I am posting pictures of last week's project of making a cake of the earth.  It was challenging, but it was a great project for the boys.  They needed a challenge of how to be better teammates.  We all made the cake together, and the boys had to plan out how the continents were all supposed to fit on the cake with the green icing.  It turned out pretty good.  They are so sweet.  The boys had such funny faces while trying to get their eggs in the bowl without getting any shells. 

Here is my eldest checking out what we needed to do next:

The final product!  The best cake in the world!! 

This is my youngest boy working on his writing lessons:

Here is my second son at his desk doing his writing lessons:

This is our daughter doing her "lessons""

This week has been great.  There have not been any major projects this week.  We are putting together posters with John 3:16 on them and pictures of people in other countries who need God.  The boys cut out pictures fron Voice of the Martyrs yesterday and we plan on finishing it tomorrow.  I will post those pictures too.  That is all for today!!  Melissa

Summer break came and went.  We still hear the buzzing of summer insects outdoors, but we are buzzing in our home with information and creativity.  We enjoyed a full summer.  We went on a few short trips and one longer vacation.  We moved once and had spent many days outdoors at the park.  It was indeed busy.  We have now began and completed our first two weeks of this year's schooling adventure.  We are using My Father's World curriculum.  We are doing the Exploring Countries and Cultures unit.  It is so nice.  It goes along with my heart for teaching and gives us a good structure to follow too.  We have been blessed and challenged.  My children are enjoying school so much this year!  I think they are a bit surprised at the level of enjoyment that it is bringing us.  They love their nature walks, which involved tree bark rubbings with crayon and leaf drawings last week.  They enjoy their nature journals immensly.  Because they are boys, they don't favor any writing, but even that has improved so much from last year....including their attitude!!  We are using Right Start Math this year and are enjoying that as well.  The children love it because every day feels like we are playing games, but we are learning so much...and I mean WE.  I have learned so much from doing this math curriculum.  It is a little involved for me, but that is what it means to homeschool.  I also need to have a good understanding of what they are learning, and Abeka was not providing that for me.  Last year with Abeka was choking the "life" out of our homeschool.  I wanted to quit...but know better.....and began to pray for God to intervene and show us what He had for us this year.  He provided our curriculum...free from a lady at the convention we went to....is that not an answer to prayer?  Yes it is, and we are loving our time together.  The challenge  this provides us is as we read through a book called, Window on the World, we are reading about other religions, cultures, and countries. It brings about many questions, and a deep sadness for those who do not know God. Maybe we have lived in our own bubble too long, or they really did not know others lived so differently than we do, but we have had so many discussions lately about those who do not love God, followed by such a sad silence.  We are praying for those people and countries, and this is a good challenge for us...one God layed out for our family.  One last thought...we have been praying for a year now about going to Bible school as a family, and we will hear tomorrow whether that door is opened to us.  We wait in prayerful anticipation.  God's will be done!  Will blog again soon....Melissa

I have been thinking for a few weeks about something.  I read a verse Hebrews 12:2  "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down and the right hand of the throne of God." It is simple and plain, yet it got me to thinking about His life.  Jesus lived for others...outside of Himself.  I wonder if He ever longed for a life of earthly contentment and "happiness."  I think I have looked for that.  Jesus did not live a "happy and fun" life.  He did not live for Himself.  Jesus really knew the joy that was before Him.  He knew His Father, and the joy that was waiting for Him.  He had peace and joy on earth too, but it was always because of what was before Him, not because of something great that was happening or some earthly contentment.  Another thought about that verse is how lonely I am most of the time.  I wonder if I would feel that way if I had a lot of people in my life.  I do think so.  I, along with many others search for "someone" to connect with, someone who finally understands me.  Well, when I read this awhile ago, I thought about the fact that Jesus had crowds around Him all the time, and 12 that were permanently fixed by His side for 3 years!  Not one of those earthly people really understood or knew Him...in fact it seemed at times he was frustrated with their lack of understanding and faith.  Yet, we have the Father....if we take the time to rest before Him and really know Him.  To really know a spouse takes time, and faithfulness.  A few days of no communicating makes for strange feelings between us.  We really have to dedicate and commit ourselves to spend time loving and talking and always getting to know that other person.  The same is with God.  It is our time. It is my time.  Do I want to give it up?  I truly desire that "knowing" God.  Yet, I know that it takes my time.  Time is precious.  I want to give it, well, learn to give it, because I long for one of those words in that verse above...FIXED.  I wander too much...my feelings wane...I get tired.  I long to be fixed...steadfast.  I know it will take my time.  In return the blessings are far beyond what I have ever known. 

