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"Life 101"
Sep. 19, 2009
Co-op and other goodies...
Yep, not real great at being consistent with this blog!! So busy with life and kids and life...lol. We started our co-op and it is as amazing as I thought it would be!!! The love of the Lord is so apparent there...I'm excited for my children as they learn chemistry through a PhD Intelligent Design scientist from Wash U !!! oh gosh the chance my science-bent son is getting from him!!! And Paige is enjoying Art class from a REAL artist...she is having so much fun. Since Co-Op means everyone helps my job is 2 hours in the nursery and 2 hours with the toddlers...right up my alley!! smile. But Satan has been hitting us hard...so many tragedies lumped in just a few months. The leader of this co-op has just found out she has cancer...PLEASE pray for this 29 year old woman with such an amazing heart. She will be taking massive amounts of chemo and quite possibly will have to have a hysterectomy. She has three small sons ages 2, 3 & 4 and wants many more children. She has always had a dream of a BIG family, but her trust in the Lord for her life and that of her husband's and children is breathtaking!!! I've enjoyed getting to know her and her family over these last few months and I pray that she will be completely healed and her dream of a large family be realized. Her 3 year old is adopted from Guatemala and they are in the process of adopting a sibling group from the Philippines. *********** WELL this is where ANOTHER paragraph would be so pardon me while I switch gears. Our ladies Bible study is going to be AMAZING this semester. We are doing Bad Girls Of The Bible, by Liz Curtis Higgs. My friend Linda is leading and WOW she is doing a FANTASTIC job. You can truly see her heart through this study. We also have a very diverse group of Christian denominations attending as well...it's amazing to see the body of Christ represented so well in this group of 20 ladies from different walks of life but all coming together to strengthen and encourage each other and learn what God's will is in their lives. God has truly blessed our Bible study.*******************and here we are switching topics again. Mike has just gotten home from from being a week in Atlanta. He got home at midnight last night and when the kidlets went to bed at 10pm they swore to me that they would wait up for him. Yeah, they were out in 15 minutes of hitting the bed...lol. Mike had drove over 10 hours and was exhausted. When we got up this morning he had presents for everyone and the kids were overjoyed that he was home. It's funny the little things I forget about when he's gone...like I have to take the trash out...and get the mail...and put gas in the car...grin. It's good for me to have to do this when he's gone...lol. **********Hope everyone is having a healthy and happy month. Fall is almost here and our weather is GORGEOUS!!! LOVE IT!!!
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Sep. 1, 2009
School Is ON and Friends doing God's Work.
Well I am very pleased about school this year so far. Our math is going better for Alec, and Paige has really improved upon her skill for reading already. She reads every night to her daddy, which to top off the day's reading she's getting a lot more in. It was Mike's idea to have the kids do more in the evening. I'm thankful for this because our days can get somewhat overwhelming. He has really stepped up this year in a more "principal" role and already we are seeing the fruits of his involvement!!! Over the weekend we went to a sort of "meet and greet" kickoff bbq for our co-op we are doing this year. Oh my gosh we are blessed to be a part of this group. It's in St. Louis so it will be an hour each way dragging four kiddos but it will be amazing! The kids will be taking Art, Music, Science & World Perspectives (which is a missions based class). Rebecca and family will also be heading down that way so we will be caravaning to St. Louis every Tuesday morning...EARLY morning!! I can just feel the Lord's hand in this for our family, with these new friends...I'm so excited!
Okay remembering that I don't have the opportunity to have paragraphs in my blog...lol...I'll just be heading off in a different direction now. Tomorrow morning EARLY our friend Kort will be heading to Nicaragua to do a missions trip for a week. Like he told everyone in church, he will be taking care of people's teeth (he's a dentist) but he's really hoping to lead people to Christ...take an opportunity when he can get it. And isn't that what it's really all about? Taking care of people's needs so they SEE the love of Christ flowing out of you. I'm soooo jealous. I want to go on a trip. One of my dreams is Haiti. To help in this girl's school that I helped during VBS before. So many of our friends are just up and going to share Jesus in foreign countries. My stepfather just got back from Malawi, our preacher and his wife back from France, some ladies I know through homeschooling's husbands just got back from China, Kort now going to Nicaragua, our babysitter Bethany getting ready to go to Kazakhstan. So many people doing the work of God. I feel like such a bystander sometimes!!! I asked Kort and Rebecca if they minded if we came and prayed over them before they left. So Mike and I, Craig and Shari, and John all went over there last night and just spent time in prayer with them. It was awesome. You could just feel the Holy Spirit in the room. Rebecca is just as important in Kort leaving as she has a newborn and 3 other children to take care of alone while he is away. She is definitely the woman behind the man. Our church is so amazing!!! The family there is so close. We really are there for each other, and we really do love each other. But most of all we love the Lord and we just want others to feel that love as well. It's electrifying to watch people talk about missions they are going on and being all fired up in their faith. John's sermons have been ON FIRE since he got back from France. It's beyond wonderful to be a part of it all. If you remember, please say an extra prayer for Kort & Rebecca...it's going to be a long week.
