We thank God for giving us a perfect, 12 day vacation this year. We got to spend time in the mountains and on the beach.
It's my mother-in-law's 75th birthday this year (everyone say Happy Birthday Dori!!) so we all went in together and rented a rather large cabin in Gatlinburg, TN....complete with gameroom, hot tub, and access to three pools. About 20 of us spent five days driving up and down the steep roads that led about two miles outside of town to our cabin. We had a great view of the Great Smoky Mountains and OberGatlinburg. If you've never been to the 4th of July Parade at 12:01am in Gatlinburg, you have to try it atleast once. They boast of it being "the first Independence Day Parade in the nation". I've never seen so many patriotic floats in one place. And LONG......it was soooo looonnnnngggggg. LOL But it was fun. And now we can say we've been.
During our stay, I talked Honey and the kids into going on a hike in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We've been on the paved 2-miler to LaureL Falls. That was a piece of cake. This time I wanted to hit something a bit harder. So, we trekked up the 1,700 feet ascension to Chimney Tops. It was two miles up and two miles back. And it was HARD!!!! Honey was about ready to kill me half way up.....I thought he was going to have a heart attack. It was very scenic and beautiful and steep and hot and humid. It had just rained the night before, so the bugs were out. I was thankful though...I think the rain cooled it off a little from the high 90's we'd seen the days before. When we got to the top, it was utterly amazing!!! A perfectly panoramic display of God's beauty and creation. The giant rock-top jutted out with straight drops down both sides. You literally had to crawl and climb out on your hands and feet. With the kids, Honey decided that we weren't going out that far, so he stopped the train after about 20 feet up the rock. The team staged a minor revolt, but to no avail. He wouldn't budge. So, we stayed there sitting where we stopped to take in the gorgeous view and discuss the many things that could happen if we fell off the side of the mountain. You know how it is with two boys and a tomboy-wanna-be.
Would you believe that I forgot my camera???? I was so mad at myself!! Aunt Deb said that it must've just meant to be a great memory. She has a good point. There is a difference when you're sitting there in the middle of this miraculous scenery able to just sit, and breath it in, and think about how amazing our Great God really is, AND when your looking at it all through the lens of a camera. Yes, you get to keep the memories forever, BUT I'm sure God was thinking that Deborah likes to take pictures so much that she will surely miss the whole point of being there....PLUS she's bound to fall off from not paying attention to which rock she rested her foot on. Ha!!!
At any rate, it was a great bonding adventure for our family. It was hard going up, but worth it. It was also a good opportunity to talk about hard times and trials in life and how they compare to climbing a mountain. If we always stuck with the easy way out, we'd never see the blessings and benefits that promise to come with a little blood, sweat and tears.
We ended up leaving on Sunday morning and continuing on to our own family vacation to Charleston, SC.
Next entry is on our time at the beach! Stay tuned....
The kids and I have spent about 12 hours this week at church filling up water balloons for the Massive Middle School Water Ballon War that is taking place this evening. Would you believe we filled 5,700 balloons this week???? I can't believe it. My fingers are aching from turning nozzles on and off and tying balloons.
Yesterday was the last day for filling and we celebrated with a mini-water fight of our own....myself, Micah (one of our MS interns) and about 8 kids. I held my own for a while in a prime stragetic location under the steps where the spicket was, until everyone ganged up on me, overtook the hose, and dumped a rather large trash can of water on my head. LOL It was pretty fun. Tonight the war takes place from 6:30-8:30pm with our 150 middle schoolers and all their closest friends.
Other news this week ~
Adri's transcript that was supposed to be returned apostilled by the Secretary of State was returned without its stamp. Apparently, we wasted about $20 getting the thing "certified " at the County Clerk's extension office and sending it on with self-addressed stamped envelopes. They should've told us to go down to the main office for a "blue and gold" seal of approval before sending it on. Now we have to go through the whole process again.....lovely.
Talked to Adri over the phone last night....she had her English test yesterday and is starting her summer school today. Poor girl. After working so hard all year long. She does miss us. =] We can ditto that 100 times.
Our friend Jean from the DR is emailing us again. He has joined the church since our visit there almost two years ago. Praise God!! He is very excited but is really struggling in life right now. It would be so cool if he could come visit us. =]
Connor and I are taking guitar lessons. This is a piece of cake for him since he's been taking informal lessons from our neighbor on and off. For me, this comes as a GREAT challenge. Don't forget I'm 42 here....forging brand new brain paths for me. I don't think my fingernails have been this short since I was 5 years old. But, it does seem to help. Sweet Connor tells me last week, "Mom, just think. If we keep learning guitar together, maybe we could start our own band and go on tour like Third Day!!" Ha! Ha! Oh, bless his heart!! I'm just thinking it would be fun to be able to sing songs together at family functions and retreats. =]
Okay, I'm already behind on my Summer To-Do list.....I've had this crappy cold for about 3 weeks and it's driving me crazy!! I feel worn-out all the time. Pray for me please?? The kids are shooting to do three math lessons each week and a couple reading programs. Ofcourse, without me reminding them, they're happy as clams to play outside all day long........which on the other hand I don't mind either. That's what we used to do all summer long, right?? And for that matter, the summer is cut so short these days!! Just pray for me....thanks! =]
Hangyul, our next exchange student from South Korea, is scheduled to be arriving on July 31st. Big project this summer: paint the boys room, move Connor to his own room downstairs, move Briar upstairs. I also need to get his transfer app into the school some time next week (since it didn't happen this week.)
Okay, that's all for now. I am working on my "crazylove ~part 2" entry. I can't say it enough.....this book is life-changing.
We said "good-bye for now" to our first foreign exchange student, Adriana. Family and friends came together on Saturday for a really fun combination "Adios Amiga" party for Adri, and "Happy Birthday" to both Adri and Briar, who turned 13 on Monday. We had alot of fun.
Sunday morning we got up at 6am and left for the airport at 7am. She had a connection in Cincy on her way to New York. Stayed there for 7 hours after being delayed 2 hours due to a severe thunderstorm coming through JFK. She said when they finally let them go there was still lightning in the clouds and alot of turbulance. "It was VERY scary." she said.