There are two thoughts on my mind this morning.  I thought it was the 31st today ( a problem that occurs during summer break) so I read Proverbs 31.  I am always touched by something new every time I read it.  I was given an Amplified Bible for my birthday this year...LOVE IT....so I have been enjoying new aspects of the Bible because certain words are expounded upon.  I am a huge fan of vocabulary.  I love insights into poems, literature, and especially the Bible.  This morning one aspect really stuck out to me.  It was the second part of verse 18.  It says "....her lamp does not go out, but it burns on continually through the night (of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt and distrust)."  That verse always made me think that she is alert, to care for her family at any time...never delving so deep into herself that she would "forget" about the needs of her family.  I do feel that is part of it.  The other part that stuck out to me today (and definately my perspective), was that part about her "lamp" not going out at night.  I think we all have times of "night" in our lives.  I pretty much always took that literally, but the other side of it is maybe those dark times in our lives where the faith inside our hearts, and the love of God keeps us going so we can continue to help our families when we are needed.  We all have sad, sorrowful times whether due to loss, tragic events, sickness or depression.  It is encouraging to me to know that though those times come, God in His compassion gives us a burning light inside us that gives us the ability to keep going and serve our family.  I love that light...Jesus!!  He is the only one who could keep us going!!!  I do feel that it is a choice to keep going, but there have been times where I just felt like I was barely existing and could not keep going and then...a flicker...a hope...that only comes from God.  The flicker....that lamp that does not go out in the night....Oh, thank you Jesus!! 

In other news...and definately not near as important.....I am on a benadryl "buzz."  I was stung by a bee two days ago while playing Bible Freeze tag at a park with my children.  I tend to swell up terribly and have bruised blackish marks around the area effected.  My ankle is twice as large as usual and I am pretty groggy from Benadryl.  I dread having to take any medicine.  Last time I got stung I had to have a shot.  Well, I am sure, being that it was on my ankle that I will be fine, other than looking like I have a club-like leg.  Hee hee!!  That is the "buzz" from the Watson's home.....

Well, my thoughts this morning are of a serious nature.  I know that the enemy is out on the prowl for our individual lives, but also us as families.  He is on a serious hunt.  If he can't make our heads turn at the things of the world, he will try to work from the inside out.  I don't go around thinking that the devil is lurking around every corner.  I am suspicious however of our own selves.  We set traps on our own and get caught.  I am sure the enemy is thrilled at not having to do too much work, we do it for him sometimes.  I have been doing some thinking lately about the starting line of  certain feelings that go awry, and we never get them back on track again.  We are always feeling things and thinking things, but somewhere they either get straightened out, or maybe just stuffed down in real tight. Not too surprisingly, they do come out in the end.  It seems that we begin living a lie based on our feelings.  We "feel"____, so it must be true.....no, it IS true.....therefore I must do______.  We begin living through our feelings as though it were absolute truth, making decisions based on those feelings, and hurting those around us.  I don't know how people did it in the days of old.  It seems to be an epidemic among Christians today.  I have caught myself in it.  I should say I have been blessed by God to have been made aware of it....to stay alert, to stay on track and not give up the fight.  I am so sad today to see how this very problem is destroying individual hearts for God, families for God and oh~~~how it grieves me!!  If it grieves me, I cannot even imagine how it grieves God.  His beautiful creations slowly turning away by their own deceptions.....  I do not look down my nose....not one bit.  I was "feeling" that slope downward.  I have felt its pull too.  I looked into the window of what was on the other side, and have been amused.  God in His beautiful grace [His undeserved favor] has rescued me from myself....and from the enemy.  I am thankful for setting my feet on firm paths.  I pray that He helps me to stay aware and alert.  Too many times it comes in smoothly...without alarms and bells.  My thoughts...."Stay alert...."