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Aug. 28, 2009
Adoption: A Beautiful Option
Aug. 24, 2009
A Wonderful Weekend !!!
I'm in such a good mood today. Life just seems lighter and airier today for SOME reason. Dont you just love days like that? (BLD). The weekend we had away was awesome. The weather was beautiful, and we had fun at both White Water and Silver Dollar City. My kids are so funny about what rides they think are fun and what they think are scarey. Alec is just like Mike. They both love all the water slides at White Water. The huge tower ride that appeared to go straight down...and I mean this HUGE tower that went straight down...Mike was all over it...Alec rode the one similar to a roller coaster except you are on this mat going down lanes of water. I hated that ride...seemed like I was airborne most of the time...lol...plus I kept feeling like I was going to lose my swimming suit and scare all of the poor innocent people there...hehe. Paige, on the other hand, didn't want to do much there but hang out in the wave pool and do the family raft type ride....she had a great time at White Water but Silver Dollar City was her forte for sure!!! She rode on every ride she was tall enough for!! Rollercoasters, rides that spin you round and round, the Buccaneer which is like a boat that swings way high one way and then way high the other...when asked why Alec wasnt all that thrilled with those rides he said "There's no water at the bottom to catch you." Fair enough dude. But actually to be really fair to Alec...he was starting to get a stomach ache and actually I think the stomach flu. We left SDC early because he wasn't feeling well but got back to the hotel and he seemed better so we went out to eat and then swam at the pool for a few hours. He got really sick later in the night but seemed better after. Poor guy. At least he got to do everything. It's now Monday and he's still having a few aches and pains, but did his school work like a trooper. I think by tomorrow he'll be back to normal. OH !! Almost forgot...on the way down we stopped at Lambert's Cafe...Home of the Throwed Rolls...oh my gosh...if you've never been ya gotta go people!!! The food is MASSIVE...you order your dinner and then on top of it they bring around "Norm's pass-arounds" ...black eyed peas, maccaroni, fried potatoes, fried okra and throw at you from wayyyy across the restaurant these AWESOME bread rolls!!!! It's down home southern cookin' at it's BESTESTEST!!! I ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed taters, baked beans and cottage cheese ( I wish y'all could just hear my southern accent as I say this outloud...lol!!!) and then got all the pass arounds...and its all you can eat but I couldn't get through the first plate!!! But my friends, the hilarious thing is what else we ordered. Mike loves Caesar salad with grilled chicken on top but didn't know if he wanted "just a salad"...so I told him..."Get it! you can go halvsies on my chicken fried steak" so he did...and you would not believe the size of this salad. It came on a plate made of this awesome bread that was the size of 4 of my hands put together and then some...and on top of this plate was the biggest mess of grilled chicken and salad you've ever seen in your LIFE!!! The guy at the table next to us came over and said "Hey can I take a picture of THAT??!!"...lol...we let him of course! Between Mike and I we couldn't even finish either one of our dinners...it was the craziest thing ever. We took it to the hotel and ate it again later and STILL threw some of it away. LOL...it felt really sinful to have that much food in front of us at once. At one point Alec said "gosh Mom, think about all the poor starving children!" Thanks kid. hehe Anyway, all in all we had quite a time. In a weird turn of events I got terribly homesick though. I never get homesick...those 3 want to head back home early usually and I'm like "let's party!"...hehe...but nope! not this time...it was ME!!!! I was ready to come home...get back on our schedule and just "be" in my own home. I even missed the dumb dog. lol It was a five hour drive home and I slept quite a bit because I didn't sleep much there...I like my own bed....I'm getting soooo old...grin. oh well...it was a blast, it's always good to come home to my comfy house. Hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend as well !! That Life is treating you well and you are feeling blessed!!!
