My Little Corner

Friday, April 13, 2007 -
Thar she blows...

I have a cold.

I feel yuck.

Hey Mom-- remember "My nosey, my nosey, my poor nosey" ??? That's about it. I'm stuffed up enough I can barely get that signature foghorn effect to work when I blow by doze. I'm so glad to see a weekend... I don't have to make my brain work to explain lessons for two whole days!!!

I am so thankful for certain things... soft kleenexes... popsicles... orange juice... and friends like Jodie and Melanie who will help me wallow in my misery. Thank you girls!!! And I'm thankful for daughters who love to bake, and especially the fact that everything got cleaned up today when they made butterscotch chip cookies.

I'm going to go shower... a nice, hot, steamy one that will hopefully help me breathe. And with any luck, I'll be able to sleep without anyone waking me up because they dreamed a bear was chasing them, or to have to get up to go pee a dozen times (good luck on that one, at 34 weeks pg), or to feel like I'm drowning in my own drool. Oh, boy, what a lovely picture I'm painting, eh? Ehhhh, whatever.

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Tuesday, April 3, 2007 -
Life and then some

... Posted in Everyday life

Well, I "officially" have gestational diabetes. You can find out about it HERE... so I don't have to explain it. I'm tired. I was told that it also meant I'd be going for biophysical profiles (a type of ultrasound) every 2 weeks til 36 weeks, then weekly... I went for my first one (at 32 weeks) this week and they informed me that no, it's every week. Lovely. I asked what the point of it is, and they said "to check on baby's progress"... which one would would assume meant weight... but that's not routine (doctor has to specifically request that). So I am confused. The main thing they seem to be concerned about is that the baby doesn't get too big, which would cause delivery to be more difficult... but they aren't checking baby's size??? *sigh* I have no problem with being preventative, but it's still a lot of taxpayer money (thankfully, I'm in Canada, where medical testing doesn't come out of pocket), not to mention a pain in the ... you know. I'm not big on intervention. Plus this really throws a wrench in trying to homeschool, and keeping any kind of schedule. The word of the day is flexibility, folks....

Now... in other news.... I don't have much. Obsessing over school and food seem to pretty much take up my life. I'm praying for Catina's family. Running kids to dentist appointments. Making curriculum choices for next year (oh, wait... that falls under school too...). Trying to find time to read a Karen Kingsbury novel. Shopping for baby things (we have these second-hand places called Frenchies here, and they are wonderful!!!).

And my wonderful husband came home-- after doing the grocery shopping and buying all kinds of yummy things I'd probably not get but want anyway-- with a potted mum for me!!! Such a sweetie.

So that's it for now.

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Tuesday, March 27, 2007 -
In Memory...

... Posted in Faith and the Gospel

Catina passed away this morning.

She will be greatly missed. She was a sweetheart, had an awesome sense of humour, and was so full of the love of the Lord.

Please continue to pray for her husband Steve and their three precious little girls.

A memorium page can be found HERE.

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Tuesday, March 27, 2007 -
A time to pray...

... Posted in Faith and the Gospel

A little over a year ago I posted a prayer request for my friend Catina, a homeschooling mom of 3 in PEI. She has an inoperable brain tumour, and has valiantly fought it for the last year and a half, almost.

I would like to ask that you all take a moment to pray for her family once again. She is in a coma, and for some reason the Lord is letting her live awhile longer. Before going into this last coma (it's her second, I think), she had expressed that she is ready to go home. Her family is ready to say goodbye. And I know that I will see her again someday, completely whole and healed.

I hope this is ok, but I want to share with you all the kind of faith this family has, even through a trial like this... it was written by her husband a few months ago, but each e-mail update I get points back to the same loving Father who has provided a Way for us all.