Can it truly be another month already?  Time truly flies faster than I anticipate!  I am enjoying the summer break.  We all really needed it.  We have played in the park, made crafts, read books, rested a lot, and no summer break is quite complete without a stomach flu....wait did I really say that?    Yes, we had a stomach bug, but we have never had a summer bug like that before.  I will spare all the details.  I am getting ready to begin next school year's preparations...all the paper work and filing and planning.  Sadly enough, I get a great start...motivated and excited, but putter out come February.  I am doing a new form of teaching this year with a whole new curriculum, and I pray that it will carry us steadily through the year.  We are using My Father's World, and Right Start Math.  It requires a lot more hands on for me than last year, but it is what I want.  It is what we all need.  I better run.....this beautiful day is just waiting for us to enjoy!!

Well, our year of "schooling" is over for the year, though our days of teaching are never over.  My children are making a Fruit of the Spirit book, pictures, drawings and scripture writing....even artwork that will show the trait of the Holy Spirit that we are working on.  We hope to play math games and do spelling and geography bees.  I miss having a garden.  That was such a perfect thing to do in the summer.  Maybe some day soon when we settle again.   

For now, we are still getting moved in.  Yesterday, we had a family laundry marathon.  So far all the clothes are all in the drawers and closets.  Carpet was shampooed yesterday and today all the furniture gets moved around.  My husband finishes his medical coding course and takes his test on Saturday.  His parents come to stay with us on Saturday.  I am sure that will be a nice visit.  Right now I am trying to figure out what to make for meals.  Low sugar, low fat, low everything.....salads I suppose and maybe chicken.  So, our work is cut out for us for at least the next week.  Then we have garage sale preparation.  During all these busy days, and life is flying by so fast, I am trying to remember to look at God's beauty, smile and laugh often with my children, play and color pictures, and be thankful for each breath God gives me!  God is so good and I am eternally grateful for all He has done for me. 

It seems like it is longer and longer between blog entries. Life is a flurry sometimes. I wish it would just slow down a bit.  But then it would be longer until we were with our beloved Saviour!!  We have been very busy.  We moved in a new little place a few weeks ago.  It is a temporary move as we are seeking God for what to do in our lives.  We ARE unpacking even though it is temporary.  It is like opening presents.  With curiosity like mine, I can't leave a box closed for too long without wondering what exactly did I put in there anyway. ???  I might need it.   We are in a three bedroom/two bath. It is comfortable and roomy and Jonathan is close too.  We are getting unpacked and settled in.  A few weeks ago, my sister called and asked me to come out to see her.  Sometimes things are tough, and I am so hesitant to reach out and ask for help, but I am glad that she did.  So off I flew to TX for four days.  I HATE flying, and am under the strong opinion that without God's mercy, and maybe even His humor regarding us "very smart" humans who make things that fly up in the air, we would NOT be able to live through one flight.  It is unbelievable to me that those things stay together and the whole airplane concept is funny to me at times.  Okay, I will get off that subject.  So, I did make it, convinced that God Himself held the plane.  I had a very nice time and both my sister and I were encouraged and helped in different areas.  I was so glad to be home though.  I know we must have looked quite a site in the airport all six of us hugging and crying like we hadn't seen eachother in months.  Four days....that was all.  A lifetime to us though!!  So far, we have had some slower days.  We went to a really nice state park in IN for my birthday, and had a very nice time.  Now, we will just wait and see what is ahead for us this summer.  It is in God's hands.  He is so good!!