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Aug. 19, 2009
I'm So Excited!!
Yesterday while on Facebook I noticed one of my old friends had posted some tickets to Silver Dollar City (amusement park, shows, old time things...really cool place) in Branson...make an offer. Well since one day there would cost our family of 4 $200.00 I didn't really know what to offer. Mike said "Just offer them $50 bucks and see what happens"...I did and they accepted!!!!! In the meantime some of our other friends also had tickets (these 2 families had gone together) and they just GAVE them to us. Now you can use these tickets at either Silver Dollar City or White Water Park...we got $400.00 worth of ticket for $50!!!!!! Mike was able to get off of work Friday so we are going to drive down early...go to White Water on Friday and Silver Dollar City all day Saturday....home Sunday evening. I'm soooooo excited and the kids are over the moon!! I found a motel for $50 bucks (we are now considered "off season") a night that serves you a 20 item breakfast every morning and dessert every evening until 9pm for free (apple cobbler, blackberry cobbler, ice cream, homemade cookies, cappuccino, coffee...WOW). Things just fell into place including someone to watch our animals (thank you dear Heather!). Okay, I'm going to go check out my brochures that came with the tickets. FUNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited for my kids!!
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Aug. 15, 2009
Raging Rivers
Well today my family and the Herman family all went to Raging Rivers Water Park. It was fun and the kids really had a blast. I did a few slides, the wave pool and Rebecca and I did the Lazy River...which was hilarious because at first like old women we couldn't get ON the inner tubes...then we missed our exit, got off of our tubes and had to go around again without lying on the tubes because we couldn't get back on them. We laughed so hard my sides ached. It was sooooo busy today and the Lazy River was like bumper cars...while we were lying on the rafts my feet kept hitting someone or the side of the tube would hit someone and then I lost Rebecca for awhile...lolol ...we were constantly saying "I'm Sorry..oopsss.....Sorry"...hehe....finally when we got back together again we hung on to each others rafts to stay together...sheesh...talk about your old broads! grin. The rest of the time I hung out at the kiddie pool with Beck so she wasn't alone with her 2 year old and 6 week old. Mike and Kort took off with the other four and did all the slides gobs of times. We are all exhausted and ready to sleep! Mike got sunburned on his back and Paige's face is a little red...but this time I did use sunscreen because I got burned in the middle of the summer REALLY bad...Raging Rivers is built right next to the Mississippi River on the side of the bluffs...so it's constant climbing up and up...my heart did fine...no flutters...diet may be helping already! Okay, I'm outta here to go watch a movie...Mike picked out "The Soloist" with Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx...looks really good! Gearing up for Round 2 of water fun tomorrow!!
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Aug. 14, 2009
Somebody Smack Me !!!
We had our ladies Bible study today...the last one I am teaching for awhile. (Thank you Linda...love you!). I started out with no babysitters and ended up with two. (Thank you God!) I was pretty stressed though because I needed to get Emily home and back to our house for jack & vivi by 11:45 and the Bible study kept going and going...I could feel Satan creeping in during prayer time at the end and I kept trying to smack him down...it ended up being a beautiful ending. I got very choked up at the end and had to keep apologizing for my lack of decorum. What a great group of ladies...have I mentioned that? LOL After praying I must've been looking kind of stressed when Kim (I love you Kim!! LOVE YOU! LOVE YOU! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!) asked if she could help me in any way...and i was like "Yeah! Wanna take someone home for me???" and she was all over it. Just the kind of person she is. She even got slightly lost (being originally from Tennessee ...bless her heart! hehe). So Rebecca, all of our 8 kids, and I were supposed to head out to the park and things rapidly changed to where she had a doctors appt, her hubby was helping some friends, and they needed an afternoon sitter...so I had 7 of the 8 kids here for the afternoon. It definately wasn't my first choice...a nap was my FIRST choice...lol...but I am happy to help and so I did. Everyone and everything went fine and the three youngest even napped a couple of hours. OH! I did semi- good at the Bible study on my diet. hehe...only cheated the tiniest of bits. I really need to be successful...not only will it help me lose weight, but I am having horrible heart palpitations and when I did this diet last year (see last year...lol) ...well, my symptoms went away. Just from no sugar or white flour. I had done medical testing...ekg, ecg, heart monitors, with no diagnosis. My heart is a mess right now...and last night even slightly scared me. Any activity flares massive palpitations. Sometimes sitting still does as well. Today seemed a little better although right now it feels a little out of whack. Sigh. I don't want to go back to the doctor. I know stress seems to effect it as well. Tonight I got the "Worst Mother of the Year" award because I didn't let my son go fishing with some friends...we've had kids here ALL day...we're all going to Raging Rivers (an awesome water park) tomorrow and Sunday after church we are headed to Craig & Shari's for an afternoon of boating and jet skiing. I just needed some quiet around here. Plus Mike came home with a migraine and is in bed. I just found out Sunday night our church has rented a pool and we were supposed to sign up to go. I didn't. With a water park and all day skiing I think it should be enough. But if the kids find out....sigh....they will just have to understand. Monday our school begins for the year...I'm a little worried about that too. I may have a heart attack...grin. So that's us. A huge weekend ahead of us. Myself in a bathing suit in front of God and everyone. Exciting stuff planned that I will love once I'm there. I am so lucky to have great family and friendships. Somebody seriously needs to smack me for not counting my blessings more often than I do...smile.
