I have been using the Creative Memories Digital Scrapbooking software for a while now.  I have completed 2008 and most of 2007 and done some side projects (birthday cards, thank you cards etc...)  The one thing I hadn't done was order an actual book.  Last weekend Brooks asked me to please get a book ordered so he could see what the final product was like.  I ended up placing the order for the scrapbook through Shutterfly and we are very pleased with the end product.

You can choose any photo for the front of the album.  I chose a family photo from that particular year.  In this picture, the photo is blurry.  It's not blurry on the album itself.  I didn't realize the picture was blurry until I uploaded it to the computer.  I'm still recovering from the flu and don't feel like taking another picture.  :-)

Here a few page layouts in the album. 

One of the many things I love about digital scrapbooking is the convenience of it.  This layout here I created while we were on vacation.  There is no way I would or could do that with traditional scrapbooking but doing it digitally, as long as I have my laptop, I can scrapbook. 

And here is the album on the shelf with our traditional scrapbooks.  I love how much less room these take.

I received this newsletter in my inbox today and thought it was worth sharing.

Preparing Our Sons to Serve:
Making the Most of Your Son's Home Education

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

-Mark Twain

There is an epidemic of mediocre, prayer-less, visionless, immoral, irresponsible men in our culture.  And if we continue to train our sons the same way, we will not stem the tide.  If we see home education as nothing more than a means to better scores, a safer environment, and individualized learning, then we will miss a golden opportunity.  We have an opportunity to raise a generation of men that will turn the world upside down.  We have an opportunity to invest in the lives of future visionaries, statesmen, churchmen, and family leaders.  We must keep all of this in mind as we educate our sons.  As we  educate our sons, we must prepare them to serve Christ, to serve their wives and children, and to serve their community.  And the Bible must be our guide.

We Must Prepare Our Sons to Serve Christ

The first and most important thing we can do in educating our sons is prepare them to strive for "First Commandment" living.  Jesus said:

 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment" (Matthew 22:34-39 ESV)

Thus, we must teach our sons to love the Lord first and foremost.  Our job is not to raise sons who worship at the altar of education.  Our job is to raise sons who worship and serve Jesus.  This can be accomplished in a number of ways. 

First, we must teach the Bible.  We must not assume that our children will learn and understand the Scriptures by osmosis.  We must teach Bible as diligently as we teach math.  Second, we must teach other subjects from a biblical perspective.  It is not enough to have Bible class if that's the only time God's Word is referenced.  We must demonstrate the supremacy of Christ in and over ever subject.  Third, we must engage in family worship. In a sermon on family worship, Arthur Pink made this point well.  Pink said, "If we would enjoy the blessing of God upon our family, then let its members gather together daily for praise and prayer.

We Must Prepare Our Sons to Serve Their Wives and Children

Preparing our sons for college is incredibly shortsighted.  College is a short-term proposition that, in the grand scheme of things, has very little bearing on a young man's life.  Moreover, the modern university has become so watered down that this is a low target at which to aim.  The impact of a man's college education pales in comparison to the impact his marriage has on his life.  In light of this, we should spend much more time than we currently do preparing our sons to be husbands and fathers, and to serve their wives and children.

A man's responsibility to serve his wife and children is an obligation the Bible outlines clearly.  Paul reiterates this obligation explicitly on at least three occasions (see: Ephesians 5:25-6:4; Colossians 3; and 1 Peter 3).  The most explicit examples are found in Ephesians:

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body." (Ephesians 5:25-30 ESV)

After a thorough discussion of a husband's duty to serve his wife in this way, Paul turns his attention to a man's responsibility to his children.

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4 ESV)

Some practical things we can do to prepare our sons for these critical tasks are:  1) teach them what the Bible says about the duty to which they will be called; 2) make sure they spend ample time being discipled by their father, or another man (i.e., a pastor) if their father is absent; and 3) encourage them to think about their future, and any plans they make, with their role as husband and father in view.