We have moved to another home closer to town.  It has been good for us.  It has also helped another homeschool father who needed a place to stay in order to work out marital issues.  He is at our other place and will help us finish the building.  We are in town now and we are in the home where Jonathan works!! He gets up and works right from his office in the house and is sometimes in and out, but we get to see him more often! 

We have tried to continue schooling last week while I painted and cleaned the new place, and while loading and unloading furniture, and while settling in and unpacking our new place.  It has gone fairly decent, though we have misplaced one mathbook.  We have overcome that one with additional math pages.  We have even done art work!!  I truly look forward to settling down and relaxing for some time, though I think we may be uprooting again this summer for a time.  We will have to see how God works in our lives in the next few months.  I have truly appreciated the encouragement from many who gave encouraging words during a hard time a few weeks ago.  I think it happens in springtime most every year.  We are plodding along for the rest of the year and look forward to an exciting year next year also!!  Well, I better get to all those boxes waiting for me....we have church at our house on Sunday.  Hee hee....better unpack.    Melissa

Doesn't God always in His beautiful grace bring us a new day?  Each day has its joys and sorrows, but there is always the hope of joys in the new day.  My last post was an expression that just had to come out.  It is hard for me to keep pondering frustrations and keep them rolling around in my mind.  I need to let it go, verbalize it and then I am able to process things so much better.  The enemy wants our mind.  If he has control there, he has mastered us.  I want to give each day, my heart, my mind to Jesus, and let His life flow in and through me.  I do not deny that I still "feel" tired, but I have the strength and joy of my heavenly Father that helps me to begin each new day with hope and expectations of wonderful things. I hear the birds this morning, the anticipation of rain on the ground, and see the fresh morning faces of my precious children before me.  I thank God for His mercies new every morning!! always leaning on Him,  Melissa

Ok, here is some real truth, I am burned out!!  I tried to turn up the fire a few months ago, and so much has been going on that I just feel drained.  I guess I am going on out of obedience.  I love my children dearly, and care about their minds and spirits.  The "fun" school ideas, games, songs and all the rest has kind of puttered out.  I do not like that, and wish I was able to be refreshed or a fire put under me (one or the other-whichever works) because these days with them are short.  I know these are the fun, creative days, and they will soon be over.  I am exhausted with the drama of life's events....just tired.  I pray for refreshing.  A fire under me is just too much to deal with.  Does anyone else go through this?  Maybe it is because it is spring, and so many other things are going on....  Well, theres the truth.  Maybe, with God's help I can climb up out of this time period of frustrations and searching.  At His feet, Melissa 

I had a nice morning.  I was able to hear the birds singing and was able to watch the sunrise while exercising.  The cool morning is invigorating!  I have been thinking about some things.  Over some time now there has been this deep pain or emptiness inside that I can't identify. Words that come to mind are....searching, confusion, emptiness, sadness, despairing...... It has been frustrating, and have been pining trying to figure out what it is, and trying to fix it.  This morning I was doing my study "Breaking Free," by Beth Moore http://www.lproof.org/.  She compared our soul stirrings to our physical deires for food and water.  There is an emptiness, a void that brings pain or unrest.  Our soul stirs, and longs and begins feeling empty, and there are needs to be met.  She mentioned how most Christians are not satisfied with Jesus.  He IS satisfying, beautiful, all emcompassing, our All in All......but we don't allow Him to be all that He is, in our life.  I say "we" as Christians, but I mean me.  This grieved me, and felt that soul stirring in myself, deep inside that hollow place.  We usually identify these confessions with people who are not walking with God.  I read my Bible, teach my children God's truth's with excitement, and love to worship God.  That is nothing to brag about.  The point is, there are Christians like me out there who love God, and are doing the things of God, and yet still have deep emptiness in their lives.  The pain of this emptiness brings depression and pain and embarassment.  Jeremiah 31:23-25  says how after He "brings them back from captivity" He will refresh the weary and satsify the weak.  I "know" that God can bring a completeness in our lives and feelings of satisfaction in our soul.  I know that God can satisfy my yearning soul, wash away the pain and frustration and emptiness from my life, and fill me with His beauty and abundant life.  I used to relate this fulfillment to "feelings of godliness, righteousness, and holiness." I am learning that those things come from God alone and usually fill us up without our complete awareness of it, and bringing glory to God maybe unknowingly, but for sure with humbleness.  I was encouraged by some scriptures....

