!!

First time in the walker... not sure at first:

Sister Alison wants to see the new toy:

Smiling at one of the toys on the walker (it has a cat on it):

Smiling at the camera:

Today I'm thankful for relaxing summer days, diet pop, and the Lord taking hold of our lives and leading us.

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• Aug. 15, 2009
Abigail Turns 9

Today my lovely daughter Abigail turned 9 years old. I can't believe she is already 9. These years have flown by so quickly. I remember the first night I put her in her crib in her room. She was probably 2 months old and I cried because I knew time would go fast and soon she'd be going away to college and getting married. We are now halfway there and I fight back tears once again. Motherhood is an awesome thing but I can tell you I do NOT look forward to the day when she will leave me. Of course I want her to go and be an adult some day and live her life for the Lord but I know the pain will be great and I will ache when she is not with me at home anymore.

**

Abigail is so special. She has always been a little mature for her age. She is totally GIRLY... wanted to wear makeup at an early age. She would watch me putting on my own makeup and want to copy me. Once when she was about 2 I was at ladies bible study and she was home with Mike and got into markers and used them to put on makeup. :) That's a funny pic.

**

Abigail is such a sensitive girl. Very emotional like her mother. A great big sister and a wonderful helper. She loves the Lord and is always the first to join me in praying for people. I thank the Lord that he allowed me to be her mother. Such precious memories we have made.

**

I love you, Abigail.

**

Today after breakfast:

 

Party time:

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• Aug. 11, 2009
Our House

Well, today we got an offer on our house. A TERRIBLE, insult of an offer. I was actually excited this time and felt a little sad when I heard the news. Mike told me that he is about to just forget the entire idea of trying to move.

**

I really want to stay in the center of God's plan for me. Maybe this is a sign that God wants us to stay here. I really don't know. There is nothing wrong with my house. It is just very crowded and we were hoping for more space.

**

One thing I do know is that God is listening to us when we pray. He will answer us. Tonight at 7pm the kids and I will be sitting down as a family and praying as a group aloud for a clear answer from God on what to do. (Mike is working late for the next two nights so he won't be here... we'll do it again when he is home on Thursday.) We will trust in the Lord and be content with whatever he has for us.

**

Today I'm thankful for fresh, juicy PEACHES, a wonderful husband, and hard objects that do a great job squishing BUGS!!

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• Aug. 2, 2009
This and That

3:34pm

**

I ordered some of our school books last week. I am SOOOOOO excited to get them in the mail. I didn't order our science yet. Waiting on money... We are only doing science half the year this year anyway so I have until January to get it.

**

Anyway, I can't wait to smell that fresh book smell and to fill out my planner. I look forward to gathering a few school supplies. I need new markers as I let the kids just have at them and a few of the kids didn't put lids back on. It's okay though. I had those markers for at least 3-4 years. My kids (like most) seem to be very artsy... always wanting to write or make pictures. Thankfully Mike brings home different papers from work or we'd be in trouble.

**

Today has been a very relaxing day. Church was super. I have enjoyed Pastor's recent sermons on meditation. I thought it was super interesting last week when Mike and I missed church because we went to Mom & Dad Murphy's church and still the Lord spoke to us about meditation. That goes to show that if God wants you to hear it, you can't hide from it. :)

**

After church we came hom and had lunch... cheesy brats for some and sandwiches for the rest. Mike is out cutting our front yard and the yard next door. Nobody lives next door and the grass/weeds in some spots was over 3 feet high. We have an open house next Sunday and want the yards to look good. We'll see.

**

It's so quiet in the house rightnow. Chase is sleeping in his crib. Abigail is painting in the kitchen. Ethan is watching some sort of race cars/ Nascar on tv. (Not sure which one... I don't know my racing.) Blake just went out to dig in the back yard. Alison is hanging out with Ethan one minute and watching Abigail the next minute. The cats are both laying behind me on my bed. There was major excitement a few minutes ago as Ethan let in TWO FLIES and Siam was going crazy trying to catch them. I haven't seen them for a while and Siam is now back to doing the usual cat thing.

**

Okay, enough already. :) Here's a pic of Chase I took a few days ago.

**

Today I'm thankful for Tums, nice quiet days at home, and God's provision for our family!!

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• Jul. 28, 2009
It's about that time

Well, it's almost time to start school again. I wrote on the white board in our downstairs: "School starts August 31. 39 days." I think the kids will be excited about it. They like the one-on-one time they are guaranteed.

**

This year in school I will be using...