We Must Prepare Our Sons to Serve Their Community

True manhood is selfless.  We must raise sons who look beyond their own self-interest and serve those around them.  My favorite example of this in the Bible is the life of Job.  In an obscure passage toward the end of the book of Job, we find what I believe is one of the most captivating and inspiring depictions of godly manhood in the entire Bible.  Job is explaining his life prior to his sudden and numerous calamities.  He is telling his friends about the way Princes and Noblemen looked upon and respected him in days gone by.  Men young and old revered Job, not because of his wealth, but because of his character and his service to others:

"I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth." (Job 29:12-17 ESV)

In all of our striving to raise "educated" sons, let us not forget these words.  Let us not forget to raise our sons to serve Christ, to serve their wives and children, and to serve their community.  If we do this, we will have truly moved beyond mere schooling.

VB

They were calling for snow for our area and we were all skeptical until it actually arrived.  Around 10am on Friday morning it began snowing and it snowed off and on all day.  Friday night it turned to ice and so today we had a lovely coating of ice on top of the snow.  The nice thing about the ice coating was that it made for fun sledding.  The children were very glad they played out in the actual snow yesterday as it ws falling because today there wasn't much play in the snow since it was packed down by ice. 

With Brooks' arm still in a sling and not being able to use it, the fun play was up to me.  This is not my forte.  :-)  Brooks is much better at this play stuff than I -- not to mention I don't like the cold weather.  Oh well, such is life and it was an opportunity to make some wonderful memories.  I put on many layers and out in the snow/ice we went.  We had so much fun. 

Sam and Mark

Sam, Mark and Bethany

Mark didn't care for being pulled on the road.  He said the yard was a smoother ride.  Thankfully our neighbors didn't mind if we used their yard. 

Sam liked the road over the yard.  You can see that you can't actually touch the pavement.  It's covered with ice and snow.  It made for a very fun time.

Where is Bekah?  What was she doing the whole time we were outside playing..........................................

 She said it was too cold outside for her.  I'm not sure why the picture of her is so grainy.  I must have had the camera on the wrong setting.  I need to get a better picture. 

Don't you love sentences that start out that way?!?!  One of the many joys of having a teen in the home is the deeper conversations we have about the Word of God.  I certainly have conversations with all the children about God's Word but they are usually shorter and not as deep.  I so enjoy having a teen.  Bekah came to me yesterday afternoon with her bible in hand and said that she had read this scripture today and she wanted to share it with me.  She really liked it.  The scripture was 2 Peter 1

Simeon ^[a] Peter, ^(A) a slave and an apostle ^(B) of Jesus Christ:

    To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with ours ^[b] through the righteousness ^(C) of our God and Savior ^(D) Jesus Christ.

    ² May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God ^(E) and of Jesus our Lord.

Growth in the Faith

 ³ For His ^[c] divine power ^(F) has given us everything required for life and godliness, through the knowledge ^(G) of Him who called ^(H) us by ^[d] His own glory and goodness. ⁴ By these He has given us very great and precious promises, ^(I) so that through them you may share in the divine nature, ^(J) escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, ⁶ knowledge with self-control, ^(K) self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, ⁷ godliness with brotherly affection, ^(L) and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless ^(M) or unfruitful ^(N) in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted, and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, ^(O) because if you do these things you will never stumble. ¹¹ For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom ^(P) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to you.

    ¹² Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth ^(Q) you have. ¹³ I consider it right, as long as I am in this tent, ^{(R) [e]} to wake you up with a reminder, ¹⁴ knowing that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has also shown me. ^{(S) 15} And I will also make every effort that after my departure ^[f] you may be able to recall these things at any time.

The Trustworthy Prophetic Word

 ¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; ^(T) instead, we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. ^{(U) 17} For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, a voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory:

    This is My beloved Son. ^[g]

    I take delight in Him! ^{(V) [h]}

    ¹⁸ And we heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with Him on the holy mountain. ^{(W) 19} So we have the prophetic word strongly confirmed. You will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dismal place, ^(X) until the day dawns ^(Y) and the morning star ^(Z) arises in your hearts. ²⁰ First of all, you should know this: no prophecy of Scripture comes from one's own interpretation, ²¹ because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; ^(AA) instead, moved by the Holy Spirit, men spoke from God.

More specifically her favorite part is 3-11.  Now the really cool thing is that I had read that exact same scripture that afternoon and had marked it in my bible with a little note.  Isn't God the greatest!  We had a wonderful conversation about this scripture and how reassuring it is. 