Psalm 63

A Psalm of David; when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.

 1O GOD, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is.

    2So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary to see Your power and Your glory.

    3Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.

    4So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

    5My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips

    6When I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches.

    7For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice.

    8My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.

I am thankful to have a place to pour my heart out and am thankful to be able to seek more of God without criticism and scrutiny.  I pray that the truths of this becomes more alive in me so that I can live with satisfaction, fulfillment and enjoyment in Him alone.  ....Melissa

It has been awhile since I posted anything.  Our computer was down for some time.  It is working better, but still not the best.  I am so excited.  My sister in MN, sister in TX and Mom in MN are all on Myspace and are able to contact eachother and stay more connected.  Myspace is not my favorite place, but once I got my page settled, it has been great to communicate with my family!!  I am so thankful.  In other news, Jonathan is doing his medical coding class.  It is challenging.  There is a lot to retain, and a lot of work involved.  He is studying most of the day.  I am so proud of him as he looks to our future with such devotion!!  He has had a job offer too.  He is being asked to help someone renovate his business.  This gentleman owns a piece of rental property with 150 units on it.  We are praying about it.  Jonathan is going along with this man all week, taking notes and will give him an answer later this week.  We have had a slow school week here.  I have not been feeling the best, so we have been doing a lot of reading aloud, narrating, and nature walks.  I think spring has bitten us.  We have the bug to be out and about, and not indoors.  It has been so beautiful with all the trees in bloom, and birds fluttering about.  Across the road we have about 6 new calves that have been born, and we are enjoying them very much.  We don't have a whole lot going on, and that is nice.  We need to plan for church here on Sunday.  Any ideas for a Palm Sunday meal?  It sounds neat, but have not known what to make.  Well, I better run, that is all for now....Melissa

Here are a few pictures from the IN homeschool conference:

I really feel like God is trying to get my attention.  I am learning so many things but so far cannot process which areas need direct attention.  I suppose that is what I like to do....find the problem, and clear it up as quick as possible.  This slow process of learning is hard for me, but I feel like God is really rooting things out of my heart, and that He is doing the work and not allowing me to "clear it up" myself.  A few days ago I read about trusting in God.  I can see how I don't relinquish the issues of my heart to Him like I think I do.  The fear that grips my heart about different issues seems so big at times, so instead of giving them over to my Heavenly Father, who loves me and cares about me, I try to control them myself, build walls all around myself with the idea that it is in fact "protecting" me.  How ridiculous!  God in His mercy has such grace on me and continues to show me His truth.  It is painfully difficult to see how I grasp hold of my life, my children's lives and try to run it, when all along we are His sheep to be shepherded by His gentle, all knowing care.  Today I read about God's glory.  I am amazed and stunned at how He made us to reflect His glory!!  To think that He wants me to be like a mirror of who He is...to be as He is to others around me!  Duh!  I know that I am to be like Him...isn't that what a follower of Christ is?  Somehow it just stunned me this morning.  This glory is actually "who He is."  God's Word is just full of scriptures telling aspect of the glory of God....aspects of what God is in this world and in us. 

Isaiah 43:7 "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." 

I am so amazed that He created ME--for His glory!!