I love her with all my heart. I keep praying for a miracle because I know the time is short. Catina is in God's hands, and He is in control. Whatever happens will be right. We are trusting God. He knows better than we do. He knows the end from the beginning. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. We love Him. He has been most merciful. And He is a God to be praised. "Oh, How I Love Jesus", is the song I am singing. Catina is my best friend here on earth, and Jesus is my Best Friend for eternity. I know He loves Catina, and has a home in the Glory for her. My will would be for Catina to be miraclously healed (even tonight) but I don't know if that is God's will. I keep petitioning the Lord for Catina to live a longer life, but God's ways are higher than our ways. God is Good. He is Loving. He is Merciful. And no matter what happens in our lives, God doesn't change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And He will always be faithful. 'We might change, but Jesus never. Glory to His Name.' This is not a time to turn from God, but to turn towards Him.

If you have never trusted Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, this is the day to call upon His name for forgiveness of your sins. Catina has done that, and she is absolutely assured of eternal life. There is a mansion in Heaven with a driveway paved with gold just waiting for her. How could we ever deny her of an end to her struggle, and a perfect peace without pain, or suffering, or tears. That is what awaits her the second she dies. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, the Bible tells us. There is no limbo, there is no purgatory, there is no condemnation for those who are born again by the Spirit of God.
But hell is just as real as heaven. And Jesus spoke more about it than He did about Heaven. Trusting Jesus to be your Saviour is the only way to be forgiven, and cleared from an eternal punishment in the lake of fire. God loves Catina, and He loves me, and He loves you. If you have never called out to Him, I urge you, I beg you, I plead with you to do so today.

Be sure that you ...
understand that you were born a sinner on your way to hell,
believe that Jesus came to shed His blood for the payment of your sins,
accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour (nothing you do can earn your way into Heaven), and
obey everything God has commanded you to do in His Holy Word, the Bible.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

This is all about God. This cancer battle is all about God. He wants every one of you to believe in Him, and trust in Him alone for your salvation. I believe in Him. Catina believes in Him. We will spend eternity with Him. You can too.

Amen.

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Saturday, March 24, 2007 -
Pregnant and cranky

... Posted in Everyday life

Yup. That's me.

The latest Homeschool Minute newsletter (March 21st edition) really caught my eye-- it was about homeschooling while pregnant. Now, I can't say I've been ready to throw in the hs'ing towel this time around, but I've possibly made my kids hope I would. Boys oh boys, have I been cranky. And I mentally (ok, maybe sometimes not so mentally) roll my eyes at those who tell me me they could never homeschool because they just don't have enough patience. Good grief. Well, as my mom always says... "this too shall pass"...

Actually, homeschooling while pregnant isn't that big a deal. The biggest challenge is probably lumbering around the kitchen table to help those who need it. I didn't really get sick this time around, but I'm definitely more tired and this early daylight savings time change doesn't help. I'm kind of into the home stretch now, with the school year and this pregnancy (32 weeks this week!). I'm over the "how are we ever going to get finished before the baby comes" stage and into the "who cares if it's all done by then?" stage. I've even started going over curriculum choices for next year, in between mentally listing all the baby stuff I need (which is actually quite a lot, even being baby #6, seeing that I've given nearly everything away from previous babies... duhhh). I'm still waffling over English choices for the two oldest girls-- they'll be doing grades 8 and 10. And yet again, I'm switching math programs for the little girls (grades 1 and 3)... I've at least narrowed those to what the choices won't be. But that's another post.

So, here's to pregnancy, and hormones, and teaching our children at home. It's not impossible. Just every so often you need to give your head a shake and remind yourself what's important. Mainly, not to alienate every member of your family ! ! !

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Wednesday, January 24, 2007 -
We go through it too...

... Posted in Everyday life

I haven't blogged much lately. I've never been much of one to be at a loss for words (the exact opposite), but sometimes life gets in the way.

School has been a struggle for me. Ever just feel like you just don't want to be bothered? If it weren't for courses that practically teach themselves, we'd be in real trouble. I'm barely getting things marked. Some things I just don't. Housework is sliding. Sounds like depression? Not exactly-- I've been there before-- and I don't feel the same.