I love being the mom of a teen.  I'm so thankful for the amount of time homeschooling allows us to spend together.   Moments like this simply can't be planned.  As I've heard said many, many times "you must have a quantity of time to get quality time."  Isn't that so true! 

Sam had his first indoor soccer game for this winter on Thursday.  Indoor soccer is so very different than outdoor.  This particular league they don't have practices, which is nice for me as the driver but not so great for the team in playing together.  Sam's team lost their first game 5-1 but he had a great time and played well.

Last indoor season I didn't get any pictures of him playing.  The plexiglass that surrounds the field makes picture taking a little difficult.  Thursday night I took my camera and decided to experiment with different settings etc... to try and get a few shots. 

This is a U12 division.  The boy in the yellow was soooo tall.  He towered over every boy on the field.  Sam seemed to always be matched up against him. 

Recently the forecast for our area was 2-6 inches of snow.  YIIPPPEEE  The children were beyond excited.  As the "snow day" approached the forecast continued to say "2-6 inches".... that was until the DAY of and then they started saying "it will arrive later" and so.  The final result was we received a small dusting of snow.  The children were very disappointed when they awoke that morning to find we had no snow.  They were a bit happier in the day when it did begin to snow a little. 

Sam and Bethany enjoyed building a fire.

Some how Mark managed to make a snowball.  I think he must have scrapped up every last drop of snow he could find.  As you can see from the yard, we truly didn't have much snow.

He has on his helmet because they had been riding bikes when he stopped to work on the snowball. 

And here is Sunshine after being outside running and playing with the children:

We have a new dog.  I hadn't really planned to get another one so quickly after Happy dying but it all just worked out.  There is a rescue organization here in our area that puts pets in foster homes until they are adopted.  A friend at Brooks' work had told him about this organization.  We began looking at the web site on Friday and we found a dog that we thought we really liked (according to description)  We filled out the application to adopt.  They have a great method.  You can take the dog home for one week and do foster to adopt.  This gives your family a week with the dog to see if he/she will be a good fit for your family.  Friday evening we recv'd a phone call from the organization.  She asked questions about our family and told me that she felt Sunshine would be a good fit for our family.  I inquired about one other dog we liked on the site and she said that Sunshine would be better for us.  So on that Saturday we went to adoption day and met Sunshine and brought her home.  She is a wonderful dog and is adjusting to our home very nicely. 

We were very blessed to get a dog that had been spayed and house trained already!  It took us a few days to get on the same page w/ signals for going out but she is now doing great.  Sunshine was owned by a lady that obviously loved her and spoiled her rotten.  :-)  This lady's sister moved in with her and she is very allergic to dogs so the owner turned Sunshine over to the rescue organization. 

Here are the children (minus Bekah -- she was beside me -- awaiting Sunshine's arrival:

Here she is on the way home.  She is much better in the van than Happy ever was.

Here she is relaxing at our home.

I have a sweet picture of Sunshine and Mark but it's on my phone and I haven't loaded it onto the computer yet. 

Sunshine is a Beagle/Retriever mix and is approximately 6 months old. 

Dawne has lots of great A.C.E. samples up on her blog.  One mom requested 4th grade Social Studies and Dawne doesn't currently have any of those.  Since I do, I said I would be happy to post some here. 

These are from pace number 1038 (2nd out of 12 paces for 4th grade S.S.)

You can see the full A.C.E. Scope and Sequence here. 

I tried to copy and paste from the website what the 4th grade SS covers but it pasted funny so I deleted it.  You can see it at the above link.  :-)

Despite Brooks having another surgery just a few days before Christmas, we had a wonderful time.  I'm so glad that we did our shopping early this year!!

Bekah's favorite -- books.  She received the Chosen Daughters Series from Grace and Truth Books and the Sarah Series by Jim Baumgardner.  She has already read most of the Chosen Daughter series.  She is reading something else right now and hasn't started on the Sarah books yet. 

Sam's favorite -- lasso rope kit.  We purchased this from Vision Forum.  It's the Will Rogers Rope Trick Kit.  He loves this.  We also got the DVD and I'm glad we did.  It's much easier to learn from the DVD than just from the book alone. 

Bethany's favorite -- a Beatrix Potter tea set.  She loves Beatrix Potter and had mentioned she would like a tea set.  I was thankful we were able to find one for her. 