Since Monday, Clara has retaken her room...cleaned it good....and moved back in. I should take a picture now, since it's the cleanest it'll ever be. LOL
We went to see IronMan for Briar's birthday on Monday night. That was a pretty cool movie, I must say. And I think it's Robert Downey Jr.'s best part ever.....in my opinion ofcourse. The story was pretty good and I liked how it brought in some current happenings in the world. His sense of humor and "special relationship" he had with all his robots was the funniest. Clara and I decided "Butter Fingers" was our favorite. LOL And yes, I am NOW the mother of a 13 year old.....a REAL teenager....I don't want to just skim by that one. Please keep us in your prayers. =] He now has the "I am a man, here me roar." attitude.
Next step in the summer schedule is to prepare for our next student coming from South Korea at the end of July. Connor will have his own room this time, which I find very interesting since he hates to sleep in a room by himself. I asked him the other day if he really wanted to have his own room. He said "Sure I do!!" So I asked, "How do you think you'll do sleeping on your own?".....he paused....looked up at me....and said...."I'm not sleeping on my own. What do you mean???" The implications never occurred to him. LOL Well, we'll have to figure it out. Briar is dead-set on sharing a room with Hangyul.
And speaking of Hangyul, the latest news is basically no news. Ballard (our area High School) is refusing to give us a definite answer until the end of the summer. Which means we have to go ahead and apply to transfer out of our area to Easter High School.....a good school, but even bigger then ours.....a get an acceptance from some school. They couldn't believe Ballard was putting us through this....especially since we have the only f.e. student for next year right now. Go figure. One way or another, he's coming. We just won't know which school he'll attend until the end of July. Yippee!!
I'm slowly letting out a sigh of relief this week. We're finishing up everything but math (to be continued through the summer). And the extracurriculars are coming to their end.
We had our last two fieldtrips this week ~ a visit to the nature preserve and a showing of Treasure Island in an outside amphitheater. We lined up four workshops at the nature preserve that the kids rotated through in four different age groups (PK-8th). They learned about Native American games and medicinal plant, wetland ecology and metamorphasis, and global warming. It turned out to be a perfect day so we had a picnic under the trees and later went for a long hike. The kids were even able to do some creek walking. =]
Stage One had a terrific showing of Treasure Island. It's funny because we've been able to see four different stage presentations this year so now the kids are starting to recognize certain actors that they've seen in different parts. They really did a great job. The story was complete with sword fighting and singing pirates! LOL And ofcourse, ended with a suspenseful battle scene and uncovering buried treasure.
Last night we had our last pack meeting of the year. Connor "crossed over" to Webelos. He was so excited and fun to watch as he stood up on that stage. They wore their new shirts under their old ones until the Cubmaster told them to all take them off. Needless to say, old shirts went flying. And the boys were beaming. =] We also came in first place for collecting pull-tabs this year. That means our den gets a pizza party sometime over the summer. Ya-hoo!!! The pull-tabs are a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House.
Tonight is our last official gathering for the Girl Scouts. We like to have our Bridging and Award Picnic at a park closeby. They have the perfect setting for a bridging ceremony.....a new bridge that crosses over a stream. We decorate the bridge and make it look real festive. We also have a big pitch-in dinner and KFC. It's been a while since I've mentioned that this is a homeschooler's multi-level Girl Scout troop. We have different patrols from Daisy's to Cadettes. I lead my daughters Junior troop. We will be receiving nine new girls that will be bridging from Brownies. My girls decided to make little felt bookmarks as gifts for them. They sewed them together and decorated with stitiching. They turned out really good.
Last week was our last CBS gathering. They call it "Sharing Day". We had a pitch-in brunch and then anyone who wanted to, could come up and share about how God had worked in their life over the last year through the study. It was a very special time. The gals in my group were so sweet. I was blessed to have a group that was so diverse in age and walk. They were a treasure chest of wisdom and insight. We had three hsing moms in our group including myself. The other two gals are actually going to go on our girl's retreat weekend coming up in a couple weeks.
Okay, it's time to go....Bri Guy and I are having QT together in the mornings now.
A few weeks ago we found out that we would be hosting another student in the fall. He is a 15yo boy from South Korea. His name is Hangyul. We are very excited for him and looking forward to his arrival. He seems to be a perfect match for our family.
He likes to hike and camp (like us) and is very interested in joining Briar's Boy Scout troop. He plays soccer (like the kids and I) and guitar (like Connor). He loves to listen to all kinds of music (like Bruce and Briar). And he SAYS he likes to cook (like me). He says he's looking forward to making us "real Korean cousine". We've been emailing and IMing back and forth. So last week he sent us all these pictures of typical Korean dishes. It was so cute!! I think I'd try all of it except for the soup with the blood in it. Ugh!! That's not my cup-o-tea....or cup-o-soup rather. =] But I recall Adri telling me that blood soup was delicious in Spain too.
We have hit a small glitch however....atleast we're praying it's small. Yesterday, we found out that the high school in our area, is refusing to take a new student through us. It appears, and I'm not kidding here, that since we homeschool and don't have children going to the high school (even though they aren't even of age to go to high school AND even though we've had a foreign exchange student attending there all year!!), they would rather use the spot for a family that IS using the school.
Now, a few questions occur to me....like....don't we pay taxes? And don't a portion of our taxes go to supporting our public schools? And what would they say if we didn't have any children at all? Let alone homeschooled children? And, what does that have to do with a foreign exchange student anyway? Isn't there some policy on this??
I could go on and on, but for now, I have to figure out what I'm going to say to the school when I call them tomorrow. Our exchange organization wants me to call first and see if I can make any difference, before they go to the school board. I'm feeling strongly that there is some sort of an injustice going on here. I just hope I can communicate it well. You know?? This just seems really unfair.
If you have any ideas, please feel free to share...
I'm posting the pictures that we took at the Indy Zoo. This was the fieldtrip I talked about taking during the trip to mom and dad's over spring break.