Let's see.... friends are moving back home from out west. We miss them, we're looking forward to seeing them again.... but I know it just won't be the same. I have a friend from the CHB (see sidebar) who has been struggling with a brain tumour for over a year now. Just got word she is more than ready to go home.... she and her husband have great faith, they are born-again believers, but it's still hard. I'm pregnant with our 6th child, and have had a few scares, especially after losing one last April. And today, got a call from the doctor that there was something they want to investigate further regarding the baby's heartrate during my ultrasound in December. *sigh*..... and then the usual spiritual battles and discouragment regarding ministry opportunities.

So, there it is. A heavy heart, and lots of things falling by the wayside.

I so want to be an encouragment to other homeschoolers. This ain't it. But you know, I know homeschooling is still the right choice. I'm not perfect, nor do I pretend to be. Been doing this for 10 years now, and I have good days (or months), and I have bad ones. But I keep on slugging away at it, and maybe, just maybe, someone who thinks they can't do it because of whatever, or a newbie who wants to quit because they don't match the ideal portayed in the Sonlight calalogue (or any catalogue/ magazine-- I'm not picking on Sonlight), will realize that real homeschooling families go through crap too. And we get through it.

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Saturday, January 6, 2007 -
Marriage resource to snuggle up with!!!!

... Posted in This, that and something else

I'm at the halfway mark of this pregnancy and the other night I was surfing for some "intimate" -type pregnancy information. Among all the... well, raunchy, borderline porn sites, I came across one that has turned out to be a huge blessing. It's called The Marriage Bed, and it's totally from a Christian perspective. There is information that is purely biological (somewhat clinical), as well as info of a more intimate (personal) nature. There are also sections relating to problems, and other resources.

It's hard to remember sometimes that we're not just moms and dads, but husbands and wives. We owe it to our kids to "keep the fire burning" .... sometimes we need a little encouragement or new ideas!!! It's especially wonderful when we can do that within the bounds the the Lord has set out for us as man and wife. Marriage is certainly NOT boring!!!

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Friday, December 29, 2006 -
Brrr!!!!!

... Posted in Fun stuff

It's a -21*C windchill here..... who wants to go lick a flagpole???

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Tuesday, December 26, 2006 -
My kids, the youtube stars

... Posted in Faith and the Gospel

The kids from our church sang this song at our Christmas services on Sunday (Christmas Eve), and I was able to take a video of them while at Castle Manor, a local seniors' home. The cool thing is, out of the 21 kids who took part, 16 are homeschooled!!! The 16 in this video happen to be all the hs'ed ones (the other 5 just couldn't make it to this afternoon service). 5 of them are our kids-- the 2 tall ones in the back are our oldest girls, then the boy in the plaid shirt, the girl in pink next to him, and the little girl in front of them in the black and grey dress.

**CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO**

I'm Glad I Know who Jesus Is

In a little town called Bethlehem so many years ago,
They told him there was no room in the inn;
They had no way of knowing who they had turned away,
The Lamb of God who would take away their sins.

I'm glad I know who Jesus is,
I'm glad I know who Jesus is.
He's more than just a story,
He is the King of Glory;
I'm glad I know who Jesus is.

So many people still today don't know who Jesus is,
They've never felt his peace within their soul;
But I want my life to show them how his love can set them free,
He's the only one who can cleanse and make them whole.

I'm glad I know who Jesus is,
I'm glad I know who Jesus is.
He's more than just a story,
He is the King of Glory;
I'm glad I know who Jesus is.

He's the Alpha and Omega,
The Beginning and the End;
He's the Counselor, Deliverer to me.
He's the Everlasting Father,
He is the King of Glory;
I'm glad I know who Jesus is.

I'm glad I know who Jesus is,
I'm glad I know who Jesus is.
He's more than just a story,
He is the King of Glory;
I'm glad I know who Jesus is.