Mark's favorite -- The Coontail hat from Vision Forum.  Well, I'm sure there are other places to purchase this but we ordered from Vision Forum.  :-)  He loves his hat.  LOVES it. 

The favorite group gift was Outdoor Challenge for the Wii.  If you have a Wii, this game is so much fun.  We love all the active games with the Wii.  It's not just a mindless video gaming system.  In fact, last night we were playing Outdoor Challenge.  Bethany Grace had already taken her shower for the evening and she said "I'm going to have to take another shower".  The activities offered via the Wii games are really nice on these cold days when we are only outside for 20 minutes at a time. 

I am so wayyyyy behind.  Right after Brooks' first surgery the girls had their piano recital.  It was Bethany Grace's first recital and she did wonderfully well.  Bekah was glad to have another recital and she did an excellent job as well.  Sam didn't have a recital this semester. 

I had planned to get a picture of the girls with their teacher but it just didn't happen. 

They all received their music grades in the mail just before Christmas and they each earned an "A" for the first semester as well as on their performance evaluation. 

Brooks had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday.  It was neat seeing all the pictures from before and after surgery.  That type of things usually doesn't interest me but because this wasn't a blood bath of stuff, it was cool.  :-)   The appointment went well.  He still can't drive for at least 5 more weeks.  He is to continue with physical therapy.  The doctor told him he could return to work on 1/11 but with the restriction of not using his left arm and, obviously, he can't drive. 

Now came decision time for Brooks.  He was trying to decide whether to return to work on 1/11 or take short-term disability.  His main worry with returning to work was reinjuring the shoulder and since he's already had two surgeries on it, a third is not at all appealing.  :-)  We had been discussing the two options, weighing the pros and cons of each etc....  I shared with a friend and prayer warrior that I would just wanted God to give us a big sign so we would be certain we were making the right decision. 

Yesterday Brooks called his employer to go over some things and talk about returning to work.  He was told that he would have to go on short-term disability because he can't return with his current restrictions.  Okay.  THANK YOU, GOD!!!!  The decision is now made and it is clear what he needs to do. 

I'm very busy with running Brooks to the doctor and physical therapy.  It will be even "worse" next week when music lessons and Spanish class resumes.  I keep reminding myself that it is only for a season. 

I've had many e-mails asking about Brooks and I think I've replied to all of them.  I apologize if I missed any.  Life has simply been busy with caring for him on top of my other regular duties.  :-)

When the doctor got in there to repair the loose anchor/screw, he saw that the tendon had torn in a new place.  The doctor repaired the new tear and the loose anchor.  They didn't do a shoulder block this time so Brooks was in a lot of pain directly afterwards.

I am very happy to say that he is doing much better this time around.  This new pain medicine works much better for him.  He is actually sleeping each night.  He's had one PT session since the surgery and goes for another on Tuesday.  Tuesday is also his follow-up with the doctor. 

I hope everyone had a wonderfully Merry Christmas.  I'll try and post more soon.

I only thought our family would be closing out 2009 with three surgeries.  On Friday morning as Brooks was getting out of bed he felt and heard a pop.  We ended up at the doctor's office.  The x-ray revealed that one of the three anchors/screws popped loose out of the bone so on Monday we will be returning to the surgery center for another surgery.  Our doctor was in surgery all day on Friday so we saw another doctor in the practice.  He was quite surprised that it had come loose and said that it is rare for that to happen.  Because our doctor was in surgery all day, we were told to keep our Tuesday appointment and a plan would be made from there.  Friday evening we recv'd a phone call from the surgery center letting us know that our doctor had looked at Brooks' x-ray and he would be coming in on his day off, Monday, to repair it.  So at 6am on Monday, we'll be back at the surgery center.

All of this could be very overwhelming and I certainly have my moments but at the same time it could always be so much worse.  I am continually reminded to keep a Holy perspective.  God is in control.  None of this is taking Him by surprise. 

Prayers are much appreciated for this surgery and recovery.

On Monday before Brooks' surgery we went to the ICE show at Gaylord Opryland.  The theme this year is Charlie Brown.  The children had lots of fun and enjoyed the slide made of ice a great deal.