Well, once again, time flies when you're having fun....or just being busy! We are coming out of the final turn, and the finish line is in sight!! That's "derby" talk.....being the Kentucky Girl that I am, and Derby is just a week away. Ofcourse I'm referring to our school year. I have so much to catch up with in blogging! I just put a pot a potatoes on to boil. So, I guess that gives me about 15 minutes worth of catchin' up to do. LOL
OKAY, Connor started spring Flag Football in the last month. They won their second game this morning. I think Honey is thinking of coaching his team in the fall....that's what happens when you're not satisfied with the way the present coach is doing things, but you don't want to step on anyone's toes. =] We're still deciding on whether he'll continue with Flag, or start tackle.
The kids and I spent a week at my mom and dad's over spring break. In a nutshell, my parents have bought a house up in Michigan across the street from thier present property and cabin. They both have retired and planned on moving up there in the next few years. When this house unexpectantly went on the market, they grabbed the opportunity. I think it's a God Thing. On the down side, they have less then a month to prepare, put their present house on the market, and move. Yikes!!
Long story short, my sister and I met at mom and dad's with the kids to sift through the closets, cupboards, drawers, bookshelves and attic to find Moving Sale items and condense for the move. It was a different experience.....hard work....a little stressful....a little depressing at times....but also neat to go through old memories. We managed to pull it off with a successful 3-day Moving Sale.
For the kids, we kindof felt like "all work and no play" wasn't a great idea for their Spring Break, so one day we went to the zoo, and one day my mother-in-law picked them up for a day at the children's museum. The rest of the time they had a blast playing with their cousins around the house, and meeting all the kids their age in the neighborhood. In no time, they were pulling together kickball games, football games, and bike rides. =]
For Adri's Spring Break, she had the once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to go on a highschool mission trip to New Orleans. (It was our hs group from church.) They had over 80 kids and chaperones going to work on building two houses and clearing debris from vacant lots. She had an amazing experience that we are so thankful that she could be apart of. She will remember it forever.
Sissy turned 11 years old on the 13th!! She is killin' me with how fast she's growing!! LOL Everyone says she'll pass me up in the next year. She already has passed her older brother (he doesn't like that one bit). We had a great day together for the occasion. We went shopping for some new clothes for her, went to see Nim's Island (GREAT family movie BTW), and out to eat. Daddy presented her with two tickets to see the Lippazaner Stallions Show for just the two of them. They went out for their date on the following Friday night. =]
Spanish finished up last Monday night. That's Level II under our belt. I think we're going to wait until the fall to start the third level.
Gosh, I think that's all I can fit in for now. Potatoes are done. =]
What a weekend we've had! I have to laugh when I think about how much the kids have been praying for snow. And it finally came!
Friday was a fun day as we awoke in the morning to word that "the snow" was coming. And not just a little snow, mind you.....I'm talking about BIG snow for our world. LOL We don't usually get alot of snow during the winter here.....it's more like alot of rain. But the forecast was music to our ears when we heard that we could expect atleast 12 INCHES by noon on Saturday. Hooray! Hooray!!
We decided to go to the grocery first thing Friday morning (along with the rest of the city) to make sure our weekend wouldn't be interrupted by a needless trip out for staples. We were determined that the only reason we'd be going out was for building snowmen and sledding in the park.
Sure enough, the snow and sleet started early and by noon we already had a couple inches. We made it to the store and back just fine, and Honey made it home from work around 3pm. We headed out to the hills around 5pm. There were a bunch of people there, but plenty of room for us. We stayed and played until about 9:30pm!! We were sledding by the light of the reflection of the snow. The sleet and wind stung our faces as we flew down the long and bumpt hill and climbed back up dozens of times!! It was so much fun!! By the time we left, it was almost blizzard conditions, with ice, slush, and rapid accumulation. We dared to stop for a late dinner at Skyline Chili and made it home around 10:30pm. God was good!!
The fun didn't stop there. The snow continued through the night and didn't stop until about 1pm on Saturday. We made our way back over to the park (btw, I'm so thankful for our experienced DOT and their preparation and maintenance of the roads during this very serious winter storm.....they must've known there'd be thrill seekers like us!!) ha, ha ......we made our way back over to the park with two thermos's of hot choco, trail mix, and a jug of water. Today was even better. By 2pm the skies were BLUE, believe it or not. The wind had died down. And the temperatures remained very cold. The slopes were packed!!
I don't even know how many times we went up and down those hills. I just know that my 40+ year old body is definately feeling it today!! I'm stiff as a board!! But, I wouldn't change it.....as soon as I get our pictures up, I'll post them. You couldn't of asked for a more perfect weekend.
Well, this month is coming to a close and I have to admit, it's been a doozy. If you visit even semi-regular, I feel like I've left you hangin' out there this month. I apologize. I can only say that sometimes, as much as I'd like to sit down and blog.....it's about the last thing that I'm remotely able to do.
We've had some major events going on in February. Some, I touched on here and there, but I never really got to expound upon. Let's see if I can sum them up in a few bullets....
In the midst of our 40 Days at church, I was privileged to be apart of the planning team that organized a Prayer Journey to be held on the 16th. This was a first for our church, at church. We've done this a few times in past years at our annual Family Campin the summer, but this was a whole new experience in our building. Although we were expecting about 500 more, we had a good show of around 200 that Saturday morning. We started with an awesome time of worship, confession and thanksgiving in our present sanctuary. Then we dismissed the body throughout the church facility to go out and pray over all of the specific prayer requests submitted by the 20+ areas of ministry. An hour later we joined again in the parking lot where the new sanctuary is to stand and heard an excellent message based on 1 Peter 2:4,5......about what it means to be "living stones" for Christ. Oh, it was such a blessed day to remember! I thank God that we were not only able to come together like that, but also for the lives that were changed that day!
Last weekend, on the 23rd of February, was the culminating day of our campaign.....the final day of the 40 Days of Prayer, and the day that we would make financial committments for the new building, renovation, and church partnership. This coming weekend we should hear how close we are to meeting our initial goal of 8 million. All things are possible through Christ!! Amen!