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Aug. 13, 2009
I Need An Attitude Adjustment !!
Yep, just ask my family...I'm a bit grouchy! Today I started my no sugar, no white flour, no wheat anything, bland nasty diet once again...hehe...that may play a part, but I'm not sure! ;-) I've had a total of 7 kidlets here today and one who is not potty training well and pretty much pooped all over my bathroom. YUCK !! I warned Mike by email on his way home...REALLY BAD DAY...he's staying away from me...good idea...hehe. I need to get in a better frame of mind for my Bible study tomorrow...it's our last one. It's been wonderful...but I'm ready to go back to being "in" the class and not "in charge" of the class. The babysitting has been somewhat of a nightmare...with 8 of the 11 weeks having somebody cancel on me. It's satan trying to get at me...I know that...but I'm still aggravated...lol.
Okay...well I made hot wing dip and I can smell it almost done. I can't eat it with chips, but I can pretty much devour it with celery...so here I go!! grin...pray for me...my bad attitude...better yet, pray for my family...grin.
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Aug. 11, 2009
Only 8 Rules
Copied from Lisa R. at Chfweb.net.
1. Always obey Mom & Dad. What is obedience? Doing what you are told, when you are told to do it, and doing it with a good attitude.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)
2. No hurting or teasing others.
In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
3. Share all toys, unless it is a βspecialβ toy. Special toys should be kept in your special place.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. (1 Timothy 6:18)
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42)
4. If it isnβt yours, donβt touch it. Ask first.
Ill gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death. (Proverbs 10:2)
5. Use inside voices and behavior when inside. No running, yelling, screaming or climbing on the furniture.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
6. Use things properly.
For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. (Psalm 50:10-11)
Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2)
7. Keep all food & drink at the table or in the kitchen.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread,gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ( Luke 24; 30 )
8. If you donβt have anything nice to say, donβt say anything at all.
But I tell you that men will have to give an account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken. (Matthew 12:36)
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Aug. 7, 2009
I am so overwhelmed.
I know I have mentioned the love I have for the ladies in my Bible study. How close we've all grown. They are way to good to me. I have had ups and downs during this study and have relied on this class for strength and courage when I didn't have a bit. I have received encouraging emails (thank you Kim and Debbie) and phone calls. Today when my friend Heather called she got an earful of some stress I'm under right now getting ready for my grandmother's 90th birthday party on Sunday, hosting some family and having a family dinner here on Saturday night. All good things but I'm running behind!! I am so looking forward to it and it's not so much I care about a spotless house but more of a welcoming home for people to come to. Heather gave me wonderful advice. When the 2 littles take their nap...do your Beth Moore study instead of starting in on your housework again. Oh it was such excellent advice. Thank you my dear friend. I sat down for over an hour and poured over my study. I started to feel the Lord fill my cup again. Everything got done...and all with a better attitude from me...smile. I went to get groceries tonight so I could go by myself and I just started thinking about my children and what a blessing they are to me. How I pushed them aside today to get trivial things done like floors mopped. sigh...What is more important than listening about Fender guitars or Ferrari s from Alec? Or hearing a story about horses or dogs (my animal lover) from Paige? My beautiful children will be gone all too soon and Have I made the most of our time? My mother in law once told me that we raise them to leave. I don't like that. Not one bit.