We had to get Mark's picture with Linus since he's our little Linus (loves his blankie)

My favorite part each year is the ICE Nativity scene.  It's always so beautiful.  I was frozen by the time we reached this point so I only have one picture of this scene.

As a side note -- The children hadn't ever seen any Charlie Brown shows.  It had been forever since I had seen any.  We got A Charlie Brown Christmas from Netflix so the children could see it and have an understanding of the theme of ICE.  Do you know how many times they call one another "stupid" in that show?  Way too many to count and certainly way too much to be a suitable show for our family.  I was surprised how mean they are to one another.  One of the children asked "why do they treat Charlie Brown that way".  All of the children thought it was a program we shouldn't watch again.  I was glad to see their discernment in that. 

Brooks' rotator cuff surgery went very well today.  The doctor was very pleased with how surgery went.  They did a shoulder block so his pain is low right now.  They say when the shoulder block wears off the pain will be great. 

On Monday he starts physical therapy.  PT will be 3x a week for 6 weeks.  He has to wear the sling for 6-8 weeks.  No pictures to share today.  :-)  I'll try and take a picture of him in his lovely sling in the next few days. 

Praising God for Brooks' parents that stayed with the children today and for our amazing church family that is providing meals for the next few days. 

On Saturday Brooks escorted Bekah to the Confederate Christmas Ball.  She had an amazing time.  Brooks said she didn't stop smiling the whole night.  She told me all about all of the dances (Virgina Reel, Patty Cake Polka, Gallop, Carolina Promenade etc...)  She can't wait to go again.

And here she is with Grandma and Grandpa.

Our sweet Happy dog would have turned 8 years old today.  At the first part of September we found out that Happy had cancer.  The vet told us she might live two days or two months but her time left was short.  She lived just over the two month mark.  She gradually got worse and worse.  Her sight was the first thing to go.  It was amazing how well she adjusted to being blind though.  A short time later her hearing would come and go.  On Tuesday of this week, Happy couldn't walk.  Her back legs would still work but she couldn't get her front legs to move in the position she needed them to to be able to actually walk.  So on Tuesday afternoon we took Happy to the vet.  The children each wrote a note to Happy and put it in the box with her.  The notes were so beautiful.  I wish I had known how sweet and precious they were as I would have copied them.  I didn't read the notes ahead of time.  Each child read their note at a little funeral we had for Happy.  So here is a little walk down memory lane of our sweet Happy dog.

On Thanksgiving Day while at Nana and Papa's house, Mark was looking through the advertisements.  He found one for an Nintendo DS Lite for 50.00 (pre-owned)  Off and on he mentions wanting one of these but Brooks and I didn't have any plans to make this purchase for him.  He has been saving his money this year and had saved $60.00.  He said 'if this is 50.00 then I'll have $10.00 left over -- well, a little less with tax"  Yep, that's right buddy.  He asked if he could purchase it and we told him we would discuss it. 

Brooks and I decided that we would let him purchase this if that's how he wanted to spend his money.  We told him he would have to get up early on Friday morning.  So at 5:30 a.m. on Friday morning, I woke Mark and asked if he still wanted to go.  He was in a sound sleep but he flew out of the bed in no time.  He looked outside and saw that it was still dark and asked me "Can you drive in the dark?"   

We got in the car and off we went.   While the store was crowded, we didn't have to wait in line outside the store or anything.  We returned home and he is very happy with his purchase.

We have rules for it and he has been obeying the rules without any problems thus far. 

Bethany Grace continues to battle on-going sinus infections.  It's not uncommon to find her like this in the middle of the day:

So I am beyond thrilled when she is feeling better and can make it through the day without a nap or needing a rest.  She has been feeling really well the past couple of weeks.  Last week I snapped this picture of her as we were getting ready to go out for the evening to enjoy the "flipping the switch" of the lights at Gaylord Opryland and then off to see the Rockettes.

We recently were finally able to get together with our precious friends, The Hall Family, -- well, a portion of the family.  We had a great time catching up and are reminded how very sweet our friendship is.  God is so good to bless us with so many wonderful friends.

Mark enjoying  some time in the pool:

The group gathered to pose for a quick picture before we had to leave. 

We've been close friends with this family since Mark was born.  It's so great to reconnect.  The children can't wait to do it again.