I was sorry to not get my "love story" submitted to SmallWorld for Valentines Day.....I reeeaalllllyyyy wanted to! This week I decided that I'm going to try to do it anyway. It's a good story, if I do say so myself. So, stay tuned....lol
Today was a sad day for us....my kitty of 18 years died last night. He and his brother who died a couple years ago were my first pets when I got my own place a couple years before Bruce and I were married. We will miss him.
Adri and I went to see a play at her school a couple weeks ago....the Shakespearean Much Ado About Nothing. Believe it or not, that was my first! I've read a couple of his plays, but I've never actually seen one. These highschoolers were very talented too. They did a terrific job. And I loved the story too. I think I'm hooked now....
Well, I believe that catches me up for now. I pray you have a great day! Thanks for stopping by!
Friday night Adri went to a movie with some friends and then to a get-together. Honey, the kids and I went to Chick-filet for dinner with a "thank you" giftcard from one of my public speaking students. That was a nice treat. Afterwards we went to Regis to get Briar and Clara's hair cut....Briar's was about to drive us crazy with this whole "skater's look". We found an acceptable compromise. =] On the way home we picked up some movies from Hollywood Video and enjoyed the rest of the evening at home.
On Saturday, I did something that I NEVER get to do.......Honey woke me up a little early for a Saturday (for me....9am!) - and said I should get a head start and go shopping for my birthday all by myself!! (I turn 42 on Tuesday the 15th... I can't believe it....=]) Wow!! I have to admit, that "by myself" thing was a real motivation. How often do we get to go ANYWHERE by ourselves, eh?? LOL
So, only because he told me to (tee hee), I got up, got dressed, brushed my hair and teeth, grabbed some coffee, and I was gone! It was really nice to be able to mosey my way through Kohl's without having to hear "Moooooommmmm, can we hurry?? Moooommmmm, I'm hungry....Mooommmmm, I'm tired......Mooommmm, can we go somewhere else? This place is boring....." God love 'em!! They're awesome kids, but they have no patience for stuff like that.....most kids don't.
Anyway, after trying on a g-jillion pairs of jeans and tops, I whittled my pile down to what was within my budget, stopped by the shoe department for a pair of boots, and...........four hours later...........I was hopping back in the van and heading to the grocery for a quick stop. I was feeling pretty good!!
I arrived back home around 2pm. The kids met me in the driveway with news they just couldn't wait to tell. They had spent the time that I was gone cleaning the house! WELL, this day just keeps getting better!! I walked in the front door to the fresh smell of lemon scented cleaner with a side of bleach. They had vacuumed, cleaned the bathrooms, started the laundry, straightened their rooms and mopped the floors. Wow, I thought, this birthday thing is really starting early this year! And Honey was just pulling my van out into the street to give it a bath! I like this!!
In the evening, Clara and I went to church to serve in Club Jr. We got home around 6:45pm and I made pork steaks, garlic potatoes and corn for dinnner. All three kids went to the neighbors house to spend the night.
This morning we went to church early for a Youth Volunteer Orientation meeting for the kids. They like to serve in the 2yos room. This is their second year. Afterwards we had donuts in the lobby and went to the 11am service. This weekend is the kickoff for our new stewardship campaign. Tuesday, my birthday, will be the beginning of 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting for our church....I'll write more about that this coming week.
Today was relaxing. It rained all day....a good day to nap. Plus, the playoffs were on.....that makes it even a better day to nap! LOL For dinner tonight: ham quiche, salad, biscuits and cinnamon rolls for desert.
Lord, I pray for your protection and guidance over our family this week. Help us to follow you with all our hearts and love eachother well. Please be with Honey this week with his crazy work schedule....my friends Anna and Julie who suffer from depression...the people of Nairobi, Africa.....our church as we pray for your direction and will to be done....our president, his staff, and our soldiers fighting for freedom and democracy in Iraq.
My Honey came home today from work and announced that next week he'd be starting a new project. He is a foreman at a local construction company. This new job is going to be a renovation of an existing hardware store. It won't start until the store closes each day......6pm. The first day is Monday.....he'll be starting at 6pm and getting home around 10am the next morning. Ugh!!
It took a few minutes for the implications to set in..... and all of the sudden it occurred to me.....are you saying that you'll be home sleeping during the day??? Leaving right after dinner and not getting home until the next day after breakfast??? Well.....good luck with that!!! (okay, I'm just kidding.....but I did think it for about 10 seconds.) In actuality, I was already kindof missing him....
Yuck!! I am not very pleased with this KINK in our lifestyle here!! BUT, I guess since he does such a good job of providing for our family and supporting me, I will do all I can to support this temporary inconvenience. I love him.
For a moment, I'm going to have to boast.....he was in a meeting with all the foremen and project managers last week and one of the "big wigs" starting complimenting a certain foreman about the way he runs his jobs and the good relationships he keeps with his crew and subs.....really talking this guy up.... Bruce had no idea he was talking about him. LOL And then he announced who this great guy was and everyone looked at Bruce and said something like....how much did you pay him for that????
That's really good, I thought. He's needed that little boost for a while from work.
You know our men need stuff like that sometimes. Especially from us. Not in a "high maintenance" kind of way, but just enough to let them know that they've been noticed, admired, and appreciated. They need some good 'ol attaboys! Somewhere I read about a survey that was done with men. They were asked what they needed the most from their wives. And above everything else, they said respect. I think the second thing was encouragement. And ofcourse, you know it'd have to be high on the priority list....sex came in third.
I have not always been able to fulfill the needs of my husband. Many reasons.....miscommunication....not listening.....pure selfishness. But, when we finally did start really talking about stuff (somewhere around years 8-10) .....respect, encouragement and sex were definitely his top three desires (and that was way before I'd ever read about the survey!). I don't think that's something that many wives want to hear. For a time, I know I didn't. But, thanks to Jesus, He has given me the desires of my heart. And, I have learned to accept the desires He has for me the be the kind of wife that Bruce needs. By no coincidence, it's made me a better person.....and a better mother. Funny how that works, huh?
At any rate, I'm excited for him and the new unabound trust his supervisor has in his abilities. I could've given that speech at one of those meetings a long time ago!!
I hope and pray that this greeting finds you healthy, joy-filled and encouraged by the prospects of God's purpose and grace for your life in this new year. I know that I am.