My inlaws came by today to bring us more veggies out of their garden. I sat and talked with my mother in law and once again realized what a strong wonderful Christian woman she is. I haven't always given her the respect and love she deserves. But having lost my own mother I know now what a jewel this woman is in my life. She is a quiet woman with a heart of gold. She loves my family in the way only a grandmother can. We are blessed to have both her and my father in law in our lives. My kids feel important in their eyes.
Well I'm sure this isn't showing any paragraphs once again...lol. Sorry for everything being all jumbled up. It's almost 1am and I should head to bed!!! I'm such an insomniac these days! I cannot sleep. I don't seem overly tired either, however, I do take the occassional afternoon nap...lol.
Naps are beautiful things!!! hehe
That's all for now. I've been extremely reflective in these posts lately. I am not always so serious...LOLOL...as those of you who know me already know. But my heart seems to pour out these days faster than I can type. Hope all is well with everyone reading and many blessings on your day!!! Laurie
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Aug. 5, 2009
My Day Today...
We are enjoying the last few weeks before school will begin again. My hope was to do more school this summer than we have, but my reality was that we all needed the break. Today we didn't have Jack & Vivi and we headed to the library with the Herman family. I got a bunch of books especially for Paigie who needs to speed up her reading. I am excited about my niece Clarissa, her boyfriend, Paul, and their baby Nico all coming to visit day after tomorrow. I cannot wait to love all over that baby!!! I'm going to send Clarissa and Paul off to St. Louis one day next week so we can watch baby Nico for them. Should be so fun. I'm feeling kind of down this evening... a little sad, just some life stuff I suppose, so it is definately giving me something to look forward to! This afternoon my inlaws took the kids and they had a grand time....working in the garden, eating all of grandma's yummy cooking. They are so good to my kids...and my kiddos LOVE going to their grandparents. There's nothing like grandma and grandpa love! I took care of some much needed business this afternoon. I was starting to feel crazy that certain "things" weren't done. But now they are...and things still feel up in the air. Funny how that works sometimes, eh? I guess it just goes to show you that some things are never really done. I guess a good example would be laundry. You think it's done...only to find that it all gets dirtied up and you have to do it again. Anyhoo...lol...tomorrow I have to work on my Beth Moore study...I'm behind again. Only two Fridays left of it...where did the summer go???? We are going to take a few weeks break and start a fall Bible study, of which I will not be teaching. School for Alec in particular is going to be a lot to handle this coming year. WOW...7th grade for him. Our good friend Linda is going to take over and just do a fabulous job I know. Our Wednesday night Bible study also starts as well. Life is so busy. A friend told me life here sounds like a Seinfeld program...a whole lotta nothin' going on I guess ...lol. Okay, well it's 9:45 here and I didn't get much sleep last night...just couldn't fall asleep...My mind was racing a million miles an hour. Excited for my day I guess. =)=) We have jack & vivi here for the night because their mama has to leave at 4:30AM tomorrow morning for work. Just a reminder to all of you out there who have blogs and haven't shared your blog address with me...DO IT !!! lol I need to be able to stalk all of you...hehe. HOpe everyone is having a great evening. Lotsa love and blessings, Laurie
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Jul. 31, 2009
Beautiful Bible study today....so blessed to have "my girls".
I have been teaching a Ladies Bible study this summer. I had misgivings about it because being a homeschooler I just wanted to vegetate over the summer...no teaching. And then when my friend Rebecca asked me to do a Beth Moore study to boot I was CERTAIN I was not going to do it. But the Holy Spirit softly whispered in my ear how important this was going to be for soooo many ladies (me being one of them!!) and i GRUDGINGLY agreed. sigh...God's ways are always right. But I am rebellious by nature so of course I think MY way is best!!! But let me tell you, I don't know if you've ever done the Breaking Free series by Beth Moore...but it is THE BEST Bible study I have EVER been a part of. It totally is all about freeing you from the bonds that Satan holds on you from having the freedom of Christ. Ladies...today it had me questioning if I REALLY knew what it meant to love the Lord. I turned to the lady next to me during the video portion of this class and said "I have been doing this all wrong"...and she was grabbing tissue and crying and we just hugged and laughed and cried. There is nothing like a woman understanding another woman. Ladies...God blesses us with women friends. Our families are our biggest blessings...but our girls are our icing on the cake. Anyway, some of the questions that had me wondering if I was correctly loving the Lord were: Does he regularly circulate into my thoughts? Am I often drawn to spend time with him? Does my life demonstrate a love for God? Do I often enjoy God? Do I find relief or satisfaction in the obedient life? Put someone's name you love in place of "God" in those questions. How you feel about them should be how you feel about God. It was so monumental for me. Some other "happenings" at the Bible study...we have been praying for a lady with Bipolar disorder....she attended our Bible study today and shared how she has been in and out of the hospital. She has a 10 month old son with whom she has prayed for for years and has gone through infertility. WOW does this woman love the Lord. She shared her testimony of her bipolar disorder and how God has been faithful. We all cried and surrounded her with love. We prayed over her and she sobbed through the whole thing saying "yes Jesus" "thank you Jesus" ...I had to ask my friend Shari to pray because I was so emotional. We have a couple of ladies who have been through child abuse, several who have struggled in their marriages, one who has a spot on her brain that they cannot figure out what it is., tons of prayer requests for friends and family. We did a nice long prayer time for all of these things. It is so awesome to see God work in the lives and through the lives of his faithful. He never lets us down. We struggle...he's there...he lifts us up...and through him we help others. Ladies, we need our girls. But most of all..we need our GOD!!! Praise him through whom all blessings flow!!! "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10). "Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is NONE like me". (Isaiah 46:9). Praise God!!!
