This Sunday, November 15, 2009, our oldest son, Andrew (10yrs old) will be getting baptized!! I'm a VERY PROUD and oh so happy mama who is rejoicing in the LORD for this special occasion! Andrew has recognized the importance of baptism and the significance of it, as well. It so awesome to hear a child speak to you about God and about turning from our old ways. And how he knows it's not going to be easy, but "with God on your side, you're always a winner!" *BIG SMILES*

Corey and Mariah still have their reserve, but I have no doubt that over time, they'll come around. Their fear is getting water in their ears. Andrew told them that he use to be afraid of that, too, but he knows God didn't give him that fear. (do we have a future pastor on our hands?) :)

On another note: Mariah did ask me one night, "I kept hearing voices, but I don't think it was God's voice because it was scary." So we talked. She then asked me, "How do you hear God's voice? I'd really like to know how to hear His voice because I have some questions I'd like to ask Him." And she says this with pure excitement!! So we talked some more.

I think the one thing that we get wrong is God's voice. He doesn't say that it'll be loud and booming. Throughout The Bible, His voice is referred to as a hushed voice, a whisper, a small voice. So it's not something that is all up in our face because our God is a gentle God! He's not going to force Himself upon us. Rather, He wants us to CHOOSE Him.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me," John 10:27.

Oct 28th was my hubby's birthday! He's a young 31! :) He continues to say that he doesn't feel over 25. Wonder if he really remembers how that feels? ;) I LOVE YOU HONEY!!!! xoxo

So my hubs had a few appoints on his birthday, and so I thought I'd do some workbook checking. I packed up my tote bag Andrew, Mariah, and Corey's workbooks, crayons, etc. I did forget a bright colored pen to do any correcting, so thankfully the crayons worked out just fine! I also forgot my stickers! Yes, I'm a sticker teacher. What child doesn't like stickers?!

When dad had his first appointment, the kids and I stayed in the truck. Mariah pops up behind me and says, "Mom, can we do some workbook work?" I replied, "Really? You want to do some work?" And then all three kids piped up, "Yes." And Mariah gave in a "Pleeeease!! So I told them that I really didn't have plans for them to work in their workbooks, but that I just planned to check over their work that they've already done. Again, I was asked if they could work in their workbooks. So I asked them to wait a few minutes while I pulled together some work for them. They waited patiently and eagerly took their workbooks when they were ready.

It amazes me at how the kids were so eager to school on the go. Mariah even got to get into something new in her workbook. She didn't feel very confident about it, so I did reassure her that her and I would work on this together the next day. Well, she didn't want to wait until the next day so she wrote down some problems on a piece of paper and asked me how to do them!! I LOVE IT!!

They're becoming independent learners and this is one of my goals for this school year and to see Mariah take the initiative to WANT to learn something new, this alone is a HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT I praise the LORD for His guiding us in the direction to homeschool! It's wonderful to get to see the light bulbs come on and to see those expressions on their faces because they're thinking really hard about something!! In all honesty, it's crazy to think about all the things that are missed out on by parents who send their children to public school.

I was one of them.