We had an eventful holiday season with traveling as well as Adri's family visiting for five days through the new year. I have many pictures to share from our time together as soon as I get them off my camera. My dh gave me a new digital camera for Christmas and I have to admit that I went a little crazy. LOL
We have only two more days left of our break and I am feeling the twinge of pressure to sit down and put some things in some resemblence of order before we start.....does anyone relate??? I am also feeling a sense of relief though too.....we don't have nearly the same full schedule as we did in the fall.....for that I am happy. With regard to my blogging, I feel like I literally fell off the face of the earth!!! But I don't think that I'm alone. Amen??
You may have noticed that I got another wild hair and changed my template again. I have to admit though, my love for variety and choice is leaving me feeling a little bored with our choices of templates. I half way thought of trying to learn to design one myself. Well, it'll be down there on that priority list. For now, I do really like this one. My daughter is using the same one....she'll get a kick out of me being a "copycat". LOL
Okay, enough blabbing for now. One NY's Charge this year is to blog atleast three times a week. Can I do it??? We shall see......I may need some encouragement though. I definitely need to get back in touch with some friends around here. I'm sorry.....I'm a terrible blogger friend.....
Wow! I haven't had a morning like this for a while.....the house is quiet....it's going to be a cool, beautiful day. Bruce, Clara and Connor just left for our friend's barn to take care of some horses while they're away. Briar and his sleepover buddies are still "sleeping over". Adri is still in bed from staying up with me to watch a movie. =] It's our first Saturday in two months that we haven't had soccer games.
I've been trying to formulate a plan for the day in my mind. I'm going to make a big dinner tonight....I've been skimpin this week.....I'll put some pork steaks in the roaster, baked potatoes, mixed veggies, and rolls....maybe I'll make a Derby Pie....that sounds good. I just started the laundry again. That won't be too awful since I did a few loads two days ago. I think I'll also get the kids winter clothes out today. I need to do that. Gosh, I'm wondering if Clara will fit into ANYTHING from last year....she's growing so fast!! Becoming quite a young lady she is. Let's see....anything else.....call mom....call my sis. We serve at church tonight, go for church in the morning, and have Connor's flag football game in the afternoon. Okay, I think I've covered everything.
Direct my path according to your Word and let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119:133
Adri had a pretty eventful week. She and her Theater Class put on a play entitled Dirty Work in High Places. It was a screwball comedy. They had alot of fun with it. She had five lines that she did VERY well, I must say. They spent the last two weeks after school practicing and painting the stage scenery and gathering props and such. I think she enjoyed it. They had two performances for the public and then on Monday, they're going to do a day time performance for the school. By that time, they'll have all the kinks worked out. =]
Bruce, Briar and his buddies went to a Middle School Late Night event last night. It went from 9pm - 1:15am. They had it at the Basketball Academy....a new place in town. They have all kinds of crazy fun stuff to do like lazer tag, huge jumpers for big kids, sumo wrestler mat, and a ton more. They also have 5 basketball courts and 9 volleyball courts. This last month they started reaching out to the homeschool community offering league sports and PE classes. It's very cool!! Anyhoo, the boys had a GREAT time. I think they stayed up for another hour playing video games and then crashed.
Yesterday, we took our Homeschooler's Fieldtrip Club to see The Secret Garden on stage. The kids and I have been reading the book. We also have a copy of the old movie. They did a very good job with it. It was about an hour and a half long. We're going to do a short unit on it this coming week....lots of great themes to talk about. In two weeks we have a trip to Louisville Slugger Museum and Bat Factory. We're really looking forward to that one. I can't believe we've lived here for 16 years and have never been there before.
Our public speaking class has been a real challenge for the kids. I think Clara and Connor are kind of naturals at it, but I for Briar, he's been having to work harder to get over nervousness about presenting. I'm very proud of him. As much as he says he doesn't like it, he's continued to work hard on his assignments. The last couples weeks they've presented expository speeches, extemporaneous speeches and this coming week, they have a dramatic or humorous interpretation. Then a persuasive and then they focus three weeks on perfecting three speeches for their final presentation day. It's really been alot more work then we thought it would be, but really worth it. I've had several ask I'm going to offer the class in January again. I don't know. We'll see. I'm looking forward to bringing in some poetry and shakespeare in the new year....something we haven't been able to do with all the extra work for the BPS.
Well, this has gotten longer then I planned. =] The natives are stirring and I have to go make pancakes!!
If you're reading this, I pray for God's blessings on your day!!
We've had a great beginning to our school year!! The kids seem to be loving all the changes, and I am too. In History we've covered Pentecost, the missionary trips of Paul, the evil emperor Nero, the persecution of the Christians, the tradgedy at Masada, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Pompeii, St. Valentine, and more. For Science, we are studying air pressure and wind this week. The MathUSee is working out great!! They love it!. Community Bible Study has been a wonderful experience for the kids and I. It's really nice to all be studying the same material. We're right at the part of Noah cursing Canaan. And we've had some good conversations this week about our words being a blessing or a curse to others.
Our schedule is working out rather well. We have our full days of school at home on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays, we have Beginning Public Speaking (Communicators for Christ curr.), PE, and on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday, we have Girl Scouts from 1-3pm, after lunch. Thursday mornings are for CBS and a few errands afterwards.
Connor is playing Flag Football for the Y on Monday evenings, with games on Sundays at 2:15. Clara and Briar are playing soccer for the Y...Clara practices on Tuesdays, Briar on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Briar is taking a short break from Boy Scouts this fall. He plans to pick back up with it in January. He needs that....he's been in Scouts now for 7 years. Bruce and the kids go to Small Groups on Wednesday nights...that's my chance to go to the grocery on my own (yippee!!). And Thursday nights are Cub Scouts for Connor and I. So, everything is in full swing right now!! But, the sports will end the second week in November, and the BPS and PE will end the last week in November. Oh, one more thing, I am taking Spanish on Monday nights....I love it....especially with Adri here helping me with home work. =]
Adri, our foreign exchange student from Spain, has been a beautiful blessing to our family. She's been here since August 16th, and it hasn't taken her long at all to be a genuine part of the family. She is attending the local high school. She has homework nearly every night!! Hours of it!! Sometimes, she gets to come with us to a practice or something. But, if its a special thing, she always comes with us. Last week, she and I went to see Briar receive his awards at the BS COH.