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Jul. 30, 2009
things that make ya go hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
Well, I've figured out my paragraph problem I know...pretty exciting stuff happening here at the Hester Household!!! Apparently says the lovely Amy at HSB (thank you Amy!!)since I am using Google Chrome as my browser it is not fully supported by homeschoolblogger. So there will be no paragraphs. I have been assured however that this is forthcoming...so i am hopeful. I am so enjoying the great weather...I don't ever remember a milder July! It's beautiful. Today my friend Heather(whom I cannot link to but she's on my friends list...hehe) and I, and our kiddos all went to the park and then afterwards when Jack & Vivi went to nap, Alec & Paige went over to Savannah, Wilson, & Logans and the boys biked and the girls painted nails and watched High School Musical 3. We love having them soooo close. I also don't think I mentioned our dear friends Kort & Rebecca had their baby girl on my birthday!!! Sweetest present they could've given me. Sweet Eliana is a joy to her parents and everyone she comes in contact with. What a great blessing from God. And also in our news we are watching a bearded dragon for our friends. It's an interesting lizard for sure. Kinda creeps me out. It's pretty huge. Like it could fight our dog if it wanted to! Strange. Alec wants one..and ummmm I don't!!! lol Lastly, my niece, her boyfriend and their baby are coming to stay with us on August 7th for several days. I am sooooo excited to be spending some time with them. I love my niece dearly and I haven't met her little boy Nico yet. The kids (especially Paigie) are soooooo excited to have them here. I am hoping to scoot my niece and her boyfriend off for a day of fun in St. Louis one day while they are here so we can take care of that sweet baby boy!!!!.... Good times! Okay, that's it for now. I'm excited for the new school year to start. I'm a nerd that way! Blessings, Laurie
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Jul. 29, 2009
Songs that make me want to lift my hands praising God in worship...
You know the ones...everyone has their favorites...these are mine!!! Majesty: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNjH8QDpBFY Mighty To Save: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR8rlTIU8_Y&feature=related Our worship team does them the BESTEST too! I'm a little biased I realize!!! A huge part of my worship time on Sunday mornings is through music. I can really feel the Holy Spirit through our Worship team and through our minister, John. It's an amazing combo!!!
p.s. again...what is going on...no paragraphs...cannot link to anything...Blogspot here I come if this isn't figured out soooooon...;-)
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Jul. 27, 2009
Life
One of the dearest people in the world to me requested that I take up blogging again, so in a gesture of good will here I go! ;-) Life...wow...what a crazy rollercoaster ride it can be. How easily sadness and happiness can go hand in hand. But God has proven himself faithful over and over again, and once again I am trusting in His goodness to lead my paths in the way he'd like to see them go .
Okay less of the abstract and more of the concrete. lol Not much new on the homefront really. Small things like I got my hair foiled last Thursday in dark blonde highlights...I like it. It's different and new and something I really needed because lo and behold people I turned 40 the third of this month!!! What happened to that time I ask you??? What???? I am choosing these days to focus, however, on the blessings of my life. And there are so many! My family who loves me, my friends who are like family to me, my health and that of my loved ones. The opportunities I have to homeschool my children, the chance I have to live in this great country that allows me to educate them in a way I see fit.