Hebrews 1:3 "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word...."

The fact that Jesus lives in ME---and all of His glory is right there inside of me.....WOW!!

I know that we "all fall short of the glory of God..." and that grieves me, but this verse gives me such hope...

2Corinthians 3:17,18 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 

Thank you Lord for imparting to ME...to US Your powerful glory, continuing to have grace on us, forgiving us and yet still imparting change in our hearts and increasing Your glory in us!!   God is good.....Melissa 

Well, once again we headed out of town with the family.  We went to the Indianapolis, IN homeschool convention.  We had a great time and were truly blessed by God.  We really felt that we were to use a particular curriculum and we went to check it out a bit more.  I got to talking to a woman about some things in our life, and she suggested that we pray about this curriculum.  She said how  if this is what God had for us, He would provide it.  We agreed and left her booth.  A few minutes later, I heard my name called and went to meet the person who had called my name.  It was this woman, who said that she had used this curriculum last year and wanted to give the whole thing to me.  Wow!!  God is good!!  He provides for our every need.  We are very refreshed by our time spent at the convention.  We are also looking forward to the simple pleasures of being home.  I have some sewing projects to do, and have missed my Bible study, "Breaking Free," by Beth Moore.  This study has been so good for me.  God is so good to me, and yet at times in my life I hang on to certain things for control, comfort, and peace of mind.  Yet do I realize the best comfort comes in trusting God for all things?  Allowing Him to be in control brings me comfort and peace.  I feel that the Lord is doing a great work in my heart and wanting to show me paths to peace and freedom in different areas.  I wonder how many other moms suffer from issues in their lives and are alone in it?  I pray for those women.  It is painfully difficult, but we are not alone.  God is by our side and loves us so much we cannot even imagine!!  I am so thankful for His grace and mercy.  Thats all about that for now.....Melissa

Oh, where do I start?  It has been a while since I have blogged.  Last I blogged, we were dealing with the emotions about the job loss.  We steadily worked those feelings out, while trusting Jesus to take care of us.  My husband is takinga medical coding class that runs 10 weeks long.  I am very thankful for the hopeful future this provides.  What happens with it is in God's hands. 

We took a little time away together and went down to Gatlinburg, TN.  We were thinking it was going to be a cozy little woodsy spot...."WOW!!" is all I can say.  Wow, not in a good way, but in a too stunned to speak way.  We drove in at night and it looked like Las Vegas....but for families.  Bungee jumping, bumper cars, mini golf (not mini...HUGE set ups), and all sorts of things like that all through the town.  Our jaws dropped in amazement.  We have been all over the country and we have never seen anything like this before.  So, we chose to be ornery and not spend hardly anything.  We enjoyed going to an old mill and eating ice cream (huge cones by the way), swimming in our pool at night, and early morning coffee with the woods as our backdrop.  We tried to enjoy the simple pleasures and we did have such a nice time.  My boys came home with a 1.98 bull whip, and a 4.00 sling shot.  Not too bad for a get away!! 

We have come back refreshed and are enjoying the wonderful feelings of being home.  We came right home to preparation for hosting church at our home.  Yes, we home church.  We have been doing this for 3 years now and it is nice.  It is challenging at times to stay committed and be patient with others.  I think the biggest thing that I have learned with a small fellowship like ours is how we are each so incredibly different; gifts, talents, struggles, convictions etc. and yet can still love one another. We used to think we had every thing pinned down and cornered regarding Christianity, homeschooling, parenting, and all sorts of things.  We would declare all of our thoughts and opinions to others, assuming that they should believe the same hard core facts that we had found.  I am so sad to have done that.  That was not at all the love of Jesus!  We have been blessed to have this opportunity to see so many different people with different convictions able to fellowship under one roof, striving to be of one heart.  We have people that grew up Amish, Mennonite, Baptist,, and Full Gospel (us).  I have been humbled to see how God accepts each of us in our different places in life and works with us so gently to draw us close to Him.  Well, that is all for now,  Melissa

