Posted in family
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The love of God My dh silly smiles from my kids the mountains encouraging friends that I'm forgiven family Rain boys splashing in the tub quiet times with my sweet heart cookies red walls porch swings shopping with my dd when the kids say thank you Robin Hood boys brushing dd 's hair the piano ice cream cones butterfly kisses reading to the kids taking the kids to church get away trips friends that love my kids dry walls
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Posted in my study
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" He is the God of every circumstance. He is in the process of redeeming and making all things new. You can rejoice in Him, even when your eyes are filled with tears!" Psalm 31:7 " I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul." |
Posted in family
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Today is our 13th wedding anniversary. I can't believe how fast it has flown by. I am more in love with my dh today than ever before. He has walked with me down some beautiful paths and some dark roads. But through it all he is my knight and shining armor!! And I thank God for him today! The night he proposed to me he sang a song by Steven Curtis Chapman--- " I will be here" . And the first line to that song has been on my mind over the last few days, it goes like this, " Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear, I...I will be here" . This has been so true of Keith over the last 2 years. There have been many days that the sun did not appear and it was so dark, but Keith stood next to me and held my hand through it all. And he has been here through it all. I love this man!!! My friend Nikki did something for her husband that I copied. I got a t-shirt that says, " I love my husband" . And he thought it was great! Thanks Nikki!!! What a blessing that God has given to me. Thank You Father for blessing me with Keith. |
Posted in my study
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We haven't had a good rainfall here in CO for a long time. It so happens we get this rain when my husband and older kids are camping. But, we will take the rain whenever it comes. Rain. The last few years I feel like it has been raining on me. I feel like I'm in the storm. But, God is so good to me to put a rainbow in my life just right when I need it. I will hold onto my Rock through the storm and through the beauty of life. " I will praise Him in this storm!!!" |
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I love birthdays! Today is our daughter's birthday. I can't believe she is 11years old today. It seems like we just brought her home from the hospital and I had no clue what to do. She is such a blessing to our family. She is always willing to watch her younger brothers, bake anything, help clean up , read to others. What a joy! Tomorrow is my sister Lori's birthday. She would have been 47. Last year dd and Lori celebrated their birthday together, because we were with dad going through mom's things. The changes a year can bring are wild! Father, thank you for life. Thank you for blessing us with our sweet young lady. May we be a blessing to her today, like she is to us everyday. Thank you for days to celebrate and milestones we've met. May this next year of dd's life be a year of more spiritual growth. Help her to dig deeper after You. Thank you for a wonderful year with her. My prayer tomorrow is that I would focus on fond memories of Lori ,that are sweet. Help me not to focus on the hurt and pain, but on You. I will praise You!!!! Amen
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Posted in family
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On Mother's Day it is so easy for me to feel sad about not having my mom anymore. But a friend of mine encouraged me to look for five memories of mom and not to dwell on the loss. So here are some memories of mom: --- I remember when mom helped Keith plan a special get-away for me(my sister's husband was doing the same thing for her at the same B&B). She took us out for lunch while our husbands were getting our bags packed. I remember laughing with her. But she never told us the surprise. --- I remember mom attending my high school volleyball matches and cheering. --- I remember mom coming to the hospital and holding Shelby for the first time. --- I remember mom praying for Graham when he was so jaundice (3 1/2 months). She had all of her friends praying for Graham. --- I remember going shopping for my wedding gown with mom. I don't know how many times I had her go with me so I could re-try the dress on again. --- I remember mom losing her glasses --ALL the Time!! --- I remember holding mom's hand when she was dying and just wanting her to be comfortable.
I was so blessed to have a mom that loved me and that prayed for me. I miss her a lot! Don't forget to thank your mom today and tell her you love her. |
Posted in family
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I love the smell of blueberry muffins. Our dd just made a batch and they smell wonderful. It got me thinking how our dd has grown up overnight. She will be celebrating a b-day in a few weeks. She is such a joy! I am so thankful for her and her smile. She makes living in a house full of boys much easier!!
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Posted in my study
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When you look at your life as book there are many chapters. I have had some wonderful chapters--- our wedding chapter, baby chapters, vacations chapters, etc. . The chapter I am in right now is a sad chapter. Mom died 1 1/2 years ago and now my sister just a few weeks ago. I was hoping to close this chapter and move on to something more. But, God has chosen for me to be right where I am. And I have come to the conclusion that I may never understand why this chapter will continue but I will trust my God that He knows why. This grieving time is a chapter and not the end of my book. Even though this chapter is real and hurts I can't just skip to the next chapter I must go through the darkness to make it to the light. There is something that I will learn from this chapter and the book about me will be better because of this chapter.