Oh friends...I am counting my blessings and the Lord is greatly blessing me for sure. Come fall I have been asked to participate in a co-op type situation with some dear friends in St. Louis. Tuesdays are going to be a challenge as I drag 4 children to South St. Louis about an hour each way for a day of combined education. But we are so blessed to be a part of this adventure. My kidlets will take science, world perspectives, art and music classes. It will be so fun for them and so much I couldn't offer on my own.
Here is our schedule for next fall:
Alec: Spelling: Apples' Grammar: Easy Grammar, Writing: Write Stuff Adventures, Math: Teaching Textbooks, Science: Real Science 4 Kids (done through co-op and at home), Geography: My Father's World (Countries & Cultures), Bible: Keys 4 Kids, Plus co-op which is art, music, world perspectives and science
PAIGE Reading: Teach Your Child to Read in 100 EZ Lessons (we are almost done), Handwriting: A REason 4 Handwriting Transition (she wants to learn cursive!), Phonics: Explode The Code, Math: Saxon, Science: My Fathers World, Geography: My Father's World, Bible: Keys 4 Kids, Co-op which is art, music, world perspectives and science
I am so excited I want to get started NOW...hehe...We have done some summer stuff a few days a week. Mostly math facts for both and creative writing for Alec and reading practice for Paige. ooooo speaking of Miss Paige. She has started taking horseback riding lessons and is LOVING it. We found a wonderful teacher not too far away and Paige is really enjoying learning. Of course I'm regularly freaked out as I am slightly afraid of heights. Especially heights that move!!! hehe...but Mom tries to remain calm!!! ;-)
Mike is doing well. He has taken up the bass guitar. The kids and I purchased lessons for him for Father's Day. He has also started to become a connoisseur of wine. I told him one day when I came home and he was sipping wine and playing guitar that it was like I was married to a whole new man...lol .
Well there ya go. A modest catch-up for sure...smile...hope this blog entry is finding you all safe, happy and well.
Blessings,
Laurie
p.s. I'm not sure why this keeps coming up with no paragraphs...it's not the way I typed it...but I've tried twice now and cannot get it straightened out...so there ya go...lol
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Feb. 28, 2009
Happenings
Well here we are almost in March!! Where does the time go????? I have enjoyed the school year immensely. It has been tough but good. I feel we have made some progress. Something fun that Alec has started is Upwards Basketball. We have it in our gym at church, and he is on one of the leagues. It is a wonderful Christian outreach. Alec had never played any type of organised basketball until Upwards. He is doing amazing though. Some of the other kids have been doing it for years. Today Mike's parents and our nephew Clay all came to watch him and he made his first basket and almost his second. I'm so proud of him. It has been such a joy for the whole family to watch him play. Our friends said he is very "scrappy" LOL....which is actually a very good description. He is fast and everywhere at once. It's great.
Paige is wanting to be an Upwards Cheerleader next year. They are very modest in their dress and don't do some of those sleezy moves you see some cheerleaders doing. She will either do that or Horseback riding lessons. She is becoming quite a girlie girl, and I love it!!! Currently we are both into all of the HIgh School Musical movies...love them!!!
Well Alec and Clay are begging to get on the computer so my time on here is done. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!
Blessings,
Laurie
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Feb. 1, 2009
The Children of Caesar
Jan. 22, 2009
Watching My Amazing God Work Through Tragedy !!!
Well my friends I have some somber news to share. Our dear friends Kort & Rebecca Herman had a house fire last Thursday night and lost everything. Well not everything...their lives were spared by our most gracious heavenly Father!!! It was a scarey night though!! Apparently there was some kind of defect in their wood burning fireplace (the house was built in 2001 and the previous owners had not used the fire place). Kort could hear something burning so he doused the fire and could still hear it. He felt the wall and it was HOT! He ran to the garage and pulled down the stairs to the attic and saw the fire. The firemen later said it could have been burning for a couple of hours and he wouldn't have known. Rebecca & I had gone out to dinner and were supposed to go see a movie, but I wasnt feeling good so we headed home to her house so I could get my car and go home. When we arrived at her street we noticed smoke and then flames shooting out of the top of her house! In a bit of a panic we pulled in as Kort and the kids were pulling out of the garage...he was yelling "The house is on fire!!" (he didn't know there were flames we could see on the outside.) I ran towards (!) the house to get my car out of the way for the fire dept. Rebecca, I and the kids pulled around the corner where we could still see the fire. I think we all thought it would be just in the attic and would be put out. But it was 0 degrees out and the hoses kept freezing...then they ran out of water. After about 45 minutes I realised the house was really going to burn and they were going to lose it all. Kort said for all of us to go to my house. I had called ahead and had Mike ready to come in our place to be with Kort. Rebecca and I prayed together and then came to my house where they spent the next 3 days.