I look back and cannot believe what I wrote about yesterday!  This is truly a walk of faith, and you never know the changes that may occur that will test that faith.  Yesterday my husband called me, completely distraught, saying he had been let go from his job.  He is a committed, hard worker, and sold on sharing Jesus' love where ever he works.  There is another lady that used to work there and she was fun, and outgoing, and shared all of their common interests, and she was wanting to come back on as an employee.   They let him go because his "personality did not fit the office."  So now comes the walk of faith!!  I believe God is for us, not against us, and that He goes before us to work on our behalf, and answers all our prayers!!  He has always provided for us and I am not worried about that at all.  Jonathan has a 10 week medical coding class that will certify him in that feild.  I am thankful that the class has been paid for and that there is something ahead for him.  Today he took the day to help a friend brick a house before our early spring rains arrive.  I am truly thankful for all God has given us and blessed us with.  I am learning that in order to stay on track, I need to keep my mind contantly renewed with God's Word.  Yesterday I heard that "where the mind goes, the man follows."  I think my biggest struggle ahead is keeping my mind on the things of God, and not on my self.   I praise God; He is faithful and I look forward to seeing what He has ahead for us.  Melissa

Well, I mentioned being vulnerable, so here goes...

I was raised all over the US, being that my dad was in the Navy.  I loved traveling, meeting new people, and always saw the happiness in everything!!  The only hard part was parting ways with the ones I had grown close to.  I went to 22 different schools, public, private, Catholic (even though we weren't Catholic).  My parents wanted the best and kept trying to find a good place of education.  My mom began by homeschooling my sister (who is 22 now) at Kindergarten, and brought me home in the 7th grade.  It was different for me and felt sorry for myself when I'd watch all those kids walking to school every morning.  Now I look back and am so thankful.  What a heritage!  How challenging it must have been to have an emotional, fussy girl to homeschool every day.  She did not give up and I graduated a year early.  I have to say that I made it a challenge for her.  I learned so much, and am now able to pass it on to my children.  I am so grateful to my mom for her perseverance and love for me that saw past my teenage years in to my future.  Did she know it would effect her grandchildren?  It is a blessing to me. 

   I am one of six...and now eight with the adoption of two little girls into the family.  I have been married 10 years and have four children of my own.  I love homeschooling.  I wanted to do Charlotte Mason's methods, along with some unit studies in there from the beginning, but my husband really needed the assurance that we were not just "playing school."  He grew up with the solid Abeka, so we went with that.  It turned out just fine.  He has been able to feel very confident with homeschooling (more than me at times) and is so very supportive of anything that the Lord puts on my heart to use for curriculum.  This next year we are entering into a different phase of curriculum, so that should be fun.  Our family loves to do things together. I would say we love adventure.  We moved out here to KY as an adventure and it turned out to be so much more than we had ever imagined...suburban and trailer wrecked.....living in a one bedroom apartment with seven people and two large dogs.....living with Mennonites (I had no idea about them before we moved here---very wonderful people).....and the story goes on.  Today we are living in a very small two bedroom home.  It was originally a cabinet shop that we cleaned out, gutted, and made into a home.  We are working on it one step at a time.  I love our bathroom....it was the first thing finished, and with a door on it!!  Now we have doors on our bedrooms too.    We have another batch of work coming up ahead of us on the house.  Like I said, we love adventure!!  I am so thankful for being able to work along with my husband.  I lost 65 pounds two years ago, and since then my whole lifestyle has changed.  I am so thankful to God for His redemption from sin, but also from other things in our life that keep us held back.   I guess that is about it, and up to date....and very long!!  Better get on with our day......a beautiful one too!!  Melissa