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I have resolved that God is GOOD!! |
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Posted in family
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Last week we had the opprotunity to visit Rocky Ridge, the place that Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote the Little House books. We had such a good time. We saw Pa's fiddle, the desk that Laura wrote her books, many pictures and documents. It was a great time. The 3 older kids loved it. Shelby has read the series many times and I am reading with the boys -- right now we are on Farmer Boy and enjoying it (again!). So visiting Rocky Ridge was perfect timing. |
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Posted in family
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I played softball with the kids today. It was so much fun to go outside and just play with the kids. We are having a beautiful day here today(70's), and having fun outside. This afternoon we did all of our school on the porch swing. We sat together and read books and more books. What a joy to be with our children. I would have it no other way!!! I am so blessed to be a stay at home mom and not have to work outside our home. Thank You Lord, for giving me time to spend with our kids. Time that we can enjoy Your creation. Time to run and play. Father, I am so thankful for the job that You have given to Keith. A job that makes it possible for me to be home. Thank you for Keith and his hard work. I am so blessed! |
Posted in family
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Today is the first day of spring. Living in Colorado I have learned that just because the calendar says spring, doesn't always mean spring. We are having blizzard like conditions today. So, we are getting the opprotunity to go outside and shovel pretty soon. But, by Friday it is suppose to be in the 50's. My poor tullips have come up and today are buried by snow This is such a good reminder to me how God is so good to us. He doesn't just give us the same day as yesterday, but gives us variety. Keeping our kids hearts has something Keith and I have really been working on. Proverbs 23:26 " My son, give me thine heart, and let my eyes observe my ways." Sometimes it is easy to discipline and be done with it. But there is more, we need to get to the heart. The "why" of why we do things. When we have their hearts, the child will be able to observe the parents and learn from them. When we lose the child, it is difficult to teach them. Parenting can be tough job, but the rewards can be so sweet. |
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Psalm 5:3 " In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch." This verse was mentioned on another site, so I looked it up. Every morning during my quiet time I lift my requests to the Lord but to eagerly watch I don't always do. Those 2 words tell me to watch for God to do His work. Many times I lift up my requests to Him and that is it. " Eagerly watch " is so exciting to me because my God is big enough to do anything!!! |
Posted in school
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There is so much I would like to teach our children, but my days go soooo fast. I have so much to pack into the day and then I look at our day and the kids have no free time to be kids. It is all such a balance for me. I want our kids to be kids and do fun kid things. I want them to play outside, jump rope, swing on the swings, get dirty, run in the rain, play with the water table, sit on the porch swing , ride their bikes, go for walks, play tag, etc., etc. . My goal for this spring is to let them explore more. We will be doing our school, but maybe somedays outside. We will be learning, but maybe not in the traditional way. Our kids learn so much more when I let them learn by touching, putting things together, and being physically involved instead of putting a text book in front of them. Don't get me wrong-- we will still do math everyday. This is another one of the benefits of homeschooling. I love it!!!
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Posted in family
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Right now our house is quiet. The little guys are napping, the big guys are playing in their room, Shelby is reading , and Keith is working on the van. I enjoy the times when our house is quiet, but not for too long. I really like having our kids around us. Today when I was getting my hair done, a couple of the ladies couldn't believe that I had 5 kids and that I homeschool. "Wow -- You must be very patient, you seem so calm." I thought later when I was driving home, " No, I'm not as patient as I wish I was." I let things get in the way which makes me impatient with our kids. I create too many "lists" that need to be done and done now. I would really like to play more. Not just let the kids go play, but play with them. I am so thankful for my family. Keith is a wonderful husband and daddy. And our five children are true blessings to me. I wouldn't change anything. Father, thank You for the blessing of my family. It is a true delight to me to have five blessings and such a wonderful husband. |
Posted in family
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Some of the things the kids say just make me laugh. Graham has been saying some funny things lately. Keith was out of town last week and Graham said, "Will dad park his airplane in the garage?" . The next morning he said, "did dad drive his airplane to work today?" We are going on a trip to Arkansas soon and Graham said, "do you think they have beds in Arkansas?'' I said , "yes, Grandpa and Grandma have beds," he said, "oh-- I wanted to sleep on the floor!" |
Posted in school
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Today is Monday and yes the beginning of another week. This week should look more like a regular week of school (if regular really is a good way to describe it :) ) . Shelby is doing such a good job in getting up in the morning. She gets up at 6:00am to start her day. She does her devotions, math, English, and spelling. Trying to get some of this done before the boys get up. This gives her and I some one on one time together. This week Shelby will be wrapping up her Helen Keller study. I am hoping to be able to dissect the cow's eye tonight or tomorrow night. I would like help from daddy :). The kids are very excited about this science experiment. Zachary and Austin will be finishing their Russia study this week. It is fun to hear them describe things they have learned to Keith. They will also be finishing building their covered bridge. Books I will be reading to them this week are: George Muller--Faith to feed ten thousand, The Light at Tern Rock, The legend of Fire, The Octopus, and of course our Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 " All scripture is insprired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. So that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." Sometimes it is so easy for me to grab a book to help with training our kids ( not a bad thing), but right here in this verse it tells me the scripture has what I need to train our kids. God's word needs to be my first book I turn to. Ok-- off and running. I think today we will take a walk before we start school. I like to tell the kids we are going to walk to school :).
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Posted in my study
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I have been doing a study on joy over the past few months. God has given us so much to be joyful in. The lack of joy is rooted in ingratitude for the circumstances we find ourselves in. We need to start our day with a grateful heart. A lot of this starts in our head--- "I will choose with my will to take joy, my feelings will catch up ." A verse that has been precious to me over the last few months is : Nehemiah 8:10b " Do not be grieved , for the joy of the Lord is your strength." " The opposite of joy is not sorrow---but unbelief." We have been commanded to be joyful in all things. Even when our heart is hurting, we can have the joy of the Lord. Not always easy, but this is what we have been told to do. And God will give us the strength to do this. John 15:11" These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be full."
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