God is so good. I am so thankful they were safe. I called our minister JOhn at 7am the next morning telling him what happened, and no lie, that man had a house for them to stay in and people of the church completely furnishing it by noon on Friday. It was amazing to see God at work through these folks! Our church family is so amazing!! They are truly led by the spirit. On Saturday there were tons of men moving stuff around in the rental house and even more ladies working in the kitchen and cleaning. By Sunday they had all three children outfitted for the winter. They are still getting meals every night. God is so good. all the time.
But my friends...the true blessing in all this is watching my faithful friends praise God during probably one of the worst times of their lives. To see them worship in church on Sunday and pray together as a family. It is truly touching and humbling. And my friend Rebecca...I know she is hurting...and she is pregnant on top of it...and she is so kind, patient and caring to her children.
What blessings these people have brought to our lives !!! Mike & I were actually supposed to go away for the weekend for the first time in a year and of course we cancelled. I am so glad we did too. I wouldn't have missed helping our dearest friends for anything. But even more I wouldn't have missed watching my amazing God work through tragedy. Please keep them in your prayers as they piece back their lives and deal with insurance, etc.
Another family I am also praying for right now is the Sonny & Heather Cummings family. Sonny hurt himself (cut tendons in his arm) pretty badly at work also on Thursday. I know Heather said there is also so many blessings coming out of this for their family. This could mean time off work for Sonny and dealings with insurance, etc.
An update on my left side pelvic pain. The ultrasound showed a 5 cm fibroid in my uterus on the same side as the pain. They are doing a "wait and see" approach and will see me again in 3 months. I am thankful it wasn't more serious!! At least for now the pain is managable.
One more prayer request, I have an old friend from high school that passed away at 4am this morning. Michelle Sawyer McLaughlin passed peacefully away with her family by her side. She was 39 years old and had faught breast cancer for at least 10 years. She left behind a loving husband and 2 teenage sons. May God wrap his loving arms around them at this sorrowful time.
I am feeling a mixture of blessed and humbled this very early (1:33AM) Thursday morning.
Blessings,
Laurie
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Jan. 7, 2009
Life is Good...God is good...
I have been a tad bit worried as of late. I have had some pretty severe left sided pelvic pain that had gotten worse and finally I went to the doctor (gyno) yesterday. She thinks it is some hormonal changes coupled with a bladder infection. I am on an antibiotic and already feeling better. I am having an ultrasound next Tuesday (just precautionary) so if you think about me please send up a prayer. But for the most part I am feeling much better about the whole thing...you can really get yourself worried by reading internet (don't do that btw!!).
Anyway, it was great to wake up today with less pain and less panic!! The world looks a whole lot rosier when you don't think you're dying!!! I just pray the ultrasound is normal and that all is well.
We are back to school this week. Kind of hard for all of us getting back in the swing of things but today felt more normal and "in routine". Tonight we are starting a new Wednesday night class called "Growing Kids God's way" that I am really looking forward to. Jack and Vivi are coming with us and we are all going to eat there as well so I don't have to cook!!!!
Hope everyone is enjoying their time back to work with the kiddos !!!
Blessings,
Laurie
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Dec. 24, 2008
Lost: 17 lbs Found: Facebook
WOW !!! I have successfully lost 17 lbs since the end of October. I am siked !!!! Go Low Carb. =) I lost most of it the first few weeks and not much at all the last few weeks due to the holiday baking but over all I am very pleased. Mike and I are going away to his holiday party in January to Lake of the Ozarks and I am hoping to be down another 15 lbs. Life is good...grin.
In other news: Have you all tried Facebook yet? I joined last night to check out some friends' pictures and am HOOKED. I think our entire church is on there !!! Fun!!! Heather...get a movin sister!!! You'll love it.
Hope everyone is gearing up for a great holiday !! We are having Christmas Eve for my side of the family tomorrow evening and then we go to Mike's moms on Christmas Day. Mike is off on Friday as well so we will be spending a nice long weekend with him !!!!
Blessings,
Laurie
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