We pray for her daily. I think the first few weeks were hard for her....culture shock and homesickness. But, she does talk to her sister and parents via email and chat about once a week. She's met a bunch of friends at school that she's beginning to go out and do things with...the mall, football games, the movies. And, in October, she'll be attending her first school dance for Homecoming. She and a bunch of girlfriends are going together. It is neat to see how excited she gets about doing new things. And at the same time, she seems to really enjoy just hanging out with us. It's a new experience too for her to have younger siblings....they work hard at keeping her on her toes...lol....but she loves it.....lol
One night they came into her room before going to bed to give her good night hugs. She was going to bed too. The kids had a really weird look on their faces and I was wondering what in the world they were up to. But, I quickly found out when Adri jumped in bed....screamed...and jumped back out. They had put this actual sized plastic iguana under her covers at the end of her bed. LOL I'm laughing out loud right now, thinking about how funny it was to see her barreling out of her room so quick, yelling at the kids, and throwing it into their room. lolol It was quite a site!!! And they couldn't stop laughing either!!
Anyway, life is good. God is great!! And even with a busy schedule right now, we are enjoying our family and time together. This weekend is two big events....the ladies retreat at church (different from our Girlfriends retreat) is Friday through Saturday, and we have a ton of family coming into town for our nephews wedding. Rehearsal is Saturday night and the wedding is Sunday.
If you're reading this, have a blessed day!!! And thanks for stopping by! =]
I think I'm in a funny place again with my blogging. I want so badly to make it an everyday thing, but I have yet to find the time. Life is just busy. This morning I had a nice quiet time in the book of Psalms. From there I read an article in my new issue of TOS. And from there I found myself wondering if I could steal a few moments to blog. So, here I am.
Lately, when I sit at my computer I am a little distracted by all the action taking place at my hummingbird feeder outside my window. I love it. There's a whole family that comes buzzing by every few minutes....busy as could be. They haven't quite figured out what to think of our cockatiel that also sits in the window there....his name is Sydney. I don't think he realizes that they are actually birds. lol They will hover around right outside his perch, trying to decide if he's friend or foe, I'm sure. His head bobs up and down with curiosity as well. They very timidly take turns at the rose-colored sugar water, while the others stand guard against the giant yellow thing. lol It's all very sweet.
Our last week of summer....soon we will embark upon our eighth full-time year of homeschooling....officially. I am looking forward to it. We've spent almost a year transitioning into this new less-stress focus, and now we begin anew. Thank you, Lord. We are streamlining our time and subjects. Stay tuned for more on that. Tuesday is our first day back.
You're probably wondering how our foreign exchange student is doing. Her name is Adrianna....Adri for short. And in case you didn't know this.....the "a" in spanish sounds like a short "o" sound in english. It's not the normal long a sound Adrianna that we tend to pronounce. At any rate, Adri is doing very well. She got enrolled at Ballard High School, as a Junior, last Monday morning. She's got a full load of classes. Her "breeze" class is her college level french course. (Gosh, I wish I could say that.) I think her most challenging is the American History. There's alot of reading and writing. And she's finding that she has to do alot of translating before she can get busy with the actual assignment. I can't imagine.
It's been a real eye-opener for us too. We talk to her many days about what she sees as the same in our culture, and what's different. Her main observation about attending high school so far is the lack of respect the students have for the teachers.....very interesting. She says they sleep in class, are constantly talking when the teacher is talking, and are blatantly disrespectful in their tone and words. She said that in Spain, when the teacher walks into the classroom, all the students immediately stand to show respect, and remain standing until the teacher signals to sit down.....very different. A big change for her is the time school starts.....in Spain she wakes at 7:30am and school starts at 9am. Here, school starts at 7am. Ouch!!
Other differences......Adri says that things are bigger here and quantities are more. Kids don't drive until they're 18 years old. Most people drive mopeds, bikes, or motorcycles, or take the bus. Her mother shops for groceries only once a month!! (I think I would love that.) We don't have as many fences around our yards here. And, she's been impressed with how friendly our neighbors are. We've had many come over to welcome her and say hello.
Well, that's all for now folks!! Anna, if you're reading this, HELLO to you in Washington, DC!! I hope and pray you're having a GREAT time with your family. When are you coming home? We missed you at GNO the other night. We had four new friends join us!! 15 all together!! It was fun and filling. lol
Gosh, one week passes and our whole lives change!!
I have some VERY EXCITING news! We are going to host a foreign exchange student from Spain!! The regional coordinator posted an immediate need on our local hs loop last week. Bruce and I were sparked with interested instantly. We prayed alot and talked alot with the kids over about a two and a half day period. By Sunday, we were filling out the application. And by Monday, we were accepted!!
We are SOOOOOO excitied!!! Did I say that already??? This is such an answer to prayer for us. Since we went to the DR last November for that mission trip, we've both just been praying and talking and listening, and trying to be patient for God's direction. We've been taking spanish as a family. Level 2 starts in September. So, this looks to be the "next step" in a big picture that I'm dying to see up close!! lol
We are leaving for vacation this Friday. We'll be gone until the 13th. She arrives on the 16th. That means we have three days to get ready for her. Isn't it wonderful?!! Her name is Adriana. She is 16 years old. She won't be able to homeschool with us, but she'll be attending the public high school. She's very outdoorsy like us. She's into the arts....drama, music, literature, etc. The kids are telling all their friends that they have a new big sister coming all the way from Spain. lol
Well, celebrate with us! And keep us in your prayers. With vacation next week, I'm not sure how much I'll be blogging. But, I will update for sure when we return.
Let that not be misunderstood. What is summer schooling for us?