I am ever learning that this journey of a Christian, but also a homeschool mom is one of faith.  I learned that all my life, but now I am living it.  Many mothers are walking a real tough line of faith right now, and that is why it is so important to really BE that body of Christ, praying...reaching out to one another and being vulnerable enough to share our own struggles.  I read yesterday of Missi's death during the birth of her baby http://homeschoolblogger.com/heartschooling and it really made me think about our walk with God.  I feel such pain for their family!  I pray that God heals their pain and heartache.  It really showed me the importance of this family that God has given us, and not just the one behind my four walls.  This walk of faith is not just our own, but we walk it with others.  What a blessing in times of struggle!  My struggles are small in comparison to so many.  My daughter just pulled out of a very serious time with pneumonia, and I am so thankful for her returned health.  It was a struggle all the same.  Right before it became a serious issue, we watched a video as a family called "The Pineapple Story."  http://www.gcachurches.org/resources/sermons/story.pdf (story told in sermon form) 

http://store.iblp.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IBLP&Product_Code=PS (if it looks interesting and you want to buy it..."The Snake Story" is good too!)

Anyway, we watched this video and it was the next day that my daughter was totally limp and almost admitted to the hospital.  It kept running over and over in my mind how she is God's child.  I can only do so much with what I have on this earth...ultimately it is God's.  How tightly I cling to my things...try to control them....make them work out like I think they should.....only to realize that I need to relinquish "my" things (and family) back into the hands of my loving Father.  I pray that I can have faith to trust that God is really working for my good, and truly there for me all the time.  I pray that I would reach out and be a true sister in Christ to others.  When I signed on to blog here, I never knew that so many could read what I said until I got e-mails with comments from people.  I actually got scared.    How silly.....anyway, being that others can read this, I hope that this may help someone else and not just me today!!  That is all for now....Melissa

This is a deep one for today....we have definately had our struggles going on this week (one child with fevers and another with bronchitis, pnemonia, and a double ear infection....which means no sleep), but as I have many things swirling around me, I have been thinking about those suffering for Christ.  We live in such a bubble of bliss in America.  My world is surely a protected one.  I often think of people in other countries and what they go through.  I wonder if they are able to speak of Christ freely, sing His praises, create pretty websites and shout of His glories in their lives, or go to places of worship.  I have had a heart for people that are hurting in other countries, people who either have not heard the good news, or who love Jesus, and need help.  Just recently I have been flooded with information of people who desperately need our prayers.  When I go to church and encounter relationship difficulties, I think of how the body of Christ in China responds when they see a fellow believer.  How petty our strained relationships can be.  I can be such a selfish person, and think of me and mine.  I pray that God can deliver me to be a person to "see" more of the hurting, and to pray beyond my walls.  I came across a poem and it was just beautiful, and soul stirring. 

Jewelry for Jesus

I have a Christian sister who lives across the sea.

She wears jewelry for Jesus an example to you and me.

Instead of diamonds on her neck, my sister dons a metal shackle.

Instead of rubies on her wrists, my sister wears bracelets of iron.

Instead of jewels on her feet, my sister drags balls of steel.

She carries her jewelry around with love and joy she's found, with peace that passes understanding, with love that presses on.

She carries her jewelry around with patience that knows no bounds, with kindness given from heav'n above, with goodness that comes from God's Holy Son.

She carries her jewelry around with faith that men astounds, with gentleness that stands firm, with self control that lasts.

My sister carries her jewelry around with help from a loving Master, a joyful King, a peaceful Shepherd, a helpful Savior, a patient God.

My sister carries her jewelry around with help from a perfect God, a faithful Servant, a gentle Lord, an all-present Friend, an all-watching Love.

My sister carries her jewelry with Jesus! http://www.persecution.com/basic/index.cfm                                                               Alyse Lapish, Age 14

http://www.persecution.com/ --Voice of the Martyrs

www.linkingup.com  --Kids of Courage through Voice of the Martyrs

That is my heart today, and all I can say is that He is truly beautiful to me..Melissa