**

For Abigail, Grade 4: Abeka Language, Stack the Deck: Flip the Deck, Math U See: Delta, Scitt Kit, Story of the World,

**

For Ethan, Grade 2: Abeka Language, Letters & Sounds, & Writing with Phonics Cursive, Stack the Deck: Discover the Deck, Math U See: Beta, Scitt Kit, Story of the World

**

For Blake, Grade 1: Abeka Language, Letters & Sounds, & Writing with Phonics Manuscript, Math U See: Alpha, Scitt Kit, Story of the World

**

I already have my planner. I got it for only $1. I just need to get my books here so I can start filling it in.

**

Tonight I only have 1 child at home. My girls went to Brooke's house for a sleepover. My boys (minus Chase) went to Dawn's house for a sleepover. It's VERY quiet. The bedrooms are CLEAN!!! After I awake in the morning and feed Chase I can go back to sleep. It will be very weird. I do really miss the kids though. In fact, Abigail BEGGED me to not make her go. When she realized I'd be alone in the morning (minus Chase) she felt bad and wanted to stay home with me. She is so sweet but I do worry that she is too attached and that she needs a little more independance. I think she needs time away from all of us... something she can do on her own without the rest of the family. What can it bed???

**

Our house has now been for sale for 2 years. Will we ever move??? Doesn't anyone want our house? I have found several houses that are possibilities. I'm sure by the time our house sells those houses I like may be gone. I am just being patient and waiting for God's timing. If anyone reads this blog please pray about this situation for us.

**

I've made several cakes lately and I've got several orders already lined up. I think it's neat how orders come from out of the blue and from people I haven't talked to in years. I know that God is providing these opportunities. I am very thankful to Him.

**

It's getting late and I'm going to start rambling so I better get off of here. I will leave you with a picture of Chase in his crib yesterday:

And my thankful list: Today I'm thankful for quiet moments alone, hugs and kisses when I'm reunited with the kiddos, and sugar-free ice cream.

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• Jun. 18, 2009
Life

Hi, Friends. How are you?

**

Things have been busy in my life lately. Isn't that what I always say? Is there ever really a time when things aren't busy? There is no sense in using an excuse about why we don't do something. We can't say that we've been too busy to do something. Somehow I still seem to have time to do most of the things I like. I think it's all about priorities.

**

On April 13th my fifth child was born. Chase is growing so quickly. Yesterday was his 2 month well visit. Everything looks great as far as he is concerned. My satisfaction with the doctor office is another story which I will not make you read here. lol. Let's just say that my days of taking my kids to Grove City Pediatrics are numbered. I have had a few issues with the way they bill things and with the fact that there is only 1 doctor there and we mostly see a NP.

**

1 Day Old:

2 Months Old:

**

School is over for the school year- except for Blake who has only a little bit more work to do. Since it's summer we aren't on a regular schedule with him but this is actually good. He has longer to retain information before we move on AND it makes me feel like I'm not rushing him through Kindergarten.

**

In the fall Abigail will be in 4th grade, Ethan in 2nd grade, and Blake in 1st grade. I'm still enjoying the homeschooling journey and the kids are doing well.

**

God has been teaching me a lot lately about making prayer and time with him in the word a priority, about patience, about trust, and about being loving. Sometimes I wish I would learn my lessons the first time. I'll have to take a few moments some time to share some important scripture that I'm trying to memorize. (That's kind of silly that I said "important scripture." Aren't they all important? lol)

**

I must end this post before I'm ready because I forgot that I promised Abigail she could get online. Talk to you again soon, friends.

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• Feb. 8, 2009
God or god

Hi everyone. It's been a while since I posted. Things have been crazy around here. I have plenty to blog about and lots of pics but I won't worry about all that right now. I wanted to share something I learned today at church.

This past week has been a tough one. We've been dealing with a car issue that wasn't an easy decision and there was tension around the house. Between homeschooling 3 of the kids, addiing Alison to the daily mix, many appointments this past week, and the car issue, I really thought I was gonna have a breakdown. I was very low all week. I was stressed every day and although I was praying and asking God to give us direction on the car issue, I don't think in my heart I was really BELIEVING that God was going to take care of it.

Today at church the Pastor said something that I immediately wrote down and it hit so close to home. He said, "If things are getting you down then you are letting them be your god. Either God is the God of all gods or He isn't."

So true. I was letting trials of life be my god and not allowing GOD to be the God of all!!!!

If you are struggling with something right now then you can make a choice. Will you let God be the God of all???

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