Scout camps, church camps, having more quality time to spend developing friendships, playing kickball, pickle, football, tag, hide-n-go-seek, building forts, exploring the woods, catching frogs, adding to the rock collection, riding bikes; taking school to the cabin where we explore, pick blueberries, go on mini fieldtrips, swim and play in the lake, learn about history and visit with family; go on vacation to the beach, read books, stay fresh with math a couple times a week, go to the dentist for annual cleaning and xrays, go to the doctor for annual check-ups, go to the park, build legos, bionicles, and knex, trade postcards .....
Gosh, we've been busy with school this summer!! lol
When I was a kid, I can remember getting up early in the summer (because I didn't have to), grabbing a bite to eat, and running out the door. My friends and I would spend the day doing all the fun summer stuff you get to do. We had no time for TV! We had worlds to explore, salamanders to catch, and forts to build. lol I can't really remember ever being bored with that. I'd be so not bored, that I'd forget to even come home for lunch. I'd walk in the house right before dinner time, dirty as a little pig, hungry as a bear, and tired as our cat Nick (he sleeps all the time).
Just a few years ago, I would sign my kids up for a couple different VBS's, scout camp, church camp, art camp, and sports camp. We did a week for vacation and a week for the cabin. All in the name of having something to do! By the end of the summer, we were worn out from all the structured camps we did. I think it took a few firm "No more!"'s from my husband for me to realize that he was right.
All our kids really needed during the summer was time to BE a kid and do kids stuff. To spend time with friends and family doing unique things that you don't get to do that often during the school year. The days are more relaxed. We stay up later. Sleep in if we want. And go swimming at least three times a week. =]
As a homeschooling mom, I've found it to be the best time for planning out our next school year. I begin to collect the books and materials we will need. I sketch out a rough calendar of events. I pencil in a picture of what our days will look like. This gives me an opportunity to get refreshed and renewed. I start to get excited when I look forward to the changes, and the things we'll be learning about.
This summer I've really been praying alot about things that I need to let go of.....I mean responsibilities that pull me too far away from our purpose and mission as a family. I don't know why but, I have to be reminded often of my order of priorities...God, Husband, Family and Home, Friends, Church, Community.....the list is endless. I tend to learn the hard way that anything outside of those top four categories needs to be chosen with wisdom and prayerful consideration. There are so many worthy causes and good reasons for giving my time. But, when it leaves me feeling too tired and grumbly to tend to the most important things, well, I'm in too deep again. Summer gives me that chance to do a little de-cluttering....around the house, in my heart and mind, within our schedule, and anywhere else I can think of.
Last week, three very good friends of mine (Sheryl, Brenda and Marcy) and I got together with our eleven children. We hardly got to spend much time at all together during last school year. We decided to pitch-in with lunch, bring our curriculums to compare, and give the kids time to play. Five hours later, through sitting, talking about friendship, motherhood, home ed, marriage and church, rocking baby Abby, watching the kids turn the backyard into a "mystical medieval world", talking, comparing books, giving our own reviews, checking out from Sheryl's library, laughing, crying and talking, talking, talking.....we were filled up again. Gosh we needed that. And I am so blessed that we finally took the time to do it. In the fall, we're all taking Community Bible Study together (with the kids), and Marcy and I are getting together once a month to do some Mystery of History 2 activities together. Woo Hoo!!! '
Well, I hope you have a great day! More to come soon!
The summer is proving to be the rest that I've anticiapted for so long.
Scout camps were a busy two weeks for us all, but very rewarding. Clara had a great time in her Horse 2 Unit with the same leader as last year. I wish there was some way to continue with the horses all the time for her. She loves taking care of them and riding. She learned a great deal thoughout the week.
Briar, Connor and myself spent our week at Cub Scout Day Camp. I was so proud of Briar. It was his first time coming to camp as a Boy Scout in a leadership position. I'm hoping he'll be interested in being my Den Chief for my Bears in the fall. We had 12-14 boys in our unit all week....a challenge at times, but alot of fun. And I was pleased to have 6 boys from my own regular den with me. Connor also had a great time. And he was such a hoot to watch! He earned his Junior Marksmanship patch again this year, and his Outdoor Activity Award, Whittling Chit card, and half of his World Conservation Award and Leave No Trace patch. They also earned several beltloops, the BB pin, and several of the Bear rank achievements. I'm looking forward to our first awards ceremony in the fall. =]
Briar spent last week in Virginia with his Boy Scout troop. Again, I'm so proud of him. He worked hard all week. And his leaders had many compliments when we picked him up on Saturday. He was finally given some opportunity to prove his outdoor skills. They were very impressed with his knowledge of fire building....a must-learn in the Dale family. (We have backyard campfires alot.) He was also excited to earn his Wilderness Survival, Indian Lore, Art, Leatherwork and Pioneering Merit Badges. His Scoutmaster said he was very please with the two guys that completed the Pioneering MB. They were the first to come through it all the way in several years. It takes twice as much time to complete for one....and a solid knowledge of knot tying. Hoo-Rah Briar!!
This week has been a relatively quiet one, thank you Lord. I'm working on de-cluttering and carpet cleaning right now. I should get the upstairs done this week. Next summer project is going to be a long-awaited make-over of our master bedroom and bathroom. I don't really focus too much on home decorating. But, I am looking forward to re-doing our room. It needs a new look. Plus, I'm so tired of looking at the same wallpaper peeling back in the corners! Ugh!!
Guess what. We're leaving town for a long weekend next week. We're going up to the cabin, and possibly over to Empire again for a day. Bruce really needs a break from work. And, the kids and I need a break from our normal surroundings as well. One of the things I love most about vacation is that I can put every down and leave it here and not feel guilty. You know? Summer is my time to organize things for the fall, but I have to be careful that I'm not being so focused on all that, that I don't remember to take a good break for myself. =]
I've gotten most of our books in for the fall. I still have some math to find and one particular curriculum for grammar. I made a big wall calendar so that I can organize our lessons and themes, supply lists, book lists, etc. I'm really getting excited for all of us as I look over all of the interesting topics we'll be covering next year!! At any rate, I'll share more about that soon.
Well, that's catch-up for now. Hope you are having a SUPER SUMMER!!
This is our official last week of "full time" school days. After this, we pretty much spread the remainder of math over the summer doing about 2-3 days a week. Plus, we like to keep up with reading, narrating and writing, and nature journals. The summer calendar is ready to go with a week of scout camp for each and 3-5 days of church camp for each. We'll take our vacation in August and the kids and I will head up to my family's cabin at the end of August before school starts up again full time.
Memorial Day Weekend will be spent with our church family at "family camp". We're real excited about it. It's such a great time to relax, have a ton of fun, visit with friends, and my favorite....having church outside. =] I LOVE having church outside. It just makes me feel so close to God. I don't know, I guess it's that nature lover in me. =] Plus, I am helping out to plan a prayer walk for Sunday night. I'm really looking forward to that.
The days will include lots of organized sports and games (and some spontaneous too!), basketball, horseshoe, cornhole and ladder golf tournaments, an obstacle course, canoeing and kayaking, swimming, hiking and fishing. The place where we go has this perfectly scenic setting with alot of history and neat places close by to visit. I think we've been going now for almost 13 years.
The next weekend is my Girlfriends Retreat. We finally zeroed in on a wonderful theme....Being a Princess of the King. We plan to focus in on the story of Esther. In particular, we'll be tackling the topics Contentment in All Circumstances, Confidence in God's Power, and Courage to Build Up the Kingdom. I love this group of gals. I just love them. Most of them I've known for atleast 10 years. We've raised our children together, studied the Word together, struggled in life together, cried and laughed together, and played together.
Back when a bunch of us were in the Mom's Small Group Ministry together, we used to go on a retreat every year...for about 5 years I think. Then there was a couple years that many of us did the women's retreat at church. And now, this is our third year for having our special Girlsfriend's weekend. We started with 11, now we have 18 going this time. It's very exciting to see how God has worked within and through our group. It's been a huge blessing to my life.
Well, my youngest boy is calling me for a haircut...the 'ol summertime buzz....my specialty. lolol
Wow! Another beautiful day! Clear, blue skies. Cool. Very sunny. It's gorgeous.
I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day. Mine was fun and relaxing....we went out to eat on Friday night, my dh cooked on Saturday night, we went to church on Sunday morning, they took me to Kohl's to buy a new outfit, and we came home and piddled around for the rest of the day. It was very lovely.
Monday morning ~ the kids are still sleeping. I've got laundry going. So, I thought I'd try to think through the schedule this week. Today I have a dear friend coming over for lunch. She's had a really hard year and finally, by the grace of God, is on the upswing and out of a deep, deep pit of depression. She's had a ton of tests done, went to Mayo clinic, and ended up in the hospital several times. But God is so good and definitely answering prayers.
Bruce's great-gran had a very hard week last week. We went over to Illinois on Monday to see her, because she had been admitted into the hospital with pneumonia on Saturday. She's almost 92yo and is such an amazing woman. She is a prayer warrior and has been a wonderful mentor to me over the last 16 years. I love her dearly. She felt for sure that this was her time to move on to heaven. But, it appears God has still a purpose for her staying here with us. My guess is that her prayers are so powerful, and we all need them so much. She also has a huge burden for the church in general. So many are under attack, and she has recognized over the last year that we need to unite in prayer for the church of God around the world.
She is still in the hospital today. She was sortof up and down all week. Thankfully, her pneumonia has cleared, her kidneys are much better, and her heart rate has stabled. They're just waiting for her blood pressure to come up some. I think they're going to move her into a skilled care facility until she's ready for assisted care. I'm so thankful that we have family there in town too. Up until now, Gladys has lived with one of her daughters and her family for the last several years.
This week will be a week to complete a few activities...thank you, Lord!! Our last Cub Scout pack meeting for the year is Thursday night. Our last Girl Scout meeting and awards ceremony is this week. We have one more planning meeting for our Family Camp Weekend (Memorial Day Weekend) for church. And, the girls and I are finalizing our plans for our Girlfriend's Retreat the first weekend in June. Hallelujah! I'm so excited!!
For school, we are coming to the end of several subjects. I'm thinking we'll be done with our full-time schedule by the end of May. After that, we'll do a couple days a week with math, reading and writing...except for the weeks of camp. I've been working on our schedule for next year. Things are coming together. At the used curriculum sale we had last Friday, I found several items that were on my list. I was ecstatic to save myself about $150!!! I'll try to hunt for stuff used for the next month or so and then tackle whatever I have left.
Well, that's all I have for now. I hope you have a great week!!
Hi! My name is Deborah, and I want to thank you for taking a moment out of your busy day to visit Home For Him. I hope in some small way that you find encouragement and ideas for not only your homeschooling experience, but also your walk with God. I live in Kentucky with my Honey of 17 years, our three adventureous kids, and our small zoo of two dogs, a cat, a bird and three reptiles. Together, we have a heart for serving, and a love for studying God's Word and learning about His creation. Welcome to our world!
The Serious and Organized One ~ "Bri Guy" likes to read, play soccer, listen to music, build bionicles, collect pocketknives, hang out with friends, go to CBS, and be with family.
The Creative Dreamer ~ "Sissy Lou" likes to write on her blog, love on her pets, rides horses, scrapbook, read, play soccer, be with her girlfriends, and study the Bible.
The Extreme Goof ~ "Con Man" likes to do math, play football and soccer, snowboard, make people laugh, build bionicles, play with his dogs, play with friends, build forts, and go to small group at church.
LOL It was pretty fun. Tonight the war takes place from 6:30-8:30pm with our 150 middle schoolers and all their closest friends. 
But, it does seem to help. Sweet Connor tells me last week, "Mom, just think. If we keep learning guitar together, maybe we could start our own band and go on tour like Third Day!!" Ha! Ha! Oh, bless his heart!! I'm just thinking it would be fun to be able to sing songs together at family functions and retreats. =] 
He says he's looking forward to making us "real Korean cousine". We've been emailing and IMing back and forth. So last week he sent us all these pictures of typical Korean dishes. It was so cute!! I think I'd try all of it except for the soup with the blood in it. Ugh!! 
That's not my cup-o-tea....or cup-o-soup rather. =] But I recall Adri telling me that blood soup was delicious in Spain too. 
So, stay tuned....lol
I love him. 
